JP2023156434A - Support element for aerosol generating article - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an aerosol-generating article which is less likely to cause inconsistencies to be experienced.SOLUTION: The invention provides a smoking article mouthpiece for receiving an insertion unit. An aerosol-generating article includes an aerosol-generating substrate 2, a hollow tubular support element 3, an aerosol-cooling element 104, and a filter segment 105. The hollow tubular support element 3 has an annular peripheral region of material surrounding an opening. Portions of the hollow tubular support element 3 inwardly project into the opening to define internal projections 26. These projections 26 provide a support barrier for at least part of the aerosol-forming substrate 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article that includes an aerosol-forming substrate for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating.

Aerosol-generating articles in which an aerosol-forming substrate, such as a tobacco-containing substrate, is heated rather than combusted are well known in the art. The purpose of such heated aerosol generating articles is to reduce the well-known harmful smoke components produced by tobacco combustion and pyrolysis in conventional cigarettes.

Traditional cigarettes are ignited when a user attaches a flame to one end of the cigarette and breathes air through the other end. The localized heat provided by the flame and the oxygen in the air drawn through the cigarette ignites the end of the cigarette and the resulting combustion produces inhalable smoke. In contrast, inhalable aerosols in heated aerosol-generating articles are typically produced by heat transfer from a heat source to a physically separated aerosol-forming substrate or material that may be located within, around, or downstream of the heat source. generated. During consumption, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-forming substrate by heat transfer from the heat source and entrained into the air drawn through the aerosol-generating article. As the released compounds cool, they condense to form an aerosol that is inhaled by the consumer.

In one group of aerosol-generating articles, an aerosol-forming substrate is heated by a heater blade of an aerosol-generating device that is inserted into the substrate. In such articles, the support element is included immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate. The support element is provided in the form of an annular tube of filtration material, often referred to as a hollow acetate tube. The support element is configured to resist downstream movement of the aerosol-forming substrate during insertion of a heating blade of the aerosol generator into the aerosol-forming substrate. The empty space within the hollow support element provides an opening for aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the aerosol-generating article.

However, the experience these aerosol-generating articles provide to consumers can be inconsistent. In particular, the presence of openings in the hollow support element means that some material of the aerosol-forming substrate may be unnecessarily forced into the support element when the heater blade is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate. means. This can lead to different amounts of aerosol-forming substrate being heated by the heater blade and different withdrawal resistances being experienced by the consumer when the article is used. These differences can lead to inconsistent experiences for consumers.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating article that is less likely to experience inconsistencies.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a hollow tubular support element disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate. The hollow tubular support element defines an opening for aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article. At least a portion of the material of the hollow tubular support element projects inwardly into the opening to define one or more internal protrusions. The one or more internal protrusions can provide a support barrier for at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate.

In contrast to prior art aerosol-generating articles, the aerosol-generating article of the first aspect of the invention comprises a hollow tubular support element having at least one protrusion within its opening. protrude inward. The at least one protrusion serves to provide a support barrier for at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate. This can reduce the free space available for the material of the aerosol-forming substrate to be pushed in, for example when the heater blade is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate. In other words, the at least one protrusion can provide a support barrier that prevents or limits downstream movement of at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate. As a result, in the first aspect of the invention, it is less likely that portions of the aerosol-forming material will be extruded from the aerosol-forming substrate when the article is in use. This can lead to a more consistent experience for users.

Furthermore, since the support barrier of the hollow tubular support element is provided in the form of one or more internal protrusions, the support element remains suitable for the flow of the aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate towards the oral end of the article. Can hold an opening sized to. This means that the support element can still have suitably low withdrawal resistance. This also means that the support element can still have an appropriately low filtration effect.

Thus, a first aspect of the present invention provides an aerosol-generating article that has improved consistency over known aerosol-generating articles, while also benefiting from some of the desirable properties of such articles. .

In a first aspect of the invention, the hollow tubular support element is preferably formed from an elastically deformable material. Accordingly, an aerosol-generating article may be provided comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a hollow tubular support element disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate, the hollow tubular support element being formed from an elastically deformable material. There is. The hollow tubular support element defines an opening for aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article. At least a portion of the material of the hollow tubular support element projects inwardly into the opening to define one or more internal protrusions. The one or more internal protrusions can provide a support barrier for at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate.

This may offer many advantages, particularly in the context of aerosol-generating articles that are heated by heaters that are inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate portion of the article. For example, by forming the support element from an elastically deformable material, the barrier can deform slightly when a heater element, such as a heater blade, is inserted into the aerosol-generating article. This may help reduce the possibility of damage caused to the heater element by the barrier when the heater element is inserted into the aerosol generating article. Therefore, the support barrier, which projects inwardly and is also elastically deformable, prevents major damage or modification to the aerosol-forming substrate and, on the other hand, also avoids damage to the heating element of the aerosol generator. can provide the optimal balance of

The present invention is particularly suitable for aerosol-generating articles having an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a rod that is configured to receive one or more heater blades. Such aerosol-forming substrates can have many suitable configurations. In some particularly preferred embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate is a rod comprising a collection of sheets of aerosol-forming material, such as a collection of homogenized cigarette sheets, or a collection of sheets comprising a nicotine salt and an aerosol former. It is in the form of

The opening in the hollow tubular portion provides an internal passageway for the aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article. Preferably, the opening extends throughout the length of the hollow tubular support element in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article. This may allow the aerosol to pass unhindered from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element to the downstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

Preferably, the cross-sectional area of the opening in the hollow tubular support element does not vary along the entire length of the opening. In this case, the projections are preferably present along the entire length of the hollow tubular support element. That is, at least one protrusion extends into the opening along the entire length of the opening. This may serve to simplify the manufacture of hollow tubular support elements. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the opening in the hollow tubular support element varies along the length of the opening. For example, the opening of the hollow tubular support element may taper to have a smaller cross-sectional area at one end of the hollow tubular support element. As another example, protrusions may be present only along certain longitudinal portion(s) of the hollow tubular support element. In this case, the protrusion is not present at the downstream end of the hollow tubular support element, but may instead be present at the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. Preferably, the at least one protrusion extends into the opening at least at the upstream end portion of the hollow tubular support element. More preferably, the at least one protrusion extends into the opening at least at the upstream end face of the hollow tubular support element. This allows the opening of the hollow tubular support element to have a more conventional shape (such as a circular shape) at its downstream end, while still being provided by the at least one projection mentioned above. can benefit from the benefits.

The length of the opening is measured along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol generating article.

The opening may extend only partially along the length of the hollow tubular support element. That is, the opening may extend from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element to a point within the hollow tubular support element between the upstream and downstream ends of the hollow tubular support element. In such embodiments, the section of the hollow tubular support element located downstream of the opening is preferably porous. This may allow the aerosol to continue flowing from the downstream end of the opening towards the mouth end of the article.

The at least one protrusion may have any suitable profile when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. In particular, the opening may have a periphery when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. When viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element, each protrusion is bounded by a first portion of the periphery and an imaginary straight line intersecting each end of the first portion of the periphery. Preferably, the distance between the imaginary straight line and the point on the first portion of the periphery furthest from the imaginary straight line in a direction perpendicular to the imaginary straight line is at least about 1 mm, and preferably at least about 2 mm. It is more preferable that there be. Thus, each protrusion may have straight or curved sides when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. Each protrusion may have a sharp or rounded tip when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. The upstream end of the hollow tubular support element is the end adjacent the aerosol-forming substrate.

Preferably, the shape of the opening has at least some degree of symmetry when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. Preferably, the shape of the opening has radial symmetry when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

The hollow tubular support element may have only one protrusion. This can reduce the complexity of manufacturing hollow tubular support elements.

Alternatively, in some preferred embodiments, the hollow tubular support element comprises two or more projections projecting inwardly into the opening. In such embodiments, the two or more protrusions are preferably uniformly distributed around the opening. For example, the hollow tubular support element may include two diametrically opposed projections around the opening. As another example, the hollow tubular support element may include three protrusions disposed around the opening, each protrusion having a virtual position when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. It is located at the tip of the triangle. This uniform distribution can increase the effectiveness of the protrusions in providing a barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate, while also allowing appropriately sized openings for the aerosol to flow through.

The hollow tubular support element of the first aspect of the invention serves to provide a support barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate because the support element has one or more projections extending inwardly into the opening thereof. do. It is well known to heat articles having an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a cylindrical rod with an aerosol generator having heater blades. The heater blade is inserted into the rod during use. In such an arrangement, it is usually desirable for the heater blade to be centrally located within the rod to optimize interaction with the aerosol-forming material. Accordingly, it is preferred that the one or more protrusions of the present invention extend into the opening to a position proximal to the center of the hollow tubular support element. This may allow the support barrier to be present at a radial location close to the radial location where the heater blade is when the heater blade is inserted into the aerosol forming rod. This may be particularly advantageous to ensure that a minimum of material is forced into the opening of the hollow tubular support element by the heater blade during use.

Preferably, therefore, at least one of the protrusions extends towards the radial center of the hollow tubular support element.

The tip of the at least one protrusion is preferably located at a distance of less than about 40 percent, and preferably less than 30 percent, of the radius of the hollow tubular support element from the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. more preferably, and even more preferably located at a distance of less than 23 percent. It will be understood that this covers at least the following three embodiments. Firstly, it covers embodiments in which the protrusion does not extend through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. Secondly, it covers embodiments in which the tip of the protrusion lies in the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. Third, a protrusion extends through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element, such that the tip of said protrusion extends from the radial center of the hollow tubular support element to the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. Covers arrangements that are spaced apart by or extend beyond a distance of less than 40 percent.

In some particularly preferred embodiments, the tip of the at least one protrusion is located at a distance of less than 20 percent of the radius of the hollow tubular support element from the radial center of the hollow tubular support element.

A first aspect of the invention involves the understanding that it is advantageous to have the material of the hollow tubular support element at or near the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. This is because such materials can provide a supporting barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate. A first aspect of the invention achieves this advantage by extending one or more protrusions of material inwardly into an opening in a hollow tubular support element.

However, the present disclosure also provides that this advantage is realized without the tipped protrusion itself, but by instead extending the material of at least a portion of the hollow tubular support element through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. It is also recognized that on the other hand this may still be achieved by retaining one or more openings in the hollow tubular support element for the aerosol to flow through.

According to a second aspect of the invention, therefore, an aerosol comprising an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a rod comprising a collection of sheets of aerosol-forming material and a hollow tubular support element arranged immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate. Generated items are provided. The hollow tubular support element includes a peripheral portion of material extending around the peripheral portion of the hollow tubular support element and a peripheral portion extending from at least a first point on the peripheral portion through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. an inner portion of material extending to at least a second point above. The peripheral portion and the inner portion together define at least two openings in the hollow tubular support element for flow of aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article.

Therefore, when two or more protrusions are joined or merged together to form a bridge of material passing through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element, the hollow tubular support element of the second aspect of the invention The support element may be considered similar to the hollow tubular support element of the first aspect of the invention.

As used herein, "radial center" means the center point of a cross-section of a hollow tubular support element taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hollow tubular support element. The cross section is cut at a point, along which point there is a protrusion or an inner part of the material. Preferably, this point is the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

Accordingly, the second aspect of the invention may benefit from many of the advantages and preferred features described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention. In particular, the inner part of the material of the hollow tubular support element can advantageously serve as a support barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate. The at least two openings defined in the free space between the inner part and the peripheral part of the material of the hollow tubular support element ensure that the support element can still have an appropriately low withdrawal resistance. I can do it. They can also ensure that the support element still has an appropriately low filtration effect.

Thus, a second aspect of the invention provides an aerosol-generating article that has improved consistency over known aerosol-generating articles, while also benefiting from some of the desirable properties of such articles. .

In a second aspect of the invention, the hollow tubular support element is preferably formed from an elastically deformable material. Accordingly, an aerosol-generating article may be provided comprising an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a rod comprising a collection of sheets of aerosol-forming material and a hollow tubular support element disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate, the hollow The tubular support element of is formed from an elastically deformable material. The hollow tubular support element includes a peripheral portion of material extending around the peripheral portion of the hollow tubular support element and a peripheral portion extending from at least a first point on the peripheral portion through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. an inner portion of material extending to at least a second point above. The peripheral portion and the inner portion together define at least two openings in the hollow tubular support element for flow of aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article.

This may offer many advantages, particularly in the context of aerosol-generating articles that are heated by heaters that are inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate portion of the article. For example, by forming the support element from an elastically deformable material, the inner portion of the material of the hollow tubular support element deforms slightly when the heater element, such as a heater blade, is inserted into the aerosol-generating article. be able to. This may help reduce the possibility of damage caused to the heater element by the inner portion when the heater element is inserted into the aerosol generating article. A support element with such an elastically deformable inner part therefore provides a solution between preventing major damage or modification to the aerosol-forming substrate and, on the other hand, also avoiding damage to the heating element of the aerosol generator. able to provide optimal balance.

In a second aspect of the invention, the peripheral portion may be substantially annular. For example, it may be in the form of an annular tube of filtration material similar to the shape of hollow tubular support elements known in the art.

The inner portion of material may have the form of one or more bars extending across the space within the peripheral portion, with at least one bar extending through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. For example, the inner portion may consist of a single bar extending across the space within the peripheral portion and through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. In such embodiments, the inner portion and the peripheral portion define two openings in the open space between their ends. Each opening may have a semicircular shape when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

In another embodiment, the inner part may consist of two bars, each of which extends across the space within the peripheral part and through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. In such embodiments, the inner portion and the peripheral portion define four openings in the open space between their ends. If the two bars are orthogonal to each other, each opening may have a quadrant shape when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

In another embodiment, the inner portion may not have a distinct bar shape when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element. Alternatively, the hollow tubular support element may have two or more oval-shaped openings, and the inner portion and the peripheral portion together provide material surrounding said oval-shaped openings. The elliptical opening may be a circular opening.

As mentioned above, the preferred features described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention may equally apply to the second aspect of the invention. For example, the at least two openings of the hollow tubular support element of the second aspect of the invention may have one or more of the features described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention. In particular, it is preferred that the cross-sectional area(s) of the at least two openings of the hollow tubular support element do not vary along the entire length of the hollow tubular support element. In this case, the inner part of the material is preferably present along the entire length of the hollow tubular support element. This may serve to simplify the manufacture of hollow tubular support elements. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the cross-sectional area(s) of at least two openings in the hollow tubular support element may vary along the length of the openings. For example, each or all of the openings of the hollow tubular support element may be tapered to have a smaller cross-sectional area at one end of the hollow tubular support element.

Preferably, the inner portion of material is present at least at the upstream end portion of the hollow tubular support element. More preferably, the inner portion of material is present at least at the upstream end face of the hollow tubular support element. This allows the opening of the hollow tubular support element to have a more conventional shape (e.g. circular) at the downstream end, while still benefiting from the advantages offered by the inner part of the material mentioned above. can benefit from it.

The hollow tubular support element of the first or second aspect of the invention may be formed from any suitable material. Preferably, the hollow tubular support element is formed from an elastically deformable material. For example, the hollow tubular support element may be formed from a foam material or rubber. Preferably, the elastically deformable material of the hollow tubular support element comprises a fibrous filtration material. The fibrous filtration material may include cellulosic fibers such as cellulose acetate fibers. In such embodiments, the hollow tubular support element may be understood to be a certain type of hollow acetate tube.

Preferably, the material of the hollow tubular support element is porous. This may also allow the aerosol formed with the aerosol-forming substrate to pass through the material of the hollow tubular support element as it flows towards the oral end of the article. In particular, such a porous structure may mean that the hollow tubular support element can contribute a very low or virtually zero resistance to withdrawal (RTD). Thus, a porous hollow tubular support element having the structure of the first or second aspect of the invention ensures that there is a sufficient barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate, while also ensuring that the aerosol does not reach the aerosol-forming substrate. It can be ensured that there is almost unhindered flow from the support element through the support element. In other words, the porous structure of the hollow tubular support element may serve to enhance the amount of aerosol delivered to the consumer.

Accordingly, the hollow tubular support element can have a withdrawal resistance of less than about 0.1 mm _H2O per millimeter of length, and can have a withdrawal resistance of less than about 0.05 mm _H2O per millimeter of length. More preferred, and even more preferred, to have a withdrawal resistance of less than about 0.01 mm _H2O per millimeter of length.

If the hollow tubular support element is formed of a fibrous filtration material, a plasticizer may be added to the fibrous filtration material to adjust the elastic properties of the hollow tubular support element. Such plasticizers include triacetin and triethylene glycol diacetate. When a plasticizer is included in the hollow tubular support element, the plasticizer is preferably included in an amount of about 13 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of the total weight of the hollow tubular support element.

Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular support element in the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece is from about 4 mm to about 26 mm, more preferably from about 6 mm to about 21 mm, and more preferably from about 8 mm. Most preferred.

Preferably, the aerosol generating article comprises a filter segment. Preferably, the filter segment is located at the proximal end of the rod. Preferably, the filter segment is in the form of a plug. Preferably, the filter segments include fibers. Preferably, the fibers of the filter segment include cellulose acetate.

Preferably, the pullout resistance of the filter segment is from about 0.4 mm H ₂ O to about 3 mm H ₂ O per millimeter of length. Preferably, the total withdrawal resistance of the aerosol generating article is from about 0.6 mm H 2 O to about 1.5 mm H ₂ O per millimeter of length, and from about 0.8 mm H ₂ O to about 1 mm H ₂ O per millimeter of length. .2 mm H ₂ O is more preferred.

The aerosol cooling element can be located downstream of the aerosol forming substrate, for example the aerosol cooling element can be located immediately downstream of and adjacent to the support element.

As used herein, an "aerosol cooling element" means that an aerosol formed by volatile compounds released from an aerosol-forming substrate during use passes through an aerosol cooling element before being inhaled by a user, and Refers to a component of an aerosol-generating article that is located downstream of an aerosol-forming substrate such that it is cooled by a cooling element. Preferably, the aerosol cooling element is positioned between the aerosol-forming substrate and the mouthpiece. Aerosol cooling elements have large surface areas but produce low pressure drops. Filters and other mouthpieces that produce high pressure drops (eg, filters formed from fiber bundles) are not considered aerosol cooling elements. Chambers and recesses within the aerosol generating article are not considered to be aerosol cooling elements.

As used herein, the term "rod" is used to refer to a generally cylindrical element of substantially circular, oval, or elliptical cross section.

A plurality of longitudinally extending paths may be defined by sheet material that is crimped, pleated, gathered, or folded to form channels. A plurality of longitudinally extending paths may be defined by a single sheet that is crimped, pleated, gathered, or folded to form a plurality of channels. The sheet may be crimped. Alternatively, the plurality of longitudinally extending channels can be defined by a plurality of sheets that are crimped, pleated, gathered, or folded to form a plurality of paths.

The term "sheet" as used herein means a laminar element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness.

As used herein, the term "longitudinal" means a direction extending along or parallel to the cylindrical axis of the rod.

The term "crimped" as used herein means a sheet having a plurality of substantially parallel ridges or corrugations. Preferably, the substantially parallel ridges or corrugations extend longitudinally relative to the rod when the aerosol generating article is assembled.

As used herein, the term "gathering," "shirring," or "folding" refers to a process in which a sheet of material is coiled or folded substantially transversely to the cylindrical axis of the rod. , or otherwise compressed or contracted. The sheets may be crimped prior to gathering, pleating, or folding. The sheets can be gathered, pleated, or folded without being pre-crimped.

Alternatively, the aerosol generating article may not have an aerosol cooling element. In this case, the filter segment may be located immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate or immediately downstream of the support element (if present). A depression may be provided in the aerosol generating article between the filter segment and the aerosol forming substrate or between the filter segment and the support element (if present). Preferably, the depression extends from the aerosol-generating substrate to the filter segment or from the support element (if present) to the filter segment.

The aerosol cooling element can have a total surface area of approximately 300 square millimeters to approximately 1000 square millimeters per millimeter of length. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element has a total surface area of approximately 500 square millimeters per millimeter of length. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element can have a substantially circular cross section and a diameter of about 5 millimeters to about 10 millimeters. For example, an aerosol cooling element may have a diameter of about 7 millimeters.

An aerosol cooling element may alternatively be referred to as a heat exchanger.

Preferably, the aerosol cooling element has low withdrawal resistance. That is, the aerosol cooling element preferably provides a low resistance to the passage of air through the aerosol generating article. Preferably, the aerosol cooling element does not substantially affect the withdrawal resistance of the aerosol generating article.

The aerosol cooling element may include a plurality of longitudinally extending channels. The plurality of longitudinally extending channels may be defined by sheet material that has been crimped, pleated, gathered, folded, or otherwise crimped, crimped, gathered, or folded to form the channels. The plurality of longitudinally extending channels may be defined by a single sheet that is crimped, pleated, gathered, folded, or otherwise crimped to form the plurality of channels. The plurality of longitudinally extending channels may be defined by a plurality of sheets that have been crimped, pleated, gathered, folded, etc. to form the plurality of channels.

The aerosol cooling element may include a collection of sheets of material selected from the group consisting of metal foil, polymeric material, and substantially non-porous paper or cardboard. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element is made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil. may include a collection of sheets of material selected from the group consisting of:

Preferably, the aerosol cooling element comprises a collection of sheets of biodegradable material. For example, an assembly of sheets of non-porous paper or an assembly of sheets of biodegradable polymeric material such as polylactic acid or Mater-Bi® grades (a commercially available family of starch-based copolyesters).

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element comprises a collection of sheets of polylactic acid.

The aerosol cooling element may be formed from a collection of material sheets having a specific surface area of approximately 10 to 100 square millimeters per milligram of weight. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element may be formed from a collection of material sheets having a specific surface area of approximately 35 mm2/mg.

The aerosol-generating article of the present invention includes an aerosol-forming substrate. The term "aerosol-forming substrate" as used herein relates to a substrate that has the ability to emit volatile compounds capable of forming an aerosol. These volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may be adsorbed, coated, impregnated or otherwise loaded onto a carrier or support. The aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be part of an aerosol-generating article or a smoking article.

Aerosol generating articles of the present invention may be configured for use in an aerosol generating device. As used herein, "aerosol generating device" refers to a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol.

Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises plant material and an aerosol former. The plant material is preferably an alkaloid-containing plant material, more preferably a nicotine-containing plant material, and more preferably a tobacco-containing material.

Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises, on a dry mass basis, 70 weight percent of plant material, more preferably at least 90 weight percent of plant material. Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises less than 95 weight percent of plant material on a dry weight basis, such as 90 to 95 weight percent of plant material on a dry weight basis.

Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises at least 5 weight percent of the aerosol former, more preferably at least 10 weight percent of the aerosol former, on a dry mass basis. Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises less than 30 weight percent aerosol former on a dry weight basis, such as from 5 to 30 weight percent aerosol former on a dry weight basis.

In some particularly preferred embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises plant material and an aerosol former, and the substrate has an aerosol former content of 5-30% by weight on a dry weight basis. The plant material is preferably an alkaloid-containing plant material, more preferably a nicotine-containing plant material, and more preferably a tobacco-containing material. Alkaloids are a class of naturally occurring nitrogen-containing organic compounds. Alkaloids are found primarily in plants, but also in bacteria, fungi and animals. Examples of alkaloids include, but are not limited to, caffeine, nicotine, theobromine, atropine, and tubocurarine. A preferred alkaloid is nicotine, which can be found in tobacco.

The aerosol-forming substrate may include nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may include tobacco, for example, a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds that are released from the aerosol-forming substrate upon heating. In preferred embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may include homogenized tobacco material, such as cast leaf tobacco. The aerosol-forming substrate may include both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may include a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds that are released from the substrate upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may include non-tobacco materials. The aerosol-forming substrate may further include an aerosol former. Examples of suitable aerosol formers are glycerin and propylene glycol.

In some preferred embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate can include a textured sheet of homogenized tobacco material having an aerosol former content of 5 to 30 weight percent on a dry weight basis. The use of textured sheets of homogenized tobacco material may advantageously facilitate assembling the sheets of homogenized tobacco material to form an aerosol-forming substrate.

The term "crimped sheet" as used herein means a sheet having a plurality of substantially parallel ridges or corrugations. Preferably, the substantially parallel ridges or corrugations extend along or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is assembled. This advantageously facilitates assembling crimped sheets of homogenized tobacco material to form an aerosol-forming substrate. It will be appreciated, however, that a crimped sheet of homogenized tobacco material for inclusion in an aerosol-generating article may alternatively or additionally, when the aerosol-generating article is assembled, It may have a plurality of substantially parallel ridges or corrugations arranged at acute or obtuse angles to the directional axis.

The aerosol-forming substrate may be in the form of a plug containing an aerosol-forming material surrounded by a paper or other wrapper. When the aerosol-forming substrate is in the form of a plug, the entire plug, including any wrapper, is considered to be an aerosol-forming substrate.

The aerosol-forming substrate of the present invention preferably contains an aerosol-forming body. As used herein, the term "aerosol former" refers to any suitable material that facilitates the formation of an aerosol during use and is substantially resistant to thermal decomposition at the temperature of use of the aerosol-generating article. Used to describe a well-known compound or mixture of compounds.

Suitable aerosol formers are well known in the art and include polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol monoacetate, diacetate or triacetate). ), and aliphatic esters of monocarboxylic, dicarboxylic, or polycarboxylic acids, such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. Preferred aerosol formers are polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and most preferably glycerin, or mixtures thereof.

The aerosol-forming substrate may include a single aerosol former. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may include a combination of two or more aerosol formers.

Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate is in the form of a rod comprising a collection of sheets of aerosol-forming material, such as a collection of homogenized cigarette sheets, or a collection of sheets comprising nicotine salt and an aerosol former.

Aerosol-forming substrates comprising assemblies of homogenized tobacco sheets for use in aerosol-generating articles may be manufactured by methods well known in the art, such as those disclosed in WO 2012/164009 A2.

Preferably, the outer diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate is at least 5 millimeters. The outer diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate may be from about 5 mm to about 12 mm, such as from about 5 mm to about 10 mm, or from about 6 mm to about 8 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrate has an outer diameter of 7.2 millimeters ± 10%.

The aerosol-forming substrate can have a length of about 5 millimeters to about 15 millimeters, such as about 8 millimeters to about 12 millimeters. In one embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrate can have a length of approximately 10 millimeters. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrate has a length of approximately 12 millimeters. Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate is substantially cylindrical.

It will be appreciated that the preferred features described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention may also apply analogously to the second aspect of the invention.

The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the relative positions of elements of a smoking article or mouthpiece described with respect to the direction of mainstream smoke as it is drawn from the aerosol-generating substrate and through the filter or mouthpiece. refers to

The term "longitudinal" as used herein refers to a direction parallel to the length of the aerosol generating article.

An aerosol-generating article according to the present invention may be a filter cigarette or other smoking article that includes an aerosol-generating substrate containing tobacco material that burns to form smoke. Thus, in any of the embodiments described above, the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise a tobacco rod. Additionally, in any of the embodiments described above, the mouthpiece (if present) may include a filter. In such embodiments, the filter may be secured to the tobacco rod by tipping paper.

Alternatively, an aerosol-generating article according to the invention may preferably be an article in which the tobacco material is heated rather than combusted to form an aerosol. In one type of heated aerosol generating article, tobacco material is heated by one or more electrical heating elements to produce an aerosol.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the following accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a prior art aerosol generating article taken along the longitudinal axis of the prior art aerosol generating article. FIG. 2 is a partially transparent perspective view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment of the invention in an unwrapped configuration. FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of some of the components of FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element of FIG. 3; FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element of FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view of the article of FIG. 2 taken along plane AA of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the article of FIG. 2 taken along plane BB of FIG. 4A. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art aerosol-generating article 1. FIG. Article 1 comprises four elements. The elements are an aerosol generating substrate 2, a hollow tubular support element 4, an aerosol cooling element 104, and a filter segment 105. The hollow tubular support element 4 has an annular periphery of material 41 surrounding the opening 25 . The opening extends from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element 4 to its downstream end. The aerosol can flow unhindered from the aerosol-generating substrate 2 through the opening 25 towards the downstream end 7 of the article 1 .

The four elements are arranged one after the other in a coaxial arrangement and assembled by the cigarette paper 6 to form a rod. The rod has a proximal end 7 that the user inserts into his or her mouth during use, and a distal end 8 located opposite the proximal end 7 of the rod. Elements located between the oral end 7 and the distal end 8 may be described as being upstream of the oral end 7 or, alternatively, downstream of the distal end 8. The rod has a length of 52 mm and a diameter of 7.2 mm when assembled. Filter segment 105 has a length of 8 millimeters and aerosol cooling element 104 has a length of 17 millimeters.

FIG. 2 illustrates an aerosol-generating article 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The article differs from the prior art article 1 of FIG. 1 in that the two parts of the hollow tubular support element 3 of FIG. It is different from. These protrusions 26 provide a support barrier for at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate 2. The hollow tubular support element 3 and its protrusion 26 are best seen in the exploded view of FIG.

FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end face of the hollow tubular support element 3 of FIG. 3. FIG. As can be seen in FIG. 4A, the protrusion 26 serves to ensure that the additional material is present near the radial center 251 of the hollow tubular support element 3. This serves to provide a support barrier to reduce the possibility of aerosol-forming material being forced into the opening of the support element 3 when the heating blade is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate 2 . The openings serve to ensure that sufficient aerosol can pass through the support element 3 unhindered.

As can be seen in FIG. 4B, the opening 25 has a periphery 255 when viewed from the upstream end face of the hollow tubular support element 3. Each projection 26 of the hollow tubular support element 3 is delimited by a first part of the periphery and an imaginary straight line 262 intersecting the respective end of the first part of the periphery. The distance 265 between the straight line 262 and the point on the first portion of the periphery furthest from the straight line in a direction perpendicular to the straight line corresponds to the "height" 265 of the protrusion 26 .

The reduction in opening 25 caused by protrusion 26 can be further understood from FIGS. 5A and 5B. In particular, the view of FIG. 5A does not include protrusion 26. As a result, the aperture appears wider and more similar to the aperture of FIG. 1. No material is provided near the radial center 251 of the support element 3. In contrast, the illustration of FIG. 5B includes protrusions. As a result, opening 25 appears narrower compared to the opening of FIG. Thereby, the material of the support element is provided close to the radial center 251 of the support element 3 and therefore provides an effective support barrier for the aerosol-forming substrate 2.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a second embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the hollow tubular support element 3 comprises a peripheral part of material 61 extending around the periphery of the hollow tubular support element 3 and an inner part of material 62. The inner part 62 extends from at least a first point on the peripheral part 61 through the radial center 251 of the hollow tubular support element 3 to at least a second point on the peripheral part 61. The peripheral part and the inner part together define two openings 25 in the hollow tubular support element 3 for the aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate 2 towards the oral end of the article.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the inner portion 62 may consist of a single bar extending across the space within the peripheral portion 61 and through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. As a result, the inner part and the peripheral part define two openings in the free space between their ends. Each opening has a semicircular shape when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a third embodiment of the invention. A third embodiment provides that the inner part 62 of the hollow tube consists of two bars, each extending across the space within the peripheral part 61 and through the radial center 251 of the hollow tubular support element 3. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment in this point. As a result, the inner part and the peripheral part define four openings 25 in the open space between their ends. In FIG. 7, the two bars of the inner part 62 are orthogonal to each other such that the respective opening 25 has a quadrant shape when viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element 3. In FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the upstream end of a hollow tubular support element according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. The fourth embodiment differs from the second and third embodiments in that, viewed from the upstream end of the hollow tubular support element 3, the inner part 62 does not have a distinct bar shape. Instead, the hollow tubular support element 3 has three oval shaped openings 25, the inner part 62 and the peripheral part 61 together providing material surrounding said oval shaped openings 25. The elliptical opening 25 in this embodiment is circular.

Claims (15)

An aerosol-generating article,
an aerosol-forming substrate;
a hollow tubular support element disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate, the hollow tubular support element being formed from an elastically deformable material;
the hollow tubular support element defines an opening for aerosol to flow from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article;
an aerosol-generating article, wherein at least a portion of the material of the hollow tubular support element projects inwardly into the opening to define one or more internal protrusions. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the opening extends through the entire length of the hollow tubular support element. 3. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one protrusion extends into the opening in at least an upstream end portion of the hollow tubular support element. Claim: wherein said hollow tubular support element comprises two or more protrusions projecting inwardly into said opening, said two or more protrusions being uniformly arranged around said opening. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of Items 1 to 3. Any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tip of at least one protrusion is located at a distance of less than 23 percent of the radius of the hollow tubular support element from the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. The aerosol-generating article according to item 1. 6. The aerosol-generating article of claim 5, wherein the tip of at least one of the projections is at the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. At least one of the protrusions extends through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element, and the tip of the protrusion extends through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element by a distance of less than 23 percent of the radius of the hollow tubular support element. 6. The aerosol-generating article of claim 5, extending beyond the radial center of the support element. An aerosol-generating article,
an aerosol-forming substrate in the form of a rod;
a hollow tubular support element disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate, the hollow tubular support element being formed from an elastically deformable material;
The hollow tubular support element is
a peripheral portion of material extending around the peripheral portion of the hollow tubular support element;
an inner portion of material extending from at least a first point on the peripheral portion through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element to at least a second point on the peripheral portion;
an aerosol, wherein the peripheral portion and the inner portion together define at least two openings in the hollow tubular support element for flow of aerosol from the aerosol-forming substrate toward the oral end of the article; Generated items. 9. The aerosol-generating article of claim 8, wherein the peripheral portion of the hollow tubular support element is substantially annular. 9 or 8, wherein the inner portion of material comprises one or more bars extending across a space within the peripheral portion, at least one bar extending through the radial center of the hollow tubular support element. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of Item 9. 11. An aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein the inner portion of material is present at least at the upstream end portion of the hollow tubular support element. An aerosol-generating article according to any preceding claim, wherein the hollow tubular support element comprises a fibrous filtration material. An aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a filter segment at the oral end of the article. An aerosol-generating article according to any preceding claim, further comprising an aerosol cooling element downstream of the hollow tubular support element. An aerosol generation system,
The aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
an aerosol generator comprising a heater blade configured to be inserted into the aerosol forming substrate of the aerosol generating article.