JP7526805B2 - Flavor inhalation device and flavor inhalation system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flavor inhalation device and a flavor inhalation system.

As a filter for a flavor inhalation device equipped with tobacco containing flavor components, acetate filters are usually used in which cellulose acetate fibers as a filtering material are bound with a plasticizer such as triacetin and packed into a cylindrical wrapper. On the other hand, as a filter using natural fibers instead of chemically synthesized fibers such as cellulose acetate fibers, there are, for example, filters containing paper made of plant pulp as a filtering material and filters containing nonwoven fabric made of plant pulp as a filtering material (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

Tobacco contains various flavor components, and when the tobacco is heated during use, the flavor components volatilize, or the thermally decomposed components of the flavor components volatilize and are supplied to the user. From the perspective of providing a good flavor, flavor inhalation devices are known in which volatile flavor components such as menthol are added separately (e.g., Patent Documents 4 and 5). In these flavor inhalation devices, the volatile flavor components volatilize during use and are supplied to the user together with the volatilized flavor components derived from the tobacco.

Special Publication No. 45-10599 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 48-85874 Patent No. 3260059 JP 2011-250715 A Patent No. 6588007

However, in a flavor inhalation device containing a flavor component contained in the tobacco or a volatile flavor component added separately, the flavor component or the volatile flavor component may volatilize in a pack that contains the flavor inhalation device during storage and may be sorbed inside a material that has a high affinity for the flavor component or the volatile flavor component. Since the flavor component or the volatile flavor component is often lipophilic, when the flavor inhalation device is equipped with an acetate filter, the flavor component or the volatile flavor component may be sorbed inside a plasticizer such as cellulose acetate fiber or triacetin, which is lipophilic, during storage. The flavor component or the volatile flavor component once sorbed inside the fiber or plasticizer remains sorbed without being supplied to the main smoke flow during use, resulting in a decrease in the supply efficiency of the flavor component or the volatile flavor component.

The present invention aims to provide a flavor inhalation device in which sorption of flavor components or volatile fragrance components during storage is reduced, and a flavor inhalation system equipped with the flavor inhalation device.

The present invention includes the following embodiments:

The flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment is
a flavor generating segment including a cylindrical first wrapper and a filler including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper;
A filter segment including a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper;
A flavor inhalation device comprising:
The nonwoven fabric is formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder.

The flavor inhalation system of this embodiment comprises a flavor inhalation device of this embodiment and a heating device that heats the flavor inhalation device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flavor inhalation device in which sorption of flavor components or volatile fragrance components during storage is reduced, and a flavor inhalation system equipped with the flavor inhalation device.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a combustion type flavor inhalation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the combustion type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment, in which (a) a state before a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation instrument is inserted into a heating device, and (b) a state in which the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation instrument is inserted into the heating device and heated.

[Flavor inhalation device]
The flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment includes a flavor generating segment including a cylindrical first wrapper and a filling including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper, and a filter segment including a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper. Here, the nonwoven fabric is formed by binding fibers including plant pulp with a water-soluble binder. The filling preferably further includes a volatile flavor component in addition to the tobacco.

In the flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment, instead of an acetate filter, a filter segment is provided in which a nonwoven fabric formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder is filled inside the second wrapper. Cellulose, which is the main component of plant pulp, and the water-soluble binder are hydrophilic, and therefore do not easily adsorb lipophilic flavor components and volatile flavor components. Therefore, the flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment can reduce the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components during storage, and can improve the supply efficiency of flavor components or volatile flavor components during use. In addition, since plant pulp is a natural fiber, it has high dispersibility and decomposition in the natural environment, and the flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment can reduce the burden on the natural environment. In this specification, the term "flavor component" refers to a component contained in tobacco, which is a component that can impart a flavor to the user by volatilizing when heated and being supplied to the user. On the other hand, the term "volatile flavor component" refers to a flavor component that is added separately to tobacco, and is a component that can impart a flavor to the user by volatilizing when heated and being supplied to the user, similar to the "flavor component".

Examples of the flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment include a combustion type flavor inhalation device (such as cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigarillos) and a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. The flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment may further include other segments in addition to the flavor generation segment and the filter segment. The present embodiment will be described in detail below, but is not limited thereto.

(Filter Segment)
The filter segment according to the present embodiment includes a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper. The nonwoven fabric is formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder. The filter segment is disposed downstream (mouth end side) of the flavor generating segment, and may be disposed closest to the mouth end side.

Materials for the second wrapper include paper, polymer film (cellophane film, polyolefin film, polyester film, etc.), etc. The second wrapper is preferably formed into a cylindrical shape by bonding one end of the second wrapper to the other end of the second wrapper with a water-soluble glue based on a hydrophilic polymer. By using the water-soluble glue as the glue, the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components can be further suppressed. As the water-soluble glue, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, starch, etc. are preferable. These water-soluble glues may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

It is also preferable that the second wrapper is adhered to the nonwoven fabric by a water-soluble glue based on the hydrophilic polymer, since this fixes the second wrapper and the nonwoven fabric, making them less likely to shift, and further suppresses the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components. The water-soluble glue may be the same as that described above. These water-soluble glues may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The nonwoven fabric is preferably made of fibers containing plant pulp, and is preferably made of fibers made of plant pulp. The basis weight of the nonwoven fabric is preferably 25 to 70 g/m ² , more preferably 30 to 60 g/m ² , and even more preferably 40 to 55 g/m ² , from the viewpoint of filter hardness and filter productivity. The fibers are bound by a water-soluble binder. In this embodiment, the term "water-soluble binder" refers to a water-volatile binder. The water-volatile binder solidifies as the water as a solvent evaporates, and exerts adhesive strength. The water-volatile binder can be classified into an aqueous solution binder and a water-dispersed binder. Compared with an organic solvent-volatile binder, the water-volatile binder needs to be dissolved in water or emulsion-dispersed in water, so a binder with high affinity to water is used. Examples of aqueous binders include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), glue, starch, modified starch, and modified cellulose such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Examples of aqueous binders include polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, thickening polysaccharides, gums, and acrylic resins. For the definition of water-volatile binders, see "Encyclopedia of Adhesives and Cohesives, Supervised by Shozaburo Yamaguchi, Published by Asakura Publishing Co., Ltd." The Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) of water-soluble binders can also be expressed as σD = 17.59 to 19.30, σP = 4.91 to 10.40, and σH = 8.50 to 26.50.

From the viewpoint of suppressing the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components, the water-soluble binder is preferably at least one binder selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, modified cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, thickening polysaccharides, and gums, and more preferably a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer. When the nonwoven fabric is wrapped in a cylindrical shape with a second wrapper as a filter for a flavor inhaler, the nonwoven fabric is transported at high speed on the surface of a manufacturing device. Selecting a vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer as one of the water-soluble binders can prevent deterioration of the nonwoven fabric due to heat generated by friction with the surface of the device during high-speed transport. When the water-soluble binder is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, the proportion of polyvinyl alcohol relative to the total of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer (100% by mass) is preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass, more preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 70% by mass, even more preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, and particularly preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass. In particular, when the proportion is 17% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the nonwoven fabric from being dissolved by saliva during use while sufficiently suppressing the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components.

The water-soluble binder preferably has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) of σD = 17.59 to 18.16, σP = 4.91 to 6.74, and σH = 8.50 to 14.50, and more preferably has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) of σD = 17.69 to 17.78, σP = 5.21 to 5.52, and σH = 9.50 to 10.50. The water-soluble binder may also have a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) of σD = 17.59 to 18.92, σP = 4.91 to 9.18, and σH = 8.50 to 22.50. By having the HSP value within the above range, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the nonwoven fabric from being dissolved by saliva during use while sufficiently suppressing the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components. The HSP value can be the value in the HSPiP database, and the HSP value in a mixture of multiple components is expressed as the volume fraction of each component.

The content of the water-soluble binder in 100% by mass of the nonwoven fabric is preferably 10 to 25% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 20% by mass. When the content is 10% by mass or more, the fibers can be sufficiently bound together. Furthermore, when the content is 25% by mass or less, the fiber content in the nonwoven fabric can be increased, and the sorption of flavor components or volatile fragrance components can be sufficiently suppressed.

Although there are no particular limitations on the method of filling the second wrapper with nonwoven fabric, it is preferable to stack multiple sheets of nonwoven fabric, fold them into an S-shape, and fill the inside of the cylindrical second wrapper. By filling the nonwoven fabric in this way, gaps between the nonwoven fabrics are less visible on the end faces of the filter segments, resulting in a good appearance. In addition, an appropriate airflow resistance is obtained.

(Flavor Generation Segment)
The flavor generating segment according to this embodiment includes a cylindrical first wrapper and a filling material including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper. From the viewpoint of obtaining the effect of the present invention more effectively, it is preferable that the filling material further includes a volatile flavor component. In addition, when the flavor generating segment is a flavor generating segment for a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, the filling material may further include an aerosol-generating base material. The flavor generating segment is disposed on the upstream side (opposite the mouth end) of the filter segment. The material of the first wrapper may be the same as that of the second wrapper.

The type of tobacco is not particularly limited, but for example, flue-cured, burley, orient, native, other Nicotiana tabacum or Nicotiana rustica varieties can be appropriately blended to achieve the desired flavor. Details of the types of tobacco are disclosed in, for example, "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009." Tobacco contains various flavor components. Among the flavor components contained in these tobaccos, there are volatile flavor components. The configuration of this embodiment suppresses the sorption of these volatile flavor components inherent in tobacco to the filter. Examples of volatile flavor components inherent in tobacco include limonene, styrene, and isoprene.

As the volatile flavoring ingredient, a wide variety of volatile flavoring ingredients can be used, for example, as described in "Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Technology (Fragrances)" (March 14, 2007, published by the Japan Patent Office), "Latest Encyclopedia of Flavors (Popular Edition)" (February 25, 2012, edited by Soichi Arai, Akio Kobayashi, Izumi Yajima, and Michiaki Kawasaki, Asakura Publishing), and "Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products" (June 1972, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company). Examples of the volatile fragrance component include volatile fragrance components selected from isothiocyanates, indole and its derivatives, ethers, esters, ketones, fatty acids, higher aliphatic alcohols, higher aliphatic aldehydes, higher aliphatic hydrocarbons, thioethers, thiols, terpene hydrocarbons, phenol ethers, phenols, furfural and its derivatives, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, lactones, etc., used alone or in combination. The volatile fragrance component may be a component that provides a cooling/warming sensation.

More specifically, the volatile fragrance components include acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, star anise oil, apple juice, balsam of Peru oil, beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, cardamom oil, carob absolute, β-carotene, carrot juice, L-carvone, β-caryophyllene, cassia bark oil, cedarwood oil, celery seed oil, chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, citronella oil, DL- Citronellol, Clary Sage Extract, Coffee, Cognac Oil, Coriander Oil, Cuminaldehyde, Davana Oil, δ-Decalactone, γ-Decalactone, Decanoic Acid, Dill Herb Oil, 3,4-Dimethyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione, 4,5-Dimethyl-3-Hydroxy-2,5-Dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-Dimethyl-6-Octenoic Acid, 2,3-Dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-Dimethylpyrazine, Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate, Ethyl Acetate, Ethyl Butyrate, Ethyl Hexanoate, Ethyl Isovalerate, Ethyl Lactate, Ethyl Laurate, Ethyl Levulinate, Ethyl Maltol, Ethyl Octanoate, Ethyl Oleate, Ethyl Palmitate, Ethyl Phenylacetate, Ethyl Propionate, Ethyl Stearate, Ethyl Valerate, Ethyl Vanillin, Ethyl Vanillin Glucosyl , 2-ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, fenugreek absolute, gene absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, grape juice, guaiacol, guava extract, gamma-heptalactone, gamma-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, phenylhexyl acetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid lactone, 4-hydroxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, immortell Absolute, β-Ionone, Isoamyl acetate, Isoamyl butyrate, Isoamyl phenylacetate, Isobutyl acetate, Isobutyl phenylacetate, Jasmine absolute, Cola nut tincture, Labdanum oil, Lemon terpeneless oil, Licorice extract, Linalool, Linalyl acetate, Lovage root oil, Maple syrup, Menthol, Limonene, Cis-3-hexanol, Menthone, L-menthyl acetate, Paramethoxybenzaldehyde, Methyl 2-pyrrolyl ketone, Methyl anthranilate, Methyl phenylacetate, Methyl salicylate, 4'-Methylacetophenone, Methylcyclopentenolone, 3-Methylvaleric acid, Mimosa absolute, Honey beet, Myristic acid, Nerol, Nerolidol, γ-Nonalactone, Nutmeg oil, δ-Octalactone, Octanal, Octanoic acid, Orange fruit Rose oil, orange oil, orris root oil, palmitic acid, omega-pentadecalactone, peppermint oil, petitgrain Paraguay oil, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, plum extract, propenyl guaethol, propyl acetate, 3-propylidenephthalide, prune juice, pyruvic acid, raisin extract, rose oil, rum, sage oil, sandalwood oil, spearmint oil, styrax absolute, marigold oil, tea distillate, alpha-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, thyme oil, tomato extract, 2-tridecanone, citric acid Triethyl, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadienyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, gamma-undecalactone, gamma-valerolactone, vanilla extract, vanillin, veratraldehyde, violet leaf absolute, citral, mandarin oil, 4-(acetoxymethyl)toluene, 2-methyl-1-butanol, ethyl 10-undecenoate, isoamyl hexanoate, 1-phenylethyl acetate, lauric acid, 8-mercaptomenthone, sinensal, hexyl butyrate, plant powders (herb powders, flower powders, spice powders, tea powders: cocoa powder, carob powder, coriander powder, licorice powder, orange peel powder, rose pip powder, chamomile flower powder, lemon verbena powder, peppermint powder, leaf powder, spearmint powder, black tea powder, etc.), camphor, isopulegol, cineole, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, 2-l-menthoxyethanol (COOLACT® 5), 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol (COOLACT® 10), l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate (COOLACT® 20), p-menthane-3,8-diol (COOLACT® 38D), N-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-2-isopropyl-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1-carboxamide (COOLACT® 370), N-(4-(cyanomethyl)phenyl)-2-isopropyl- 5,5-Dimethylcyclohexanecarboxamide (COOLACT® 400), N-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-isopropyl-5,5-dimethylcyclohexanecarboxamide, N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide (WS-3), ethyl-2-(p-menthane-3-carboxamide) acetate (WS-5), N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-p-menthane Menthyl carboxamide (WS-12), 2-isopropyl-N,2,3-trimethylbutyramide (WS-23), 3-l-menthoxy-2-methylpropane-1,2-diol, 2-l-menthoxyethan-1-ol, 3-l-menthoxypropan-1-ol, 4-l-menthoxybutan-1-ol, menthyl lactate (FEMA3748), menthone glycerin acetal (Frescolat MGA, FEMA3807, FEMA3808), 2-(2-l-menthyloxyethyl)ethanol, menthyl glyoxylate, menthyl 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate, menthyl succinate (FEMA3810), N-(2-(pyridin-2-yl)-ethyl)-3-p-menthanecarboxamide (FEMA4549), N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-p-menthane-3-carboxamide, N-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)-p-menthanecarboxamide, and N-(4-aminocarbonylphenyl)-p-menthane. Among these, as the volatile flavor component, a component having high lipophilicity is preferred from the viewpoint of easily achieving the effects of the present invention, and for example, menthol, limonene, cis-3-hexanol, and menthone are preferred. These volatile flavor components may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When the filling contains a volatile flavor component, the volatile flavor component is preferably added in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 8% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the filling. By adding 0.1% or more by mass of the volatile flavor component relative to 100% by mass of the filling, the problem of sorption of the volatile flavor component is more likely to occur, and the effects of the present invention are more likely to be obtained. Furthermore, by adding 10% or less by mass of the volatile flavor component relative to 100% by mass of the filling, the tobacco content in the filling can be increased, and a sufficient tobacco flavor can be provided during use.

The aerosol-generating substrate is a material capable of generating an aerosol by heating, and is preferably glycerin or propylene glycol. Glycerin and propylene glycol are humectants that absorb moisture during storage. In a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, when heated before use, the moisture evaporates to form water vapor, and almost all of the water vapor is supplied to the user's mouth as mainstream smoke at the first puff during use. Therefore, the smoke may be hot, but in this embodiment, the filter segment includes a nonwoven fabric formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder, so that the water vapor can be adsorbed and filtered. This makes it possible to reduce the perceived temperature of the smoke at the first puff. When the flavor inhalation device is a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, the aerosol-generating substrate can be added in an amount of 5 to 50% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the filling.

(Combustion-type flavor inhalation device)
An example of a combustion type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the combustion type flavor inhalation device 8 includes a flavor generating segment 1 and a filter segment 2 provided adjacent to the flavor generating segment 1. The flavor generating segment 1 includes a filler 3 containing tobacco and a first wrapper 4 wrapped around the filler 3. The filter segment 2 includes a nonwoven fabric 5 and a second wrapper 6 wrapped around the nonwoven fabric 5. The flavor generating segment 1 and the filter segment 2 are connected by a tipping paper member 7 wrapped around the flavor generating segment 1 and the filter segment 2. The tipping paper member 7 may have an air hole in a part of its outer periphery. The number of the air holes may be one or more, and for example, 10 to 40 holes may be formed. When the number of the air holes is more than one, the air holes may be arranged in a line in a ring shape on the outer periphery of the tipping paper member 7. The multiple air holes may be arranged at approximately regular intervals. By providing the air holes, air is taken into the filter segment 2 through the air holes during inhalation. By diluting the mainstream smoke with outside air from the ventilation holes, products can be designed to achieve the desired tar level.

A user can enjoy the flavor of tobacco by lighting the tip of the flavor generating segment 1 and inhaling by holding the mouth end of the filter segment 2 in the mouth. In the combustion type flavor inhalation device 8 according to this embodiment, the sorption of flavor components or volatile flavor components is reduced during storage, so that a sufficient amount of flavor components or volatile flavor components is supplied to the user when used.

The combustion type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment may further have at least one or more other segments in addition to the flavor generating segment and the filter segment according to the present embodiment. Examples of the other segments include a filter segment filled with chemically synthetic fibers such as acetate or polylactic acid, a segment filled with a film such as acetate or polylactic acid, or a segment having a hollow structure. The filter segment may also contain an adsorbent such as activated carbon, silica gel, or zeolite, or may contain a liquid flavor, a solid flavor, or a flavor supported on a carrier. The segment may also contain a flavor capsule having a core-shell structure in which a liquid flavor is wrapped in a shell such as gelatin, polysaccharide, or resin. For example, the combustion type flavor inhalation device 11 shown in FIG. 2 has another filter segment 9 between the flavor generating segment 1 and the filter segment 2. The filter segment 2 and the other filter segment 9 are connected by a filter plug wrapper 10. The other filter segment 9 can have a function different from that of the filter segment 2 according to the present embodiment, so that the filter can be given multiple functions.

(Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device)
An example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment is shown in Fig. 3. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 12 shown in Fig. 3 comprises a flavor generating segment 1 according to this embodiment and a mouthpiece segment 13. The mouthpiece segment 13 comprises a cooling segment 14, a center hole segment 15, and a filter segment 2 according to this embodiment. When inhaling, the flavor generating segment 1 is heated, and the flavor components, aerosol generating base material, and water contained in the flavor generating segment 1 are vaporized, and these are transferred to the mouthpiece segment 13 by inhalation, and inhalation is performed from the end of the filter segment 2.

The cooling segment 14 is composed of a cylindrical member 16. The cylindrical member 16 can be, for example, a paper tube made by processing cardboard into a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical member 16 and the mouthpiece lining paper 21 described later are provided with perforations 17 penetrating both. Due to the presence of the perforations 17, outside air is introduced into the cooling segment 14 during inhalation. As a result, the aerosol vaporized components generated by heating the flavor generating segment 1 come into contact with the outside air, and as their temperature drops, they are liquefied to form an aerosol. The diameter (distance across) of the perforations 17 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.5 to 1.5 mm. The number of perforations 17 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more than two. For example, a plurality of perforations 17 may be provided on the circumference of the cooling segment 14.

The center hole segment 15 is composed of a filling layer 18 having a hollow portion and an inner plug wrapper 19 that covers the filling layer 18. The center hole segment 15 has the function of increasing the strength of the mouthpiece segment 13. The filling layer 18 can be, for example, a rod with an inner diameter of φ5.0 to φ1.0 mm, in which cellulose acetate fibers are densely packed and a plasticizer containing triacetin is added at 6 to 20% by mass relative to the mass of cellulose acetate and hardened. Since the filling layer 18 has a high fiber packing density, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow portion during inhalation and hardly flow inside the filling layer 18. When it is desired to reduce the loss of aerosol components due to filtration in the filter segment 2, shortening the length of the filter segment 2 and replacing it with the center hole segment 15 is effective in increasing the delivery amount of the aerosol components. Since the filling layer 18 inside the center hole segment 15 is a fiber packed layer, it feels good to the touch from the outside during use. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the filter segment 2 may be extended instead of providing a center hole segment. Also, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the center hole segment may be omitted and instead the cooling segment 14 may be extended.

The center hole segment 15 and the filter segment 2 are connected by an outer plug wrapper 20. The outer plug wrapper 20 can be, for example, a cylindrical paper. The flavor generating segment 1, the cooling segment 14, and the connected center hole segment 15 and filter segment 2 are connected by a mouthpiece lining paper 21. These connections can be made, for example, by applying a water-soluble glue based on the hydrophilic polymer described above to the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper 21, and then inserting and rolling the three segments.

The axial length of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment, i.e., the horizontal length in FIG. 3, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 to 90 mm, more preferably 50 to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 to 60 mm. The circumferential length of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device is preferably 16 to 25 mm, more preferably 20 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 21 to 23 mm. For example, the length of the flavor generating segment 1 may be 20 mm, the length of the cooling segment 14 may be 20 mm, the length of the center hole segment 15 may be 8 mm, and the length of the filter segment 2 may be 7 mm. These individual segment lengths may be appropriately changed depending on the manufacturing suitability, the required quality, and the like. In the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment, the sorption of the volatile flavor component is reduced during storage, so that a sufficient amount of the volatile flavor component is supplied to the user when used.

[Flavor Inhalation System]
The flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment preferably includes a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment and a heating device for heating the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. The flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment may have a configuration other than the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment and the heating device.

An example of the flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. The flavor inhalation system shown in FIG. 5 includes the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 12 according to the present embodiment and a heating device 22 that heats the flavor generation segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 12 from the outside. FIG. 5(a) shows the state before the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 12 is inserted into the heating device 22, and FIG. 5(b) shows the state in which the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 12 is inserted into the heating device 22 and heated. The heating device 22 shown in FIG. 5 includes a body 23, a heater 24, a metal tube 25, a battery unit 26, and a control unit 27. The body 23 has a cylindrical recess 28, and the heater 24 and the metal tube 25 are arranged on the inner side of the recess 28 at a position corresponding to the flavor generation segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 12 inserted into the recess 28. The heater 24 can be a heater using electric resistance, and is heated by being supplied with power from a battery unit 26 in response to an instruction from a control unit 27 that controls temperature. The heat generated by the heater 24 is transferred to the flavor generating segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 12 through a metal tube 25 having high thermal conductivity.

5(b) is a schematic illustration, so there is a gap between the outer periphery of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 12 and the inner periphery of the metal tube 25, but in reality, it is preferable that there is no gap between the outer periphery of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 12 and the inner periphery of the metal tube 25 for the purpose of efficient heat transfer. In addition, the heating device 22 heats the flavor generation segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 12 from the outside, but it may also heat from the inside. If it heats from the inside, it is preferable to use a rigid plate-shaped, blade-shaped, or columnar heater without using the metal tube 25. Examples of such heaters include ceramic heaters in which molybdenum, tungsten, or the like is applied to a ceramic substrate.

The heating temperature by the heating device is preferably 160°C or higher, more preferably 160°C to 400°C, and even more preferably 200°C to 350°C. When heated by a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, the filter segment may reach 160°C or higher, but in this embodiment, the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric of the filter segment contain plant pulp, so they can fully withstand temperatures of 160°C or higher. Note that the cellulose acetate fibers constituting a typical acetate filter have a glass transition temperature of 160 to 180°C, so that their molecular structure may be disrupted by heating, and their heat resistance is low. Note that the heating temperature refers to the temperature of the heater in the heating device.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[Example 1]
(Preparation of Filter Segments)
(1) Production of nonwoven fabric After the raw material wood pulp was broken into single fibers using a coarse grinder and a fiberizer, the pulp was dropped from the web forming device onto the absorbent surface of an endless wire netting to form a web and transport it. A water-soluble binder (a mixture of PVA and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer in a mass ratio of 17:83) dissolved in water was sprayed onto this web, dried, and then the same binder as above was sprayed and dried to obtain a nonwoven fabric with a width of 240 cm. The obtained nonwoven fabric was wound up into a jumbo roll by a winding device. The nonwoven fabric was unwound from the jumbo roll, slit to a width of 13 cm, and wound up. The raw material wood pulp used was wood pulp with a roughness of 0.22 mg/m (Weyerhauser, product name: NB416). The basis weight of the nonwoven fabric was 45 g/ ^m2 and the thickness was 1.2 mm. The content of the water-soluble binder in 100% by mass of the nonwoven fabric was 18% by mass.

(2) Manufacturing of filter segments Filter segments were manufactured using a cigarette filter manufacturing device. That is, the nonwoven fabric manufactured by the method described in (1) was cut into four pieces by a slitter, and the four pieces were stacked and compressed into a cylindrical shape with an S-shaped cut edge. Next, the cylindrical nonwoven fabric was wrapped in a wrapper, the wrapper was glued, and then cut to a predetermined length by a cutter to obtain a filter segment. Polyvinyl acetate was used to bond the wrapper ends together and to bond the wrapper and the nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric had a width of 13 cm before slitting, and was slit into four pieces at equal intervals, resulting in a width of 32 mm for each piece. A small loss occurred during slitting.

(Preparation of Flavor-Generating Segment and Flavor-Inhaling Device)
The filter segment was used to prepare a combustion-type flavor inhalation device as shown in FIG. 1. The tobacco-containing segment used had an axial length of 57.0 mm, a circumference of 24.5 mm, and a tobacco content of 675 mg. The filling of the tobacco-containing segment contained 4.6 mg of l-menthol as a volatile flavor component in addition to tobacco. The content of l-menthol relative to 100% by mass of the filling was 0.68% by mass. The tobacco-containing segment and the filter segment were connected by a tipping paper member 7 having a length of 32.0 mm to prepare a flavor inhalation device. No vent holes for adjusting the tar value were provided in the tipping paper member. Polyvinyl acetate emulsion glue was used to adhere the tipping paper member 7.

(Small box packaging for flavor inhalation devices)
The twenty flavor inhalation devices thus prepared were wrapped in an aluminum-laminated paper inner wrapping, and placed in a small paper box measuring 22 mm in length, 56 mm in width, and 89 mm in height. The outside of the small box was then covered with a PP film and sealed.

(Evaluation of odor transfer to filter segments after storage)
The small box was left in the small box packaging form in an environment of 22°C for one month to evaluate the storage effect. The amount of l-menthol was measured at the start of storage, i.e., when the flavor inhalation device was produced (initial stage), and after one month of storage. The amount of l-menthol was measured according to the following procedure.
i) The small box was opened and 20 flavor inhalation devices were taken out.
ii) The flavor generating segment and the filter segment were cut with a cutter. The flavor generating segment and the filter segment were separately placed in a vial containing 10 ml of methanol and shaken for 30 minutes. This operation was performed for 10 flavor inhalation devices.
iii) After shaking, the methanol in the vial was measured by gas chromatography (manufactured by Agilent, detector: FID) to measure the amount of 1-menthol contained in each segment.
iv) The data for the 10 flavor generating segments and the 10 filter segments were each averaged to determine the amount of 1-menthol contained in each segment.
The results are shown in Table 1.

[Example 2]
A flavor inhaler was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in the preparation of the nonwoven fabric for the filter segment, instead of using a mixture of PVA and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer as the water-soluble binder, PVA alone was used. The results are shown in Table 1. The HSP of the water-soluble binder was σD=19.30, σP=10.40, and σH=26.50.

[Comparative Example 1]
A flavor inhalation device was produced and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that an acetate filter in which a cellulose acetate fiber bundle (manufactured by Daicel, filament denier: 3.5 g/9000 m, total denier: 35000 g/9000 mm) was bonded with triacetin (added at 6% by mass relative to the mass of the cellulose acetate fiber bundle) was used as the filter segment. The results are shown in Table 1.

As shown in Table 1, in Examples 1 and 2 in which the filter segment comprises a nonwoven fabric formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder, the transfer of menthol contained in the flavor generating segment to the filter segment over time was suppressed. Thus, it was confirmed that the sorption of volatile flavor components during storage was reduced in Examples 1 and 2. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1 in which an acetate filter was used as the filter segment, the rate at which menthol transferred to the acetate filter during storage was high, and it was confirmed that volatile flavor components were sorbed during storage. In addition, in actual use, it was confirmed that the flavor inhalation device of Example 1 was more sufficiently suppressed from dissolving the filter by saliva than the flavor inhalation device of Example 2, and could be used more suitably.
The present invention includes the following embodiments.
[1] A flavor generating segment including a cylindrical first wrapper and a filler including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper;
A filter segment including a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper;
A flavor inhalation device comprising:
The flavor inhalation device, wherein the nonwoven fabric is formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder.
[2] The flavor inhaler according to [1], wherein the filling further contains a volatile flavor component.
[3] The flavor inhaler according to [1] or [2], wherein the water-soluble binder is at least one binder selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, modified cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, thickening polysaccharides, and gums.
[4] The flavor inhalation device according to [3], wherein the water-soluble binder is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer.
[5] The flavor inhalation device described in [4], wherein the ratio of the polyvinyl alcohol to the total of the polyvinyl alcohol and the vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer (100% by mass) is 17% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass.
[6] The flavor inhalation device described in [5], wherein the ratio of the polyvinyl alcohol to the total of the polyvinyl alcohol and the vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer (100% by mass) is 17% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass.
[7] The flavor inhaler according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the water-soluble binder has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) of σD = 17.59 to 18.92, σP = 4.91 to 9.18, and σH = 8.50 to 22.50.
[8] The flavor inhaler according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the content of the water-soluble binder in 100% by mass of the nonwoven fabric is 10 to 25% by mass.
[9] The flavor inhaler according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of 25 to 70 g/m2 ^.
[10] The flavor inhalation device according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein a plurality of sheets of the nonwoven fabric are stacked, folded into an S-shape, and filled inside the second wrapper.
[11] The flavor inhaler described in any one of [1] to [10], wherein the second wrapper is adhered to the nonwoven fabric by at least one glue selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and starch.
[12] The flavor inhalation device according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein one end of the second wrapper and the other end of the second wrapper are bonded together with at least one glue selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and starch, and the second wrapper is cylindrical.
[13] The flavor inhaler according to [2], wherein the volatile flavor component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of menthol, limonene, cis-3-hexanol, and menthone.
[14] The flavor inhaler according to [2] or [13], wherein the volatile flavor component is added in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the filling.
[15] The flavor inhalation device according to any one of [1] to [14], which is a combustion type flavor inhalation device.
[16] The flavor inhalation device according to any one of [1] to [14], which is a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device.
[17] The flavor inhalation device according to [16], wherein the flavor generating segment further comprises an aerosol generating substrate.
[18] The flavor inhalation device described in [17], wherein the aerosol-generating base material is glycerin or propylene glycol.
[19] A flavor inhalation device according to any one of [16] to [18],
A heating device for heating the flavor inhalation device;
A flavor suction system comprising:
[20] The flavor inhalation system described in [19], wherein the heating temperature by the heating device is 160°C or higher.

1 Flavor generating segment 2 Filter segment 3 Filler 4 First wrapper 5 Nonwoven fabric 6 Second wrapper

Claims (22)

a flavor generating segment including a cylindrical first wrapper and a filler including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper;
A filter segment including a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper;
A flavor inhalation device comprising:
The nonwoven fabric is formed by bonding fibers made of vegetable pulp with a water-soluble binder,
The flavor inhalation device, wherein the second wrapper is adhered to the nonwoven fabric by a water-soluble glue based on a hydrophilic polymer , thereby fixing the second wrapper and the nonwoven fabric together . a flavor generating segment including a cylindrical first wrapper and a filler including tobacco filled inside the first wrapper;
A filter segment including a cylindrical second wrapper and a nonwoven fabric filled inside the second wrapper;
A flavor inhalation device comprising:
The nonwoven fabric is formed by binding fibers containing plant pulp with a water-soluble binder,
the water-soluble binder is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer;
A flavor inhalation device, wherein a ratio of the polyvinyl alcohol to a total of 100% by mass of the polyvinyl alcohol and the vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer is 17% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filling further comprises a volatile flavor ingredient. 2. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble binder is at least one binder selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, modified cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, thickening polysaccharides, and gums. 5. The flavor inhaler of claim 4 , wherein the water-soluble binder is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer. 6. The flavor inhalation device according to claim 5 , wherein the proportion of the polyvinyl alcohol relative to a total of 100% by mass of the polyvinyl alcohol and the vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer is 17% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass. 7. The flavor inhalation device according to claim 2 , wherein the proportion of the polyvinyl alcohol is 17% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass with respect to 100% by mass of the total of the polyvinyl alcohol and the vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer. The flavor inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the water-soluble binder has a Hansen solubility parameter (HSP) of σD = 17.59 to 18.92, σP = 4.91 to 9.18, and σH = 8.50 to 22.50. 9. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1, wherein a content of the water-soluble binder in 100% by mass of the nonwoven fabric is 10 to 25% by mass. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of 25 to 70 g/ ^m2 . The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein a plurality of the sheet-like nonwoven fabrics are stacked and folded into an S-shape and filled inside the second wrapper. 12. The flavor inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the second wrapper is adhered to the nonwoven fabric by at least one glue selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and starch. 13. The flavor inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein one end of the second wrapper and the other end of the second wrapper are bonded together with at least one glue selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and starch, so that the second wrapper is tubular. 4. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3 , wherein the volatile flavor component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of menthol, limonene, cis-3-hexanol, and menthone. 15. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3 or 14 , wherein the volatile flavor component is added in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the filling. The flavor inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 , which is a combustion type flavor inhalation device. The flavor inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 , which is a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. 20. The flavor inhalation device of claim 17 , wherein the flavor-generating segment further comprises an aerosol-generating substrate. 19. The flavor inhalation device according to claim 18 , wherein the aerosol-generating base material is glycerin or propylene glycol. The flavor inhalation device according to any one of claims 17 to 19 , wherein the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device does not contain cellulose acetate. A flavor inhalation device according to any one of claims 17 to 20 ,
A heating device for heating the flavor inhalation device;
A flavor suction system comprising: The flavor inhalation system according to claim 21 , wherein the heating temperature by the heating device is 160°C or higher.