JP7224343B2 - Tobacco-containing consumables for aerosol generators - Google Patents

Description

Many alternatives to traditional combustible tobacco products have been launched in recent years.

Electronic cigarettes use battery power to heat a nicotine-containing aerosol-producing liquid to form an inhalable nicotine-containing aerosol. Such products tend to be tobacco-free.

Heated tobacco products use a variety of energy sources and means of heating tobacco-containing consumables to produce an inhalable aerosol containing several components derived from tobacco, including flavors and nicotine.

There are also various "hybrid" products that may combine the technology of both e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to produce an inhalable nicotine-containing aerosol, where the flavor and nicotine are combined with the aerosol-producing liquid. , or tobacco parts.

Examples of existing technologies include:
WO9639880 and WO2013190036 describe a tobacco-derived material, a distal end generally comprising a crimped reconstituted tobacco sheet, a mouth end generally comprising a plurality of segments; A cylindrical consumable article, such as cigarettes, is described that includes a filter and a paper wrapper. The article is intended to be electrically heated to produce an inhalable nicotine-containing aerosol.

WO2016207407 also describes tobacco consumables for consumption by heating: a distal tobacco-derived portion, a mouth-end filter, and a paper wrapper.

US2009151717 describes a small metal capsule ("pod") with a foil lid that is punctured before use. Within the pod, the tobacco-derived material generally includes finely divided tobacco particles, humectants and flavoring agents.

WO2016159013 describes an apparatus in which an aerosol is generated by heating a liquid, which is then passed through separate tobacco portions; the tobacco portions add flavor and/or Or give nicotine. The tobacco portion may be held within a molded plastic capsule with a mesh at the distal end and a small filter at the mouth end.

WO2016135342 describes a product that operates in a manner similar to that described in WO2016159013, but includes the tobacco portion and the liquid heating unit as one unit. there is The tobacco portion is held within a molded plastic structure with a filter at the mouth end.

It is recognized that there are some limitations regarding the consumable units of these products.

For example, with consumables manufactured using tobacco rod making techniques, a user may accidentally ignite the consumable and inhale unintended and/or undesirable combustion products. Also, consumables that utilize plastic or metal capsules require custom manufacturing machinery, have limited environmental recyclability, and have high material and product costs.

The present invention is for use in an aerosol generating device comprising at least a tobacco-derived portion, a distal filter portion, and a mouth end filter portion held together in a continuous wrapper and having a compressibility factor of less than 10%. A tobacco-containing consumable article for smoking is described.

The total pressure drop of the article can be <120 mm water column along its longitudinal axis. The pressure drop is preferably in the range of 5-40 mm water column, and more preferably in the range of 10-30 mm water column.

Such consumables may be manufactured using conventional cavity filter fabrication techniques well known within the tobacco industry and shown, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,537,186. In such prior art arrangements, the filter comprises a distal filter portion, a cavity for receiving generally solid granular material, such as activated carbon, and a mouth end filter portion, all of which are made of paper wrapping material. held together and manufactured by There are also products that use tobacco-derived material in the cavity to impart flavor to or attenuate the flavor of the smoke as it passes through the filter.

Therefore, the present invention enables the production of consumables with low material and production costs and material and design flexibility through readily available high speed production machinery using proven manufacturing techniques. and may be compatible with various aerosol generation systems.

In some examples, the article may modify one or more other sensory properties of the aerosol (eg, modify the feel or smell or appearance of the aerosol to the user).

In some examples, the article may include substances that modify the PH of the aerosol, either by lowering or raising the PH (eg, modifying the acidity or basicity of the aerosol).

In some examples, the article can modify (eg, reduce) the amount of aldehydes in the aerosol.

As described herein, non-combustible tobacco article means an article comprising tobacco-derived portions that is not intended to be burned, in whole or in part, during use, and any portion of said article , not intended to be ignited while in use. Additionally, the construction of the article is fire resistant through the use of filter material such as cellulose acetate at both the distal and mouth end.

The term aerosol is taken to include gases, vapors, droplets, condensates, particulates and combinations thereof. By respirable aerosol is meant an aerosol having an average particle size in the range 0.1-10 μm, more preferably 0.1-1.5 μm, as measured by laser scattering.

Examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic side view of an article according to the invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an article according to the invention, indicating the vertical axis; FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an exemplary filter portion and wrapper for use in the present invention employing multiple layers of wrapper; FIG. 1A-1D are schematic side views of exemplary articles according to the present invention with different packaging configurations; 1A-1D are schematic side views of exemplary articles according to the present invention with different packaging configurations; 1A-1D are schematic side views of exemplary articles according to the present invention with different packaging configurations; 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus used in combination with the article of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus used in combination with the article of the present invention; FIG. Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary filter portion that can be used in articles of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an alternative method of using the article of the present invention to generate steam;

FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of the article of the invention. Mouth end 3 is the end of the article intended to be the outlet for the aerosol towards the user. Distal end 1 is the opposite end of the article which is generally intended to be the inlet for air and other substances into the article. A tobacco portion is located between them. By way of example, the length of tobacco portion 2 is in the range 7 mm to 17 mm, and preferably in the range 10 mm to 13 mm, the length of each of filter portions 1, 3 is in the range 3 mm to 15 mm, and Preferably it is in the range of 4 mm to 6 mm and the diameter of the flavor container is in the range of 5 mm to 8.5 mm. The dimensions provide adequate material within the tobacco portion 2 to produce the desired flavor effects while ensuring a balance across the three sections to maintain overall product strength and compressibility while maintaining the appropriate amount of material. Depends on the combination of needs to provide the pressure drop.

In the example of FIG. 1, portion 2 is the tobacco-derived portion, which includes single grade tobacco, blends of multiple tobacco grades, leaves, stems, dust, reconstituted tobacco, washed ) tobacco, extracted tobacco, processed tobacco, tobacco extracts, and mixtures thereof. Tobacco-derived portion 2 may be produced from tobacco plants by methods including harvesting, drying, cutting, crushing, crushing, extraction, regeneration, extrusion, and combinations thereof. The tobacco-derived portion 2 can be present in leaf, petiole, dust, reconstituted sheet, pleated, folded, shaped, beaded, granular physical forms, and mixtures thereof. In most instances, the tobacco portion 2 will contain tobacco, but other botanicals or flavorings may also be used. In a variant of the example shown, the tobacco portion 2 may be occupied by a cut tobacco rod or by wholly or partially crushed tobacco. The choice of material for the tobacco portion 2 depends on a number of factors, including matching conditions for the desired level of flavor delivery and appropriate pressure drop.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, tobacco-derived portion 2 is a carefully selected mixture of multiple dry tobacco grades based on desired flavor characteristics and low levels of undesirable chemicals; reducing, by cutting or pulverizing, to a size suitable for further processing; treating the tobacco material to further reduce undesirable constituents by a suitable combination of processes, including liquid extraction, heat treatment, pressure treatment, and chemical treatment. adding ingredients, including humectants, to produce aerosols and flavorants; reconstituting tobacco into sheet format; Obtained by drying to yield a stable material that is added to the tobacco article, either as pieces. Although the above steps can be interchanged, size reduction is best formed early in the process, and extraction is preferred prior to the addition of flavor to minimize loss of added flavor. Drying is usually the final step, but flavors/humectants can be added last.

In some examples, tobacco cuts are used in the tobacco portion 2, where the density of tobacco cuts is in the range of 150-500 mg/cm3, preferably in the range of 180-280 mg/cm3, and most preferably may be in the range of 200-250 mg per cm3. This size control ensures that the maximum possible amount of tobacco is provided within the volume of the tobacco portion 2 for maximum transfer into the aerosol.

In some examples, the tobacco portion 2 comprises flavoring material that has been ground or otherwise processed or formed into particles such as powders, granules, grit, fibers, beads, pellets, etc. For example, increasing the active surface area or amount of flavoring material to maximize the amount of flavor imparted to the vapor and/or aerosol stream flowing through the article.

As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavor-enhancing ingredient" may refer to materials that may be used to produce a desired flavor or aroma in products intended for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations. They include extracts such as licorice, hydrangea, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon bark, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie ( Drambuie), Bourbon, Scotch, Whiskey, Spearmint, Peppermint, Lavender, Cardamom, Celery, Cascarilla, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Geranium, Honey Essence, Rose Oil, Vanilla, Lemon Oil, Orange Oil, Cassia. , caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site inhibitors, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g. sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. These may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, eg oils, liquids, solids, or powders. For example, liquids, oils, or other such fluid flavor-promoting ingredients may impregnate the porous solid material to impart flavor and/or other properties to the porous solid material. As such, the liquid or oil is a component of the impregnated material.

To prevent excessive pressure drop, it is possible to have the major or long axis of the tobacco-derived sheet extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 6 of the article of the present invention to provide a path for air to pass through. Preferred (see FIG. 2, part 2). In an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, the tobacco-derived material is as described above, except that the tobacco-derived material is reconstituted into a granular or granular format before it is added to the invention. be prepared. Preferably, the granular or particulate tobacco-derived material is produced by extrusion. This is because this ensures consistency of particle size and shape, as well as uniform distribution of any added flavor enhancing ingredients or humectants.

In the particular case of tobacco portion 2 material comprising continuous fiber ground tobacco, the tobacco weight is preferably in the range of 2 mg to 6 mg per mm tobacco portion.

In the particular case of tobacco portion 2 material comprising short cut fiber crushed tobacco, the tobacco weight is preferably in the range of 6 mg to 15 mg per mm of tobacco portion 2 .

FIG. 2 shows the longitudinal axis 6 of the article of the invention, which is taken as the main axis of the article and extends from the mouthpiece end 3 to the distal end 1. FIG. Other axes are taken perpendicular to this longitudinal axis. The definition of such axes is important for measuring key physical parameters that control the integrity of the product during storage and use, and of the sensory experience received by the user.

"Pressure drop" or "draw resistance" is measured using Coresta recommended method 41 (https://www.coresta.org/sites/default/files/technical_documents/main/CRM_41-update2_0.pdf) Measured and expressed as a few millimeters of water column equivalent. This design feature determines how the user can extract a certain amount of aerosol from the consumable/device with reasonable effort.

"Compressibility" is measured on longitudinal axis 6 by applying a clamping force of 10 Newtons at point 5 (see Figure 2) and measures deflection distance as a percentage of the total length of the product. Such measurements may be performed using an instrument such as Instron's electromechanical rig 3300.

In FIG. 1, portion 4 denotes the "wrapping material": one or more sheets of material that provide the outer surface of the article are separated into separate elements (distal end filter 1, tobacco-derived portion 2, and mouth end filter 3). ) relative to each other and provide the article with sufficient structural strength for the necessary manipulations by the user, particularly during insertion into and removal from the associated device. Wrapping material 4 generally comprises paper, plastic, foil, laminate, or combinations thereof. The wrapper 4 may comprise a single layer throughout the article, or multiple layers at different points as may be required depending on the substructure of the article, as shown in FIG. For example, multi-segment filter portions are generally held together with an outer wrapper to aid in the manufacturing process. Packaging materials of particular relevance to the present invention preferably have a basis weight within the range of 20 to 100 grams per square meter (gsm). A preferred embodiment utilizes a rigid, non-porous wrapping in the range of 40-200 g/m2 composed of chalk-free, clear, cellulose-based paper overprinted with metallic inks. The lower basis weight limit is usually determined by the opacity and physical strength required in the final consumable. The upper limit of the basis weight range is set by the machine operability that can occur if the packaging material is too thick. With respect to the preferred embodiment, the use of chalk-free, rigid, non-porous packaging is advantageous in that specific areas can be printed to provide molded windows, logos, and the like.

In some examples, the wrapper 4 is configured to act as a liquid-tight barrier, such that liquids, such as condensation that forms around the article when in use, cannot enter the interior of the article, and the tobacco portion. 2 to prevent flooding. In one example, a liquid-resistant wrapper layer is used for the wrapping material 4, which comprises a barrier material or paper impregnated with Natureflex, or other suitable polymeric film.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the packaging material 4 is supplied as a continuous roll of material, which is bent transversely, formed into a continuous cylinder, and attached to itself using an adhesive. attached. Simultaneously with the formation of this continuous wrapping material cylinder, the inner elements, namely the filter portions 1, 3 and the tobacco-derived portion 2, are appropriately fed to the wrapping material 4 and attached thereto. This continuous cylinder is then cut into individual tobacco articles. This process can be performed continuously using machines for producing cavity filters, such as those known in the art. In an alternative preferred embodiment, a continuous roll of wrapping material is spirally formed and adhered to itself to form a continuous cylindrical shape with a resulting spiral seam (as shown in FIG. 4). do. A spiral arrangement has the additional advantage that the seam can provide additional structural rigidity to the finished article by preventing lateral compression.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show exemplary embodiments in which area 11 is transparent and area 12 is opaque. Transparent packaging is defined by the user's ability to visually perceive the contents within the item. Suitable properties can be found in transparent, semi-opaque, and translucent materials. Accordingly, areas of transparency may be enhanced by altering the composition of the packaging material 4 in those areas, including reducing the amount of printing, reducing the amount of opaque layers, removing foil layers, or combinations thereof. can be produced in the material 4; A preferred embodiment utilizes a transparent cellulose-based paper opacified with a metallic ink that gives it an overall foil-like appearance, and features a transparent window 11 for viewing the contents within the article. have areas free of metallic ink. Most preferably, these transparent windows 11 are aligned with the tobacco-derived portions 2 .

During storage and use, the physical properties of packaging material 4 can be affected by absorption of volatile liquid and aerosol constituents. For example, paper-based packaging absorbs moisture and other liquids, which can soften the packaging and reduce its structural integrity; It may be undesirable because it can affect performance. This can also have a detrimental effect on the aesthetics of the packaging, eg it causes staining. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a packaging material that resists absorption and thus retains desired structural properties and appearance. To make it resistant to absorption, the packaging material may consist of plastic and foil; it may have a plastic or foil inner layer; it may have an inner surface coated with varnish or lacquer; It may consist of low paper, and may be a combination thereof. These may include trilaminate foils of PE:Al:PET type construction. In a preferred embodiment, the wrapping material is a chalk-free, clear, cellulose-based paper with a low tendency to absorb. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the wrapping material 4 is a plastic transparent film. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the wrapper 4 is a paper-based material coated on its inner surface with a layer of alkylketene dimer (AKD).

The filter portion (FIG. 1, portions 1 and 3) includes the tobacco-derived portion 2 and maintains the overall structural integrity of the tobacco article primarily in the minor axis direction while allowing desired air and aerosols to pass through. Acts as a physical barrier to maintain In some examples, the filter parts 1, 3 maintain their shape during use, as the material of the filter is moisture-proof. Additionally, the mouth end filter portion 3 may serve to prevent unwanted dust particles from the tobacco-derived portion 2 from reaching the user and to remove aerosol particles larger than those of the inhalable aerosol. .

Filter portions 1 , 3 may each be provided by a filter portion 21 . To enhance airflow through the present invention, the pressure drop across filter portion 21 (shown in FIG. 9) can be reduced by the introduction of one or more airflow channels 22 in the longitudinal axis. Airflow channel 22 may pass through the entire length of the filter portion. Preferably, the airflow channel 22 can pass up to 95% of the length of the filter portion, leaving at least 5% of the filter portion intact to retain tobacco particles. The airflow channels 22 can be introduced once the filter portion 21 is formed by using a laser that burns the filter material or by using mechanical pins to perforate the channels 22 . Preferably, the airflow channels 22 are formed by introducing mandrels or pins into the filter material during the molding process to form the channels.

In some examples, the pressure differential across either section 1, 3 is in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm water column per mm length of that section.

Filter portion 21 is generally constructed of cellulose acetate, paper, plastic, polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polylactic acid, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, filter portion 21 is composed of cellulose acetate fibers plasticized with up to 15% triacetin. Filter portion 21 may be homogenized or consist of a plurality of continuous segments. Filter portion 21, and more preferably mouth end filter portion 3, may include diluents, flavor enhancing ingredients, and aesthetic elements.

Different additional flavor components may be placed in each of the end filter portions 1, 3 (eg flavor capsules in the distal portion 1 and flavored filaments or lines in the tip portion 1).

In some examples, the filter portions 1, 3 comprise a fibrous material and may be, for example, a fibrous material commonly used as filter material in traditional cigarettes, examples of which include cellulose acetate fibres, polypropylene fibres. , polyester fibers, and paper including fluted paper. Other materials such as nylon may be used.

In another example, the material of the tobacco portion 2 and the material of the two filter portions 1, 3 are cut into a large number of randomly oriented, short cut CA fibers (e.g. using a so-called Turmalin device). cut fibers). If the chopped CA fibers are in the tobacco portion 2, eg, together with crushed tobacco, just enough fibers can be used to hold the crushed tobacco in rod form. The benefit of this arrangement is that it allows for a lower pressure drop in the vapor and/or aerosol stream and, furthermore, a plasticizer, e.g. , reducing or eliminating the need for triacetin. Furthermore, the use of short-chopped CA fibers allows the use of less CA and more tobacco than when continuous long CA fibers are used.

In some examples, the percentage of the weight of the first flavor component (and any other components, e.g. charcoal, plasticizer) of the filter portions 1, 3 to the weight of the material of the tobacco portion 2 is 10%. in the range of -90%, and preferably in the range of 70%-90%.

In the particular case of an article comprising continuous fibers and a tobacco portion 2 comprising pulverized tobacco, the tobacco weight to fiber weight is preferably in the range of 40% to 60%, and most preferably 45% to 55%. is within the range of The fiber weight is preferably within the range of 75% to 95% and most preferably within the range of 80% to 90%.

Diluents remove undesirable chemicals from the aerosol and also contain carbon, activated carbon, pyrolytic carbon resins, silica, chemically activated derivatives of carbon and silica, metal-based catalysts, and the like. contains solid particles of a mixture of

Flavor-promoting ingredients add desirable sensory properties to the aerosol, and may be present in the tobacco-derived portion, the filter portion, and combinations thereof. Common flavor enhancing ingredients include menthol, mint, peppermint, vanilla, liquorice, fruit extracts, esters, acetals, fructals, and combinations thereof. The flavor enhancing component is encapsulated in a filter matrix, in tobacco-derived material, in flavor threads, in beads, in frangible capsules, in non-fragile capsules, in protective matrices and in molecules containing cyclodextrins. , and combinations thereof.

Aesthetic elements may include distributed or different patterns within the filter matrix, specific areas shaped to form logos and colorants localized within the filter, or may be recessed or grooved. or a combination thereof. This is illustrated in FIG. 3, which shows an exemplary filter component providing a mouth end with a recessed portion 10. FIG. In conjunction with component 7 may be provided a mouthpiece filter portion 3 comprising a recess 10 for use in an article. This structure provides an aesthetically pleasing structure that can contribute to the strength of the product by using the layered wrapping material 4 . It also allows the provision of shorter filter components 7 which can reduce the overall pressure drop. In such instances, the filter portion 7 is generally 6 mm or more in length to ensure material retention to the tobacco portion 2 and still provide adequate structural integrity while still providing adequate structural integrity to the article. Controls overall pressure drop and compressibility.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the use of the present invention with an electronic cigarette as an aerosol generating device. The device uses battery power 14 to heat resistive element 17 to volatilize e-liquid from reservoir 16, which is generally nicotine-free. The article 19 of the present invention is inserted into the electronic cigarette device at point 18 . A first aerosol produced by resistive element 17 passes through article 19 and is modified to produce inhalable aerosol 20 . Modifications to the first aerosol include the addition of nicotine and other flavor enhancing ingredients from the present invention. Modification can also include removal of unwanted chemical components via diluents and removal of unwanted aerosols and other particles from aerosols.

In an alternative embodiment, the first aerosol further contains a chemical to assist in incorporating the desired chemical from the tobacco-derived portion 2 into the aerosol. Preferably, the first aerosol contains a volatile acid, which serves to incorporate free base nicotine from tobacco-derived portion 2, thereby increasing the amount of nicotine in the inhaled aerosol. Suitable volatile acids include ascorbic acid, pyruvic acid, and levulinic acid.

Figure 10 shows an alternative use of the present invention, where the present invention is inserted into a device comprising a power supply 14 using a heat source 23 to heat the tobacco portion 2 directly. The action of heat from associated equipment causes the volatile components to be released from the present invention, which form an inhalable aerosol. The heat source 23 comprises one of electrical or chemically driven heating means. Electric options include metal heating elements, resistive elements, thin film heaters, ceramic heaters, and combinations thereof in conjunction with batteries or batteries. Alternatively, the electric heat source 23 may rely on induction, where an alternating electromagnetic field is produced, which likewise produces heat within a suitably arranged susceptor element 24 . The efficiency of induction is improved when the susceptor element 24 is in close proximity to the material to be heated, so that the susceptor element 24 is placed within the tobacco-derived material or on the part of the packaging material that contacts the tobacco-derived portion. is best placed as For induction heating, power supplies and circuitry may be configured to operate at high frequencies. Preferably, the power supply and circuitry can be configured to operate at a frequency of about 80 kHz to 500 kHz, preferably about 150 kHz to 250 kHz, more preferably about 200 kHz, and the assembly can operate at about 0.5 Tesla ( T) to approximately 2.0 T at the point of highest density, and can be arranged to operate in a varying electromagnetic field. The induction coil may comprise any suitable material, but in general the induction coil may comprise Litz wire or Litz cable. Susceptors can include, but are not limited to, one or more of aluminum, iron, nickel, stainless steel, and alloys thereof, such as nickel-chromium. When an electromagnetic field is applied in its vicinity, the susceptor can generate heat due to eddy currents and magnetic hysteresis losses, resulting in the conversion of energy from electromagnetic to heat.

Chemical reaction driven heat sources include combustion, oxidation, redox, and other exothermic reactions.

Humectants are additives that act to retain water within the matrix and include polyols such as propylene glycol, glycerol, PEGs of various molecular weights, sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, and combinations thereof. Within the present invention, the volatilized humectant also serves to generate aerosol droplets. Preferably, the humectant is a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol.

pH modifiers include acids, bases, and buffers that can be used to alter the ionization state of chemicals within the tobacco-derived portion, thereby modifying their volatility. In particular, free base nicotine, which predominates at alkaline pH, is significantly more volatile than nicotine salt, which predominates at acidic pH. In a preferred embodiment, sufficient basic agent is added to the tobacco-derived portion to achieve an overall pH>7 and make more nicotine available for volatilization into the inhalable aerosol. More preferably, the overall pH is >8. Suitable basic agents include metal carbonates, metal bicarbonates, metal hydroxides, and ammonium salts.

In one embodiment of the invention, the tobacco-derived portion 2 has a chemical composition according to Gothiatek® specifications, i. kg, produced by providing a blend of multiple tobacco grades including pipe-cured and air-cured tobacco. Once blended, the tobacco is first crushed and then ground to a No. The size is reduced by passing through 18 Mesh to give a particle size < 1 mm. To the ground tobacco was added 50% equivalent weight of deionized water; 2% equivalent weight of flavor enhancing ingredient - 50:50 mixture of menthol and peppermint oil; 0.375% equivalent weight of pH adjuster - sodium hydroxide. be done. The resulting tobacco paste is passed through a Coperion extruder connected to a pelletizer at a barrel temperature of 250° C. and a pressure of 4 atm to produce a shaped material with a particle size of approximately 1.5 mm diameter. The tobacco-derived particles are then dried under vacuum to <10% moisture. The dried tobacco particles are then sieved to yield fragments within the range of 0.2 mm to 1.25 mm. The mouth end and distal end filter portions 1, 3 are manufactured using a Hauni filter rod manufacturing machine. Filter parts 1, 3 are made from cellulose acetate tow 6Y17, using 10.1 mg tow per mm of filter length; plasticized with 12% w/w triacetin; 26 gsm, 2000 CU plugs. A wrap is attached with PVA glue. The dimensions of the final filter section are 8 mm in diameter and 6 mm in length. Assembly of the non-combustible tobacco article is performed on a Molins cavity filter machine using paper wrapping material PPW35 by SWM with a 0.1% coating of AKD on the inner surface. The article construction is a 6 mm filter section, a 17 mm cavity with 250 mg of tobacco-derived material, and the 6 mm filter section is attached with PVA glue. This produces a final article with a total pressure drop of 40-65 mm water column and a compressibility factor in the longitudinal axis of about 3%.

By controlling the compressibility of the article, the present invention allows the user to easily handle the vapor generating device and without deformation or damage, even though the generation of vapor during use may degrade the mechanical properties of the article. It is possible to provide a device that is easy to remove from the By optionally controlling the draw pressure, it is possible to ensure a pressure drop that will produce a comfortable draw pressure for the user when receiving steam. Further, the present invention ensures that an article holding suitable steam generating material can be provided in an article that is both aesthetically pleasing and simple and easy to manufacture.

Claims (15)

A non-flammable tobacco article for use in conjunction with an aerosol generating device to produce an inhalable aerosol , said tobacco article being removably inserted into said aerosol generating device in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said tobacco article. at least one tobacco-derived portion held together by a wrapping material, at least one distal filter portion, and at least one mouth end filter portion exposed from said aerosol generating device in use ; said The at least one tobacco-derived portion is provided with a plurality of sheet-like pieces of tobacco-derived material in a cavity between the at least one distal filter portion and the at least one mouth-end filter portion. is formed by packing such that the major axes of the pieces of the tobacco article extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tobacco article , the tobacco article being compressed such that the finished article has <10% compression in the longitudinal axis. formed by wrapping the at least one tobacco-derived portion, the at least one distal filter portion and the at least one mouth end filter portion with the wrapping material, the compressibility being an axially fixed force of 10 Newtons; A tobacco article measured as a percentage of the deflection distance relative to the total length of the tobacco article when a In use, the tobacco-derived portion is selected from the group consisting of flavor enhancing ingredients, humectants, and pH modifiers so as to modify the primary aerosol generated by heating by the aerosol generating device to produce the inhalable aerosol. 2. The tobacco article of claim 1 , further comprising at least one selected. 3. A tobacco according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the tobacco-derived portion comprises the volatile component such that, in use, it provides the volatile component to the inhalable aerosol when heated by the aerosol-generating device. Goods. 4. The method of any one of claims 1-3 , further comprising an inductive element dispersed within the tobacco-derived portion such that, in use, electromagnetic energy is applied to the inductive element to generate heat. tobacco goods. A tobacco article according to any preceding claim, wherein the tobacco-derived portion comprises flavor enhancing ingredients, humectants, and pH modifiers. A tobacco article according to any one of claims 1-5 , wherein the wrapper comprises at least one transparent area. Claims 1-, wherein the packaging material is resistant to absorption of volatile and aerosol components within the tobacco-derived portion, and the total weight gain after use due to said absorption is <10% of the original packaging material weight. 7. A tobacco article according to any one of Claims 6 to 7. A tobacco article according to any preceding claim, wherein the wrapper is spirally wound about the longitudinal axis of the tobacco article. A tobacco article according to any preceding claim, wherein the mouth end filter portion includes at least two distinct abutted regions. 10. The mouth end filter portion and the distal end filter portion comprise, separately or in combination, at least one selected from the group consisting of a flavor enhancing component and a diluent. Tobacco article according to . A tobacco article according to any preceding claim, wherein the mouth end filter portion and the distal end filter portion comprise flavor enhancing components. A tobacco article according to any one of claims 1-11 , wherein the mouth end filter portion and the distal end filter portion comprise a diluent. A tobacco article according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of said filter portions includes at least one airflow channel in said longitudinal axis. 14. The tobacco article of claim 13 , wherein the length of the at least one airflow channel included in the at least one of the filter portions is less than the overall axial length of the filter portion. first forming the filter portions and disposing the filter portions within the wrapper so as to form the cavities between the filter portions; A process for manufacturing a tobacco article according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of filling sheet pieces and closing the wrapper to form an integral unit.

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