EP2191735B1 - Smoke-free cigarette - Google Patents

Abstract

The cigarette (10) has a thermal unit (40) for self-sustaining generation of heat and a nicotine reservoir provided with nicotine or a nicotine-containing compound. The thermal unit has a crystallization medium i.e. metastable solution, to continuously emit heat between 5 and 10 minutes during crystallization. An outer sleeve (22) is provided with a paper layer, a metal layer and a plastic layer, where the cigarette is designed as a disposable article. The thermal unit is heated to the temperature between 45 and 55 degree Celsius. The medium comprises fluid containing the salthydrate such as natrium acetate-trihydrate and/or sodium sulfate and/or magnesium nitrate-hexahydrate. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for manufacturing a smoke-free cigarette (2) a method for providing a thermal unit used in a smoke-free cigarette.

Description

The present invention relates to a smoke-free cigarette.

Smoke-free cigarettes are known in numerous different embodiments from the prior art.

From the DE 10 2005 034 169 A1 For example, a smoke-free cigarette is known that has a heat pipe that is heated by the flame of a lighter. Due to its high heat capacity, the heat pipe releases heat over a sufficiently long period of time so that the stimulant contained in a reservoir can evaporate.

From the WO 2007/090594 A1 is a smoke-free cigarette is known, which has a nicotine depot and which is characterized in that a heating of the guided through the nicotine depot airflow to release the nicotine is not required. The nicotine reservoir contains a carrier that is already in its gas phase at ambient temperature.

The WO 2007/054167 A1 relates to a smokeless cigarette having a heater running with a current-carrying heating wire for heating a reservoir from which nicotine is released.

From the DE 20 2006 001 663 U1 is a smoke-free cigarette is known, which is optically and geometrically adapted to a commercial cigarette and which consists of two parts, which are connected by a suitable connection technique, preferably by plugging together.

The DE 10 2006 047 146 A1 relates to a smoke-free cigarette with a heat storage for heating a nicotine-containing insert wherein the heat storage is heated by a burner.

From the DE 10 2006 004 484 A1 is a smoke-free cigarette is known, which has a heat storage for heating a nicotine-containing reservoir, which is heated by a filament.

The DE 690 12 823 T2 relates to a smokeless cigarette containing a nicotine-containing granules, which the user can take through a sleeve in the mouth.

From the WO 2004/098324 A2 For example, a non-smoking cigarette with a reusable and a non-reusable part is known which has a heating source, for example comprising a heating wire, or which may be made such that the heat is generated by a crystallization process or by a chemical reaction. It can be provided as a triggering mechanism a trigger plate.

Out US 2005/0016549 A1 For example, a smoke-free cigarette is known in which a heat cartridge containing an activating liquid is inserted into a metal containing heat chamber to activate the heating unit. The insertion of the heat cartridge takes place by means of a stick, which is pushed from the front into the cigarette.

The present invention has for its object to provide a smoke-free cigarette, which is relatively simple and leads to an effective heating of the inhaled by a user air and / or the nicotine reservoir.

This object is achieved by a smoke-free cigarette with the features of claim 1.

Thereafter, it is envisaged that the smoke-free cigarette is embodied with a heat unit for self-sufficient generation of heat and with a nicotine reservoir containing nicotine or a nicotine-containing compound, wherein a triggering mechanism is provided, by means of which the heating unit activates upon actuation of the triggering mechanism becomes. According to the invention it is provided that the triggering mechanism is designed such that it can be triggered by the action of a compressive force.

Activation of the smokeless cigarette is thus very easily possible by the user exerting a compressive force resulting in activation of the heat unit, i. Gives off heat.

It is further provided that the triggering mechanism is designed such that it penetrates into the heating unit when it is triggered.

It is thus conceivable, for example, to provide an injection pen or the like which penetrates into the heating unit when the triggering mechanism is actuated. The term "penetration" may be understood to mean that the triggering mechanism or a part of it opens, ie breaks through, the sheath of the heating unit, or that it is only pressed into the heating unit without this opening. This penetration may, for example, serve to initiate crystallization in the heating unit, thereby releasing heat. This heat may serve, for example, to heat the air stream that the user inhales and / or to accelerate the release of nicotine from the reservoir. In a further embodiment, it is conceivable that by the Injection pin or the like is achieved, that an opening of the heating unit takes place, which has the consequence that air or other oxidizing agent enters the heating unit and therein initiates a reaction in which heat is released. It is conceivable, for example, that there is a metal or a metal-containing compound in the heating unit, which is oxidized, whereby heat is released, which serves to heat the inhaled air flow and / or release of nicotine.

A particularly compact arrangement results from the fact that the triggering mechanism is arranged in the interior of the cigarette and can be triggered by pressure on one or more outer surfaces of the cigarette. It is conceivable if the triggering takes place by finger pressure on the exterior of the cigarette.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the triggering mechanism has one or more injection elements, in particular pins or needles, which penetrate into the heating unit upon actuation of the triggering mechanism. If a plurality of injection elements are present, it can be provided that they are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the cigarette. It is conceivable, for example, to arrange injection elements on two opposite sides of the heating unit. It is also possible to provide three or four injection elements, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction in each case at 120 ° angle or at 90 ° angle. Of course, it is also conceivable to provide only one or more than four injection elements.

It is conceivable that the one or more injection elements are arranged on at least one spring. The spring may be, for example, a leaf spring.

The spring can serve as a guide for the injection element or elements.

The spring may be arranged on the heating unit.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a fixing element is provided, by means of which the position of the injection element or elements can be fixed. By means of the fixing element can thus be carried out an adjustment of the position of the injection elements.

The injection element or elements may be arranged on the fixing element or on the above-mentioned spring.

The fixing element may be, for example, a fixing ring.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the fixing element surrounds the injection element or elements and / or the at least one spring.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that the fixing element is deformable. It is conceivable that the user causes by exerting a compressive force on the deformable fixing that the injection element or elements are pressed into the heat unit.

The heating unit may for example be designed such that it has a compound which is in a reactive state and in whose reaction heat is released and / or such that the heat unit has a supersaturated liquid which emits heat when the triggering element is triggered by crystallization.

It is conceivable, for example, that the penetration of the at least one injection element releases an opening through which another reactant enters the heating unit, which leads to a chemical reaction in which heat is released.

Thus, it is possible for the heating unit to comprise a metal or metal compound or other compound which is in an oxidizable form in the heating unit and at the time of its oxidation heat is released. It is also possible for the heating unit to have a supersaturated liquid which gives off heat when the triggering element is triggered by crystallization. In this case, the crystallization is initiated by the penetration of the injection element into the heating unit. It is conceivable that the injection element contains crystallization nuclei, which are released upon penetration into the heating unit. Said liquid may comprise, for example, sodium acetate trihydrate and / or sodium sulfate and / or Glauber's salt and / or magnesium nitrate hexahydrate.

It is conceivable, for example, that an opening of the heating unit is created by the injection element, through which a reagent, such as atmospheric oxygen penetrates into the heating unit. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that the injection element itself forms a reactant or a catalyst for effecting a reaction or that there is a reactant or catalyst in the injection element for effecting a reaction in which heat is released.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the heat unit is arranged in the interior of the smoke-free cigarette and is partially surrounded or completely in the circumferential direction of the nicotine-containing reservoir.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the heat unit comprises a rear side facing the user and a front side facing away from the user, and that the rear side and / or the front side adjoin a tobacco element or are surrounded by it at least in sections.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1:

eine schematische Seitenansicht der rauchfreien Zigarette gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung und

Fig. 2:

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des Auslösemechanismus der rauchfreien Zigarette gemäß Fig. 1

Show it:

Fig. 1:

a schematic side view of the smokeless cigarette according to the present invention and

Fig. 2:

an enlarged view of the release mechanism of the smoke-free cigarette according to Fig. 1

In Fig. 1 Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a smokeless cigarette 10 according to the present invention.

The cigarette 10 has an outer casing 12 which may have a configuration similar to that of a conventional cigarette.

The envelope 12 and thus the outer shape of the cigarette 10 is preferably cylindrical.

At its end facing the user, the cigarette 10 has a filter 20, by means of which the air volume to be inhaled per unit of time can be limited or kept at a constant value.

The filter 20 is adjoined by a tobacco piece 30, in which the end area of a heating unit 40 facing the user is arranged. The heat unit 40 is located inside the cigarette 10 and is circumferentially completely surrounded by tobacco 50 enriched with nicotine. This tobacco filling 50 is located in the annulus surrounding the heat unit 40.

This nicotine-enriched tobacco substrate 50 is adjoined by another piece of tobacco 60, which forms the end of the cigarette 10 facing away from the user.

In the area away from the user of the heat unit 40 one or more resilient guides 70 are fixed to this.

An enlarged view of such a spring 70 is shown in FIG Fig. 2 shown. The spring 70 has a sloped portion that extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the heat unit 40, and an adjoining portion that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heat unit 40 or the cigarette 10.

The springs 70 are surrounded in a region by a fixing ring 80 which is deformable.

On the fixing ring 80 or on the spring or springs 70, one or more injection pins 90 are arranged, which extend perpendicular to the heat unit 40.

If the injection pin or pins 90 are arranged on the spring 70, this is preferably the case in the region in which the spring 70 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heating unit 40.

While the spring 70 exerts a force directed away from the heat unit 40, it may be provided that the fixing ring 80 has the task of positioning the springs 70 and thus the injection pins 90 so that they rest on the surface of the heating unit 40 in the non-actuated state or have only a small distance, but only penetrate into this when a pressure force from the outside acts on the fixing ring 80 or on the injection pins 90.

Like this Fig. 2 As can be seen, the injection pins 90 have a tapered end, with which they penetrate upon actuation of the trigger mechanism in the heating unit 40.

The penetration of the injection pen or pins 90 can trigger a chemical reaction or a change in state, in particular crystallization, in which heat is released. Preferably, the heat unit 40 is designed such that over a longer period of a few minutes, a temperature of about 50 ° C is formed.

In the case of a chemical reaction, it is conceivable that the injection pen or pins 90 have the function of introducing an opening into the heat unit 40, penetrating into the heating unit 40 by a reactant or a catalyst, or that the injection pen 90 itself or its contents is a reactant or form a catalyst.

In the case of a physical state change, it is conceivable that the state change is caused by the penetration of the injection pin 90 into the heat unit 40 or that the injection pin 90, for example, has means that promote the state change, such as nuclei.

The embodiment of the cigarette according to the invention has a comparatively simple design and easy-to-actuate trigger mechanism. In addition, this can be made so that it builds small, so that miniaturization is possible.

The present invention not only concerns cigarettes in the true sense, but also cigars. The term "cigarette" thus stands for both cigarettes and cigars.

Claims (12)

1. A smoke-free cigarette having a heating unit for the self-sustaining generation of heat as well as having a nicotine reservoir in which nicotine or a compound containing nicotine is located, wherein a trigger mechanism is provided by means of which the heating unit is activated on actuation of the trigger mechanism, wherein the trigger mechanism is arranged in the interior of the cigarette such that it can be triggered by pressure on one or more outer surfaces of the cigarette,
   characterised in that
   the trigger mechanism is configured such that the trigger mechanism or a part thereof penetrates into the heating unit on its triggering..
2. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the trigger mechanism has one or more injection elements, in particular injection pins or injection needles, which penetrate into the heating unit on actuation of the trigger mechanism.
3. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the injection element or elements are arranged at at least one spring.
4. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with claim 3, characterised in that it is a leaf spring.
5. A smoke free cigarette in accordance with either of claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the spring is arranged at the heating unit.
6. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with one of the claims 2 to 5, characterised in that a fixing element is provided by means of which the position of the injection element or elements can be fixed.
7. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with claim 6, characterised in that the fixing element is a fixing ring.
8. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with either of claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the fixing element surrounds the injection element or elements.
9. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with one of the claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the fixing element is deformable.
10. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with one of the claims 2 to 9, characterised in that a substance is located in the injection element or elements which is released into the heating unit on the penetration of the injection element or elements.
11. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the heating unit is configured such that it has a compound which is present in a reactive state and on whose reaction heat is released; and/or in that the heat unit has an oversaturated liquid which outputs heat by crystallisation on triggering of the trigger element.
12. A smoke-free cigarette in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the heat unit is arranged in the interior of the smoke-free cigarette and is surrounded regionally, or completely in the peripheral direction, by the reservoir containing nicotine; and/or in that the heat unit includes a rear side facing the user and a front side remote from the user; and in that the rear side and/or the front side are adjacent to a tobacco element or are at least sectionally surrounded thereby.

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