JP7813898B2 - Aerosol product and aerosol generating device containing the same - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to aerosol products and aerosol generating devices.

Aerosol generating devices are used to extract specific components from a medium or substance via an aerosol. The medium can contain a variety of substances. The substances contained in the medium can be flavoring substances with a variety of components. For example, the substances contained in the medium can include nicotine, herbal, and/or coffee components. In recent years, much research has been conducted into such aerosol generating devices.

Cigarettes used with aerosol generating devices can contain a tobacco medium. The medium contained in the cigarette can be produced by filling a non-tobacco material with tobacco granules. In this case, it is important to control the rate at which the tobacco granules are released during cigarette processing.

This disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and other problems.

Another object of the present disclosure is to improve the quality of aerosol products by reducing the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material products containing tobacco granules.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to reduce the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material containing tobacco granules, thereby reducing the cost of the resulting aerosol product.

Another object of the present disclosure is to prevent a decrease in the production efficiency of aerosol products by preventing equipment utilization rates from falling below a certain level during the production of aerosol products.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, one aspect of the present disclosure provides an aerosol product comprising an aerosol-generating rod containing a non-tobacco material coated with a liquid substance, the liquid substance including tobacco components and a liquid binder, and the liquid binder including water, alcohol, and starch.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material products containing tobacco granules, thereby improving the quality of the aerosol product.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the cost of aerosol products by reducing the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material products containing tobacco granules.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the production efficiency of aerosol products by preventing equipment utilization rates from falling below a certain level during the production of aerosol products.

Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, such as preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of example only.

1A-1C illustrate examples of aerosol product articles according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 1A-1C illustrate examples of aerosol product articles according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a medium portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 illustrates an example of an aerosol generating device containing an aerosol product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 illustrates an example of an aerosol generating device containing an aerosol product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 illustrates an example of an aerosol generating device containing an aerosol product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The embodiments disclosed in this specification will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals even if they are shown in different drawings, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

The suffixes "module" and "section" used in the following description for components are used solely for ease of explanation. "Module" and "section" do not have distinct meanings or roles.

Furthermore, in the following description of the embodiments disclosed herein, detailed descriptions of related publicly known technologies will be omitted if they may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein. Furthermore, the attached drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and do not limit the technical concepts disclosed herein. Therefore, the attached drawings should be interpreted as including all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," etc. may be used to describe various components, but it should be understood that the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

When a component is said to be "connected" to another component, it is understood that there may be other components in between. On the other hand, when a component is said to be "directly connected" to another component, it is understood that there are no other components in between.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Figures 1 and 2 show examples of aerosol products according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol product 2 includes a tobacco rod 21 and a filter rod 22.

Although FIG. 1 shows the filter rod 22 as a single segment, it is not limited to this. In other words, the filter rod 22 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 22 may include a segment that cools the aerosol and a segment that filters specific components contained in the aerosol. If necessary, the filter rod 22 may also include at least one segment that performs another function.

The diameter of the aerosol product 2 may range from 5 mm to 9 mm, and the length may be approximately 48 mm, but is not limited to these. For example, the length of the tobacco rod 21 may be approximately 12 mm, the length of the first segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 10 mm, the length of the second segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 14 mm, and the length of the third segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 12 mm, but is not limited to these.

The aerosol product 2 may be wrapped in at least one wrapper 24. The wrapper 24 may have at least one hole formed therein through which external air can enter or internal gas can escape. As an example, the aerosol product 2 may be wrapped in a single wrapper 24. As another example, the aerosol product 2 may be wrapped in two or more overlapping wrappers 24. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped in a first wrapper 241, and the filter rod 22 may be wrapped in wrappers 242, 243, and 244. The entire aerosol product 2 may then be further wrapped in a single wrapper 245. If each filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, each segment may be wrapped in a wrapper 242, 243, or 244.

The first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may be made from a typical filter wrapper. For example, the first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may be porous or non-porous wrapper. The first wrapper 241 and the second wrapper 242 may also be made from oil-resistant paper and/or aluminum laminate packaging material.

The third wrapper 243 may be made of hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 243 may be in the range of 88 g/m ² to 96 g/m ² , preferably in the range of 90 g/m ² to 94 g/m ^2. The thickness of the third wrapper 243 may be in the range of 120 μm to 130 μm, preferably 125 μm.

The fourth wrapper 244 may be made of a grease-resistant hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 244 may be in the ^range of 88 g/ ^m to 96 g/m, and preferably in the range of ⁹⁰ g/ ^m to 94 g/m. The thickness of the fourth wrapper 244 may be in the range of 120 μm to 130 μm, and preferably 125 μm.

The fifth wrapper 245 may be made of sterilized paper (MFW). The sterilized paper (MFW) may be specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to ordinary paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 245 may be in the range of 57 g/ ^m2 to 63 g/ ^m2 , preferably 60 g/ ^m2 . The thickness of the fifth wrapper 245 may be in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm, preferably 67 μm.

The fifth wrapper 245 may contain a predetermined material. Here, an example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon may have properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., no oxidation), resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, or electrical insulation. However, any material other than silicon that has the above-mentioned properties may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 245 without limitation.

The fifth wrapper 245 can prevent the aerosol product 2 from burning. For example, when the tobacco rod 210 is heated by the heater 13, the aerosol product 2 may burn. Specifically, if the temperature rises above the flash point of any one of the materials contained in the tobacco rod 310, the aerosol product 2 may burn. Even in such cases, the fifth wrapper 245 contains a non-flammable material, so it can prevent the aerosol product 2 from burning.

Furthermore, the fifth wrapper 245 can prevent the holder 1 from being contaminated by the substance generated in the aerosol product 2. A liquid substance can be generated within the aerosol product 2 when the user puffs. For example, a liquid substance (e.g., water) can be generated when the aerosol generated in the aerosol product 2 is cooled by external air. By wrapping the aerosol product 2 in the fifth wrapper 245, the liquid substance generated within the aerosol product 2 can be prevented from leaking outside the aerosol product 2.

The tobacco rod 21 may contain an aerosol-generating substance. For example, the aerosol-generating substance may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. The tobacco rod 21 may also contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and/or organic acids. A flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may also be added to the tobacco rod 21 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 21.

The tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured in a variety of ways. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured from a sheet or a strand. Alternatively, the tobacco rod 21 can be manufactured from finely cut tobacco sheets. For example, the tobacco rod 21 can be surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material can be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil. For example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can uniformly distribute heat transferred to the tobacco rod 21 and improve thermal conductivity to the tobacco rod. This can improve the tobacco taste. The thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 21 can function as a susceptor heated by an induction heater. Although not shown in the drawings, the tobacco rod 21 can further include an additional susceptor in addition to the thermally conductive material surrounding the exterior.

The filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. However, there are no limitations on the shape of the filter rod 22. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a cylindrical rod, or a tubular rod having a hollow interior. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a recessed rod. When the filter rod 22 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

The first segment of the filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the first segment may be a tubular structure with a hollow interior. The first segment prevents the internal material of the tobacco rod 210 from being pushed back when the heater 13 is inserted, and also provides a cooling effect for the aerosol. The diameter of the hollow interior of the first segment may be an appropriate diameter within the range of 2 mm to 4.5 mm, but is not limited to this.

The length of the first segment can be any suitable length within the range of 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited to this. Preferably, the length of the first segment can be 10 mm, but is not limited to this.

When manufacturing the first segment, the hardness of the first segment can be adjusted by adjusting the content of plasticizer. The first segment can also be manufactured by inserting a film, tube, or other structure made of the same or different material inside (e.g., hollow).

The second segment of the filter rod 22 cools the aerosol generated by the heater 13 heating the tobacco rod 21. This allows the user to inhale aerosol cooled to an appropriate temperature.

The length or diameter of the second segment can be determined in various ways depending on the form of the aerosol product 2. For example, the length of the second segment can be appropriately set within the range of 7 mm to 20 mm. Preferably, the length of the second segment can be approximately 14 mm, but is not limited to this.

The second segment can be made by weaving polymer fibers. In this case, a flavor liquid can be applied to the fibers made from the polymer. Alternatively, the second segment can be made by weaving together separate fibers coated with a flavor liquid and fibers made from the polymer. Alternatively, the second segment can be formed from a crimped polymer sheet.

For example, the polymer may be made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil.

By forming the second segment from woven polymer fibers or a crimped polymer sheet, the second segment can include one or more longitudinally extending channels. Here, the channels can be passageways through which a gas (e.g., air or aerosol) can pass.

For example, the second segment of the crimped polymer sheet can be formed from a material having a thickness between about 5 μm and about 300 μm, e.g., between about 10 μm and about 250 μm, and the total surface area of the second segment can be between about 300 ^mm /mm and about 1000 ^mm /mm, and the aerosol cooling element can be formed from a material having a specific surface area between about 10 ^mm /mg and about 100 ^mm /mg.

Meanwhile, the second segment may include a thread containing a volatile flavor component. Here, the volatile flavor component may be, but is not limited to, menthol. For example, the thread may be loaded with a sufficient amount of menthol to provide 1.5 mg or more of menthol to the second segment.

The third segment of the filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The length of the third segment may be appropriately within the range of 4 mm to 20 mm. For example, the length of the third segment may be approximately 12 mm, but is not limited to this.

During the manufacturing process of the third segment, the third segment can be manufactured to emit a flavor by spraying a flavor liquid onto it. Alternatively, separate fibers coated with a flavor liquid can be inserted inside the third segment. The aerosol generated in the tobacco rod 21 is cooled as it passes through the second segment of the filter rod 22, and the cooled aerosol is delivered to the user via the third segment. Therefore, when a flavor element is added to the third segment, the effect of improving the persistence of the flavor delivered to the user can be achieved.

Furthermore, the filter rod 22 may include at least one capsule 23. Here, the capsule 23 may function to generate a flavor or to generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 23 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 23 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol production product 3 may further include a front end plug 33. The front end plug 33 may be located on one side of the tobacco rod 31 opposite the filter rod 32. The front end plug 33 can prevent the tobacco rod 31 from detaching to the outside and can prevent aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 31 during smoking from flowing into the aerosol generation device 1 (FIGS. 4 to 6).

The filter rod 32 may include a first segment 321 and a second segment 322. Here, the first segment 321 may correspond to the first segment of the filter rod 22 in FIG. 1. The second segment 322 may correspond to the third segment of the filter rod 22 in FIG. 1.

The diameter and overall length of the aerosol product 3 may correspond to the diameter and overall length of the aerosol product 2 in FIG. 1. For example, but not limited to, the length of the front end plug 33 may be approximately 7 mm, the length of the tobacco rod 31 may be approximately 15 mm, the length of the first segment 321 may be approximately 12 mm, and the length of the second segment 322 may be approximately 14 mm.

The aerosol product 3 may be wrapped in at least one wrapper 35. The wrapper 35 may have at least one hole formed therein through which external air can enter or internal gas can escape. For example, the front end plug 33 may be wrapped in a first wrapper 351, the tobacco rod 31 may be wrapped in a second wrapper 352, the first segment 321 may be wrapped in a third wrapper 353, and the second segment 322 may be wrapped in a fourth wrapper 354. The entire aerosol product 3 may then be repackaged in a fifth wrapper 355.

Furthermore, at least one perforation 36 may be formed in the fifth wrapper 355. For example, but not limited to, the perforation 36 may be formed in the area surrounding the tobacco rod 31. The perforation 36 may serve to transfer heat generated by the heater 13 shown in Figures 5 and 6 to the interior of the tobacco rod 31.

The second segment 322 may also include at least one capsule 34. Here, the capsule 34 may function to generate a flavor or to generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 34 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 34 may have, but is not limited to, a spherical or cylindrical shape.

The first wrapper 351 may be formed by bonding a metal foil, such as aluminum foil, to a typical filter wrapper. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 45 μm to 55 μm, preferably 50.3 μm. The thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 6 μm to 7 μm, preferably 6.3 μm. The basis weight of the first wrapper 351 may be in the range of 50 g/ ^m2 to 55 g/ ^m2 , preferably 53 g/ ^m2 .

The second wrapper 352 and the third wrapper 353 may be made from a typical filter wrapper. For example, the second wrapper 352 and the third wrapper 353 may be a porous wrapper or a non-porous wrapper.

For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 352 may be, but is not limited to, 35,000 CU. The thickness of the second wrapper 352 may be in the range of 70 μm to 80 μm, preferably 78 μm. The basis weight of the second wrapper 352 may be in the ^range of 20 g/m ^to 25 g/ ^m , preferably 23.5 g/m.

For example, the porosity of the third wrapper 353 may be, but is not limited to, 24,000 CU. The thickness of the third wrapper 353 may be in the range of 60 μm to 70 μm, preferably 68 μm. The basis weight of the third wrapper 353 may be in the range of 20 g/m ² to 25 g/m ² , preferably 21 g/m ² .

The fourth wrapper 354 may be made of PLA laminated paper. Here, the PLA laminated paper may be a triple-ply paper including a paper layer, a PLA layer, and another paper layer. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 354 may be in the range of 100 μm to 120 μm, preferably 110 μm. The basis weight of the fourth wrapper 354 may be in the range of 80 g/ ^m2 to 100 g/ ^m2 , preferably 88 g/ ^m2 .

The fifth wrapper 355 may be made of sterilized paper (MFW). The sterilized paper (MFW) may be specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to ordinary paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 355 may be in the range of 57 g/ ^m2 to 63 g/ ^m2 , preferably 60 g/ ^m2 . The thickness of the fifth wrapper 355 may be in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm, preferably 67 μm.

The fifth wrapper 355 may contain a predetermined material. Here, an example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon has properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., no oxidation), resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, and electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-mentioned properties may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 355 without limitation.

The front end plug 33 may be made from cellulose acetate. For example, the front end plug 33 may be made by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the cellulose acetate tow may be in the range of 1.0 to 10.0, preferably in the range of 4.0 to 6.0. More preferably, the mono-denier of the filaments constituting the front end plug 33 may be 5.0. The cross section of the filaments constituting the front end plug 33 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the front end plug 33 may be in the range of 20,000 to 30,000, preferably in the range of 25,000 to 30,000. More preferably, the total denier of the front end plug 33 may be 28,000.

If desired, the front end plug 33 may also include at least one channel, the cross section of which may be manufactured in a variety of shapes.

The tobacco rod 31 may correspond to the tobacco rod 21 described above with reference to Figure 1. Therefore, a detailed description of the tobacco rod 31 will be omitted below.

The first segment 321 may be made from cellulose acetate. For example, the first segment may be a tube-shaped structure having a hollow interior. The first segment 321 may be made by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate. For example, the mono-denier and total denier of the first segment 321 may be the same as the mono-denier and total denier of the front end plug 33.

The second segment 322 may be made of cellulose acetate. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the second segment 322 may be in the range of 1.0 to 10.0, preferably in the range of 8.0 to 10.0. More preferably, the mono-denier of the filaments of the second segment 322 may be 9.0. The cross section of the filaments of the second segment 322 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the second segment 322 may be in the range of 20,000 to 30,000, more preferably 25,000.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a medium portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the tobacco rod 21 of the aerosol product 2 may include an aerosol-generating portion 211 and a medium portion 212. The tobacco rod 21 may have a cylindrical shape.

The aerosol-generating section 211 may be located upstream of the medium section 212, but the location of the aerosol-generating section 211 is not limited to this. On the other hand, the aerosol-generating section 211 and the medium section 212 may be mixed together within the tobacco rod 21 without being separated from each other.

For convenience, the following description will be based on aerosol product 2 shown in Figure 1, but the same features can also be applied to aerosol product 3 shown in Figure 2.

Here, "upstream" and "downstream" can be determined based on the direction of airflow that flows so that the generated aerosol is inhaled into the user's mouth or lungs when the user inhales using the aerosol-producing product. For example, in Figures 4 and 5, the aerosol generated by the tobacco rods 21 and 31 is directed toward the filter rods 22 and 32, so the tobacco rods 21 and 31 are located upstream of the filter rods 22 and 32, and the filter rods 22 and 32 are located downstream of the tobacco rods 21 and 31. "Upstream" and "downstream" can be determined based on the relative positions of the components.

The aerosol generating unit 211 contains an aerosol generating substance. For example, the aerosol generating substance may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited to these.

The aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-generating unit 211 may be impregnated with a non-tobacco material. The non-tobacco material is a material that is not a tobacco material and may include paper or polylactic acid (PLA). The aerosol-generating material contained in the aerosol-generating unit 211 can increase the amount of atomization when the user smokes.

The medium portion 212 may include a medium. The medium may include a tobacco component 2121. The medium may include a non-tobacco material 2122 to which a liquid substance including the tobacco component 2121 has been applied.

The liquid substance includes tobacco components 2121. For example, the tobacco components 2121 may be tobacco granules or tobacco fine particles. The tobacco components 2121 may be tobacco leaf pieces, tobacco stems, and/or tobacco fine particles generated during tobacco processing. The tobacco components 2121 may be regular tobacco granules or amorphous tobacco granules. The tobacco components 2121 may be ground tobacco leaf, ground reconstituted tobacco, reconstituted tobacco leaf, etc.

The liquid substance can be applied to the non-tobacco material 2122 using a drop method, a tangential spray method, or a top or bottom spray method. Alternatively, the liquid substance can be applied to one side of the non-tobacco material 2122 using a slit nozzle. However, the method of applying the liquid substance to the non-tobacco material 2122 is not limited to these.

The thickness of the liquid substance application may affect the amount of nicotine (transfer amount) during smoking and may affect the ease of loading the non-tobacco material 2122. It is preferable that the thickness of the liquid substance application be smaller than the thickness of the sheet of non-tobacco material 2122, but is not limited to this.

The liquid substance further includes a binder. The liquid substance may include a liquid mixture of tobacco components 2121 and a binder.

The liquid material can be adsorbed to the non-tobacco material 2122 by a binder. The non-tobacco material 2122 is a material that is not tobacco and can include paper (cellulose fibers) or polylactic acid (PLA) tow. The non-tobacco material 2122 can be processed by conventional processes, including mechanical pulping, refining, chemical pulping, bleaching, sulfate pulping, and combinations thereof.

The binder may be a liquid binder. An appropriate amount of the liquid binder may be mixed with the tobacco component 2121 to achieve a suitable viscosity that allows the liquid material to be applied to the non-tobacco material 2122. By spraying the liquid material onto the non-tobacco material 2122, the overall particle size of the medium may be adjusted and the surface properties of the medium may be improved.

The liquid binder contains water, alcohol, and starch. The liquid binder can be produced by mixing starch with water and alcohol. The liquid binder can further contain gums. The liquid binder allows the tobacco granules or fine particles contained in the liquid material to be uniformly dispersed throughout the non-tobacco material.

The ratio of starch in the liquid binder can be adjusted. For example, the liquid binder can contain 25-35% starch by weight.

The higher the starch content in the liquid binder, the better the tobacco material will adhere to the non-tobacco material 2122. On the other hand, if the starch content falls below a certain level, the tobacco material may not be able to adhere properly to the non-tobacco material 2122.

Tables 1 and 2 below show the dropout rate, nicotine amount, glycerin amount, and equipment operating rate depending on the content ratio of water, alcohol, starch, and gums contained in a liquid binder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Table 1 shows the content ratios of water, alcohol, and starch, and Table 1 shows the content ratios of water, alcohol, and starch.

Table 1 shows the content ratios of water, alcohol, starch, and gums contained in the liquid binder. In Table 1, the ratios of water, alcohol, starch, and gums are based on weight (wt%).

In Table 2, "detachment rate" indicates the ratio of tobacco components detached during the aerosol product manufacturing process, which involves cutting and bonding non-tobacco materials coated with a liquid substance containing tobacco components, based on the non-tobacco material before processing. In Table 2, "nicotine" indicates the amount of nicotine (mg) generated per aerosol product (1 cigarette) manufactured. In Table 2, "Gly" indicates the amount of glycerin (mg) generated per aerosol product (1 cigarette) manufactured. In Table 2, "equipment utilization rate" indicates the number of aerosol product rods that can be produced per minute by the equipment that manufactures the aerosol product.

Referring to Tables 1 and 2, as the starch content in the liquid binder increases from 25% to 40% (categories #1 to #3 in Table 1), the dropout rate decreases from 13.8% to 8.7%, the nicotine content decreases from 0.63 mg/cig to 0.53 mg/cig, and the equipment utilization rate decreases from 400 RPM_rod/min to 200 RPM_rod/min.

The liquid binder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure contains starch, which allows tobacco components contained in the liquid material to be effectively adsorbed onto non-tobacco materials. This reduces the dropout rate during the manufacturing process of aerosol products. However, as the starch content in the liquid binder increases, the dropout rate improves, but the equipment utilization rate tends to decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the starch content in the liquid binder to an appropriate range.

Tables 3 and 4 show the dropout rate, nicotine content, glycerin content, and equipment utilization rate depending on the starch content ratio contained in the liquid binder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In Table 5, the water and alcohol content ratios are 45% by weight and 15% by weight, respectively.

Referring to Tables 3 and 4, the higher the starch content in the liquid binder, the higher the dropout rate and equipment utilization rate.

Comparing sections #4 and #5, when the starch content increases from 35% by weight to 39% by weight, the dropout rate decreases (from 8.6% to 8.3%), and the equipment utilization rate decreases significantly (from 250 RPM_rod/min to 130 RPM_rod/min) compared to the change in starch content. Therefore, considering the tendency for equipment utilization rate to decrease, it is clear that a starch content of approximately 35% or less is preferable.

Comparing sections #6 and #7, when the starch content is reduced from 30% by weight to 20% by weight, the dropout rate increases significantly (from 8.3% to 12.5%) compared to the change in starch content, and the equipment operating rate also increases (from 320 RPM_rod/min to 440 RPM_rod/min). Therefore, considering the tendency for the dropout rate to decrease, it is clear that a starch content of approximately 25% or more is preferable.

The ratio of starch, water, and alcohol in the liquid binder can be adjusted. For example, the liquid binder can contain 25-35% by weight of starch, and 40-50% by weight of water and 10-20% by weight of alcohol. The liquid binder can further contain gums in a ratio of 5-15% by weight.

Tables 5 and 6 show the dropout rate, nicotine amount, glycerin amount, and equipment utilization rate as a function of the water and alcohol content ratio in the liquid binder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In Table 5, the starch and gum content ratios are 35% by weight and 5% by weight, respectively. Categories #2 and #5 contain the same data as categories #2 and #5 listed in Tables 1 to 4.

Referring to Tables 5 and 6, as the water content in the liquid binder decreases and the alcohol content increases, the dropout rate decreases and the equipment utilization rate increases.

Comparing sections #5 and #2, when the water content increases from 45% by weight to 55% by weight and the alcohol content decreases from 15% by weight to 5% by weight, the separation rate increases significantly (from 8.6% to 11.6%), while the equipment operating rate remains unchanged (250 RPM_rod/min). Therefore, considering the impact of a worsening separation rate, it is preferable for the water content to be approximately 50% by weight or less and the alcohol content to be approximately 10% by weight or more.

Comparing sections #8 and #9, when the water content is reduced from 40% by weight to 35% by weight and the alcohol content is increased from 20% by weight to 25% by weight, the separation rate decreases significantly (from 8.5% to 7.7%), while the equipment operating rate remains unchanged (300 RPM_rod/min). Therefore, considering the impact of a worsening separation rate, it is preferable that the water content be approximately 40% by weight or higher and the alcohol content be approximately 20% by weight or lower.

The liquid binder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may contain starch in a ratio of 25-35% by weight, and water and alcohol in a ratio of 40-50% by weight water and 10-20% by weight alcohol. In this case, during the process of manufacturing an aerosol product, the dropout rate can be reduced to approximately 9% or less, and the equipment operating rate can be maintained at approximately 250 RPM_rod/min or more.

The liquid binder may further include at least one of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, pullulan, and carboxymethyl cellulose.

The medium portion 212 may further contain additives. The additives may be at least one of substances such as a pH adjuster, a flavoring agent, and an organic acid.

The pH adjuster can be added during the production of tobacco granules or reconstituted tobacco leaves. Alternatively, it can be added in a manner in which the medium contains granules composed of the pH adjuster. The pH adjuster can be at least one of calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium oxide, etc. The pH adjuster can adjust the pH of the medium to alkaline, thereby promoting the release of flavor components from the medium.

Flavoring agents may include licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, salsa, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, ylang-ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander, coffee, and the like.

Figures 4 to 6 show examples of an aerosol product 2 inserted into an aerosol generating device.

Referring to FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device 1 includes a battery 11, a control unit 12, and a heater 13. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the aerosol generating device 1 further includes a vaporizer 14. An aerosol product 2 can be inserted into the internal space of the aerosol generating device 1.

Figures 4 to 6 show the components of the aerosol generation device 1 according to this embodiment. However, it would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that this embodiment relates to that the aerosol generation device 1 may further include general-purpose components in addition to the components shown in Figures 4 to 6.

Furthermore, although Figures 5 and 6 show the aerosol generating device 1 including a heater 13, the heater 13 can be omitted if necessary.

In Figure 4, the battery 11, control unit 12, and heater 13 are arranged in a row. Also, in Figure 5, the battery 11, control unit 12, vaporizer 14, and heater 13 are arranged in a row. Also, in Figure 6, the vaporizer 14 and heater 13 are arranged in parallel. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generation device 1 is not limited to that shown in Figures 4 to 6. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 11, control unit 12, heater 13, and vaporizer 14 can be changed depending on the design of the aerosol generation device 1.

When the aerosol product 2 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1, the aerosol generation device 1 can activate the heater 13 and/or vaporizer 14 to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generated by the heater 13 and/or vaporizer 14 passes through the aerosol product 2 and is delivered to the user.

If necessary, the aerosol generating device 1 can heat the heater 13 even when the aerosol product 2 is not inserted into the aerosol generating device 1.

The battery 11 supplies the power used to operate the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the battery 11 can supply power to heat the heater 13 or the vaporizer 14, and can supply the power necessary for the control unit 12 to operate. The battery 11 can also supply the power necessary to operate the display, sensors, motors, etc. provided in the aerosol generation device 1.

The control unit 12 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 1. Specifically, the control unit 12 controls the operation of not only the battery 11, heater 13, and vaporizer 14, but also other components included in the aerosol generation device 1. The control unit 12 can also check the status of each component of the aerosol generation device 1 and determine whether the aerosol generation device 1 is in an operable state.

The control unit 12 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the processor may also be implemented as other forms of hardware.

The heater 13 can be heated by power supplied from the battery 11. For example, when a cigarette is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1, the heater 13 can be located outside the cigarette. Thus, the heated heater 13 can increase the temperature of the aerosol generating material within the cigarette.

The heater 13 may be an electrical resistance heater. For example, the heater 13 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 13 may be heated by passing an electric current through the electrically conductive track. However, the heater 13 is not limited to the above example, and any heater that can heat up to the desired temperature may be used. Here, the desired temperature may be pre-set in the aerosol generating device 1, or may be set to the desired temperature by the user.

As another example, the heater 13 may be an induction heater. Specifically, the heater 13 may include an electrically conductive coil for heating the cigarette by induction heating, and the cigarette may include a susceptor that can be heated by the induction heater.

For example, the heater 13 may include a tube-type heating element, a plate-type heating element, a needle-type heating element, or a rod-type heating element, and depending on the shape of the heating element, the inside or outside of the aerosol product item 2 may be heated.

Furthermore, multiple heaters 13 may be arranged in the aerosol generating device 1. Here, the multiple heaters 13 may be inserted inside the aerosol product 2 or arranged outside the aerosol product 2. Furthermore, some of the multiple heaters 13 may be inserted inside the aerosol product 2, and the rest may be arranged outside the aerosol product 2. Furthermore, the shape of the heaters 13 is not limited to the shapes shown in Figures 4 to 6, and various shapes can be manufactured.

The vaporizer 14 can heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, and the generated aerosol can be transmitted to the user through the aerosol product 2. In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 14 can travel along the airflow passage of the aerosol generating device 1, and the airflow passage can be configured to allow the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 14 to be transmitted to the user through the cigarette.

For example, the vaporizer 14 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid reservoir, a liquid transfer means, and a heating element. For example, the liquid reservoir, the liquid transfer means, and the heating element may be independent modules and included in the aerosol generation device 1.

The liquid reservoir can store a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition can be a liquid containing tobacco-containing substances, including volatile tobacco flavor components, or a liquid containing non-tobacco substances. The liquid reservoir can be detachably mounted on the vaporizer 14, or can be integrally mounted on the vaporizer 14.

For example, the liquid composition may contain water, solvent, ethanol, plant extract, fragrance, flavoring, or vitamin mixture. Flavoring may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit flavoring ingredients, etc. Flavoring may include ingredients that can provide various flavors or flavors to the user. The vitamin mixture may be, but is not limited to, a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The liquid composition may also contain an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

The liquid transfer means can transfer the liquid composition in the liquid reservoir to the heating element. For example, the liquid transfer means can be, but is not limited to, a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic.

The heating element is an element for heating the liquid composition transferred by the liquid transfer means. For example, the heating element may be, but is not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate, a ceramic heater, etc. The heating element may also be composed of a conductive filament such as nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure wound around the liquid transfer means. The heating element can be heated by supplying an electric current, and can transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element, thereby heating the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol can be generated.

For example, the vaporizer 14 may be referred to as, but is not limited to, a cartomizer or an atomizer.

Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include general-purpose components in addition to the battery 11, control unit 12, heater 13, and vaporizer 14. For example, the aerosol generating device 1 may include a display capable of outputting visual information and/or a motor for outputting tactile information. The aerosol generating device 1 may also include at least one sensor (such as a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, or a cigarette insertion detection sensor). The aerosol generating device 1 may also be fabricated with a structure that allows external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out even when the aerosol product 2 is inserted.

Although not shown in Figures 4 to 6, the aerosol generation device 1 can also be used to form a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can be used to charge the battery 11 of the aerosol generation device 1. Alternatively, the heater 13 can be heated while the cradle and the aerosol generation device 1 are combined.

As described above, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material products containing tobacco granules, thereby improving the quality of the aerosol product.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the cost of aerosol products by reducing the rate of tobacco granules falling off during cutting when processing non-tobacco material products containing tobacco granules.

At least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure makes it possible to prevent a decline in the production efficiency of aerosol products by preventing the equipment utilization rate from falling below a certain level during the production of aerosol products.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, an aerosol product article 2 according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an aerosol-generating rod 21 including a non-tobacco material 2122 coated with a liquid substance, the liquid substance including tobacco components 2121 and a liquid binder, the liquid binder including water, alcohol, and starch.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid binder may contain 40 to 50% by weight of water and 10 to 20% by weight of alcohol.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid binder may further include gums, and the liquid binder may include 40-50% by weight of water, 10-20% by weight of alcohol, 25-35% by weight of starch, and 5-15% by weight of gums.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid substance can be adsorbed onto the non-tobacco material 2122 by the liquid binder.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid substance may include regular tobacco granules or amorphous tobacco granules.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the non-tobacco material 2122 onto which the liquid material is applied may include paper or polylactic acid (PLA).

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol-generating rod 21 includes an aerosol-generating portion 211 and a medium portion 212, the aerosol-generating portion 211 containing an aerosol-generating substance, and the non-tobacco material 2122 coated with the liquid substance may be contained in the medium portion 212.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol-generating substance may include at least one of glycerin and propylene glycol, and the aerosol-generating unit 211 may include a non-tobacco material coated with the aerosol-generating substance.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heated aerosol generating device 1 that generates an aerosol using the aerosol product 2.

The specific embodiments or other embodiments of the present disclosure described above are not mutually exclusive or distinct. The structure or function of any specific element or all elements of the embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be combined with other elements or combined with each other.

For example, configuration A described in one embodiment of this disclosure and drawings and configuration B described in another embodiment of this disclosure and drawings can be combined with each other. In other words, even if a combination between configurations is not directly described, the combination is possible unless it is described that the combination is not possible.

While the embodiments have been described above in accordance with a number of exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that many other variations and embodiments are possible for those skilled in the art that fall within the scope of the principles of the present disclosure. More particularly, various modifications and variations are possible in the components and/or arrangements of the subject combinations within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims. In addition to the modifications and variations of the components and/or arrangements, other uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

an aerosol-generating rod including a non-tobacco substance coated with a liquid substance;
the liquid substance includes a tobacco component and a liquid binder;
The liquid binder comprises water, alcohol, and starch,
The aerosol product , wherein the liquid binder comprises 25 to 35% by weight of starch . The aerosol product described in claim 1, wherein the liquid binder contains 40 to 50% by weight of water and 10 to 20% by weight of alcohol. The liquid binder further includes gums,
3. The aerosol product of claim 2, wherein the liquid binder comprises 40-50% by weight of water, 10-20% by weight of alcohol, 25-35% by weight of starch, and 5-15% by weight of gums. The aerosol product of claim 1, wherein the liquid substance is adsorbed to the non-tobacco substance by the liquid binder. The aerosol product of claim 1, wherein the liquid substance comprises regular or amorphous tobacco granules. The aerosol product of claim 1, wherein the non-tobacco material comprises paper or polylactic acid (PLA). The aerosol-generating rod comprises:
an aerosol generating unit;
a medium portion,
the aerosol-generating unit includes an aerosol-generating substance,
10. The aerosol product of claim 1, wherein the non-tobacco material to which the liquid substance is applied is contained in the medium portion. the aerosol-forming material includes at least one of glycerin and propylene glycol;
8. The aerosol-producing article of claim 7, wherein the aerosol-generating portion comprises a non-tobacco material onto which the aerosol-forming material is applied. A heated aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol using the aerosol product described in any one of claims 1 to 8.