JP7702065B2 - Articles for use in non-combustion aerosol delivery systems - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, a system including the article, and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

Certain tobacco industry products generate an aerosol that is inhaled by a user during use. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating substrate, such as tobacco, to form an aerosol by heating the substrate without burning it. Such tobacco industry products commonly include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol passes to reach the user's mouth.

Some embodiments described herein provide an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the article including sections of an aerosol-generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article, each section having a different cross-sectional area transverse to the longitudinal axis.

In some embodiments, the article may include a distal end for insertion into an aerosol generating device, and the section may include a first and a second section. The first section may be at the distal end and may have a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the second section that is distal to the distal end.

The first and/or second sections may have a uniform cross-sectional area along the longitudinal axis.

The first section may extend a greater distance along the longitudinal axis than the second section extends along the longitudinal axis.

The first and second sections of the aerosol-generating material may each be formed from a different type of aerosol-generating material. The first and second sections may be formed from the same aerosol-generating material.

The second section of the aerosol-generating material may include a cavity or hole, and the first section of the aerosol-generating material may be contained within and extend from said cavity or hole.

The article of the present invention may include a packaging material that encases the first and/or second sections of the aerosol-generating material.

The packaging material enclosing the first section may be different from the packaging material enclosing the second section.

The packaging material may include iron and/or a thermally conductive material.

The packaging material may be configured to be conductively or inductively heated to heat the aerosol-generating material.

At least a portion of the packaging material may be air permeable.

The wrapping material may be mesh and may be perforated or have holes.

Each of the first and second sections of the aerosol generating material may have a circular cross-section.

The article of the invention may include a mouth end remote from the aerosol-generating material, the mouth end configured to be placed between a user's lips when the aerosol-generating material is inserted into the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

The cooling segment may be located between the aerosol generating material and the mouth end.

The filtration segment may be located between the cooling segment and the mouth end.

In some other embodiments described herein, a system is provided that includes a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and an article, the article including sections of an aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article, each section having a different cross-sectional area transverse to the longitudinal axis, the device including a cavity for receiving the article and a heater surrounding the cavity, such that the heater is adjacent to at least one of the sections when the article is received in the cavity.

The section of the aerosol-generating material may include a first and a second section, and the cavity for containing the article includes a first portion that contains the first section and a second portion that contains the second section, the second portion being larger than the first portion.

The article of the invention may include a wrapper, and the heater may be configured to heat the aerosol-generating material by heating the wrapper.

The heating element may include iron and/or a thermally conductive material that transfers heat from the heater to the aerosol generating material.

The wrapper may be a susceptor and the heater may include a varying magnetic field generator that inductively heats the wrapper.

The section of aerosol-generating material may be cylindrical.

The heater may include a tubular body, with a cavity formed in the tubular body for receiving the item.

The heater may include a first portion that is positioned along a first section of the aerosol-generating material when the article is contained in the aerosol-generating device.

The second section may have a distal end surface and the first portion of the heater may be adjacent to the distal end surface.

The heater may include a second portion that is positioned along the second section of the aerosol-generating material when the article is contained in the device.

The first and second sections may be configured to heat the first and second sections to different temperatures.

The first and second portions may be configured to heat the first and second sections sequentially.

The first and second sections may be configured such that heating of one section is delayed relative to heating of the other section.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article for use in a non-combustion based aerosol delivery device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a non-combustion based aerosol delivery device into which the article of FIG. 1 is inserted. 3 is a schematic diagram of components within a housing of the aerosol delivery device shown in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system including the non-combustion based aerosol delivery device of FIG. 2 and the article of FIG. 1 inserted therein.

As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, including:
Combustion-based aerosol delivery systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars and pipes or tobacco for hand-rolled or homemade cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smoking materials); Non-combustion-based aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without burning the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products and hybrid systems that generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; and Aerosol-free delivery systems that orally, nasally, transdermally or otherwise deliver to a user at least one substance, with or without nicotine, including but not limited to oral products such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing a patch inhalable powder and oral tobacco products including snus or moist snus.

For purposes of this disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one that does not combust or burn the constituent aerosol-generating materials of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

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

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

A non-combustion aerosol delivery system typically includes a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and consumables for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

This disclosure relates to consumables that include an aerosol generating material and are configured for use in non-combustion based aerosol delivery devices. These consumables may also be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined with respect to the direction of mainstream aerosol being drawn through the article or device when used. References to the "distal end" mean upstream of the device, whereas references to the "proximal end" mean downstream of the device.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, e.g., the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power source or a heat generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that is energized to deliver power in the form of heat to an aerosol generating material or a thermally conductive material proximate to the heat generating power source.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system includes a region for containing a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating region, a housing, a mouthpiece, and a filter and/or an aerosol modifier.

In some embodiments, consumables for use in non-combustion based aerosol delivery systems may include aerosol generating materials and/or aerosol forming substrates, aerosol generating material storage areas, aerosol generating material transport components, aerosol generators, aerosol generating areas, housings, wrappers, filters, mouthpieces, and/or aerosol modifiers.

The consumable includes a substance to be delivered. The substance to be delivered is an aerosol-generating material. Optionally, the generating material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and/or one or more other functional materials.

In some embodiments, the substance provided comprises an active agent. An active agent as used herein is a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active agent may be selected from, for example, a dietary supplement, a nootropic, or a psychotropic drug. The active agent may be naturally occurring or synthetically derived. The active agent may comprise, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or mixtures thereof. The active agent may comprise one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other plants. In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

As described herein, the active agent may include or be derived from a plant or its components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term "plant" includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from a plant, such as extracts, leaves, bark, fiber, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, pods, etc. Alternatively, the material may include active compounds naturally occurring in the plant or synthetically derived. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, ground particles, granules, pellets, pieces, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of plants include tobacco, eucalyptus, cornstarch, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay leaf, 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, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, sedge, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiene, oregano, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, fennel, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint species: mentha, moroccan mint, egyptian mint, peppermint, cologne mint, candy mint, curly mint, kentucky kernel mint, horse mint, pineapple mint, pennyroyal mint, english spearmint, and malva.

In some embodiments, the active agent may include or be derived from a plant or one or more of its components, derivatives, or extracts, and the plant is tobacco.

In some embodiments, the active agent may include or be derived from one or more of a plant or its components, derivatives or extracts, the plant being selected from eucalyptus, tallow tree, cocoa and hemp.

In some embodiments, the composition may comprise or be derived from one or more plants or components, derivatives or extracts thereof, the plants being selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the substance includes a flavoring agent.

As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavoring agent" are used as permitted by local ordinance to produce a taste, odor or other somatosensory stimulus desired by the adult consumer. They include naturally occurring flavoring materials, plants, plant extracts, synthetically derived materials or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, and the like). Roots, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey extract, 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, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, burdock, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, 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, scutellaria, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento, melon .... , damien, origanum, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, fennel, 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, mannitol, etc.), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals or breath fresheners. They may be mimics, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, e.g. liquids such as oils, solids such as powders or gases.

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

In some embodiments, the flavoring agent may include a sensory agent that is chemically induced and recognized by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the aroma or taste nerves, and may include agents that impart heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing sensations. A suitable heating agent is, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent is, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

An aerosol-generating material or substrate is a material that is capable of generating an aerosol when excited, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in some other way. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel that may or may not contain active substances and/or flavorants. The aerosol-generating material is incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol generating system.

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material containing tobacco or a derivative or substitute thereof. The tobacco material may be in any suitable form. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may include one or more of powdered tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, reconstituted tobacco and/or tobacco extract.

A consumable is an article that contains or consists of an aerosol-generating material that is intended to be consumed, in part or in whole, by a user during use. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transport component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol modifier. A consumable may also include a wrapper that can be heated by electrical conduction, or the wrapper may be a susceptor that allows the aerosol-generating material to be inductively heated.

The susceptor is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, and the penetration of the fluctuating magnetic field may result in induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a conductive material, and the penetration of the fluctuating magnetic field may result in magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, such that the heating material can be heated by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

The aerosol modifier is a substance that is typically located downstream of the aerosol-generation region and configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example by changing the taste, flavor, acidity, or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided within an aerosol modifier-releasing member that is 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 flavorant, a colorant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel. The aerosol modifier may be a powder, string, or granules. The aerosol modifier may not include a filtration material.

The aerosol-generating device is an apparatus configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating device includes a heater configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol.

The filamentary tow material described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. The filamentary tow material may 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, paper, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers or combinations thereof. The filamentary tow material may be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for the filter material, such as triacetin, if the filter material is cellulose acetate tow, or may be unplasticized. The tows can be of any suitable specification, such as other cross sections such as "Y" or "X", fibers having a single yarn fineness of 2.5 to 15, e.g., a single yarn fineness of 8.0 to 11.0, and a total fineness value of 5,000 to 50,000, e.g., 10,000 to 40,000.

The same reference numbers are used in the drawings throughout this specification to indicate equivalent features, items or components.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a non-combustion aerosol-generating article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system 200 that includes an aerosol delivery device 100 (see Figures 2-4).

The article 1 has an upstream or distal end "D" and a downstream or proximal end "P". The proximal end P includes a mouthpiece 2 and the distal end D includes an aerosol-generating substrate or material 3 connected to the mouthpiece 2. In this example, the aerosol-generating substrate includes a source of aerosol-generating substrate 3 in the form of two rod-like sections coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis X-X axis of the article 1. The sections of aerosol-generating material 3 include a first section 4 at the distal end and a second section 5 downstream of the first section 4. The cross-sectional area of the first section 4 measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is smaller than the corresponding cross-sectional area of the second section 5.

Each section 4, 5 of the aerosol-generating material 3 is cylindrical, with the diameter of the first section 4 being smaller than the diameter of the second section 5. The sections 4, 5 may also be of other shapes, with each section 4, 5 having a shape different from that of the other section 4, 5. The two sections 4, 5 may also be of different lengths, with the first section 4 being longer than the second section as shown, but the sections 4, 5 being the same length.

The first and second sections 4, 5 may be adjacent and in abutting relationship to one another. However, the second section 5 may be provided with a recess or hole (not shown) coaxial with the longitudinal axis X-X and extending partially or completely therethrough. In this case, the first section 4 may extend completely or partially through the recess or hole in the second section 5 to connect the first and second sections 4, 5. The first section 4 may be fitted or interference-fitted into the second section 5 such that after the first section 4 is fully inserted into the second section 5, the sections 4, 5 are held together unless pulled apart.

Each section 4, 5 may be formed from the same or a different aerosol-generating material 3.

The aerosol-generating material 3 of one or both sections 4, 5 may comprise multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating material 3. For example, the aerosol-generating material 3 may comprise multiple strands or strips of an aerosolizable material and/or multiple strands or strips of an amorphous solid.

The multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating material 3 may be aligned within the aerosol-generating section such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X' of the article 1. Alternatively, the strands or strips may be generally arranged such that their longitudinal dimensions are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the article 1.

In this example, the second section 5 of the rod 3 of aerosol-generating material has a circumference of about 22.7 mm. In other embodiments, the rod 3 of aerosol-generating material may have any suitable circumference, for example, a circumference of about 20 mm to about 26 mm. The first section 4 has a circumference that is smaller than the circumference of the second section 5.

One or both of sections 4, 5 may be wrapped in a wrapper 6. In this example, wrapper 6 is a moisture impermeable wrapper.

As shown in FIG. 1, the article 1 also includes a mouthpiece 2 including a cooling section 7, also referred to as a cooling member 7, located immediately downstream and adjacent to the second section 5 of the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the cooling section 7 is in abutting relationship with the second section 5 of the aerosol-generating material 3, the second section 5 having the same overall diameter as the cooling section 7. The mouthpiece 2 also includes, in this example, a body of material 8 downstream of the cooling section 7, and a hollow tubular member 9 downstream of the body of material 8 at the mouth end 2 of the article 1.

The cooling section 7 includes a hollow channel 7a having an inner diameter of about 1 mm to about 4 mm, for example about 2 mm to about 4 mm. In this example, the hollow channel 7a has an inner diameter of about 3 mm. The hollow channel 7a extends along the entire length of the cooling section 7. In this example, the cooling section 7 includes a single hollow channel 7a. In other embodiments, the cooling section 7 may include multiple channels, for example, two, three or four channels. In this example, the single hollow channel 7a is substantially cylindrical, but other channel shapes/cross sections may be used in other embodiments. The hollow channel 7a may provide space for aerosol drawn into the cooling section 7 to expand and cool. In all embodiments, the cooling section 7 is configured to restrict the cross-sectional area of one or more hollow channels 7a to restrict tobacco movement into the cooling section 7 in use.

The cooling section 7 may have a wall thickness in the radial direction. When the cooling section 7 has a given outer shape, the wall thickness of the cooling section 7 defines the inner diameter of the flow passage 7a enclosed by the wall of the cooling section 7. The cooling section 7 may have a wall thickness of at least about 1.5 mm and at most about 2 mm. In this example, the cooling section 7 has a wall thickness of about 2 mm.

The cooling section 7 is formed from filamentary tow. Other configurations may be used, such as tubes formed using parallel or spirally wound paper layers with seams joined to form the cooling section 7, cardboard tubes, molded or extruded plastic tubes of a paper-compound mold process, or the like. The cooling section 7 is manufactured to be sufficiently rigid to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of the article 1.

The wall material of the cooling section 7 may be relatively non-porous such that at least 90% of the aerosol emitted by the aerosol-generating material 3 passes longitudinally through the one or more hollow channels 7a rather than through the wall material of the cooling section 7. For example, at least 92% or at least 95% of the aerosol emitted by the aerosol-generating material 3 may pass through the one or more hollow channels 7a.

In some examples, the mouthpiece 2 includes a cavity 11 having an internal volume of greater than 110 mm ^3. It has been found that providing a cavity 11 of at least this volume allows for good aerosol formation. In some examples, the mouthpiece 2 includes a cavity 11, for example formed in the cooling section 7, having an internal volume of greater than 110 mm ³ , or greater than 130 mm ³ , further improving aerosol. The internal cavity 11 includes a volume of between about 130 mm ³ and about 230 mm ³ , for example about 134 mm ³ or 227 mm ³ .

The cooling section 7 may be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40° C. between the heated and volatilized components entering the first upstream end of the cooling section 7 and the heated and volatilized components exiting the second downstream end of the cooling section 7. The cooling section 7 is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60° C., preferably at least 80° C., and more preferably at least 100° C., between the heated and volatilized components entering the first upstream end of the cooling section 7 and the heated and volatilized components exiting the second downstream end of the cooling section 7. This temperature difference over the length of the cooling section 7 protects the temperature sensitive body of material 8 from the high temperatures of the aerosol generating material 3 when heated.

In use the aerosol-generation section may exhibit a pressure drop of about 15 to about 40 mmH ₂ O. In some embodiments the aerosol-generation section exhibits an aerosol-generation section pressure drop of about 15 to about 30 mmH ₂ O.

In this embodiment, the moisture-impermeable wrapper 6 surrounding one or both sections of the aerosol-generating material 3 comprises aluminum foil. In other embodiments, the wrapper 6 comprises a paper wrapper, optionally including a barrier coating that renders the wrapper material substantially moisture-impermeable. Aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing aerosol formation within the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer having a thickness of about 6 μm. In this example, the aluminum foil has a backing. However, in alternative configurations, the aluminum foil may be of other thicknesses, for example, between 4 μm and 16 μm. The aluminum foil may also not require a backing, but may have a backing material formed from other materials that, for example, help provide the foil with adequate tensile strength, or may have no backing material. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum may also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper 6 is preferably between 20 μm and 60 μm, or between 30 μm and 50 μm, which is a thickness that can provide the wrapper 6 with suitable structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tension that can be applied to the wrapper 6 before it breaks is greater than 3,000 grams force, for example, 3,000 to 10,000 grams force or 3,000 to 4,500 grams force. If the wrapper 6 comprises paper or a paper backing, i.e., a cellulosic material, the wrapper may have a basis weight of greater than about 30 gsm. For example, the wrapper 6 may have a basis weight in the range of about 40 gsm to about 70 gsm, which increases the stiffness of the rod of aerosol-generating material 3.

In this example, the moisture impermeable wrapper 6 may also be substantially impermeable to air. In another embodiment, the wrapper 6 may have an air permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 60 Coresta units. It has been found that wrappers with low air permeability, for example less than 100 Coresta units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta units, result in improved formation of aerosols at the aerosol-generating material 3. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to less loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper 6. The air permeability of the wrapper 6 may be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 for measurement of air permeability of materials used as cigarette papers, filter plug wrappers and filter bonding papers.

The body of material 8 generally defines a substantially cylindrical outer shape and is encased in a first plug wrapper 12. The first plug wrapper 12 may have a basis weight of less than 50 gsm or between about 20 gsm and 40 gsm. The first plug wrapper 12 may have a thickness of between 30 μm and 60 μm or between 35 μm and 45 μm. The first plug wrapper 12 may be a non-porous plug wrapper, for example having an air permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments the first plug wrapper 12 may be a porous plug wrapper, for example having an air permeability of greater than 200 Coresta units.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 includes an upstream end 2a adjacent the second section 5 of the rod 3 of aerosol-generating material. At its proximal end, the mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular member 9 formed from filamentary tow. This has been advantageously discovered to significantly reduce the temperature of the exterior surface of the mouthpiece 2 at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece which contacts the consumer's lips during use of the article 1. Additionally, it has been found that the use of the tubular member 9 significantly reduces the temperature of the exterior surface of the mouthpiece 2 even upstream of the tubular member 9. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to the tubular member 9 directing the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2, thus reducing the transfer of heat from the aerosol to the exterior surface of the mouthpiece 2.

The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular member 9 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 9 in the radial direction. This is measured, for example, using a vernier caliper. Advantageously, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm or greater than 1.0 mm. The wall thickness may be substantially constant around the entire wall of the hollow tubular member 9. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm or greater than 1.0 mm at any point around the circumference of the tubular member 9. In this example, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular member 9 is approximately 1.3 mm.

The plug wrapper 13 is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece 2. The mouthpiece 2 and sections 4, 5 of the aerosol-generating material 3 are also wrapped in a wrapper 6.

The ventilation level of the aerosol of the article 1 drawn through the article 1 is about 10%. In another embodiment, the ventilation level of the aerosol of the article 1 drawn through the article 1 is 1% to 20%, for example 1% to 12%. These levels of ventilation help to increase the uniformity of the aerosol inhaled by the user at the mouth end 2b and aid in the aerosol cooling process. The ventilation is provided directly in the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1. In this example, the ventilation is provided in the cooling section 7, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in aiding the aerosol generation process. The ventilation is provided by the perforations 14, in this example as a single row of laser perforations located 13 mm downstream from the mouth end 2b of the mouthpiece 2. In another embodiment, two or more rows of ventilation perforations 14 may be provided. These perforations 14 pass through the wrapper 6 and plug wrapper 13 and the cooling section 7. In another embodiment, the ventilation can be provided in other locations of the mouthpiece 2, for example in the body of material 8 or the first tubular member 9. The article 1 may be configured so that the perforation 14 is located approximately 28 mm or less from the upstream end of the article 1, preferably 20 mm to 28 mm from the upstream end of the article 1. In this example, the opening is located approximately 25 mm from the upstream end of the article 1.

The aerosol-generating material 3 of each section 4, 5 may comprise tobacco material. The aerosol-generating material 3 may be a sheet or shredded sheet of aerosolizable material including plant-based material such as tobacco material.

The plant-based material may be a particulate or granular material. In some embodiments, the plant-based material is a powder. Alternatively or additionally, the plant-based material may include tobacco strips, strands or fibers. For example, the tobacco material may include tobacco particles, particles, fibers, strips and/or strands. In some embodiments, the tobacco material consists of tobacco particles or granules.

The density of the tobacco material affects the rate at which heat is transferred to the tobacco material; at lower densities, such as 900 mg/cc, heat is transferred more slowly into the material, thus allowing for a more sustained release of the aerosol.

The tobacco material may include reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 900 mg/cc, such as, for example, reconstituted paper tobacco material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may include reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 800 mg/cc. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-generating material may include reconstituted tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg/cc.

The tobacco material may include tobacco obtained from any part of the tobacco plant. In some embodiments, the tobacco material includes tobacco leaf.

The sheet or shredded sheet may contain from 5% to about 90% by weight tobacco leaf.

The aerosol-generating material 3 may include an aerosol-forming material. The aerosol-forming material includes one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material includes 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 phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. The aerosol-forming material may be glycerol or propylene glycol.

The sheet or engraved sheet of aerosolizable material may include an aerosol forming material in one or both sections 4, 5. The aerosol forming material is provided in an amount of about 50% or less on a dry weight basis by weight of the sheet or engraved sheet. The aerosol forming material is provided in an amount of about 5% to about 40% on a dry weight basis by weight of the sheet or engraved sheet, about 10% to about 30% on a dry weight basis by weight of the sheet or engraved sheet, or about 10% to about 20% on a dry weight basis by weight of the sheet or engraved sheet.

The aerosol-generating material 3 may include a filler in one or both sections 4, 5. In some embodiments, the sheet or chopped sheet includes a filler. The filler is generally a non-tobacco component, i.e., a component that does not contain tobacco-derived components. The filler may include one or more suitable inorganic adsorbents such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and molecular sieves. The filler may be non-tobacco fibers such as wood fibers or pulp or wheat fibers. It may be a material that includes cellulose or a material that includes a derivative of cellulose. The filler component may be a non-tobacco cast material or a non-tobacco extruded material.

The aerosol-generating material 3 herein may include an aerosol modifying agent in one or both sections 4, 5, such as any of the flavorants described herein. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material 3 includes menthol. When the aerosol-generating material 3 is incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the article may be referred to as a mentholated article. The aerosol-forming material 3 may include 0.5 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 0.7 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 1 mg to 18 mg, or 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol.

In some embodiments, the composition may include an aerosol-forming "amorphous solid," which is alternatively referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may include a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that holds a fluid, such as a liquid, within its interior.

In some cases, the amorphous solid is
- 1 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent;
- 0.1 to 50% by weight of an aerosol forming material;
- 0.1 to 80% by weight of a flavoring agent,
These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid is
- 1 to 50% by weight of a gelling agent;
- 0.1 to 50% by weight of an aerosol forming material;
- 30 to 60% by weight of a flavoring material,
These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

The amorphous solid material may be provided in one or both sections 4, 5 in the form of a sheet or engraved sheet. The amorphous solid material may be in the same form as the sheet or engraved sheet of the aerosolizable material.

The aerosol-generating material 3 of one or both sections 4, 5 may comprise reconstituted tobacco paper material. The composition may alternatively or additionally comprise tobacco in any form as described herein. The aerosol-generating material 3 may comprise a sheet or shredded sheet comprising tobacco material containing 10-90% by weight of tobacco leaf, the aerosol-forming material being provided in an amount of about 20% by weight of the sheet or shredded sheet, the remainder of the tobacco material comprising reconstituted tobacco paper.

When the aerosol-generating material 3 contains an amorphous solid material, the amorphous solid material may be a dry gel containing menthol.

Figure 2 illustrates a simplified view of components of an embodiment of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Notably, elements of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 are not drawn to scale in Figure 2. Elements not relevant to an understanding of this embodiment have been omitted to simplify Figure 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 includes a housing 101 that includes an area 102 for housing an item 1.

The area 102 is arranged to accommodate the item 1. When the item 1 is accommodated in the area 102, at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material 3 is in thermal proximity to the heater 103. When the item 1 is fully accommodated in the area 102, at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material 3 may be in direct or indirect contact with the heater 103. The aerosol-generating substrate 3 emits a series of volatile components at different temperatures. By controlling the maximum operating temperature of the electrically heated aerosol-generating system 200, selective emission of undesirable components is controlled by preventing the emission of selected volatile components.

As shown in FIG. 3, within the housing 101 is an electrical energy supply 104, e.g., a rechargeable lithium ion battery. A controller 105 is connected to the heater 103 and to the electrical energy supply 104 and to a user interface 106, e.g., a button or display. The controller 105 controls the power supplied to the heater 103 to regulate the temperature of the heater. Typically, the aerosol-forming substrate is heated to a temperature of 250-450°C.

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system 200 including a non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 of the type shown in Figure 2 and an article 1 engaged with the aerosol generating device 100 for consumption of the aerosol generating article 1 by a user.

The housing 101 of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 defines a cavity-shaped region 102 and is open at a proximal end (or mouth end) for receiving an aerosol-generating article 1 for consumption.

The heater 103 may conductively heat a wrapper 6 surrounding the aerosol-generating material 3, which in turn heats a section of the aerosol-generating substrate 3, particularly if the wrapper 6 is made from a thermally conductive material such as aluminum. Alternatively, the heater 103 may transfer heat directly to the aerosol-generating substrate 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the heater 103 extends primarily along the first section 4 of the aerosol-generating material 3. In this configuration, heat is primarily transferred or conducted from the heater 103 into the first section 4. The proximity of the heater 103 to the distal most surface 14 of the second section 5 transfers at least a portion of the heat into the second section 5. The first and second sections 4, 5 may be heated at different rates. In other embodiments, the heater 103 may extend along both sections 4, 5. The heater 103 itself may be formed from components that are each heated to a different temperature. Each component of the heater may be independently controlled by a controller to heat each section 4, 5 to a different temperature at different times.

For example, one piece of heater 103 may be positioned along the first section 4 to heat the first section 4 to a first temperature, and another piece of heater 103 may be positioned along the second section 5 to heat the second section 4 to another temperature, higher or lower than the first temperature. Alternatively, the first and second sections 4, 5 may be heated sequentially, or a delay may be created in the heating of the sections 4, 5, with heating of one section 4, 5 commencing before heating of the other section 4, 5. If the aerosol-forming material 3 in the first section 4 is different from the aerosol-forming material in the second section 5, it may be more desirable to heat one section 4, 5 after the other section or to a different temperature.

In another embodiment, the heater 103 is a variable magnetic field generator surrounding the region 102 in which the article 1 of FIG. 2 is inserted. This embodiment of the device 100 is for use with an article 1 incorporating a wrapper 6 formed from a magnetically conductive material that is inductively heated in response to activation of the variable magnetic field, thus acting as a susceptor for heating the aerosol-generating material 3 enclosed within the wrapper 6. The device 100 may be controlled in a manner similar to that described in connection with FIG. 3. It will also be appreciated that the variable magnetic field generator may have components that generate magnetic fields at different strengths such that sections 4, 5 of the aerosol-generating material 3 are heated at different rates or to different temperatures as described above.

In any embodiment, the wrapper 6 surrounding the aerosol-generating material 3, or at least a portion of the wrapper 6, may be permeable. For example, the wrapper may be perforated, formed of a mesh, or have holes to allow air and aerosol to pass through the wrapper. In other embodiments, the wrapper may be formed from a sheet of impermeable material. The wrapper 6 may be formed from a single piece or multiple pieces. For example, it may be formed from multiple individual sections spaced apart longitudinally.

The various embodiments described herein are provided merely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are merely representative examples and are not intended to be comprehensive or exclusive. It is to be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure to the claims as set forth herein or to the equivalents of the claims, but that other embodiments may be utilized or modified without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the present disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed components, ingredients, features, parts, steps, means, or other combinations. The present disclosure also includes other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (28)

1. An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the article comprising a distal end for insertion into an aerosol generating device and first and second sections of aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article, the first section being at the distal end and having a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional area of the first section being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the second section away from the distal end . 2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the second section has a uniform cross-sectional area extending along the longitudinal axis. 2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first section extends a greater distance along the longitudinal axis than the second section extends along the longitudinal axis. 10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sections of aerosol-generating material are formed from the same aerosol-generating material. 10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sections of aerosol-generating material are formed from different types of aerosol-generating materials. 10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the second section of the aerosol-generating material comprises a cavity or hole, and the first section of the aerosol-generating material is contained within and extends from said cavity or hole. 2. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a packaging material surrounding the first and/or second sections of aerosol-generating material. 8. The article of claim 7 , wherein the wrapper enclosing the first section is different from the wrapper enclosing the second section. 8. The article of claim 7 , wherein the packaging material comprises iron and/or a thermally conductive material. 8. The article of claim 7 , wherein the wrapper is configured to be conductively or inductively heated to heat the aerosol-generating material. 10. The article of claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the packaging material is breathable. 12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the wrapper is mesh, perforated or has holes. 2. The article of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second sections of aerosol-generating material has a circular cross-section. 10. The article of claim 1, further comprising a mouth end remote from the aerosol-generating material, the mouth end configured to be held between a user's lips when the aerosol-generating material is inserted into the non-combustion aerosol delivery device. 15. The article of claim 14 , wherein the cooling segment is located between the aerosol generating material and the mouth end. 16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the filtration segment is located between the cooling segment and the mouth end. 1. A system comprising: a non-combustion aerosol delivery device; and an article, the article comprising a distal end for insertion into the non-combustion aerosol delivery device and first and second sections of aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article, the first section being at the distal end and having a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional area of the first section being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the second section away from the distal end , the device comprising a cavity for receiving an article and a heater surrounding the cavity, the heater being adjacent to at least one of the sections when the article is received in the cavity. 20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the article includes a wrapper, and the heater is configured to heat the wrapper, thereby heating the aerosol-generating material. 20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the heating element comprises iron and/or a thermally conductive material that transfers heat from the heater to the aerosol generating material. 20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the wrapper is a susceptor and the heater comprises a varying magnetic field generator that inductively heats a heating element. 20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the section of aerosol-generating material is cylindrical. 22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the heater comprises a tubular body, the cavity for receiving the item being formed in the tubular body. 20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the heater includes a first portion that is positioned along the first section of the aerosol-generating material when the article is contained in the aerosol-generating device. 23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the second section has a distal end surface, and the first portion of the heater is adjacent to the distal end surface. 24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the heater includes a second portion that is positioned along the second section of the aerosol-generating material when the article is contained in the device. 26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the first and second portions are configured to heat the first and second sections to different temperatures. 26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the first and second portions are configured to sequentially heat the first and second sections. 26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the first and second sections are configured such that heating of one section is delayed relative to heating of the other section.

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