JP2024505799A - Cartridges for aerosol generation systems - Google Patents

Abstract

A cartridge for use with an aerosol generation system includes a first compartment containing a solid aerosol-forming material and loosely packed solid particles configured to retain the liquid aerosol-forming material in the interstices of the particles and on their surfaces. a second compartment comprising a liquid aerosol-forming material stored within a liquid-retention element comprising: a breathable separation element separating the solid aerosol-forming material in the first compartment and the liquid aerosol-forming material in the second compartment; and. The first compartment is arranged such that one or more components of the solid aerosol-forming material disposed within the first compartment absorb the aerosol generated within the second compartment while the aerosol vapor is passing through the solid aerosol-forming material. It is located downstream of the second compartment so as to be injected into the steam. The loosely packed solid particles are flexibly interconnected, which provides design flexibility and ease of manufacture of the liquid retention element.

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic aerosol generation system for generating an inhalable aerosol such as an electronic cigarette or an electronic cigarette, and more particularly to an electronic aerosol generation system for generating an aerosol vapor by electrically generated heat. . In particular, the present invention relates to cartridges for use in aerosol generation systems that include solid aerosol-forming materials and liquid aerosol-forming materials.

Personal aerosol generation systems, also known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, that generate aerosol without burning tobacco are considered an alternative to traditional combustible tobacco articles such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. The use of electronic aerosol generation systems has been discouraged due to health concerns associated with traditional smoking articles, such as the generation of harmful chemical byproducts, including carbonyls and carbon monoxide, which are known to be associated with the combustion of smoking articles. , is widely used.

The personal aerosol generation system includes a mouthpiece portion, a heating chamber for receiving and heating the aerosol-forming material, a vaporizer unit, typically a heating element, and a battery, including a power supply unit and an electronic control unit. It is a powered portable inhaler system. Vaporization occurs when the aerosol-generating material is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the vaporization temperature of the aerosol-forming material. One example of a conventional aerosol generation system may be configured to vaporize a liquid aerosol-forming material, such as a nicotine-containing liquid, stored within a liquid reservoir. The liquid reservoir may be provided as a disposable component in the form of a cartridge which may further include a heating element. Alternatively, the liquid reservoir may be permanently integrated into the aerosol generating device and configured such that the liquid reservoir can be refilled once the aerosol-forming material is depleted.

With the aim of providing users with an experience that more faithfully simulates the experience of consuming tobacco, some devices combine liquid aerosol-forming materials with solid aerosol-forming materials, such as tobacco-based substrates, to allow inhalation. This gives the aerosol a tobacco taste. In such aerosol generation systems, aerosol vapor generated from the liquid aerosol-forming material upon heating by the heating element is directed through the solid aerosol-forming material such that aerosol from the solid aerosol-forming material is entrained in the vapor. . Such cartridge arrangements are disclosed, for example, in EP 3 145 349 B1, EP 3 145 349 B1 and EP 3 554 291 A1. In the aerosol generation system described above, the cartridge stores liquid and solid aerosol generation materials separately in first and second parts of the cartridge to avoid mixing of these aerosol generation materials within the cartridge. ing. In such cartridges, the compartment for storing liquid aerosol-forming material comprises a liquid retention element, such as a porous material, typically a porous glass or ceramic, a foam, a sponge, or a fibrous wicking material. Equipped with At the same time, the compartment for storing the liquid aerosol-forming material stores the solid aerosol-forming material in the cartridge such that the aerosol vapor generated from the liquid aerosol-generating material is delivered through the solid aerosol-generating material to the mouthpiece air outlet. Located upstream of the compartment for storage. The cartridge may include a heating element for heating the liquid aerosol-forming material. The heating element may be integrated into the liquid holding element. Alternatively, the heating element may be a separate removable element attached to the reusable part of the aerosol generation system and inserted into the liquid retention element during use.

In such cases, the liquid retaining element further comprises a cavity configured to receive the heater upon insertion of the cartridge into the device, which may complicate the manufacturing process. Manufacturing cavities in porous materials may not be straightforward, as porous materials can fracture under stress. Additionally, the manufacturing process may produce residual particulates that may pose safety concerns during electronic cigarette use. The brittle nature of porous materials may further limit the design of liquid retention elements.

It may be desirable to provide a cartridge configuration that is simple and relatively easy to manufacture. It may also be desirable for cartridges to contain fewer discarded or more reusable elements to reduce environmental impact.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cartridge housing divided into a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment containing a solid aerosol-forming material and the second compartment containing a liquid aerosol-forming material. a second compartment, wherein the liquid aerosol-forming substrate comprises loosely packed solid particles configured to retain the aerosol-forming liquid within the interstices of the particles and/or on their surfaces; , a breathable separation element disposed between a first compartment and a second compartment.

A liquid aerosol-forming substrate containing loosely packed solid particles absorbs liquid aerosol-generating material, thereby forming aggregated particles. In this way, the loosely packed solid particles retain the liquid aerosol-generating material in the interstices between adjacent particles to prevent liquid from leaking into the first compartment. Liquid aerosol-generating material may be stored in the second compartment without mixing with the solid aerosol-generating material stored in the first compartment.

A breathable separation element disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment allows aerosol vapor generated from the liquid aerosol-generating material in the second compartment to pass through the breathable element to contain the solid aerosol-forming material. direct contact between the solid aerosol-generating material and the liquid aerosol-generating material in the first and second compartments during storage and use of the device. To prevent.

In another aspect of the invention, an aerosol generation system is configured to heat a cartridge, a cavity for receiving at least a portion of the cartridge, and at least a portion of the liquid aerosol-forming material within a second compartment of the cartridge. An aerosol generation device can be provided that includes a heating device configured, a power source, and a controller for controlling power delivery from the power source to the heating element.

The heating device may include a heating element positioned within the cavity of the aerosol generating device such that the heating device is located proximate the first compartment of the device. In use, at least a portion of the first compartment is heated by the heating element to a temperature above the vaporization temperature of the liquid aerosol-generating material stored within the first compartment. In this way, the aerosol generated in the second compartment is then transferred to one part of the solid aerosol-forming material stored in the first compartment during the passage of aerosol vapor from the second compartment through the first compartment. leached by more than one component.

The heating device may include an elongated heating element located at the distal end of the cavity of the aerosol generator. The elongated heating element may be a blade-shaped heating element. The blade-shaped heating element may be a resistive heating element. Alternatively, the heating element may be a susceptor element. The heating element is configured to extend through a portion of the first compartment of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the cavity of the aerosol generator.

In such cases, the cartridge may include a pierceable seal configured to be pierced by the heating element when the cartridge is inserted into the device. A pierceable seal may extend across the upstream end of the cartridge.

The heating element is preferably made of titanium or stainless steel. Examples of other suitable materials include nickel alloys, chromium alloys, aluminum alloys, and iron alloys.

In a liquid retention element comprising loosely packed solid particles according to any embodiment of this invention, agglomeration of the particles is caused by liquid on the surface forming bridges between adjacent particles and connecting them. , which allows loosely packed solid particles to have flexible interconnections between them. This allows the particles containing the liquid retention element to fit into the heating element inserted into the cartridge. During insertion of the heating element by piercing a pierceable seal attached to the cartridge, the loosely packed solid particles can rearrange their orientation to accommodate the shape of the heating element. This feature reduces manufacturing process complexity, reduces manufacturing costs, and increases the versatility of the cartridge compared to the use of monolithic porous materials that require cavities to house the heating elements. can be done.

Also, a liquid retention element comprising loosely packed particles may make it possible to reduce the risk of damaging the liquid retention structure during insertion of the heating element. Additionally, the liquid retention structure can conform to the shape of the heating element, thereby improving heat transfer of the heating element to the electronic liquid. Furthermore, this feature makes cartridge materials more attractive compared to liquid-retaining elements formed of monolithic porous materials, since loosely packed solid particles can be broken down relatively easily, e.g. by being dispersed in a liquid. can be advantageous in terms of reusability. As discussed below, individual disordered particles can be cleaned using any established cleaning process for solid particles.

Alternatively, the cartridge may be configured to be inductively heated by induction. In this case, the aerosol generator comprises an induction coil configured to heat the second compartment of the cartridge inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol generator.

In an aerosol generation system where the liquid aerosol-forming material is vaporized by induction heating, the second compartment may further include a susceptor element.

Susceptor elements may include inductively heatable materials in the form of strips, disks, rings, plates, particles, flakes, and coils.

Suitable materials for the susceptor element are ferromagnetic metals, alloys and oxides such as iron, nickel, cobalt, iron alloys, nickel alloys, cobalt alloys, ferrites, or other conductive metals and alloys such as aluminum, stainless steel. There may be.

Preferably, the susceptor element is embedded in the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to achieve efficient heat transfer. The susceptor element may include particles, flakes, strips, disks, etc. mixed with loosely packed solid particles of a liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

Alternatively, the susceptor element may be disposed around at least a portion of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The housing of at least a portion of the second compartment of the aerosol generator may include a susceptor material.

The solid aerosol-forming material may include tobacco or tobacco-derived materials. The solid aerosol-forming material may include tobacco-containing beads, powder, pieces, strips, reconstituted tobacco material, cast tobacco sheets, or any combination thereof.

The breathable separation element is for maintaining physical separation between the solid aerosol-forming material in the first compartment and the liquid aerosol-forming material held within loosely packed solid particles in the second compartment. includes one or more holes, perforations, or air channels through the thickness of the breathable separation element while establishing aerosol transport between the first compartment and the second compartment. Preferably, the breathable separation membrane is a mesh, a perforated plate, a film or foil, or a breathable membrane. Preferably, the pores, holes or air channels of the breathable element are small enough to substantially block all individual particles of loosely packed particles within the liquid retaining element.

The breathable separation membrane can be made of stainless steel, titanium, high temperature polymers, PTFE, PEEK, or other materials that are stable at the operating temperatures of the aerosol generation system and that are compatible with the aerosol-forming material stored in the cartridge and generated by the aerosol-forming material during use. It can be any material that is chemically inert to the chemical compounds that are used. In this way, liquid aerosol-generating material can be stored within the second compartment without experiencing unintended chemical reactions.

Loosely packed solid particles include beads, flakes, fragments, fibers, or any combination thereof.

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles are stable at least up to temperatures for vaporization of the liquid aerosol-forming material. Preferably, at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles is thermally stable up to at least 350°C. Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles or at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles comprise a material that is chemically inert to the liquid aerosol-forming material.

The chemically inert surface prevents the particles from participating in chemical reactions or acting as a catalyst to initiate potentially unwanted chemical reactions during storage and vaporization of the cartridge. The chemically inert surface may be the chemically inert surface of the solid particle itself. Alternatively, the chemically inert surface may be a chemically inert coating that encapsulates each solid particle. Chemical inertness is understood herein with respect not only to chemicals stored within the cartridge, but also to chemicals generated during heating of the aerosol-forming substrate.

The coating, which is chemically inert as well as the particles, should withstand at least the temperature for vaporization of the aerosol-forming material.

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles include a hydrophilic surface. In this way, the liquid aerosol-generating material can be effectively retained in the interstices and surfaces of the particles.

The hydrophilic surface of the particle may be the surface of the solid particle itself. Alternatively, the surface of the particles may be coated with a hydrophilic coating or coated with a chemical containing hydrophilic functional groups such as hydroxy, carboxy, carbonyl, amino, sulfhydryl, phosphate groups, etc. It may also be grafted with a compound.

Suitable materials for the loosely packed solid particles may include silica, zeolite, glass or quartz, or any combination thereof.

Advantageously, the surface of the particles may be porous so as to be able to increase the amount of liquid stored within the liquid retention structure.

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles include particles whose largest dimension is at least equal to or less than about 2 mm. For example, the maximum dimension of the beads may range from about 100 μm to about 1 mm, from about 200 μm to about 800 μm, preferably from about 250 μm to about 600 μm. The maximum dimension is, for example, approximately 500 μm. The maximum dimensions of the loosely packed solid particles are substantially uniform. In this way, the size of the gaps between adjacent particles is substantially uniform, thereby providing uniform transfer of liquid by capillary forces across the liquid retention element.

Advantageously, the cartridge containing loosely packed solid particles for holding liquid aerosol-forming material may be recyclable after use of the cartridge. Because loosely packed solid particles are not tightly interconnected with each other, the particles can be easily separated from the cartridge housing and heating element and broken down into individual particles, for example by being dispersed in a liquid. . The degraded individual particles may be cleaned by any suitable method for cleaning particles and may be reused. Conventional liquid-retaining materials such as porous materials, fibrous materials, and sponges are generally not easy to clean due to their complex structures, so the use of loosely packed solid particles makes cleaning easier. A recycling process may be possible.

One example of a method for recycling a cartridge includes the steps of separating loosely packed solid particles from a used cartridge, dispersing the used particles in a suitable cleaning fluid to remove any residue of liquid aerosol-forming material. , filtering to separate the particles from the wash solution, dispersing the particles in the rinse solution, filtering to separate the particles from the rinse solution, drying the particles, and dispersing the particles for reuse. including the step of collecting. The cleaning method may further include dry cleaning steps such as plasma cleaning and thermal cleaning. Optionally, a hydrophilic treatment is performed on the washed particles to improve their wettability to liquid aerosol-forming materials.

A number of embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a cartridge in an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generation device configured to receive the cartridge shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generation system comprising the cartridge of FIG. 1 received within the aerosol generation device of FIG. 2; FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cartridge in another embodiment of the invention. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generation device configured to receive the cartridge shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generation system comprising the cartridge of FIG. 4 received within the aerosol generation device of FIG. 5; FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for recycling a cartridge.

1 to 3 show an aerosol generation system 1 including a cartridge 10 and an aerosol generation device 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cartridge is configured to be received in the heating chamber 35 of the aerosol generator 30. Cartridge 10 and aerosol generating device 30 may be removably engaged in a functional relationship. A variety of mechanisms can be used to connect the cartridge and the aerosol generating device, including threaded engagements, press-fit engagements, interference fits, magnetic engagement, and the like. The aerosol delivery system 1 may have a substantially rod-like shape when the cartridge 10 and the aerosol generator 30 are assembled.

FIG. 1 shows cartridge 10 separated from aerosol generator 30. FIG. Cartridge 10 comprises a cartridge housing 11 and a breathable separation element 16 that divides the internal volume of cartridge housing 11 into a first compartment 12 and a second compartment 13 . The first compartment 12 is arranged downstream of the second compartment 13 with respect to the airflow direction A. The first compartment 12 includes a solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 and the second compartment 13 includes a liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21.

Cartridge housing 11 includes a tubular body 22, an upstream end 18, and a downstream end 17.

The downstream end 17 of the cartridge 10 may include a filter 15 . Filter 15 retains a solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 within cartridge housing 11 . Filters may include rods or plugs of filter material such as cellulose acetate tow and polylactic acid fibers.

The upstream end 18 of cartridge housing 11 is a closed end. The closed end comprises a pierceable element 16. The pierceable element 16 is attached to the cartridge housing 11 such that the pierceable element 16 is pierced by the heating element 32 of the aerosol generator 30 when the cartridge 10 is inserted into the heating chamber 35 of the aerosol generator 30. ing.

The downstream end 17 of the cartridge housing 11 may include a mouthpiece 19 removably attached to the downstream end 17 of the cartridge 10. Mouthpiece 19 defines at least one airflow channel including at least one air outlet. The air outlet is in fluid communication with the cartridge air outlet via a filter 15 that may be integrated into the mouthpiece 19. Although in the example of Figure 1 the mouthpiece is attached to the distal end of the cartridge, the mouthpiece 19 could alternatively cover an air outlet on a filter located at the downstream end of the cartridge. As such, it may be removably attached to a portion of the housing of the aerosol generator 30. Alternatively, mouthpiece 19 may be part of cartridge 10. In use, the user can draw air through the mouthpiece to force air to flow through the cartridge and into the aerosol generation system 1 from the air inlet of the aerosol generation device.

A breathable separation element 14 is disposed within the interior volume of the tubular cartridge housing 11 to define a first compartment 12 and a second compartment 13 . Preferably, the breathable element 14 is in the form of a disc. The diameter of the disc is similar to the internal diameter of the cartridge housing so that the vented separation element fits into the internal tubular body of the vented separation element. The first compartment 12 and the second compartment 13 are thus defined by the inner wall of the cartridge housing 11 and the surface of the venting element 14 . The breathable separation element 14 may comprise a mesh or a perforated plate. The breathable separation element may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge body 200, the separation element providing physical separation of the first compartment 12 and the second compartment 13. On the other hand, aerosol vapor communication between them can be maintained.

The first compartment 12 is located downstream of the tubular body 22 of the cartridge, and the second compartment 13 is located upstream of the tubular body of the cartridge 10. The first compartment contains a solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 containing a solid aerosol-forming material 23, while the second compartment contains a liquid-retaining element 25 and a liquid aerosol-forming material 27 stored in the liquid-retaining element 25. A liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 containing the liquid aerosol. Liquid retaining element 25 includes loosely packed solid particles 26 .

Loosely packed particles 26 are particulate materials that are aggregates (or aggregates) of small microscopic solid particles. When particles are wetted by liquid, microliquid bridges are formed within the gaps between adjacent particles, and the capillary forces of the liquid bridges hold the aggregated particles together. Therefore, the particle network is flexible and reorganizes when mechanical stress is applied. When a solid bulk element, such as a heater blade, is inserted into the agglomerate, the particles move and change orientation to match the heater shape.

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles 26 include particles whose largest dimension is at least equal to or less than about 2 mm. For example, the maximum dimension of the beads may range from about 100 μm to about 1 mm, or from about 200 μm to about 800 μm, preferably from about 250 μm to about 600 μm. The maximum dimension is, for example, approximately 500 μm. The maximum dimension of the loosely packed solid particles 26 is substantially uniform. In this manner, the size of the gaps between adjacent particles 26 is substantially uniform, thereby providing uniform transfer of liquid by capillary forces across the liquid retention element.

Regarding the expression "maximum dimension", for elongated particles such as rods, the maximum dimension is the length of the rod. For particles with an elliptical cross section, the largest dimension is the larger dimension along the major axis. If the particles are substantially spherical, the largest dimension corresponds to the diameter.

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles 26 are stable at least up to temperatures for vaporization of the liquid aerosol-forming material, for example up to 350°C.

In the context of this description, a material is "stable" if the material properties do not change, or at least do not undergo significant changes. Material properties are, for example, phase (solid, liquid, gas), mechanical properties (strength, hardness, etc.), crystal structure, and chemical properties (chemical composition, chemical structure of composition, etc.).

Preferably, the loosely packed solid particles 26 or at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles 26 include a material that is chemically inert to the liquid aerosol-forming material.

The chemically inert surface may be the chemically inert surface of the solid particle itself. Alternatively, the chemically inert surface may be a chemically inert coating that encapsulates each solid particle. Chemical inertness is understood herein with respect not only to chemicals stored within the cartridge, but also to chemicals generated during heating of the aerosol-forming substrate.

The coating, which is chemically inert as well as the particles, should withstand at least the temperature for vaporization of the aerosol-forming material 27.

The loosely packed solid particles 26 are configured to retain the aerosol-forming liquid in the interstices of the particles and on their surfaces. In particular, as mentioned above, the liquid bridges formed between the particles cause the particles to coagulate together. This phenomenon then maintains the liquid within the aggregated particle structure. Absorption capacity is related to the volume of liquid bridges formed within the interstices of adjacent particles, which also determines the cohesive strength of the particles.

Liquid aerosol-forming material 27 includes an aerosol-forming agent. Suitable aerosol formers include polyhydric alcohols or mixtures thereof, such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin. Liquid aerosol-forming substrates can include water, solvents, ethanol, plant extracts, and natural or artificial flavors.

Liquid aerosol-forming material 27 includes a tobacco-containing material that includes volatile tobacco flavoring compounds that are released from the liquid upon heating. Preferably, the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may include non-tobacco materials. Liquid aerosol-forming material 27 may be nicotine-free. Alternatively, the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may include nicotine.

The solid aerosol-forming material 23 of the solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 is made of tobacco or tobacco-derived material, such as tobacco leaf or reconstituted tobacco, in the form of granules, sheets, strips, pieces, pellets, or any other form of tobacco material. May contain materials. The solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 may be an aerated tobacco mousse or equivalent tobacco foam.

The solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 may include non-tobacco materials, such as granules, capsules, gels, or any other form of flavoring agent. Solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 may include tobacco-containing and non-tobacco-containing materials.

In the context of this specification, the tobacco-containing material may be tobacco leaf, powdered tobacco plant, tobacco mousse, reconstituted tobacco material, and any form of tobacco material.

Solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 may include at least one aerosol-forming agent. Suitable aerosol formers include, but are not limited to, polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate, dodecane. Included are aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl diaate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. Preferred aerosol formers may include propylene glycol and glycerin.

FIG. 2 shows an aerosol generator 30. As shown in FIG. Aerosol generator 30 includes a housing 31 , a heating chamber 35 defined by housing 31 , a heating element 32 , a power source 33 , and a controller 34 . Heating chamber 35 is configured to receive at least a portion of second compartment 13 of cartridge 10 upon insertion of cartridge 10 along the longitudinal axis of aerosol generating device 30 . Heating element 32 is located at the lower end 36 (or distal end) of heating chamber 35 . Heating element 32 projects into heating chamber 35 . Preferably, heating element 32 is located substantially centrally in the cross-section of heating chamber 35. A longitudinal axis of heating element 32 may be aligned with a longitudinal axis of aerosol generating device 30. Housing 31 of aerosol generator 30 further includes at least one air inlet (not shown) in fluid communication with an air inlet channel of cartridge 10.

In use, the upstream end of the cartridge 10 corresponding to a portion of the second compartment 13 is inserted into the heating chamber 35 of the aerosol generating device 30, as shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the housing 31 of the aerosol generator 30 extends to cover a portion of the second compartment; however, the housing may extend to at least a portion of the first compartment; Or it can extend to the downstream end 17 of the cartridge so that the cartridge is disposed completely within the heating chamber 35.

During insertion of the cartridge 10, the pierceable element 16 on the cartridge 10 is pierced by the heating element 32, allowing insertion of the heating element 32 into the second compartment 13. The loosely packed solid particles 26 quickly rearrange their arrangement to fit the shape of the heating element 32 when it is inserted into the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 . When cartridge 10 is fully inserted into heating chamber 35 , heating element 32 is positioned within second compartment 13 . The length of the heating element 32 is less than the longitudinal length of the second compartment 32 of the cartridge 10 so that the heating element 32 inserted into the cartridge 10 does not extend beyond the second compartment 13.

Preferably, the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 stored in the second compartment 13 is such that the total volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 and the insertion portion of the heating element 32 increases during and after insertion of the heating element into the cartridge. It is smaller than the internal cavity volume of the second compartment 13 so as not to later exceed the internal cavity volume of the second compartment 13.

Upon activation of heating element 32 , liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 , including liquid aerosol-forming material 27 and loosely packed particles 26 holding liquid aerosol-forming material 27 , is heated to a temperature above the vaporization temperature of liquid aerosol-forming material 27 . is heated to. The steam generated in the second compartment 13 is then mixed with air from the air inlet and delivered through the first compartment 12 to the air outlet of the filter 15. While the air and vapor mixture passes through the solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 in the first compartment 12, aerosol from the solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 is incorporated into the air and vapor mixture.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a cartridge 40 in another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the second compartment 43 of the cartridge 40 further comprises a susceptor element 44 configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21. Susceptor elements 44 may include inductively heatable materials in the form of strips, disks, rings, plates, particles, flakes, and coils, for example. Suitable materials for the susceptor element are ferromagnetic metals, alloys and oxides such as iron, nickel, cobalt, iron alloys, nickel alloys, cobalt alloys, ferrites, or other conductive metals and alloys such as aluminum, stainless steel. There may be. In this example, the susceptor element 44 includes three ring-shaped susceptor plates 44a, 44b, 44c, but any number of susceptor pieces may be used and the susceptor type may be a disc, strip, plate, or Other forms such as combinations thereof may also be used. Preferably, susceptor element 44 is embedded in liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 to achieve efficient heat transfer. The susceptor element may include particles, flakes, strips, disks, etc. mixed with loosely packed solid particles of a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, the susceptor element may be disposed around at least a portion of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The housing of at least a portion of the second compartment of the aerosol generator may include a susceptor material.

Cartridge housing 41 may include one or more air inlet channels (not shown) configured to direct air into second compartment 43 . An air inlet channel may be located within the tubular body of the cartridge housing 41.

FIG. 5 shows an aerosol generation device 50 configured to receive cartridge 40 of FIG. Aerosol generator 50 includes a heating chamber 55, an induction coil 52, a power source 33, and a controller 34. Heating chamber 55 is configured to receive at least a portion of second compartment 43 of cartridge 40 upon insertion of cartridge 40 along the longitudinal axis of aerosol generating device 50 . Induction coil 52 is configured to transfer energy to susceptor element 44 within cartridge 40 by induction heating. The induction coil 52 is arranged such that when the cartridge 40 is inserted into the heating chamber 55, the coil is placed in close proximity to the second compartment 43 (liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21) of the cartridge 40. Induction coil 52 may be embedded in a cylindrical side wall portion of housing 51 , typically heating chamber 55 . In this example, the induction coil extends from the upstream end of the second section to the downstream end of the second section. Housing 51 of aerosol generator 50 further includes an air inlet (not shown) in fluid communication with the air inlet channel of cartridge 40 .

In use, the second compartment 43 of the cartridge 40 is inserted into the heating chamber 55 of the aerosol generator 50, as shown in FIG. When cartridge 40 is fully inserted into heating chamber 55 , induction coil 52 surrounds at least a portion of liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 within second compartment 55 of cartridge 50 .

When the induction coil 52 is activated, power from the power source 33 is delivered to the induction coil. Controller 34 controls power delivery to induction coil 52 at a frequency that enables induction coil 52 to generate an electromagnetic field to heat susceptor element 44 above the target temperature. Upon heating of the susceptor element 44, at least a portion of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is heated above a temperature to vaporize the liquid aerosol-forming material stored within the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21. The steam generated within the second compartment 43 is then mixed with the air flowing through the cartridge 40. The vapor and air mixture from the liquid aerosol-forming substrate 21 is then transferred through the breathable separation element 14 to the first compartment 42 . While the mixture of air and aerosol vapor passes through the solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 in the first compartment, the aerosol from the solid aerosol-forming substrate 20 is entrained within the mixture of air and aerosol vapor. The mixture of air and aerosol vapor is passed through the first compartment 42 and through the filter 15 to an air outlet at the downstream end 47 of the cartridge 40 .

Loosely packed solid particles within a liquid aerosol-forming substrate are not tightly interconnected and can be separated, for example, by being dispersed in a liquid. This can be advantageous in terms of reusability of the cartridge, since the individually separated particles can be effectively cleaned by any cleaning method established for small particles.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a method for recycling a cartridge containing loosely packed solid particles, according to one embodiment. The methods described below are intended as examples only, and the methods may include alternative or one or more additional steps.

At step 60, the used cartridge is provided. The loosely packed solid particles forming the liquid retention structure can then be removed from the cartridge housing and collected in a container provided with a filtration element (step 61). The container may be a basket containing metal mesh, metal wire, or plastic mesh.

The loosely packed solid particles within the container are then washed in a washing liquid (step 62). The particles are immersed and dispersed in a suitable cleaning fluid to remove residues of liquid aerosol-forming material and any chemical compounds generated during use of the cartridge.

The container containing the particles is then removed from the cleaning solution and brought into a rinse solution to remove any cleaning solution remaining on the particles (step 64). The washing and rinsing steps may be repeated. These steps may be performed in combination with ultrasonic vibrations.

The particles are then dried (step 65). The cleaning method may further include one or more additional steps of dry cleaning steps, such as plasma cleaning or thermal cleaning, or a combination thereof. Optionally, a hydrophilic treatment may be performed on the washed particles to improve their wettability to the electronic liquid.

Claims (15)

A cartridge for an aerosol generation system, the cartridge comprising:
a cartridge housing divided into a first compartment and a second compartment;
the first compartment comprising a solid aerosol-forming material;
said second compartment comprising a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, said liquid aerosol-forming substrate being configured to retain liquid aerosol-forming material within the interstices of the particles and/or on their surfaces; said second compartment having a liquid retention structure comprising packed solid particles;
a breathable separation element disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment;
Cartridge. 2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the solid aerosol-forming material comprises tobacco or tobacco-derived material. The breathable separation element is a mesh, a perforated plate, a film or foil, or a breathable membrane configured to maintain the solid aerosol-forming material within the first compartment, and the liquid aerosol-forming material is , establishing transport of the aerosol between the first compartment and the second compartment while being retained within the loosely packed solid particles in the physically separated second compartment. The cartridge according to claim 1. Cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles is stable at least up to a temperature for vaporization of the liquid aerosol-forming material. 5. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles is thermally stable up to at least 350<0>C. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the loosely packed solid particles or at least the surface of the loosely packed solid particles comprise a material that is chemically inert to the liquid aerosol-forming material. Cartridges listed in section. A cartridge according to any preceding claim, wherein the loosely packed solid particles comprise beads, flakes, fragments, fibers, or any combination thereof. A cartridge according to any preceding claim, wherein the loosely packed solid particles include a hydrophilic surface. A cartridge according to any preceding claim, wherein the loosely packed solid particles comprise silica, zeolite, glass or quartz, or any combination thereof. 10. A cartridge according to any preceding claim, wherein the loosely packed solid particles include particles having a largest dimension of at least about 2 mm or less. A cartridge according to any preceding claim, wherein the cartridge comprises a pierceable seal arranged on the cartridge housing of the second compartment. Cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second compartment comprises an inductively heatable susceptor element that can be heated by induction. An aerosol generation system, comprising:
A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
a cavity for receiving at least a portion of the cartridge;
a heating device configured to heat at least a portion of the liquid aerosol former in the second compartment of the cartridge;
power supply and
An aerosol generation system including an aerosol generation device, comprising a controller for controlling power supply from the power source to the heating element. the heating device comprises an elongated heater configured to pierce the pierceable seal and inserted into the second compartment when the cartridge is received within the cavity of the aerosol generating device; The aerosol generation system according to claim 13. 15. The heating device of the aerosol generating device comprises an induction coil in the vicinity of the second compartment of the cartridge when the cartridge is received within the cavity of the aerosol generating device. aerosol generation system.

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