JP2021516536A - Aerosol-producing articles and equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-producing article and an apparatus, and more specifically, in an aerosol-producing article including a medium portion and a filter portion, the filter portion includes a cooling filter filled with a particle-type cooling material, and the particle-type cooling material is included. Relates to aerosol-producing articles having an average length in the longitudinal direction of 1.0 to 6.0 mm. The aerosol-producing article not only has excellent filtration and cooling effects, but can also simplify the manufacturing process and improve productivity and economy.

Description

This application claims the benefit of priority under Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0056287 dated May 17, 2018, and all the contents disclosed in the literature of the relevant Korean patent application are part of this specification. Included as a part.

The present invention relates to aerosol-producing articles and devices.

Generally, tobacco refers to a perennial plant of the order Dicotyledonous plants, Solanaceae, but recently, tobacco leaves are wrapped with cigarettes, and a filter part is configured on one side to refer to products manufactured for the purpose of smoking. Thousands of such cigarettes are sold in various forms and forms around the world.

Of these, combustion-type tobacco that is ignited and smoked, such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco, contains many components such as tar, nitroamine, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide in addition to aerosols that contain nicotine in the smoke. It has been.

As an alternative to compensating for these shortcomings of combustion-type tobacco, a method of producing an aerosol by heating an aerosol-producing substance in the cigarette is widely used instead of a method of burning the cigarette to generate an aerosol. And the demand for this is increasing. As a result, research on heat-not-burn tobacco or heat-not-burn aerosol generators is being actively conducted.

Specifically, the aerosol generator has a form similar to that of conventional combustion-type cigarettes, and the aerosol-producing substance in the heated cigarette is heated through a method such as a heater or ultrasonic vibration to generate mainstream smoke containing aerosol. As it produces, it has the advantage of being able to minimize the emission of components such as aerosols while serving to satisfy the smoker's desire to smoke, forming a new market to replace regular burning cigarettes. There is.

However, in spite of these advantages, in the case of an aerosol generator, the mainstream smoke generated is not sufficiently vaporized, which provides a feeling of satisfaction to the smoker when a large amount of liquid substances such as water are contained. It was not possible, and various techniques were proposed to solve this.

As an example, Korean Registered Patent No. 1011453 relates to a cartridge constituting an electronic cigarette and is provided with a liquid separating part having a structure capable of maximizing the contact area with the inflowing smoke, so that the liquid component is effectively removed. By doing so, it is disclosed that the usability of smokers can be improved.

In addition, Korean Publication No. 2016-0112769 is equipped with a steam revaporization heater near the gas extraction port to remove water and moisture contained in the aerosol and satisfy the demands of smokers and non-smokers at the same time. It discloses what can be done.

In addition, Korean Publication No. 2014-0135173 provides a sheet material containing a plurality of channels extending in the vertical direction in a heated cigarette with a cooling member to condense water vapor in an aerosol generated. It discloses that smoking satisfaction can be improved.

These patents have improved to some extent the problem of aerosol quality and reduced usability by changing the structure of the aerosol generating device or the filter of the heat-not-burn tobacco, but the effect is not sufficient. Further, in the case of using a sheet material as a cooling member in a heated cigarette, not only a separate process for manufacturing the sheet material is required, but also a lot of cost and time are consumed at this time, which is uneconomical. .. Therefore, there is an increasing need for aerosol-generating articles and devices that produce aerosols of superior quality.

Korean Registered Patent No. 1011453 (2011.01.21) Electronic Cigarette Korean Publication No. 2016-0112769 (2016.09.28) Flavor maintenance smokeless electronic cigarette device Korean Publication No. 2014-0135173 (2014.11.25) Aerosol-generating article having an aerosol cooling member

Here, as a result of multifaceted research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have improved the cooling filter in the form of an existing sheet by introducing a cooling filter having a cavity structure in which the inside is filled with a particle-type cooling material. The present invention has been completed by confirming that not only the cooling effect can be ensured, but also the cost can be reduced and the productivity can be increased in terms of the process.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol-producing article having excellent filtration and cooling effects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol generation device including the aerosol-producing article.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an aerosol-producing article including a medium portion and a filter portion, wherein the filter portion includes a cooling filter filled with a particle-type cooling material, and the particle-type cooling material is in the longitudinal direction. Provided are aerosol-producing articles having an average length of 1.0 to 6.0 mm.

The cooling filter may have a filling factor of 50 to 90% by volume based on 100% by volume of the entire cooling filter.

The particle-type coolant may be in any one of spherical, oval, cylindrical, spindle-shaped, scaly-shaped, plate-shaped, fibrous-shaped, rod-shaped, core-shell-shaped, and atypical.

The particle-type coolant is one selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, cellulose acetate, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, starch-based substances, sugar-based substances and cellulose-based substances. The above can be included.

The filter unit may further include a tube filter containing a hollow having a size that the particle type coolant cannot pass through on the front side of the cooling filter.

The tube filter may have a cross-sectional area ratio of 1: 0.10 to 1: 0.24 between the outside and the inside of the tube filter.

The tube filter may have a ratio of 1: 0.60 to 1: 0.90 around the outside of the tube filter and the inside of the hollow.

The tube filter may include one hollow, which may form three to eight linear channels extending from the central axis of the tube filter toward the outer peripheral surface of the tube. ..

The filter unit may further include a mouthpiece filter on the back side of the cooling filter.

The present invention also provides an aerosol generator containing the aerosol-producing article.

The aerosol-producing article of the present invention is provided with a cooling filter having a cavity structure in which the inside is filled with a particle-type coolant, so that contact with the aerosol can be increased and an improved cooling effect can be ensured.

Further, the aerosol-producing article of the present invention is further provided with a tube filter containing a hollow having a size that the particle-type coolant cannot pass through on the front side of the cooling filter, thereby performing filtration performance against foreign substances and pyrolysis components in the aerosol flow. Can be improved.

Here, the aerosol produced from the aerosol-producing article of the present invention is excellent in quality and can improve the smoking satisfaction of the user, and can improve productivity and economy in terms of process and cost.

It is a drawing which illustrated the aerosol production article by one embodiment of this invention. It is a drawing which illustrated the conventional aerosol production article. It is a drawing which illustrated the cross section of a tube filter. It is a drawing which illustrated the cross section of a tube filter. It is a drawing which illustrated the cross section of a tube filter. It is a drawing which illustrated the aerosol generation apparatus by one embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.
The terms and words used herein and in the scope of the claims shall not be construed in a general or lexical sense, and the inventor may use the terms to best describe his invention. It must be interpreted with meanings and concepts that are consistent with the technical ideas of the present invention in line with the principles by which the concepts can be properly defined.

The terms used in the present invention are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. A singular expression includes multiple expressions unless it means that they are explicitly different in context. In the present invention, terms such as "including" or "having" specify that the features, numbers, stages, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof described above exist. It must be understood as not prescribing the existence or addability of one or more other features or numbers, stages, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof.

The terms "front side" and "back side" used in the present invention are defined with reference to the flow of aerosol.

Hereinafter, the examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can easily carry out the examples. However, the present invention can be embodied in several different forms and is not limited to the examples described herein.

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of an aerosol-producing article (or heat-not-burn tobacco) according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol-producing article 3 of the present invention includes a medium portion 310 and a filter portion 320. The medium portion 310 and the filter portion 320 have a cylindrical shape, and have all shapes interconnected by having the same outer diameter. At this time, the filter unit 320 includes a tube filter 321 and a cooling filter 322 and a mouthpiece filter 323.

However, the aerosol-producing article 3 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an embodiment, and some configurations may be omitted. For example, in the aerosol-producing article 3, one or more of the tube filter 321 and the cooling filter 322 and the mouthpiece filter 323 may not be included.

The medium portion 310 contains an aerosol-producing substance. For example, the aerosol-producing substance can include one or more selected from the group consisting of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol and oleyl alcohol. The length of the medium portion 310 may be about 12 mm, but is not limited to this.

In addition, the medium portion 310 may contain other additives such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and / or cellulose acetate compounds. For example, flavoring agents include licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamon, salary, coloha, cascarilla, byakudan, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil. Can include, orange oil, mint oil, caraway, cognac, jasmine, camomile, menthol, ylang ylang, salvia, spearmint, ginger, sucrose or coffee. In addition, the wetting agent can include glycerin, propylene glycol, and the like.

As an example, the medium portion 310 can be filled with chopped tobacco. Here, chopped tobacco is produced by finely crushing a tobacco sheet.

In order for the wide tobacco sheet to fill the medium portion 310 in a narrow space, a step of easily folding the tobacco sheet is further required. Therefore, as compared with filling the medium portion 310 with a tobacco sheet, it is easier to fill with chopped tobacco, and the productivity and efficiency of the process of producing the medium portion 310 can be further increased.

As another example, the medium unit 310 can be filled with a plurality of finely crushed tobacco books. For example, the medium portion 310 can be formed by combining a plurality of cigarettes in the same direction (parallel) with each other or at random. A cigarette can be produced in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a width of 1 mm, a length of 12 mm, and a thickness (height) of 0.1 mm, but is not limited thereto.

A larger amount of aerosol can be generated in the medium portion 310 filled with several cigarettes as compared with the medium portion 310 filled with the tobacco sheet. Assuming that the same space is filled, several cigarettes guarantee a larger surface area than a cigarette sheet. The large surface area means that the aerosol-producing material has more opportunities to come into contact with the outside air. Therefore, when the medium portion 310 is filled with several cigarettes, a larger amount of aerosol can be produced as compared with the case where the medium portion 310 is filled with a cigarette sheet.

Further, when the aerosol-producing article 3 is applied to the aerosol-generating apparatus, it can be separated more easily than the medium portion 310 filled with several cigarettes filled with a cigarette sheet when separated from the holder. it can. In addition to this, the frictional force generated in contact with the heater for heating several cigarettes is much smaller than that of a cigarette sheet. Therefore, when the medium portion 310 is filled with several cigarettes, it can be separated from the holder more easily than when it is filled with a cigarette sheet.

The tobacco sheet can be formed by crushing the tobacco raw material in the form of a slurry and then drying the slurry. For example, 15 to 30% of aerosol-producing material can be added to the slurry. The tobacco material may be tobacco leaf debris, tobacco stem, tobacco dust generated during tobacco processing and / or the main leaf fragment strip of tobacco leaf. The tobacco sheet can also contain other additives such as wood cellulose fibers.

The outer diameter of the medium portion 310 may be 5.0 to 8.0 mm, preferably 6.5 to 7.5 mm. The outer diameter of the medium portion 310 is not limited to the above-mentioned numerical range.

As described above, the filter unit 320 of the present invention includes a tube filter 321 and a cooling filter 322 and a mouthpiece filter 323.

The tube filter 321 is located in front of the cooling filter and may be a cellulose acetate filter.

In particular, the tube filter 321 of the present invention is characterized by containing a hollow having a size that the above-mentioned particle-type coolant cannot pass through. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a conventional aerosol-producing article, which conventionally contains a hollow having a circular cross section inside the tube filter 321. In this case, only the aerosol generated from the medium portion 310 is passed through. However, there is no filtration function. In contrast, in the case of the aerosol-producing article according to the present invention, by forming the hollow cross section inside the tube filter 321 with a polygon that is not circular, the chopped tobacco contained in the medium portion 310 flows in. By preventing this and increasing the surface area in contact with the aerosol to cool the hot aerosol generated from the medium portion 310, the cooling effect of the aerosol can be improved. Specifically, the tube filter 321 contains one hollow inside, and the hollow forms 3 to 8 linear channels extending from the central axis of the tube filter 321 toward the outer peripheral surface of the tube filter 321. It may be in the form.

As an example, the hollow cross section of the tube filter 321 can be manufactured in various forms such as a cross shape, a star shape, and a polygonal shape. Various examples of the hollow cross section of the tube filter 321 are as illustrated in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c.

The outer diameter of the tube filter 321 can correspond to the outer diameter of the medium portion 310.

The inner diameter of the tube filter 321 may be 5.0 to 8.0 mm, preferably 6.5 to 7.5 mm.

The tube filter 321 may have a cross-sectional area ratio of 1: 0.10 to 1: 0.24, preferably 1: 0.13 to 1: 0.22, between the outside and the inside of the tube filter. Further, the tube filter may have a ratio of about 1: 0.60 to 1: 0.90, preferably 1: 0.70 to 1: 0.85, between the outside and the inside of the tube filter. The cross-sectional area ratio and the ratio around the outside and the inside of the tube filter are related to the volume and surface area of the hollow, and when it is less than the above range, the passage in the tube filter 321 is narrowed and generated from the medium portion 310. Aerosol flow may be reduced. On the contrary, when the range is exceeded, the passage in the tube filter 321 becomes large and the desired effect cannot be obtained.

The length of the tube filter 321 may be 7 to 15 mm, preferably 7 to 10 mm. The length of the tube filter 321 may be shorter than about 7 mm, but it is preferable that the tube filter 321 has a length such that the function of at least one filter unit element (for example, a cooling filter, a capsule, a mouthpiece filter, etc.) is impaired. .. The length of the tube filter 321 is not limited to the above-mentioned numerical range. On the other hand, the length of the tube filter 321 is expandable, and the length of the entire aerosol-producing article 3 can be adjusted by the length of the tube filter 321.

The cooling filter 322 cools the aerosol generated when the medium unit 310 is heated by the heater of the aerosol generator. Therefore, the user can inhale the aerosol cooled at an appropriate temperature.

In general, a user's inhalation (puff, puff) from a burning or non-burning (heated) cigarette may produce a liquid substance inside. For example, an aerosol produced by a combustible or non-combustible (heated) cigarette may be cooled by outside air to produce a liquid substance (eg, moisture).

In the case of ordinary combustion type tobacco, it is burned at a high temperature of 800 ° C. or higher to generate smoke, and since the smoke does not contain water and is dry, the sensible temperature of mainstream smoke felt by smokers is also not high. .. On the other hand, in the case of the aerosol-producing article, the water content in the smoke is relatively high by vaporizing the aerosol-producing substance at a low temperature of about 200 ° C. As a result, the sensible temperature of mainstream smoke is high, which can be a factor that reduces the usability of smokers. Therefore, in the case of aerosol-producing articles, the role of the cooling filter is very important for improving the quality and usability of the aerosol.

Therefore, the cooling filter 322 of the present invention is manufactured by filling the particle type coolant 325 to increase the specific surface area in contact with the aerosol and increase the time for the aerosol to stay in the cooling filter 322. This can further improve the cooling effect of the aerosol. In addition to this, conventional aerosol-producing articles are provided with a cooling material in sheet or fiber form, which is uneconomical because it consumes a lot of time and money to process. In comparison with this, the present invention has advantages in terms of improving process productivity and reducing production costs by manufacturing the cooling filter 322 in the form of a cavity filter (cavity filter) filled with the particle type coolant 325. ..

The particle-type coolant 325 has an average length of 1.0 to 6.0 mm in the long direction, preferably 2.0 to 5.0 mm, more preferably 2.2 to 4.0 mm, and further preferably 2.4. May be from 3.5 mm. If the average length of the particle-type coolant 325 in the long direction is less than the above range, the weight may be insufficient and the coolant may scatter during processing, which may cause a problem in the process. On the contrary, when the above range is exceeded, the surface area in contact with the aerosol is reduced, the effect of increasing the maintenance time in the cooling filter 322 cannot be obtained, and there is a problem that it is difficult to commercialize the product.

In the cooling filter 322, the filling rate of the particle type cooling material 325 is 50 to 90% by volume, preferably 55 to 80% by volume, and more preferably 60 to 75% by volume with respect to 100% by volume of the entire cooling filter. May be good. When the filling rate falls within the above-mentioned range, sufficient voids can be contained in the cooling filter 322, and the aerosol is cooled by sufficiently contacting with the aerosol generated from the medium portion 310 described above. , Can show improved cooling effect.

The specific surface area of the coolant of the cooling filter may vary depending on the morphology and size of the coolant particles, and may be, for example, 10 to 500 m ² / g.

The particle-type coolant 325 may be in any one of spherical, elliptical, cylindrical, spindle-shaped, scaly, plate-shaped, fibrous, rod-shaped, core-shell type, and atypical form. Preferably, the particle type coolant 325 may be in any one of spherical, elliptical and cylindrical forms. On the other hand, in terms of process productivity and economy, the particle-type coolant 325 is more preferably in the form of either an ellipse or a cylinder, and in terms of commercialization, it is spherical or elliptical. Is more preferable.

The particle type coolant 325 can be made of a biodegradable or natural polymeric substance. As an example, the particle-type coolant 325 is obtained from polylactic acid; polyhydroxybutyrate; cellulose acetate; polycaprolactone; polyglycolic acid; polyhydroxyalkanoate; corn and plants such as rice, tapioca, potatoes and the like. Starch, carboxylmethyl starch, sulfoethyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch, modified starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch and other starch-based substances, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and other sugar-based substances and cellulose, It can contain one or more selected from the group consisting of cellulosic substances such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose. Preferably, the particle type coolant 325 may be polylactic acid.

The outer diameter of the cooling filter 322 can correspond to the outer diameter of the tube filter 321.

The length of the cooling filter 322 may be 10 to 20 mm, preferably 12 to 16 mm. The length of the cooling filter 322 is not limited to the above range.

The mouthpiece filter 323 is located on the back side of the cooling filter 322 described above, and may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the mouthpiece filter 323 can be made of a recess filter containing a hollow, but is not limited thereto. The length of the mouthpiece filter 323 can be about 5 to 15 mm, preferably 10 to 15 mm. The length of the mouthpiece filter 323 is not limited to the above-mentioned numerical range.

Further, the outer diameter of the mouthpiece filter 323 can correspond to the outer diameter of the cooling filter 322.

Further, the mouthpiece filter 323 can include at least one capsule 324 inside. The capsule 324 may have a structure in which a content liquid containing a fragrance is covered with a film. For example, the capsule 324 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape. The diameter of the capsule 324 may be 2 mm or more, preferably 2 to 4 mm.

The material forming the coating of the capsule 324 may be starch and / or a gelling agent. For example, as a gelling agent, gellan gum or gelatin can be used. In addition, a gelling preparation can be further included as a material for forming the film of the capsule 324. At this time, for example, calcium chloride can be used as the gelling preparation. In addition, a plasticizer can be further contained as a material for forming the film of the capsule 324. At this time, glycerin and / or sorbitol can be used as the plasticizer. In addition, a colorant can be further contained as a material for forming the film of the capsule 324.

For example, as the fragrance contained in the content liquid of the capsule 324, menthol, essential oil of a plant, or the like can be used. Further, as the solvent for the fragrance contained in the content liquid, for example, medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride can be used. The content liquid may also contain other additives such as dyes, emulsifiers and thickeners.

The aerosol-producing article according to the present invention has improved filtration and cooling performance by including the above-mentioned configuration, and can improve the quality of the aerosol and the usability of the smoker. In particular, the temperature of the mainstream smoke generated when the aerosol-producing article of the present invention is used in an apparatus may be 35 ° C. or higher and lower than 50 ° C., preferably 45 to 48 ° C. Generally, the temperature at which the aerosol generated from the medium portion enters the cooling filter is about 60 ° C. In the case of the conventional aerosol-producing article, the temperature of the mainstream smoke according to the present invention is 45, as compared with the final mainstream smoke temperature obtained by passing the invading aerosol through the cooling filter at about 50 ° C. Since it is 48 ° C., it shows an improved cooling effect.

The aerosol-producing article 3 according to the present invention can be packaged by a wrapper (packaging material). Specifically, the medium portion 310 and the tube filter 321 can be packaged by the first wrapper 331. For example, the first wrapper 331 may be an oil-resistant paper packaging material.

Further, the cooling filter 322 and the mouthpiece filter 323 can be packaged by the second wrapper 332. In addition, the entire aerosol-producing article 3 can be repackaged by the third wrapper 333. For example, the second wrapper 332 and the third wrapper 333 may be general paper packaging materials.

Further, the aerosol-producing article 3 can include a fourth wrapper (not shown). At least one of the medium portion 310 and the tube filter 321 can be packaged by the fourth wrapper. In other words, only the medium portion 310 can be packaged by the fourth wrapper, and the medium portion 310 and the tube filter 321 can be packaged by the fourth wrapper. For example, the fourth wrapper may be a paper packaging material.

The fourth wrapper is produced by applying (or coating) a predetermined substance on one or both sides of a paper packaging material. Here, as an example of the predetermined substance, silicon is applicable, but the present invention is not limited to this. Since silicon does not change much with temperature, it has properties such as heat resistance, oxidation resistance that is not oxidized, resistance to various chemicals, water repellency to water, and electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any substance having the above-mentioned properties can be applied (or coated) to the fourth wrapper without limitation.

The fourth wrapper can prevent the phenomenon that the aerosol-producing article 3 of the present invention is burned. For example, when the medium portion 310 is heated by a heater, the aerosol-producing article 3 may be burned. Specifically, when the temperature rises above the ignition point of any one of the substances contained in the medium unit 310, the aerosol-producing article 3 can be burned. In such a case, since the fourth wrapper contains a nonflammable substance, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon that the aerosol-producing article 3 is burned.

In addition, the fourth wrapper 334 can prevent the holder from being contaminated by the substance produced by the aerosol-producing article 3. As described above, inhalation by a smoker can produce a liquid substance such as water in the aerosol-producing article 3. By packaging the medium portion 310 and / or the tube filter 321 by the fourth wrapper, the liquid substance generated in the aerosol-producing article 3 is prevented from leaking to the outside of the aerosol-producing article 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the holder from being contaminated by the liquid substance generated by the aerosol-producing article 3.

The present invention also provides an aerosol generating apparatus 1 including the aerosol producing article 3.

FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating an aerosol generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the aerosol generator 1 (or holder) includes a battery 110, a control unit 120 and a heater 130. Further, the holder 1 includes an internal space formed by the case 140. An aerosol-producing article can be inserted into the internal space of the holder 1.

In the holder 1 shown in FIG. 4, only the components according to the present embodiment are shown. Therefore, a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to the present embodiment understands that the holder 1 may further include another general-purpose component in addition to the component shown in FIG. can do.

When the aerosol-producing article is inserted into the holder 1, the holder 1 heats the heater 130. The temperature of the aerosol-producing substance in the aerosol-producing article is raised by the heated heater 130, which produces an aerosol. The aerosol produced is transmitted to the user through a filter of the aerosol-producing article. However, the holder 1 can heat the heater 130 even when the aerosol-producing article is not inserted into the holder 1.

The case 140 can be separated from the holder 1. For example, the case 140 can be separated from the holder 1 by the user turning the case 140 clockwise or counterclockwise.

Further, the diameter of the hole formed by the end 141 of the case 140 can be made smaller than the diameter of the space formed by the case 140 and the heater 130. In this case, the winding inserted into the holder 1 Can act as a cigarette guide.

The battery 110 supplies electric power used for the holder 1 to operate. For example, the battery 110 can supply electric power so that the heater 130 is heated, and can supply electric power necessary for the control unit 120 to operate. In addition, the battery 110 can supply electric power necessary for operating the display, the sensor, the motor, and the like attached to the holder 1.

The battery 110 may be a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO ₄ ) battery, but is not limited to the above-mentioned example. For example, the battery 110 includes a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO ₂ ) battery, a lithium titanate battery, and the like.

Further, the battery 110 may have a cylindrical shape having a diameter of 10 mm and a length of 37 mm, but is not limited thereto. The capacity of the battery 110 may be 120 mAh or more, and may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, when the battery 110 is rechargeable, the charge rate (C-rate) of the battery 110 may be 10C and the discharge rate (C-rate) may be 16 to 20C, but is not limited thereto. Further, for stable use, the battery 110 can be manufactured so that 80% or more of the total capacity can be secured even when charging / discharging is advanced 8000 times.

Whether or not the battery 110 can be fully charged or completely discharged can be determined by the level of the electric power stored in the battery 110 with respect to the total capacity of the battery 110. For example, when the electric power stored in the battery 110 is 95% or more of the total capacity, it can be determined that the battery 110 is completely charged. Further, when the electric power stored in the battery 110 is 10% or less of the total capacity, it can be determined that the battery 110 is completely discharged. However, the criteria for determining whether or not the battery 110 can be fully charged and completely discharged is not limited to the above-mentioned example.

The heater 130 is heated by the electric power supplied from the battery 110. If the aerosol-producing article is inserted into the holder 1, the heater 130 is located inside the aerosol-producing article. Therefore, the heated heater 130 can raise the temperature of the aerosol-producing substance in the aerosol-producing article.

The heater 130 may have a shape in which a cylinder and a cone are combined. For example, the heater 130 has a cylindrical shape having a diameter of about 2 mm and a length of about 23 mm, and the end 131 of the heater 130 can be finished at an acute angle, but is not limited thereto. In other words, the heater 130 is applicable without limitation as long as it can be inserted into the aerosol-producing article. Further, the heater 130 can be partially heated. For example, assuming that the length of the heater 130 is 23 mm, only 12 mm from the end 131 of the heater 130 may be heated and the rest of the heater 130 may not be heated.

The heater 130 may be an electrically resistant heater. For example, the heater 130 includes an electrically conductive track, and the heater 130 can be heated by flowing an electric current through the electrically conductive track.

For stable use, the heater 130 can be supplied with power according to the 3.2 V, 2.4 A, 8 W standard, but is not limited thereto. For example, when electric power is supplied to the heater 130, the surface temperature of the heater 130 can be raised to 400 ° C. or higher. The surface temperature of the heater 130 can rise to about 350 ° C. before 15 seconds have passed since the heater 130 began to be powered.

The holder 1 may be provided with a temperature sensing sensor separately. Alternatively, the holder 1 is not provided with a temperature sensor, and the heater 130 can also serve as a temperature sensor.

The heater 130 can be composed of at least one electrically conductive track (a first electrically conductive track and a second electrically conductive track).

The electrically conductive track contains an electrically resistant material. As an example, the electrically conductive track can be made of a metallic material. As another example, the electrically conductive track can be made of an electrically conductive ceramic material, carbon, a metal alloy or a synthetic material of a ceramic material and a metal.

Further, the holder 1 can include both an electrically conductive track and a temperature sensing sensor that act as a temperature sensing sensor.

The control unit 120 generally controls the operation of the holder 1. Specifically, the control unit 120 controls not only the operation of the battery 110 and the heater 130, but also the operation of another configuration included in the holder 1. Further, the control unit 120 can check the state of each configuration of the holder 1 and determine whether or not the holder 1 is in an operable state.

The control unit 120 includes at least one processor. A processor can be embodied in an array of multiple logic gates, or it can be embodied by a combination of a general purpose microprocessor and a memory in which programs that can be executed by this microprocessor are stored. Further, it can be understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which this embodiment belongs that it can be realized by another form of hardware.

For example, the control unit 120 can control the operation of the heater 130. The control unit 120 can control the amount of electric power supplied to the heater 130 and the time during which the electric power is supplied so that the heater 130 can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.

Further, the control unit 120 can confirm the state of the battery 110 (for example, the remaining amount of the battery 110) and generate an alarm signal if necessary.

In addition, the control unit 120 can confirm the presence / absence and intensity of inhalation by the user, and can count the number of inhalations. Further, the control unit 120 can continuously confirm the time during which the holder 1 is operating.

On the other hand, the holder 1 can further include a general-purpose configuration in addition to the battery 110, the control unit 120, and the heater 130 described above.

For example, the holder 1 may include a display capable of outputting visual information or a motor for outputting tactile information. As an example, when the holder 1 includes a display, the control unit 120 informs the user through the display about the state of the holder 1 (for example, availability of the holder) and information about the heater 130 (for example, preheating start, preheating). Progress, information related to battery 110 (for example, remaining capacity of battery 110, availability, etc.), information related to reset of holder 1 (for example, reset time, reset progress, reset completed, etc.), holder Information related to cleaning of 1 (for example, cleaning time, need for cleaning, cleaning progress, cleaning completed, etc.), information related to charging of holder 1 (for example, charging required, charging progress, charging completed, etc.), information related to puffs (for example, charging required, charging progress, charging completed, etc.) For example, the number of puffs, the puff end notice, etc.) or safety-related information (for example, the lapse of usage time) can be transmitted. As another example, when the holder 1 includes a motor, the control unit 120 can transmit the above-mentioned information to the user by generating a vibration signal using the motor.

The holder 1 may also include at least one input device (eg, a button) and / or a terminal combined with a cradle 2 that allows the user to control the function of the holder 1. For example, the user can perform various functions by using the input device of the holder 1. By adjusting the number of times the user presses the input device (for example, once or twice) or the time during which the user presses the input device (for example, 0.1 second, 0.2 second, etc.), a plurality of holders 1 are pressed. The desired function can be performed among the functions. When the user activates the input device, the holder 1 has a function of preheating the heater 130, a function of adjusting the temperature of the heater 130, a function of cleaning the space where the cigarette is inserted, and a state in which the holder 1 can be operated. A function of checking the presence, a function of displaying the balance (usable power) of the battery 110, a function of resetting the holder 1 and the like can be performed. However, the function of the holder 1 is not limited to the above-mentioned example.

The holder 1 can also include an inhalation sensor, a temperature sensor and / or an insertion sensor for aerosol-producing articles. For example, the suction sensing sensor can be embodied by a general pressure sensor, and the insertion sensing sensor of the aerosol-producing article can be embodied by a general capacitive sensor or resistance sensor. Further, the holder 1 can be manufactured with a structure in which external air flows in / out even when the cigarette is inserted.

Hereinafter, preferred examples will be presented in order to make the present invention easier to understand, but the following examples merely illustrate the present invention, and various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention and technical ideas. It is self-evident to those skilled in the art that it is possible, and it is not surprising that such modifications and modifications fall within the appended claims.

Production Example [Production Example 1] Production of particle-type coolant A spherical particle-type coolant having an average length of 3.4 mm in the long direction and a material of polylactic acid was produced by a polymer injection molding method.

[Manufacturing Example 2] Manufacture of particle-type coolant A polymer substance is melted, extruded, and then cut to a certain length in water (underwater cutting) with an average length of 2.4 mm in the long direction. Yes, an elliptical particle-type coolant made of polylactic acid was produced.

[Manufacturing Example 3] Production of Tube Filter A tube filter made of cellulose acetate having a cross-shaped internal hollow cross section was produced by a method of molding a cellulose acetate tow using a molding rod.

[Manufacturing Example 4] Manufacture of Tube Filter A tube filter made of cellulose acetate having a star-shaped internal hollow cross section was manufactured by a method of molding a cellulose acetate tow using a molding rod.

Example and Comparative Example [Example 1]
Aerosol-producing articles including a medium part, a tube filter, a cooling filter and a mouthpiece filter were manufactured.
At this time, a plate-shaped leaf-based chopped tobacco was used as the medium portion, and the tube filter manufactured in Production Example 3 was used as the tube filter. Further, the cooling filter used was one filled with the particle type coolant produced in Production Example 1 at a ratio of 70% by volume, and the mouthpiece filter used was an acetate filter.

[Example 2]
When producing the cooling filter, the aerosol-producing article was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the particle-type coolant produced in Production Example 2 was used.

[Example 3]
An aerosol-producing article was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the tube filter produced in Production Example 4 was used as the tube filter.

[Example 4]
When the tube filter manufactured in Production Example 4 is used as the tube filter and the cooling filter is manufactured, the same as in Example 1 except that the particle type coolant manufactured in Production Example 2 is used. Aerosol-producing articles were produced in the same manner.

[Comparative Example 1]
An aerosol-producing article was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 above, except that a circular tube filter having an internal hollow cross section of 35 mm in diameter was used and a PLA woven product (manufactured by Seolhyun Corporation) was used as the cooling filter. ..

Experimental example 1. Comparison of tube filters The size of the inner hollow of the tube filters used in Examples 1, 3 and 1 was measured to calculate the cross-sectional area, volume, circumference and surface area of the inner hollow. It was used in the control group that it had the same outer diameter and length and had no hollow inside. The results obtained at this time are shown in Table 1 below.

With reference to Table 1, it can be confirmed that when the inner hollow cross section is polygonal, the internal cross-sectional area and volume are reduced and the inner circumference and surface area are increased as compared with the case of being circular. Specifically, looking at the ratio to the control group, in the case of Comparative Example 1, the cross-sectional area and volume were 25%, whereas in the cases of Examples 1 and 3, 21.8% and 14.9%, respectively. It decreased in. On the other hand, the circumference and surface area increased by 50.0% in Comparative Example 1 having a circular internal cross section, while by 83.0% and 70.5% in the case of the crucifix-shaped and star-shaped examples, respectively. This makes it possible to confirm that the contact area with the aerosol increases even if the volume of the passage through which the aerosol passes becomes small.

Experimental example 2. Performance Evaluation In order to evaluate the filtration and cooling performance of the aerosol-producing articles produced in Examples and Comparative Examples, the following experiments were conducted.
Eight puffs were performed under the same conditions as smoking. At this time, the volume of each puff was 55 ml, the puff duration was 2 seconds, and the puff interval was 30 seconds. The composition and temperature of the smoke obtained from this were measured. The results obtained at this time are shown in Table 2 below.

Through Table 2 above, it was confirmed that in the case of the aerosol-producing article of the example, the water content in the smoke generated was lower than that of the comparative example, and the temperature of the mainstream smoke and the front end and surface of the mouthpiece filter, which is the mouth, was also low. can do.

In addition, as a result of analyzing the smoke component, it can be confirmed that the TPM and nicotine component performance amounts of the examples and the comparative examples are at similar levels.

From such a result, it can be confirmed that the filtration and cooling performance of the aerosol-producing article according to the present invention is superior to that of the comparative example.

Experimental example 3. Evaluation of sensory properties In order to evaluate the sensory properties of the aerosol-producing articles produced in Examples and Comparative Examples, the following experiments were performed.

For sensory characterization, a blind test of example and comparative aerosol-producing articles was performed on a highly trained group of tobacco taste-related sensory characterization experts. Specifically, the seven items of smoke amount (smoke amount), sucking performance, mouth heat sensation, mainstream smoke heat sensation, taste strength, irritation, and overall tobacco taste were evaluated, and a maximum of 5 points was given. It was evaluated based on the criteria. The results obtained at this time are shown in Table 3 below.

With reference to Table 3 above, it can be seen that the sensory characteristic evaluation results show that the overall attributes are equal to or higher than those of Comparative Example 1 which is a conventional product. In particular, in the case of the taste intensity related to the intensity of tobacco taste (nicotine component) felt by the smoker, which is a negative attribute, and the irritation related to the bitterness felt after smoking, the examples have a higher degree of satisfaction than the comparative examples. I was able to confirm.

3: Aerosol product
310: Medium unit 320: Filter unit
321: Tube filter 322: Cooling filter
323: Mouthpiece filter 324: Capsule
325: Particle coolant 1: Aerosol generator
110: Battery 120: Control unit
130: Heater 131: End of heater 130
140: Case 141: End of case 140

Claims (10)

In aerosol-producing articles including a medium part and a filter part
The filter unit includes a cooling filter filled with a particle-type coolant.
The particle-type coolant is an aerosol-producing article having an average length in the longitudinal direction of 1.0 to 6.0 mm. The aerosol-producing article according to claim 1, wherein the cooling filter has a filling rate of 50 to 90% by volume based on 100% by volume of the entire cooling filter. The particle-type coolant is in any one of spherical, elliptical, cylindrical, spindle-shaped, scaly, plate-shaped, fibrous, rod-shaped, core-shell type, and atypical form, claim 1 or 2. The aerosol-producing article described in. The particle-type coolant is one selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, cellulose acetate, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoate, starch-based substances, sugar-based substances and cellulose-based substances. The aerosol-producing article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which comprises the above. The aerosol-producing article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the filter portion further includes a tube filter containing a hollow having a size that the particle-type coolant cannot pass through on the front side of the cooling filter. The aerosol-producing article according to claim 5, wherein the tube filter has a cross-sectional area ratio of 1: 0.10 to 1: 0.24 between the outside and the inside of the tube filter. The aerosol-producing article according to claim 6, wherein the tube filter has a ratio of about 1: 0.60 to 1: 0.90 between the outside and the inside of the tube filter. The aerosol according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the hollow forms 3 to 8 linear channels extending from the central axis of the tube filter toward the outer peripheral surface of the tube filter. Produced article. The aerosol-producing article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the filter portion further includes a mouthpiece filter on the back side of the cooling filter. An aerosol generator comprising the aerosol-producing article according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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