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
  • 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
  • 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
  • A24B15/18—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
  • A24B15/24—Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes by extraction; Tobacco extracts

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an aerosol-generating sheet.
• Aerosol-generating sheets serve as a flavor source in smoking articles.
• PTL 1 and 2 disclose aerosol-generating sheets in which a tobacco extract is used as the tobacco-derived material.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient method for producing an aerosol-generating sheet.
• the inventors solved the problem by ensuring that the liquid-solid ratio, defined as "the weight of water in a mixture/weight of non-water ingredients in the mixture" is at least a predetermined value. Specifically, the above problem is solved by the following invention:
• the present invention allows a more efficient method for producing an aerosol generating sheet to be provided.
• the range "X-Y" includes X and Y as the end values.
• Dry weight is the weight excluding the weight of water.
• the method for producing an aerosol-generating sheet containing a tobacco extract E and other ingredient(s) B in one embodiment comprises: (1) a step of preparing a mixture that contains the tobacco extract E and other ingredient(s) B at a specific liquid-solid ratio; and (2) a step of obtaining a sheet from the mixture.
• Step (1) Step for preparing mixture
• a mixture that comprises a tobacco extract E and other ingredient(s) B and that satisfies the following relationship is prepared.
• Liquid ⁇ solid ratio weight of water in mixture / weight of non ⁇ water ingredients in mixture ⁇ 3
• the sheet will be difficult to prepare if the liquid-solid ratio is less than 3. On the other hand, too high of an upper limit will result in a sheet containing less of the active ingredients.
• the upper limit of the liquid-solid ratio is preferably 8 or less, and more preferably 5 or less. Mixtures having a liquid-solid ratio within this range can be provided to the sheet-producing process without being concentrated. Loss of flavor components can therefore be curtailed. Substances that are liquids at ambient temperature are also present in "non-water ingredients in the mixture," but the liquid-solid ratio is defined as noted above for the sake of convenience in the present disclosure.
• the type of sheet that is obtained will vary, depending on the amounts of the ingredients included in the mixture.
• the liquid-solid ratio is preferably 3 to 5, for example, in types where the tobacco extract E dry weight in the mixture is greater than the aerosol source dry weight (also referred to below as "tobacco-rich types"). In these types, the tobacco extract E dry weight/mixture dry weight ratio is preferably 15 to 50% by weight.
• the liquid-solid ratio is also preferably 3 to 5 in types where the aerosol source dry weight in the mixture is greater than the tobacco extract E dry weight (also referred to below as "aerosol source-rich types"). In these types, the aerosol source dry weight/mixture dry weight ratio is preferably 40 to 60% by weight.
• the tobacco extract E is a flavoring or mixture that is extracted from tobacco.
• the tobacco extract can be prepared by known methods.
• media used for extraction include water or hydrophilic organic solvents such as alcohol.
• the medium is water (this embodiment is also referred to as “water extraction"), and in another embodiment, the medium is a media mixture of water and alcohol (this embodiment is also referred to as "solvent extraction").
• alcohols include polyhydric alcohols, such as propylene glycol and glycerol, and monoalcohols, such as ethanol.
• the alcohol is preferably an aerosol source noted below.
• Examples of methods of extraction include: 1) methods in which a tobacco raw material is extracted using a medium to obtain a tobacco extract; 2) methods in which a medium is added to a tobacco raw material, the mixture is heated, and the vapor that is generated is collected; and 3) methods in which a heat-vaporized medium is allowed to pass through a tobacco raw material, and the vapor that has passed through is collected.
• water extraction is preferred in the interests of workability, for example.
• Solvent extraction is preferred in the methods of 2) and 3) in the interests of work efficiency. Acids or alkalis can also be used, as needed, for extraction.
• the liquid containing the tobacco extract E and medium that is obtained via extraction is called the tobacco extract liquid L.
• Raw materials of the Nicotiana genus such as Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica, can be used as the tobacco raw material.
• Nicotiana tabacum examples include varieties such as Burley tobacco and yellow tobacco.
• Oriental tobacco or Burley tobacco which is an indigenous species of the Nicotiana genus may also be used.
• the tobacco raw material may be a shredded or powdered tobacco raw material (also referred to below as "raw material pieces").
• the particle size of the raw material pieces is preferably 0.5 to 1.18 mm.
• Such raw material pieces are obtained via sifting in accordance with JIS Z 8815 using a stainless steel sieve per JIS Z 8801, for example. For example, 1) raw material pieces are sifted over a 20-minute period by means of drying and mechanical shaking using a stainless steel sieve having 1.18 mm openings to obtain raw material pieces that pass through the stainless sieve having 1.18 mm openings.
• the moisture content of the tobacco raw material is not limited but is preferably about 5 to 30% by weight in the interests of efficient flavor component extraction.
• the moisture content of the tobacco raw material can be determined by a known method; for example, the moisture content can be defined as the weight loss that has occurred at the point in time when a 1 g sample has been heated to 105°C and is heated until the rate of change in weight is no greater than 1 mg/min. This can be determined, for example, using a moisture analyzer having a halogen heat source (such as MB45, by OHAUS CORPORATION).
• Non-wood fiber is fiber that is not derived from wood, and is preferably fiber other than tobacco fiber. Tobacco fiber is unlikely to make the sheet stronger, and may result in a harsh taste. Dietary fiber is preferred as the non-wood fiber. Dietary fiber is a dietary component that is indigestible by human digestive enzymes, and is more preferably water-insoluble dietary fiber. The dietary fiber may be porous, specifically, may be sponge-like. Porous fiber can increase the surface area of the sheet for a smoking article, and can enhance the thermal conductivity of the sheet. The fiber is preferably citrus fiber, because it is readily available, for example. Citrus fiber is primarily composed of the mesocarp of citrus fruits.
• Dietary fiber may also be short fiber or columnar particles that have a small aspect ratio. Citrus fiber is particularly preferred because it can be used in small amounts to make the sheet stronger.
• the moisture content of the non-wood fiber can be determined by a known method, and can be determined, for example, in the same manner as the moisture content of the tobacco raw material. In one aspect, the non-wood fiber dry weight/mixture dry weight ratio is 10 to 40% by weight or 10 to 30% by weight.
• Wood fiber can be used as the other ingredient(s).
• wood fiber examples include softwood pulp, Vitacel FL400, and Vitacel L600/30 (both by J. Rettenmaier & Sohne GmbH).
• the moisture content of the wood fiber is determined in order to decide how much wood fiber should be blended so as to satisfy the above relationship.
• the moisture content of the wood fiber can be determined by a known method, and can be determined. for example, in the same manner as the moisture content of the tobacco raw material.
• the wood fiber dry weight mixture dry weight ratio is 1 to 10% by weight.
• the wood fiber content is preferably lower than the non-wood fiber content.
• a binder can be used as the other ingredient(s).
• binders include carboxyalkyl cellulose and guar gum.
• the moisture content of the binder is determined in order to decide how much binder should be blended so as to satisfy the above relationship.
• the moisture content of the binder can be determined by a known method, and can be determined, for example, in the same manner as the moisture content of the tobacco raw material.
• the binder dry weight/mixture dry weight ratio is 1 to 10% by weight.
• flavoring examples include, but are not limited to, menthols, and any of the following can be used.
• the amount of flavoring may also be a known amount. These examples of flavoring may be used alone, or in combinations of two or more.
• Step (1) preferably comprises the following steps (1-1) through (1-4).
• the tobacco raw material is preliminarily extracted with water, and the extraction rate a defined by the following equation (1) is determined.
• Extraction rate a Ed tobacco extract E dry weight / Td tobacco raw material dry weight
• Dry weight is the weight excluding water.
• Ed tobacco extract E dry weight
• Ed tobacco extract E dry weight
• Extraction can be effected by a known method.
• the extraction temperature is not limited, but is preferably 60 to 100°C, and more preferably 70 to 90°C, in the interests of smoking flavor.
• the extraction time is preferably 20 to 40 minutes.
• factor X relating to the weight of water used for further extraction is determined based on equation (I).
• X is defined as Ew (weight of water in tobacco extract liquid L)/Td (tobacco raw material dry weight). Specifically, X is the ratio of the weight of the water used for extraction relative to the dry weight of the tobacco raw material.
• Bw is the total weight of water in all ingredients B in the mixture obtained in step 1-4.
• All ingredients B means all ingredients other than the tobacco extract, and refers, for example, to the total of the aerosol source and fiber, etc.
• Bd is the total dry weight of all ingredients B in the mixture obtained in step 1-4. Bw and Bd are obtained by analyzing the ingredients by known methods.
• t is defined as the proportion of tobacco extract liquid used: Ed/(Ed + Bd). Specifically, t is the [tobacco extract E dry weight/mixture dry weight] in the mixture obtained in step 1-4.
• Equation (I) is derived as follows.
• the liquid-solid ratio (R) the weight of the water in the mixture/the weight of non-water ingredients in the mixture, and can therefore be transformed as follows.
• the tobacco raw material is extracted using water in an amount that satisfies X above to obtain a tobacco extract liquid
• the conditions of the extraction are the same as those of the preliminary extraction.
• the tobacco extract liquid obtained in step (1-3) is mixed with other ingredient(s) to prepare a mixture that satisfies equation (I), specifically, that has the desired liquid-solid ratio R.
• Step (1) preferably comprises the following steps (1-1') through (1-4').
• the tobacco raw material is preliminarily extracted with a solvent mixture, and the extraction rate a' defined by the following equation (1') is determined.
• Extraction rate a ′ Ed tobacco extract E dry weight / Td tobacco raw material dry weight
• Ed (the tobacco extract E dry weight) is thus the weight of the tobacco extract liquid L' obtained via extraction minus the weight of the water and alcohol. Extraction can be effected as noted in the water extraction above.
• factor X relating to the weight of water in the solvent mixture used for further solvent mixture extraction is determined based on equation (I').
• Liquid - solid ratio X / a ′ ⁇ t + Bw / Bd ⁇ 1 ⁇ t
• X is defined as Ew (weight of water in tobacco extract liquid L')/Td (tobacco raw material dry weight). Specifically, X is the ratio of the weight of the water used in the solvent extraction relative to the dry weight of the tobacco raw material.
• Bw is the total weight of water in all ingredients B in the mixture obtained in step 1-4'.
• Bd is the total dry weight of all ingredients B in the mixture obtained in step 1-4'.
• the dry weight of the alcohol used in the solvent extraction is include in Bd.
• t is defined as the proportion of tobacco extract liquid used in solvent extraction: Ed/(Ed + Bd).
• Equation (1') is derived as follows in the same manner as in equation (I).
• This step can be carried out in the same manner as step (1-4).
• the mixture used in a casting method can be prepared by a known method, but is preferably prepared by a method comprising the following steps:

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• 2023
  • 2023-03-06 EP EP23926206.6A patent/EP4678016A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-03-06 KR KR1020257032523A patent/KR20250152107A/ko active Pending
  • 2023-03-06 JP JP2025504926A patent/JPWO2024184992A1/ja active Pending
  • 2023-03-06 CN CN202380094972.9A patent/CN120693075A/zh active Pending
  • 2023-03-06 WO PCT/JP2023/008265 patent/WO2024184992A1/ja not_active Ceased

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