JP2023505089A - electronic aerosol delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other. The method comprises heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to produce an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material; heating the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material, wherein heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material are substantially done at the same time. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol delivery systems.

background

Electronic aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally include a reservoir of source liquid, typically containing a nicotine-containing formulation, from which an aerosol is produced, for example, by thermal vaporization. Accordingly, an aerosol source for an aerosol delivery system may comprise a heater having a heating element arranged to receive source liquid from a reservoir, eg, by wicking/capillary action. While the user inhales with the device, power is supplied to the heating element to vaporize source liquid proximate the heating element to produce an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Such devices typically include one or more air inlet holes located remote from the mouthpiece end of the system. When a user puffs on a mouthpiece connected to the mouthpiece end of the system, air is drawn through the inlet hole and past the aerosol source. There is a flow path connecting between the aerosol source and the mouthpiece opening so that air passing through the aerosol source is carried along the flow path to the mouthpiece while carrying some of the aerosol from the aerosol source. Continue to be drawn into the opening. Aerosol-laden air exits the aerosol delivery system through a mouthpiece opening for inhalation by the user.

Other aerosol delivery devices generate aerosols from solid materials such as tobacco or tobacco derivatives. Such devices operate in much the same manner as the liquid-based systems described above, in which the solid tobacco material is heated to vaporization temperatures to produce an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user. .

Most conventional aerosol delivery systems tend to offer minimal customizability in the aerosol delivered to the user, primarily changing only the amount delivered. Some systems tend to be larger, offering more customizability, e.g., some liquid systems contain different e-liquids that can be selectively heated to generate aerosols. use multiple tanks.

Various techniques are described that attempt to help address some of these challenges.

overview

According to a first aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided a method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other. The method comprises heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to produce an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material; heating the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material, wherein heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material are substantially done at the same time.

According to a second aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions. The device comprises a plurality of heating elements and control circuitry configured to implement the method described in the first aspect of certain embodiments.

According to a third aspect of certain embodiments, comprising an aerosol-generating device according to the second aspect, a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component and a second aerosol-generating material comprising a second component. An aerosol-generating system is provided that includes an aerosol-generating article.

According to a fourth aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol delivery means for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other. The means comprises a plurality of heating means and heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material and a second component different from the first component. and a control means configured to cause heating of a second aerosol-generating material comprising: to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material, the step of heating the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol The step of heating the product material occurs substantially simultaneously.

Features and aspects of the invention described above with respect to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention, and are not limited to the specific combinations described above. It will be appreciated that it may be combined with .

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol-generating article, the device comprising multiple heating elements and the article comprising multiple portions of aerosol-generating material; FIG. Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional top view of a heating element of the aerosol delivery device of Figure 1; FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary method for generating an aerosol from the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1, wherein selected heating elements are activated simultaneously; FIG. 4A is a top view of an exemplary touch sensitive panel for operating various functions of the aerosol delivery system; 4 is a series of graphs showing control signals for operating multiple heating elements corresponding to different aerosol-generating materials; 1 is an example schematic cross-section of an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol-generating article, the device comprising a plurality of inductive action coils, the article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material and their corresponding susceptor portions; FIG. Prepare. Figure 8 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 7; Figure 8 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 7; Figure 8 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 7;

detailed description

Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Certain aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be conventionally embodied and will not be discussed/described in detail for the sake of brevity. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to "non-combustible" aerosol delivery systems. A "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is a system that does not burn or burn the aerosolizable material constituents (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system to facilitate delivery of the aerosol to the user. Further, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" and related terms such as "vaporize", "volatilize" and "aerosolize" are generally used interchangeably. can be used.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, which is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), contains a Note that the presence of nicotine in is not a requirement. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery systems.

Typically, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol delivery device and articles (sometimes referred to as consumables) for use with the non-combustible aerosol delivery device. However, it is believed that an article that itself provides means for powering an aerosol-generating component can itself form a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

The article is intended to be consumed, in part or in whole, during use by the user. The article may include the aerosolizable material or may consist solely of the aerosolizable material. The article may include one or more other elements, such as a filter or an aerosol modifier (e.g., a component to flavor or otherwise alter the properties of the aerosol passing through or over the aerosol modifier). .

Non-combustible aerosol delivery systems often, but not always, comprise modular assemblies containing both reusable aerosol delivery devices and replaceable items. In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a power source and a controller (or control circuit). The power source may be, for example, a power source such as a battery or rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may also comprise an aerosol generating component. However, in other embodiments, the article may partially or completely comprise the aerosol-generating component.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating component is a heater that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatile components from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, an aerosol-generating component can generate an aerosol from an aerosolizable material without heating. For example, the aerosol-generating component can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without the application of heat, e.g., by one or more of vibratory, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means. can.

Articles for use with non-combustible aerosol delivery devices generally comprise an aerosolizable material. An aerosolizable material, which may also be referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material, is, for example, a material that can generate an aerosol when heated, irradiated, or otherwise energized. be. The aerosolizable material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain nicotine and/or flavorants. In the disclosure below, aerosolizable materials are described as including "amorphous solids," which may alternatively be referred to as "monolithic solids" (ie, non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises, for example, from about 50%, 60%, or 70% to about 90%, 95%, or 100% by weight amorphous solids. It's okay. However, it should be recognized that the principles of the present disclosure can be applied to other aerosolizable materials such as tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, liquids such as e-liquids.

Optionally, the aerosolizable material may include any one or more of an active ingredient, a carrier ingredient, a fragrance, and one or more other functional ingredients.

As used herein, active ingredients may be physiologically active materials, materials intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. Active ingredients may be selected from, for example, nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychotropics. The active ingredient may be naturally occurring or synthetically derived. Active ingredients may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins (such as B6 or B12 or C), melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical material. As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

In some embodiments the active ingredient comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, active ingredients include caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise or be derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "plant material" includes, but is not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, shells, skins, etc. including any plant-derived material, including Alternatively, the material may contain active compounds naturally occurring in plant material or obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, powders, dusts, crushed particles, granules, pellets, pieces, strips, sheets, and the like. Examples of plant materials are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate. , orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary. , saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, perilla, turmeric, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. Mint is of the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Grapefruit mint (Mentha c.v.), Egyptian mint (Mentha niliaca), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Lime mint (Mentha piperita citrata c.v.). , chocolate mint (Mentha piperita c.v.), curly mint (Mentha spicata crispa), wild mint (Mentha cardifolia), horse mint (Mentha longifolia), pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens variegata), pennyroyal mint (Mentha pulegium), It may be selected from English spearmint (Mentha spicata c.v.), and apple mint (Mentha suaveolens).

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical material is tobacco.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical materials include eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical materials are selected from rooibos and fennel. .

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material includes perfume (or flavorant).

As used herein, the terms "fragrant" and "flavourant" refer to products intended for adult consumers that have a desired taste, odor, or other texture when permitted by local regulations. Refers to materials that can be used to create sensations. They may be naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanical materials, extracts of botanical materials, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaves, chamomile). , fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, Clementine, Lemon, Lime, Tropical Fruit, Papaya, Rhubarb, Grape, Durian, Dragon Fruit, Cucumber, Blueberry, Mulberry, Citrus, Drambuie, Bourbon, Scotch, Whiskey, Gin, Tequila, Rum, Spearmint, Peppermint, Lavender, Aloe Vera, Cardamom, Celery, Cascarilla, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Geranium, Khat, Naswar, Betel, Shisha, Pine, Honey Essence, Rose Oil, Vanilla, Lemon. Derived from any variety of oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint Mint oil, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange peel, rose, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, Bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, perilla, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, carvi, verbena , tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine , cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as other additives such as chaco chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as liquids (such as oils), solids (such as powders), or gases.

In some embodiments, flavorants include menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or redberry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the perfume comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavorant induces a perceived somatosensory sensation, usually chemically induced by stimulating the 5th cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the olfactory or gustatory nerves. Sensate agents may be included for the purpose of achieving, and these may include agents that provide heating, cooling, stinging, and numbing effects. A suitable thermal effect agent may be, but not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3. good.

Carrier components may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component is glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, suberic acid. One or more of diethyl, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.
In some embodiments, the carrier component is one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, etc.). acetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The aerosolizable material may also contain an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of alpha-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, and ketoacids. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an α-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid is succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvate. It may be at least one of acids.

Suitably the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

Inclusion of an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments where the aerosolizable material comprises nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of acid can stabilize dissolved species in the slurry from which the aerosolizable material is formed. The presence of acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing nicotine loss during manufacturing.

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material is cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) , cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) ), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), and cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBE). ), including one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabicitran (CBT).

The aerosolizable material may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Aerosolizable materials may include cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosolizable materials may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosolizable materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The aerosolizable material may be present on or within a carrier support (or carrier component) to form a substrate. The carrier support may be or include, for example, paper, card, cardboard, cardboard, recycled aerosolizable material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise an aerosolizable material or a region for receiving an aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a mouthpiece, or alternatively, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device has a mouthpiece in communication with the article. You may prepare. The area for receiving the aerosolizable material may be a containment area for containing the aerosolizable material. For example, this storage area may be a reservoir.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components, an aerosol delivery device 2 and an aerosol-generating product 4 .

The aerosol delivery device 2 includes an outer housing 21, a power supply 22, a control circuit 23, a plurality of aerosol generating components 24, a receptacle 25, a mouthpiece end 26, an air inlet 27, an air outlet 28, a touch sensing panel 29, a suction sensor. 30 and an end-of-use indicator 31 .

Outer housing 21 may be formed from any suitable material, such as a plastic material. Outer housing 21 is configured such that power source 22 , control circuitry 23 , aerosol-generating component 24 , receiver 25 , and suction sensor 30 are positioned within outer housing 21 . Outer housing 21 also defines an air inlet 27 and an air outlet 28, which are described in more detail below. A touch sensitive panel 29 and an end of use indicator are located outside the outer housing 21 .

Outer housing 21 further includes mouthpiece end 26 . Outer housing 21 and tip end 26 are formed as a single component (ie, tip end 26 forms part of outer housing 21). Mouthpiece end 26 is defined as an area of outer housing 21 that includes an air outlet 28 such that a user can comfortably place their lips around mouthend 26 to engage air outlet 28 . Shape. In FIG. 1, the thickness of outer housing 21 tapers toward air outlet 28 to provide a relatively thin portion of device 2 that can be more easily accommodated by a user's lips. However, in other embodiments, mouthpiece end 26 may be a separate component from outer housing 21 but a removable component that can be coupled to outer housing 21 for cleaning and cleaning. /or may be removed for replacement with another mouthpiece end 26;

Power supply 22 is configured to supply operating power to aerosol delivery device 2 . Power source 22 may be any suitable power source, such as a battery. For example, power source 22 may comprise a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion battery. Power source 22 may be removable or may form an integral part of aerosol delivery device 2 . In some implementations, power supply 22 connects device 2 to an external power source (mains power supply) via an associated connection port, such as a USB port (not shown), or via a suitable wireless receiver (not shown). etc.).

Control circuitry 23 is suitably configured/programmed to control operation of the aerosol delivery device to provide specific operational functions of aerosol delivery device 2 . The control circuit 23 may be considered as logically comprising various subunits/circuitry elements related to various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device. For example, control circuit 23 may comprise logic subunits for controlling recharging of power source 22 . In addition to this, the control circuit 23 may comprise logic subunits for communication to facilitate data transfer to or from the device 2, for example. However, the primary function of control circuit 23 is to control the aerosolization of the aerosol-generating material, as explained in more detail below. The control circuit 23 functions, for example, by one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and/or one or more suitably configured computer(s) configured to provide the desired functions. It will be appreciated that the application specific integrated circuit(s)/circuit(s)/chip(s)/chipset(s) described can be used and provided in a variety of different ways. Control circuitry 23 may be connected to power supply 23 and configured to receive power from power supply 22 and distribute or control power supply to other components of aerosol delivery device 2 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol-delivery device 2 further comprises a receiver 25 arranged to receive the aerosol-generating product 4 .

The aerosol-generating article 4 comprises a carrier component 42 and an aerosol-generating material 44 . The aerosol-generating article 4 is shown in more detail in Figures 2A-2C. 2A is a top view of the article 4, FIG. 2B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the article 4, and FIG. 2C is a side view along the width axis of the article 4. be.

The article 4 comprises a carrier component 42 formed of card in this embodiment. Carrier component 42 forms the bulk of article 4 and serves as a base upon which aerosol-generating material 44 is placed.

Carrier component 42 is generally cuboid in shape having a length l, a width w, and a thickness _tc , as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. As a specific example, the carrier component 42 may have a length of 30-80 mm, a width of 7-25 mm, and a thickness of 0.2-1 mm. However, it should be appreciated that the above are exemplary dimensions for the carrier component 42 and that in other embodiments the carrier component 42 may have different dimensions, if desired. In some embodiments, the carrier component 42 has one or more longitudinal and/or lateral extensions of the carrier component 42 to help facilitate handling of the article 4 by a user. may be provided with protrusions of

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, article 4 comprises a plurality of discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44 disposed on the surface of carrier component 42 . More specifically, article 4 comprises six discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44, labeled 44a-44f, arranged in a 2x3 array. However, in other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of individual portions may be provided and/or the portions may be arranged in a different array (e.g., a 1 x 6 array). should be recognized. In the illustrated example, aerosol-generating material 44 is disposed at discrete discrete locations on a single surface of component carrier 42 . Although individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 are shown having circular footprints, individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 may have any other footprint, such as square or rectangular, as desired. You should recognize that you get The discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44 have a diameter d and a thickness t _a as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. The thickness t _a may take any suitable value, for example the thickness t _a may be in the range of 50 μm to 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness t _a is about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or about 60 μm to about 90 μm, suitably about 77 μm. In other embodiments, the thickness t _a may be greater than 200 μm, such as from about 50 μm to about 400 μm, or to about 1 mm, or to about 1.5 mm.

The discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are separated from each other such that each discrete portion can be individually/selectively energized (eg, heated) to generate an aerosol. In some embodiments, these portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 may have a mass of 20 mg or less, such that the amount of material aerosolized by a given aerosol-generating product 24 at any one time is quantity is relatively small. For example, a portion may have a mass of 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Of course, it should be recognized that the total mass of article 4 may be greater than 20 mg.

In the described embodiment, at least two of the portions of aerosol-generating material 44 of article 4 are different from each other. As will be described in more detail below, the device 2 is configured to allow the user to select which of the portions of the aerosol-generating material to aerosolize for a particular inhalation. When these portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are different from each other, this allows the user to customize the aerosol received per inhalation or per inhalation session.

In the described embodiment, aerosol-generating material 44 is an amorphous solid. Generally, amorphous solids may include a gelling agent (sometimes called a binder) and an aerosol forming agent (eg, which may include glycerol). Optionally, the aerosol-generating material may include one or more of active agents (which may include tobacco extract), flavorants, acids, and fillers. Other ingredients may also be present if desired. Suitable actives, flavorants, acids and fillers are described above in connection with the aerosolizable material.

Aerosol-forming agents thus include glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, One or more of triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent is one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises a hydrocolloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent is alginate, pectin, starch (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)), gums, silica. Or it may contain one or more compounds selected from the group comprising silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent is alginate, pectin, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, silicic acid. one or more of sodium phosphate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol.

The gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate. (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or gum acacia (or one of them). more than one).

In some embodiments, the gelling agent is one including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginates, and combinations thereof. (or are those non-cellulose gelling agents). In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

The aerosol-generating material may contain an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of alpha-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, and ketoacids. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an α-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid is succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvate. It may be at least one of acids.

Suitably the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

Including an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material includes nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of acid can stabilize dissolved species in the slurry from which the aerosol-generating material is formed. The presence of acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing nicotine loss during manufacturing.

In certain embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises a gelling agent comprising a cellulosic and/or non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active agent, and an acid.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol ( CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), Cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM) and one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabinoid (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
Aerosol-generating materials may include cannabidiol (CBD).
Aerosol-generating materials may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).
Aerosol-generating materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Amorphous solids may contain colorants. Colorants can be added to change the appearance of amorphous solids. The presence of a colorant in the amorphous solid can enhance the appearance of the amorphous solid and the aerosol-generating material. By adding a colorant to the amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can match the color of other components of the aerosol-generating material or other components of the article containing the amorphous solid.

Various colorants may be used depending on the desired color of the amorphous solid. The color of the amorphous solid can be white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black, for example. Other colors are also conceivable. Natural or synthetic coloring agents such as natural or synthetic dyes, food coloring agents, and pharmaceutical coloring agents may be used. In certain embodiments, the coloring agent is caramel, which can give the amorphous solid a brown appearance. In such embodiments, the color of the amorphous solid may resemble the color of other components (such as tobacco material) in the aerosol-generating material comprising the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, adding a coloring agent to the amorphous solid renders it visually indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-generating material.

Colorants may be incorporated during the formation of the amorphous solid (e.g., when forming a slurry containing the material that forms the amorphous solid) or after its formation (e.g., when the amorphous solid is may be applied to amorphous solids) by spraying).

Amorphous solid aerosolizable materials offer several advantages over other types of aerosolizable materials commonly found in some electronic aerosol delivery devices. For example, compared to electronic aerosol delivery devices that aerosolize liquid aerosolizable materials, the likelihood of the amorphous solid leaking or otherwise flowing from where it is contained is greatly reduced. This means that the aerosol delivery device or article can be made less expensive as these components do not necessarily have to use the same liquid tight seals or the like.

Compared to an electronic aerosol delivery device that aerosolizes a solid aerosolizable material, such as tobacco, a relatively small mass of amorphous solid material is aerosolized to produce an equivalent amount of aerosol (or an equivalent amount in the aerosol). components, such as nicotine). This is in part due to the fact that amorphous solids can be tailored to be free of inappropriate components sometimes found in other solid aerosolizable materials (e.g. cellulosic materials in tobacco). Depending on the target. For example, in some embodiments, the mass of a portion of amorphous solid is 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Accordingly, the aerosol delivery device may supply relatively little power to the aerosol-generating components and/or the aerosol-generating components may be relatively small to generate a similar aerosol; This therefore means that the energy requirements for the aerosol delivery device can be lowered.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solids are, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5 to 60 weight percent gelling agent, 5 to 80 weight percent aerosol forming agent, and 5 to 60 weight percent % of at least one active substance. Such amorphous solids contain active substances, but may not contain perfumes or acids. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "active-rich" or "active-amorphous solids." For example, in one embodiment, the active agent may be nicotine, and thus such amorphous solids containing nicotine may be referred to as "nicotine amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an active substance-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver an active substance when aerosolized. .

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB: Dry Weight Basis). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 30% to about 60%, or about 40% to 55% by weight; or an active agent in an amount of about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids are about 43% by weight gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC), about 48% by weight glycerol, and about 6% by weight nicotine (DWB )including.

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5-60% gelling agent and 5-80% aerosol forming agent. good. Such amorphous solids may be free of fragrances, acids, and actives. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "aerosol-forming agent-rich" or "aerosol-forming agent-amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an aerosol-forming agent-rich aerosol-forming material that is part of an aerosol-forming material, which, as the name suggests, is designed to deliver an aerosol-forming agent when aerosolized. part of the aerosol-generating material used.
In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB).

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids comprise about 43% by weight gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC) and about 56% by weight glycerol (DWB).

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solids, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, are 0.5-60% gelling agent, 5-80% aerosol forming agent, and 1- It may contain 60% by weight perfume. Such amorphous solids contain fragrances, but may not contain actives or acids. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "flavor rich" or "flavor amorphous solids". More generally, this is an example of a flavorant-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver a flavorant when aerosolized. .

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 30% to about 60%, or about 40% to 55% by weight; or perfume in an amount of about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids are about 43% by weight gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC), about 19% by weight glycerol, and about 37% by weight perfume (DWB )including.

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5-60% gelling agent, 5-80% aerosol forming agent, and 0.5-60% gelling agent. It may contain 1-10% by weight of acid. Such amorphous solids contain acids but may not contain actives or flavors. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "acid-rich" or "acid-amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an acid-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver acid when aerosolized.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 0.1% to about 8%, or about 0.5% to Acid in an amount of 7% by weight, or from about 1% to about 5%, or from about 1% to about 3% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids are about 56% by weight gelling agent (24% by weight alginate and 32% by weight CMC), about 39% by weight glycerol, and about 3% by weight acid (DWB )including.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises tobacco extract. In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). about 1% to about 60%, or about 10% to about 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight of a gelling agent (preferably comprising an alginate); % to about 60%, or about 40% to 55%, or about 45% to about 50% tobacco extract, about 5% to about 60%, or about 20% an aerosol forming agent (preferably including glycerol) in an amount of to about 40% by weight, or from about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB); The tobacco extract may be from a single cultivar of tobacco or may be a blend of extracts from different cultivars of tobacco. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "tobacco amorphous solids" and are sometimes designed to provide a tobacco-like experience when aerosolized.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids comprise about 20% by weight alginate gelling agent, about 48% by weight Virginia tobacco extract, and about 32% by weight glycerol (DWB).

The amorphous solids of these embodiments may have any suitable water content. For example, amorphous solids may have a moisture content of about 5% to about 15%, or about 7% to about 13%, or about 10% by weight.

In any of these embodiments, the amorphous solid thickness t _a can suitably be set depending on how the article 4 is used, as described in detail below. . In some implementations, the thickness t _a may range from about 0.5 to about 2 mm, or from about 0.8 to about 1.2 mm. In some other embodiments, the thickness may be from about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or from about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or from about 60 μm to about 90 μm, with about 77 μm being preferred.

Receptacle 25 is sized to removably receive article 4 . Although not shown, the device 2 may include a hinged door or removable portion of the outer housing 21 to allow access to the receptacle 25 so that the user can access the receptacle 25. The article 4 can be inserted into and/or removed from the receptacle 25 . A hinged door or removable portion of outer housing 21 may also function to retain item 4 within receptacle 25 when closed. When the aerosol-generating product 4 is exhausted, or when the user simply wishes to switch to a different aerosol-generating product 4, the aerosol-generating product 4 is removed from the aerosol-delivery device 2 and a replacement aerosol-generating product 4 is placed in its place. 4 can be placed in the receiving portion 25 . Alternatively, device 2 may include a permanent opening that communicates with receptacle 25 and allows article 4 to be inserted into receptacle 25 . In such embodiments, a retention mechanism may be provided for retaining the item 4 within the receptacle 25 of the device 2 .

As seen in FIG. 1, the device 2 comprises several aerosol-generating components 24 . In the described embodiment, the aerosol-generating component 24 is a heating element 24, more specifically a resistive heating element 24. FIG. Resistive heating element 24 receives electrical current and converts the electrical energy into heat. Resistive heating element 24 may be formed from or include any suitable resistive heating material, such as Nichrome (Ni20Cr80), that produces heat when receiving an electrical current. In one embodiment, the heating element 24 may comprise an electrically insulating substrate with resistive paths disposed thereon. However, as discussed above and should be recognized, the heating element may be any suitable form of heating element.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of the aerosol delivery device 2 showing the arrangement of the heating element 24 in more detail. In FIGS. 1 and 3 the heating element 24 is arranged such that the surface of the heating element 24 forms part of the surface of the receiver 25 . That is, the outer surface of the heating element 24 is flush with the inner surface of the receiver. More specifically, the outer surface of the heating element 24 that is flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25 is heated (i.e., its temperature increases) when the heating element 24 is passed with electrical current. is the surface.

Heating elements 24 are arranged such that each heating element 24 is aligned with a corresponding discrete portion of aerosol-generating material 44 when article 4 is received in receptacle 25 . Thus, in this example, the six heating elements 24 are arranged in a 2×3 array that roughly corresponds to the 2×3 array arrangement of the six discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. It is However, as discussed above, the number of heating elements 24 may vary in different implementations, eg, there may be 8, 10, 12, 14, etc. heating elements 24 . In some embodiments, the number of heating elements 24 is 6 or more, but 20 or less.

More particularly, the heating elements 24 are labeled 24a-24f in FIG. It should be understood that they are arranged in alignment with corresponding portions of 44 . Accordingly, each heating element 24 can be individually actuated to heat a corresponding portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 .

Although the heating element 24 is shown flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25 , in other embodiments the heating element 24 may protrude into the receptacle 25 . In either case, the article 4 contacts the surface of the heating element 24 when residing within the receptacle 25 so that the heat generated by the heating element 24 passes through the carrier component 42 to form an aerosol-forming material. Conducted to material 44 .

In some embodiments, to improve heat transfer efficiency, the receiver may comprise a component that applies a force to the surface of the carrier component 42 to press the carrier component 42 against the heater element 24; Thus, increasing the efficiency of heat transfer by conduction to the aerosol-generating material 44 . Additionally or alternatively, the heater element 24 may be configured to move toward/away from the article 4 and the carrier component 42 without the aerosol-generating material 44 . It may be pressed against the surface.

In use, the device 2 (more specifically the control circuit 23) is configured to power the heating element 24 in response to user input. Generally, control circuitry 23 is configured to selectively apply electrical power to heating elements 24 to heat corresponding portions of aerosol-generating material 44 to generate an aerosol. When a user inhales on device 2 (i.e., on mouth end 26 ), air is drawn into device 2 through air inlet 27 and into receptacle 25 where aerosol-generating material 44 is drawn into device 2 . It mixes with the aerosol produced by heating and is then drawn through the air outlet 28 to the user's mouth. That is, the aerosol is delivered to the user through mouthpiece end 26 and air outlet 28 .

Device 2 of FIG. 1 includes touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 . The touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 together function as a mechanism for receiving user input to trigger the production of aerosol and are therefore more broadly referred to as user input mechanisms. The received user input can be said to indicate that the user wishes to generate an aerosol.

The touch sensing panel 29 may be a capacitive touch sensor, which a user of the device 2 may operate by placing a finger or another suitable conductive object (eg a stylus) on the touch sensing panel. can. In the described embodiment, the touch sensitive panel includes areas that can be pressed by the user to initiate aerosol generation. Control circuitry 23 is configured to receive signals from touch-sensitive panel 29 and use the signals to determine whether the user is pressing (ie, actuating) this area of touch-sensitive panel 29 . can do. When control circuit 23 receives this signal, control circuit 23 is configured to supply power from power source 22 to one or more of heating elements 24 . Power may be supplied for a predetermined period of time (eg, 3 seconds) from the moment contact is detected, or may be supplied corresponding to the length of time contact is detected. In other embodiments, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be replaced with buttons or the like that can be actuated by the user.

Suction sensor 30 may be a pressure sensor, microphone, or the like configured to detect a pressure drop or air flow caused by a user sucking on device 2 . The suction sensor 30 is placed in fluid communication with the airflow path (ie, in fluid communication with the airflow path between the inlet 27 and the outlet 28). In a manner similar to that described above, the control circuit 23 may be configured to receive a signal from the inhalation sensor and use this signal to determine if the user is inhaling with the aerosol delivery system 1 . When control circuit 23 receives this signal, control circuit 23 is configured to supply power from power source 22 to one or more of heating elements 24 . Power may be supplied for a predetermined period of time (eg, 3 seconds) from the moment suction is detected, or may be supplied corresponding to the length of time suction is detected.

In the illustrated example, both the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 detect that the user wishes to initiate the generation of an aerosol for inhalation. Control circuitry 23 may be configured to power heating element 24 only when signals from both touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 are detected. This can help prevent unintentional activation of the heating element 24 from accidental activation of one of the user input mechanisms. However, in other embodiments the aerosol delivery system 1 may have only one of the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 .

These aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1 (i.e., puff detection and contact detection) are per se according to established techniques (e.g., using conventional suction sensors and suction sensor signal processing techniques, as well as conventional touch detection). sensor and touch sensor signal processing techniques).

Turning now to the operation of device 2, in response to detecting signals from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30, control circuit 23 powers one or more of heating elements 24 simultaneously. and in particular when at least two heating elements 24 are selected to operate, the control circuit 23 is configured to simultaneously power the at least two heating elements 24 .

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for generating an aerosol according to this disclosure;

The method begins at step S1 where a user can set a heating configuration for subsequent heating of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the article 4 . Essentially, the user can select which heating element 24 is activated upon receiving a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the user can activate any one or more of the six heating elements 24 and correspondingly heat any one of the six discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 . More than one can be selected. Additionally, in the described embodiment, the user can also set the power supplied to each heating element 24 . In this case, it should generally be appreciated that the more power supplied to the heating element 24 , the relatively greater amount of aerosol generated from that portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 . In this way, the user can select not only the specific components to be present, but also the relative proportions of those components in the aerosol, to generate on a per inhalation or per session basis. The aerosol delivered can be further customized. However, it should be appreciated that selecting the power level may be optional, and in some implementations the level of power may be predetermined and fixed.

The heating configuration may be manually set by the user to allow manual selection of each individual heating element 24 and/or to allow manual selection of the level of power. In other embodiments, the user can select from a list of pre-defined heating configurations that may be pre-stored on the device 2 or obtained from a remote source (e.g. downloaded from a server). You may be able to choose.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a touch sensitive panel 29 that allows the user to select which heating element to activate. FIG. 5 schematically shows the outer housing 21 and touch sensitive panel 29 as previously described. The touch sensitive panel 29 has six areas 29a-29f corresponding to each of the six heating elements 24 and, as mentioned above, indicating that the user wishes to initiate inhalation or generate an aerosol. An area 29g corresponding to the area for indication is provided. Each of the six regions 29a-29f is for selecting one or more of the six corresponding heating elements 24 (thus causing the control circuit 23 to power one or more of the six corresponding heating elements 24). correspond to touch sensitive areas that can be touched by the user (to supply). The touch sensitive panel 29 can be said to be both a user input mechanism for allowing a user to set the heating configuration and a user input mechanism for initiating aerosol generation. However, it should be recognized that in other implementations, these two user input mechanisms may be provided by separate dedicated components (eg, touch sensitive panel and push buttons).

As previously mentioned, the power level to each heating element 24 can also be set in certain embodiments. In the described embodiment, each heating element 24 can be in multiple states, e.g., an off state in which the heating element 24 is not powered, a low power state in which the heating element 24 is powered at a first level, and a low power state. Heating element 24 may have a high power state in which a second level of power is supplied that is greater than the first level of power. However, fewer or more states may be available for heating element 24 in other embodiments. To select different power levels or states, the user may repeatedly tap regions 29a-29f to cycle through different states (eg, off, low power, high power, off, etc.). Alternatively, the user may press and hold regions 29a-29f to cycle through different states. In this case, the pressed time determines the state. Other suitable methods for user interaction with the touch sensitive panel to select a corresponding power level may be implemented in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Touch sensitive panel 29 may include one or more indicators for each of regions 29a-29f that indicate in which state heating element 24 is currently located. For example, the touch sensitive panel may comprise one or more LEDs or similar lighting elements, the intensity of the LEDs indicating the current state of the heating element 24 . Alternatively, colored LEDs or similar lighting elements may be provided, the color indicating the current state. Alternatively, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be a display element that displays the current state of the heating element 24 (eg, under the transparent touch sensitive panel 29 or areas 29a-29f of the touch sensitive panel 29). may be provided adjacent to ).

Thus, the user can determine which heating element 24 (and subsequently which portion of the aerosol-generating material 44) to heat (and, optionally, which portion of the aerosol-generating material 44) by interacting with the touch-sensitive panel 29 prior to generating an aerosol. Specifically, how much to heat them) can be set. Once the user has set the configuration of the heating element 24 in step S1, in step S2 the device 2 is configured to operate the touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, the area 29g of the touch sensitive panel 29) and the touch sensitive panel 29 as discussed above. A signal indicative of the user's intention to inhale the aerosol is received from either or both of the aspiration sensors 30 .

At step S3, in response to detecting signals from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 causes the selected heating element to be heated according to the heating configuration set at step S1. 24.
In step S4, control circuit 23 stops powering the selected heating element 24. FIG. This may, for example, be in response to the signal stopping (if this signal is only output when the user is sucking on the device as detected by the suction sensor 30, or if the user is and/or in response to the elapse of a predetermined amount of time since the signal was first detected.

The method can then continue back to step S1 or S2 for the next aspiration. In this case, it should be understood that step S1 may or may not be performed depending on whether the user decides to reset the heating configuration.

In principle, this method allows simultaneous operation of multiple heating elements 24 and is therefore sometimes referred to as a "simultaneous operation mode". This is in contrast to the "sequential mode of operation" in which the heating elements 24 are activated sequentially. However, the device 2 as described above may, in some circumstances, allow the user to select only one heating element 24 (and thus only one portion of aerosol-generating material) for a given user inhalation. It should be recognized that there are things that cannot be done.

In response to detecting the signal at step S2, the method of FIG. 4 powers the selected heating element 24 at step S3 and then powers the selected heating element 24 at step S4. In some embodiments, control circuit 23 is configured to preheat selected portions of aerosol-generating material 44 prior to detection of the signal in step S2. It should be recognized that This may be particularly the case if the portion of the aerosol-generating material is relatively thick (eg, on the order of 1 mm). In these cases, for example, due to the total mass that needs to be heated, energy is delivered by the heating element 24 for a period of 2-5 seconds (typically corresponding to the length of the user's inhalation). In addition, it may not be sufficient to raise the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 to the release temperature (ie, the temperature at which the aerosol-generating material releases its constituents). Thus, by preheating the portion(s) of aerosol-generating material 44, it may be possible to add sufficient energy to generate sufficient aerosol when a signal is detected in step S1. In these embodiments, steps S3 and S4 of FIG. 4 apply additional power to selected heating elements according to the heating configuration to increase the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 and the portion from which aerosol is generated. Raising to the operating temperature (step S3) and, according to the heating configuration, removing additional power to the selected heating element to reduce the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 below the operating temperature. (Step S4) should be understood. The target temperature (sometimes referred to as the operating temperature) is the temperature that the control circuit 23 causes the heating element to reach in order to generate the aerosol. Accordingly, the operating temperature may be one or more fixed values.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the control signal output from control circuit 23, which is ultimately used to provide different levels of power to selected heating elements 24. FIG. This control signal causes power supply 22 (or a power management device (not shown) coupled to power supply 22) to supply power to the selected heating element at a level according to the control signal to identify the heating element. to reach the target temperature. The control signal thus represents the temperature that the heating element (and, subsequently, the aerosol-generating material) is intended to reach during operation.

The magnitude of the control signal is shown on the y-axis of the graph and the time t is shown on the x-axis. As seen in FIG. 6, the control signals represent various target temperatures for heating element 24 . More specifically, FIG. 6 shows a preheat target temperature T _pre , a low target operating temperature T _op-low , and a high target operating temperature T _op-high . _Top-high and _Top-low correspond to the target temperatures associated with the high and low levels of power that can be supplied to the heating element 24 above, and T _pre is the temperature at which the heating element is powered during the preheat operation phase. Corresponds to the level of power supplied. Thus, _Top-high represents a temperature higher than _Top-low , but _Top-low is a temperature higher than T _pre .

FIG. 6 shows two separate graphs, one for the first heating element (top) and one for the second heating element (bottom). In the foregoing description, the first heating element is heating element 24a and the second heating element is heating element 24b.

At time t _conf , the user has finished entering the heating configuration to be used in device 2 according to step S1 of FIG. In this example, the heating configuration is set such that a high level of power is supplied to heating element 24b and a low level of power is supplied to heating element 24a. All other heating elements are off, so no power is supplied to these heating elements in this example, so they are not shown in FIG. However, in other embodiments, all heating elements 24 are powered sufficiently to raise the temperature of the heating elements to T _pre , regardless of whether the heating elements were selected in step S1 of FIG. be.

In this embodiment, as soon as this configuration is set at t _conf , the control circuit 23 is configured to preheat the heating elements 24a and 24b, and thus the portions of the aerosol-generating material 44a and 44b. The preheat temperature T _pre is preferably set to be below the release temperature (T _rel ) at which portions of the aerosol-generating material 44a or 44b begin to release a substantial amount of aerosol. In this way, the aerosol-generating material can be warmed but not substantially consumed during the preheating stage.

At time t _s1 , control circuit 23, from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, region 29g of touch sensitive panel 29) and suction sensor 30, as discussed above in step S2: A signal is received indicating the user's intent to inhale the aerosol. In response, control circuit 23 is configured to supply a level of power to heating elements 24a and 24b corresponding to the heating configuration. In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit 23 is configured to provide sufficient power to the heating element 24a to cause the heating element 24a to reach the target temperature _Top-low , wherein the control circuit 23 It is configured to supply sufficient power to the heating element 24b to cause the element 24b to reach the target temperature _Top-high .

At time t _f1 , the control circuit 23 stops or receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 indicating the user's intention to inhale the aerosol. following which the power to both heating elements 24a and 24b is reduced to a level sufficient for the heating elements 24a and 24b to reach the target temperature T _pre . Let

At a later time t _s2 , control circuit 23 activates either touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically region 29g of touch sensitive panel 29) and suction sensor 30 to indicate the user's intention to inhale the aerosol. Receiving signals from one or both. In response, control circuit 23 is configured to supply a level of power to heating elements 24a and 24b corresponding to the heating configuration. In this example, between time t _f1 and time t _s2 , the user causes heating element 24b to be supplied with a level of power sufficient to cause heating element 24b to reach target temperature T _op-low. Changed heating configuration. In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, control circuit 23 is configured to provide sufficient power to both heating elements 24a and 24b to cause heating elements 24a and 24b to reach target temperature _Top-low. .

At time _tf2 , the control circuit 23 stops or receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 indicating the user's intention to inhale the aerosol. following which the power to both heating elements 24a, 24b is reduced to a level sufficient for the heating elements 24a, 24b to reach the target temperature T _pre . Let

This sequence can be repeated until the user switches off the device at time t _off , _at which point the control signals for controlling the power supplied to heating elements 24a and 24b are terminated. can be done.

Although the target temperatures T _op-high , T _op-low , and T _pre are shown set to be the same for each heating element 24 in FIG. may be set differently for different heating elements 24 corresponding to . That is, different aerosol-generating materials may have different suitable T _op-high , T _op-low , and T _pre target temperatures. Similarly, the release temperature T _rel may also be different for different aerosol-generating materials.

As mentioned above, the device 2 according to the described embodiments is configured to heat different parts of the aerosol-generating material, in particular the amorphous solids mentioned above. In particular, device 2 is configured to allow a combination of two or more aerosol-generating materials to be heated. In this case, the device 2 is configured to heat a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material and a second component different from the first component. A second aerosol-generating material comprising a component is configured to be heated to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material. Control circuitry 23 is configured such that the steps of heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material occur substantially simultaneously.

Substantially simultaneously is to be understood here to mean that the times at which the heating takes place largely overlap, although the heating times may not overlap completely (e.g. one heating time may may be longer than the heating time).

As discussed, in some embodiments the aerosol-delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material including an active agent and to heat an aerosol-generating material including a flavorant. Thus, in this case the aerosol delivered to the user contains both the active agent (eg nicotine) and the fragrance.

In some embodiments, aerosol-delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an active agent and to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an acid. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user contains both the active agent (eg nicotine) and the acid. Supplying acid to the aerosol can protonate some (or all) of the nicotine as the aerosol exits the mouthpiece end 26 of the device through the receptacle 25 .

In some embodiments, device 2 prevents aerosolization of acid-rich aerosol-generating materials if the user decides not to select the active/nicotine-rich aerosol-generating materials for aerosolization. may be configured. This is mainly because the inclusion of acid can cause protonation of the active/nicotine.

In some embodiments, aerosol-delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an active agent and to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an aerosol-generating agent such as glycerol. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user contains both the active agent (eg nicotine) and an amount of additional glycerol. In this case, as noted above, some aerosol-generating materials may generally contain a portion of glycerol to form an aerosol. However, in this example, more glycerol can be added to the aerosol delivered to the user by heating a portion of the aerosol-generating material that contains a relatively high concentration of glycerol. Providing more glycerol can increase the amount of visible aerosol produced (eg, visible "smoke" exhaled by the user).

In some embodiments, aerosol-delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes a flavorant and to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an aerosol-generating agent such as glycerol. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user contains both the flavorant and an amount of additional glycerol. In this case, as discussed above, some aerosol-generating materials may generally contain a portion of glycerol to form an aerosol. However, in this example, more glycerol can be added to the aerosol delivered to the user by heating a portion of the aerosol-generating material that contains a relatively high concentration of glycerol. Providing more glycerol can increase the amount of visible aerosol produced (eg, visible "smoke" exhaled by the user).

In other embodiments, the aerosol-delivery device 2 heats a third aerosol-generating material comprising a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material. configured as In this case, heating the third aerosol-generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials.

In these embodiments, the aerosol-delivery device 2 heats an aerosol-generating material containing an active agent such as nicotine, heats an aerosol-generating material containing an aerosol-generating agent such as glycerol, and heats an aerosol-generating material containing an acid. It may be configured to heat the material. In this embodiment, the user can be provided with protonated nicotine produced by the combination of nicotine and acid released by each portion of the aerosol-generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user is also , can contain an increased amount of visible vapor.

In other embodiments, the aerosol-delivery device 2 is adapted to heat an aerosol-generating material containing an active agent such as nicotine, heat an aerosol-generating material containing a perfume, and heat an aerosol-generating material containing an acid. may be configured to In this embodiment, the user can be provided with protonated nicotine produced by the combination of nicotine and acid released by each portion of the aerosol-generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user is also Contains fragrance.

In yet another embodiment, the aerosol-delivery device 2 heats a fourth aerosol-generating material comprising a fourth component different from the first, second, and third components to produce a gas from the fourth aerosol-generating material. configured to generate an aerosol; In this case, heating the fourth aerosol-generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with heating the first, second, and third aerosol-generating materials.

In such embodiments, the aerosol-delivery device 2 heats an aerosol-generating material containing an active agent such as nicotine, heats an aerosol-generating material containing an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerol, and heats an aerosol-generating material containing an acid. It may be configured to heat the generating material and to heat the perfumed aerosol-generating material. In this embodiment, the user can be provided with protonated nicotine produced by the combination of nicotine and acid released by the respective portions of the aerosol-generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user is also , can contain an increased amount of visible vapor, and contains perfume.

From the above, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, a user selects specific heating elements corresponding to specific portions of different aerosol-generating materials to activate in response to user input to generate an aerosol. It should be appreciated that the aerosol delivered by the device 2 can thus be customized. Thus, a device 2 and article 4 can be provided that provide the user with greater flexibility without having to replace the article 4 .

It should be understood that the embodiments listed above refer to heating two to four different portions of the aerosol-generating material substantially simultaneously. However, the device is not limited to heating four different portions of the aerosol-generating material. For example, the article is an aerosol-generating material corresponding to an active-rich aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating agent-rich aerosol-generating material, an acid-rich aerosol-generating material, and three perfume-rich aerosol-generating materials, each with a different perfume. There may be six portions of material. The principles of the present disclosure are applicable to such embodiments as well, although the device may be configured to heat one, two, or three of the perfume-rich portions. good.
In one example, the aerosol-generating material comprises or is an amorphous solid. Amorphous solids (such as those described above) are particularly suitable for being individually heated for each draw. Part of the reason for this is that amorphous solids are formed from selected constituents/ingredients, and therefore a relatively high proportion of the mass is useful (or deliverable) ingredients (e.g., nicotine and glycerol). Because it can be designed to be Thus, amorphous solids can generate a relatively high percentage of aerosol from a given mass compared to some other aerosol-generating materials (e.g., tobacco), which This means that a relatively small portion of solid solids can output an equivalent amount of aerosol.

The amorphous solid may be the aforementioned "active substance rich" amorphous solid, "aerosol former rich" amorphous solid, "flavorant rich" amorphous solid, or "acid rich" amorphous solid. It can be any liquid. As noted above, different aerosol-generating materials may have different _Top-high and _Top-low temperatures. The table below shows heating data for the amorphous solids described above. Here, _Top (range) is the heating range over which the aerosol-generating material can be heated to generate sufficient aerosol to be detectable by humans, and _Top-high (range) is _Top is the temperature range within which a relatively large amount of aerosol is produced within the (range) temperature, and Top _-low (range) is the temperature range within which a relatively small amount of aerosol is produced within the _Top (range) temperature. and T _op-low (specified) and T _op-high (specified) are specific exemplary temperature settings for a specific embodiment.

Accordingly, device 2 is configured to operate within the temperature range as set by the table above when heating an aerosol-generating material containing the components listed above.

Thus, as explained above, the user can selectively control which heating elements 24 (and thus which portions of the aerosol-generating material 44) can be heated to create a user-customized aerosol. An aerosol delivery device 2 can be provided that can provide a Aerosol-generating devices can also provide aerosols having different relative amounts of components, thus providing a variety of different experiences to the user from a single article 4 .

In some embodiments, control circuit 23 may, for example, activate when each heating element 24 has been actuated a predetermined number of times, or when a given heating element 24 has been activated a predetermined number of times and/or It may be configured to generate a warning signal indicating the end of use of the article 4 when activated for a given cumulative operating time and/or a given cumulative operating power. In Figure 1, the device 2 includes an end-of-use indicator 31, which in this embodiment is an LED. However, in other embodiments the end-of-use indicator 31 may comprise any mechanism capable of giving a warning signal to the user, i.e. the end-of-use indicator 31 is an optical element delivering an optical signal. , a sound generator that delivers audio signals, and/or a vibrator that delivers tactile signals. In some implementations, the display 31 may be combined with a touch-sensitive panel (eg, if the touch-sensitive panel includes a display element) or may be otherwise provided. The device 2 can prevent subsequent operation of the device 2 when the warning signal is output. When the user changes the article 4 and/or turns off the warning signal via manual means such as a button (not shown), the warning signal can be turned off and the control circuit 23 is reset.

More particularly, control circuit 23 may be configured to count the number of times one or each of the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 is heated. For example, the control circuit 23 can count how many times the nicotine-containing portion has been heated and determine the end of life of the article 4 when it reaches a predetermined number. Alternatively, control circuit 23 may be configured to count separately for each individual portion of aerosol-generating material 44 when that portion is heated. Each portion may have the same or a different predetermined number of times, and when any one of the times for each portion of aerosol-generating material reaches the predetermined number, control circuit 23 indicates the end of life of article 4 . determine the end of

In any of the embodiments, the control circuit 23 may also factor in the length of time the portion of the aerosol-generating material was heated and/or the temperature to which the portion of the aerosol-generating material was heated. In this regard, rather than counting individual actuations, control circuitry 23 may be configured to calculate a cumulative parameter indicative of the state of heating experienced by each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 . This parameter can be, for example, the accumulated time, and the temperature to the material is used to adjust the amount of time added to the accumulated time. For example, a portion heated to 200° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 3 seconds to the cumulative time, while a portion heated to 250° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 4.5 seconds to the cumulative time.

The above techniques for determining the end of life of an item 4 should not be understood as an exhaustive list of methods for determining the end of life of an item 4, in fact any other suitable method may be used. , may be used in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Aerosol delivery system 200 includes components generally similar to those described in connection with FIG. For the sake of efficiency, components with like reference numbers should be understood to be substantially the same as their counterparts in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2C unless otherwise specified.

Aerosol delivery device 202 includes outer housing 221, power supply 222, control circuit 223, inductive action coil 224a, receiver 225, mouthpiece end 226, air inlet 227, air outlet 228, touch sensing panel 229, suction sensor 230, and An end-of-use indicator 231 is provided.

The aerosol-generating article 204 comprises a carrier component 242, an aerosol-generating material 244, and a susceptor element 244b, as shown in more detail in Figures 8A-8C. 8A is a top view of the article 4, FIG. 8B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the article 4, and FIG. 8C is a side view along the width axis of the article 4. be.

7 and 8 depict an aerosol delivery system 200 that uses induction to heat an aerosol-generating material 244 to produce an aerosol for inhalation.

In the described embodiment, the aerosol-generating component 224 is formed from two parts: an inductive action coil 224a located on the aerosol-delivery device 202 and a susceptor 224b located on the aerosol-generating article 204. Thus, in this described embodiment, each aerosol-generating component 224 comprises elements distributed between the aerosol-generating article 204 and the aerosol-delivery device 202 .

Induction heating is the process of heating a conductive object, called a susceptor, by impinging it with a varying magnetic field. This process is described by Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction and Ohm's Law. An induction heater may comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying current, such as alternating current, through the electromagnet. When an electromagnet and an object to be heated are placed in proper relative positions such that the varying magnetic field generated by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated within the object. This object has resistance to the flow of electric current. Accordingly, when such eddy currents are created within the body, they flow against the electrical resistance of the body, thereby heating the body. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistance heating.

A susceptor is a material that can be heated by the impingement of a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The heating material may be an electrically conductive material such that penetrating it with a varying magnetic field inductively heats the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic, such that penetration of a varying magnetic field into it causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The heating material may be both electrically conductive and magnetic so that it can be heated by both heating mechanisms.

Magnetic hysteresis heating is the process of heating an object made of magnetic material by impinging it with a varying magnetic field. Magnetic materials can be thought of as containing many atomic scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such material, the magnetic dipoles align along the magnetic field. Thus, when a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field (eg generated by an electromagnet) penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles will change in response to the applied varying magnetic field. Such reorientation of the magnetic dipoles generates heat within the magnetic material.

When an object is both electrically conductive and magnetic, immersion of the object in a varying magnetic field can induce both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. In addition, the use of magnetic materials can enhance the magnetic field and thus Joule heating.

In this illustrated embodiment, the susceptor 224b is formed from aluminum foil, but it should be appreciated that other metals and/or conductive materials may be used in other embodiments. As seen in FIG. 8, the carrier component 242 comprises a number of susceptors 224b corresponding in size and position to discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 244 disposed on the carrier component 242 surface. That is, the susceptor 224b has a width and length similar to the individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 244. FIG.

The susceptor is shown embedded in carrier component 242 . However, in other embodiments, the susceptor 224b may be placed on the surface of the carrier component 242. FIG.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises a plurality of induction acting coils 224a shown schematically in FIG. Working coils 224a are shown adjacent receptacle 225 such that the axis of rotation about which a given coil is wound extends into receptacle 225 and lies substantially in the plane of carrier component 242 of article 204. A generally flat coil arranged to be vertical. It should be appreciated that the windings are not exactly shown in FIG. 7 and that any suitable induction coil may be used.

The control circuit 223 includes a mechanism to generate an alternating current through any one or more of the induction coils 224a. This alternating current produces an alternating magnetic field, as described above, which raises the temperature of the corresponding susceptor 224b(s). Heat generated by susceptor(s) 224b is transferred to portions of aerosol-generating material 244 accordingly.

1 and 2A-2C, the control circuit 223, in response to receiving signals from the touch sensing panel 229 and/or the suction sensor 230, causes the working coil 224a to configured to supply current; As previously explained, any of the techniques for selecting which heating elements 24 are heated by the control circuit 23 involve the use of a touch sensitive panel by the control circuit 223 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by the user. 229 and/or in response to receiving signals from the aspiration sensor 230, selecting which working coils 224a are energized (and thus which portions of the aerosol-generating material 244 are subsequently heated); can be applied analogously to

Although the above describes an induction heating aerosol delivery system in which the working coil 224a and susceptor 224b are distributed between the article 204 and the device 202, an induction heating aerosol delivery system in which the working coil 224a and susceptor 224b are located only within the device 202 A delivery system may be provided. For example, referring to FIG. 7, susceptor 224b is mounted above induction acting coil 224a such that susceptor 224b is positioned on the underside of carrier component 242 (in a manner similar to aerosol delivery system 1 shown in FIG. 1). may be placed in contact.

Accordingly, FIG. 8 illustrates a more specific implementation in which the techniques described in this disclosure can be applied and inductive heating can be used in an aerosol delivery device 202 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user. describes the situation.

While the above describes a system provided with an array of aerosol-generating components 24 (e.g., heater elements) to energize discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material, in other embodiments, the article 4 and/or the aerosol Generation components 24 may be configured to move relative to each other. That is, there may be fewer aerosol-generating components 24 than individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 provided on the carrier component 42 of the article 4 , so that each individual portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 is individually energyed. Relative movement between article 4 and aerosol-generating component 24 is required to be able to provide. For example, the movable heating element 24 may be provided within the receiver 25 such that the movable heating element 24 can move relative to the receiver 25 . In this manner, the movable heating element 24 is positioned (eg, across the width and length of the carrier component 42 ) such that the heating element 24 can be aligned with each of the discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 . It can move in translation. This approach can reduce the number of aerosol-generating components 42 required while providing a similar user experience.

While the above describes embodiments in which discrete, spatially distinct portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are disposed on the carrier component 42, in other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is discretely, spatially distinct. , but instead may be provided as a continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material 44 . In these embodiments, specific regions of the sheet of aerosol-generating material 44 may be selectively heated to generate aerosols in much the same manner as described above. However, this disclosure has described heating (or aerosolizing) portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 regardless of whether those portions are spatially separate. In particular, on a continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material (corresponding to a portion of the aerosol-generating material), based on the dimensions of the heating element 24 (or, more specifically, the surface of the heating element 24 designed to increase in temperature). a region may be defined. In this regard, a corresponding area of the heating element 24 may be considered to define a region or portion of the aerosol-generating material when projected onto the sheet of aerosol-generating material. According to this disclosure, each region or portion of the aerosol-generating material may have a mass of 20 mg or less, although the entire continuous sheet may have a mass of greater than 20 mg.

While the above describes embodiments in which the device 2 can be configured or operated using a touch sensitive panel 29 attached to the device 2, the device 2 may alternatively be configured or controlled remotely. For example, control circuitry 23 may include corresponding communication circuitry (eg, Bluetooth) that allows control circuitry 23 to communicate with remote devices such as smart phones. Accordingly, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be implemented substantially using an app or the like running on a smart phone. The smart phone can then send user inputs or settings to control circuitry 23, which may be configured to act based on the received inputs or settings.

While the above describes embodiments in which the aerosol is generated by energizing the aerosol-generating material 44 (e.g., heating the aerosol-generating material 44) and then inhaled by the user, in some embodiments It should be appreciated that the generated aerosol may pass through or over the aerosol modifying component to modify one or more properties of the aerosol prior to inhalation by the user. For example, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may comprise an air permeable insert (not shown) inserted into the air flow path downstream of the aerosol-generating material 44 (eg, the insert may be positioned at the outlet 28). good). The insert may include a material that alters any one or more of the flavor, temperature, particle size, nicotine concentration, etc. of the aerosol as it passes through the insert before entering the user's mouth. For example, the insert may contain tobacco or treated tobacco. Such systems are sometimes called hybrid systems. The insert may include any suitable aerosol-modifying material, which may include the aerosol-generating materials described above.

While the above describes embodiments in which the aerosol delivery device 2 comprises an end-of-use indicator 31, it should be appreciated that the end-of-use indicator 31 may be provided by another device separate from the aerosol delivery device 2. is. For example, in some embodiments, the control circuitry 23 of the aerosol delivery device 2 may comprise a communication mechanism that allows data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 2 and a remote device such as, for example, a smartphone or smartwatch. good. In these embodiments, when control circuitry 23 determines that article 4 has reached end-of-use, control circuitry 23 is configured to send a signal to a remote device, which remote device can (e.g., use the display of a smart phone) ) to generate a warning signal. Other remote devices and other mechanisms for generating alert signals may be used as described above.

In some embodiments the article 4 may be provided with an identifier such as a readable bar code or RFID tag and the aerosol delivery device 2 is provided with a corresponding reader. The device 2 may be configured to read the identifier on the item 4 when the item is inserted into the receiver 25 of the device 2 . Control circuitry 23 may be configured to recognize the presence of article 4 (thus allowing heating and/or resetting the end of life indicator) or to identify the type of portion of aerosol-generating material and/or location relative to article 4. may be configured to This can affect which portions the control circuit 23 aerosolizes and/or how those portions are aerosolized, for example by adjusting the aerosol generation temperature and/or heating time. can. Any suitable technique for recognizing the item 4 may be used.

Additionally, when portions of the aerosol-generating material are provided on the carrier component 42, these portions, in some embodiments, are weakened areas, e.g., through-holes, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the carrier component 42. Or it may include regions of relatively thin aerosol-generating material. This is the case when the hottest portion of the aerosol-generating material is the region in direct contact with the carrier component (in other words, the scenario where heat is applied primarily to the surface of the aerosol-generating material contacting the carrier component 42). obtain. Thus, rather than potentially allowing aerosol to accumulate between the carrier component 42 and the aerosol-generating material 44, the through-holes allow the generated aerosol to escape and be released into the airflow through the environment/device 2. can provide a route for Such accumulation of aerosol can, in some embodiments, cause the aerosol-generating material to float away from the carrier component 42, thus reducing the efficiency of heat transfer to the aerosol-generating material, thereby reducing the heating efficiency of the system. Each portion of the aerosol-generating material may optionally comprise one or more areas of weakness.

Thus, a method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other has been described. The method comprises heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to produce an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material; and heating the aerosol-generating material of to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material. Heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material are configured to occur substantially simultaneously. This can provide an aerosol comprising a combination of aerosols produced from each individual portion of the aerosol-generating material. An aerosol delivery device and an aerosol delivery system are also described.

Although the above embodiments focused in some respects on certain exemplary aerosol delivery systems, it is recognized that the same principles can be applied to aerosol delivery systems using other technologies. let's be That is, the specific manner in which various aspects of the aerosol delivery system function are not directly related to the underlying principles of the examples described herein.

To address various challenges and advance the art, this disclosure presents, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) can be implemented. The advantages and features of this disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive or exclusive of all or other advantages and features. They are presented solely to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed invention(s). Advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure shall be construed as limiting the disclosure as defined by the claims or equivalents of the claims. It should not be considered limiting and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably comprise various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and only from them. may consist or consist essentially of them, and thus the features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claim in combinations other than those expressly recited in the claims. It will be appreciated that they may be combined. The present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (24)

A method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other, comprising:
heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from said first aerosol-generating material;
heating a second aerosol-generating material comprising a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material;
A method, wherein heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material occur substantially simultaneously. The first aerosol-generating material is heated to a first temperature at which an aerosol is generated from the first aerosol-generating material, and the second aerosol-generating material is heated to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is heated to a second temperature. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures such that at each temperature the first aerosol-generating material produces a different amount of aerosol. 4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said second temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures such that at each temperature said second aerosol-generating material produces a different amount of aerosol. Prior to heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials,
selecting a temperature to heat the first aerosol-generating material;
and selecting a temperature to heat the second aerosol-generating material. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first component is an active substance and said second component is a flavoring agent. heating the first aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 140° C. to about 220° C., wherein the first aerosol-generating material is 30% of the dry weight of the first aerosol-generating material; containing ~60% by weight active material;
heating the second aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 160° C. to about 220° C., wherein the second aerosol-generating material is 1 to 60 times the dry weight of the aerosol-generating material; % flavoring agent. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first component is an active substance and said second component is an acid. heating the first aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 140° C. to about 220° C., wherein the first aerosol-generating material is 30% of the dry weight of the first aerosol-generating material; containing ~60% by weight active material;
heating the second aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 160° C. to about 220° C., wherein the second aerosol-generating material is 0% of the dry weight of the second aerosol-generating material; .1 to 8% by weight of acid. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first component is an active substance and said second component is glycerol. heating the first aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 140° C. to about 220° C., wherein the first aerosol-generating material is 30% of the dry weight of the first aerosol-generating material; containing ~60% by weight active material;
heating the second aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 170° C. to about 230° C., wherein the second aerosol-generating material is 5 times the dry weight of the second aerosol-generating material; containing ˜80% by weight of glycerol. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein said active substance is nicotine. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said first component is a flavoring agent and said second component is glycerol. heating the first aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 160° C. to about 220° C., wherein the first aerosol-generating material is 5 times the dry weight of the first aerosol-generating material; containing ~60% by weight flavoring agent;
heating the second aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 170° C. to about 230° C., wherein the second aerosol-generating material is 5 to 80 times the dry weight of the aerosol-generating material; % glycerol. heating a third aerosol-generating material comprising a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material; 15. The method of any one of claims 1-14, wherein heating the generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials. heating a third aerosol-generating material comprising a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material; 10. Any one of claims 6-9, wherein heating the generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials, and wherein the third component is glycerol. The method described in . heating the third aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 170° C. to about 230° C., wherein the third aerosol-generating material is 5 times the dry weight of the third aerosol-generating material; 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising containing ~80 wt% glycerol. heating a fourth aerosol-generating material comprising a fourth component different from the first, second, and third components to generate an aerosol from the fourth aerosol-generating material; 18. Any one of claims 15-17, wherein heating a fourth aerosol-generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with heating said first, second and third aerosol-generating materials. the method of. heating a third aerosol-generating material comprising a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material; heating a fourth aerosol-generating material comprising a fourth component different from three components to generate an aerosol from said fourth aerosol-generating material, said third and fourth aerosol-generating materials; heating occurs substantially simultaneously with heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials;
heating the third aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 160° C. to about 220° C., wherein the third aerosol-generating material is 0% of the dry weight of the third aerosol-generating material; .1 to 8% by weight of acid,
heating the fourth aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 170° C. to about 230° C., wherein the fourth aerosol-generating material is 5 times the dry weight of the fourth aerosol-generating material; containing ~80% by weight of glycerol. 20. The method of any one of claims 1-19, wherein the aerosol-generating material is an amorphous solid. Any one or more of said portions of aerosol-generating material are heated to said respective portions of aerosol-generating material prior to heating said portions of aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature to generate an aerosol from said portions of aerosol-generating material. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising heating to a maximum temperature below a temperature sufficient to generate an aerosol from the portion. 1. An aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other, comprising:
a plurality of heating elements;
and a control circuit configured to implement the method of any one of claims 1-21. 23. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device according to claim 22 and an aerosol-generating article comprising a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component and a second aerosol-generating material comprising a second component. An aerosol delivery means for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating article comprising portions of aerosol-generating material having different compositions from each other, comprising:
a plurality of heating means;
a control means,
heating a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from said first aerosol-generating material;
a control means configured to heat a second aerosol-generating material comprising a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material;
Aerosol delivery means, wherein heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material are performed substantially simultaneously.

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