Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D1/00—Cigars; Cigarettes
  • A24D1/20—Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a consumable for use in a smoking substitute system and particularly, although not exclusively, to a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable.
• HNB heat-not-burn
• the smoking of tobacco is generally considered to expose a smoker to potentially harmful substances. It is generally thought that a significant amount of the potentially harmful substances are generated through the heat caused by the burning and/or combustion of the tobacco and the constituents of the burnt tobacco in the tobacco smoke itself.
• Conventional combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes, typically comprise a cylindrical rod of tobacco comprising shreds of tobacco which is surrounded by a wrapper, and usually also a cylindrical filter axially aligned in an abutting relationship with the wrapped tobacco rod.
• the filter typically comprises a filtration material which is circumscribed by a plug wrap.
• the wrapped tobacco rod and the filter are joined together by a wrapped band of tipping paper that circumscribes the entire length of the filter and an adjacent portion of the wrapped tobacco rod.
• a conventional cigarette of this type is used by lighting the end opposite to the filter, and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker receives mainstream smoke into their mouth by drawing on the mouth end or filter end of the cigarette.
• Such smoking substitute systems can form part of nicotine replacement therapies aimed at people who wish to stop smoking and overcome a dependence on nicotine.
• Smoking substitute systems include electronic systems that permit a user to simulate the act of smoking by producing an aerosol (also referred to as a“vapour”) that is drawn into the lungs through the mouth (inhaled) and then exhaled.
• aerosol also referred to as a“vapour”
• the inhaled aerosol typically bears nicotine and/or flavourings without, or with fewer of, the odour and health risks associated with traditional smoking.
• smoking substitute systems are intended to provide a substitute for the rituals of smoking, whilst providing the user with a similar experience and satisfaction to those experienced with traditional smoking and with combustible tobacco products.
• Some smoking substitute systems use smoking substitute articles that are designed to resemble a traditional cigarette and are cylindrical in form with a mouthpiece at one end.
• HNB heat not burn
• a typical HNB smoking substitute system may include a device and a consumable.
• the consumable may include the tobacco material.
• the device and consumable may be configured to be physically coupled together.
• heat may be imparted to the tobacco material by a heating element of the device, wherein airflow through the tobacco material causes moisture in the tobacco material to be released as vapour.
• a vapour may also be formed from a carrier in the tobacco material (this carrier may for example include propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine) and additionally volatile compounds released from the tobacco. The released vapour may be entrained in the airflow drawn through the tobacco.
• the vapour passes through the consumable (entrained in the airflow) from an inlet to a mouthpiece (outlet), the vapour cools and condenses to form an aerosol for inhalation by the user.
• the aerosol will normally contain the volatile compounds.
• HNB smoking substitute systems heating as opposed to burning the tobacco material is believed to cause fewer, or smaller quantities, of the more harmful compounds ordinarily produced during smoking. Consequently, the HNB approach may reduce the odour and/or health risks that can arise through the burning, combustion and pyrolytic degradation of tobacco.
• an aerosol-forming article e.g. a smoking substitute article such as an HNB consumable an aerosol-forming substrate at least partly formed of an extruded plant material.
• the present invention provides an aerosol-forming article (e.g. a smoking substitute article such as an HNB consumable) comprising an aerosol-forming substrate wherein the aerosol-forming substrate at least partly comprises a rod of extruded plant material having an axial bore adapted to receive an external heating element.
• an aerosol-forming article e.g. a smoking substitute article such as an HNB consumable
• the aerosol-forming substrate at least partly comprises a rod of extruded plant material having an axial bore adapted to receive an external heating element.
• Extruded plant material is typically more compacted/more dense than other types of plant material typically used in smoking substitute articles.
• an aerosol-forming substrate formed of or comprising a rod of extruded plant material having an empty axial bore for receiving an external heating element, the user of a smoking substitute system having an external heater is provided with an aerosol having an increased concentration of volatile compounds and thus an enhanced medicinal/recreational effect.
• upstream and downstream are intended to refer to the flow direction of the vapour/aerosol i.e. with the downstream end of the consumable being the mouth end or outlet where the aerosol exits the consumable for inhalation by the user.
• the upstream end of the consumable is the opposing end to the downstream end.
• the aerosol-forming substrate comprises at least one volatile compound that is intended to be vaporised/aerosolised and that may provide the user with a recreational and/or medicinal effect when inhaled.
• Suitable chemical and/or physiologically active volatile compounds include the group consisting of: nicotine, cocaine, caffeine, opiates and opoids, cathine and cathinone, kavalactones, mysticin, beta-carboline alkaloids, salvinorin A together with any combinations, functional equivalents to, and/or synthetic alternatives of the foregoing.
• the aerosol-forming substrate at least partly comprises extruded plant material.
• the plant material may comprise least one plant material selected from the list including Amaranthus dubius, Arctostaphylos uva- ursi (Bearberry), Argemone mexicana, Arnica, Artemisia vulgaris, Yellow Tees, Galea zacatechichi, Canavaiia maritima (Baybean), Cecropia mexicana (Guamura), Oestrum noctumum, Cynoglossum virginianum (wild comfrey), Cytisus scoparius, Damiana, Entada rheedii, Eschscholzia califomica (California Poppy), Fittonia albivenis, Hippobroma longi flora, Humulus japonica (Japanese Hops), Humulus lupulus (Hops), Lactuca virosa (Lettuce Opium), La
• the plant material is tobacco.
• Any type of tobacco may be used. This includes, but is not limited to, flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Maryland Tobacco, dark-air cured tobacco, oriental tobacco, dark-fired tobacco, perique tobacco and rustica tobacco. This also includes blends of the above mentioned tobaccos.
• any suitable parts of the tobacco plant may be used. This includes leaves, stems, roots, bark, seeds and flowers.
• Extruded tobacco can produced by forming a liquid mixture of powered tobacco and a binding agent such as a gum (e.g. xanthan, guar, arabic and/or locust bean gum). The liquid mixture is heated and then extruded through a die to form the tube-shaped extrudate.
• a binding agent such as a gum (e.g. xanthan, guar, arabic and/or locust bean gum).
• the liquid mixture is heated and then extruded through a die to form the tube-shaped extrudate.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise at least 50 wt% plant material, e.g. at least 60 wt% plant material e.g. around 65 wt% plant material.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise 80 wt% or less plant material e.g. 75 or 70 wt% or less plant material.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise one or more additives selected from humectants, flavou rants, fillers, aqueous/ non-aq u eous solvents and binders.
• Humectants are provided as vapour generators - the resulting vapour helps carry the volatile active compounds and increases visible vapour.
• Suitable humectants include polyhydric alcohols (e.g. propylene glycol (PG), triethylene glycol, 1 ,2-butane diol and vegetable glycerine (VG)) and their esters (e.g. glycerol mono-, di- or tri-acetate). They may be present in the aerosol-forming substrate in an amount between 1 and 50 wt%.
• the humectant content of the aerosol-forming substrate may have a lower limit of at least 1 % by weight of the plant material, such as at least 2 wt %, such as at least 5 wt %, such as at least 10 wt %, such as at least 20 wt %, such as at least 30 wt %, or such as least 40 wt %.
• the humectant content of the aerosol-forming substrate may have an upper limit of at most 50 % by weight of the plant material, such as at most 40 wt %, such as at most 30 wt %, or such as at most 20 wt %.
• the humectant content is 1 to 40 wt % of the aerosol-forming substrate, such as 1 to 20 wt %
• Binders may comprise starches and/or cellulosic binders such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and methyl cellulose, gums such as xanthan, guar, arabic and/or locust bean gum, organic acids and their salts such as alginic acid/ sodium alginate, agar and pectins.
• the binder content is 5 to 10 wt% of the aerosol-forming substrate e.g. around 6 to 8 wt%.
• Fillers are known in the art and may act to strengthen the aerosol-forming substrate.
• Fillers may comprise fibrous (non-tobacco) fillers such as cellulose fibres, lignocellulose fibres (e.g. wood fibres), jute fibres and combinations thereof.
• the filler content is 5 to 10 wt% of the aerosol-forming substrate e.g. around 6 to 9 wt%.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise an aqueous and/or non-aqueous solvent.
• the aerosol forming substrate has a water content of between 5 and 10 wt% e.g. between 6-9 wt% such as between 7-9 wt%.
• the flavourant may be provided in solid or liquid form. It may include menthol, liquorice, chocolate, fruit flavour (including e.g. citrus, cherry etc.), vanilla, spice (e.g. ginger, cinnamon) and tobacco flavour.
• the flavourant may be evenly dispersed/dosed throughout the aerosol-forming substrate e.g. it may be added to the liquid mixture of plant material prior to extrusion.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It may have a diameter of between 5 and 10mm e.g. between 6 and 9mm or 6 and 8mm e.g. around 7 mm.
• It may have an axial length of between 10 and 15mm.
• the extruded rod of plant material may form the entire aerosol-forming substrate in which case it may have an axial length of between 10 and 15 mm.
• the axial bore through the extruded rod of plant material may extend through the entire axial length of the extrudate e.g. it may have an axial length of between 10 and 15 mm.
• the axial upstream end of the axial bore is at the axial upstream end of the article/consumable.
• the aerosol-forming substrate may be circumscribed by a wrapping layer e.g. a paper wrapping layer.
• the wrapping layer may overlie an inner foil layer or may comprise a paper/foil laminate (with the foil innermost).
• the axial bore in the extruded rod of plant material may have a diameter of between 1 and 3 mm e.g. around 2mm.
• the article/consumable may comprise at least one filter element. There may be a terminal filter element at the downstream/mouth end of the article/consumable. There may be an upstream filter element upstream of the axial downstream end.
• the upstream filter element may be circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
• the terminal and upstream filter elements may be axially adjacent or may be axially spaced.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be comprised of cellulose acetate or polypropylene tow.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be comprised of activated charcoal.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be comprised of paper.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be comprised of plant material e.g. extruded plant material.
• the or each filter element may be at least partly (e.g. entirely) circumscribed with a plug wrap e.g. a paper plug wrap.
• the or each filter element may have a substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter substantially matching the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate (with or without its associated wrapping layer).
• the axial length of the or each filter element may be less than 20mm, e.g. between 8 and 15mm, for example between 9 and 13 mm e.g. between 10 and 12mm.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be a solid filter element.
• the or at least one of the filter element(s) may be a hollow bore filter element.
• the or each hollow bore filter may have a bore diameter of between 1 and 5 mm, e.g. between 2 and 4 mm or between 2 and 3 mm.
• the terminal filter element (at the downstream end of the article/consumable) may be joined to the upstream elements forming the article/consumable by a circumscribing tipping layer e.g. a tipping paper layer.
• the tipping paper may have an axial length longer than the axial length of the terminal filter element such that the tipping paper completely circumscribes the terminal filter element plus the wrapping layer surrounding any adjacent upstream element.
• the or at least one of the filter elements e.g. the terminal filter element may include a capsule e.g. a crushable capsule (crush-ball) containing a liquid flavourant e.g. a liquid flavourant as described above.
• the capsule can be crushed by the user during smoking of the consumable to release the flavourant.
• the capsule may be located at the axial centre of the terminal filter element.
• the article/consumable may comprise an aerosol-cooling element which is adapted to cool the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate (by heat exchange) before being inhaled by the user.
• the aerosol-cooling element will be downstream from the aerosol-forming substrate. For example, it may be between the aerosol-forming substrate and a/the filter element and/or between two filter elements.
• the aerosol cooling element may be at least partly (e.g. entirely) circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
• the aerosol-cooling element may be formed of a plastics material selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
• the aerosol-cooling element may be formed of a crimped/gathered sheet of material to form a structure having a high surface area with a plurality of longitudinal channels to maximise heat exchange and cooling of the aerosol.
• the article/consumable may comprise a spacer element that defines a space or cavity between the aerosolforming substrate and the downstream end of the consumable. It may be provided between the aerosolforming substrate and a/the filter element and/or between two filter elements.
• the spacer element may comprise a tubular element e.g. cardboard or plastic material tube. The spacer element may be circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
• the spacer element may have an external diameter of between 5 and 10mm e.g. between 6 and 9mm or 6 and 8mm e.g. around 7 mm. It may have an axial length of between 10 and 15 mm e.g. between 12 and 14 mm or 13 and 14 mm e.g. around 14 mm.
• a system comprising an article/consumable according to the first aspect and a device comprising a heating element.
• the device may be a HNB device i.e. a device adapted to heat but not combust the aerosol-forming substrate.
• the device may comprise a main body for housing the heating element.
• the heating element may comprise an elongated e.g. rod, tube-shaped or blade heating element.
• the heating element may project into or surround a cavity within the main body for receiving the article/consumable.
• the diameter of the axial bore of the extruded rod of tobacco preferably matches the diameter of the elongated rod/tube heater.
• the device e.g. the main body
• a third aspect there is provided a method of using a system according to the second aspect, the method comprising:
• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an HNB consumable
• FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of an HNB consumable
• Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of an HNB consumable
• Figure 4 shows the first embodiment within a device forming an HNB system.
• the HNB consumable 1 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 2 at the upstream end of the consumable 1.
• the aerosol-forming substrate 2 comprises a rod-shaped extrudate of tobacco and is dosed with 20wt% of a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine (VG).
• a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine (VG).
• the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It has diameter of around 7mm and an axial length of around 12mm.
• the extrudate comprises an axial bore 13 which has its axial upstream end at the axial upstream end of the aerosol-forming substrate 2.
• the axial bore 13 extends the entire length of the extrudate and thus has an axial length of 12 mm. It has a bore diameter of around 2mm.
• the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is circumscribed by a paper wrapping layer 3.
• the consumable 1 comprises an upstream filter element 4 and a downstream (terminal) filter element 5.
• Both filter elements 4, 5 are formed of cellulose acetate tow and wrapped with a respective paper plug layer (not shown).
• Both filter elements have a substantially cylindrical shape.
• the diameter of the upstream filter element 4 matches the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2.
• the diameter of the terminal filter element 5 is slightly larger and matches the combined diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2 and the wrapping layer 3.
• the upstream filter element 4 is slightly shorter in axial length than the terminal filter element 5 at an axial length of 10mm compared to 12mm for the terminal filter element 5.
• the cardboard tube spacer is longer than each of the two filter elements having an axial length of around 14 mm.
• Each filter element 4, 5 is a hollow bore filter element with a hollow, longitudinally extending bore.
• the diameter of the bore in the upstream filter element 4 is slightly larger than the diameter of the bore in the terminal filter element 5 having a diameter of 3mm compared to 2 mm for the terminal filter element 5.
• the cardboard spacer tube 6 and the upstream filter element 4 are circumscribed by the wrapping layer 3.
• the terminal filter element 5 is joined to the upstream elements forming the consumable by a circumscribing paper tipping layer 7.
• the tipping layer 7 encircles the terminal filter portion and has an axial length of around 20 mm such that it overlays a portion of the cardboard tube spacer 6.
• FIG 2 shows a second embodiment of a consumable T which is the same as that shown in Figure 1 except that the terminal filter element 5 is a solid filter element and comprises a crushable capsule 8 (crush- ball) having a shell wall containing a liquid menthol or cherry or vanilla flavourant.
• the capsule 8 is spherical and has a diameter of 3.5mm. It is positioned within the axial centre of the terminal filter portion 5.
• the capsule 8 may be omitted from the Figure 2 embodiment and may be included in the Figure 1 embodiment.
• Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a consumable 1” which is the same as the first embodiment except that the wrapping layer 3 does not completely circumscribe the cardboard spacer tube 6 such that there is an annular gap 9 between the tipping layer 7 and the cardboard spacer tube 6 downstream of the end of the wrapping layer 3.
• Figure 4 shows the first embodiment inserted into an HNB device 10 comprising a rod-shaped heating element (not shown). The heating element projects into a cavity 1 1 within the main body 12 of the device.
• the consumable 1 is inserted into the cavity 1 1 of the main body 12 of the device 10 such that the heating rod is received in the axial bore 13 of the aerosol-forming substrate 2.
• Heating of the reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is effected by powering the heating element (e.g. with a rechargeable battery (not shown)).
• the heating element e.g. with a rechargeable battery (not shown)
• moisture and volatile compound e.g. nicotine
• the humectant are released as a vapour and entrained within an airflow generated by inhalation by the user at the terminal filter portion 5.
• the vapour cools within the upstream filter element 4 and the cardboard spacer tube 6, it condenses to form an aerosol containing the volatile compounds for inhalation by the user.

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• Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=64560394

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2018
  • 2018-10-29 GB GBGB1817553.9A patent/GB201817553D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2019
  • 2019-10-25 WO PCT/EP2019/079183 patent/WO2020089079A1/en unknown
  • 2019-10-25 EP EP19798002.2A patent/EP3873262A1/de active Pending

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