EP4268632A1

EP4268632A1 - Non-combustion heated tobacco and electrically-heated tobacco product

Info

Publication number: EP4268632A1
Application number: EP21910160.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshimura; Hiroki NAKAAE
Original assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Current assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date: 2020-12-24
Filing date: 2021-11-30
Publication date: 2023-11-01
Also published as: WO2022138008A1; JPWO2022138008A1

Abstract

Provided is a non-combustion heated tobacco provided with a tobacco rod part and a mouthpiece part. Said mouthpiece part comprises a cooling segment and a filter segment that contains a filtering medium. The tobacco rod part and the cooling segment are disposed adjacent to each other. The filtering medium has activated charcoal added thereto. The additive amount of activated charcoal is 15.0-80 m²/cm² when being represented by the value of: specific surface area of activated charcoal × weight of activated charcoal/cross-sectional area of filtering medium in direction perpendicular to airflow direction.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco and an electric heating tobacco product.

Background Art

Non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos that are inserted into an electric heating device when used have been developed as an alternative to cigarettes (paper-wrapped tobaccos)(Patent Document 1). The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco commonly includes a tobacco rod formed by a shredded tobacco, a material that generates a flavor component, and the like being wrapped with a wrapping paper, a mouthpiece used for inhaling components generated from the tobacco rod by heating, and a tipping paper with which the above members are wrapped.
Commonly, in an electric heating tobacco product, the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is inserted into an electric heating device and, subsequently, a heater member is caused to produce heat. As a result, the tobacco rod is heated from a portion of the tobacco rod which is in contact with the heater member, and the generated components are delivered to the user.

Citation List

Patent Document

Patend Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2015-508676

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

In electric heating tobacco products, there is room to study the delivery of the components generated by heating. In particular, since the heating temperature of electric heating tobacco products during use is low, the amount of the components generated from an electric heating tobacco product is different from the amount of the components generated from a cigarette known in the related art. Thus, it is necessary to adjust the amount of the components delivered to the user. It is also important to give an intended flavor sense to the user.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco and an electric heating tobacco product that enable an intended amount of the components generated by heating to be delivered to the user and that enable an intended flavor sense to be given to the user.

Solution to Problem

The inventors of the present invention conducted extensive studies and consequently found that the above-described issues may be addressed by adding a predetermined amount of active carbon to a filter element. Thus, the inventors of the present invention conceived the present invention.
Specifically, the summary of the present invention is as follows.

[1] A rod-shaped non-combustion-heating-type tobacco including a tobacco rod portion and a mouthpiece portion, wherein
the mouthpiece portion comprises a cooling segment and a filter segment comprising a filter element, the tobacco rod portion and the cooling segment are arranged adjacent to each other, the filter element comprises active carbon, and an amount of the active carbon comprised in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is adjusted such that a value represented by Formula (1) below is 15.0 m²/cm² or more and 80 m²/cm² or less. $\begin{array}{l} BET specific surface area of active carbon \times Weight of active carbon / Area of cross section of filter element taken in \\ direction perpendicular to airflow direction \end{array}$
[2] The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to [1], wherein the cooling segment has perforations formed therein, the perforations being arranged concentrically in a circumferential direction of the cooling segment, and the perforations are present at a position 4 mm or more and 7 mm or less from a boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment toward the cooling segment.
[3] The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to [1] or [2], wherein the filter segment comprises a center hole segment having one or a plurality of hollow portions and a filter element.
[4] The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the active carbon has a BET specific surface area of 1100 m²/g or more and 1600 m²/g or less.
[5] The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to [4], wherein an amount of the active carbon comprised per unit length of the filter element in an airflow direction is 5 mg/cm or more and 50 mg/cm or less.
[6] An electric heating tobacco product comprising an electric heating device, the electric heating device comprising a heater member, a battery unit serving as a power source for the heater member, and a control unit that controls the heater member, and the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to any one of [1] to [5] inserted therein so as to come into contact with the heater member.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco and an electric heating tobacco product that enable an intended amount of the components generated by heating to be delivered to the user and that enable an intended flavor sense to be given to the user can be provided.

Brief Description of Drawings

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating tobacco product according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating tobacco product according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a mouthpiece end-side end of a region of a cooling segment which is in contact with an electric heating device.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a mouthpiece end-side end of a region of a cooling segment which is in contact with an electric heating device.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a graph illustrating the amounts of the nicotine delivered which were measured in Examples.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a graph illustrating the amounts of the glycerine delivered which were measured in Examples.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a graph illustrating the amounts of the propylene glycol delivered which were measured in Examples. Description of Embodiments

Details of embodiments of the present invention are described below. Note that the following description is merely an example (typical example) of the embodiments of the present invention and the present invention is not limited by the contents thereof without departing from the summary thereof.
In the present specification, in the case where a range is expressed using "to" and values or physical properties described before and after "to", it is considered that the range includes the values described before and after "to".
In the present specification, the term "a plurality of" refers to "two or more" unless otherwise specified.

<Non-Combustion-Heating-Type Tobacco>

A non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to an embodiment of the present invention (also referred to simply as "non-combustion-heating-type tobacco") is a rod-shaped non-combustion-heating-type tobacco including a tobacco rod portion and a mouthpiece portion.
The mouthpiece portion includes a cooling segment and a filter segment including a filter element. The tobacco rod portion and the cooling segment are arranged adjacent to each other. The filter element includes active carbon. The amount of the active carbon included in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is adjusted such that a value represented by Formula (1) below is 15.0 m²/cm² or more and 80.0 m²/cm² or less. $\begin{array}{l} BET specific surface area of active carbon \times Weight of active carbon / Area of cross section of filter element taken in a \\ direction perpendicular to airflow direction \end{array}$
Since non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos do not involve combustion unlike the cigarettes known in the related art, the types and amounts of the components generated during use are limited. Therefore, a technical idea of adding active carbon to a filter as in this embodiment has not been devised in the field of non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos.
Fig. 1 illustrates an example of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to the embodiment. The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is described below with reference to Fig. 1.
The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 is a rod-shaped non-combustion-heating-type tobacco that includes a tobacco rod portion 11, a mouthpiece portion 14, and a tipping paper 15 wrapped around the above members. The mouthpiece portion 14 includes a cooling segment 12 and a filter segment 13 including a filter element. The cooling segment 12 is arranged adjacent to the tobacco rod portion 11 and the filter segment 13 and sandwiched therebetween in the axial direction (also referred to as "longitudinal direction") of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10. Optionally, perforations V may be formed concentrically in the cooling segment 12 in the circumferential direction.
The filter segment 13 includes a filter element. The filter element includes a predetermined amount of active carbon. In Fig. 1, the filter segment 13 is constituted by a filter element 13a that includes active carbon and a filter element 13b that does not include active carbon. The above constitutions are described below.
The perforations V formed in the cooling segment 12 of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 are commonly perforations that facilitate the entry of outside air by the inhalation of the user. The entry of air reduces the temperature of the components and air taken in from the tobacco rod portion 11.
The perforations V, which may be formed in this embodiment, are present at, for example, a position 4 mm from the boundary between the cooling segment 12 and the filter segment 13 toward the cooling segment. In such a case, the cooling capacity with which the temperature of the components generated by heating and the air is reduced can be enhanced. In addition, the retention of the above components and the air in the cooling segment can be reduced and, consequently, the amount of the components delivered can be increased.
Examples of the components generated by heating include a flavor component derived from a flavoring agent, nicotine and tar derived from tobacco leaves, and an aerosol component derived from an aerosol-source material. In the present specification, the term "aerosol-source material" refers to a substrate that generates an aerosol.
The rod-shaped non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 preferably has a pillar-like shape that is a shape having an aspect ratio of 1 or more, the aspect ratio being defined as described below. $Aspect ratio = h / w$
where w represents the width of the bottom of the pillar-shaped body (in the present specification, the width of the tobacco rod portion-side bottom), and h represents the height of the pillar-shaped body. It is preferable that h ≥ w. In the present specification, the longitudinal direction is defined as the direction represented by h. Thus, even if w ≥ h, the direction represented by h is referred to as "longitudinal direction" for the sake of simplicity. The shape of the bottom may be, but not limited to, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape having rounded corners, a circular shape, an oval shape, or the like. When the bottom has a circular shape, the width w is the diameter of the circle. When the bottom has an oval shape, the width w is the major-axis length of the oval. When the bottom has a polygonal shape or a polygonal shape having rounded corners, the width w is the diameter of the circle circumscribing the polygon or the major-axis length of the oval circumscribing the polygon.
The length h of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 in the longitudinal direction is not limited. The length h is, for example, commonly 40 mm or more, is preferably 45 mm or more, and is more preferably 50 mm or more. The length h is commonly 100 mm or less, is preferably 90 mm or less, and is more preferably 80 mm or less.
The width w of the bottom of the pillar-shaped body of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is not limited. The width w is, for example, commonly 5 mm or more and is preferably 5.5 mm or more. The width w is commonly 10 mm or less, is preferably 9 mm or less, and is more preferably 8 mm or less.
The proportions of the lengths of the cooling segment and the filter segment to the length of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco in the longitudinal direction (cooling segment:filter segment) are commonly, but not limited to, 0.60 to 1.40:0.60 to 1.40, are preferably 0.80 to 1.20:0.80 to 1.20, are more preferably 0.85 to 1.15:0.85 to 1.15, are further preferably 0.90 to 1.10:0.90 to 1.10, and are particularly preferably 0.95 to 1.05:0.95 to 1.05 in consideration of the amount of the flavoring agent delivered and an adequate aerosol temperature. In particular, when the length of the cooling segment is increased, the formation of aerosol particles and the like is increased and, consequently, a suitable flavor can be achieved. However, if the length of the cooling segment is excessively increased, the substance that passes therethrough may adhere on the inner wall.
When the above proportions of the lengths of the cooling segment and the filter segment fall within the above range, the cooling effect, the effect of reducing aerosol loss due to the adhesion of the generated vapor and aerosol on the inner wall of the cooling segment, and the function of the filter to adjust the amounts of air and flavor can be all achieved in a balanced manner and a suitable flavor and a suitable intensity of the flavor can be achieved.
The airflow resistance of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 per 120 mm in the longitudinal direction is not limited. In consideration of ease of smoking, the above airflow resistance is commonly 8 mmH₂O or more, is preferably 10 mmH₂O or more, and is more preferably 12 mmH₂O or more, and is commonly 100 mmH₂O or less, is preferably 80 mmH₂O or less, and is more preferably 60 mmH₂O or less.
The above airflow resistance is measured in conformity with an ISO standard method (ISO6565:2015) using, for example, a filter airflow resistance gage produced by Cerulean. The airflow resistance is the difference in the air pressure between one of the edge surfaces (first edge surface) of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 and the other edge surface (second edge surface) which occurs when air is passed through the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 in the direction from the first to second edge surface at a predetermined air flow rate (17.5 cc/min) while the permeation of air through the side surfaces of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is blocked. The airflow resistance is commonly expressed in units of mmH₂O. It is known that the airflow resistance is proportional to the length of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco when the length of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco falls within a common range (length: 5 to 200 mm); if the length of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco doubles, the airflow resistance of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco doubles.

[Mouthpiece Portion]

The mouthpiece portion 14 may have any structure that includes the cooling segment 12 and the filter segment 13 including a filter element such that the cooling segment 12 is arranged adjacent to the tobacco rod portion 11 and the filter segment 13 and sandwiched therebetween in the axial direction of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10. Details of the filter segment and the cooling segment are described below.

(Filter Segment)

The filter segment 13 is not limited and may be any filter segment that has common filter functions. For example, a tow formed of synthetic fibers (also referred to simply as "tow") and a material such as paper which is formed in a cylindrical shape can be used. Examples of the common filter functions include a function of adjusting the amount of air that enters upon the inhalation of an aerosol or the like, a function of reducing a flavor, and a function of reducing nicotine and tar. However, the filter segment does not necessarily have all of the above functions. Furthermore, for electric heating tobacco products, which generate a smaller amount of components than paper-wrapped tobacco products and the filling ratio of a tobacco filler is low compared with paper-wrapped tobacco products, a function of suppressing the filtration function and preventing detachment of the tobacco filler is one of the important functions.
The filter segment according to this embodiment includes a filter element. At least a part of the filter element includes active carbon. The amount of the active carbon added per non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is adjusted such that the value represented by Specific surface area of active carbon × Weight of active carbon/Area of cross section of filter element in direction perpendicular to airflow direction is 15.0 m²/cm² or more and 80.0 m²/cm² or less.
The above "Specific surface area of active carbon × Weight of active carbon/Area of cross section of filter element in direction perpendicular to airflow direction" may be expressed as "surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area" for the sake of simplicity. The surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be calculated on the basis of the specific surface area of active carbon included in the filter element included in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco, the weight of the active carbon, and the cross-sectional area of the filter element. Since the active carbon is not always dispersed in the filter element homogeneously, it is not required that the above condition be satisfied in any cross section (cross section perpendicular to the airflow direction) of the filter element.
In this embodiment, the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area falls within the above range. This enables an intended amount of the components generated by heating to be delivered to the user. Furthermore, an intended flavor sense can be given to the user. If the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area is smaller than the lower limit of the above range, it becomes impossible to produce the advantageous effect of addition of the active carbon to a sufficient degree. On the other hand, if the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area is larger than the upper limit of the above range, the amount of the components generated by heating may be reduced to a level lower than required.
The surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area is more preferably 17.0 m²/cm² or more and is further preferably 35.0 m²/cm² or more. The surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area is more preferably 77.0 m²/cm² or less and is further preferably 73.0 m²/cm² or less.
The surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be adjusted by changing, for example, the specific surface area of the active carbon, the amount of the active carbon added, and the area of cross section of the filter element which is taken in the direction perpendicular to the airflow direction.
The surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area is calculated with reference to the filter element that includes active carbon; in the case where the filter segment is constituted by a plurality of filter elements, the area of cross section of only the filter element that includes active carbon and the length of only the filter element are referred.
Examples of the active carbon that can be used in this embodiment include active carbons produced from wood, bamboo, coconut shell, walnut shell, coal, or the like. The active carbon that can be used in this embodiment is active carbon having a BET specific surface area of 1100 m²/g or more and 1600 m²/g or less, is preferably active carbon having a BET specific surface area of 1200 m²/g or more and 1500 m²/g or less, and is further preferably active carbon having a BET specific surface area of 1250 m²/g or more and 1380 m²/g or less. BET specific surface area can be determined using a nitrogen gas adsorption method (multipoint BET method).
The active carbon that can be used in this embodiment is active carbon having a pore volume of 400 µL/g or more and 800 µL/g or less, is more preferably active carbon having a pore volume of 500 µL/g or more and 750 µL/g or less, and is further preferably active carbon having a pore volume of 600 µL/g or more and 700 µL/g or less. The above pore volume can be calculated on the basis of the maximum adsorption amount measured by a nitrogen gas adsorption method.
In this embodiment, the amount of the active carbon added to the filter element per unit length of the filter element including active carbon in the airflow direction is preferably 5 mg/cm or more and 50 mg/cm or less, is more preferably 8 mg/cm or more and 40 mg/cm or less, and is further preferably 10 mg/cm or more and 35 mg/cm or less.
In this embodiment, when the specific surface area of the active carbon and the amount of the active carbon added fall within the above ranges, the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area can be adjusted to fall within the intended range.
The cumulative 10-vol% particle size (particle size D10) of particles of the active carbon that can be used in this embodiment is preferably 250 µm or more and 1200 µm or less. The cumulative 50-vol% particle size (particle size D50) of particles of the active carbon is preferably 350 µm or more and 1500 µm or less.
The above D10 and D50 are measured using a laser diffraction/scattering method. Examples of the apparatus suitable for the above measurement include a laser diffraction/scattering particle size analyzer "LA-950" produced by HORIBA, Ltd. A powder is charged into the cell included in the apparatus together with pure water, and the sizes of the particles are detected on the basis of the information on the scattering of light on the particles. The measurement conditions of the apparatus are as follows.

Measurement mode: manual flowmo cell measurement
Disperse medium : ion-exchange water
Dispersion method: measurement after one minute irradiation with ultrasonic wave
Refractive index: 1.92-0.00i (refraction of sample)/1.33-0.00i (refractive index of disperse medium)
Number of measurements: twice, using different samples

In this embodiment, the method for adding the active carbon to the filter element is not limited. Any method with which the active carbon can be added to the filter element to which the active carbon is to be added such that the active carbon is dispersed in the filter element in a substantially homogeneous manner may be used.
The filter segment 13 may be, for example, a filter segment produced by the production method described below or a commercial filter segment.
The type of the filter segment 13 is not limited. Examples of the filter segment 13 include a filter including a single filter segment and a multi-segment filter including a plurality of filter segments, such as a dual filter or a triple filter.
In the case where the filter segment 13 is constituted by a single filter segment, the filter element including active carbon serves directly as a filter segment. In the case where the filter segment 13 is constituted by a plurality of filter segments, as illustrated in Fig. 1, it is preferable that the filter element 13a that is a filter element including active carbon be disposed upstream of the filter element 13b that constitutes the mouthpiece end. Alternatively, the filter element constituting the filter segment constituting the mouthpiece end may include active carbon.
In the case where the filter segment is a multi-segment filter, the length of the filter segment which is taken into account for the calculation of the amount of the active carbon added is the length of the filter element including active carbon.
The weight of the active carbon added relative to the entirety of the filter segment is, for example, 4.0 mg or more and 24.0 mg or less, is preferably 4.5 mg or more and 23.0 mg or less, and is further preferably 10.5 mg or more and 22.0 mg or less.
The shape of the filter segment 13 is not limited; publicly known shapes may be used. The filter segment 13 commonly has a cylindrical shape. The filter segment 13 may have the following structure.
The filter segment 13 may have a section in which a cavity (e.g., center hole) is formed such that a cross section of the filter segment 13 which is taken in the circumferential direction is hollow or in which a recess or the like is formed.
The shape of cross section of the filter segment 13 which is taken in the circumferential direction is substantially circular. The diameter of the circle can be changed appropriately in accordance with the size of the product. The diameter of the circle is commonly 4.0 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less, is preferably 4.5 mm or more and 8.5 mm or less, and is more preferably 5.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less. In the case where the above cross section is not circular, the above diameter is the diameter of a virtual circle having the same area as the cross section.
The perimeter of the shape of a cross section of the filter segment 13 which is taken in the circumferential direction can be changed appropriately in accordance with the size of the product. The above perimeter is commonly 14.0 mm or more and 27.0 mm or less, is preferably 15.0 mm or more and 26.0 mm or less, and is more preferably 16.0 mm or more and 25.0 mm or less.
The length of the filter segment 13 in the axial direction can be changed appropriately in accordance with the size of the product. The above length is commonly 15.0 mm or more and 35.0 mm or less, is preferably 17.5 mm or more and 32.5 mm or less, and is more preferably 20.0 mm or more and 30.0 mm or less.
The airflow resistance of the filter segment 13 in the axial direction per length of 120 mm is not limited. The above airflow resistance is commonly 40 mmH₂O or more and 300 mmH₂O or less, is preferably 70 mmH₂O or more and 280 mmH₂O or less, and is more preferably 90 mmH₂O or more and 260 mmH₂O or less.
The above airflow resistance is measured in conformity with an ISO standard method (ISO6565) using, for example, a filter airflow resistance gage produced by Cerulean. The airflow resistance of the filter segment 13 is the difference in the air pressure between one of the edge surfaces (first edge surface) of the filter segment 13 and the other edge surface (second edge surface) which occurs when air is passed through the filter segment 13 in the direction from the first to second edge surface at a predetermined air flow rate (17.5 cc/min) while the permeation of air through the side surfaces of the filter segment 13 is blocked. The airflow resistance is commonly expressed in units of mmH₂O. It is known that the airflow resistance of the filter segment 13 is proportional to the length of the filter segment 13 when the length of the filter segment 13 falls within a common range (length: 5 to 200 mm); if the length of the filter segment 13 doubles, the airflow resistance of the filter segment 13 doubles.
The filter segment 13 can be produced by a publicly known method. For example, in the case where a synthetic fiber, such as cellulose acetate tow, is used as a material for the filter element, the filter segment 13 can be produced by spinning a polymer solution including a polymer and a solvent into thread and crimping the thread. Examples of the above method include the method described in International Publication No. 2013/067511 .
The filter element constituting the filter segment 13 is not limited; publicly known filter elements may be used. Examples thereof include a filter element produced by forming cellulose acetate tow into a cylindrical shape. The filament denier and total denier of the cellulose acetate tow are not limited. In the case where the mouthpiece member has a perimeter of 22 mm, it is preferable that the filament denier be 5 g/9000 m or more and 12 g/9000 m or less and the total denier be 12000 g/9000 m or more and 35000 g/9000 m or less. Examples of the cross-sectional shape of fibers of the cellulose acetate tow include circular, oval, Y-shaped, I-shaped, and R-shaped. In the case where the filter is filled with cellulose acetate tow, triacetin may be added to the filter in an amount that is 5% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less of the weight of the cellulose acetate tow, in order to increase the hardness of the filter. Instead of the above acetate filter, a paper filter filled with sheet-like pulp paper may also be used.
The density of the filter element constituting the filter segment 13 is commonly, but not limited to, 0.10 g/cm³ or more and 0.25 g/cm³ or less, is preferably 0.11 g/cm³ or more and 0.24 g/cm³ or less, and is more preferably 0.12 g/cm³ or more and 0.23 g/cm³ or less.
The filter segment 13 may further include a center hole segment having one or a plurality of hollow portions. The center hole segment is commonly arranged closer to the cooling segment than the filter element including active carbon and is preferably arranged adjacent to the cooling segment.
The center hole segment is constituted by a packed layer having one or a plurality of hollow portions and an inner plug wrapper (inner wrapping paper) wrapped around the packed layer. For example, the center hole segment is constituted by a packed layer having a hollow portion and an inner plug wrapper wrapped around the packed layer. The center hole segment increases the strength of the mouthpiece portion. The packed layer is, for example, a rod having an inside diameter φ of 1.0 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less which is filled with cellulose acetate fibers at a high density and cured with a plasticizer including triacetin, the plasticizer being added in an amount that is 6% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less of the mass of the cellulose acetate. Since the pack density of fibers in the packed layer is high, during inhalation, air and aerosols flow only through the hollow portion and hardly flow inside the packed layer. Since the packed layer present inside the center hole segment is a fiber-packed layer, the user seldom feel a sense of incongruity when touching the outside of the product during use. The center hole segment does not necessarily include the inner plug wrapper. In such a case, the shape of the product may be maintained by thermoforming.
The center hole segment and the filter element may be connected to each other with an outer plug wrapper (outer wrapping paper) or the like. The outer plug wrapper can be, for example, a cylindrical paper. The tobacco rod portion 11, the cooling segment 12, and the center hole segment and the filter element connected to each other may be connected to one another with, for example, a mouthpiece lining paper. The above connection can be achieved by, for example, applying a vinyl acetate-based paste or the like onto the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper, placing the tobacco rod portion 11, the cooling segment 12, and the center hole segment and the filter element connected to each other on the mouthpiece lining paper, and rolling the mouthpiece lining paper. Note that the above members may be connected to one another using a plurality of lining papers in a plurality of stages.
In order to increase strength and structural stiffness, the filter segment 13 may include a filter wrapper (filter plug wrapper) with which the materials constituting the filter are wrapped. The filter wrapper is not limited and may include one or more seams including an adhesive. The adhesive may include a hot-melt adhesive. The hot-melt adhesive may include polyvinyl alcohol. In the case where the filter is constituted by two or more segments, it is preferable that the two or more segments be collectively wrapped with the filter wrapper.
The material constituting the filter wrapper is not limited; publicly known materials may be used. The filter wrapper may include a filler, such as calcium carbonate.
The thickness of the filter wrapper is commonly, but not limited to, 20 µm or more and 140 µm or less, is preferably 30 µm or more and 130 µm or less, and is more preferably 30 µm or more and 120 µm or less.
The basis weight of the filter wrapper is commonly, but not limited to, 20 gsm or more and 100 gsm or less, is preferably 22 gsm or more and 95 gsm or less, and is more preferably 23 gsm or more and 90 gsm or less.
The filter wrapper may be coated and is not necessarily coated. In order to impart functions other than strength or structural stiffness, it is preferable to coat the filter wrapper with an intended material.

(Cooling Segment)

The cooling segment 12 is arranged adjacent to the tobacco rod portion and the filter segment and sandwiched therebetween. The cooling segment 12 is a rod-shaped member having a cavity formed therein such that a cross section taken in the circumferential direction is hollow, such as a cylinder.
The cooling segment 12 may have perforations V (in the technical field, also referred to as "ventilation filter (Vf)") formed concentrically therein in the circumferential direction as illustrated in Fig. 2. Although eight perforations V are arranged concentrically in Fig. 2, the number of the perforations V is not limited to this. The perforations may be present at a position 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment toward the cooling segment.
The presence of the perforations V allows outside air to enter the inside of the cooling portion during use and thereby reduces the temperature of components and air that enter from the tobacco rod portion. Furthermore, arranging the cooling segment at a position 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment toward the cooling segment enhances the cooling capacity and also reduces the likelihood of the components generated by heating being retained inside the cooling segment. This increases the amount of the components delivered.
Moreover, in the case where the tobacco rod portion includes an aerosol-source material, a vapor containing an aerosol-source material and a tobacco flavor component which are generated upon heating of the tobacco rod comes into contact with outside air and the temperature of the vapor is reduced. Thus, the vapor becomes liquefied and the generation of aerosol can be facilitated.
In the case where the perforations V arranged concentrically are considered as one perforation group, the number of the perforation groups may be one or two or more. In the case where two or more perforation groups are present, it is preferable that the perforation groups be not arranged at a position less than 4 mm from the boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment toward the cooling segment in order to increase the amount of the delivered components generated by heating.
In the case where the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 includes the tobacco rod portion 11, the cooling segment 12, the filter segment 13, and the tipping paper 15 wrapped around the above members, it is preferable that the tipping paper 15 have perforations formed therein at positions directly above the perforations V formed in the cooling segment 12. In the case where such a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is prepared, wrapping may be performed using a tipping paper 15 having perforations arranged to overlap the perforations V However, in consideration of ease of production, it is preferable to form perforations that penetrate both cooling segment 12 and tipping paper 15 after the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 has been prepared using a cooling segment 12 that does not have the perforations V
The perforations are preferably formed such that the proportion of the air taken in through the perforations when inhalation is performed at 17.5 ml/sec with an automated smoking machine (the proportion of the volume of the air taken in though the perforations, with the amount of the air inhaled through the mouthpiece end being 100% by volume) is 10% to 90% by volume, is preferably 50% to 80% by volume, and is more preferably 55% to 75% by volume. The above condition can be satisfied by, for example, selecting the number of the perforations V per perforation group from 5 to 50, selecting the diameter of the perforations V from 0.1 to 0.5 mm, and changing the combination thereof.
The above air inflow proportion can be determined using an automated smoking machine (e.g., single-port automated smoking machine produced by Borgwaldt) in conformity with ISO9512.
The region in which the perforations V are present is not limited. In order to enhance the delivery of the components generated by heating, the perforations V are formed at a position 2 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling segment 12 and the filter segment 13 toward the cooling segment. In order to further enhance the delivery of the above components, the above distance is preferably 3 mm or more, is preferably 4 mm or more, is more preferably 5 mm or more, and is further preferably 5.5 mm or more. In order to maintain the cooling function, the above distance is preferably 15 mm or less, is more preferably 10 mm or less, and is further preferably 6 mm or less.
In order to enhance the delivery of the components generated by heating, the perforations V are preferably present at a position 22 mm or more from the mouthpiece end of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco toward the cooling segment. The above distance is preferably 23 mm or more, is preferably 24 mm or more, is more preferably 25 mm or more, and is further preferably 25.5 mm or more. In order to maintain the cooling function, the above distance is preferably 35 mm or less, is more preferably 30 mm or less, and is further preferably 26 mm or less.
When the boundary between the cooling segment 12 and the tobacco rod portion 11 is used as a reference, in the case where the length of the cooling segment 12 in the axial direction is 20 mm or more, in order to maintain the cooling function, the perforations V are preferably present at a position 2 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling segment 12 and the tobacco rod portion 11 toward the cooling segment. The above distance is more preferably 5 mm or more, is further preferably 10 mm or more, and is particularly preferably 14.5 mm or more. In order to enhance the delivery of the components generated by heating, the above distance is preferably 18 mm or less, is more preferably 16 mm or less, and is further preferably 14.5 mm or less.
The diameter of the perforations V is preferably, but not limited to, 100 µm or more and 1000 µm or less, is more preferably 100 µm or more and 500 µm or less, and is further preferably 300 µm or more and 800 µm or less. The perforations are preferably substantially circular or substantially oval. In the case where the perforations are substantially oval, the major-axis length of the perforations is considered as diameter of the perforations.
The length of the cooling segment in the longitudinal direction may be changed appropriately in accordance with the size of the product. The above length is commonly 15 mm or more, is preferably 20 mm or more, and is more preferably 25 mm or more. The above length is commonly 40 mm or less, is preferably 35 mm or less, and is more preferably 30 mm or less. Setting the length of the cooling segment in the longitudinal direction to be equal to or more than the above lower limit enables a sufficiently high cooling effect to be maintained and allows a suitable flavor to be produced. Setting the above length to be equal to or less than the above upper limit reduces the loss of the generated vapor and aerosol which may be caused as a result of the vapor and aerosol adhering on the inner wall of the cooling segment.
In the case where a cooling sheet or the like is charged into the cooling segment 12, the total surface area of the cooling segment 12 may be, for example, but not limited to, 300 mm²/mm or more and 1000 mm²/mm or less. The above surface area is the surface area of the cooling segment 12 per length (mm) of the cooling segment 12 in the airflow direction. The total surface area of the cooling segment 12 is preferably 400 mm²/mm or more and is more preferably 450 mm²/mm or more. The above total surface area is preferably 600 mm²/mm or less and is more preferably 550 mm²/mm or less.
It is desirable that the inside structure of the cooling segment 12 have a large total surface area. Therefore, in a preferable embodiment, the cooling segment 12 may be formed of a thin sheet material that has been wrinkled in order to form channels and then pleated, gathered, or folded. The larger the number of folds or pleats per unit volume of the component, the larger the total surface area of the cooling segment.
The thickness of the material constituting the cooling segment 12 is, for example, 5 µm or more and 500 µm or less and may be, for example, 10 µm or more and 250 µm or less.

[Tobacco Rod Portion]

The structure of the tobacco rod portion 11 is not limited and may be any publicly known structure. The tobacco rod portion 11 commonly includes a tobacco filler and a wrapping paper with which the tobacco filler is wrapped. The tobacco rod portion 11 may have a fitting portion to which, for example, a heater member used for heating the tobacco product can be fit.
The tobacco rod portion 11, which includes a tobacco filler and a wrapping paper with which the tobacco filler is wrapped, preferably has a pillar-like shape. In this case, the aspect ratio that is the ratio of the height of the tobacco rod portion 11 in the longitudinal direction to the width of the bottom of the tobacco rod portion 11 is preferably 1 or more.
The shape of the bottom may be, but not limited to, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape having rounded corners, a circular shape, or an oval shape. When the bottom has a circular shape, the above width is the diameter of the circle. When the bottom has an oval shape, the width is the major-axis length of the oval. When the bottom has a polygonal shape or a polygonal shape having rounded corners, the width is the diameter of the circle circumscribing the polygon or the major-axis length of the oval circumscribing the polygon. The height of the tobacco filler constituting the tobacco rod portion 11 is preferably about 10 to 70 mm. The width of the tobacco filler is preferably about 4 to 9 mm.
The length of the tobacco rod portion in the longitudinal direction may be changed appropriately in accordance with the size of the product. The above length is commonly 10 mm or more, is preferably 12 mm or more, is more preferably 15 mm or more, and is further preferably 18 mm or more. The above length is commonly 70 mm or less, is preferably 50 mm or less, is more preferably 30 mm or less, and is further preferably 25 mm or less.
The ratio of the length of the tobacco rod portion 11 to the total length h of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 in the longitudinal direction is not limited. In consideration of the balance between the amount of delivery and aerosol temperature, the above ratio is commonly 10% or more, is preferably 20% or more, is more preferably 25% or more, and is further preferably 30% or more. The above ratio is commonly 80% or less, is preferably 70% or less, is more preferably 60% or less, is further preferably 50% or less, is particularly preferably 45% or less, and is most preferably 40% or less.

(Tobacco Filler)

(1) First Tobacco Filler

First, a first tobacco filler (also referred to simply as "first filler") is described. The material constituting the shredded tobacco included in the first filler is not limited; publicly known materials, such as lamina and midrib, can be used. The first filler may be produced by pulverizing dry tobacco leaves into particles having an average size of 20 µm or more and 200 µm or less, homogenizing the pulverized tobacco particles, forming the homogenized tobacco particles into a sheet-like shape (hereinafter, such a sheet is also referred to simply as "homogenized sheet"), and shredding the sheet. In another case, a homogenized sheet having a length substantially equal to the length of the tobacco rod in the longitudinal direction is shredded in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod and the shredded sheet is charged into the tobacco rod. That is, a "strand-type" tobacco filler may be used.
The width of the shredded tobacco is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less in consideration of ease of filling of the tobacco rod. The content of the tobacco filler in the tobacco rod is, in the case where the tobacco rod has a perimeter of 22 mm and a length of 20 mm, for example, 200 mg/rod portion or more and 800 mg/rod portion or less and is preferably 250 mg/rod portion or more and 600 mg/rod portion or less.
Various types of tobacco can be used as tobacco leaves for preparing the shredded tobacco or the homogenized sheet. Examples of the types of tobacco include Nicotiana tabacum species, such as a yellow species, a Burley species, an orient species, and a native species, Nicotiana rustic a species, and mixtures thereof. As for the mixtures, the above species can be blended with one another as needed such that an intended taste can be produced. Details of the above tobacco species are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Academic Studies Center, 2009.3.31". As a method for producing the homogenized sheet, that is, specifically, a method for pulverizing tobacco leaves and forming the pulverized tobacco leaves into a homogenized sheet, there are a plurality of methods known in the related art. A first example is a method in which a sheet is prepared using a papermaking process. A second example is a method in which an appropriate solvent, such as water, is mixed with pulverized tobacco leaves, the resulting mixture is homogenized, the homogenized material is cast on a metal plate or a metal plate belt to form a thin layer, and the thin layer is dried to form a cast sheet. A third example is a method in which an appropriate solvent, such as water, is mixed with pulverized tobacco leaves, the resulting mixture is homogenized, and the homogenized material is extrusion-molded into a sheet-like shape to form a rolled sheet. Details of types of the homogenized sheets are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Academic Studies Center, 2009.3.31".
The moisture content in the tobacco filler is, for example, 10% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less and is preferably 11% by weight or more and 13% by weight or less of the total amount of the tobacco filler. When the above moisture content falls within the above range, the staining of the wrapping paper is reduced and the machinability during the production of the tobacco rod is enhanced.
The size of the shredded tobacco included in the first tobacco filler and a method for preparing the shredded tobacco are not limited. For example, a material prepared by shredding dry tobacco leaves to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less may be used.
In the case where a material prepared by pulverizing a homogenized sheet is used, a material prepared by pulverizing dry tobacco leaves into particles having an average size of about 20 to 200 µm, homogenizing the particles, forming the homogenized material into a sheet-like shape, and shredding the resulting sheet to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less may be used.
The first tobacco filler may include an aerosol-source material that generates smoke aerosol. The type of the aerosol-source material is not limited; substances extracted from various natural products and/or components thereof can be selected in accordance with the intended application. Examples of the aerosol-source material include glycerine, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof.
The content of the aerosol-source material in the first tobacco filler is not limited. In order to generate aerosol in a sufficient manner and impart a good flavor, the above content is commonly 5% by weight or more and is preferably 10% by weight or more; and is commonly 50% by weight or less and is preferably 15% by weight or more and 25% by weight or less of the total amount of the tobacco filler.
The first tobacco filler may include a flavoring agent. The type of the flavoring agent is not limited. In order to impart a good flavor, the following flavoring agents may be used: acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, an alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, a star anise oil, an apple juice, a Peru balsam oil, a beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, a cardamom oil, a carob absolute, β-carotene, a carrot juice, L-carvone, β-caryophyllene, a cassia bark oil, a cedarwood oil, a celery seed oil, a chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, a citronella oil, DL-citronellol, a clary sage extract, cocoa, coffee, a cognac oil, a coriander oil, cuminaldehyde, a davana oil, δ-decalactone, γ-decalactone, decanoic acid, a dill herb oil, 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-cyclopentanedione, 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl lactate, ethyl laurate, ethyl levulinate, ethyl maltol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl phenylacetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl stearate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin glucoside, 2-ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, a fenugreek absolute, a genet absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, a grape juice, guaiacol, a guava extract, γ-heptalactone, γ-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, hexyl phenylacetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid lactone, 4-hydroay-4-(3-hydroay-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, an immortelle absolute, β-ionone, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl butyrate, isoamyl phenylacetate, isobutyl acetate, isobutyl phenylacetate, a jasmine absolute, kola nut tincture, a labdanum oil, lemon oil terpeneless, a glycyrrhiza extract, linalool, linalyl acetate, a lovage root oil, maltol, maple syrup, menthol, menthone, L-menthyl acetate, para-methoxy benzaldehyde, methyl-2-pyrrolyl ketone, methyl anthranilate, methyl phenylacetate, methyl salicylate, 4'-methylacetophenone, methylcyclopentenolone, 3-methylvaleric acid, a mimosa absolute, molasses, myristic acid, nerol, nerolidol, γ-nonalactone, a nutmeg oil, δ-octalactone, octanal, octanoic acid, an orange flower oil, an orange oil, an orris root oil, palmitic acid, ω-pentadecalactone, a peppermint oil, a petitgrain oil Paraguay, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, a plum extract, propenyl guaethol, propyl acetate, 3-propylidene phthalide, a prune juice, pyruvic acid, a raisin extract, a rose oil, rum, a sage oil, a sandalwood oil, a spearmint oil, a styrax absolute, a marigold oil, tea distillate, α-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, a thyme oil, a tomato extract, 2-tridecanone, triethyl citrate, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadienyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, γ-undecalactone, γ-valerolactone, a vanilla extract, vanillin, veratric aldehyde, a violet leaf absolute, N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide (WS-3), and ethyl-2-(p-menthane-3-carboxamide) acetate (WS-5). Menthol is particularly preferable. The above flavoring agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The content of the flavoring agent in the first tobacco filler is not limited. In order to impart a good flavor, the above content is commonly 10000 ppm or more, is preferably 20000 ppm or more, and is more preferably 25000 ppm or more. The above content is commonly 70000 ppm or less, is preferably 50000 ppm or less, is more preferably 40000 ppm or less, and is further preferably 33000 ppm or less.
The pack density of the first tobacco filler is not limited. In order to maintain the performance of the first non-combustion-heating-type tobacco at a certain level and impart a good flavor, the above pack density is commonly 250 mg/cm³ or more and is preferably 300 mg/cm³ or more. The above pack density is commonly 400 mg/cm³ or less and is preferably 350 mg/cm³ or less.
The tobacco rod portion 11 is prepared by wrapping the above-described first tobacco filler with a wrapping paper with the filler facing inward.

(2) Second Tobacco Filler

A second tobacco filler is constituted by tobacco sheets charged in a filled material that is to be filled with the filler. The number of the tobacco sheets may be one or two or more.
In the case where the second tobacco filler is constituted by one tobacco sheet, the tobacco sheet may be, for example, a tobacco sheet having a length that is substantially the same as the length of the filled material in the longitudinal direction and filled in the filled material while being folded a plurality of times in a direction horizontal to the longitudinal direction of the filled material, that is, a "gathered sheet". The above tobacco sheet may also be, for example, a tobacco sheet having a length that is substantially the same as the length of the filled material in the longitudinal direction and filled in the filled material while being wound in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the filled material.
In the case where the second tobacco filler is constituted by two or more tobacco sheets, the tobacco sheets may be, for example, a plurality of tobacco sheets having a length that is substantially the same as the length of the filled material in the longitudinal direction and filled in the filled material while being wound in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the filled material so as to be arranged concentrically.
Note that the expression "arranged concentrically" means that the tobacco sheets are arranged such that all of the centers of the tobacco sheets are substantially at the same position. The number of the tobacco sheets may be, for example, but not limited to, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
All of the two or more tobacco sheets may have the same composition or physical properties. Some or all of the tobacco sheets may have different compositions or physical properties. The thicknesses of the tobacco sheets may be equal to or different from one another.
The second tobacco filler can be produced by preparing a plurality of tobacco sheets having different widths, laminating the tobacco sheets on top of one another such that the widths of the tobacco sheets decreases in the direction from bottom to top to prepare a multilayer body, and passing the multilayer body through a winding tube to perform winding forming.
This production method enables the tobacco sheets to extend in the longitudinal direction and be arranged concentrically with the longitudinal direction axis being the center. Optionally, a fitting portion extending in the longitudinal direction may be formed between the longitudinal direction axis and the innermost tobacco sheet.
In this production method, it is preferable that the multilayer body be prepared such that a noncontact portion is formed between each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets subsequent to the winding forming. When a noncontact portion (gap) at which the tobacco sheets do no come into contact with one another is present between the tobacco sheets, the flow path through which a flavor passes can be maintained and the efficiency with which a flavor component is delivered can be increased. In addition, a high heat transfer efficiency can be achieved because the heat produced by a heater can be transferred to outer tobacco sheets through contact portions between the tobacco sheets.
For forming the noncontact portions, at which the tobacco sheets do not come into contact with one another, between the tobacco sheets, the multilayer body may be prepared by, for example, the following methods: a method in which embossed tobacco sheets are used, a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another without bonding the entire surfaces of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets to each other; a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another with parts of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets being bonded to each other; and a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another while the entirety or parts of the surfaces of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets being bonded to each other slightly such that they become detached subsequent to the winding forming.
In the case where a tobacco rod that includes the wrapping paper is prepared, the wrapping paper may be arranged at the bottommost portion of the multilayer body.
The fitting portion can also be formed by placing a tubular dummy, such as a mandrel, at the topmost portion of the multilayer body and removing the dummy after the second tobacco filler has been formed.
The pack density of the second tobacco filler is not limited. In order to maintain the performance of the tobacco product and impart a suitable flavor, the above pack density is commonly 250 mg/cm³ or more and is preferably 300 mg/cm³ or more. The above pack density is commonly 400 mg/cm³ or less and is preferably 350 mg/cm³ or less.
The content of the second tobacco filler in one filled material is not limited. In the case where the tobacco rod portion has a perimeter of 22 mm and a length of 20 mm, the above content is, for example, 200 mg/rod portion or more and 800 mg/rod portion or less and is preferably, for example, 250 mg/rod portion or more and 600 mg/rod portion or less.
The tobacco sheets may include an aerosol-source material that generates smoke aerosol upon being heated. An aerosol source, such as a polyol, such as glycerine, propylene glycol, or 1,3-butanediol, is added as an aerosol-source material. The amount of the aerosol-source material added is preferably 5% by weight or more and 50% by weight or less and is more preferably 15% by weight or more and 25% by weight or less of the dry weight of the tobacco sheet.
The tobacco sheets can be produced using a publicly known method, such as a papermaking method, a slurry method, or a rolling method, as needed. The homogenized sheet described in "First Tobacco Filler" above can also be used.
In the case where a papermaking method is used, the tobacco sheets can be produced by a method including the following steps: 1) grinding dry tobacco leaves and subsequently performing extraction using water to separate a water extract and a residue from each other, and 2) drying the water extract under reduced pressures to perform concentration, 3) adding pulp to the residue, then performing fibrillation with a refiner, and subsequently perform papermaking, and 4) adding the condensate of the water extract to the resulting paper sheet, which is then dried to form a tobacco sheet. In this case, a step of removing some of the components, such as nitrosamine, may be further conducted (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2004-510422 ).
In the case where a slurry method is used, the tobacco sheets can be produced by a method including the following steps: 1) mixing water, pulp, a binder, and ground tobacco leaves with one another, 2) stretching (casting) the resulting mixture into a thin film and drying the film. In this case, a step of irradiating the slurry including water, pulp, a binder, and ground tobacco leaves with ultraviolet radiation or an X-ray to remove some of the components, such as nitrosamine, may be further conducted.
Furthermore, as described in International Publication No. 2014/104078 , a nonwoven fabric-like tobacco sheet produced by a method including the following steps can also be used: 1) mixing powder-like tobacco leaves with a binding agent, 2) sandwiching the resulting mixture between nonwoven fabric sheets, and 3) forming the resulting multilayer body into a predetermined shape by thermal welding to produce a nonwoven fabric-like tobacco sheet.
The types of the tobacco leaves used as a raw material in the above methods may be the same as those described in the description of the first filler above.
The composition of the tobacco sheets is not limited. For example, the content of the tobacco raw material (tobacco leaves) is preferably 50% by weight or more and 95% by weight or less of the total weight of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheets may include a binder. Examples of the binder include a guar gum, a xanthan gum, CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose), and CMC-Na (sodium salt of carboxymethyl cellulose). The amount of the binder is preferably 1% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less of the total weight of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheets may further include another additive. Examples of the additive include a filler, such as pulp. In this embodiment, a plurality of tobacco sheets are used. All the tobacco sheets may have the same composition or the same physical properties. Some or all of the tobacco sheets may have different compositions or different physical properties.
The second tobacco filler can be produced by preparing a plurality of tobacco sheets having different widths, laminating the tobacco sheets on top of one another such that the widths of the tobacco sheets decreases in the direction from bottom to top to prepare a multilayer body, and passing the multilayer body through a winding tube to perform winding forming. This production method enables the tobacco sheets to extend in the longitudinal direction and be arranged concentrically with the longitudinal direction axis being the center. Optionally, a fitting portion extending in the longitudinal direction may be formed between the longitudinal direction axis and the innermost tobacco sheet.
In this production method, it is preferable that the multilayer body be prepared such that a noncontact portion is formed between each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets subsequent to the winding forming.
When a noncontact portion (gap) at which the tobacco sheets do no come into contact with one another is present between the tobacco sheets, the flow path through which a flavor passes can be maintained and the efficiency with which a flavor component is delivered can be increased. In addition, in the case where the tobacco product is used as an electric heating tobacco product, a high heat transfer efficiency can be achieved because the heat produced by a heater can be transferred to outer tobacco sheets through contact portions between the tobacco sheets.
For forming the noncontact portions, at which the tobacco sheets do not come into contact with one another, between the tobacco sheets, the multilayer body may be prepared by, for example, the following methods: a method in which embossed tobacco sheets are used, a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another without bonding the entire surfaces of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets to each other; a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another with parts of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets being bonded to each other; and a method in which the tobacco sheets are laminated on top of one another while the entirety or parts of the surfaces of each pair of the adjacent tobacco sheets being bonded to each other slightly such that they become detached subsequent to the winding forming.
In the case where a tobacco rod portion that includes the wrapping paper is prepared, the wrapping paper may be arranged at the bottommost portion of the multilayer body.
The fitting portion can also be formed by placing a tubular dummy, such as a mandrel, at the topmost portion of the multilayer body and removing the dummy after the second tobacco filler has been formed.
The thickness of each of the tobacco sheets are not limited. In consideration of the balance between heat transfer efficiency and strength, the above thickness is preferably 150 µm or more and 1000 µm or less and is more preferably 200 µm or more and 600 µm or less. The thicknesses of the tobacco sheets may be the same as or different from one another.
The number of the tobacco sheets constituting the second tobacco filler is, for example, but not limited to, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.

(3) Third Tobacco Filler

A third tobacco filler is composed of tobacco granules.
Examples of raw materials constituting the third tobacco filler include, but are not limited to, (a) a pulverized tobacco material, (b) moisture, (c) at least one pH-controlling agent selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate, and (d) at least one binder selected from the group consisting of pullulan and hydroxypropyl cellulose.
Examples of the pulverized tobacco material (component (a)) included in the third tobacco filler include pulverized tobacco leaves and a pulverized tobacco sheet. The type of tobacco may be a Burley species, a yellow species, or an orient species. The tobacco material is preferably pulverized to a size of 200 µm or more and 300 µm or less.
The content of the pulverized tobacco material in a mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler is commonly 20% by weight or more and 80% by weight or less.
The moisture (component (b)) included in the third tobacco filler maintains the unity of the tobacco granules.
The content of the moisture in a mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler is commonly 3% by weight or more and 13% by weight or less. Commonly, the third tobacco filler may include moisture such that the weight loss on drying is 5% by weight or more and 17% by weight. Note that the term "weight loss on drying" refers to the change in the weight of a part of the sample taken for the measurement which occurs while the sample is completely dried by causing all the moisture included in the sample to evaporate (e.g., drying for 15 minutes at a constant temperature (105°C)). Specifically, the term "weight loss on drying" refers to the ratio (% by weight) of the total amount of the moisture included in the sample and the volatile component included in the sample, which volatilizes under the above drying conditions, to the weight of the sample. That is, the weight loss on drying (% by weight) can be represented by the following formula. $\begin{array}{l} Weight loss on drying (% by weight) = \\ \{(Weight of sample before complete drying) - (Weight of sample after complete drying)\} \times 100 / Weight of sample \\ before complete drying \end{array}$
The pH-controlling agent (component (c)) included in the third tobacco filler is composed of potassium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or a mixture thereof. The pH-controlling agent adjusts the pH of the third tobacco filler to shift to alkaline, thereby accelerates the release of the flavor component included in the third tobacco filler from the tobacco granules, and produces a flavor that may satisfy the user.
The content of the pH-controlling agent in the mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler may be commonly 5% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less.
The binder (component (d)) included in the third tobacco filler causes the tobacco granule components to bind to one another and thereby maintains the unity of the tobacco granules. The binder is composed of pullulan, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), or a mixture thereof.
The content of the binder in the mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler may be, commonly, 0.5% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less.
The third tobacco filler, which may be composed of the components (a), (b), (c), and (d) above, may further include an additional component.
Examples of the additional component include an aerosol-source material (component (e)). The aerosol-source material is a material that generates smoke aerosol. The aerosol-source material is composed of a polyhydric alcohol. Examples of the polyhydric alcohol include glycerine, propylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol. The above polyhydric alcohols can be used alone or in combination of two or more.
In the case where the mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler includes the aerosol-source material, the content of the aerosol-source material may be 5% to 15% by weight.
Examples of the additional component further include (f) a flavor material (solid or liquid) other than the flavor component. Examples of such a flavor material include sugar (e.g., sucrose or fructose), a cocoa powder, a carob powder, a coriander powder, a licorice powder, an orange peel powder, a rose hip powder, a chamomile flower (flower) powder, a lemon verbena powder, a peppermint powder, a leaf powder, a spearmint powder, a black tea powder, and menthol. The above flavor materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
The content of the flavor material in the mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler may be, commonly, 0.5% by weight or more and 30% by weight or less. The flavor material may be added to the components (a), (b), (c), and (d) by being directly kneaded with these components. The flavor material may also be added to the above components by supporting the flavor material on a publicly known inclusion host compound, such as cyclodextrin, to form an inclusion compound and kneading the inclusion compound with the above components.
In the case where the third tobacco filler is composed of the components (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), the content of the component (a) in the mixture of the raw materials of the third tobacco filler may be, commonly, about 33% by weight or more (and about 90% by weight or less).
The third tobacco filler can be produced by mixing the components (a), (c), and (d) and, as needed, the components (e) and (f) with one another, adding the component (b) to the resulting mixture, then kneading the mixture, granulating the kneaded material into particles (long pillar-shaped) with a wet extrusion granulation machine, and subsequently forming the particles into a short pillar-like or spherical shape. The average size (D50) of the resulting tobacco granules is commonly 0.2 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less, is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less, and is more preferably 0.2 mm or more and 0.8 mm or less.
In the extrusion granulation, it is preferable that the kneaded material be extruded at a pressure of 2 kN or more and ambient temperature. As a result of the extrusion performed at high pressures, the temperature of the kneaded material instantaneously and rapidly increases from ambient temperature to, for example, 90°C to 100°C at the outlet of the extrusion granulation machine and the amount of moisture and volatile component reduces by 2% by weight or more and 4% by weight or less as a result of evaporation. Therefore, the water used for preparing the kneaded material is set to be larger than the amount of moisture that is intended to be included in the tobacco granules, which is the final product, by an amount equal to the amount of the evaporation.
The tobacco granules prepared by the extrusion granulation may be further dried as needed for moisture control. For example, in the case where the weight loss on drying of tobacco granules prepared by the extrusion granulation is higher than the intended weight loss on drying (e.g., 5% by weight or more and 17% by weight or less), the tobacco granules may be further dried in order to achieve the intended weight loss on drying. The drying conditions (temperature and time) necessary for achieving the intended weight loss on drying can be set on the basis of predetermined drying conditions (temperature and time) necessary for reducing the weight loss on drying by a predetermined value.
The third tobacco filler may be composed only of the tobacco granules described above. The third tobacco filler may further include an additional tobacco material other than the tobacco granules. The additional tobacco material is commonly shredded tobacco leaves or a fine powder of tobacco leaves. The additional tobacco material can be used in combination with tobacco granules in the form of a mixture.

(Wrapping Paper)

The wrapping paper is not limited, and a common wrapping paper may be employed. Examples of the wrapping paper include a wrapping paper that includes pulp as a principal component. The wrapping paper may be a wrapping paper made of a wood pulp, such as a conifer wood pulp or a broadleaf wood pulp, or a wrapping paper made of pulp mixture further including a nonwood pulp commonly used for producing wrapping paper for tobacco products, such as a flax pulp, a cannabis pulp, a sisal hemp pulp, or an esparto pulp.
Examples of the pulp that can be used include a chemical pulp, a ground pulp, a chemiground pulp, or a thermomechanical pulp, which are produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, sodium salt cooking, or the like.
A wrapping paper is produced with a fourdrinier paper machine, a cylinder paper machine, a cylinder-tanmo hybrid paper machine, or the like using the pulp. In the papermaking step, the formation is arranged and homogenization is performed. As needed, a wet strength agent may be added to impart water resistance to the wrapping paper. In another case, a sizing agent may be added to adjust the manner in which printing is performed on the wrapping paper. Furthermore, aluminum sulfate, various anionic, cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic internal agents for papermaking, such as a yield improver, a freeness improver, and a strength agent, and papermaking additives, such as a dye, a pH-controlling agent, an antifoaming agent, a pitch-controlling agent, and a slime-controlling agent, can also be added.
The basis weight of the base paper for the wrapping paper is, for example, commonly 20 gsm or more and is preferably 25 gsm or more. The above basis weight is commonly 65 gsm or less, is preferably 50 gsm or less, and is further preferably 45 gsm or less.
The thickness of the wrapping paper having the above properties is not limited. In consideration of stiffness, air permeability, and ease of control during papermaking, the above thickness is commonly 10 µm or more, is preferably 20 µm or more, and is more preferably 30 µm or more. The above thickness is commonly 100 µm or less, is preferably 75 µm or less, and is more preferably 50 µm or less.
Examples of the shape of the wrapping paper included in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco include square and rectangular.
In the case where the wrapping paper is used for wrapping the tobacco filler (for preparing the tobacco rod portion), the length of a side of the wrapping paper is, for example, about 12 to 70 mm. The length of the other side is, for example, 15 to 28 mm, is preferably 22 to 24 mm, and is further preferably about 23 mm. When the tobacco filler is wrapped with the wrapping paper to form a pillar-shaped body, for example, an edge portion of the wrapping paper which extends about 2 mm from one of the edges of the wrapping paper in the w-direction is bonded to the other edge portion with a glue such that they overlap each other. As a result, the wrapping paper is formed into a pillar-like paper tube, in which the tobacco filler is filled. The size of the rectangular wrapping paper can be determined in accordance with the size of the final tobacco rod portion 11.
In the case where the wrapping paper is wrapped around the tobacco rod portion 11 and another member arranged adjacent to the tobacco rod portion 11 such that they are connected to each other like a tipping paper, the length of a side of the wrapping paper is, for example, 20 to 60 mm. The length of the other side is, for example, 15 to 28 mm.
The wrapping paper may include a filler in addition to the above pulp. The content of the filler is, for example, 10% by weight or more and less than 60% by weight and is preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less of the total weight of the wrapping paper.
The content of the filler in the wrapping paper is preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less when the basis weight falls within the preferable range (25 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less).
When the basis weight is 25 gsm or more and 35 gsm or less, the above filler content is preferably 15% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less. When the basis weight is more than 35 gsm and 45 gsm or less, the above filler content is preferably 25% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less.
Examples of the filler include calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and kaolin. For example, in order to enhance a flavor and brightness, calcium carbonate is preferably used.
Various agents may be added to the wrapping paper in addition to the base paper and the filler. For example, a water resistance improver may be added in order to enhance water resistance. Examples of the water resistance improver include a wet strength agent (WS agent) and a sizing agent. Examples of the wet strength agent include a urea formaldehyde resin, a melamine formaldehyde resin, and polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE). Examples of the sizing agent include a rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenylsuccinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of saponification of 90% or more.
A strength agent may be added as an agent. Examples of the strength agent include polyacrylamide, a cationic starch, an oxidized starch, CMC, a polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In particular, it is known that the use of a trace amount of oxidized starch enhances air permeability ( Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-218699 ).
The wrapping paper may be coated as needed.
A coating agent may be applied onto at least one of the two surfaces, that is, the front and rear surfaces, of the wrapping paper. The coating agent is not limited. It is preferable to use a coating agent capable of forming a film on the surface of the paper and thereby reducing the permeability of the paper to liquids. Examples thereof include alginic acid and salts thereof (e.g., sodium salt), polysaccharides, such as pectin, cellulose derivatives, such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitro cellulose, and starch and derivatives thereof (e.g., ether derivatives, such as a carboxymethyl starch, a hydroxyalkyl starch, and a cationic starch, and ester derivatives, such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenylsuccinate).

[Tipping Paper]

The tipping paper 15 is not limited and may be a common one, such as paper including pulp as a principal component. The paper may be paper made of a wood pulp, such as a conifer wood pulp or a broadleaf wood pulp, or paper made of pulp mixture further including nonwood pulp commonly used for producing wrapping paper for tobacco items, such as a flax pulp, a cannabis pulp, a sisal hemp pulp, or an esparto pulp. The above pulp materials may be used alone. Alternatively, a plurality of types of pulp materials may be used in combination at any ratio.
The tipping paper 15 may be constituted by one sheet or a plurality of sheets.
Examples of the pulp materials that can be used include a chemical pulp, a ground pulp, a chemiground pulp, and a thermomechanical pulp, which are produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, sodium salt cooking, or the like.
The tipping paper 15 may be either a tipping paper produced by the production method described below or a commercial tipping paper.
The shape of the tipping paper 15 is not limited. The tipping paper 15 may be, for example, square or rectangle.
The basis weight of the tipping paper 15 is commonly, but not limited to, 32 gsm or more and 40 gsm or less, is preferably 33 gsm or more and 39 gsm or less, and is more preferably 34 gsm or more and 38 gsm or less.
The thickness of the tipping paper 15 is commonly, but not limited to, 20 µm or more and 140 µm or less, is preferably 30 µm or more and 130 µm or less, and is more preferably 30 µm or more and 120 µm or less.
The air permeability of the tipping paper 15 is commonly, but not limited to, 0 CORESTA unit or more and 30000 CORESTA unit or less and is preferably 0 CORESTA unit or more and 10000 CORESTA unit or less. The term "air permeability" used in the present specification refers to a value measured in conformity with ISO 2965:2009. Air permeability is expressed as an amount (cm³) of gas that passes through an area of 1 cm² per minute when a pressure difference between the surfaces of the paper is 1 kPa. Note that 1 CORESTA unit (1 C.U.) is cm³/(min·cm²) at 1 kPa.
The tipping paper 15 may contain a filler in addition to the above pulp. Examples thereof include metal carbonates, such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, metal oxides, such as titanium oxide, titanium dioxide, and aluminum oxide, metal sulfates, such as barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, metal sulfides, such as zinc sulfide, quartz, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, and gypsum. In order to enhance brightness and opacity and increase heating rate, it is particularly preferable that tipping paper 15 include calcium carbonate. The above fillers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
Various agents may be added to the tipping paper 15 in addition to the above pulp and the above filler. For example, the tipping paper 15 may include a water resistance improver in order to enhance. Examples of the water resistance improver include a wet strength agent (WS agent) and a sizing agent. Examples of the wet strength agent include a urea formaldehyde resin, a melamine formaldehyde resin, and polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE). Examples of the sizing agent include a rosin soap, an alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenylsuccinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of saponification of 90% or more.
A coating agent may be added onto at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the tipping paper 15. The coating agent is not limited and is preferably a coating agent with which a film can be formed on the surface of the paper and which thereby reduces liquid permeability.

[Method for Producing Non-Combustion-Heating-Type Tobacco]

The method for producing the above-described non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is not limited; publicly known methods may be used. For example, the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco can be produced by wrapping the tipping paper around the tobacco rod portion and the mouthpiece portion.

An electric heating tobacco product according to another embodiment of the present invention (also referred to simply as "electric heating tobacco product") is an electric heating tobacco product constituted by an electric heating device including a heater member, a battery unit that serves as a power source for the heater member, and a control unit that controls the heater member and the above-described non-combustion-heating-type tobacco inserted in the electric heating device so as to come into contact with the heater member.
The electric heating tobacco product may be an electric heating tobacco product that heats the outer circumferential surface of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 as illustrated in Fig. 3 or an electric heating tobacco product that heats the inside of the tobacco rod portion 11 of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Note that, although air introduction holes are formed in the electric heating devices 20 illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, they are not illustrated in the drawings. An electric heating tobacco product 30 is described below with reference to Fig. 4. In the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos 10 illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, reference numerals that denote the components illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 are partially omitted.
When an electric heating tobacco product 30 is used, the above-described non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is inserted into an electric heating device 20 so as to come into contact with a heater member 21 disposed in the electric heating device 20.
The electric heating device 20 includes a body 24 formed of a resin or the like and a battery unit 22 and a control unit 23 that are disposed inside the body 24.
When the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is inserted into the electric heating device 20, the outer circumferential surface of the tobacco rod portion 11 is brought into contact with the heater member 21 of the electric heating device 20 and, subsequently, the entirety of the outer circumferential surface of the tobacco rod portion 11 and a part of the outer circumferential surface of the tipping paper are brought into contact with the heater member 21.
The heater member 21 of the electric heating device 20 produces heat due to the control performed by the control unit 23. As a result of the heat transferring to the tobacco rod portion 11 of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10, the aerosol-source material, flavor component, and the like included in the tobacco filler of the tobacco rod portion 11 become volatilized.
The heater member 21 may be, for example, a sheet-like heater, a tabular heater, or a tubular heater. The sheet-like heater is a flexible, sheet-shaped heater. Examples thereof include a heater including a film (thickness: about 20 to 225 µm) formed of a heat-resistant polymer, such as polyimide. The tabular heater is a stiff, flat sheet-shaped heater (thickness: about 200 to 500 µm). Examples thereof include a heater that includes, for example, a flat-sheet substrate and a resistance circuit disposed on the substrate, the resistance circuit serving as a heat-producing portion. The tubular heater is a hollow or solid tube-shaped heater (thickness: about 200 to 500 µm). Examples thereof include a heater that includes, for example, a cylinder made of a metal or the like and a resistance circuit formed on the outer periphery of the cylinder, the resistance circuit serving as a heat-producing portion. Examples of the tubular heater further include rod-shaped and cone-shaped heaters made of a metal or the like which include an internal resistance circuit that serves as a heat-producing portion. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular heater may be, for example, a circular shape, an oval shape, a polygonal shape, or the shape of a polygon with rounded corners.
In the case where the electric heating tobacco product is an electric heating tobacco product that heats the outer circumferential surface of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 as illustrated in Fig. 3, the sheet-like heater, the tabular heater, and the tubular heater can be used. In the case where the electric heating tobacco product is an electric heating tobacco product that heats the inside of the tobacco rod portion 11 included in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 as illustrated in Fig. 4, the tabular heater, the pillar-shaped heater, and the cone-shaped heater can be used.
The length of the heater member 21 in the longitudinal direction may fall within the range of L ± 5.0 mm, where L [mm] represents the length of the tobacco rod portion 11 in the longitudinal direction. In order to transfer heat to the tobacco rod portion 11 in a sufficient manner and cause the aerosol-source material, flavor component, and the like included in the tobacco filler to volatilize to a sufficient degree, that is, in consideration of aerosol delivery, the length of the heater member 21 in the longitudinal direction is preferably L mm or more. In order to reduce the generation of components that adversely affect the flavor and the like, the above length is preferably L + 0.5 mm or less, L + 1.0 mm or less, L + 1.5 mm or less, L + 2.0 mm or less, L + 2.5 mm or less, L + 3.0 mm or less, L + 3.5 mm or less, L + 4.0 mm or less, L + 4.5 mm or less, or L + 5.0 mm or less.
The heating intensity, such as the amount of heating time during which the heater member 21 heats the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 and the heating temperature at which the heater member 21 heats the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10, can be predetermined for each electric heating tobacco product 30. For example, the heating intensity can be predetermined such that, after the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 has been inserted into the electric heating device 20, preheating is performed for a predetermined period of time to increase the temperature of the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 which is inserted in the electric heating device 20 to X(°C) and the temperature is subsequently maintained to be a certain temperature equal to or less than X(°C).
The temperature X(°C) is preferably 80°C or more and 400°C or less in consideration of the amount of the delivered components generated by heating or the like. Specifically, the temperature X(°C) can be 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C, 190°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 230°C, 240°C, 250°C, 260°C, 270°C, 280°C, 290°C, 300°C, 310°C, 320°C, 330°C, 340°C, 350°C, 360°C, 370°C, 380°C, 390°C, or400°C.
A vapor including components derived from the aerosol-source material, components derived from the flavor component, etc. which are generated from the tobacco rod portion 11 as a result of heating performed by the heater member 21 is delivered into the oral cavity of the user through the mouthpiece portion 14, which is constituted by the cooling segment 12, the filter segment 13, etc.
In order to facilitate the entry of outside air and reduce the likelihood of the components generated by heating and air being retained inside the cooling segment 12, the perforations V formed in the cooling segment 12 are preferably present at a position closer to the mouthpiece end than the mouthpiece end-side end (the position denoted by the arrow X in the drawing) of a region of the cooling segment 12 which comes into contact with the electric heating device 20, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The insertion opening of the electric heating device 20 through which the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 is inserted into the electric heating device 20 may be tapered as illustrated in Fig. 6 in order to make it easy to insert the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco 10 into the electric heating device 20. In this case, the mouthpiece end-side end of a region of the cooling segment 12 which comes into contact with the electric heating device 20 is the position denoted by the arrow Y in the drawing. In the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos 10 illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, reference numerals that denote the components illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 are partially omitted.

EXAMPLES

The present invention is described further specifically with reference to Examples below. The present invention is not limited by the following description of Examples without departing from the summary thereof.

[Example 1]

As a tobacco filler, a mixture of 15 g/100 g of glycerine, 4 g/100 g of propylene glycol, and shredded sheet tobacco was prepared. Using a high-speed wrapping machine, the tobacco filler was wrapped with a wrapping paper (produced by Nippon Paper Papylia Co., Ltd., basis weight: 35 g/m², thickness: 52 µm).
The weight of shreds per stick was 1.02 g. The perimeter of the stick was 22 mm. The length of the stick was 80 mm.
For each standard, 200 wrapped tobacco rod portions were charged into a plastic closed container and stored.
The stored tobacco rod portions were cut to a length of 20 mm. Subsequently, the tobacco rod portion, a paper tube having a length of 20 mm, a center hole segment (5.8Y35000) having a length of 6 mm with a hollow hole (diameter: 4.5 mm), and two filter segments, that is, a filter having a length of 7 mm which was filled with cellulose acetate fibers and which included active carbon dispersed in the cellulose acetate fibers in a substantially homogeneous manner and a filter having the same length as the above filter which was composed of cellulose acetate fibers, were wrapped with the tipping paper prepared above. Hereby, a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco having no perforations was prepared. Then, 17 holes were formed concentrically at positions 5.5 mm from the boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment (25.5 mm from the mouthpiece end of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco) toward the cooling segment in the circumferential direction of the cooling segment so as to penetrate both tipping paper and the cooling segment. Hereby, perforations were formed, and a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco of Example 1 was prepared. The amount of the active carbon added to the filter element was adjusted such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 59.7 m²/cm². Specifically, 25 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 10 mm). The specific surface area of the active carbon added was 1350 m²/g. The pore volume of the active carbon added was 0.71 mL/g.
The diameter of the perforations was adjusted such that the proportion of the air taken in through the perforations when inhalation was performed at 17.5 ml/sec with a single-port automated smoking machine produced by Borgwaldt was 72% by volume. The above air inflow proportion was measured in conformity with ISO9512. In all of Examples and Comparative Examples described below, the diameter of the perforations was adjusted such that the above air inflow proportion was 72% by volume.

[Comparative Example 1]

A non-combustion-heating-type tobacco of Comparative Example 1 was prepared using the same method as in Example 1, except that active carbon was not added to the filter element.

[Comparative Example 2]

A non-combustion-heating-type tobacco of Comparative Example 2 was prepared using the same method as in Example 1, except that the amount of the active carbon added to the filter element was changed such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 12.0 m²/cm² (3.5 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 7 mm)).

[Comparative Example 3]

A non-combustion-heating-type tobacco of Comparative Example 3 was prepared using the same method as in Example 1, except that the amount of the active carbon added to the filter element was changed such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 83.6 m²/cm² (24.5 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 7 mm)).

[Comparative Example 4]

A non-combustion-heating-type tobacco of Comparative Example 4 was prepared using the same method as in Example 1, except that the amount of the active carbon added to the filter element was changed such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 107.4 m²/cm² (31.5 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 7 mm)).

Each of the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 was subjected to a smoking test in order to evaluate the amounts of the delivered components generated by heating.
The smoking test was conducted under the following conditions in accordance with Canadian Intense Smoking (CIR).
Using an electric heating device capable of peripheral heating, after the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco had been inserted into the electric heating device, the heater temperature was increased to 295°C within 21 seconds and then reduced to 260°C within 5 seconds. Subsequently, the temperature was maintained at 260°C until the evaluation was completed (for about 330 seconds). Then, in the smoking test, automated smoking was performed using a single-port automated smoking machine produced by Borgwaldt at a flow rate of 55 cc/2 sec and smoking intervals of 30 sec. In this test, the positions of the perforations formed in the cooling segment were adjusted to be 25.5 mm from the mouthpiece end-side end of the region of the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco which came into contact with the electric heating device. The mainstream smoke generated in the smoking test was collected with a Cambridge pad. After a puff action had been performed 12 times, the Cambridge pad was removed and extraction was performed with 10 mL of ethanol. The amounts of the components included in the mainstream smoke which were taken by the puff actions were measured by GC-MS.
Figs. 7 to 9 illustrate the amounts of the components, that is, nicotine, glycerine, and propylene glycol, included in the mainstream smoke generated from each of the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos prepared in Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 which were obtained by the above measurement.
The results illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 confirm that the amounts of nicotine, glycerine, and propylene glycol delivered from the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos prepared in Examples 1 and 2, where the amount of the active carbon added to the filter element was adjusted such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 0 to 59.7 m²/cm² (0 to 17.5 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 7 mm)), were at sufficient levels. In contrast, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 where active carbon was added such that the surface area of active carbon per unit cross-sectional area was 83.6 to 107.4 m²/cm² (24.5 or 31.5 mg of active carbon was added to the filter element (length: 7 mm)), the amounts of the nicotine and propylene glycol delivered were not at sufficient levels.

In addition to the non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, non-combustion-heating-type tobaccos of Examples 2 to 4 which were prepared by adjusting the amount of the active carbon added as described in Table 1 were inserted into commercial electric heating devices and used by panelists. Evaluations were made in terms of sense of discomfort, sense of tobacco flavor, and smell of charcoal which were sensed by the panelists. The number of the panelists was ten, and the average score thereof was used for the evaluations. The evaluation was made on a five-point scale, that is, 1: Adversely working, 2: Slightly adversely working, 3: No change, 4: Slightly advantageously working, 5: Advantageously working. Table 1 lists the results. Note that the ten panelists had been sufficiently trained using several types of samples. It was confirmed that the scores of "sense of discomfort", "sense of tobacco flavor", and "smell of charcoal" and the threshold values used for the evaluations were substantially the same and unified among the panelists. Note that the scores of the items were rounded to the nearest integer.

[Table 1]

Samples	Amount added		Sense of discomfort	Sense of tobacco flavor	Smell of charcoal	Total
Samples	[mg/cig.]	Specific surface area per unit cross-sectional area (m²/cm²)	Sense of discomfort	Sense of tobacco flavor	Smell of charcoal	Total
Comparative example 1	0	0	3	3	3	9
Comparative example 2	3.5	12.0	3	3	3	9
Example 2	5.0	17.1	4	3	3	10
Example 3	10.0	34.1	4	3	3	10
Example 1	17.5	59.7	5	3	3	11
Example 4	21.5	73.3	5	3	2	10
Comparative example 3	24.5	83.6	5	2	1	8
Comparative example 4	31.5	107.4	5	1	1	7

The results listed in Table 1 confirm that, in Examples 1 to 4, suitable results were obtained in the sensory evaluations compared with Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and an intended flavor sense could be delivered to the user.
The results of the above test confirm that, according to the present invention, in the present invention, a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco and an electric heating tobacco product that enable an intended amount of the components generated by heating to be delivered to the user and that enable an intended flavor sense to be given to the user can be provided.

Reference Signs List

10: non-combustion-heating-type tobacco
11: tobacco rod portion
12: cooling segment
13: filter segment
13a: filter element that includes active carbon
13b: filter element that does not include active carbon
14: mouthpiece portion
15: tipping paper
V: perforation
20: electric heating device
21: heater member
22: battery unit
23: control unit
24: body
30: electric heating tobacco product

Claims

A rod-shaped non-combustion-heating-type tobacco comprising a tobacco rod portion and a mouthpiece portion, wherein
the mouthpiece portion comprises a cooling segment and a filter segment comprising a filter element, the tobacco rod portion and the cooling segment are arranged adjacent to each other, the filter element comprises active carbon, and an amount of the active carbon comprised in the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco is adjusted such that a value represented by Formula (1) below is 15.0 m²/cm² or more and 80.0 m²/cm² or less. $\begin{array}{l} BET specific surface area of active carbon \times Weight of active carbon / Area of cross section of filter element taken in \\ direction perpendicular to airflow direction \end{array}$
The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to claim 1, wherein the cooling segment has perforations formed therein, the perforations being arranged concentrically in a circumferential direction of the cooling segment, and the perforations are present at a position 4 mm or more and 7 mm or less from a boundary between the cooling segment and the filter segment toward the cooling segment.
The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter segment comprises a center hole segment having one or a plurality of hollow portions and a filter element.
The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the active carbon has a BET specific surface area of 1100 m²/g or more and 1600 m²/g or less.
The non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to claim 4, wherein an amount of the active carbon comprised per unit length of the filter element in an airflow direction is 5 mg/cm or more and 50 mg/cm or less.
An electric heating tobacco product comprising an electric heating device, the electric heating device comprising a heater member, a battery unit serving as a power source for the heater member, and a control unit that controls the heater member, and the non-combustion-heating-type tobacco according to any one of claims 1 to 5 inserted therein so as to come into contact with the heater member.