EP4114217A1

EP4114217A1 - Mousse consumables with integrated heater

Info

Publication number: EP4114217A1
Application number: EP21708039.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anthony DYLAN-HYDE; Theo Verlaan
Original assignee: JT International SA
Current assignee: JT International SA
Priority date: 2020-03-03
Filing date: 2021-03-03
Publication date: 2023-01-11
Also published as: WO2021175899A1; JP2023516033A

Abstract

Present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article (100) for an aerosol-generating vaping device (200), wherein the aerosol-generating article (100) comprises an aerosol-generating substrate (3) and a heating element (5), wherein the aerosol-generating substrate (3) is a foam or a mousse arranged on a support (8) and wherein the heating element (5) is also arranged on the support (8) and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate (3) to generate an aerosol upon stimulation by an energy source.

Description

Mousse Consumables with Integrated Heater

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of tobacco, especial tobacco- containing foam-like or mousse-like aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol generating article comprises the aerosol-generating substrate and a heating element, wherein the article is especially suitable for an oven-type or also in a heat-not-burn type vaping device. Background of the invention

For heat-not-burn e-vapour devices, an oven type of device is advantageous in some aspects. The vaping device essentially provides a housing portion serves as an oven that heats up the space, wherein the space can be filled up with different kinds of consumables according to the users’ preference. There are two different oven styles for such a vaporizer or a vaping device: convection and conduction. Conduction means by direct contact of the material with a heating source. Convection means heating a material with hot air blown through a heating element (therefore no direct contact of the material with the heating element or source). Both the conduction and convection oven style vaporizers play a role on one’s vaping experience. These vaporizers have been available for a long time and they utilize the traditional method of heating e-liquids or herbs. They are still very much popular in the market and some old users would rather not use any other type.

Document WO2017/207442 relates to an electrically operated aerosol-generating system (1; 101; 301), comprising an aerosol-generating article (2; 102; 302) and a main unit (3; 103; 303). The aerosol-generating article comprises an inner passage (105), substrate (104) and a mouthpiece, wherein the article is placed outwards, encircling the heating source of the vaping device.

Current oven-type of the vaping device can be used for different consumables that do not originate from its manufacturer. This may pose as a threat to the user as the consumables used may not be suitable for the vaping device. Moreover, such consumables may not meet certain safety requirement for the vaping device.

Therefore, there exists a need for consumables which can be used for its own vaping device manufactured from the recognised manufactured. The consumables is preferably recognisable and operate-able only by its own vaping device.

Summary of the invention The inventors of the present invention have found solutions to the above-discussed problems through the aerosol-generating article as defined in the claims.

A first aspect of the invention is accordingly to provide an aerosol generating article for an aerosol-generating vaping device, wherein the aerosol- generating article comprises an aerosol-generating substrate and a heating element, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate is a foam or a mousse arranged on a support and wherein the heating element is also arranged on the support and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate to generate an aerosol upon stimulation by an energy source. It is found out that the present invention, thanks to its ingenious concept, the aerosol-generating article is provided with its own heating element. This technical feature enables the aerosol-generating article to be heated by its own heating element through an energy source provided by a vaping device. The present invention also has the advantage that the aerosol-generating article of the present invention is capable to be heated by its own vaping device. In other words, any random aerosol-generating article without having a heating element equipped thereon cannot be heated by vaping device that is made suitable for the present invention. The aerosol-generating article according to the present invention is especially suitable to be used in an oven-type vaping device, and the present invention is geared towards a convection-type of an oven vaping device, as there is no direct contact of the heating element and the tobacco foam.

In one embodiment, the heating element is provided to the support such that an energy source is capable of stimulating the heating element through the support. The support can be a base plate where on top of it are provided with the one or more heating elements. The support can therefore be a flat component where it serves as a base to be in contact with the vaping device.

According to one preferred embodiment, the aerosol-generating substrate is a tobacco-containing foam or mousse and this embodiment can be combined with all other embodiments without any technical hindrance.

In yet another embodiment, the support comprises a heat- and/or electrically conductive metal or metallic alloy. In some embodiments, the support may be a heat- and/or electrically conductive metal or metallic alloy to allow the transmission of energy.

According to one further embodiment, the support is a base plate or a flask. A support being a flask has the advantage that the aerosol-generating article can be better accommodated to the vaping device.

In some preferred embodiments, the aerosol-generating article further comprises a top plate, an internal wall and an external wall, wherein the heating element is extending from the base plate within an inner channel defined by the internal wall whereas the aerosol-generating substrate is contained between the internal wall and the external wall. In some preferred embodiments, a plurality of elongated air channels are provided within the aerosol-generating substrate, wherein the air channels are preferably parallel or substantially parallel to each other. Such air channels increase the contact area between the substrate and air, thereby increasing the vapour performance of the aerosol-generating article.

According to some embodiments, a protective component such as a mesh component or a housing component is provided to surround the heating element. Such feature has the advantage that it prevents debris or ash from the aerosol-generating substrate from reaching to the heating element. Such protective component may be formed of one or more metallic materials or non- metallic materials such as fibre, glass, aluminium, ceramic, glass fibre wick or stainless steel mesh for instance.

According to some specific embodiments, the aerosol-generating article comprises one or more safety switch components, wherein said safety switch components are activated when being placed in a correct position such that the heating element of the aerosol-generating article is stimulated by an energy source. This has the advantage that when the aerosol-generating article is placed at a correct position, the safety switch component is activated for instance the energy transmission from the device to the article is allowed. This prevents unwanted activation of the article. Moreover, this feature also ensures that only aerosol-generating article having this component can be accommodated and received by its specific vaping device.

In some further embodiments, the heating element comprises a heating wire. Materials suitable for such heating element are for instance titanium, zirconium, tantalum and metals from the platinum group. Examples of suitable metal alloys are for instance stainless steel, nickel-, cobalt-, chromium-, aluminium- titanium-zirconium-, hafnium-, niobium-, molybdenum-, tantalum- tungsten-, tin-, gallium-and manganese-alloys, and super-alloys based on nickel, iron, cobalt and/or stainless steel. The heating element can be a heating wire, and can be configured in such a way that it is capable of generating a heat between about 250 °C and 350 °C, preferably between about 280 °C and 330 °C, or more preferably around 300 °C. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the aerosol generating article has a cross section perpendicular to elongated air channel, wherein the cross section when viewed in a plane view, comprises a symmetrical geometry. This allows the aerosol-generating article to be inserted into the vaping device effortlessly. Round being a preferred geometry as the article can be inserted into the vaping device easily in any rotational orientations (360°).

In some preferred embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has a cross section perpendicular to elongated air channel, wherein the cross section when viewed in a plane view, comprises a non-symmetrical geometry. This geometry allows the product to be precisely inserted into a vaping device, especially when such precise orientation of the insertion of the article is required.

By “about” or “approximately” or “around” in relation to a given numerical value, it is meant to include numerical values within 10% of the specified value. All values given in the present disclosure are to be understood to be complemented by the word “about”, unless it is clear to the contrary from the context.

The indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality, thus should be treated broadly.

The term “comprise” as used herein can be replaceable with “is” when only one element is described or can be replaceable with “are” when more than one elements are described.

Unless defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Any reference to the "cross section profile" of the aerosol-generating article or a component of the aerosol-generating article refers to the transverse cross-section unless stated otherwise. A “tobacco-containing material” can be any compound, mixture, particle matter, and/or solution that contains and/or carries a constituent of tobacco, either artificially included or naturally contained in tobacco, e.g. tobacco, tobacco particles, tobacco flavor and/or nicotine. In contrast, an example for an artificially added non-tobacco-specific flavor would be menthol.

As used herein, the term "heated aerosol-generating article" refers to an aerosol-generating article for producing an aerosol comprising an aerosol generating material that is intended to be heated rather than combusted in order to release volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. The consumable article can be heated in an oven-type or an internal heating type of vaping device.

As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating substrate" refers to a material capable of releasing upon heating volatile compounds, which can form an aerosol. The aerosol generated from aerosol-generating substrate of aerosol generating articles described herein may be visible or invisible and may include vapours (for example, fine particles of substances, which are in a gaseous state, that are ordinarily liquid or solid at room temperature) as well as gases and liquid droplets of condensed vapours.

As used herein, the term “support” refers to means where one or more elements are relied thereon. The support can thus serve as means of contact between two elements or components or a mixed of elements.

As used herein, the term “heating element” refers to a component which is capable of exerting heat. The component may receive an energy from an external source and may then convert the energy to heat. The heating element may be provided in any suitable form. The element may therefore consist of an electrically conductive material.

An aerosol-forming agent can be any compound, mixture and/or solution that is capable of forming an aerosol, e.g. when heated, mixed, blended, aerated and/or in mixture with a tobacco ingredient containing agent. Well known examples include humectants such as glycerin and propylene glycol, other alcohols, such as ethanol, etc. As used herein, wt.-% is to be understood as weight percent, based on the total weight of element e.g. foam or material, unless explicitly otherwise specified. In the present disclosure, all amounts are given in wt.-%, unless clearly stated otherwise or obvious from context. In the present disclosure, furthermore all amounts given in wt.-% in a particular foam add up to 100 wt.-%. The weight percent are thereby calculated by dividing the mass of each component by the total mass of the foam, unless indicated otherwise or clear from context.

As used herein, the term “foam” is used interchangeably with the term “mousse”. The foam of the present invention is an open pored foam according to certain embodiments. An open pored foam as used herein is to be understood as a foam which can be considered as being formed of a plurality of interconnecting pores (formed out of a structural material derived from the foam forming agent cooperating with the interacting components such as the foam stabilizing agent, solid components such as tobacco particles and some solvent, etc.) which are able to contain fluid, in particular a mixture of humectant/liquid aerosol-forming substrate and air, wherein at least a significant portion (e.g. greater than 50% by volume) of the pores in the foam are fluidly connected with each other, contrary to a closed-cell foam, wherein the majority of the pores form discrete pockets, each completely enclosed by pore-forming material so as to substantially prevent fluid from passing freely between pores. It is currently believed that the foams, particularly mousses, formed as described herein are largely open-pored foams, particularly mousses, because after heating the foam, particularly mousse, to release vapour, substantially all of the humectant appears to be released based on measuring the weight of the foam, particularly mousse, portion before and after heating, which could not be readily explained if the humectant was not able to travel through neighbouring pores to reach the surface of the foam, particularly mousse, portion. However, alternative explanations cannot be totally excluded - for example closed pores could perhaps be opened by rupturing a closed cell wall as a result of the pressure of vaporized gas, etc. For example, according to the definition of the present invention, the term “foam” cannot be equated to terms like gel, cream or slurry. Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a schematic representative of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic vertically half cross section of an aerosol- generating article according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a schematic vertically half cross section of an aerosol generating article according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention The aerosol-generating article 100 of the present invention comprises an aerosol-generating substrate 3 and a heating element 5, wherein the aerosol generating substrate 3 is a foam or a mousse arranged on a support 8 and wherein the heating element 5 is also arranged on the support 8 and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate 3 to generate an aerosol upon stimulation by an energy source. It has been found out that conventional aerosol generating article 100 has the drawback that it is not only compatible to a vaping device 200 from its own manufacturer but also can be recognised and is compatible with other vaping devices from other manufacturer. Present invention having an integrated heating element 5 provided to the aerosol-generating article 100 thus provides an alternative to user, whereby the safety of the user can be better guaranteed by allowing such aerosol-generating article 100 to be used on its specific vaping device.

Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating article 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention which is predominantly a ring shape. The aerosol-generating article 100 comprises a support 8 and a top plate 10 connecting by a plurality of internal walls 12 and an external wall 14. Aerosol-generating substrate 3 is provided within the space between the internal wall 12 and the external wall 14 whereas the heating element 5 is provided in the centre region of the aerosol-generating article 100, encircled by one of the internal walls 12. In other words, the aerosol-generating substrate 3 is caged by the support 8, the top plate 10, the internal walls 12 and the external wall 14 whereas the heating element 5 is not covered by the top plate 10 and thus can be seen from the top.

A plurality of inner channels 15 are provided to the aerosol-generating article 100, wherein a plurality of the inner channels 15 are provided to the region where aerosol-generating substrate 3 is housed while at the centre of the aerosol generating article 100, an inner channel 15 having a larger diameter is provided. This inner channel 15 having larger diameter is designed to accommodate the heating element 5.

As can be seen in the Figure 2 which is a vertical half cross section of the aerosol-generating article 100, both the aerosol-generating substrate 3 and the heating element 5 are provided on top of the support 8 and can be covered on top by a top plate 10. The heating element 5 is located in the middle of the aerosol-generating article 100 surrounded by the aerosol-generating substrate 3. The aerosol-generating substrate 3 is tobacco mousse or foam which is capable of releasing aerosol upon heating by passing heated air.

To this end, it is disclosed that a plurality of air channels 17 are provided within the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Such air channels increase the contact surface of heated air with the aerosol-generating substrate 3, thereby vapour performance of the aerosol-generating article 100 can be increased. It is generally known that more aerosol can be released when more surface area of the aerosol-generating substrate 3 is heated by air which is heated by the heating element 5. Shown in this embodiment in Figure 2 is a heating wire type of heating element 5, which capable of generating a radiation type energy.

The aerosol-generating article 100 of the present invention when being placed correctly into its own vaping device 200, it will be tightly fit into a housing portion of the vaping device 200, wherein the housing portion of the vaping device 200 serves to accommodate the aerosol-generating article 100. When the aerosol-generating article 100 is correctly placed in the vaper 200 and in use, the air channel 17 is in a horizontal position such that air flows from a distal end to a mouth end of the user or vice versa.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment according to the present invention where a protective component 22 is provided to separate the heating element 5 and the aerosol-generating substrate 3. The protective component 22 can be a mesh component or a housing component to prevent debris or ash from the aerosol-generating substrate from reaching to the heating element 5.

The protective component 22 such as the mesh component can be in direct contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Therefore, it is advantageous that the protective component 22 is provided using a metal or a metal alloy such that it assists the heating of the aerosol-generating substrate 3 in addition to the heating element 5. The protective component 22 in form of a mesh has the advantage that air can flow through the component and thereby reaching the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 3, thereby carry away vapour that forms on the outside of the aerosol-generating substrate 3 such as tobacco mousse close to the heating element 5. To this end, it is mentioned that the protective component 22 can also be provided as a perforated (metallic) sheet that is made of a material suitable to withstand the operating temperatures when in use, to allow air travels between both sides of the sheet. The aerosol-generating article 100 can be provided in symmetry geometry not only in round or ovule shape but also for instance a cube, rectangular, star, hexagon or any polygon shapes. When the aerosol-generating article 100 has a cross section perpendicular to elongated air channel (17), wherein the cross section when viewed in a plane view, comprises a non- symmetrical geometry. The article 100 may be received on the housing portion of the vaping device 200 at specific rotational orientations.

The heating element 5 is capable of generating a radiation type of energy. The heating element 5 can be provided in linear or in spherical or any other radiation pattern that is foreseeable. Nevertheless, the radiation pattern and the internal shape of the consumable (aerosol-generating substrate portion) should be so that the radiation will evaporate the material in a predictable way. The aerosol-generating article 100 according to the present invention may be provided with a safety switch component 19 such that when it is in connection with an intermediate component 9 (as shown in the Figure 3) which is preferably attached to the support, the transmission of an energy from the vaping device to the heating element 5 of the aerosol-generating article 100 can therefore be activated. This serves as an additional safety net to the user where only the very specific aerosol-generating article 100 can be used in its own vaping device.

It is reiterated herein that the present invention is directed particularly to the use in a convection oven type vaping device which the material of the article is to be heated with hot air blown through a heating element. This type of heating is fundamentally different to other types of heating as no direct contact of the heating element/heating source and the aerosol-generating material takes place.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article (100) for an aerosol-generating vaping device (200), wherein the aerosol-generating article (100) comprises an aerosol-generating substrate (3) and a heating element (5), wherein the aerosol-generating substrate (3) is a foam or a mousse arranged on a support (8) and wherein the heating element (5) is also arranged on the support (8) and configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate (3) to generate an aerosol upon stimulation by an energy source.

2. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is provided to the support (8) such that an energy source is capable of stimulating the heating element (5) through the support (8).

3. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate (3) is a tobacco-containing foam or mousse.

4. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (8) comprises a heat- and/or electrically conductive metal or a metallic alloy.

5. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (8) is a base plate or a flask.

6. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a top plate (10), an internal wall (12) and an external wall (14), wherein the heating element (5) is extending from the base plate within an inner channel (15) defined by the internal wall (12) whereas the aerosol-generating substrate is contained between the internal wall (12) and the external wall (14).

7. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of elongated air channels (17) are provided within the aerosol-generating substrate (3), wherein the air channels (17) are preferably parallel or substantially parallel to each other.

8. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a protective component (22) such as a mesh component or a housing component is provided to surround the heating element (5) in order to prevent debris or ash from the aerosol-generating substrate from reaching to the heating element (5).

9. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating element (5) comprises a heating wire.

10. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating article (100) has a cross section perpendicular to elongated air channel (17), wherein the cross section when viewed in a plane view, comprises a symmetrical geometry.

11. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the claims 1 - 9, wherein the aerosol-generating article (100) has a cross section perpendicular to elongated air channel (17), wherein the cross section when viewed in a plane view, comprises a non-symmetrical geometry.

12. The aerosol-generating article (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating article (100) comprises one or more safety switch components (19), wherein said safety switch components (19) are activated when being placed in a correct position such that the heating element (5) of the aerosol-generating article (100) is stimulated by an energy source.