JP7808382B2 - E-cigarette cartridges - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filler for an electronic cigarette and an electronic cigarette cartridge using the same.

In recent years, in response to the trend toward smoking cessation, electronic cigarette products have become popular, which allow users to enjoy tobacco by heating a cartridge containing tobacco components and inhaling the vaporized tobacco components without using a flame. One method for manufacturing the tobacco filler to be filled into such electronic cigarette cartridges involves powdering tobacco leaves, turning them into an aqueous slurry, forming it into a sheet, adding oil or glycerin to the sheet, and drying it (Patent Document 1).
Also disclosed is an article in which smoking is achieved by inserting and heating an electronic cigarette cartridge having a tobacco filler at the end (Patent Document 2).

Special Publication No. 2010-520764 Special Publication No. 2015-519915

When a user handles an e-cigarette cartridge, such as when inserting it into the e-cigarette unit or when removing the e-cigarette cartridge from the e-cigarette unit after finishing smoking, the filler may fall out of the e-cigarette cartridge or parts of the filler may fall out. This may soil the inside of the e-cigarette unit and ultimately cause malfunctions of the e-cigarette unit.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a filler for an electronic cigarette that is effective in preventing the filler from falling off or dropping out of the electronic cigarette cartridge before and after use when the user handles it.

To solve this problem, the present invention provides a filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant, which contains an aerosol former and microcrystalline cellulose.

According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic cigarette filler is shaped like a rod or a strip.

In a preferred embodiment, the electronic cigarette filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette obtained by molding a non-tobacco plant composition,
the length of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is L0;
The length when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is L10.
If we define
The length change rate La (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition is
La (%) = (L0-L10)/L0×100
When
The rate of change La (%) is 92.8% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette obtained by molding a non-tobacco plant composition,
the length of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is L0;
The length when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is L15.
If we define
The length change rate Lb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition is
Lb (%) = (L0-L15)/L0×100
When
The rate of change Lb (%) is 91.9% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette obtained by molding a non-tobacco plant composition,
The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is V0;
The volume when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is V10.
If we define
The volume change rate Va (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition is
Va (%) = (V0-V10)/V0×100
When
The rate of change Va (%) is 86.9% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette obtained by molding a non-tobacco plant composition,
The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is V0;
The volume when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is V15.
If we define
The volume change rate Vb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition is
Vb (%) = (V0-V15)/V0×100
is expressed as
The rate of change Vb (%) is 85.7% or more.

To solve this problem, the present invention provides an electronic cigarette cartridge for use with an electronic cigarette body, which uses the above-mentioned electronic cigarette filler at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The length when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is L'10.
If we define
The length change rate L'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
L'a (%) = (L'0-L'10)/L'0 x 100
When
The change rate L'a (%) is 95.2% or more.

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The length of the packing is L'0,
The length when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is L'15.
If we define
The length change rate Lb (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
L'b (%) = (L'0-L15)/L'0 x 100
When
The rate of change L'b (%) is 94.2% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is V'0;
The volume when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is V'10.
If we define
The volume change rate V'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
V'a (%) = (V'0 - V'10) / V'0 x 100
When
The rate of change V'a (%) is 88.1% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is V'0;
The volume when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is V'15.
If we define
The volume change rate V'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
V'b (%) = (V'0 - V'15) / V'0 x 100
When
The rate of change V'b (%) is 83.1% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The width of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is W'0;
The width when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is W'10.
If we define
The width change rate W'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
W'a (%) = (W'0-W'10)/W'0 x 100
When
The rate of change W'a (%) is 93.9% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm,
The width of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is W'0;
The width when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is W'15.
If we define
The width change rate W'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is
W'b (%) = (W'0-W'15)/W'0×100
When
The rate of change W'b (%) is 99.6% or more.

According to a preferred embodiment,
An electronic cigarette cartridge for use in an electronic cigarette body, characterized in that the electronic cigarette filler of any one of claims 9 to 14 is used at one end and a mouthpiece is used at the other end.

The present invention provides an electronic cigarette filler that effectively prevents the filler from falling off or dropping out of the electronic cigarette cartridge before and after use when handled by the user.

1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating examples of use of an electronic cigarette cartridge. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the structure of an electronic cigarette cartridge. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a filler manufactured as a filler for an electronic cigarette. 1A-1C illustrate a method for making an electronic cigarette cartridge. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating modified examples of electronic cigarette cartridges. 10A-10C illustrate further modes of use of the electronic cigarette cartridge. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing another example of the structure of an electronic cigarette cartridge. 1 is a flow chart showing an example of a manufacturing process for electronic cigarette filler. FIG. 1 is a graph showing the percent change in length of a sheet of a non-tobacco plant composition upon drying. FIG. 1 is a graph showing the percentage change in volume of a sheet of a non-tobacco plant composition upon drying. FIG. 1 is a graph showing the rate of change in length when an electronic cigarette filler is dried. FIG. 1 is a graph showing the rate of change in volume when an electronic cigarette filler is dried. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the rate of change in width when the electronic cigarette filler is dried.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Note that in the description of the drawings, identical elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Also, the dimensional proportions in the drawings have been exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

Figure 8 is a flow chart showing an example of a manufacturing process for a non-tobacco plant composition and electronic cigarette filler in an embodiment of the present invention.

The manufacturing process for electronic cigarette fillers includes a drying and crushing step (A) in which non-tobacco plants, etc. that provide the aroma, are dried and crushed, and then weighed. Note that this step can be omitted if the raw materials can be used as is. Furthermore, a preparation step (B) is also included in which other materials used in the manufacturing of electronic cigarette fillers are pre-treated, weighed, etc., as necessary.

After the drying and grinding process (A) and preparation process (B), the materials proceed to the mixing process (M), where they are mixed under specified conditions to produce a non-tobacco plant composition.

The non-tobacco plant composition can be formed into the desired shape through a filler molding step (F). The non-tobacco plant composition formed into the desired shape is then subjected to an electronic cigarette cartridge manufacturing step (G) as a filler for an electronic cigarette, resulting in an electronic cigarette cartridge.

Each step will be explained in order. For the purpose of explaining the invention, the steps have been divided into the above sections, but the invention also includes performing two or more steps simultaneously. Details of the non-tobacco plants used as raw materials will be provided later.

First, in the drying and grinding step (A), the parts of the non-tobacco plant that will be used as raw materials (e.g., leaves, seeds, dried fruit, stems, bark, roots, etc.) are ground into the desired material to produce a non-tobacco plant composition. In this process, it is also preferable to adjust the moisture content to facilitate the absorption or support of the aerosol former, water, and other components that will be added later. The drying temperature is preferably 60°C or higher and 80°C or lower. Within this range, the desired moisture content can be easily achieved while avoiding the loss of required flavor components. At a temperature of 65°C or higher, the desired moisture content can be more easily achieved, and at a temperature of 75°C or lower, the loss of required flavor components can be further prevented.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the moisture content after drying and pulverization be 5% by mass or less. This will facilitate the formation of a slurry in the subsequent process. 3% by mass or less is even more preferable. Furthermore, the moisture content is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, so that good compatibility with water and other substances can be maintained. Furthermore, the drying and pulverization process (A) can be provided with a sieving process to sieve the dried and pulverized material, which can then be fed into the mixing process (M) as a product of the desired particle size.

In the preparation step (B), the materials necessary to create the filler for the electronic cigarette can be prepared.

Microcrystalline cellulose is obtained, for example, by partially depolymerizing α-cellulose obtained from the pulp of fibrous plants with, for example, an acid, and then removing the soluble portion from the cellulose and, if necessary, crystallizing the insoluble portion.

After extensive research, the following was discovered about electronic cigarette fillers containing non-tobacco plants, an aerosol former, and microcrystalline cellulose: When electronic cigarette fillers are placed under dry conditions, even if the filler, which is made from non-tobacco plants and an aerosol former, loses moisture, the cellulose microcrystals maintain the structure of the filler and suppress structural changes such as volumetric shrinkage. This effect is achieved by using microcrystalline cellulose.

In one example of the present invention, microcrystalline cellulose is weighed in the preparation step (B) and then added to the mixing step (M). The microcrystalline cellulose may be in powder form, or may be dispersed in a solvent such as water and added as a suspension. In this case, a high-speed mixer or high-pressure homogenizer can be used to disperse the microcrystalline cellulose in the solvent.

The amount of microcrystalline cellulose added in the electronic cigarette filler should be between 1% and 15%. It is preferably between 3% and 12%, and more preferably between 5% and 10%.

The addition of microcrystalline cellulose improves moldability and workability during mixing using a roll mill, and is particularly effective in suppressing shrinkage and volume changes in electronic cigarette fillers, making it useful for quality control of electronic cigarette cartridges and ensuring a consistent feel when used.

The average particle size of the microcrystalline cellulose used in the present invention is preferably 30 μm or more and 200 μm or less, more preferably 50 μm or more and 150 μm or less, and more preferably 70 μm or more and 120 μm or less.

Microcrystalline cellulose with an average particle size of 30 μm or more is highly effective in suppressing shrinkage of electronic cigarette fillers, while cellulose with an average particle size of 150 μm or less not only suppresses shrinkage but also provides good moldability.

The average particle size of microcrystalline cellulose is determined by a sieving method. The average particle size can be obtained by the method described in JIS K 0069:1992. The average particle size refers to the diameter corresponding to 50% of the mass obtained by integrating the mass of the sieves with the largest openings in the test results using multiple sieves.
Furthermore, the residue on a sieve with an opening of 250 μm is preferably 8% by mass or less, and the residue on a sieve with an opening of 75 μm is preferably 45% by mass or more.

When the residue on a 250 μm sieve is 8% by mass or less, the sieved microcrystalline cellulose has the effect of suppressing shrinkage of the electronic cigarette filler. When the residue on a 75 μm sieve is 45% by mass or more, the formability of the electronic cigarette filler can be improved.

The mass-average molecular weight (Mw) of microcrystalline cellulose is preferably 10,000 or more and 200,000 or less. A molecular weight of 10,000 or more is effective in suppressing shrinkage of electronic cigarette fillers, while a molecular weight of 100,000 or less improves moldability in addition to the aforementioned shrinkage suppression effect. A molecular weight of 20,000 or more and 60,000 or less is particularly preferred. The molecular weight of cellulose can be measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). For example, a measurement method such as that described in JP-A-6-109715 is used, with polyethylene glycol or the like appropriately used as a standard.

Next, the mixing process (M) will be described.

The non-tobacco plants used as raw materials are dried and crushed as necessary through a process (A), weighed, and then sent to the mixing process (M).

The non-tobacco plants used as raw materials will now be described. There are no particular restrictions on the non-tobacco plants that can be used in this embodiment, as long as they are plants other than tobacco. Various parts of the plant can be used, for example, roots (including bulbs, tuberous roots (tubers), bulbs, etc.), stems, tubers, bark (including stem bark, bark, etc.), leaves, flowers (including petals, pistils, stamens, etc.), tree trunks and branches, etc.

Bulbs include onions, red spider lilies, tulips, hyacinths, garlic, radishes, and lilies; corms include crocuses, gladioli, freesias, irises, taro, and konjac; tubers include cyclamen, anemones, begonias, Chinese artichokes, potatoes, and apios; rhizomes include cannas, lotus roots, and ginger; tuberous roots include dahlias, sweet potatoes, cassava, and Jerusalem artichokes; rhizobis include the Dioscorea genus (yams such as Japanese yam, wild yam, and Chinese yam); and others include turnips, burdock, carrots, radishes, and kudzu. Stems include konjac, asparagus, bamboo shoots, burdock, radishes, and yacon.

The above-mentioned potatoes and the plants listed below contain carbohydrates and are preferably used as at least a portion of the material for the filler 111. For example, starches such as cornstarch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, and tapioca starch are used as thickeners and stabilizers. These starches can be crosslinked to improve acid resistance, heat resistance, and shear resistance, esterified and etherified to improve storage stability and promote gelatinization, and oxidized to improve transparency, film properties, and storage stability.

Tamarind seed gum, guar gum, and locust bean gum can be obtained from plant seeds, gum arabic and karaya gum from sap, pectin from fruits, and konjac mannan and soy polysaccharides, which are primarily composed of cellulose and agarose, can be obtained from other plants. They can also be used after being modified, such as to produce cationized guar gum.

Seaweed can produce carrageenan, classified into three types: kappa carrageenan, iota carrageenan, and lambda carrageenan, as well as agar and alginic acid, which are also used as salts such as carrageenan metal salts and sodium alginate.

Specific examples of plants used as herbs and spices include gardenia fruit, kaffir lime leaves, myoga, mugwort, wasabi, ajowan seeds, anise, alfalfa, echinacea, shallot, estragon, everlasting flower, elder, allspice, orris root, oregano, orange peel, orange flower, orange leaf, cayenne chili pepper, German chamomile, Roman chamomile, cardamom, curry leaves, and garlic. Garlic, catnip, caraway, caraway seeds, osmanthus, cumin, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, green pepper, cornflower, saffron, cedar, cinnamon, jasmine, juniper berries, jolokia, ginger, star anise, spearmint, sumac, sage, savory, celery, celery seeds, turmeric, thyme, tamarind, tarragon, chervil, chives, dill, dill seeds , tomato (dried tomato), tonka bean, dried coriander, nutmeg, hibiscus, habanero, jalapeno, bird's eye, basil, vanilla, coriander, parsley, paprika, hyssop, pimento d'espelette, pink pepper, fenugreek seed, fennel, brown mustard, black cardamom, black cumin, black pepper, vetiver, pennyroyal, peppermint, horseradish, white pepper, white mustard, poppy seed, porcini, ma Useful herbs include joram, mustard seeds, maniguet, marigold, malva flower, mace, yarrow flower, eucalyptus, lavender, licorice, linden, red clover, red pepper, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lemon peel, rose, purple rosebuds, rosehips, rose petals, rosemary, red rose, laurel, long pepper, sesame seeds (raw sesame, roasted sesame), golden chili pepper, Sichuan pepper, Mitaka pepper, Japanese pepper, chili pepper, and yuzu. Also useful are mixed spices (e.g., five-spice powder, garam masala, ras el hanout, barigoule, chicken curry masala, tandoori masala, quatre épices, herbes de Provence), and various plant mixtures used in potpourri.

Also usable are edible fruits (flesh) and seeds such as peaches, blueberries, lemons, oranges, apples, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, grapes, kumquats, melons, plums, almonds, cacao, coffee beans, peanuts, sunflowers, olives, walnuts, and other nuts.

Teas can also be used. Not only do different plants produce different types of tea, but even the same plant can produce different teas depending on how it is processed. Specific examples include Japanese tea, black tea, Angelica keiskei tea, sweet tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea, aloe tea, ginkgo leaf tea, oolong tea, turmeric tea, Quercus salicina tea, Eleuthero tea, plantain tea, persimmon leaf tea, chamomile tea, Kawara Kesseki tea, quince tea, chrysanthemum tea, gymnema tea, guava tea, wolfberry tea, mulberry leaf tea, black bean tea, Gennoshoko tea, brown rice tea, burdock tea, comfrey tea, kelp tea, cherry blossom tea, Examples include saffron tea, shiitake tea, perilla tea, jasmine tea, ginger tea, horsetail tea, red pepper tea, Swertia japonica tea, buckwheat tea, elm tea, dandelion tea, sweet tea, Houttuynia cordata tea, Eucommia tea, sword bean tea, elderberry tea, Licorice tea, Job's tears tea, Habu tea, loquat leaf tea, Pu'er tea, safflower tea, pine needle tea, yerba mate tea, barley tea, Megusuri tea, Mugwort tea, eucalyptus tea, Monk fruit tea, rooibos tea, and bitter melon tea. For these teas, used tea leaves can also be used. Using tea leaves allows expensive tea to be reused and put to good use.

Kelp was mentioned above as an example of a plant that can be used, but other plants that can also be used include Ulva, Green Laver, Akamoku, Asakusa Nori, Eisenia Brassica, Iwanori (rock seaweed), Stingray Laver, Gracilaria, Gagome Kelp, Ecklonia Cephalonia, Gagnasi, Caulerpa Lentillifera, Kurome, Laminaria, Susabinori, Dulse, Chishimakuro Porphyra, Tsuruarame, Gelidium, Tororo Kelp, Laminaria spp., Nori (nori), Habanori, Hijiki, Hitoegusa, Hirome, Funori, Bowaonori, Laminaria Japonica, Laminaria Japonica, Mekabu, Mozuku, and Wakame.

Brown rice was mentioned above as a specific example of a plant that can be used, but other varieties of rice such as Indica (Indian type, continental type, long grain), Glaberima (African rice), Sativa (Asian rice), Javanica (Java type, tropical island type, large grain), Japonica (Japanese type, temperate island type, short grain), and NERICA (an interspecific hybrid between Asian rice and African rice) can also be used, and can be used as flour or bran.

Furthermore, while wheat has been given as a specific example of a plant that can be used, other examples of wheat that can also be used include foxtail millet, oats (a cultivated variety of oats, also known as oats), barley, oats, millet, cordon millet, wheat, finger millet, teff, pearl millet, naked barley (a variety of barley), Job's tears (a fruit, not a seed), barnyard millet, fonio, wild rice, glutinous barley (a glutinous variety of barley), sorghum (sorghum millet, kaoliang, sorghum), corn, and rye.

Furthermore, while black beans have been given as a specific example of a plant that can be used, other examples of cereals (Fabaceae) that can also be used include adzuki beans, carob beans, kidney beans, peas, pigeon beans, cluster beans, grass peas (Lathyrus sativus), black gram, cowpeas, winged beans, zeocarpa beans, broad beans, soybeans, bamboo beans, jack beans, tamarind, tepary beans, sword beans, mucuna pruriens (Mucuna pruriens), bambara groundnuts, chickpeas, hyacinth beans, scarlet beans, horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), moth beans, lima beans, groundnuts, mung beans, lupines, lentils, and lentils (Hento).

Furthermore, while buckwheat was mentioned as a specific example of a plant that can be used, other examples of plants that can also be used include amaranth (Amaranthus), quinoa, and tartary buckwheat.

Furthermore, while shiitake mushrooms were mentioned as a specific example of a plant that can be used, other mushrooms include matsutake, shiitake, hattake, shimeji, shiro, mushroom, and agaric.

Also usable are the trunks and branches of aromatic trees such as sugarcane (molasses pomace is also acceptable), sugar beets (beets), cypress, pine, cedar, Japanese cypress, camellia, and sandalwood, as well as the bark, leaves, and roots of these trees. Ferns and mosses can also be used as non-tobacco plants. Other usable plants include by-products and pomace (sake lees, grape pomace (consisting of grape skins, seeds, stalks, etc.)) produced when fermenting alcoholic beverages such as sake and wine. Furthermore, the various plants mentioned above can also be mixed and used. Naturally, plants other than those listed here can also be used.

Furthermore, herbal medicines known as traditional Chinese medicines are also preferably used. For example, the following are listed: indigo plant (Aisou), madder root (Akanekon), red-eyed oak (Mallotus japonicus), asparagus medicine (Aspergillus oryzae), benzoin (Ansokukou), lily of the valley (Ireisen), inchinko (Inchinko), fennel (Fennel), turmeric (Turmeric), black plum (Ubai), cynara oak (Uyaku), white oak (Urajirogashi), Uva-ursi, fruiting (Eijitsu), Corydalis rotundifolia (Corydalis serrata), longevity herb (Enmeisou), astragalus (Astragalus Root), Scutellaria Root (Scutellaria Root), Asian pearl oak (Ousei), Phellodendron bark (Oubaku), Coptis chinensis (Oren), cherry bark (Ouhi), St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), lily of the valley (Onji), sophora flower (Kaika), white stalk (Gaihaku), and summer withered grass (Kagosou). , Kushiko (oak nut), Polygonum multiflorum (kashu), Atractylodes chinense (zedoary), Cuckoo spice (kakkon), Kudzu root (pudulaceae), Chamomile, Cucurbit root (kalocon), Cucurbit kernel (kalonin), Dried ginger (kankyo), Licorice (ganzo), Winter jasmine (kantouka), Artemisia leaf (gaiyou), Platycodon grandiflorum (platycodon), Citrus berry (kigusi), Citrus husk (kikoku), Citrus fruit (kijitsu), Chrysanthemum flower (kikuka), Orange peel (kippi), Qing dynasty (kyokatsu), Apricot kernel (kyonin), Kumquat (kumquat), Goldfinch (golden flower), Money grass (calendula), Goji berry (lycium bark), Goji leaf (lycium chinense), Sophora ginseng (sophora), Walnut (jugum), Bitter alder bark (kurenpi), Black letter (kuromomo) ), oak, thorn tree, cinnamon bark, cassia seed, cowpea seed, brown ginseng, glue candy, safflower, sycamore bark, fragrant spice, fragrant drum, fragrant spice, red ginseng, sweetcorn berry, japonica rice, Magnolia officinalis, strawberry, Chinese sedge bark, horse chestnut, Chinese sedge root, horse chestnut, Euonymus chinensis, Chinese sedge root, burdock fruit, Schisandra berry, Bupleurum chinensis, Asarum chinense, saffron, Chinese hawthorn, Chinese gardenia fruit Chinese Bean Root, Cornus officinalis (Cornus chinensis), Sour Jujube Kernel, Japanese Pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum), Sanryo (Sanryo), Chinese Yam (Sanyaku), Rehmannia Root, Asparagus Root, Ground Bone Bark, Lithospermum Root, Perilla Root, Perilla Leaves, Scutellaria Root, Persimmon Peel, Ground Skin Root, Peony (Paeonia lactiflora), Snakeskin Seed, Shajin (Shrimp), Prunus asiatica (Prunus sieboldii), Prunus asiatica (Prunus sieboldii), Shrubwort, Herbaceous Plant, Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Palm Fruit, Palm Leaves, Cimicifuga japonica Wheat (Shobaku), Iris root (Shobukon), Magnolia (Shin'i), Female virgin plant (Joteishi), Qin bark (Shinpi), Divine koji (Shinkiku), Qin ginseng (Jingyo), Concentrated oak seed (Juishi), Pepper eye (Shokumoku), Green bark (Seihi), Atractylodes root (Sekishokon), Pomegranate skin (Sekiryujitsuhi), Dendrobium (Sekkoku), Cnidium arch (Cnidium), Oriental husk (Zenko), Cnidium bone (Senkotsu), Spiraea flower (Senpukuka), Bone wood (Sekkotsubok), Grass fruit (Soka), Sokakushi (Soukakushi), Mulberry parasite (Sokisei), Blue ear seed (Sojishi), Atractylodes japonica (Soujutsu), Side oak leaf (Sokuhakuyo), Intermittent (Zokudan), White mulberry bark (So Rhubarb, Sugar Root, Sugar Leaf, Rhubarb Pod, Rhubarb, Jujube, Peel Bark, Salvia, Salvia Root, Salvia Red Sage, Bamboo Root, Bamboo Joint Ginseng, Bamboo Leaves, Anemone Rhizome, Elm Tree, Clove, Chou Toukou, Unripe Orange Peel, Tian Nan Xing, Tian Ma, Tian Meng Wu, Winter Melon Seed, Angelica, Sesame Seed, Cosmetic Scent, Lamproot, Peach Kernel, Orange Peel, Rabbit Seed Shi), chestnut (Aesculus chinomi), Eucommia ulmoides (Eucommia ulmoides), Angelica dahurica (Dokkatsu), Solanum melongena (Dokakon), Cinnamon root (Nikujuyou), Myrtle root (Nindo), Carrot (Ninja muscaria), Fritillaria muscaria (Fritillaria umbellata), Malt (Bakuga), Oak kernel (Hakushinin), White pea (Hakuhenzu), Ophiopogon sieboldii (Bakumontou), Broken paper (Hakoshi), Mint (Mentha arvensis), Banka (Banka), Pinellia japonica (Pinchonia chinensis), Pinellia japonica (Pinchonia chinensis), Lily root (Lilium lily), White angelica (Angelica sinensis), White snake tongue grass (Byakukajazetsuso), Hundred-leaved root (Hyakubukon), White Atractylodes macrocarpa (Byakujutsu), Areca nut (Arecanthus nut), Boswellia sieboldii (Boswellia sieboldii) Ui), Reed root (Boukon), Windbreak (Bofu), Pu Huang (Hoou), Dandelion root (Houeikon), Peony bark (Bontanpi), Ephedra (Mahuang), Hemp seed (Mashinin), Mankeishi (Mankeishi), Pine resin (Mokutsu), Quince (Mokka), Wood fragrance (Mokko), Myrrh (Motsuyaku), Horse chestnut (Mokzoku), Shoot dry (Yakkan), Eucalyptus (Yakuchi), Night-crossing wisteria (Yakoutou), Monk fruit (Srakanka), Orchid grass (Ransou), Longan meat (Ryuganikku), Gentian (Ryutan), Good ginger (Ryukyou), Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), Forsythia fruit (Forsythia), Cosmetic grass (Rensensou), Lotus kernel (Rennikku), Reed root (Lokon).

Furthermore, extracts of non-tobacco plants, such as those exemplified above, can also be used. The extracts may be in the form of liquid, syrup, powder, granules, solution, etc.

Among the non-tobacco plant examples described above, those that do not require drying or grinding can be added directly to the mixing step (M).

Other materials that can be used as fillers for electronic cigarettes include:

Examples of aerosol formers that can be used include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, triethylene glycol, lactic acid, diacetin (glycerin diacetate), triacetin (glycerin triacetate), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedionate, and dimethyl tetradecanedione, with glycerin and propylene glycol being particularly preferred. These are used in an amount of 1% to 80% by weight of the electronic cigarette filler, and preferably 10% to 40% by weight.

Flavor additives that add flavor, if necessary, are also preferably used. Examples of flavor additives include mint, cocoa, coffee, and black tea extracts.

Food preservatives may also be added if necessary, such as sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, etc.

Other materials that can be used as binders or thickeners include gums such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and locust bean gum; cellulose binders such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose; polysaccharides such as starch, organic acids such as alginic acid, sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, caranagin, agar, and conjugate base salts of organic acids such as pectin; and combinations of these.

The aerosol formers, flavor additives, preservatives, binders, thickeners, etc. exemplified above are prepared in the preparation step (B) in Figure 8 and then proceed to the mixing step (M).

In the mixing step (M), a conventional mixer can be used. For example, a mixer that mixes the materials in a mixing tank while applying shear force using a stirring blade is preferably used.

Next is the filler forming step (F), which can be performed by, for example, passing the non-tobacco plant composition through an orifice under pressure to form it into a rod shape, forming it into a thin sheet, or drying the non-tobacco plant composition and grinding it into granules.

In this invention, a method of forming the material into a thin sheet and then cutting it into a thin sheet will be described in detail. A three-roll mill was prepared to form the thin sheet. Using a three-roll mill is preferable because it allows the material to be compressed by being forced between the narrow rolls and sheared by the difference in roll speeds, allowing for mixing and dispersion, while also allowing for the material to be formed into a sheet of the desired thickness using a doctor blade. It is also preferable to use a press roller or press machine to create the sheet.

Furthermore, in the filling forming step (F), non-tobacco plants, aerosol formers, binders or thickeners, flavor additives, preservatives, or water may be added as needed.

In this invention, the term "water" is used, but it is preferable to use water that has been sterilized or has had microorganisms removed from it when it is used for production, and it is preferable to use pure water obtained by reverse osmosis or ion exchange, etc.

The thickness of the sheet obtained in the filling molding step (F) is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less, and more preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. The obtained sheet is cut into the desired shape, and examples of cutting methods include a cutter or a rotary cutter using a rotary blade system.

As a specific example of the filling forming step (F), a 0.3 mm thick sheet is cut into the desired shape. For example, a rectangle measuring 150 mm in length and 240 mm in width is cut. This sheet is fed into a rotary cutter and cut into a shape measuring 1.5 mm in length and 240 mm in width, obtaining cut pieces of sheet. 50 of these cut pieces of sheet are wrapped in cigarette paper to create a roll with an outer diameter of approximately 6.9 mm. The roll is cut into a length of 12.0 mm using a cutter to obtain the aerosol-forming substrate (110). In this case, the mass of the filler is 0.29 g. The ratio of the volume of the filler to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate (110) is called the volume filling rate, and in the above case, the volume filling rate is 0.60. Therefore, the density of the filler calculated from the volume filling rate and the mass of the filler is 1.07 g/cm3.

In the above-mentioned filler forming process (F), multiple rod- or strip-shaped fillers are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the electronic cigarette cartridge. Furthermore, the multiple rod- or strip-shaped fillers are wrapped in a wrapping member (151) such as tobacco paper along the axis of the scroll height, forming an aerosol-forming substrate (110).

The electronic cigarette cartridge manufacturing process (G) will now be described. The thus obtained aerosol-forming substrate (110), a support element (300) described in detail below, and a mouthpiece (140) are wrapped in a packaging member (150), or alternatively, a cylindrical packaging member (150) is preliminarily formed, and the mouthpiece (140), support element (300), and filler (111) are inserted into the packaging member (150).
Accordingly, a preferred example of a configuration of the present invention is an electronic cigarette cartridge that includes, from upstream (10) to downstream (20), an aerosol-forming substrate (110), a support element (300), and a mouthpiece (140).

When using the electronic cigarette body of the present invention by inserting a heating element into it, the preferred form is a filler molded into a shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

In the present invention, the reason for including microcrystalline cellulose in the filler for electronic cigarettes is that the presence of crystalline cellulose makes it more compatible with the filler composition, increases mechanical strength and structural retention, reduces changes in length, width, and thickness over time, and also reduces the accompanying volume change.

This is expected to improve the moldability of the filler and improve workability when kneading using a roll mill. It is particularly effective in suppressing the rate of change in length, width, thickness, and volume of electronic cigarette filler due to shrinkage, etc.

By adding microcrystalline cellulose of the specified particle size of the present invention to the filler material, it is possible to suppress the rate of change in length, width, thickness, and volume, even when the filler is formed into the above-mentioned shape, and it is also possible to suppress the problem of the electronic cigarette filler falling out of the electronic cigarette cartridge during transportation. Furthermore, by suppressing the above-mentioned changes over time after production, it is possible to homogenize the feel of use regardless of the time that has passed since production, which is also effective in terms of quality maintenance and management.

The properties of the electronic cigarette filler prepared as described above can be confirmed as follows. The effects of including microcrystalline cellulose can be evaluated by observing changes in the length, thickness, and volume of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler under specified conditions.

The non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler that has been prepared can be dried using a halogen moisture meter, and the length, width, thickness, and volume of the filler before and after drying can be measured to evaluate the rate of change.

In the present invention, the length, width, thickness, and volume of a non-tobacco plant composition sheet or electronic cigarette filler before drying are measured when the moisture content of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet or electronic cigarette filler is 15% by mass or more and 20% by mass. The moisture content can be adjusted to this level, for example, by adjusting the temperature to 28°C to 30°C and a relative humidity of approximately 40%. The moisture content was measured using an electronic halogen moisture meter, model number DHS-50-5 (manufactured by Bangxi Instrument Technology Co., Ltd.). The automatic drying mode was set at a drying temperature of 105°C, and the moisture content (mass%) was calculated from the moisture loss rate at the end of the automatic measurement. In automatic measurement mode, the moisture loss rate is calculated by subtracting the sample mass at the end of the measurement from the sample weight before measurement, and then dividing the result by the sample mass before measurement. The change in mass is taken as the moisture content.

The rate of change in the length, width, thickness, and volume of a non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler is calculated by subtracting the length, width, thickness, and volume after drying for a specified period of time from the length, width, thickness, and volume before drying, and dividing the result by the length, width, thickness, and volume before drying.

Specifically, the length of the non-tobacco plant composition or the electronic cigarette filler before drying is L0,
The length of the non-tobacco plant composition or the electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is L10.
The length change rate La (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

La (%) = (L0-L10)/L0×100

Furthermore, if the length of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is L15, the length change rate Lb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Lb (%) = (L0-L15)/L0×100

The width of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler before drying is W0;
After 10 minutes of drying, the width of the non-tobacco plant composition or the electronic cigarette filler is W10.
The width change rate Wa (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Wa (%) = (W0 - W10) / W0 x 100

Furthermore, if the width of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is W15, the width change rate Wb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Wb (%) = (W0-W15)/W0×100

The thickness of the non-tobacco plant composition or the electronic cigarette filler before drying is T0,
The thickness of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is T10.
The thickness change rate Ta (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Ta (%) = (T0-T10)/T0×100

Furthermore, if the thickness of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is T15, the thickness change rate Tb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Tb (%) = (T0-T15)/T0×100

The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition or the electronic cigarette filler before drying is V0;
The volume of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is V10.
The volume change rate Va (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 10 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Va (%) = (V0-V10)/V0×100

Furthermore, if the volume of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is V15, the volume change rate Vb (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition or electronic cigarette filler after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Vb (%) = (V0-V15)/V0×100

In the present invention, when the non-tobacco plant composition is dried at 105°C for 10 minutes, the length change La (%) is 92.8% or more, and more preferably 93.0% or more, and even more preferably 93.5% or more, to prevent the filler from falling out of the electronic cigarette cartridge.
Furthermore, if the non-tobacco plant composition has a length change rate Lb (%) of 91.9% or more when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes, the dropout of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed. It is more preferably 92.0% or more. It is even more preferably 92.5% or more.

In the present invention, when the non-tobacco plant composition is dried at 105°C for 10 minutes, if the volume change rate Va (%) is 86.9% or more, the dropout of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed. More preferably, it is 87.0% or more. Even more preferably, it is 87.5% or more.
Furthermore, if the volume change rate Vb (%) when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is 85.7% or more, the falling off of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed. More preferably, it is 86.0% or more. Even more preferably, it is 86.5% or more.

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The length of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is L'0,
The length when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is L'10.
If we define
The length change rate L'a (%) of the filler for an electronic cigarette is defined as follows.

L'a (%) = (L'0-L'10)/L'0 x 100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The length of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is L'0,
The length when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is L'15.
If we define
The length change rate L'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

L'b (%) = (L'0-L'15)/L'0 x 100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The width of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is W'0,
The width when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is W'10.
If we define
The width change rate W'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

W'a (%) = (W'0-W'10)/W'0 x 100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The width of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is W'0,
The width when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is W'15.
If we define
The width change rate W'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

W'b (%) = (W'0-W'15)/W'0×100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The thickness of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is T'0,
The thickness when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is T'10.
If we define
The thickness change rate T'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

T'a (%) = (T'0-T'10)/T'0×100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The thickness of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is T'0,
The thickness when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is T'15.
If we define
The thickness change rate T'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

T'b (%) = (T'0-T'15)/T'0×100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The volume of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is V'0.
The volume when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is V'10.
If we define
The volume change rate V'a (%) of the filler for an electronic cigarette is defined as follows.

V'a (%) = (V'0 - V'10) / V'0 x 100

A filler for an electronic cigarette made from a non-tobacco plant,
The electronic cigarette filler contains an aerosol former, and the filler has a rod-like or strip-like shape with a length of 10 mm to 20 mm, a width of 1.1 mm to 2.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.
The volume of the electronic cigarette filler before drying is V'0.
The volume when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is V'15.
If we define
The volume change rate V'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler is defined as follows.

V'b (%) = (V'0-T'15)/V'0 x 100

In the present invention, if the length change rate L'a (%) of the electronic cigarette filler when dried at 105°C for 10 minutes is 95.2% or more, the filler can be prevented from falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge. Preferably, it is 95.7% or more, and more preferably, it is 96.2% or more.
Furthermore, if the length change rate L'b (%) of the electronic cigarette filler when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is 94.2% or more, the filler can be prevented from falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge. Preferably, it is 95.0% or more, and more preferably, it is 95.9% or more.

In the present invention, when the filler for an electronic cigarette is dried at 105°C for 10 minutes, if the volume change rate V'a (%) is 88.1% or more, the filler can be prevented from falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge. Preferably, it is 91.1% or more. More preferably,
It is over 94.2%.
Furthermore, if the volume change rate V'b (%) when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is 83.1% or more, the falling off of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed. Preferably, it is 87.2% or more. More preferably, it is 91.4% or more.

In the present invention, when the filler for an electronic cigarette is dried at 105°C for 10 minutes, if the width change rate W'a (%) is 93.9% or more, the filler can be prevented from falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge. Preferably, it is 96.2% or more, and more preferably, it is 98.6% or more.
Furthermore, if the width change rate W'b (%) when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is 89.6% or more, the detachment of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed, preferably 92.9% or more, and more preferably 96.3% or more.

In the present invention, when the filler for an electronic cigarette is dried at 105°C for 10 minutes, if the thickness change rate T'a (%) is 98.8% or more, the filler can be prevented from falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge. Preferably, the thickness change rate T'a (%) is 99.0% or more, and more preferably, the thickness change rate T'a (%) is 99.2% or more.
Furthermore, if the thickness change rate T'b (%) when dried at 105°C for 15 minutes is 98.5% or more, the detachment of the filler from the electronic cigarette cartridge can be suppressed, preferably 98.6% or more, and more preferably 98.9% or more.

Furthermore, in the present invention, when electronic cigarette cartridges are molded using a filler containing microcrystalline cellulose, the rate of change over time after production, such as the reduction in length, width, thickness, and volume, can be suppressed. This not only reduces problems such as the electronic cigarette filler falling off from the electronic cigarette cartridge due to changes over time, but is also effective in suppressing changes in aerosol fluidity that affect the electronic cigarette cartridge's usability, allowing for the maintenance and uniformity of a favorable usability regardless of the time that has passed since production.

Next, we will explain examples of how the manufactured electronic cigarette filler can be used.

Figure 1 illustrates an example of how an electronic cigarette cartridge is used. When a user uses the electronic cigarette cartridge (100), it is attached to the electronic cigarette body (200). The electronic cigarette body (200) is provided with an insertion portion (210) into which the electronic cigarette cartridge (100) is inserted.

A heating element (211) is provided in the center of the bottom of the insertion portion (210). The heating element (211) has a pin-shaped or blade-shaped member with a pointed tip, and is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate (110) to heat the aerosol-forming substrate (110). More specifically, the heating element (211) is inserted into the center of the aerosol-forming substrate (110) when the electronic cigarette cartridge (100) is inserted into the insertion portion (210) of the electronic cigarette body (200).

The heating element (211) generates heat directly or indirectly using power supplied from a battery (not shown) installed within the electronic cigarette body (200). The heat from this heating element (211) warms the aerosol-forming substrate (110), generating an aerosol containing aromatic components. The generated aerosol is then transported to the mouthpiece (140) via the support element (300) and aerosol transfer member (130), described below. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece (140), the aromatic components reach the user's mouth. Hereinafter, for purposes of explaining the present invention, the aerosol-forming substrate (110) side of the electronic cigarette cartridge will be referred to as the upstream side (10), and the mouthpiece side will be referred to as the downstream side (20). The upstream side (10) may also be referred to as one end, and the downstream side (20) as the other end.

Note that while Figure 1 illustrates a case in which the heating element (211) has one pin-shaped or blade-shaped member, an example of another form is one in which the heating element (211) has multiple pin-shaped or blade-shaped members.

Figure 2 shows an example of the structure of an electronic cigarette cartridge (100). Starting from the side where the heating element (211) is inserted, i.e., from the upstream side (10) to the downstream side (20), the structure will be explained, taking the aerosol-forming substrate (110), support element (300), transfer member (130), and mouthpiece (140).

The support element (300) supports the aerosol-forming substrate (110). The support element (300) is positioned adjacent to the aerosol-forming substrate (110), and the side portion (160) of the support element (300) contacts the packaging member (150) located on the periphery of the electronic cigarette cartridge (100). The side portion (160) is fixed to the inner surface of the packaging member (150), for example, by adhesive.

Furthermore, the support element (300) may preferably be formed using, for example, silicone, but is not limited to silicone and other materials with excellent heat resistance may also be used.

As shown in Figure 3, the filler (111) manufactured as the aerosol-forming substrate (110) preferably has a rod-like or strip-like shape, for example, and is packed so that the shape of the filler (111) is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the shape during filling. Here, an example is shown in which the filler is packed into a cylindrically shaped wrapping member (151). The wrapping member (151) can be made of paper, such as tobacco paper, shaped into a cylindrical shape. The packaging member (150) may also serve as the wrapping member (151). This stabilizes the airflow, making it easier for the user to inhale the aromatic components from the aerosol-forming substrate (110).

Figure 4 shows how the aerosol-forming substrate (110), transfer member (130), mouthpiece (140) formed as described above and a support element (300) exemplified below are arranged adjacent to each other in the order of aerosol-forming substrate (110), support element (300), transfer member (130), and mouthpiece (140), and a wrapping element (150) such as tobacco paper is used to form a wound rod. At this time, a small amount of adhesive is applied to the side (160) of the support element, forming the electronic cigarette cartridge (100).

Next, we will explain in detail examples of how to use the electronic cigarette cartridge of the present invention.

The electronic cigarette cartridge (100) has, for example, a rod-like or cylindrical appearance, as shown in Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 2, the interior of the electronic cigarette cartridge (100) has an aerosol-forming substrate (110) at one end, and a support element (300) and a transfer member (130) arranged in this order toward the mouthpiece (140) at the other end. These are then packaged in a packaging member (150).

The aerosol-forming substrate (110) contains a filler for an electronic cigarette. When heated, the aerosol-forming substrate (110) generates an aerosol containing aromatic components from the plant that is the source of the filler.

As shown in Figure 3, when the filler serving as the aerosol-forming substrate (110) has a shape such as a flake, a strip, or a rod, with the long side approximately 2 to 20 times longer than the short side, the filler (111) is packed so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the cartridge during filling. This improves the airflow and makes it easier to inhale. Note that Figure 3 is a view of the electronic cigarette cartridge from the end where the aerosol-forming substrate (110) is located, with a partial perspective view so that the filler (111) inside the cartridge can be seen. However, in both cases, it is preferable that the maximum length be approximately 1 to 20 mm. This is because if the maximum length is too large, the filler may be too large when filling the cartridge, making it difficult to handle. Of course, other fillers, such as flat, uniformly shaped fillers, can be easily handled by rolling them up.

Another preferred form of aerosol-forming substrate is a sheet formed by crinkling, pleating, gathering, or folding.

As with rod-shaped fillers, fibrous fillers are packed so that the length of the fibers runs along the length of the cartridge, improving the flow of sucked air.

Porous fillers are one of the preferred forms, as they are porous when packed into the cartridge, allowing for better airflow when inhaled. Porosity can be achieved, for example, by piercing a dried sheet multiple times with multiple needles, but other methods are also acceptable.

The powder, granules, or pellets can be easily filled into the cartridge opening in flat shapes such as flakes, squares, rectangles, or diamonds. This is also preferable because it is easy to precisely adjust the amount filled into the cartridge (filling amount), and the air flow when inhaled can be easily adjusted depending on the amount filled. It can be used even more effectively by taking measures to prevent the cartridge opening from falling out, such as by placing a lid on it.

Block-shaped fillings have good thermal conductivity and are easy to extract aromatic components from. This is one of the preferred forms. The blocks can also be made larger to make them easier to store. In this case, the blocks can be reshaped into smaller blocks, rods, granules, etc. when filling.

The support element (300) supports the aerosol-forming substrate (110). The support element (300) is positioned adjacent to the aerosol-forming substrate (110) and has airflow holes or notches in the center or on the sides, allowing the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate (110) to flow toward the mouthpiece (140).

The mouthpiece (140) is located adjacent to the transfer member (130) at the other end of the electronic cigarette cartridge (100). The mouthpiece (140) may include a filter, such as a cellulose acetate filter, to remove fine particles. The aroma components that pass through the filter of the mouthpiece (140) are inhaled by the user.

Comparing the presence and absence of the transfer member (130), the absence of the transfer member (130) results in better breathability and makes it easier to inhale the generated aromatic components. On the other hand, it is also preferable to include the transfer member (130) and add the function of cooling the generated aerosol. Instead of adding the transfer member (130), it is also preferable to extend the mouthpiece so that it is adjacent to or in contact with the support element (300). This is because the filter used in the mouthpiece can also serve as a cooling function, reducing the number of parts.

The transfer member (130) can be a hollow tubular member, with a crimped polymer sheet wound in the longitudinal direction of the electronic cigarette cartridge.

Figure 5 (1) shows a configuration in which the aerosol-forming substrate (110) and the support element (300) are in contact with each other, which is a preferred configuration because it can stably support the aerosol-forming substrate (110). Furthermore, the simple configuration offers significant advantages in terms of manufacturing.

Figure 5 (2) shows a configuration in which a partition member (180) is provided between the aerosol-forming substrate (110) and the support element (300), and they are in contact via the partition member (180). The partition member (180) is preferably made of, for example, a breathable filter or paper, and is preferably one that breaks when the heating element (211) is inserted. Providing such a partition member is effective in preventing the aerosol-forming substrate (110) from moving in the electronic cigarette cartridge due to logistics such as transportation.

In Figure 5 (3), a configuration in which a lid (170) is placed on the side of the aerosol-forming substrate (110) where the heating element (211) is inserted is also preferred. This is effective in preventing the aroma of the aerosol-forming substrate (110) from dissipating. Furthermore, it is effective in preventing the aerosol-forming substrate (110) from falling out of the electronic cigarette cartridge due to logistics such as transportation. Examples of materials for the lid (170) include filters, paper, and sponge. When a heating element is inserted, it is also preferred to make one or more slits in the lid (170) or to provide a circular or polygonal guide hole at the location where the heating element is inserted.

In particular, when a particulate material such as powder, granules, flakes, or pellets is used as the aerosol-forming substrate (110), it is preferable to provide a partition member (180) or a lid (170).More preferably, it is more preferable to provide both.
The manufacturing process using black tea etc. will be described in detail below, but it goes without saying that this is not limited to black tea etc. and can be applied to the non-tobacco plants described in this specification.

A specific preferred form of electronic cigarette cartridge is as follows. The aerosol-forming substrate (110) has a roughly cylindrical shape in which the filler is enclosed in tobacco paper or the like, with the diameter of the bottom or top of the roughly cylinder being 6.5 mm or more and 7.5 mm or less, and the height of the roughly cylinder being 11.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the filler be rod-shaped or strip-shaped, be filled along the longitudinal direction of the electronic cigarette cartridge, and have a length roughly equal to the height of the roughly cylinder. In other words, it is preferable that the length be 11.0 mm or more and 13.0 mm or less.
The outer diameter of the support element (300) is preferably approximately equal to the diameter of the bottom or top surface of the substantially cylindrical aerosol-forming substrate (110), and the length is 9.0 mm or more and 11.0 mm or less.
Additionally, the mouthpiece (140) preferably has a length exceeding 20.0 mm, preferably 21.0 mm or more and 25.0 mm or less.
Furthermore, the volume filling rate of the aerosol-forming substrate is preferably 0.55 or more and 0.65 or less.

Figure 6 illustrates another example of how an electronic cigarette cartridge can be used. Because the specific configuration differs from the electronic cigarette cartridge (100) described above, it will be described below as an electronic cigarette cartridge (101). The electronic cigarette body used also differs from the electronic cigarette body (200) described above, so it will be described below as an electronic cigarette body (201).
When used by a user, the electronic cigarette is attached to the electronic cigarette body (201). The electronic cigarette body (201) is provided with an insertion section (450) for inserting the electronic cigarette cartridge (101). The electronic cigarette body (101) has an exterior section (410), and the aerosol-forming substrate (110) of the electronic cigarette cartridge is heated by a heating section (440) surrounding the electronic cigarette cartridge, generating aerosol, which is then smoked. When smoking from the other end (20), air flows in through the ventilation hole (431), and the generated aerosol passes through the hollow tubular member (530), the transfer member (130), and the mouthpiece (140) before being smoked. The control section (420) incorporates a battery or a control device for the heating section. The open/close lid (430) is opened to clean the inside of the electronic cigarette body after smoking is finished.

Figure 7 shows another example of the structure of an electronic cigarette cartridge. From one end (10) to the other end (20), there is an aerosol-forming substrate (110), a hollow tubular member (530), a transfer member (130), and a mouthpiece (140), all of which are wrapped in a packaging member (150). Because the aerosol-forming substrate (110) is heated by the electronic cigarette body, the hollow tubular member (530) is positioned for thermal insulation. The transfer member (130) can also serve as a cooling member.

The preferred shape of the electronic cigarette cartridge in Figure 7 is an outer diameter of 4 mm or more and 6 mm or less, with the aerosol-forming substrate (110) being 30 mm or more and 70 mm or less in the longitudinal direction, the hollow tubular member (530) being 20 mm or more and 30 mm or less, the transfer member (130) being 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and the mouthpiece (140) being 10 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to manufacturing examples and working examples.

(Production Example 1)
Black tea leaves were dried at 70°C, crushed, and passed through an 80-mesh sieve. The moisture content was 2% by mass.

The following ingredients were added to a mixer and mixed for 15 minutes to obtain a non-tobacco plant composition: 100 parts by weight of dried and ground black tea leaves, 30 parts by weight of glycerin, 30 parts by weight of propylene glycol, 30 parts by weight of menthol, 5 parts by weight of microcrystalline cellulose, 15 parts by weight of polyvinyl polypyrrolidone, 10 parts by weight of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, 4 parts by weight of xylitol, 1.5 parts by weight of glucomannan.

The microcrystalline cellulose used in Production Example 1 had an average particle size of 90 μm and a mass-average molecular weight (Mw) of 36,000. The residue on a sieve with a mesh size of 75 μm was 52% by mass, and the residue on a sieve with a mesh size of 250 μm was 1% by mass.

The resulting non-tobacco plant composition was then placed in the filling molding step (F). The non-tobacco plant composition was then kneaded and dispersed in a three-roll mill to form a sheet of the desired thickness. In this example, the non-tobacco plant composition was placed in the three-roll mill, and while monitoring the condition of the sheet, 20 parts by mass of pure water was added, and a doctor blade was pressed against the roll to collect a sheet. This process was repeated eight times to obtain a non-tobacco plant composition sheet.

The non-tobacco plant composition sheet thus obtained had a thickness of 0.3 mm. The non-tobacco composition sheet was cut into a rectangle measuring 150 mm in length and 240 mm in width.
The non-tobacco plant composition sheet was further processed into a shape having a width of 15 mm, a length of 50 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm, with a mass of approximately 0.30 g.

(Production Example 2)
In the same manner as in Production Example 1, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 3)
In the same manner as in Production Example 1, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 4)
In the same manner as in Production Example 1, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The resulting material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.5 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volumetric filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 5)
A tobacco plant composition sheet was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the microcrystalline cellulose was not used in place of the non-tobacco plant composition.

(Production Example 6)
In the same manner as in Production Example 5, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.1 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 7)
In the same manner as in Production Example 5, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 8)
In the same manner as in Production Example 5, a non-tobacco plant composition sheet was obtained.
The resulting material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.5 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volumetric filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 9)
A tobacco plant composition sheet was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that methyl cellulose was used in place of the microcrystalline cellulose in the non-tobacco plant composition.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

(Production Example 10)
A non-tobacco plant composition sheet was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the amount of microcrystalline cellulose in the non-tobacco plant composition in Production Example 1 was changed to 4 parts by mass.
The material was then fed to a rotary cutter and processed into a filler having a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm. 50 of the fillers were bundled together, aligned longitudinally, wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 34 g/m², and glued to form a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the cylinder was 6.9 mm. The cylindrical processed material was cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form an aerosol-forming substrate (110). The mass of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.29 g, and the volume filling rate of the filler relative to the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate was 0.60.

Example 1
The aerosol-forming substrate prepared in Production Example 2, a cylindrical hollow tube support element (300), and a mouthpiece filter (140) were prepared. The support element (300) had a bottom and top diameter, i.e., an outer diameter, of 6.9 mm, and a 4 mm through-hole in the hollow portion. The mouthpiece filter (140) was 23 mm long. Furthermore, a packaging member was prepared using paper with a basis weight of 38 g/m², wrapped two and a half times to an inner diameter of 6.9 mm, and glued. In this way, a paper tube was created by wrapping paper with a basis weight of 32 g/m² to 45 g/m² two and a half times, and the resulting packaging member was suitable for use as an electronic cigarette cartridge for an electronic cigarette main body in which a heating element is inserted.

An adhesive was applied to the inside of the paper cylinder, and a filter was inserted from the other end (20) to form a mouthpiece (140), and a support element (300) was inserted from one end (10), followed by an aerosol-forming substrate. Furthermore, paper with a basis weight of 40 g/m2 was wrapped around the mouthpiece portion so as to overlap the mouthpiece (140).
In this way, an electronic cigarette cartridge was created.

Example 2
An electronic cigarette cartridge was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the aerosol-forming substrate prepared in Production Example 3 was used in place of the aerosol-forming substrate of Production Example 2.

Example 3
An electronic cigarette cartridge was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the aerosol-forming substrate prepared in Production Example 4 was used in place of the aerosol-forming substrate of Production Example 2.

Example 4
An electronic cigarette cartridge was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the aerosol-forming substrate produced in Production Example 10 was used in place of the aerosol-forming substrate of Production Example 2.

(Comparative Example 1)
An electronic cigarette cartridge was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the aerosol-forming substrate produced in Production Example 6 was used in place of the aerosol-forming substrate produced in Production Example 2 in Example 1.

(Comparative Example 2)
In Comparative Example 1, an electronic cigarette cartridge was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 2, except that the aerosol-forming substrate produced in Production Example 7 was used instead of the aerosol-forming substrate of Production Example 6.

(Comparative Example 3)
In Comparative Example 1, an electronic cigarette cartridge was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 2, except that the aerosol-forming substrate produced in Production Example 8 was used instead of the aerosol-forming substrate of Production Example 6.

The non-tobacco plant compositions and electronic cigarette cartridges obtained using the above methods were evaluated as follows.

(Rating 1)
For the sheets prepared using the non-tobacco plant compositions prepared in Production Examples 1, 5, 9, and 10, the length, width, thickness, and volume of the sheets were measured before and after drying under halogen lamp irradiation, and the amount of change was quantitatively measured.

The change was measured using a halogen moisture meter (Bangxi Instrument Technology Co. Ltd., model number: DHS-50-5).

The non-tobacco plant composition sheet was placed on the sample tray of a halogen moisture meter, and heated from above the sample tray using a halogen lamp installed inside the heater cover. The heating temperature was set to 105°C, and the length, width, and thickness of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet were measured after a specified drying time had elapsed to determine the volume change. The drying time was set to 0, 10, and 15 minutes, and the measurements were taken at each time point.

The volume change rate value is calculated by subtracting the volume of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet after drying for a specified period of time from the volume of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet before drying, and dividing the result by the volume of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet before drying.

In the present invention, the length of the sheet of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is L0,
When the length of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 10 minutes of drying is defined as L10, the length change rate La (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition is defined as follows:

La (%) = (L0-L10)/L0×100

Furthermore, if the length of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is L15, the length change rate Lb (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Lb (%) = (L0-L15)/L0×100

In the present invention, the width of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition before drying is defined as W0,
When the width of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 10 minutes of drying is defined as W10, the width change rate Wa (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition is defined as follows.

Wa (%) = (W0 - W10) / W0 x 100

Furthermore, if the width of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is W15, the width change rate Wb (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Wb (%) = (W0-W15)/W0×100

In the present invention, the thickness of the sheet of the non-tobacco plant composition before drying is defined as T0,
When the thickness of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 10 minutes of drying is defined as T10, the thickness change rate Ta (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition is defined as follows:

Ta (%) = (T0-T10)/T0×100

Furthermore, if the thickness of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is T15, the thickness change rate Tb (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Tb (%) = (T0-T15)/T0×100

In the present invention, the volume of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition before drying is V0,
When the volume of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet after 10 minutes of drying is defined as V10, the volume change rate Va (%) of the non-tobacco plant composition sheet is defined as follows:

Va (%) = (V0-V10)/V0×100

Furthermore, if the volume of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is V15, the volume change rate Vb (%) of the sheet of non-tobacco plant composition after 15 minutes of drying is defined as follows:

Vb (%) = (V0-V15)/V0×100

In (Evaluation 1), the length, width, thickness and volume were measured and the results obtained are as follows:
A graph showing the rate of change in length is shown in Figure 9. A graph showing the rate of change in volume is shown in Figure 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the volume change rate Va (%) for the sheet of the non-tobacco plant composition of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, was 86.7%, while the volume change rate Va (%) for the sheet of the non-tobacco plant composition of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, was 89.4%, and the volume change rate Va (%) for the sheet of the non-tobacco plant composition of Production Example 10 was 86.9%.
After 15 minutes of drying, the volume change rate Vb (%) was 85.5% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, compared with 88.0% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, and 85.7% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the percent change in length La (%) was 92.7% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, compared with 93.6% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, and 92.8% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.
After 15 minutes of drying, the percent change in length Lb (%) was 91.8% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, compared with 92.7% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, and 91.9% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the percent change in width Wa (%) was 94.8% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, while it was 96.2% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. Furthermore, it was 95.0% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.

After a total drying time of 15 minutes, the percent change in width Wb (%) was 94.7% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, while it was 96.0% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. Furthermore, it was 94.9% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the percent change in thickness Ta (%) was 98.6% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, compared with 99.3% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, and 98.8% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.
After 15 minutes of drying, the percent change in thickness Tb (%) was 98.3% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 5, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, compared with 99.0% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 1, which contained microcrystalline cellulose, and 98.5% for the non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10.

In addition, the length, width, thickness and volume of a sheet of non-tobacco plant composition prepared in Example 9, in which methylcellulose was added instead of microcrystalline cellulose, were measured before and after drying under similar halogen lamp irradiation, and the changes were the same as in Example 5.
It should be noted that methylcellulose does not have a microcrystalline structure.
The results of the above evaluation 1 are summarized in Table 2 below.

(Rating 2)
The electronic cigarette cartridges were evaluated as follows.
The electronic cigarette body used will now be outlined. The electronic cigarette body used was an IQOS (registered trademark) heated electronic cigarette manufactured by Philip Morris. The electronic cigarette is outlined as follows: The heating element (211) is 4.5 mm wide, 12 mm long to the tip, and 0.4 mm thick. The inner diameter of the insertion portion (210) is 7 mm, approximately the same as the outer diameter of the electronic cigarette cartridge. The heating element (211) generates heat using power supplied from a battery (not shown) installed inside the electronic cigarette body (200), reaching approximately 370°C. The built-in control system then determines that one electronic cigarette cartridge is consumed after 14 puffs. When the electronic cigarette cartridge of this example is inserted, the portion of the electronic cigarette cartridge that appears outside the downstream side of the electronic cigarette body is approximately 20 mm.

The electronic cigarette cartridges manufactured in the present examples and comparative examples were used to smoke with the electronic cigarette main body, and then a drop test of the filling material was carried out.
The filler drop test after smoking was evaluated as follows: After smoking, one end (10) of the electronic cigarette cartridge was oriented vertically downward and shook up and down to check whether the filler had popped out or fallen.
The evaluation criteria are as follows:

Rank A: No protrusions or falls observed Rank B: Protrusions or falls observed

The test results obtained by the method of (Evaluation 2) are shown in Table 1 below.

(Rating 3)
The dropping of the contents after storage at room temperature for a predetermined period was evaluated as follows.
The prepared electronic cigarette cartridge was packed into a paper box measuring 70 mm in length, 14 mm in width, and 45 mm in height, with the aerosol-forming substrate facing the bottom. The box containing the prepared electronic cigarette cartridge was left in an environment of 45°C for two weeks.
Then, the following evaluations are carried out:
The electronic cigarette cartridge was removed from the paper box, and one end (10) of the electronic cigarette cartridge was oriented vertically downward to check whether the contents had popped out or fallen.
The evaluation criteria are as follows:

Rank A: No protrusions or falls observed Rank B: Protrusions or falls observed

The test results obtained by the method of (Evaluation 3) are shown in Table 1 below.

(Rating 5)
The length, width, thickness and volume of the packings produced in Production Examples 3, 7 and 10 were measured before and after drying by halogen lamp irradiation, and the amount of change was quantitatively measured.
The moisture content was measured using the same halogen moisture meter (manufactured by Bangxi Instrument Technology Co. Ltd., model number: DHS-50-5) as in (Evaluation 1) and in the same manner as in (Evaluation 1).

In the present invention, the length of the packing before drying is L'0,
When the length of the filler after 10 minutes of drying is defined as L'10,
The length change rate L'a (%) of the packing is defined as follows.

L'a (%) = (L'0-L'10)/L'0 x 100

Furthermore, when the length of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is L'15, the length change rate L'b (%) of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is defined as follows.

L'b (%) = (L'0-L15)/L'0 x 100

In the present invention, the width of the packing before drying is W'0,
When the width of the packing after 10 minutes of drying is defined as W'10,
The width change rate W'a (%) of the packing is defined as follows.

W'a (%) = (W'0-W'10)/W'0 x 100

Furthermore, when the width of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is W'15, the width change rate W'b (%) of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is defined as follows.

W'b (%) = (W'0-W'15)/W'0×100

In the present invention, the thickness of the filler before drying is T'0,
When the thickness of the filling after 10 minutes of drying is defined as T'10,
The thickness change rate T'a (%) of the packing is defined as follows.

T'a (%) = (T'0-T'10)/T'0×100

Furthermore, when the thickness of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is T'15, the thickness change rate T'b (%) of the packing after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is defined as follows.

T'b (%) = (T'0-T'15)/T'0×100

In the present invention, the volume of the packing before drying is V'0,
When the volume of the packed material after 10 minutes of drying is defined as V'10,
The volume change rate V'a (%) of the packing is defined as follows.

V'a (%) = (V'0 - V'10) / V'0 x 100

Furthermore, when the volume of the packed material after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is V'15, the volume change rate V'b (%) of the packed material after 15 minutes of drying time has elapsed is defined as follows.

V'b (%) = (V'0-V15)/V'0 x 100

In (Evaluation 4), the length, width, thickness and volume were measured and the results obtained are as follows:
A graph showing the rate of change in length is shown in Fig. 11. A graph showing the rate of change in volume is shown in Fig. 12. A graph showing the rate of change in width is shown in Fig. 13.

After 10 minutes of drying, the volume change rate V'a (%) was 87.9% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 94.3% for the filling of Production Example 3, which did contain microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 88.1% for the filling of Production Example 10. After 15 minutes of drying, the volume change rate V'b (%) was 82.9% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 91.5% for the filling of Production Example 3, which did contain microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 83.1% for the filling of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the length change rate L'a (%) was 95.0% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 96.3% for the filling of Production Example 3, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 95.2% for the filling of Production Example 10. After 15 minutes of drying, the length change rate L'b (%) was 94.1% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 96.0% for the filling of Production Example 3, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 94.2% for the filling of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the width change rate W'a (%) was 93.7% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 98.7% for the filling of Production Example 3, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 93.9% for the filling of Production Example 10. After 15 minutes of drying, the width change rate W'b (%) was 89.4% for the filling of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 96.4% for the filling of Production Example 3, which contained microcrystalline cellulose. It was also 89.6% for the filling of Production Example 10.

After 10 minutes of drying, the thickness change rate T'a (%) was 98.6% for the filler of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 99.3% for the filler of Production Example 3, which did contain microcrystalline cellulose. The non-tobacco plant composition sheet of Production Example 10 was 98.8%. After 15 minutes of drying, the thickness change rate T'b (%) was 98.3% for the filler of Production Example 7, which did not contain microcrystalline cellulose, and 99.0% for the filler of Production Example 3, which did contain microcrystalline cellulose. The thickness change rate was 98.5% for the filler of Production Example 10.

The length, width, thickness and volume of the packing prepared in Production Example 9, in which methylcellulose was added instead of microcrystalline cellulose, were measured by irradiating the packing with a halogen lamp in the same manner. The changes were the same as in Production Example 7.
It should be noted that methylcellulose does not have a microcrystalline structure.
The results of Evaluation 4 are summarized in Table 3.

The present embodiment described above provides the following advantages.
The electronic cigarette filler using the non-tobacco plant composition of the present invention and the electronic cigarette cartridge comprising the filler can reduce shrinkage and volume change of the electronic cigarette filler during manufacturing and storage. By reducing shrinkage and volume change of the electronic cigarette filler, it is possible to reduce the tendency of the electronic cigarette filler to fall off from the electronic cigarette cartridge, and it is possible to maintain a constant size of the voids in the electronic cigarette filler through which the aerosol passes, regardless of the storage period or temperature conditions after manufacturing, thereby maintaining a favorable usability.

The above describes embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications are possible based on the configurations described in the claims, and these modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

10 Upstream side (one end)
20 Downstream side (other end side)
100 Electronic cigarette cartridge 110 Aerosol-forming substrate 111 Filler 130 Transfer member 140 Mouthpiece 150 Packaging member 151 Encapsulating member 170 Lid 180 Partition member 200 Electronic cigarette body 210 Insertion part 211 Heating element 300 Support element 201 Electronic cigarette body 410 Exterior part 420 Control part 430 Opening/closing lid 431 Vent 440 Heating part 450 Insertion part 101 Electronic cigarette cartridge 530 Hollow cylindrical member

Claims (1)

The cap, the aerosol-forming substrate, the support element which is a cylindrical hollow tube, the transfer member which is a hollow tubular member, and the mouthpiece are adjacent to each other in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side,
the aerosol-forming substrate is a filler enclosed by an enclosing member,
The filler contains an aerosol former and microcrystalline cellulose,
The filling material is in the form of a sheet, and the shape of the sheet is formed by crinkling, pleating, gathering or folding.
An electronic cigarette cartridge characterized by: