JP7853320B2 - Components for articles used in aerosol supply systems - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to components for articles used in or for use in non-combustible aerosol supply systems, articles used in or for use in non-combustible aerosol supply systems, and methods for forming components for articles used in or for use in non-combustible aerosol supply systems.

(background)
Certain tobacco industry products generate aerosols during use, which the user inhales. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating substrate, such as tobacco, to form an aerosol by heating, but do not burn the aerosol-generating substrate. Such tobacco industry products generally include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol passes and reaches the user's mouth.

(overview)
According to embodiments described herein, a component for use in or for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system is provided, in accordance with a first aspect, for an article to be used in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, the component comprising a longitudinally extending material body, the material body comprising a sheet material having fibers in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm in length, and the density of the material body being in the range of approximately 0.1 to 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ .

According to embodiments described herein, a component for use in or for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system is provided, in accordance with a second aspect, for an article to be used in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, the component comprising a longitudinally extending material body, the material body comprising a sheet material having fibers in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm in length, and the density of the material body being in the range of about ^0.1 to 0.25 mg/mm³.

According to the embodiments described herein, an article for use in or for use as a non-combustible aerosol supply system is provided in a third aspect, the article comprising an aerosol generating material and a downstream portion downstream of the aerosol generating material, the downstream portion comprising components according to the first or second aspect described above.

According to embodiments described herein, a non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising the article according to the third embodiment is provided in accordance with a fourth aspect.

According to embodiments described herein, a fifth aspect provides a method for forming components for articles to be used in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, the method comprising the step of forming a sheet material into a material body, wherein the sheet material comprises fibers in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm in length, and the density of the material body is in the range of about 0.1 to 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ .

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, merely as non-limiting examples.
This is a side cross-sectional view of an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device, which includes a material body formed from a sheet material. This is a cross-sectional view of the end portion of the material body of the article in Figure 1, along line A-A in Figure 1. This is a side view of the sheet material that forms the main body of the material in Figure 2A. This is a side cross-sectional view of an article intended for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device. This is a side cross-sectional view of an article intended for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device. This is a side cross-sectional view of an article intended for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device. Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of multiple rods of varying lengths used to manufacture the material body of the article. This is a perspective view of a non-combustible aerosol supply device. Figure 7 shows the device with the outer cover removed and no items present. This is a side view of the device in Figure 8, showing a partial cross-section. This is an exploded view of the device shown in Figure 8, with the outer cover removed. This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device shown in Figure 8. This is a magnified view of one region of the device shown in Figure 11A.

[Detailed explanation]
According to this disclosure, “aerosol supply system” includes both a combustible aerosol supply system and a non-combustible aerosol supply system.

According to this disclosure, a “flammable” aerosol delivery system is a system in which the aerosol-generating components (or their components) of the aerosol delivery system are burned or incinerated during use in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

According to this disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol delivery system is a system in which the aerosol-generating components (or their components) of the aerosol delivery system are not burned or incinerated in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

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

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

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustible heating system. An example of such a system is a cigarette heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is a hybrid system for generating aerosols using a combination of aerosol-generating materials (one or more of which may be heated). Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may, for example, contain tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

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

In some embodiments, this disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating materials and configured for use with non-combustible aerosol supply devices. These consumables may also be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a non-combustible aerosol supply device for a non-combustible aerosol supply system, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electric power source or a heat-generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat-generating power source comprises a carbon substrate to which energy can be supplied to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or heat-transferring material in the vicinity of the heat-generating power source.

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

In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device may include aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a suction nozzle, and/or an aerosol modifier.

In some embodiments, the delivered substance includes an active substance.

When used herein, the active substance may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active substance may be naturally occurring or obtained through synthesis. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins (such as B6, B12, or C), melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may also include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other plant substances.

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

As described herein, the active substance may include, or be derived from, one or more plant substances, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term “plant substance” includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from a plant, including extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, petioles, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, shells, peels, etc. Alternatively, this material may include active compounds that are naturally present in plant substances or obtained by synthesis. Examples of plant-based substances include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cacao, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (green tea or black tea, etc.), thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and lavender. - Lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, shiso, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. Mint includes various types such as European mint (Mentha Arventis), grapefruit mint (Mentha c.v.), Egyptian mint (Mentha niliaca), peppermint (Mentha piperita), lime mint (Mentha piperita citrata c.v.), chocolate mint (Mentha piperita c.v.), curly mint (Mentha spicata crispa), wild mint (Mentha cardifolia), horse mint (Mentha longifolia), pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens variegata), and pennyroyal mint (Mentha... Mint varieties such as *Pulegium*, English spearmint (*Mentha spicata* c.v.), and apple mint (*Mentha suaveolens*) may be selected.

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

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

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, the plant substances being selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the delivered substance includes a fragrance.

As used herein, the terms “flavoring” and “flavoring” refer to materials that may be used in products intended for adult consumers to produce a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation, where permitted by local regulations. These may include naturally occurring flavoring materials, plant substances, extracts of plant substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit). Papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, ka Shea, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil from any variety of mint, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange peel, rose, tea (green tea or black tea, etc.), thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, turmeric, cilantro, myrtle, blackcurrant, baleskin It may also contain limon, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives, such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant substances, or breath fresheners. These may be imitation ingredients, synthetic ingredients, natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any preferred form, e.g., liquid (e.g., oil), solid (e.g., powder), or gas.

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

In some embodiments, the fragrance may include sensory agents intended to achieve somatosensory effects that are normally chemically induced and perceived by stimulating the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to, or instead of, the olfactory or gustatory nerves. These may include agents that provide heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effects. Preferred heating agents may include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and preferred cooling agents may include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol or WS-3.

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

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

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

One or more other functional materials may include one or more of the following: pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The material may be present on or within a support to form the substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, recycled material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy, or may contain these materials. In some embodiments, the support includes a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is located on one or both sides of the material.

Consumables are articles containing or consisting of aerosol-generating material, some or all of which are intended to be consumed by the user during use. Consumables may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol modifier. Consumables may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, which releases heat to generate aerosols in the aerosol-generating material during use. The heater may comprise, for example, a flammable material, an electrically conductive material, or a susceptor.

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

An aerosol modifier is a substance configured to modify a generated aerosol, for example, by altering the taste, flavor, acidity, or other properties of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided in an aerosol modifier release component that is operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may contain, for example, one or more of the following: flavorings, colorings, water, and carbon adsorbents. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, thread, or granules. The aerosol modifier may be used without a filter.

An aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to cause the aerosol-generating material to receive thermal energy, thereby releasing one or more volatile components from the material and forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to cause the aerosol-generating material to receive one or more of the following: vibration, pressure increase, or electrostatic energy.

Articles, such as rod-shaped articles, are often named according to their length as follows: "Regular" (typically 68–75 mm, e.g., approximately 68 mm–72 mm), "Short" or "Mini" (68 mm or less), "King Size" (typically 75–91 mm, e.g., approximately 79 mm–88 mm), "Long" or "Super King" (typically 91–105 mm, e.g., approximately 94 mm–101 mm), and "Ultra Long" (typically approximately 110 mm–121 mm).

The products are also named according to their circumference: "Regular" (approximately 23–25 mm), "Wide" (over 25 mm), "Slim" (approximately 22–23 mm), "Demi-Slim" (approximately 19–22 mm), "Super-Slim" (approximately 16–19 mm), and "Micro-Slim" (less than approximately 16 mm).

Therefore, for example, a king-size, super-slim item has a length of approximately 83 mm and a circumference of approximately 17 mm.

Each form may be manufactured with mouthpieces of different lengths. The mouthpiece length is approximately 30 mm to 50 mm. The tip paper connects the mouthpiece to the aerosol-generating material, and is usually longer than the mouthpiece, for example, 3 to 10 mm longer. As a result, the tip paper covers the mouthpiece and overlaps with the aerosol-generating material, for example, in the form of a rod of the base material, connecting the mouthpiece to the rod.

The articles described herein, as well as their aerosol-generating materials and mouthpieces, may be made in any of the above forms, but are not limited to these.

As used herein, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” are relative terms defined in relation to the direction of the mainstream aerosol drawn through the article or device during use.

The filament tow materials described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. Filament tow can also be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4-butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers, or combinations thereof. The filament tow may be plasticized with a suitable plasticizer, such as triacetin, if the material is cellulose acetate tow, or the tow may be left unplasticized. The tow can have any preferred specifications, such as a cross-section of "Y" or "X" shape, and a fiber having a single fineness value of 2.5 to 15 denier per filament (e.g., 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament) and a total fineness value of 5,000 to 50,000 denier (e.g., 10,000 to 40,000 denier).

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material including tobacco or its derivatives or substitutes. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, re-fed tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco material may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fibers, shredded tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco leaflets, re-fed tobacco, and/or tobacco extracts.

In the figures described herein, similar reference numerals are used to indicate equivalent features, articles, or components.

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of article 1 for use as part of a non-combustible aerosol supply system.

Article 1 includes an aerosol-generating material 3, in this example a cylindrical rod of tobacco material, and a downstream portion, in this example called a mouthpiece 2, connected to the aerosol-generating material 3 so as to be downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3. The aerosol-generating material 3, when heated within a system forming, such as a non-combustible aerosol supply device (e.g., a non-combustible aerosol supply device comprising a coil) as described herein, supplies aerosols. In other embodiments, Article 1 may include its own heat source, forming an aerosol supply system without requiring a separate aerosol supply device.

The aerosol-generating material 3, also referred to herein as the aerosol-generating substrate 3, comprises at least one aerosol-forming material. In this example, the aerosol-forming material is glycerol. In alternative examples, the aerosol-forming material may be another material or a combination thereof, as described herein, for example, propylene glycol.

In this example, the suction port includes a tubular portion 4a formed by a hollow tube, also referred to in this example as a cooling element. The suction port 2, in this example, includes a component comprising a material body 6 downstream of the tubular portion 4a. In this example, the material body 6 is adjacent to and in contact with the tubular portion 4a. The material body 6 and the tubular portion 4a each define a substantially cylindrical overall shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The material body 6 comprises a sheet material.

The sheet material comprises fibers with lengths ranging from 2 mm to 6 mm. Such fibers have the advantage of being less likely to absorb and retain aerosol-forming agents (e.g., glycerol, as in this example) and/or aerosol modifiers (e.g., menthol). Therefore, a material body containing such fibers may allow a larger amount of aerosol-forming agent and/or aerosol modifier to reach the user through the material body. In some embodiments, the material body comprises fibers with lengths ranging from 2 mm to 5 mm, 2 mm to 4 mm, or 2 mm to 3 mm.

The material itself may consist of fibers of one or more lengths from approximately 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, and 6 mm.

The fiber length can be measured according to appropriate standards, and the fiber length mentioned above can be the length-weighted average value of the fiber lengths. The selection of an appropriate fiber length can be based on the material source, for example, the type of wood used to supply pulp to the sheet material paper manufacturing process. The fiber length can also be selected based on the form of the cellulose material used to form the sheet material. For example, pine seeds generally produce wood pulp with an average fiber length in the range of approximately 3.5 mm to 4.4 mm, while ash seeds may produce wood pulp with an average fiber length of approximately 1.05 mm to 1.20 mm. The average fiber length in the sheet material can be determined, for example, by a scanning electron microscope or other techniques known to those skilled in the art. For example, at least 70% of the fibers may have a length in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm, or at least 80% or 90% may have a length in that range.

In this example, the material body 6 of the component is formed from a corrugated sheet material. In this example, the material body comprises a corrugated sheet material formed to have a corrugated pattern comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, with an average spacing between adjacent ridges wider than approximately 0.3 mm. In addition, in this example, the amplitude of the waves is less than approximately 0.7 mm. In other examples, the sheet material may have either an average spacing between adjacent ridges wider than approximately 0.3 mm, or a amplitude of waves smaller than approximately 0.7 mm. In any of these examples, the average density of the material body can be approximately 0.1 to approximately 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ . Alternatively, the amplitude of the waves can be greater than 0.7 mm, for example, 0.7 mm to 1.2 mm.

The amplitude of the waveform (also known as the "crimp coefficient") refers to the depth of the grooves formed in the sheet material forming the main body by the corrugation process. That is, when the sheet material is corrugated, as shown in Figure 2B, multiple peaks and valleys are created in the sheet material when viewed from the first side of the sheet material. Here, the amplitude of the waveform "A" is the depth of the valley measured from the peak. The corrugation process may form a "zigzag" shape or other shapes. In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves in the corrugated sheet material is in the range of 0.3 to 2 mm, preferably in the range of 0.4 to 1 mm, i.e., the pitch [P] is in this range. In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves in the corrugated sheet material is at least 0.4 mm, or at least 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, or 0.8 mm. In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grooves in the corrugated sheet material 10 is a maximum of 1.5 mm, preferably a maximum of 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, or 1.0 mm. For example, the sheet material may have a waveform where the amplitude of the waveform is less than 500 μm, and the spacing between peaks (or troughs) is at least 300 μm, at least 400 μm, or at least 500 μm.

In some embodiments, the sheet material 10 is heated when it is corrugated. For example, the sheet material 10 may be passed between corrugating rollers, and one or both of the corrugating rollers are heated.

It is advantageous that using sheet materials with the above-described waveform pitch and/or amplitude, such as paper, as components of an aerosol supply system has been found to improve performance. In particular, these relatively small levels of waveform pitch and amplitude surprisingly result in a smaller pressure drop in the material body compared to bodies formed from sheet materials with larger levels of waveform.

In this example, the density of the material body 6 is approximately 0.19 mg/ ^mm³ . In some embodiments, the density of the body 6 is at least 0.1 mg/ ^mm³ , 0.12 mg/ ^mm³ , or 0.15 mg/ ^mm³ . Alternatively or in addition, the density of the material body 6 can be less than approximately 0.3 mg/ ^mm³ , less than 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ , or less than 0.22 mg/ ^mm³ . It is advantageous that the density of the material body be approximately 0.1 or 0.15 mg/ ^mm³ to approximately 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ . These values include any additives contained within the material body 6. Before corrugation and formation into the material body, the density of the sheet material can be approximately 0.2 to 0.5 mg/ ^mm³ , for example, approximately 0.25, 0.30, or 0.35 mg/ ^mm³ .

The material body 6 may be formed from a continuous web of sheet material 6A. In this example, the sheet material 6A is pleated in a manner similar to that of a "crepe filter" to form the material body 6. The sheet material 6A can be manufactured using a CU-20 filter manufacturing machine manufactured by Decouflé®. However, those skilled in the art will understand that other machines can be used to manufacture the material body 6.

In this example, sheet material 6A contains cellulose. In this example, sheet material 6A is paper.

In some embodiments, the width of the continuous web of the sheet material 6A is at least 60 mm, at least 70 mm, at least 80 mm, at least 90 mm, at least 100 mm, at least 110 mm, or at least 120 mm.

In some embodiments, the width of the continuous web of the sheet material 6A is a maximum of 240 mm, 230 mm, 220 mm, 210 mm, 200 mm, or 190 mm.

In some embodiments, the width of the sheet material is in the range of 120 mm to 200 mm, 150 mm to 190 mm, 160 mm to 190 mm, or 160 mm to 180 mm.

The thickness of the sheet material may be approximately 50 to 100 μm, or approximately 60 to 90 μm. For example, the sheet material is paper with a thickness of 60 to 70 μm and a weight of 30 to 40 g/ ^m² .

The sheet material 6A may contain, in addition to or in lieu of, other materials. For example, in some embodiments, the sheet material 6A includes recycled tobacco formed on the sheet material 6A arranged to form the material body 6. The recycled tobacco contains cellulose. In another embodiment (not shown), the recycled tobacco is manufactured into a uniform plug of the material forming the body 6. The recycled tobacco may optionally be recycled paper tobacco.

In some embodiments, the sheet material 6A includes paper with a weighing capacity in the range of 15 gm to 80 gsm, or 20 gsm to 50 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing weight of the sheet material 6A is at least 15 gsm, at least 20 gsm, at least 25 gsm, or at least 30 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing of the sheet material is 100 gsm or less, 90 gsm or less, 80 gsm or less, or 70 gsm or less. Preferably, the weighing of the sheet material is 60 gsm or less, 50 gsm or less, or 40 gsm or less.

In some embodiments, the weighing of the sheet material is in the range of 20 gsm to 40 gsm, 24 gsm to 36 gsm, or 30 gsm to 40 gsm.

The main material body 6 is wrapped in the first plug wrap 7. In this example, the tubular portion 4a and the main material body 6 are assembled using a second plug wrap 9 wrapped around both sections. The tip paper 5 is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece 2 and a portion of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3, and has adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3.

In this example, the tubular portion 4a is formed from multiple layers of paper, which are wound parallel to each other and joined at the seams to form a hollow tube. In this example, the first and second layers of paper are provided in a double tube; however, in other examples, three, four, or five or more layers of paper can be used to form triple, quadruple, or quintuple or more tubes. Other structures can be used, such as spirally wound paper layers, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a paper mache-type process, or molded or extruded plastic tubes.

In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the tubular portion is at least about 150 μm to a maximum of about 2 mm, 200 μm to 1.5 mm, or 250 μm to 1 mm. In this example, the wall thickness of the tubular portion is about 300 μm. The "wall thickness" of the tubular portion corresponds to the thickness of the radial wall of the tubular portion. This can be measured, for example, using calipers.

The aeration level of article 1 is approximately 75% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In an alternative embodiment, the aeration level of the article can be 50% to 80%, for example, 65% to 75%, of the aerosol drawn through the article. These levels of aeration help to slow down the flow of aerosol drawn through the suction port 2, thereby allowing the aerosol temperature to be sufficiently lowered before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the suction port 2. The aeration is supplied directly into the suction port 2 of article 1. In this example, the aeration is supplied into the tubular section 4a, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in assisting the aerosol generation process. In this case, the aeration is supplied through first and second parallel rows of vents 12, formed as laser perforations, located at 13.925 mm and 14.625 mm, respectively, from the downstream mouth end 2b of the suction port 2. These vents 12 pass through the tip paper 5, the second plug wrap 9, and the tubular section 4a. In an alternative embodiment, the vent can be supplied to the intake at another location. For example, the vent may be supplied to the material body 6.

Alternatively, ventilation can be supplied into the portion of the article containing the tubular body 4a through a single row of ventilation holes, such as laser perforations. It has been found that this improves aerosol formation. This is thought to be because, for a given ventilation level, the airflow through these ventilation holes is more uniform than through multiple rows of ventilation holes.

In some examples, the aerosol-generating material 3 described herein is a first aerosol-generating material, and the tubular portion 4a may include a second aerosol-generating material. In one example, the wall 4b of the tubular portion 4a includes a second aerosol-generating material. For example, the second aerosol-generating material can be placed on the inner surface of the wall 4b of the tubular portion 4a.

The second aerosol-generating material comprises at least one aerosol-forming material and at least one aerosol modifier or other sensory material. The aerosol-forming material and/or aerosol modifier may be any of the aerosol-forming materials or aerosol modifiers described herein, or a combination thereof.

In this specification, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material 3, referred to as the first aerosol, is drawn in through the tubular portion 4a of the mouthpiece. The heat from the first aerosol aerosolizes the aerosol-forming material of the second aerosol-generating material, thereby forming the second aerosol. The second aerosol may contain any of the flavorings described herein, and may include flavorings that can complement or enhance the flavor of the first aerosol.

By attaching the second aerosol-generating material to the tubular body 4a, a second aerosol can be generated that enhances or supplements the flavor or appearance of the first aerosol.

In this example, the circumference of article 1 is approximately 21 mm (i.e., the article is demi-slim). In some embodiments, article 1 has a rod of aerosol-generating material with a circumference longer than 19 mm. This has been found to provide a sufficient circumference to generate an improved and sustained aerosol over typical aerosol-generating sessions preferred by consumers. When the article is heated, heat is transferred through the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3, causing the components of the rod to volatilize, and it has been found that a circumference longer than 19 mm is particularly effective in thus generating aerosols. Since the article is heated and releases aerosols, using an article with a circumference shorter than approximately 23 mm can improve heating efficiency. To achieve improved aerosolization by heating while maintaining a suitable product length, a rod circumference longer than 19 mm and shorter than 23 mm is preferred. In some examples, the rod circumference can be 20 mm to 22 mm, which has been found to provide a good balance between providing effective aerosol delivery and enabling efficient heating.

The outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially the same as the outer circumference of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3, resulting in a smooth transition between these components. In this example, the outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is approximately 20.8 mm.

In some examples, the chip paper 5 contains a citrate such as sodium citrate or potassium citrate. In such examples, the citrate content of the chip paper 5 may be 2% by weight or less, or 1% by weight or less. Reducing the citrate content of the chip paper 5 is thought to help reduce the carbonization phenomenon that may occur during use.

In this example, the tip paper 5 extends 5 mm to cover the rod of the aerosol generating material 3. Alternatively, it can extend 3 mm to 10 mm, or 4 mm to 6 mm, to cover the rod 3 and ensure secure adhesion between the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. The weight of the tip paper 5 can be greater than that of the plug wrap used in article 1, for example, 40 gsm to 80 gsm, or 50 gsm to 70 gsm; in this example, 58 gsm. Within these weight ranges, the tip paper was found to have sufficient flexibility to wrap around article 1 and adhere to itself along the longitudinal wrap seam of the paper, while maintaining acceptable tensile strength. The outer circumference of the tip paper 5, when wrapped around the mouthpiece 2, is approximately 21 mm.

In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 is less than 50 gsm, for example, about 20 gsm to 40 gsm. However, it should be recognized that the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 may be greater to increase the stiffness of the suction nozzle. For example, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 may be at least 50 gsm, at least 60 gsm, at least 70 gsm, at least 80 gsm, at least 90 gsm, or at least 100 gsm. In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 is in the range of 50 gsm to 110 gsm, or in the range of 60 gsm to 100 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 is at least 20 gsm, or at least 30 gsm. In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 is a maximum of 120 gsm, 110 gsm, or 100 gsm. In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the first plug wrap 7 is in the range of 20 gsm to 120 gsm, or in the range of 30 to 100 gsm.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 is 30 μm to 60 μm, or 35 μm to 45 μm. However, it should be noted that the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 may be thicker to increase the stiffness of the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, for example, the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 may be at least 40 microns, 50 microns, 60 microns, 70 microns, 80 microns, 90 microns, or 100 microns. In some embodiments, the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 is in the range of 40 microns to 120 microns, or in the range of 50 to 100 microns.

In some embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 is a non-porous plug wrap with permeability of, for example, less than 100 cholesta units, or less than 50 cholesta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 can be a porous plug wrap with permeability of, for example, more than 200 cholesta units.

In some embodiments, the length of the material body 6 is less than approximately 20 mm. In this example, the length of the material body 6 is approximately 12 mm.

In some embodiments, the axial length of the material body 6 is in the range of 10 mm to 20 mm.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body 6. For example, the aerosol-forming material may be applied to the sheet material 6A before it is folded to form the material body 6. The aerosol-forming material may be sprayed onto the sheet material 6A, applied by a brush, or applied by immersing the sheet material 6 in the aerosol-forming material.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may contain one or more of the following: glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. For example, the aerosol-forming material may contain triacetin and/or triethyl citrate.

In some embodiments, at least 0.02 mg of aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body per 1 mm of its axial length. In some embodiments, at least 0.03 mg, at least 0.04 mg, or at least 0.05 mg of aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body per 1 mm of its axial length.

In some embodiments, an aerosol-forming material of 0.5 mg or less per 1 mm of the axial length of the material body is applied to the material body. In some embodiments, an aerosol-forming material of 0.4 mg or less or 0.3 mg or less per 1 mm of the axial length of the material body is applied to the material body.

At least some of the aerosol-forming materials mix with the aerosol as it passes through the material body 6, helping to make the aerosol feel less dry in the user's mouth.

In some embodiments, the external volume of the material body 6 is at least 115 ^mm³ . In this example, the material body 6 is generally cylindrical and therefore has a generally cylindrical external volume. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the external volume of the material body 6 may be less than 115 ^mm³ .

In this example, the width W1 of the material body 6 (corresponding to the diameter of the material body 6 in this example) is approximately 6.36 mm, and the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is 12 mm. Therefore, the external volume of the material body 6 is approximately 381 ^mm³ .

It was found that a material body 6A containing cellulose and having a volume of at least 115 ^mm³ helps remove moisture from the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating material 3 as the aerosol passes through the material body 6A of the mouthpiece 2. In other words, the cellulose containing the sheet material 6A absorbs water from the aerosol. By removing moisture from the aerosol, the aerosol feels colder in the user's mouth.

In some embodiments, the volume of the material body 6 is at least 19 ^mm³ per 1 mm of axial length, at least 25 ^mm³ per 1 mm of axial length, or at least 30 ^mm³ per 1 mm of axial length. For example, if the volume of the material body 6 is 19 ^mm³ per 1 mm of axial length and the length L1 is 10 mm, the volume of the material body will be 190 ^mm³ .

Generally, the larger the volume of the material body 6A, the greater the effect of removing moisture from the aerosol. In some examples, the outer volume of the material body 6 is at least 200 ^mm³ , at least 300 ^mm³ , at least 400 ^mm³ , at least 500 ^mm³ , at least 600 ^mm³ , at least 700 ^mm³ , at least 800 ^mm³ , at least 900 ^mm³ , or at least 1000 ^mm³ .

In some embodiments, the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is at least 4 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 6 mm, at least 7 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 9 mm, or at least 10 mm.

In some embodiments, the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is in the range of 5 mm to 20 mm, 6 mm to 15 mm, or 8 mm to 14 mm.

In some embodiments, the width W1 of the material body 6 is at least 4 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 6 mm, at least 7 mm, at least 8 mm, or at least 9 mm.

In some embodiments, the outer circumference of the material body 6 is at least 16 mm, at least 18 mm, at least 20 mm, at least 22 mm, at least 25 mm, or at least 26 mm.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is at least 2 mm of water columns, at least 3 mm of water columns, or at least 4 mm of water columns. The pressure drop across the material body may also be at least 5 mm of water columns, at least 6 mm of water columns, at least 7 mm of water columns, at least 8 mm of water columns, at least 9 mm of water columns, at least 10 mm of water columns, or at least 11 mm of water columns.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop in the material body 6 is less than 30 mm of water column, less than 28 mm of water column, or less than 25 mm of water column.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is approximately 20 mm of water column, 23 mm of water column, or 28 mm of water column.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop in the material body 6 is in the range of 10 mm to 30 mm of water column, or 15 mm to 25 mm of water column.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is at least 1.0 mm of water column per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6. In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is at least 1.2 mm of water column, 1.5 mm of water column, or 1.8 mm of water column per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is less than 3.0 mm of water column, 2.8 mm of water column, or 2.6 mm of water column per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6. In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the material body 6 is less than 2.5 mm of water column, 2.4 mm of water column, or 2.3 mm of water column per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6.

In some embodiments, the pressure drop in the material body 6 is in the range of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm of water column per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6, or in the range of 1.6 to 2.4 mmWG per 1 mm of axial length of the material body 6.

In some embodiments, the mass of the material body 6 is at least 50 mg, at least 60 mg, or at least 70 mg. It has been advantageously found that using a larger mass of material body 6 results in a greater amount of water being absorbed from the aerosol. In this example, the mass of the material body is approximately 75 mg.

In some embodiments, the mass of the material body 6 is less than 150 mg, less than 100 mg, less than 85 mg, or less than 80 mg.

In some embodiments, the weight of the material body 6 is at least 2 mg per 1 mm of axial length. In some embodiments, the weight of the material body 6 is at least 3 mg per 1 mm of axial length, or at least 4 mg per 1 mm of axial length.

In this example, the weight of the material body 6 is approximately 6 mg per millimeter. That is, as in this example, when the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is 12 mm, the total mass of the material body 6 is approximately 74 mg.

In some embodiments, the material body 6 is a solid, cylindrical material body.

In some embodiments, the hardness of the mouthpiece 2 is in the range of about 80% to 95%, or about 85% to 90%. The hardness of the mouthpiece 2 may be at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, or at least 92%.

The hardness of the mouthpiece 2 can be measured according to the following protocol. Where the hardness of a section is referred to herein, its hardness is determined by the following measurement process. Measurement may be performed using any suitable device, such as a Borgwaldt Hardness Tester H10.

Hardness is defined as the ratio of the height h0 to the height h1 of the body under a specified load, and is expressed as a percentage of h0. Hardness can be expressed as follows:
Hardness = (h1/h0) x 100
For individual bodies or bodies included in a rod of multiple sections, hardness measurement is performed at the center of the body in the longitudinal direction.

A load bar is used to apply a predetermined load to the specimen. The length of the load bar should be significantly longer than the specimen being measured. The specimen being measured is conditioned according to ISO 3402 for a minimum of 48 hours prior to the hardness measurement, and is maintained under ISO 3402 environmental conditions during the measurement.

To perform hardness measurement, the specimen is placed inside the Hardness Tester H10, a preload of 2g is applied, and after 1 second, the initial height h0 of the specimen under the 2g preload is recorded. Next, the preload is removed, and a load bar with a 150g load is lowered onto the sample at a speed of 0.6 mm/second. After 5 seconds, the height h1 of the specimen under the 150g load is measured.

The hardness of the mouthpiece is determined as the average hardness of at least 20 mouthpieces measured according to this protocol.

The hardness of the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "component" for determining hardness) may also be determined using the above protocol by carefully cutting the article to remove the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7. The hardness of the component may be at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, or at least 92%.

The term "roundness" refers to the ratio of the cross-sectional shape of an object/component to a perfect circle. Roundness is calculated according to the following formula 1.

To determine the roundness of article 1, the maximum outer diameter "X" of the components is measured using a caliper, and the minimum outer diameter "Y" of the article is also measured using a caliper (these diameters are perpendicular to the central axis of article 1). The smaller the deviation between the maximum outer diameter X and the minimum outer diameter Y of article 1, the higher the roundness, indicating that the cross-sectional shape of article 1 is close to a perfect circle.

In some embodiments, the roundness of article 1 is at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, or at least 95%.

The hardness of the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "component" for determining roundness) may also be determined using the above protocol by carefully cutting the article to extract the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7.

To determine the roundness of the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "component" for determining roundness), the maximum outer diameter "X" of the component is measured using a caliper, and the minimum outer diameter "Y" of the component is also measured using a caliper (these diameters are perpendicular to the central axis of the component). The smaller the deviation between the maximum outer diameter X and the minimum outer diameter Y of the component, the higher the roundness, indicating that the cross-sectional shape of the component is close to a perfect circle.

In some embodiments, the roundness of the component (i.e., the roundness of the material body 6 enclosed by the first plug wrap 7) is at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, or at least 95%.

If the roundness of an item/component is not high, the excessively elliptical downstream portion may jam or become misaligned in the manufacturing machine. Therefore, high roundness helps ensure that the downstream portion can be processed reliably.

The first plug wrap 7 and/or the second plug wrap 9 can be bonded around an article component(s) by an adhesive applied to a wrap seam extending longitudinally along the first and/or second plug wraps. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the first and/or second plug wraps 7 and/or second plug wrap 9 can be directly bonded to the underlying component(s) using an adhesive. In both cases, the adhesive may be selected to be water-soluble to aid in the decomposition of the component(s). Alternatively, the first and/or second plug wraps 7 and/or second plug wrap 9 can be formed from paper, or other materials with improved biodegradability, such as other materials with improved dispersibility when exposed to water.

Biodegradability can be measured according to the procedures specified in ISO 14855. Components described herein can achieve more than 50% biodegradation within 30 days when exposed to either freshwater or seawater.

In some embodiments, the length of the tubular portion 4a is less than approximately 50 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the tubular portion 4a is less than approximately 40 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the tubular portion 4a is less than approximately 35 mm. In addition, or alternatively, the length of the tubular portion 4a is at least approximately 10 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the tubular portion 4a is at least approximately 15 mm.

In some embodiments, the length of the tubular portion 4a is approximately 15 mm to 35 mm, 20 mm to 30 mm, 23 mm to 29 mm, or 25 mm or 29 mm. In this example, the length of the tubular portion 4a is 25 mm.

In some embodiments, the weight of the second plug wrap 9 is less than 50 gsm. In some embodiments, the weight of the second plug wrap 9 is approximately 20 gsm to 45 gsm. However, it should be recognized that the weight of the second plug wrap 9 may be greater to increase the hardness of the spout. For example, the weight of the second plug wrap 9 may be at least 50 gsm, at least 60 gsm, at least 70 gsm, at least 80 gsm, at least 90 gsm, or at least 100 gsm. In some embodiments, the weight of the second plug wrap 9 is in the range of 50 gsm to 110 gsm, or 60 gsm to 100 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the second plug wrap 9 is at least 10 gsm, at least 15 gsm, at least 20 gsm, or at least 25 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the second plug wrap 9 is less than 40 gsm, less than 35 gsm, or less than 30 gsm.

In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the second plug wrap 9 is in the range of 10–40 gsm, 15–35 gsm, 20–30 gsm, or 25–30 gsm. In some embodiments, the weighing capacity of the second plug wrap 9 is approximately 27 gsm.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the second plug wrap 9 is 30 μm to 60 μm, or 35 μm to 45 μm. However, it should be noted that the thickness of the second plug wrap 9 may be thicker to increase the hardness of the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, for example, the thickness of the second plug wrap 9 may be at least 40 microns, at least 50 microns, at least 60 microns, at least 70 microns, at least 80 microns, at least 90 microns, or at least 100 microns. In some embodiments, the thickness of the second plug wrap 9 is in the range of 40 microns to 120 microns, or in the range of 50 microns to 100 microns.

In some embodiments, the second plug wrap 9 is a non-porous plug wrap with a permeability of less than 100 cholesta units, for example, less than 50 cholesta units. However, in alternative embodiments, the second plug wrap 9 can be a porous plug wrap with a permeability of, for example, more than 200 cholesta units.

The tubular portion 4a is positioned around and defines a void within the intake 2, which functions as a cooling segment. The void provides a chamber through which heated volatile components generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 flow. While the tubular portion 4a is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol storage, it is still rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and when the article 1 is in use. The tubular portion 4a provides a physical gap between the aerosol-generating material 3 and the material body 6. This physical gap provided by the tubular portion 4a creates a thermal gradient along the length of the tubular portion 4a.

In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 2 includes a cavity having an internal volume greater than 450 ^mm³ . It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume can improve aerosol formation. The size of such a cavity provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to cool the heated volatile components, and thus allows the aerosol-generating material 3 to be exposed to a higher temperature than would otherwise be possible (otherwise, the aerosol may become too hot). In this example, the cavity is formed by the tubular portion 4a, but in alternative configurations, it can be formed within different parts of the mouthpiece 2. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 2 includes a cavity formed within, for example, the tubular portion 4a, having an internal volume greater than 500 ^mm³ , for example, greater than 550 ^mm³ , thereby further improving aerosol formation. In some embodiments, the internal cavity has a volume of about 550 ^mm³ to about 850 ^mm³ , or about 600 ^mm³ to about 800 ^mm³ . In this example, the volume of the internal cavity in the tubular portion 4a is about 762 ^mm³ .

The tubular portion 4a can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40°C between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the tubular portion 4a and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the tubular portion 4a. In some embodiments, the tubular portion 4a is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60°C, at least 80°C, or at least 100°C between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the tubular portion 4a and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the tubular portion 4a. This temperature difference along the length of the tubular portion 4a protects the temperature-sensitive material body 6 from the high temperature of the aerosol-generating material 3 when heated.

In the alternative article, the tubular portion 4a can be replaced with an alternative cooling element, for example, an element formed from a material body through which aerosols can pass longitudinally and which also functions to cool the aerosols.

The mouthpiece 2 of article 1 comprises an upstream end 3a adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate 3 and a downstream end 2b distal to the aerosol generating substrate 3.

The pressure drop or pressure difference (also called suction resistance) at the mouthpiece, for example, in the portion of article 1 downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3, is less than about 40 mm of water column. It has been found that such a pressure drop allows a sufficient aerosol containing the desired compound, such as a fragrance compound, to pass through the mouthpiece 2 and reach the consumer. In some embodiments, the pressure drop at the mouthpiece 2 is less than about 20 mm of water column. In some embodiments, particularly improved aerosols have been achieved using a mouthpiece 2 having a pressure drop of less than 15 mm of water column, for example, about 6 mm of water column, about 10 mm of water column, or about 14 mm of water column. Alternatively or in addition to this, the pressure drop at the mouthpiece can be at least 3 mm of water column, at least 4 mm of water column, or at least 5 mm of water column. In some embodiments, the pressure drop at the mouthpiece can be about 5 mm of water column to 20 mm of water column, or 5 mm of water column to 15 mm of water column. These values allow the aerosol to be slowed down at the mouthpiece 2 as it passes through it, resulting in a time for the aerosol's temperature to decrease before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2.

In this example, the aerosol-generating material 3 is wrapped in a wrapper 10. The wrapper 10 can be, for example, paper or foil backed with paper. In this example, the wrapper 10 is substantially airtight. In alternative embodiments, the wrapper 10 has a permeability of less than 100 cholesta units or less than 60 cholesta units. It has been found that using a less permeable wrapper, e.g., one with a permeability of less than 100 cholesta units or less than 60 cholesta units, improves aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating material 3. While we do not wish to be constrained by theory, this is assumed to be due to reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper 10. The permeability of the wrapper 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009, which relates to the measurement of air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wraps, and filter bonding paper.

In this embodiment, the wrapper 10 includes aluminum foil. The aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing aerosol formation within the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer approximately 6 μm thick. In this example, the aluminum foil has a backing paper. However, in alternative configurations, the aluminum foil can have other thicknesses, for example, 4 μm to 16 μm. The aluminum foil does not necessarily have a backing paper, but may have a backing formed from another material, for example, that helps to give the foil adequate tensile strength, or it may not have a backing material at all. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum can also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper is 20 μm to 60 μm, or 30 μm to 50 μm, and this thickness allows the wrapper to have appropriate structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tensile force that can be applied to the wrapper before it tears can be greater than 3,000 grams, for example, a force of 3,000 to 10,000 grams, or a force of 3,000 to 4,500 grams.

In some examples, the wrapper 10 surrounding the aerosol-generating material 3 has a high level of permeability, for example, greater than about 1000 cholesta units, greater than about 1500 cholesta units, or greater than about 2000 cholesta units. The permeability of the wrapper 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009, which concerns the measurement of air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wraps, and filter bonding paper.

The wrapper 10 may be formed from a material having an inherently high level of permeability, an inherently porous material, or a material having any level of inherent permeability. In this case, the final level of permeability is achieved by providing a wrapper 10 with permeable areas or regions. By providing a permeable wrapper 10, a path for air to enter the article is created. The wrapper 10 can have permeability such that the amount of air entering through the rod of aerosol-generating material is relatively greater than the amount of air entering the article through the vent 12 of the intake. An article having this configuration can generate a more flavorful aerosol, which can satisfy the user more.

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

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 3 is provided as a cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating material. Regardless of the form of the aerosol-generating material, the length can be approximately 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol-generating material is in the range of approximately 25 mm to 50 mm, approximately 30 mm to 45 mm, or approximately 30 mm to 40 mm.

In some examples, article 1 may be configured such that there is a gap (i.e., a minimum distance) between the heater of the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 and the tubular body 4a. This prevents the heat from the heater from damaging the material forming the tubular body 4a.

The minimum distance between the heater and the tubular body 4a of the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 may be approximately 3 mm or more. In some examples, the minimum distance between the heater and the tubular body 4a of the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 may be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, for example, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

The distance between the heater and the tubular body 4a of the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 may be achieved, for example, by adjusting the length of the rod of the aerosol generating material 3.

The volume of the aerosol-generating material 3 can be varied to approximately 200 ^mm³ to approximately 4300 ^mm³ , approximately 500 ^mm³ to 1500 ^mm³ , or approximately 1000 mm³ to approximately 1300 ^mm³ . It has also been shown that providing aerosol-generating material in these volumes, for example ^, approximately 1000 ^mm³ to approximately 1300 ^mm³ , is advantageous in achieving superior aerosols with better visibility and perceptual performance compared to those achieved with volumes selected from the lower end of this range.

The mass of the aerosol-generating material 3 can be greater than 200 mg, for example, approximately 200 mg to 400 mg, approximately 230 mg to 360 mg, or approximately 250 mg to 360 mg. It has been found that providing a larger mass of aerosol-generating material has the advantage of improving perceptual performance compared to aerosols generated from smaller masses of tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material or substrate is formed from a tobacco material, such as those described herein, which contains tobacco components.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco component may include recycled tobacco. The tobacco component may also include loose leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and/or band-cast tobacco.

The aerosol-generating material 3 may include recycled tobacco material with a density lower than approximately 700 milligrams per cubic centimeter (700 mg/cc). Such tobacco material has been found to be particularly effective in providing an aerosol-generating material that can be heated quickly and release aerosols compared to denser materials. For example, the inventors tested the heating properties of various aerosol-generating materials, such as band-cast recycled tobacco material and paper-recycled tobacco material. For each given aerosol-generating material, it was found that below a certain temperature, the net heat flow is endothermic, meaning more heat enters the material than leaves it, and above that certain temperature, the net heat flow is exothermic, meaning more heat leaves the material than enters it, resulting in zero heat flow. The temperature at which the heat flow becomes zero was lower for materials with densities lower than 700 mg/cc. Since a significant portion of the heat flow emanating from a material is due to aerosol formation, a lower temperature at which the heat flow becomes zero has a beneficial effect on the time it takes for aerosols to first be released from an aerosol-generating material. For example, aerosol-generating materials with densities lower than 700 mg/cc were found to have a lower temperature at which the heat flow became zero compared to materials with densities higher than 700 mg/cc (where the temperature at which the heat flow became zero is higher than 164°C).

The density of the aerosol-generating material also affects the rate at which heat is transferred through the material. At lower densities, such as below 700 mg/cc, the rate of heat transfer through the material slows down, and therefore aerosol release can be sustained for a longer period.

The aerosol-generating material 3 may contain recycled tobacco material with a density lower than approximately 700 mg/cc, such as recycled paper tobacco material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 3 contains recycled tobacco material with a density lower than approximately 600 mg/cc. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the aerosol-generating material 3 may contain recycled tobacco material with a density of at least 350 mg/cc, which is considered capable of conducting a sufficient amount of heat through the material.

The tobacco material may be provided in the form of shredded rag tobacco. The shredded rag tobacco may have a cutting width of at least 15 cuts per inch (approximately 5.9 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cutting width of approximately 1.7 mm). In some embodiments, the shredded rag tobacco has a cutting width of at least 18 cuts per inch (approximately 7.1 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cutting width of approximately 1.4 mm), or at least 20 cuts per inch (approximately 7.9 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cutting width of approximately 1.27 mm). In one example, the shredded rag tobacco has a cutting width of 22 cuts per inch (approximately 8.7 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cutting width of approximately 1.15 mm). The shredded rag tobacco may have a cutting width of 40 cuts per inch (approximately 15.7 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cutting width of approximately 0.64 mm) or less. It has been found that a suitable tobacco material can be obtained with a cutting width of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, for example, 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm, or 0.6 mm to 1.7 mm, particularly when heated, in terms of the ratio of surface area to volume of the base material 3, as well as the overall density and pressure drop. Shredded rag tobacco can be formed from a mixture of forms of tobacco material, such as a mixture of one or more recycled tobacco, loose leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and band-cast tobacco. In some embodiments, the tobacco material includes recycled tobacco, or a mixture of recycled tobacco and loose leaf tobacco.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco material may contain filler components. These filler components are generally non-tobacco components, i.e., components that do not contain tobacco-derived components. The filler components may be non-tobacco fibers such as wood fibers or pulp, or wheat fibers. The filler components may also be inorganic materials such as chalk, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, or magnesium carbonate. The filler components may also be non-tobacco cast materials or non-tobacco extruded materials. The filler components may be present in an amount of 0 to 20% by weight of the tobacco material, or 1 to 10% by weight of the constituent material. In some embodiments, no filler components are present.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco material includes an aerosol-forming material. In this context, “aerosol-forming material” is an agent that promotes aerosol formation. Aerosol-forming materials can promote aerosol formation by promoting initial vaporization and/or condensation of gas into inhalable solid and/or liquid aerosols. In some embodiments, aerosol-forming materials can improve the delivery of flavorings from the aerosol-forming material. Generally, any suitable aerosol-forming material or aerosol-forming agent, including those described herein, may be included in the aerosol-forming material of the present invention. Other suitable aerosol-forming materials include, but are not limited to, polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; non-polyols such as monohydric alcohols and high-boiling hydrocarbons; acids such as lactic acid; glycerol derivatives; esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, and triethyl citrate; or myristic acid including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate; and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanediate, and dimethyl tetradecanediate. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol may be present in an amount of 10 to 20% by weight of the tobacco material, for example, 13 to 16% by weight of the composition, or about 14% or 15% by weight of the composition. Propylene glycol, if present, may be present in an amount of 0.1 to 0.3% by weight of the composition.

The aerosol-forming material may be included in any component of the tobacco material, for example, any tobacco component and/or (if any) a filler component. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the aerosol-forming material may be added separately to the tobacco material. In either case, the total amount of aerosol-forming material in the tobacco material may be as specified herein.

The tobacco material can contain 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves, and the aerosol-forming material is supplied with a maximum amount of approximately 10% by weight of tobacco leaves. It has also been found advantageous that, in order to ensure that the overall level of the aerosol-forming material is 10% to 20% by weight of the tobacco material, it can be added to another component of the tobacco material, such as recycled tobacco material, at a higher weight percentage.

The tobacco materials described herein contain nicotine. The nicotine content is 0.5 to 1.75% by weight of the tobacco material, and may be, for example, 0.8 to 1.5% by weight of the tobacco material. In addition to or instead of this, the tobacco material may contain 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves with a nicotine content greater than 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaves. It has also been advantageously found that using tobacco leaves with a nicotine content greater than 1.5% in combination with a base material containing less nicotine, such as recycled cigarettes, results in a tobacco material with an appropriate nicotine level but with better perceptual performance than when recycled cigarettes are used alone. Tobacco leaves, for example, shredded rag tobacco, can have a nicotine content of, for example, 1.5% to 5% by weight of the tobacco leaves.

The tobacco materials described herein may include aerosol modifiers such as any of the flavorings described herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains menthol to form a menthol-containing article. The tobacco material may contain 3 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 5 mg to 18 mg, or 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol. In this example, the tobacco material contains 16 mg of menthol. The tobacco material may contain 2% to 8% by weight of menthol, 3% to 7% by weight of menthol, or 4% to 5.5% by weight of menthol. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains 4.7% by weight of menthol. Such high levels of menthol can be achieved by using a high proportion of recycled tobacco material, for example, more than 50% by weight of the tobacco material. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, a large amount of aerosol-generating material, such as tobacco material, can be used to achieve a high level of menthol, for example, more than about 500 ^mm³ , or preferably more than about 1000 ^mm³ , of the aerosol-generating material such as tobacco material.

In the components described herein, where quantities are given in weight percent, to avoid misunderstanding, this refers to the dry weight unless otherwise specifically indicated. Therefore, any water that may be present in the tobacco material or any component is completely disregarded for the purpose of determining the weight percent. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, for example, from 5 to 15% by weight. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, for example, depending on the temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions under which the component is maintained. The moisture content can be determined by Karl Fischer analysis, as is known to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, to avoid misunderstanding, even when the aerosol-forming material is a liquid-phase component such as glycerol or propylene glycol, any component other than water is included in the weight of the tobacco material. However, when the aerosol-forming material is provided within the tobacco component of the tobacco material or within the filler component of the tobacco material (if present), instead of being added separately to the tobacco material, the aerosol-forming material is not included in the weight of the tobacco component or filler component, but is included in the weight of the "aerosol-forming material" in the weight percent specified herein. All other components present in tobacco are included in the weight of the tobacco component, even if they are non-tobacco derived (e.g., non-tobacco fibers in recycled cigarettes).

In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises tobacco components as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In another embodiment, the tobacco material consists substantially of tobacco components as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In yet another embodiment, the tobacco material consists of tobacco components as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein.

Recycled tobacco is present in the tobacco components of the tobacco material described herein in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight of the tobacco components. In some embodiments, recycled tobacco is present in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, or 20% to 70% by weight, of the tobacco components. In further embodiments, the tobacco components consist substantially of or comprise recycled tobacco. In some embodiments, tobacco leaves are present in the tobacco components of the tobacco material in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco components. For example, tobacco leaves may be present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco components, while the remainder of the tobacco components includes recycled tobacco, band-cast recycled tobacco, or a combination of band-cast recycled tobacco and another form of tobacco such as tobacco granules.

Recycled tobacco refers to tobacco material formed by a process in which tobacco raw materials are extracted with a solvent to obtain a residue containing soluble extracts and fibrous materials. The extracts (usually concentrated and optionally further processed) are then recombined with fibrous materials from the residue (usually purified and optionally with some non-tobacco fibers added) by depositing the extracts onto the fibrous materials. This recombination process is similar to the papermaking process.

The recycled cigarette may be any type of recycled cigarette known in the art. In certain embodiments, the recycled cigarette is made from raw materials comprising one or more of tobacco strips, tobacco leaflets, and whole tobacco leaves. In further embodiments, the recycled cigarette is made from raw materials comprising tobacco strips and/or whole tobacco leaves, as well as tobacco leaflets. However, in other embodiments, fragments, granules, and husks may be used as raw materials instead of or in addition to these.

The recycled tobacco used in the tobacco materials described herein may be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for preparing recycled tobacco.

In some embodiments, it is particularly advantageous to use a hollow tubular element 8 that is longer than about 10 mm, for example, about 10 mm to about 30 mm, or about 12 mm to about 25 mm in length. It has been found that when a consumer inhales an aerosol through the article 1, their lips may extend up to about 12 mm from the mouth-side end of the article 1. Therefore, a length of at least 10 mm or at least 12 mm for the hollow tubular element 8 means that most of the consumer's lips will surround this element 8.

Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1' including a mouthpiece 2' containing a hollow tubular element 8. The mouthpiece 2' is substantially the same as the mouthpiece 2 described above in relation to Figure 1, except that at its downstream end 2b, the mouthpiece 2' includes a hollow tubular element 8 formed from a filament tow. In this example, the tubular portion 4a, the material body 6, and the hollow tubular element 8 are joined using a second plug wrap 9 wrapped around all three sections.

The material body 6 of article 1' in Figure 3 is the same as the material body 6 described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. As previously mentioned, the material body 6 is manufactured from a sheet material containing cellulose; for example, the sheet material may be paper. The sheet material is pleated to form the material body 6.

In this example, the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is approximately 10 mm. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the axial length L1 of the material body 6 may vary. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is less than approximately 20 mm or less than 15 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is shorter than approximately 10 mm. In addition to or instead of this, the length L1 of the material body 6 may be at least approximately 5 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is at least approximately 6 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is approximately 5 mm to approximately 15 mm, or approximately 6 mm to approximately 12 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body is 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

The mouthpiece portion that contacts the consumer's lips is typically a paper tube, which is either hollow or surrounds a cylindrical body of filter material. The inclusion of a hollow tubular element 8 has been found to be advantageous in significantly lowering the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2' at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece that contacts the consumer's mouth during use of the article 1'. In addition, the use of a tubular portion 4a has also been found to significantly lower the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2', even upstream of the tubular portion 4a. While we do not wish to be constrained by theory, this is assumed to be due to the tubular portion 4a directing the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2', thus reducing heat transfer from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2'. Furthermore, the material body 6 has been found to remove moisture from the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 as the aerosol passes through the material body 6A of the mouthpiece 2, which makes the aerosol feel cool in the user's mouth.

In this example, the hollow tubular element 8 is formed from a filament tow. In alternative embodiments, the hollow tubular element may be formed using any structure described herein for the tubular portion 4a.

The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element 8 corresponds to the thickness of the radial wall of the pipe 8. This can be measured in the same way as the wall thickness of the tubular portion. It is advantageous for the wall thickness to be greater than 0.9 mm, and may be 1.0 mm or more. In some embodiments, the wall thickness is substantially constant throughout the entire wall of the hollow tubular element 8. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, it may be greater than 0.9 mm at any point around the hollow tubular element 8, for example, 1.0 mm or more.

The length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than approximately 20 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than approximately 15 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than approximately 10 mm. In addition to or instead of this, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 may be at least approximately 5 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least approximately 6 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is approximately 5 mm to approximately 20 mm, approximately 6 mm to approximately 10 mm, or approximately 6 mm to approximately 8 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is 6 mm, 7 mm, or 8 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is 6 mm.

The density of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least about 0.25 grams per cubic centimeter (0.25 g/cc), for example, at least about 0.3 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 0.75 grams per cubic centimeter (0.75 g/cc), for example, less than 0.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 8 is between 0.25 g/cc and 0.75 g/cc, between 0.3 g/cc and 0.6 g/cc, or between 0.4 g/cc and 0.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 8 is about 0.5 g/cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the improved stiffness given by higher density materials and the lower heat transfer properties of lower density materials. For the purposes of the present invention, the "density" of the hollow tubular element 8 refers to the density of the filament tow forming the element into which any plasticizer is incorporated. The density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular element 8 by its total volume, and the total volume can be calculated using appropriate measurements of the hollow tubular element 8, for example, taken with calipers. If necessary, appropriate dimensions may be measured using a microscope.

The total fineness of the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 8 may be less than 45,000 denier, for example, less than 42,000 denier. It has been found that this total fineness allows for the formation of a hollow tubular element 8 that is not too dense. In some embodiments, the total fineness is at least 20,000 denier, for example, at least 25,000 denier. In some embodiments, the total fineness of the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 8 is 25,000 to 45,000 denier, for example, 35,000 to 45,000 denier. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the tow filament is "Y" shaped, but in other embodiments, filaments with other cross-sectional shapes, such as "X" shaped, can be used.

The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 8 may be thicker than 3 denier per filament. It has been found that this fineness per filament allows for the formation of hollow tubular elements 8 that are not excessively dense. In some embodiments, the fineness per filament is at least 4 denier, for example, at least 5 denier. In some embodiments, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 8 is 4 to 10 denier per filament, for example, 4 to 9 denier. In one example, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 8 is formed from cellulose acetate and has a tow of 8Y40,000 containing 18% plasticizer, for example, triacetin.

The inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 8 may be greater than 3.0 mm. A smaller diameter would increase the velocity of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2' and reaching the consumer's mouth beyond the desired velocity, potentially causing the aerosol to become too hot, reaching temperatures above, for example, 40°C or 45°C. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 8 is greater than 3.1 mm, for example, greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 8 is approximately 3.9 mm.

In some embodiments, the hollow tubular element 8 contains 15% to 22% by weight of plasticizer. For cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer may be triacetin, but other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be used. In some embodiments, the hollow tubular element 8 contains 16% to 20% by weight of plasticizer, for example, about 17%, about 18%, or about 19%.

In this example, the tubular portion 4a is the first hollow tubular element, and the hollow tubular element 8 is the second hollow tubular element.

In this example, the airflow is supplied into the tubular portion 4a, as described in relation to Figure 1. In alternative embodiments, the airflow can be supplied to the intake at another location, for example, into the material body 6 or the hollow tubular element 8.

In the above example, the mouthpieces 2 and 2' each comprise a single material body 6. In other examples, the mouthpieces 2 and 2' may comprise multiple material bodies. The mouthpieces 2 and 2' may have cavities between the material bodies.

In some examples, the mouthpieces 2, 2' downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 may be equipped with a wrapper containing the aerosol modifier or other sensory material described herein, for example, a first plug wrap 7 or a second plug wrap 9, or a tip paper 5. The aerosol modifier may be placed on the inward-facing or outward-facing surface of the mouthpiece wrapper. For example, the aerosol modifier or other sensory material may be provided in an area of the wrapper that comes into contact with the consumer's lips during use, such as the outward-facing surface of the tip paper 5. By placing the aerosol modifier or other sensory material on the outward-facing surface of the mouthpiece wrapper, the aerosol modifier or other sensory material may be transmitted to the consumer's lips during use. Transmitting the aerosol modifier or other sensory material to the consumer's lips during use of the article can alter the sensory perception characteristics (e.g., taste) of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate 3, or otherwise provide the consumer with an alternative sensory experience. For example, an aerosol modifier or other sensory material may impart flavor to the aerosol produced by the aerosol generating substrate 3. The aerosol modifier or other sensory material may be at least partially water-soluble so that it is transmitted to the user by the consumer's saliva. The aerosol modifier or other sensory material may volatilize due to the heat generated by the aerosol supply system. This facilitates the transmission of the aerosol modifier to the aerosol produced by the aerosol generating substrate 3. Suitable sensory materials may include fragrances, sucralose, or cooling agents such as menthol, as described herein.

In some embodiments (not shown), the mouthpieces 2, 2' may include an aerosol modifier release component operable to release the aerosol modifier. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier release component may be operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier. As discussed above, the material body 6 may comprise fibers in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm in length, thereby resulting in a material body 6 that absorbs less of a particular aerosol modifier when the aerosol modifier is released from the aerosol modifier release component.

The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may contain, for example, one or more of the following: flavorings, colorants, water, and carbon adsorbents. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, thread, or granules. The aerosol modifier may be used without a filter.

The aerosol modifier release component may be, for example, a capsule, thread, or bead. In some embodiments, multiple aerosol modifier release components may be provided, and multiple charcoal particles containing the aerosol modifier may be included.

In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier release component includes a yarn containing the additive. The yarn may be made from, for example, cellulose acetate or cotton fibers.

In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier release component comprises an aerosol modifier in the range of 1 mg to 20 mg, for example, an aerosol modifier in the range of 2 mg to 15 mg.

The aerosol modifier release components, such as capsules, may be placed inside the main body 6. These aerosol modifier release components, or each aerosol modifier release component, may be combined with the sheet material 6A, for example, they may be bonded to the sheet material 6A before the sheet material 6A is formed on the main body 6.

In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol modifier release component and a heater operable to heat the aerosol generating material 3 during use so that the aerosol generating material 3 supplies aerosols.

The aerosol modifier release component may include a capsule. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier release component comprises a first capsule and a second capsule. The first capsule is located in a first portion of the aerosol modifier release component, and the second capsule is located in a second portion of the aerosol modifier release component downstream of the first portion.

The first portion of the aerosol modifier release component is heated to a first temperature during heater operation to generate an aerosol, and the second portion is heated to a second temperature during heater operation to generate an aerosol, the second temperature being at least 4°C lower than the first temperature. In some embodiments, the second temperature is at least 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10°C lower than the first temperature.

The aerosol modifier release component may constitute one or more components of Article 1. In some embodiments, the first and second capsules are arranged on the material body 6. In one embodiment, the aerosol modifier release component includes two material bodies (not shown), with the first capsule arranged on the first material body and the second capsule on the second body. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier release component may, in addition to or instead, comprise one or more tubular elements upstream and/or downstream of one or more material bodies. The aerosol generating component may include suction ports 2, 2'.

In some embodiments, the second capsule is positioned at a distance of at least 7 mm from the first capsule (measured as the distance between the centers of the first and second capsules). In some embodiments, the second capsule is positioned at a distance of at least 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm from the first capsule. It has been found that increasing the distance between the first and second capsules increases the temperature difference between the first and second capsules.

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

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

The aerosol modifiers for the first and second capsules can be selected based on this temperature difference. For example, the first capsule may contain a first aerosol modifier with a lower vapor pressure than the second aerosol modifier in the second capsule. If both capsules are heated to the same temperature, a higher vapor pressure in the second capsule's aerosol modifier means that a larger amount of the second aerosol modifier will volatilize than that in the first capsule. However, since the second capsule is heated to a lower temperature, this effect is less pronounced, and when the first and second capsules are destroyed, a more uniform amount of the aerosol modifiers in the first and second capsules will volatilize.

In some embodiments, the first and second capsules have the same aerosol modification profile, meaning that both capsules contain the same amount of the same type of aerosol modifier, and consequently, when both capsules are heated to the same temperature and destroyed, both capsules produce the same aerosol modification. However, since the first capsule is heated to a higher temperature than the second capsule, for example, more of the aerosol modifier in the first capsule volatilizes compared to the modifier in the second capsule, and therefore produces a more significant aerosol modification than the second capsule. Thus, despite both capsules being identical (which allows for easier and/or cheaper production of the aerosol modifier release component), the user can decide whether to destroy the first capsule to produce a more significant aerosol modification, the second capsule to produce a less significant aerosol modification, or both capsules to produce the maximum aerosol modification.

In some embodiments, both the first and second capsules contain a first aerosol modifier and a second aerosol modifier. The vapor pressure of the first aerosol modifier is lower than that of the second aerosol modifier. Therefore, when the system is used to generate aerosols, when the second capsule is ruptured, a larger proportion of the second aerosol modifier is vaporized compared to when the higher-temperature first capsule is ruptured. Thus, using the same capsules, different aerosol modifications can be achieved based on the position of the capsule in the first or second portion of the aerosol modifier release component.

In some embodiments, this capsule, or each capsule, comprises an outer shell and an inner core.

The shell of each capsule may be solid at room temperature. The shell may contain alginate, consist of alginate, or be substantially composed of alginate. However, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the shell may be formed from different materials. For example, the shell may instead contain, consist of, or be substantially composed of gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin. The shell may contain, consist of, or be substantially composed of one or more of alginate, gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin.

The shell of each additive capsule may be impermeable to, or substantially impermeable to, the core aerosol modifier. Therefore, the shell initially prevents the core modifier from leaking out of the capsule. When the user wishes to modify the aerosol, they crush the capsule shell to release the modifier.

In some embodiments (not shown), the capsule (or each capsule) further comprises a carrier material. The carrier material may include, for example, gelatin.

In some embodiments, the diameter of this capsule (or each capsule) is in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, or 2 mm to 4 mm. In some embodiments, the diameter of this capsule (or each capsule) is approximately 3 mm. This capsule (or each capsule) may be generally spherical. In other examples, capsules of other shapes and sizes can be used.

The total weight of each capsule may be in the range of approximately 5 mg to approximately 50 mg, or approximately 10 mg to approximately 30 mg. In some embodiments, the weight of each capsule is approximately 14 mg.

In some embodiments, one or more aerosol modifier-releasing components are contained within the material body 6, which is formed from a sheet material weighing less than 40 gsm, for example, less than 35 or 30 gsm. This helps to reduce the density of the material body 6 in order to counteract the presence of the aerosol modifier-releasing components within the body 6 (otherwise, the body 6 may become rigid).

In some embodiments, one or more aerosol modifier-releasing components are contained within the material body 6, which is formed from a sheet material with a width of less than 100 mm, for example, less than 90 mm or 80 mm. This helps to reduce the density of the material body 6 in order to counteract the presence of the aerosol modifier-releasing components within the body 6 (otherwise, the body 6 may become rigid).

In some embodiments, this capsule (or each capsule) is positioned at the center of the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece 2.

As discussed above, this capsule (or each capsule) may have a core-shell structure. That is, the encapsulating material or barrier material forms a shell around a core containing the aerosol modifier. The shell structure prevents the aerosol modifier from moving during storage of the article, but allows for the controlled release of the aerosol modifier, also called the aerosol modifier, during use.

In some cases, the barrier material (also referred to herein as the encapsulating material) is fragile. This capsule (or each capsule) is crushed, ruptured, or destroyed by the user to release the encapsulated aerosol modifier. Typically, one or more capsules are destroyed immediately before heating begins, but the user can choose when to release the aerosol modifier from the capsule. The user can then choose to destroy other capsules later, for example, after heating has begun. The user can choose to destroy the other capsule once a portion of the aerosol has been released from the aerosol-generating material, resulting in the remaining aerosol-generating material being modified by the aerosol modifier from the other capsule. Alternatively, the user may choose to destroy multiple capsules simultaneously.

The term "destructible capsule" refers to a capsule whose shell can be broken by pressure to release the core, or more specifically, a capsule whose shell can be ruptured by pressure applied by the user's finger when the user wishes to release the capsule's core.

In some cases, the barrier material is heat-resistant. That is, in some cases, the barrier will not rupture, melt, or otherwise cease to function at the temperatures reached at the capsule's location during the operation of the aerosol supply device. For example, a capsule placed in the mouthpiece may be exposed to temperatures in the range of, for example, 30°C to 100°C, and the barrier material can continue to hold the liquid core up to at least about 50°C to 120°C.

In other cases, the capsule (or each capsule) releases its core components upon heating, for example, by melting the barrier material or by expansion of the capsule resulting in the rupture of the barrier material.

The total weight of each capsule may be in the range of approximately 1 mg to 100 mg, 5 mg to 60 mg, 8 mg to 50 mg, 10 mg to 20 mg, or 12 mg to 18 mg.

The total weight of the core combination may be in the range of approximately 2 mg to 90 mg, approximately 3 mg to 70 mg, approximately 5 mg to 25 mg, approximately 8 mg to 20 mg, or approximately 10 mg to 15 mg.

In some embodiments, the capsule (or each capsule) comprises the core and shell described above. Each capsule may exhibit a crush strength of approximately 4.5 N to 40 N, approximately 5 N to 30 N, or approximately 5 N to 28 N (e.g., approximately 9.8 N to 24.5 N). The capsule burst strength of each capsule can be measured by removing the capsule from the material body 6, using a force meter to measure the force at which the capsule bursts when pressed between two flat metal plates. A preferred measuring device is a Sauter FK50 force meter with a flat mounting head, which can be used to crush a capsule against a flat, hard surface having a surface similar to the mounting.

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

In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of each capsule at its maximum cross-sectional area is less than 28% of the cross-sectional area of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 on which the capsule is provided, for example, less than 27% or less than 25%. For example, in a spherical capsule with a diameter of 3.0 mm, the maximum cross-sectional area of the capsule is 7.07 ^mm² . In the mouthpiece with a circumference of 21 mm described herein, the circumference of the material body 6 is 20.8 mm, and the radius of this component is 3.31 mm, which corresponds to a cross-sectional area of 34.43 ^mm² . In this example, the cross-sectional area of the capsule is 20.5% of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2. In another example, if the diameter of the capsule is 3.2 mm, its maximum cross-sectional area is 8.04 ^mm² . In this case, the cross-sectional area of the capsule is 23.4% of the cross-sectional area of the material body 6. A capsule having a maximum cross-sectional area smaller than 28% of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2 on which the capsule is provided has the advantage, compared to a capsule with a larger cross-sectional area, that the pressure drop at the mouthpiece 2 is reduced, and that as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece 2, there is sufficient space left around the capsule for the aerosol to pass through without the material body 6 removing a large amount of aerosol mass. In some embodiments, a first capsule and a second capsule are provided, which may be the same size or different sizes.

Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1'' including the mouthpiece 2''. The mouthpiece 2'' is substantially the same as the mouthpiece 2 described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. The difference is that the material body 6 of article 1'' is located upstream of the tubular portion 4a.

In this example, the tubular portion 4a and the material body 6 are joined using a second plug wrap 9 that is wrapped around both sections.

The material body 6 of article 1'' in Figure 4 is the same as the material body 6 described above in relation to Figures 1 to 3. As previously mentioned, the material body 6 is manufactured from a sheet material containing cellulose; for example, the sheet material may be paper. The sheet material is pleated to form the material body 6.

The main material body 6 is positioned at the upstream end 2a of the mouthpiece 2'. The main material body 6 is adjacent to the aerosol-generating material 3.

The tubular portion 4a is positioned at the downstream end 2b of the suction port 2'', and therefore forms a cavity at the downstream end 2b. The tubular portion 4a is positioned downstream of the main material body 6. In this example, the tubular portion 4a is directly adjacent to the main material body 6.

The axial length L2 of the tubular portion 4a is at least 20 mm, for example, at least 22 mm. In this example, the axial length L2 of the tubular portion 4a is approximately 25 mm.

It was found that when the axial length L2 of the tube is at least 20 mm, the aerosol is significantly cooled as it passes through the tubular portion 4a. In addition, as mentioned above, the cellulose in the sheet material of the main body 6 absorbs water from the aerosol. Removing moisture from the aerosol makes it feel cold in the user's mouth.

In some embodiments, the tubular portion 4a is provided with one or more vents, which also contribute to the cooling of the aerosol.

In some embodiments, the tubular portion 4a is manufactured from paper.

Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1'''' including the mouthpiece 2''''. The mouthpiece 2'''' is substantially the same as the mouthpiece 2 described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. The difference is that the mouthpiece 2'''' further comprises a tubular element 20 disposed within the material body 6.

In this example, the tubular portion 4a and the material body 6 are joined using a second plug wrap 9 that is wrapped around both sections.

The material body 6 of article 1'' in Figure 5 is the same as the material body 6 described above in relation to Figures 1 to 3. As previously mentioned, the material body 6 is manufactured from a sheet material containing cellulose; for example, the sheet material may be paper. The sheet material is pleated to form the material body 6.

The tubular element 20 may be, for example, a paper or plastic tube placed within the material body 6. The tubular element 20 forms a cavity 21 within the material body 6. Optionally, the tubular element 20 is positioned substantially radially centered within the material body 6.

In this example, the cavity 21 extends to the downstream end 2b of the suction opening 2''''.

In this example, the axial length L1 of the material body 6 is approximately 10 mm. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the axial length L1 of the material body 6 may vary. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is shorter than approximately 15 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is shorter than approximately 10 mm. In addition to or instead of this, the length L1 of the material body 6 may be at least approximately 5 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is at least approximately 6 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is approximately 5 mm to approximately 15 mm, approximately 6 mm to approximately 12 mm, or approximately 6 mm to approximately 12 mm. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the material body 6 is 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

In some embodiments, the axial length L3 of the tubular element 20 is at least 4 mm, for example, about 5 mm.

The cavity 21 was found to promote the cooling of the aerosol. The portion 6b of the material body 6 surrounding the tubular element 21 was found to effectively insulate the user's lips from the heat of the aerosol. For example, in embodiments where the material body 6 is manufactured from sheet material placed within the material body, the multiple layers of sheet material in the material body 6 are considered to help insulate the user's lips from the heat of the aerosol. In some embodiments, optionally, gaps, such as voids, may be present between the layers of sheet material to contribute to the insulating effect.

Furthermore, the main material 6 may be more easily biodegradable than a structure in which a tubular portion of cellulose acetate is provided at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece.

The material body 6 may be manufactured from multiple rods 22 of different lengths, in this example, four rods of different lengths, as shown in Figure 6. The rods are cut along line C-C to form individual material bodies 6, each containing a tubular element 20 with a corresponding cavity 21.

A non-combustible aerosol supply device is used to heat the aerosol-generating material 3 of any of the articles 1, 1', 1'', or 1'''' described herein. The non-combustible aerosol supply device may include a coil, which has been found to improve heat transfer to articles 1, 1', 1'', or 1'''' compared to other configurations.

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

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

The device may include heating elements, such as conductive heating elements, which may be suitably positioned relative to the coil to enable such heating of the heating elements. The heating elements may also be fixed relative to the coil. Alternatively, at least one heating element, such as at least one conductive heating element, may be included in articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''' for insertion into the heating section of the device, and articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''' also comprise an aerosol-generating material 3 and are removable from the heating section after use. Alternatively, both the device and such articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''' may each comprise at least one heating element, such as at least one conductive heating element, and the coil may cause heating of the respective heating elements of the device and articles when the articles are in the heating section.

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

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

In some cases, the use of a coil allows a non-combustible aerosol supply device to reach its operating temperature faster than an aerosol supply device without a coil. For example, a non-combustible aerosol supply device including such a coil can reach its operating temperature so that the first puff can be delivered in less than 30 seconds, more preferably less than 25 seconds, from the start of the device heating program. In some cases, the device can reach its operating temperature in approximately 20 seconds from the start of the device heating program.

It has been found that using a coil as described herein in a device to cause heating of the aerosol-generating material improves the aerosol produced. For example, consumers have reported that the aerosol produced by devices containing a coil as described herein is subjectively closer to that of factory-made cigarettes (FMC) products than the aerosol produced by other non-combustible aerosol supply systems. While we do not wish to be constrained by theory, it is assumed that this is a result of the time required to reach the desired heating temperature being reduced when a coil is used, higher heating temperatures being achievable when a coil is used, and/or that the coil allows such a system to heat a relatively large amount of aerosol-generating material simultaneously, resulting in an aerosol temperature similar to that of FMCs. In FMC products, as the aerosol is drawn through the rod, the burning embers generate a high-temperature aerosol that heats the tobacco in the tobacco rod after the embers. This high-temperature aerosol is understood to cause the tobacco in the rod after the burning embers to release flavoring compounds. Devices containing coils as described herein can also heat aerosol-generating materials, such as the tobacco material described herein, to release fragrance compounds, resulting in an aerosol that has been reported to be more similar to FMC aerosols. Specific improvements to the aerosol can be achieved by using a device containing coils to heat an article comprising a rod of aerosol-generating material with a circumference longer than 19 mm, for example, approximately 19 mm to approximately 23 mm.

Using an aerosol supply system that includes a coil as described herein, for example, an induction coil for heating at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, it is possible to generate aerosols from the aerosol-generating material that have certain properties considered to be more similar to aerosols of FMC products. For example, when an aerosol-generating material containing nicotine was heated to at least 250°C for 2 seconds under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m using an induction heater, one or more of the following characteristics were observed:
At least 10 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material. The weight ratio of the aerosol-forming material to the nicotine in the generated aerosol is at least about 2.5:1, preferably at least 8.5:1. At least 100 μg of the aerosol-forming material can be aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material. The average particle size or droplet diameter of the generated aerosol is less than about 1000 nm. The density of the aerosol is at least 0.1 μg/cc. In some cases, at least 10 μg of nicotine, preferably at least 30 μg or 40 μg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m during that period. In some cases, less than about 200 μg, preferably less than about 150 μg or less than about 125 μg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m during that period.

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

As defined herein, the term “average particle size or droplet diameter” refers to the average size of the solid or liquid components of an aerosol (i.e., components suspended in a gas). If the aerosol includes suspended liquid droplets and suspended solid particles, this term refers to the average size of all components combined.

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

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

The non-combustible aerosol supply device may be configured to heat the aerosol-forming material 3 of articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''' to a maximum temperature of at least 160°C. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply device is configured to heat the aerosol-forming material 3 of articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''' to a maximum temperature of at least about 200°C, or at least about 220°C, at least about 240°C, or at least about 270°C at least once during the heating process following the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

Use an aerosol supply system that includes a coil, such as the one described herein, for example, an induction coil that heats at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C or at least 220°C.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the aerosol exiting the mouthpiece ends of mouthpieces 2, 2', 2'', and 2'''' is lower than 50°C, for example, lower than 45°C.

Figure 7 shows an example of a non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 for generating aerosols from an aerosol-generating medium/material, such as an aerosol-generating material 3, of any of the articles 1, 1', 1'', or 1'''' described herein. Schematically, the device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article 110 containing an aerosol-generating material, such as articles 1, 1', 1'', or 1'''' described herein, to generate an aerosol or other aspirable medium that can be inhaled by the user of the device 100. The device 100 and the replaceable article 110 together form a system.

Device 100 includes a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that encloses and houses various components of device 100. Device 100 has an opening 104 at one end, through which an article 110 can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. During use, the article 110 can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly and heated by one or more components of the heater assembly.

When article 110 is inserted into device 100, the minimum distance between one or more components of the heater assembly and the tubular body 4a of article 110 may be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, for example, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

The device 100 in this example includes a first end member 106, the first end member 106, and a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in position. In Figure 8, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the lid 108 can be moved to a closed configuration. For example, the user can slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B".

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

Device 100 may also include electrical components such as a socket/port 114 that can receive a cable for charging the device 100's battery. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

Figure 8 shows the device 100 from Figure 7 with the outer cover 102 removed and the article 110 absent. The device 100 defines a longitudinal axis 134.

As shown in Figure 8, the first end member 106 is positioned at one end of the device 100, and the second end member 116 is positioned at the opposite end of the device 100. Both the first and second end members 106 and 116 define at least partially the end face of the device 100. For example, the bottom surface of the second end member 116 defines at least partially the bottom surface of the device 100. The edge of the outer cover 102 may also define a portion of the end face. In this example, the lid 108 also defines a portion of the top surface of the device 100.

The end of the device closest to the opening 104 is sometimes known as the proximal end (or mouth end) of the device 100, as it is closest to the user's mouth during use. During use, the user inserts the article 110 into the opening 104 and operates the user control unit 112 to begin heating the aerosol-generating material, drawing in the aerosol generated within the device. This causes the aerosol to flow along the channel through the device 100 towards the proximal end of the device 100.

The other end of the device furthest from the opening 104 is sometimes referred to as the distal end of device 100, as it is the end furthest from the user's mouth during use. When the user draws in aerosols generated within the device, the aerosols flow away from the distal end of device 100.

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

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

In the exemplary device 100, the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly comprising various components for heating the aerosol-generating material of article 110 by an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating a conductor (such as a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. The induction heating assembly may comprise an induction element, for example, one or more inductor coils, and a device for passing a fluctuating current, such as alternating current, through the induction element. The fluctuating current in the induction element generates a fluctuating magnetic field. The fluctuating magnetic field penetrates a susceptor suitably positioned relative to the induction element, generating eddy currents within the susceptor. The susceptor has electrical resistance to eddy currents, and therefore, the eddy currents flow against this resistance, causing the susceptor to be heated by Joule heating. If the susceptor contains a ferromagnetic material such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat can also be generated by the magnetic hysteresis loss of the susceptor, i.e., by the fluctuation of the orientation of magnetic dipoles in the magnetic material as a result of aligning with the fluctuating magnetic field. In induction heating, compared to conduction heating, for example, heat is generated inside the susceptor, enabling rapid heating. Furthermore, no physical contact is required between the induction heater and the susceptor, thereby greatly increasing the flexibility of structure and application.

The induction heating assembly of exemplary device 100 comprises a susceptor structure 132 (referred to herein as the “susceptor”), a first inductor coil 124, and a second inductor coil 126. The first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are made from a conductive material. In this example, the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are made from litz wire/cable wound in a spiral shape to provide helical inductor coils 124 and 126. Litz wire consists of multiple individual wires, each individually insulated, which are twisted together to form a single wire. Litz wire is designed to reduce skin effect losses in conductors. In exemplary device 100, the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are made from copper litz wire having a rectangular cross-section. In other examples, litz wire may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as circular.

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

In some examples, it will be understood that the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may have at least one characteristic that is different from each other. For example, the first inductor coil 124 may have at least one characteristic that is different from the second inductor coil 126. More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil 124 may have a different inductance value than the second inductor coil 126. In Figure 8, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are of different lengths, and as a result, the first inductor coil 124 is wound on a smaller section of the susceptor 132 than the second inductor coil 126. Thus, the first inductor coil 124 may have a different number of turns than the second inductor coil 126 (assuming that the spacing between individual turns is substantially the same). In yet another example, the first inductor coil 124 may be made from a different material than the second inductor coil 126. In some examples, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may be substantially identical.

In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when the inductor coils are operating at different times. For example, the first inductor coil 124 may initially operate to heat a first section/part of article 110, and then the second inductor coil 126 may operate to heat a second section/part of article 110. Winding the coils in opposite directions helps reduce the current induced in the non-operating coil when used with certain types of control circuits. In Figure 8, the first inductor coil 124 is a right-handed helix, and the second inductor coil 126 is a left-handed helix. However, in another embodiment, the inductor coils 124 and 126 may be wound in the same direction, or the first inductor coil 124 may be a left-handed helix and the second inductor coil 126 may be a right-handed helix.

In this example, the susceptor 132 is hollow and therefore defines a receiving portion for receiving the aerosol-generating material. For example, article 110 can be inserted into the susceptor 132. In this example, the susceptor 120 is tubular with a circular cross-section.

The susceptor 132 may be made from one or more materials. Preferably, the susceptor 132 contains carbon steel with a nickel or cobalt coating.

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

The device 100 in Figure 8 further comprises an insulating member 128, which is generally tubular and can at least partially enclose the susceptor 132. The insulating member 128 may be made of any insulating material, such as plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The insulating member 128 can help insulate various components of the device 100 from the heat generated by the susceptor 132.

The insulating member 128 can also fully or partially support the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, as shown in Figure 9, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are arranged around the insulating member 128 and are in contact with the radially outward surface of the insulating member 128. In some examples, the insulating member 128 does not contact the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, there may be a small gap between the outer surface of the insulating member 128 and the inner surfaces of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126.

In a specific example, the susceptor 132, the insulating member 128, and the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are concentric around the central longitudinal axis of the susceptor 132.

Figure 10 is a side view of a partial cross-section of device 100. In this example, the outer cover 102 is present. The rectangular cross-sectional shapes of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be seen more clearly.

Device 100 further includes a support portion 136 that engages with one end of the susceptor 132 to hold the susceptor 132 in place. The support portion 136 is connected to the second end member 116.

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

Device 100 further comprises a second lid/cap 140 and a spring 142 located towards the distal end of device 100. The spring 142 allows the second lid 140 to be opened, providing access to the susceptor 132. The user can open the second lid 140 to clean the susceptor 132 and/or the support 136.

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

Figure 10 is an exploded view of the device 100 from Figure 9, with the outer cover 102 removed.

Figure 11A shows a cross-section of a portion of the device 100 in Figure 9. Figure 11B is an enlarged view of one region of Figure 11A. Figures 11A and 11B show the article 110 received within the susceptor 132, where the article 110 is sized such that its outer surface contacts the inner surface of the susceptor 132. This ensures that heating is most efficient. The article 110 in this example comprises an aerosol-generating material 110a. The aerosol-generating material 110a is placed within the susceptor 132. The article 110 may also comprise other components such as a filter, packaging material, and/or a cooling structure.

Figure 11B shows that the outer surface of the susceptor 132 is positioned at a distance of 150 from the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124 and 126, measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 150 is approximately 3 mm to 4 mm, approximately 3 to 3.5 mm, or approximately 3.25 mm.

Figure 11B further shows that the outer surface of the insulating member 128 is positioned at a distance of 152 from the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124 and 126, measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 152 is approximately 0.05 mm. In another example, the distance 152 is substantially 0 mm, resulting in the inductor coils 124 and 126 being in contact with the insulating member 128.

For example, the wall thickness 154 of the susceptor 132 is approximately 0.025 mm to 1 mm, or approximately 0.05 mm.

In one example, the length of susceptor 132 is approximately 40 mm to 60 mm, approximately 40 mm to 45 mm, or approximately 44.5 mm.

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

During use, articles 1, 1', 1'', and 1'''' described herein can be inserted into a non-combustible aerosol supply device, such as the device 100 described with reference to Figures 7 to 11B. At least a portion of the mouthpieces 2, 2', 2'', and 2'''' of articles 1, 1', 1'''' protrudes from the non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 and can be placed in the user's mouth. The aerosol is generated by heating the aerosol-generating material 3 using the device 100. The aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 passes through the mouthpiece 2 to the user's mouth.

The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided merely as representative examples of the embodiments and do not exhaust all embodiments or preclude other embodiments. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, or to limit equivalents of the claims, and it will be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist solely of, or substantially consist of, the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those described in detail herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (38)

Components for use in or for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system,
A material body extending in the longitudinal direction, comprising a sheet material having fibers in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm in length, and a material body having a density in the range of 0.1 to 0.25 mg/ ^mm³ ,
The material comprises an aerosol-forming material applied to the material body,
At least 0.02 mg of the aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body at a rate of 1 mm per axial length of the material body.
Components. The component according to claim 1, wherein the material body comprises a corrugated sheet material formed to have a corrugated pattern comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, the average spacing between adjacent ridges being wider than 0.3 mm. The component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material body comprises a corrugated sheet material formed to have a corrugated pattern comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, wherein the amplitude of the corrugation is less than 0.7 mm or between 0.7 mm and 1.2 mm. The component according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the average distance between adjacent ridges is greater than 0.4 mm. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the material body comprises corrugated fibers having a waveform amplitude smaller than 600 μm. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the density of the material body is 0.15 mg/ ^mm³ to 0.2 mg/ ^mm³ . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the volume of the material body is at least 100 ^mm³ . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the volume of the material body is at least 19 mm³ per ^{1 mm} of the axial length of the material body. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the weight of the material body is at least 4 m g per 1 mm of the axial length of the material body. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the material body is substantially cylindrical. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the material body is encased in a plug wrap having a wet tensile strength lower than 1 N per 15 mm of paper width. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the weighing capacity of the sheet material is at least 20 g/ ^m² . The component according to claim 12, wherein the weighing capacity of the sheet material is less than 50 g/ ^m² . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the width of the sheet material when stretched is 120 mm to 200 mm . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the sheet material includes paper. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the sheet material includes recycled tobacco. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the closing pressure drop in the material body is at least 1.0 mm of water column per 1 mm of longitudinal length. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the closing pressure drop in the material body is less than 3 mm of water column per 1 mm of longitudinal length. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the axial length of the material body is at least 4 mm . The component according to claim 19, wherein the axial length of the material body is 1.2 mm. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the outer circumference of the material body is at least 16 mm . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 21, further comprising an aerosol modifier disposed within the material body. The component according to claim 22, further comprising an aerosol modifier release component comprising the aerosol modifier. The component according to claim 23, wherein the aerosol modifier release component comprises a capsule. The component according to claim 24, wherein the capsule comprises a solid shell and a liquid core, and the liquid core comprises the aerosol modifier. The component according to claim 25, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more of the following: glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. The component according to claim 26, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises triethyl citrate or triacetin. The component according to claim 26 or 27, wherein at least 0.03 m g of the aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body per 1 mm of the axial length of the material body. The component according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein 0.5 mg or less of the aerosol-forming material is applied to the material body per 1 mm of the axial length of the material body. A component according to any one of claims 1 to 29, comprising a tubular element disposed within the material body and having a cavity. The component according to claim 30, wherein the tubular element includes paper. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the weighing capacity is greater than 40 grams per ¹ m² and/or it is wrapped in a wrapper thicker than 35 μm. The component according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the sheet material comprises fibers having an average length in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm . The component according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the thickness of the sheet material is 50 μm to 100 μm . An article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, or for use as a non-combustible aerosol supply system, comprising an aerosol generating material and a downstream portion downstream of the aerosol generating material, wherein the downstream portion comprises the components described in any one of claims 1 to 34. A non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising the article described in claim 35. A non-combustible aerosol supply system according to claim 36, comprising an aerosol generating material heating system, and optionally a tobacco heating system. A method for forming components for articles to be used in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, comprising the step of forming a sheet material into a material body, wherein the sheet material comprises fibers having a length in the range of 2 mm to ⁶ mm, and the density of the material body is in the range of 0.1 to 0.25 mg/mm³,
The aforementioned component comprises an aerosol-forming material coated onto the material body,
A method comprising applying at least 0.02 mg of the aerosol-forming material to the material body at a rate of 1 mm per axial length of the material body.