Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/10—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/12—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of reconstituted tobacco
  • A24B15/14—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of reconstituted tobacco made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/10—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/12—Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes of reconstituted tobacco
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B15/00—Chemical features or treatment of tobacco; Tobacco substitutes, e.g. in liquid form
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/28—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances
  • A24B15/30—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by chemical substances by organic substances
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
  • A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
  • A24B3/14—Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
  • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
  • A24C5/01—Making cigarettes for simulated smoking devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D1/00—Cigars; Cigarettes
  • A24D1/20—Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices

Definitions

• the present invention relates to tobacco filler, a flavor inhaler, and a method for producing tobacco filler.
• flavor is obtained by burning a tobacco-containing segment comprising a leaf tobacco-containing tobacco filler.
• Heat-not-burn flavor inhalers with which flavor is experienced by heating instead of burning the tobacco-containing segment, have been proposed as an alternative to combusted flavor inhalers.
• the heating temperature of heat-not-burn flavor inhalers which is about 400 or less, is lower than the burning temperature of combusted flavor inhalers.
• an aerosol-generating agent such as glycerol is added to the tobacco filler in heat-not-burn flavor inhalers to enhance smoke volume.
• the aerosol-generating agent is evaporated by heating to generate an aerosol.
• the aerosol is supplied to the user along with the tobacco component, thus allowing the user to experience enough flavor.
• tobacco filler filled with a tobacco sheet instead of leaf tobacco are usually used as tobacco filler to allow the tobacco filler to include a sufficient amount of an aerosol-generating agent.
• Sugars selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and mixtures thereof, or amino acids (three amino acids) selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, and mixtures thereof, are also sometimes added to the tobacco filler.
• tobacco sheets are useful as tobacco filler in terms of allowing a sufficient amount of an aerosol-generating agent to be included, but production costs are likely to be higher because more labor and time are required during tobacco sheet production.
• percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio the ratio of the percent by mass of three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids included in tobacco filler
• an object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco filler that allows the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied in the form of a tobacco sheet.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco filler that allows flavor to be controlled according to product features, in addition to allowing the percent by mass of three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied.
• the tobacco filler of the present invention allows the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied in the form of a tobacco sheet.
• the tobacco filler of the present invention also allows flavor to be controlled according to product features, in addition to allowing the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied.
• the tobacco filler, flavor inhaler, and method for producing tobacco filler of the present application are described below.
• the tobacco filler of the present invention comprises:
• the ratio of the percent by mass of the three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of the three amino acids (percent by mass of three saccharides/percent by mass of three amino acids) included in the first tobacco sheet is 50 or more, preferably 50 to 120, more preferably 50 to 100, and ideally 50 to 80, or can be 60 or more or 70 or more, based on the first tobacco sheet in its entirety.
• the three saccharides included in the first tobacco sheet are selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and mixtures thereof; glucose, fructose, or mixtures thereof, are particularly preferred.
• saccharides refer to all saccharides that are chemically or enzymatically chemically degraded and that have a reducing terminal.
• the three saccharides included in the first tobacco sheet can be saccharides derived from, for example, tobacco leaf (tobacco sheet raw material), externally added saccharides, or combinations thereof. Combining tobacco sheet raw material-derived saccharides and externally added saccharides from among these will allow the amount of the three saccharides included in the first tobacco sheet to be set to a relatively high value.
• the content of the three saccharides included in the first tobacco sheet, based on the first tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 30% by mass, more preferably 7 to 25% by mass, and ideally 9 to 20% by mass.
• the three saccharide content can be determined based on the procedure and method described in the (Determination of Three Amino Acid and Three Saccharide Content) section in [Example 1].
• the first tobacco sheet comprises three amino acids selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, and mixtures thereof.
• the first tobacco sheet can comprise amino acids other than aspartic acid, glutamic acid, or asparagine, where alanine, proline, serine, threonine, and mixtures thereof can be used as such other amino acids.
• the three amino acids included in the first tobacco sheet can be combined with amino acids derived from, for example, tobacco leaf (the tobacco sheet raw material), externally added three amino acids, or combinations thereof.
• the content of the three amino acids included in the first tobacco sheet, based on the first tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.12 to 0.80% by mass, more preferably 0.12 to 0.60% by mass, and ideally 0.15 to 0.50% by mass.
• the three amino acid content can be determined based on the procedure and method described in the (Determination of Three Amino Acid and Three Saccharide Content) section in [Example 1].
• the first tobacco sheet can further comprise malic acid.
• the content of the malic acid included in the first tobacco sheet, based on the first tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 8% by mass, more preferably 2 to 7% by mass, and ideally 3 to 6% by mass. Ensuring that the content of the malic acid is within the above numerical range will make it possible to minimize disagreeable sensations compromising aroma and taste in the mouth.
• the first tobacco sheet can further comprise an aerosol-generating agent.
• the aerosol-generating agent can be, but is not particularly limited to, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol; triacetin; 1,3-butanediol; or mixtures of two or more thereof.
• a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol
• triacetin 1,3-butanediol
• 1,3-butanediol or mixtures of two or more thereof.
• the content of the aerosol-generating agent included in the first tobacco sheet, based on the first tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and ideally 10 to 20% by mass. Ensuring that the content of the aerosol-generating agent is within the above numerical range can ensure enough aerosol for non-combusted smoking.
• the ratio of the percent by mass of the three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of the three amino acids (percent by mass of three saccharides/percent by mass of three amino acids) included in the second tobacco sheet is 20 or less, preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1 to 15, and ideally 1 to 10, or can be 3 to 20 or 5 to 20, based on the second tobacco sheet in its entirety.
• the compounds described in the (First Tobacco Sheet) section above can be used as the three saccharides included in the second tobacco sheet.
• the three saccharides included in the second tobacco sheet can be saccharides derived from, for example, tobacco leaf (tobacco sheet raw material), externally added saccharides, or combinations thereof. Using tobacco sheet raw material-derived saccharides from among these will allow the amount of the three saccharides included in the second tobacco sheet to be set to a lower value than in the first tobacco sheet.
• the content of the three saccharides included in the second tobacco sheet, based on the second tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0 to 15% by mass, more preferably 1 to 10% by mass, and ideally 1 to 7% by mass.
• the three saccharide content can be determined based on the procedure and method described in the (Determination of Three Amino Acid and Three Saccharide Content) section in [Example 1].
• the compounds described in the (First Tobacco Sheet) section above can be used as the three amino acids included in the second tobacco sheet.
• the second tobacco sheet can comprise amino acids other than aspartic acid, glutamic acid, or asparagine, where alanine, proline, serine, threonine, and mixtures thereof can be used as such other amino acids.
• the three amino acids included in the second tobacco sheet can be combined with amino acids derived from, for example, tobacco leaf (the tobacco sheet raw material), externally added three amino acids, or combinations thereof.
• the content of the three amino acids included in the second tobacco sheet, based on the second tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 to 2.0% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 1.8% by mass, and ideally 0.3 to 1.5% by mass.
• the three amino acid content can be determined based on the procedure and method described in the (Determination of Three Amino Acid and Three Saccharide Content) section in [Example 1].
• the second tobacco sheet can further comprise malic acid.
• the content of the malic acid included in the second tobacco sheet, based on the second tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 8% by mass, more preferably 2 to 7% by mass, and ideally 3 to 6% by mass. Ensuring that the content of the malic acid is within the above numerical range will make it possible to minimize disagreeable sensations compromising aroma and taste in the mouth.
• the second tobacco sheet can further comprise an aerosol-generating agent.
• the aerosol-generating agent is not particularly limited, but the compounds described in the (First Tobacco Sheet) section noted above can be used.
• the content of the aerosol-generating agent included in the second tobacco sheet, based on the second tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and ideally 10 to 20% by mass. Ensuring that the content of the aerosol-generating agent is within the above numerical range can ensure enough aerosol for non-combusted smoking.
• the first tobacco sheet or second tobacco sheet can furthermore include, in addition to the components noted above, an antioxidant or inulin, for example, or combinations of two or more thereof.
• an antioxidant and inulin can minimize TSNA or disagreeable sensations compromising aroma and taste.
• the first tobacco sheet or second tobacco sheet can be obtained by molding a composition comprising aged tobacco leaf into the form of a sheet.
• aged tobacco leaf used in the tobacco sheet, but aged tobacco leaf which has been destemmed and separated into lamina and midrib may be cited, for example.
• a "sheet” as referred to in the present specification means a shape having a pair of substantially parallel main faces and a side face.
• the tobacco leaf serving as the raw material of the first tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but flue-cured tobacco, air-cured tobacco, sun-cured tobacco, fire-cured tobacco, or combinations of two or more thereof can be used. Of these, flue-cured tobacco and sun-cured tobacco are preferred. The use of flue-cured tobacco and sun-cured tobacco will ensure that enough tobacco-derived sugars are contained, resulting in a mellow sweetness.
• the tobacco leaf serving as the raw material of the second tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but flue-cured tobacco, air-cured tobacco, sun-cured tobacco, fire-cured tobacco, or combinations of two or more thereof can be used. Of these, flue-cured tobacco and air-cured tobacco are preferred. The use of flue-cured tobacco and air-cured tobacco will ensure that enough tobacco-derived amino acids are contained, resulting in a roasty aroma.
• the method for molding the first tobacco sheet or second tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but fine tobacco powder, nicotine, a flavor development aid, and a binder, for example, as well as an aerosol-generating agent and flavoring as needed, can be mixed, water can be added to the mixture to knead the materials, and the resulting kneaded product can be molded by a known method such as a sheet-forming method, casting method, or rolling method. Details on various types of tobacco sheets molded by such methods are disclosed in " Dictionary of Tobacco, Tobacco Academic Studies Center, March 31, 2009 ".
• tobacco leaf is a generic term for harvested tobacco leaves before they have been aged.
• One mode of ageing includes curing.
• aged tobacco leaf refers to tobacco leaves that have been aged but that have not yet been processed into the various forms that are used in tobacco products (such as cut tobacco, tobacco sheets, and tobacco granules).
• processed tobacco leaf refers to aged tobacco leaves that have been processed into the various forms that are used in tobacco products.
• An example of an embodiment of processed tobacco leaf used in tobacco products is a "tobacco sheet” that is obtained as follows: a composition comprising aged tobacco leaf that has been ground to a predetermined diameter (referred to below as “fine tobacco powder”) is molded into the form of a sheet.
• the tobacco filler can comprise a first tobacco sheet and a second tobacco sheet, or can consist of a first tobacco sheet and a second tobacco sheet.
• the first tobacco sheet can consist of a single first tobacco sheet or a combination of a plurality of first tobacco sheets.
• the second tobacco sheet can consist of a single second tobacco sheet or a combination of a plurality of second tobacco sheets.
• first and second tobacco sheets having different ratios of the percent by mass of three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids can be used, and the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets can be varied, as appropriate.
• the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets can be easily varied in the production step, thus allowing the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio in the tobacco filler to be varied in a more flexible manner.
• Including first and second tobacco sheets in the tobacco filler can further enhance flavor while minimizing sensations compromising aroma and taste as compared with tobacco filler in which only a first tobacco sheet is used and the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio of the tobacco filler as a whole is about the same.
• the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets in the tobacco filler is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5:95 to 95:5, more preferably 10:90 to 90:10, even more preferably 20:80 to 80:20, and ideally 40:60 to 60:40. Ensuring that the mass ratio of the first tobacco sheet and second tobacco sheet is within the above numerical range will result in good sweetness and a roasty smoke flavor.
• the ratio of the percent by mass of three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15 to 50, more preferably 15 and 45, and ideally 20 to 40 are preferred. Ensuring that the ratio of the percent by mass of three saccharides relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids, based on the tobacco filler in its entirety, is within the above numerical range will result in good sweetness and a roasty smoke flavor.
• the content of the three saccharides (total of glucose, fructose, and sucrose) included in the tobacco sheet, based on the tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 25% by mass, more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, and ideally 7 to 15% by mass.
• the content of three saccharides included in the tobacco filler can be calculated based on the content of three saccharides included in the first tobacco sheet, the content of three saccharides included in the second tobacco sheet, and the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets in the tobacco filler.
• a three saccharide content less than 5% by mass may result in too strong of a physiological sensation compromising aroma and taste in the mouth, making the aerosol disagreeable.
• a three saccharide content more than 25% by mass may result in an acidic aerosol, making the aerosol disagreeable.
• the content of the three amino acids (total of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and asparagine) included in the tobacco sheet, based on the tobacco sheet in its entirety, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 to 1.5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 1.0% by mass, and ideally 0.1 to 0.8% by mass.
• the content of three amino acid included in the tobacco filler can be calculated based on the content of three amino acids included in the first tobacco sheet, the content of three amino acids included in the second tobacco sheet, and the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets in the tobacco filler.
• the tobacco filler can further comprise malic acid.
• the content of the malic acid included in the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 8% by mass, more preferably 2 to 7% by mass, and ideally 3 to 6% by mass. Ensuring that the content of the malic acid is within the above numerical range will make it possible to minimize disagreeable sensations compromising aroma and taste in the mouth.
• the tobacco filler can further comprise an aerosol-generating agent.
• the aerosol-generating agent is not particularly limited, but the compounds described in the (First Tobacco Sheet) section noted above can be used.
• the content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and ideally 10 to 20% by mass.
• the content of the aerosol-generating agent included in the tobacco filler can be calculated based on the content of the aerosol-generating agent included in the first tobacco sheet, the content of the aerosol-generating agent includeed in the second tobacco sheet, and the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets in the tobacco filler.
• Tobacco filler refers to processed tobacco leaves that are used in a predetermined form to fill an object that is being filled.
• the "object to be filled” is a part of a tobacco product that is filled with the processed tobacco leaf.
• objects to be filled include, but are not limited to, cylindrically rolled wrapping paper, and containers having an air inlet and outlet.
• Examples of embodiments in which objects to be filled are filled with processed tobacco include, but are not particularly limited to: embodiments in which filling is accomplished by wrapping the processed tobacco leaf inside wrapping paper (also referred to below as “tobacco rod”) or embodiments in which the air inlet and outlet of a container are filled with the processed tobacco leaf (also referred to below as “tobacco cartridge”).
• tobacco filler composed of a tobacco sheet (first tobacco sheet and/or second tobacco sheet) used to fill an object to be filled can be used as the tobacco filler.
• the method for producing tobacco filler described in the "1. Tobacco Filler" section above in the present invention comprises the step of combining the first tobacco sheet and the second tobacco sheet.
• the components described in the (1. Tobacco Sheet) section above can be used as the components of the above tobacco filler, above first tobacco sheet, and above second tobacco sheet.
• the method for producing the tobacco filler can furthermore comprise the step of preparing the first tobacco sheet and the second tobacco sheet.
• the flavor inhaler of the present invention comprises the tobacco filler described in the "1. Tobacco Filler" section above.
• flavor inhalers examples include flavor inhalers with which users taste flavors via inhalation, and smokeless cigarettes (smokeless smoking articles) with which users taste flavors, with the product held directly in the oral or nasal cavities.
• Flavor inhalers can be broadly divided into combusted smoking articles, such as conventional cigarettes, and heat-not-burn smoking articles.
• Examples of combusted flavor inhalers include cigarettes, pipes, kiserus (Japanese smoking pipes), cigars, and cigarillos.
• Heat-not-burn flavor inhalers may be heated by a heating device that is separate from the product, or by a heating device that is integrated with the product.
• the heat-not-burn flavor inhaler and the heating device are collectively referred to as a "heat-not-burn smoking system.”
• An example of a heat-not-burn smoking system is described below with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 .
• Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a heat-not-burn flavor inhaler 20.
• the heat-not-burn flavor inhaler 20 (referred to below simply as “flavor inhaler 20") has a cylindrical shape.
• the length of the flavor inhaler 20 is preferably 16 mm to 27 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 26 mm, and even more preferably 21 mm to 25 mm.
• the total length (horizontal length) of the flavor inhaler 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 mm to 90 mm, more preferably 50 mm to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 mm to 60 mm.
• the flavor inhaler 20 consists of a smoking segment 20A and a filter portion 20C constituting the mouthpiece, which are connected by a connecting portion 20B.
• the smoking segment 20A is cylindrical, the total length (axial length) of which is, for example, preferably 5 to 100 mm, more preferably 10 to 50 mm, and even more preferably 10 to 25 mm.
• the shape of the cross-section of the smoking segment 20A is not particularly limited, but can be circular, elliptical, or polygonal, for example.
• the smoking segment 20A has: a smoking composition sheet (tobacco sheet) 21 or material derived therefrom (tobacco filler); and a wrapper 22 wrapped therearound.
• the smoking composition sheet 21 (or material derived therefrom) may contain flavoring.
• the filter portion 20C is cylindrical.
• the filter portion 20C has a rod-shaped first segment 25 that is made by being filled with cellulose acetate fibers, and a rod-shaped second segment 26 that is similarly made by being filled with cellulose acetate fibers.
• the first segment 25 is located on the smoking segment 20A side.
• the first segment 25 may have a hollow portion.
• the second segment 26 is located on the mouthpiece side.
• the second segment 26 is solid.
• the first segment 25 is composed of a first filling layer (cellulose acetate fibers) 25a and an inner plug wrapper 25b that is wrapped around the first filling layer 25a.
• the second segment 26 consists of a second filling layer (cellulose acetate fibers) 26a and an inner plug wrapper 26b that is wrapped around the second filling layer 26a.
• the first and second segments 25 and 26 are connected by an outer plug wrapper 27.
• the outer plug wrapper 27 is adhered to the first segment 25 and second segment 26 by a vinyl acetate
• the length of the filter portion 20C can be 10 to 30 mm, for example, the length of the connecting portion 20B can be 10 to 30 mm, for example, the length of the first segment 25 can be 5 to 15 mm, for example, and the length of the second segment 26 can be 5 to 15 mm, for example.
• the lengths of these individual segments are examples, and can be modified, as appropriate, depending on, for example, the manufacturability, the required quality, and the length of the smoking segment 20A.
• the first segment 25 (centre hole segment) is composed of the first filling layer 25a having one or more hollow portions, and the inner plug wrapper 25b that covers the first filling layer 25a.
• the first segment 25 has the function of increasing the strength of the second segment 26.
• the first filling layer 25a of the first segment 25 is, for example, densely filled with cellulose acetate fibers. To the cellulose acetate fibers are added and cured a triacetin-containing plasticizer, in an amount of 6 to 20% by mass, for example, relative to the mass of the cellulose acetate.
• the hollow portion of the first segment 25 may, for example, have an inner diameter of ⁇ 1.0 to ⁇ 5.0 mm.
• the first filling layer 25a of the first segment 25 may, for example, be configured with a relatively high fiber filling density, or may be the same as the fiber filling density of the second filling layer 26a of the second segment 26 described below.
• the first filling layer 25a of the first segment 25 may, for example, be configured with a relatively high fiber filling density, or may be the same as the fiber filling density of the second filling layer 26a of the second segment 26 described below.
• the length of the second segment 26 can be shortened, for example, to allow the first segment 25 to be lengthened accordingly.
• the first filling layer 25a of the first segment 25 is a fiber filled layer, and the user therefore will not feel any discomfort when touching the outside during use.
• the second segment 26 is composed of the second filling layer 26a and an inner plug wrapper 26b that covers the second filling layer 26a.
• the second segment 26 (filter segment) is filled with cellulose acetate fibers in a commonly used density, and has a commonly used aerosol filtration capacity.
• the filtration capacity for filtering the aerosol (mainstream smoke) released from the smoking segment 20A may differ between the first segment 25 and the second segment 26. At least one of the first segment 25 or the second segment 26 may comprise flavouring.
• the filter portion 20C may have any structure, and may be a structure having a plurality of segments as described above, or may be composed of a single segment. The filter portion 20C may be composed of one segment. In such cases, the filter portion 20C may be composed of either the first segment or the second segment.
• the connecting portion 20B is cylindrical.
• the connecting portion 20B has a paper tube 23 that is cylindrically formed using cardboard, for example.
• the connecting portion 20B may be filled with a cooling member for cooling the aerosol.
• cooling members includes a sheet of a polymer such as polylactic acid, which can be folded and filled.
• a support that prevents the position of the smoking segment 20A from moving around may furthermore be provided between the smoking segment 20A and the connecting portion 20B.
• the support can be composed of known materials such as a centre hole filter of the kind in the first segment 25.
• a wrapper 28 is cylindrically wrapped around the outside of the smoking segment 20A, connecting portion 20B, and filter portion 20C to integrally join these parts.
• One surface (the inner surface) of the wrapper 28 is coated with a vinyl acetate-emulsion-based adhesive, over the entire surface or substantially the entire surface, except near the ventilation holes 24.
• a plurality of ventilation holes 24 are externally formed by a laser process after the smoking segment 20A, connecting portion 20B, and filter portion 20C have been integrated by the wrapper 28.
• the ventilation holes 24 comprise two or more through-holes that pass through the connecting portion 20B in the thicknesswise direction.
• the two or more through-holes are formed so as to be radially arranged, as viewed along a line extending through the central axis of the flavor inhaler 20.
• the ventilation holes 24 are provided in the connecting portion 20B, but may be provided in the filter portion 20C.
• the two or more through-holes of the ventilation holes 24 are provided in a single row at a constant interval in a circular pattern, but may be provided in two rows at a constant interval in a circular pattern, where the one or two rows of the ventilation holes 24 may be provided discontinuously or irregularly.
• FIG. 2 An example of a heat-not-burn smoking system is shown in Fig. 2 .
• the heat-not-burn smoking system comprises a heat-not-burn flavor inhaler 20 and a heating device (heater) 10 which heats the smoking segment 20A from the outside.
• the heating device 10 comprises: a body 11, a heater 12, a metal tube 13, a battery unit 14, and a control unit 15.
• the body 11 has a tubular recess 16, where the heater 12 and metal tube 13 are disposed at positions facing the smoking segment 20A inserted therein.
• the heater 12 can be a heater employing electrical resistance, where heating by the heater 12 is effected by the supply of electrical power from the battery unit 14 per commands from the control unit 15, which controls the temperature. Heat emitted from the heater 12 is transferred through the highly thermoconductive metal tube 13 to the smoking segment 20A.
• the figure depicts an embodiment in which the heating device 10 heats the smoking segment 20A from the outside, but the segment may also be heated from the inside.
• the heating temperature of the heating device 10 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 400°C or below, more preferably 150 to 400°C, and even more preferably 200 to 350°C.
• the heating temperature refers to the temperature of the heater of the heating device 10.
• the method of heating using the heating device 10 is not particularly limited, and induction heating or microwave heating, for example, can be employed in addition to heating by the heater noted above.
• the tobacco raw material was 100 g of flue-cured tobacco leaf (saccharides: 18.7% by mass; amino acids: 0.37% by mass). To 100 g of the tobacco raw material were added and mixed 8 g of wood pulp, 8 g of carboxymethyl cellulose, 20 g of glycerol, 12.5 g of 80% fructose solution, and 400 g of water, forming a slurry. The resulting slurry was used to produce tobacco sheets based on a known casting method.
• the tobacco raw material was a mixture of 60 g of flue-cured tobacco leaf (saccharides: 12.8% by mass; amino acids: 0.62% by mass) and 40 g air-cured tobacco leaf (saccharides: 0.1% by mass; amino acids: 0.78% by mass).
• To 100 g of the resulting tobacco raw material were added and mixed 8 g of wood pulp, 8 g of carboxymethyl cellulose, 20 g of glycerol, and 400 g of water, forming a slurry.
• the resulting slurry was used to produce tobacco sheets based on a known casting method.
• the tobacco raw material was 100 g of flue-cured tobacco leaf (saccharides: 12.8% by mass; amino acids: 0.42% by mass). To 100 g of the tobacco raw material were added and mixed 8 g of wood pulp, 8 g of carboxymethyl cellulose, 20 g of glycerol, and 400 g of water, forming a slurry. The resulting slurry was used to produce tobacco sheets based on a known casting method.
• the following procedures and methods of measurement were used to determine the mass (g) of three amino acids (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and asparagine) and of three saccharides (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) in each of the first through third tobacco sheets obtained in the manner described above, and to calculate the content (percent by mass) of three amino acids and three saccharides in each sheet.
• the content (percent by mass) of three amino acids and three saccharides thus calculated was used as the basis to calculate the ratio of the percent by mass of three saccharides (total of glucose, fructose, and sucrose) relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids (total of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and asparagine) in each tobacco sheet (percent by mass three saccharides/percent by mass three amino acids).
• each tobacco sheet (first through third tobacco sheets) were placed in a bench-top spin dryer (rotary dryer) and dried for 3 hours at 80 ⁇ 1°C, and the moisture content W (percent by weight) of each tobacco sheet was determined based on the reduction in weight.
• each tobacco sheet (first through third tobacco sheets) were placed in a bench-top spin dryer (rotary dryer) and dried for 3 hours at 80 ⁇ 1°C, and the moisture content W (percent by weight) of each tobacco sheet was determined based on the reduction in weight.
• the percent by mass of each saccharide in the tobacco sheets was calculated on a dry weight basis using the following equation (2), and these were totaled to calculate the percent by mass of total three saccharides (glucose, fructoes, and sucrose).
• Table 1 First tobacco sheet Second tobacco sheet Third tobacco sheet Three amino acid percent by mass Aspartic acid 0.046 0.122 0.040 Glutamic acid 0.024 0.063 0.032 Asparagine 0.157 0.277 0.246 Total 0.227 0.462 0.318 Three saccharide percent by mass Fructose 13.01 2.04 5.67 Glucose 3.09 1.21 3.32 Sucrose 0.95 - 0.78 Total 17.05 3.25 9.77 Percent by mass three saccharides/percent by mass three amino acids 75.1 7.0 30.7 *Dash marks in Table 1 mean "not calculated.”
• the first and second tobacco sheets were mixed in the mixing ratios shown in Table 2, resulting in the three saccharide content and three amino acid content shown in Table 2, and rolling papers (wrappers) were filled therewith to obtain the tobacco fillers (280 mg) of Examples 1 though 5. Rolling papers (wrappers) were also filled with first through third tobacco sheets to obtain the tobacco fillers (280 mg) of Comparative Examples 1 though 3.
• the ratio of the percent by mass of three saccharides (total of glucose, fructose, and sucrose) relative to the percent by mass of three amino acids (total of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and asparagine) in the fillers of each tobacco sheet in Examples 1 through 5 and Comparative Examples 1 through 3 (percent by mass three saccharides/percent by mass three amino acids) could be calculated, as shown in Table 2.
• Example 1 100 17.05 0.227 75.1 Comparative Example 2 100 3.25 0.462 7.0 Comparative Example 3 100 9.77 0.318 30.7 Example 1 20 80 6.31 0.415 15.2 Example 2 30 70 7.84 0.392 20.0 Example 3 50 50 10.90 0.345 31.6 Example 4 70 30 13.96 0.298 46.9 Example 5 80 20 15.49 0.274 56.5
• Tobacco filler has conventionally been produced using a single tobacco sheet that has a predetermined three saccharide content, as in Comparative Examples 1 through 3 above, thus making it necessary to produce the individual tobacco sheets on a case-by-case basis according to the three saccharide content of each product when product features are enhanced by varying the content of three saccharides included in the tobacco filler. It has thus been difficult, in terms of labor and productions costs, to flexibly vary the three saccharide content to enhance product features.
• the tobacco fillers of Examples 1 through 5 and Comparative Examples 1 through 3 obtained as described above were used as smoking segments (tobacco segments) to prepare the heat-not-burn flavor inhaler shown in Fig. 1 .
• Each of the resulting heat-not-burn flavor inhalers was then installed in the heat-not-burn smoking system shown in Fig. 2 .
• the flavor inhalers thus prepared were assessed for flavor, as well as for sensation compromising aroma and taste by ten well-trained panelists.
• the flavor, as well as sensation compromising aroma and taste, of the flavor inhalers were assessed by calculating the average rating of 10 panelists whose assessments were based on 10 ranked criteria, from 1 (little, weak) to 10 (a lot, strong). Average values to the first decimal place were rounded off at the first decimal place to calculate the scores.
• Flavor indicates total heated flavor obtained on the basis of the sugar-amino acid reaction noted above, and sensation compromising aroma and taste indicates the total extent to which total flavor is compromised by sensation compromising aroma and taste.
• Flavor (X) and sensation compromising aroma and taste (Y) were assessed, overall assessment (X-Y) was calculated, and an overall assessment score of 1 point or more was established as the acceptable range.
• Table 3 show that, in terms of flavor as well as sensation compromising aroma and taste, the tobacco filler of Examples 1 through 5 were assessed as being better than Comparative Examples 1 through 3.
• the results for overall assessment of the tobacco filler of Examples 1 through 5 were higher than those of Comparative examples 1 through 3, indicating that flavor can be enhanced while minimizing sensation compromising aroma and taste.
• the three amino acid content, three saccharide content, and percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio of the tobacco sheet of Example 3 and of the tobacco sheet of Comparative example 3 were similar, but the overall assessment of the tobacco sheet of Example 3 was far higher than that of the tobacco sheet of Comparative Example 3.
• Comparison of the results of Examples 1 through 5 also revealed that the tobacco sheet of Example 3, in which the mass ratio of the first and second tobacco sheets was 50:50, had a particularly exceptional overall assessment.
• the tobacco filler of Comparative Example 1 had weak flavor, a strong sensation compromising aroma and taste, and the tobacco filler of Comparative Example 2 had a strong flavor but a strong sensation compromising aroma and taste.
• the tobacco filler of the present invention allows the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied in the form of a tobacco sheet.
• the tobacco filler of the present invention also allows flavor to be controlled according to product features, in addition to allowing the percent by mass three saccharide/percent by mass three amino acid ratio to be flexibly varied.

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• 2022
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