KR102568380B1 - Aerosol-generating article with improved aerosol level - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article with improved atomization is provided. An aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a support structure including a medium unit, a first tubular structure located downstream of the medium unit and having a first hollow formed therein, located downstream of the support structure, and having a second hollow formed therein. It may include a cooling structure including a second tubular structure and a mouthpiece located downstream of the cooling structure. In this case, the upstream end of the second tubular structure may abut the downstream end of the first tubular structure, and the average cross-sectional area of the second hollows may be greater than the average cross-sectional area of the first hollows. This difference in cross-sectional area can enhance the airflow spreading effect, ultimately improving the amount of atomization of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

Aerosol-generating article with improved atomization {AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH IMPROVED AEROSOL LEVEL}

The present disclosure relates to aerosol-generating articles with improved atomization. More specifically, it relates to an aerosol-generating article capable of providing a more improved smoking experience to a user by ensuring a rich amount of atomization.

In recent years there has been a growing demand for alternative methods that overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is a growing demand for heated cigarettes that provide a smoking experience as they are inserted into electrically operated aerosol-generating devices and heated. Accordingly, research on heated cigarettes has been actively conducted.

One of the factors that have the greatest influence on the smoking satisfaction of heated cigarettes is the amount of smoke. This is because the rich amount of smoke can provide a more improved smoking experience to the user through visual stimulation. Therefore, the development of a heating type cigarette capable of ensuring a rich amount of atomization is required.

US Patent Application Publication No. US2015/0040924 (2015.02.12.)

A technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol-generating article capable of providing a more improved smoking experience to a user by ensuring a rich amount of smoke.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a support structure including a medium unit, a first tubular structure located downstream of the medium unit and having a first hollow formed therein, the support structure Located downstream of, may include a cooling structure including a second tubular structure in which a second hollow is formed, and a mouthpiece located downstream of the cooling structure. In this case, an upstream end of the second tubular structure may abut a downstream end of the first tubular structure, and an average cross-sectional area of the second hollows may be greater than an average cross-sectional area of the first hollows.

In some embodiments, the average cross-sectional area of the second hollow may be twice or more than that of the first hollow.

In some embodiments, the inner diameter ratio of the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure may be 1:1.5 to 1:3.5.

In some embodiments, the inner diameter difference between the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure may be 2.5 mm or more.

In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the first tubular structure is 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm, and the inner diameter of the second tubular structure may be 6.0 mm or more.

In some embodiments, the first tubular structure may be made of a cellulose acetate material.

In some embodiments, the second tubular structure may be made of a paper material.

In some embodiments, the air dilution rate of the aerosol-generating article may be between 10% and 35%.

In some embodiments, a wrapper surrounding the cooling structure may be further included, and a plurality of perforations penetrating the second tubular structure and the wrapper may be formed so that the inside and outside of the second tubular structure are in fluid communication with each other. It can be.

In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may be made of a cellulose acetate filter.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above, the cooling structure of the aerosol-generating article may be configured with a tubular structure made of paper material that can easily enlarge the inner diameter. Such a cooling structure may ensure an airflow diffusion effect through a difference in inner diameter, and the airflow diffusion effect may improve cooling performance so that aerosol is better formed. Furthermore, such a cooling structure has a low removal ability and can greatly increase the amount of glycerin transfer, through which an abundant amount of atomization can be ensured. In addition, the deflection of the mainstream smoke moving in the direction of the mouthpiece part is reduced due to the air flow diffusion effect, so that the uniformity of atomization delivery can be improved.

In addition, the airflow diffusion effect can be further increased by maximizing the difference in inner diameter between the support structure and the cooling structure, which further improves the cooling performance and amount of atomization of the cooling structure by increasing the contact area and time with the outside air introduced through the perforation. can make it In addition, as the cooling performance is improved, the temperature of the mainstream smoke can be significantly lowered during smoking, which can improve the smoking feeling felt by the user.

In addition, since perforations are formed to have an appropriate air dilution rate, the problem of reducing the amount of atomization can be prevented. For example, since perforations are formed to have an air dilution rate of 15% to 35%, the problem of reducing the amount of mist and sucking due to excessive inflow of outside air can be prevented in advance.

In addition, since the tubular structure made of paper hardly absorbs the flavoring material, transfer of the flavoring material added to the mouthpiece part to the cooling structure during the conditioning period or the storage period can be minimized. Accordingly, the content of the flavoring material in the mouthpiece part can be continuously maintained high, and the flavor expression of the aerosol-generating article can be improved during smoking.

In addition, by laminating the spiral layers of the inner layer, the middle layer, and the outer layer to manufacture the tubular structure, the rigidity and airtightness of the tubular structure can be secured at the same time. The rigidity of the tubular structure can alleviate the problem of poor durability of the cooling structure, and the airtightness can help to improve the fragrance of the aerosol-generating article by minimizing the transfer (or outflow) of the flavoring material.

In addition, as the tubular structure made of paper material is used as the cooling structure, the cost of the aerosol-generating article can be reduced.

Effects according to the technical spirit of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 is an exemplary configuration diagram schematically illustrating an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
2 and 3 are exemplary cross-sectional views schematically illustrating an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
4 to 6 are exemplary views for explaining a detailed structure and manufacturing method of a cooling structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
7-9 illustrate various types of aerosol-generating devices to which an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in various different forms, and only the following embodiments complete the technical idea of the present disclosure, and in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs. It is provided to completely inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

In adding reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used with meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly specifically defined. Terminology used herein is for describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in a phrase.

Also, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used in describing the components of the present disclosure. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, order, or order of the corresponding component is not limited by the term. When an element is described as being “connected,” “coupled to,” or “connected” to another element, that element is directly connected or connectable to the other element, but there is another element between the elements. It will be understood that elements may be “connected”, “coupled” or “connected”.

As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and/or "comprising" means that a stated component, step, operation, and/or element is one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or elements. Existence or additions are not excluded.

First, some terms used in various embodiments of the present disclosure will be clarified.

In the following embodiments, "aerosol-forming substrate" may mean a material capable of forming an aerosol. Aerosols may contain volatile compounds. Aerosol-forming substrates may be solid or liquid. For example, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may include tobacco materials based on tobacco raw materials such as leaf tobacco, cut filler (e.g. leaf tobacco cut filler, leaf cut filler, etc.), and reconstituted tobacco, and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may contain nicotine. , liquid compositions based on various combinations of tobacco extract, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and/or various flavoring agents. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples listed above. In some embodiments, unless otherwise stated, liquid phase may refer to a liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

In the following embodiments, "aerosol-generating article" may mean an article capable of generating an aerosol. An aerosol-generating article may include an aerosol-forming substrate. A representative example of an aerosol-generating article would be a cigarette, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to this example.

In the following embodiments, an “aerosol generating device” may refer to an aerosol generating device using an aerosol forming substrate to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. For examples of aerosol generating devices, see FIGS. 7 to 9 .

In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to a user's inhalation, and inhalation may refer to a situation in which the user's mouth or nose is pulled into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs. .

In the following examples, "upstream" or "upstream direction" means a direction away from the smoker's mouth, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" means a direction closer to the smoker's mouth. can do. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positioning of elements that make up an aerosol-generating article. For example, in the aerosol-generating article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 , the medium unit 110 is located upstream or upstream of the support structure 120, and the cooling structure 130 is downstream or upstream of the support structure 120. located in the downstream direction.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exemplary configuration diagram schematically illustrating an aerosol-generating article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are exemplary cross-sectional views schematically illustrating the aerosol-generating article 100 . Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 .

As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the aerosol-generating article 100 may include a medium part 110, a support structure 120, a cooling structure 130, a mouthpiece part 140, and a wrapper 150. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and some components may be omitted or added as needed. In other words, the detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article 100 may be modified.

The diameter of the aerosol-generating article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 and the like is within a range of approximately 4 mm to 9 mm, and the length may be approximately 45 mm to 50 mm, but is not limited thereto. don't For example, the length of the medium part 110 is about 10 mm to 14 mm (eg, 12 mm), the length of the support structure 120 is about 8 mm to 12 mm (eg, 10 mm), the cooling structure 130 The length may be about 12 mm to 16 mm (eg, 14 mm), and the length of the mouthpiece part 140 may be about 10 mm to 14 mm (eg, 12 mm). However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these standard ranges. Hereinafter, each component of the aerosol-generating article 100 will be described.

The medium unit 110 may include an aerosol-forming substrate, and may generate an aerosol as it is heated. For example, the medium unit 110 may generate an aerosol as it is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1000 illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9 and heated, and the generated aerosol (e.g. mainstream smoke) passes through the user's mouth. can be inhaled.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may include tobacco material, but the processing form of the tobacco material may vary. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate may include a reconstituted tobacco sheet such as a leaflet sheet. As another example, the aerosol-forming substrate may include a plurality of tobacco strands (or cut fillers) from which a reconstituted tobacco sheet is cut. For example, the medium unit 110 may be filled with a plurality of tobacco strands arranged in the same direction (parallel) or randomly. As another example, the aerosol-forming substrate may include leaf tobacco cut filler.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate or medium 110 may include a moisturizer. Moisturizers may include glycerin or propylene glycol and the like. However, it is not limited thereto.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate or medium portion 110 may contain other additive materials such as flavoring agents (ie, flavoring materials) and/or organic acids. For example, flavoring agents include licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, Vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, cinnamon, ylang ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander or coffee, and the like. However, it is not limited thereto.

Next, the support structure 120 is located on the downstream side of the medium unit 110, and the upstream side may be in contact with the downstream side of the medium unit 110. The support structure 120 may function as a support member for the medium unit 110 . For example, when the heating element 1300 of the aerosol generating device (e.g. 1000 in FIG. 7 ) is inserted into the medium part 110, the support structure 120 has a function of preventing the medium part 110 from moving downstream. can be done

Alternatively, the support structure 120 may serve as a passage for aerosol (eg, mainstream smoke) formed in the medium unit 110 . More specifically, the support structure 120 may include a tubular structure in which a hollow 120H is formed, and the hollow 120H may function as a channel for aerosol. In addition, the upstream end of the tubular structure of the support structure 120 may come into contact with the downstream end of the tubular structure forming the cooling structure 130 . Accordingly, the aerosol formed in the medium part 110 may move in the direction of the mouthpiece part 140 (ie, the downstream direction) through the hollows 120H and 130H.

The outer diameter of the support structure 120 may be approximately 3 mm to 10 mm, for example, approximately 7 mm. The inner diameter of the support structure 120 (ie, the diameter of the hollow 120H) may be appropriately employed within a range of approximately 2mm to 4.5mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the diameter of the hollow 120H may be about 2.5 mm, about 3.4 mm, or about 4.2 mm, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, in order to maximize the inner diameter difference with the cooling structure 130, the inner diameter of the support structure 120 may be designed to be a relatively small value within a specified range (eg, about 2 mm to about 4.5 mm). For example, the inner diameter of the support structure 120 may be in the range of about 2 mm to 3 mm. In this regard, it will be described again together with the cooling structure 130 later.

In some embodiments, the support structure 120 may include a tubular structure made of cellulose acetate. For example, the support structure 120 may be a tube filter made of cellulose acetate fibers. Such a support structure 120 can effectively prevent the downstream movement of the medium unit 110 in a situation where a heating element is inserted, and can also provide filtering and cooling effects for aerosol.

Also, in some embodiments, the support structure 120 may be a flavor filter to which a flavoring material such as menthol is added (ie, flavored). For example, a flavoring liquid composed of about 60 to 80% by weight of menthol and about 20 to 40% by weight of propylene glycol may be added to the flavor filter. At this time, the added amount of flavoring liquid may be about 1 mg to 10 mg (preferably, 1 mg to 7 mg), but is not limited thereto. According to this embodiment, the fragrance development of the aerosol-generating article 100 can be enhanced.

In some other embodiments, the support structure 120 may be a filter to which a moisturizing material such as glycerin and/or propylene glycol is added (ie, moisturized). In this case, the amount of atomization of the aerosol-generating article 100 can be enhanced.

Meanwhile, it may be preferable that the support structure 120 is manufactured to have appropriate hardness (or durability) for its supporting role. In some embodiments, when the support structure 120 is manufactured, the hardness of the support structure 120 may be adjusted by adjusting the amount of the plasticizer added. In addition, as the inner diameter of the support structure 120 increases (that is, as the thickness of the support structure 120 decreases), the content of the plasticizer added may increase. In some other embodiments, the support structure 120 may be manufactured by inserting a structure such as a film or a tube made of the same or different material into the inside (ie, the hollow 120H).

Next, the cooling structure 130 may function as a cooling member for the high-temperature aerosol generated as the medium unit 110 is heated. Specifically, the cooling structure 130 may include a tubular structure having a hollow 130H formed therein, and may cool the aerosol passing through the hollow 130H. Accordingly, the user can inhale the aerosol at an appropriate temperature, and the mainstream smoke can be smoothly aerosolized, thereby increasing the amount of atomization.

In some embodiments, the cooling structure 130 may cool the mainstream smoke such that the temperature of the mainstream smoke discharged through the mouthpiece unit 150 is about 45° C. to about 60° C. Preferably, the temperature of the mainstream smoke may be about 48°C to 58°C or about 51°C to 56°C (see Experimental Example 2). Within this temperature range, the user's feeling of smoking can be greatly improved.

The cooling structure 130 may be formed of only a tubular structure, or may further include additional structures in addition to the tubular structure. Hereinafter, for convenience of understanding, the description will be continued on the assumption that the cooling structure 130 is made of only the tubular structure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.

The tubular structure may be preferably made of a material capable of easily expanding the inner diameter (or hollow cross-sectional area). For example, the tubular structure may be made of paper (e.g. paper tube filter) or plastic material. Compared to cellulose acetate materials and the like (e.g., it is very difficult to manufacture a cellulose acetate tube filter having an inner diameter of about 4.2 mm or more due to the manufacturing process), the exemplified materials can be easily manufactured into a tubular structure having a large inner diameter. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples listed above, and even if the inner diameter is expanded, any material capable of providing a certain level of rigidity may be applied to the cooling structure 130 . Hereinafter, in order to provide convenience of understanding, the description will be continued on the assumption that the tubular structure is made of a paper material.

Since the tubular structure made of paper can have a fairly large inner diameter D2 (or the cross-sectional area of the hollow 130H), the difference between the inner diameter (or the cross-sectional area of the hollow) between the cooling structure 130 and the support structure 120 can be easily maximized. This can improve the cooling performance of the cooling structure 130 by increasing the airflow diffusion effect inside the aerosol-generating article 100 (see FIG. 3). The improvement of the cooling performance may contribute to the improvement of the atomization amount of the aerosol-generating article 100 by smoothly aerosolizing the high-temperature mainstream smoke. In addition, by lowering the temperature of the mainstream smoke, it can contribute to improving the smoking feeling felt by the user. Furthermore, the tubular structure (e.g. paper tube filter) made of paper can increase the glycerin transfer amount due to its relatively low removal ability, thereby ensuring an abundant amount of atomization (see Experimental Examples 1 and 4). In addition, the airflow spreading effect can also improve the uniformity of the atomization delivery by smoothing the movement of the mainstream smoke as a result. Hereinafter, embodiments related to the inner diameter difference will be described in more detail.

In some embodiments, the average cross-sectional area of the hollows 130H is greater than the average cross-sectional area of the hollows 120H, but may be about 1.5 times or more. Preferably, it is about 2 times or 3 times or more, more preferably about 4 times, 5 times or 6 times or more. In this case, the mainstream smoke (airflow) moving from the hollow 120H of the support structure 120 to the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 is rapidly diffused (see FIG. 3), and the diffused mainstream smoke flows in the downstream direction. As the deflection decreases, a contact area and time with external air introduced through the perforation 160 may be increased. As a result, the cooling effect for the mainstream smoke can be improved, and the amount of atomization can be increased by being smoothly formed in the aerosol. Furthermore, the airflow movement becomes smooth, so that the uniformity of the amount of atomization can be ensured.

Also, in some embodiments, the inner diameter ratio of the support structure 120 and the cooling structure 130 is about 1:1. to 1:3.5. Preferably, the inner diameter ratio may be about 1:1.5 to 1:3.5 or 1:1.5 to 1:3. As a specific example, when the inner diameter of the support structure 120 is 2.5 mm, the inner diameter of the cooling structure 130 may be 3.75 mm to 7.5 mm, preferably 5 mm to 7.5 mm, and more preferably 6 mm to 7 mm. Within this numerical range, the aerosol cooling effect and atomization amount can be greatly improved (see Experimental Examples 1 and 2).

Here, when a branch pipe having an inner diameter (D2) of about 90% to 95% of the outer diameter is applied as the cooling structure 130, the difference between the inner diameter (D1) of the support structure 120 and the inner diameter (D2) of the cooling structure 130 is maximized. Accordingly, the mainstream smoke diffusion effect and the resulting mainstream smoke cooling effect can be further maximized.

Also, in some embodiments, the difference between the inner diameters of the cooling structure 130 and the support structure 120 (ie, the difference between the inner diameters of the two tubular structures) may be about 1.25 mm or more, preferably about 2.5 mm or 3.5 mm or more. there is. More preferably, it may be about 4.5 mm or more. Within this numerical range, the aerosol cooling effect and atomization amount can be greatly improved.

On the other hand, when designing the cooling structure 130 in consideration of maximizing the cooling effect, proper rigidity may not be secured, which may cause difficulties in manufacturing and assembling the cooling structure 130, and the durability of the aerosol-generating article 100 may decrease. can Accordingly, in order to maximize the cooling effect and at the same time secure workability during manufacture and durability of the article 100, the cooling structure 130 according to some embodiments may have specifications according to Table 1 below.

division 13.7mm, 7 pieces Weight (mg) 90~110 (ex, 103.5) Length (mm) 12~16 (ex, 14) Thickness (mm) 0.4~0.6 (ex, 0.52) Outside circumference (mm) 20~23 (ex, 21.85) outer diameter (mm) 6.5~7.5 (ex, 6.96) inner diameter (mm) 5.3~7.0 (ex, 6.0) Inside circumference (mm) 19~22 (ex, 20.23) Total surface area (mm ² ) 560~630 (ex, 611) Specific surface area (mm ² /mg) 5~7 (ex, 5.90) Basis weight (gsm) 150~190 (ex, 169.4) Roundness (%) 95 to 99

For example, the basis weight of the paper material constituting the cooling structure 130 may be 150 gsm to 190 gsm. Within this basis weight range, the rigidity and durability of the cooling structure 130 may be secured and workability during manufacture may also be improved. Specifically, when the basis weight is 150 gsm or less, it is difficult to secure adequate rigidity for the cooling structure 130, and when the basis weight is 190 gsm or more, the knife for cutting the tubular structure is damaged or the cutting is not quickly followed, resulting in poor workability.

The cooling structure 130 may have a structure through which outside air flows in for efficient aerosol cooling. However, the detailed structure may vary depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, as shown, a plurality of perforations 160 passing through the tubular structure (or cooling structure 130) and the wrapper 150 together so that the inside and outside of the tubular structure (or cooling structure 130) are in fluid communication. can be formed. For example, a plurality of perforations 160 penetrating the wrapper 150 together may be formed by an on-line perforation method. In this case, the tubular structure may be made of non-porous or low-porosity paper material, and outside air introduced through the perforation 160 may be diluted with mainstream smoke and moved to the mouthpiece unit 150 (see FIG. 3 ). For example, the bulk of the paper material may be about 2.0 cm ³ /g or less. Preferably, the bulk of the paper material is about 1.5 cm ³ /g or 1.0 cm ³ /g or less, more preferably about 0.8 cm ³ /g or less. However, it is not limited thereto. Here, the bulk refers to a value obtained by dividing the thickness by the basis weight, and a paper material having a low bulk may have a low porosity because the pore structure is not generally developed.

In some other embodiments, the plurality of perforations (e.g. 160) are formed only on the wrapper 150, and the tubular structure may be made of a porous paper material. For example, a plurality of perforations may be formed only on the wrapper 150 in an off-line manner. In this case, outside air may be introduced into the tubular structure through the plurality of perforations and the porous paper.

In some other embodiments, a plurality of perforations (e.g. 160) are formed in the tubular structure, and the wrapper 150 may be a porous wrapper. In this case, outside air may be introduced into the tubular structure through the porous wrapper and the plurality of perforations. In this embodiment, the tubular structure may be made of porous paper or non-porous paper.

As shown, the aforementioned plurality of perforations 160 may be formed in the cooling structure 130 according to some embodiments in an on-line perforation method. At this time, the air dilution rate of the cooling structure 130 (or the aerosol-generating article 100) may be determined by the formation conditions (for example, the number and size of the plurality of perforations 160). However, the higher the air dilution rate (for example, the higher the number of perforations), the lower the temperature of the mainstream smoke, but the reduced amount of smoke and the sucking phenomenon may occur, thereby improving the structure and uniqueness of the aerosol-generating article 100. Depending on the characteristics, the air dilution rate needs to be appropriately adjusted (see Experimental Example 3). Here, the air dilution rate may refer to a ratio between the total volume of the final mainstream smoke and the volume of external air introduced through the cooling structure 130 into the final mainstream smoke.

In some embodiments, the air dilution rate of the cooling structure 130 is about 5% to 40%, preferably about 10% to 30% or 15% to 35%, more preferably about 15% to 25%. A plurality of perforations 160 may be formed. Within this numerical range, not only the main smoke temperature is significantly lowered, but also the problem of reducing the amount of smoke can be prevented (see Experimental Example 3). For reference, as will be described later, the non-perforated cooling structure 130 made of a structure in which a plurality of paper layers are spirally stacked may have an air dilution rate of substantially 0%.

In some embodiments, the plurality of perforations 160 are 5 mm to 10 mm (preferably, 7 mm to 9 mm) apart (L1) from the downstream end of the cooling structure 130 in the upstream direction, but downstream of the aerosol-generating article 100. 15 mm to 25 mm (preferably, 18 mm to 22 mm) from the end in the upstream direction may be formed at a spaced position (L2). Since the plurality of perforations 160 are formed at the above positions, interference of perforations of the aerosol generating device (1000 in FIGS. 7 to 9 ) or interference of perforations caused by smoker's lips during smoking can be eliminated. In addition, the phenomenon of non-uniform melting of the acetate filter of the mouthpiece part 140 can be alleviated by smoothing the air flow in the entire inner space of the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 during smoking.

In some embodiments, the plurality of perforations 160 may include six or more perforations arranged along one row or two rows in the circumferential direction of the cooling structure 130 . For example, the plurality of perforations 160 may consist of 10 holes in 1 row, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

On the other hand, in some embodiments, the hollow tube structure of paper material may be manufactured in the form of laminating a plurality of spiral paper. Through this manufacturing method, the rigidity and durability of the structure may be improved, and airtightness may be improved. This embodiment will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 .

Next, the mouthpiece unit 140 is a mouthpiece in contact with the mouth of the user and may serve as a filter for finally delivering the aerosol delivered from upstream to the user. The mouthpiece part 140 is located downstream of the cooling structure 130 and may come into contact with the downstream side of the cooling structure 130 at an upstream end, and may form a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article 100 .

In some embodiments, mouthpiece portion 140 may be made of a cellulose acetate filter. That is, the mouthpiece part 140 may be manufactured using cellulose acetate fibers (tow) as a filter material. Although not shown, the mouthpiece part 140 may be made of a recess filter.

In some other embodiments, the mouthpiece part 140 may be manufactured using a cellulosic material having a bulk greater than a standard value as a filter material. The cellulosic material may be, for example, paper, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As mentioned above, bulk refers to a value obtained by dividing thickness by basis weight, and since a cellulosic material having a high bulk contains many pores therein, a large amount of liquid can be accommodated.

For example, a large amount of liquid moisturizing material may be added to the cellulosic material. The liquid moisturizer may include glycerin or propylene glycol, but is not limited thereto. In this case, the amount of glycerin transferred during smoking is increased, so that the amount of vaporization can be further improved.

As another example, a large amount of flavoring liquid may be added to the cellulosic material. Fragrance liquid is a solvent in which a fragrant material is added, and the fragrant material may include, for example, any material that exhibits a fragrance, such as menthol. In this case, the flavor development of the aerosol-generating article 100 can be greatly increased during smoking. In addition, the high-bulk cellulosic material can also improve the fragrance persistence of the aerosol-generating article 100 because it can suppress rapid volatilization of volatile materials (e.g. fragrance materials) through a complex pore structure.

In the above-described embodiment, the bulk value of the cellulosic material may be changed based on the target porosity (or target hyangaek capacity) of the cellulosic material, but may be preferably about 1 cm ³ /g or more. More desirably, the bulk of the cellulosic material may be greater than or equal to approximately 1.5 cm ³ /g, 2 cm ³ /g, or 2.5 cm ³ /g. In this numerical range, the liquid phase capacity of the cellulosic material can be greatly increased.

In addition, the flavoring material added to the cellulosic material may be a material (e.g. L-menthol) that exists as a crystalline solid at room temperature (e.g. 20±5). In this case, the content ratio between the solvent and the fragrance material may be important. This is because when the content of the solvent is small, the fragrance material is precipitated as a solid in the cellulosic material, and the suction resistance and hardness of the mouthpiece part 140 may rapidly increase. because there is In this embodiment, the preferred content of the flavoring material may be approximately 60% by weight or less. More preferably, the content may be approximately 50% by weight or less than 40% by weight. Within this numerical range, it was confirmed that the change in physical properties of the mouthpiece part 140 was minimized.

In addition, when the flavoring material is added in the form of a flavoring liquid, the solvent may include propylene glycol or medium chain fatty acid triglyceride (hereinafter abbreviated as "MCTG"). However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these examples. Since propylene glycol is a polar (or hydrophilic) solvent, it can be effective when the flavor material is polar (or hydrophilic), and MCTG is a non-polar (or hydrophobic) solvent, so it can be effective when the flavor material is non-polar (or hydrophobic). can This is because non-polar MCTG can well dissolve non-polar flavoring substances and can also suppress volatilization of volatile flavoring substances well. For example, when the flavoring material is menthol, MCTG can be effective as a solvent. In this case, MCTG suppresses volatilization of menthol, thereby preventing a rapid decrease in the intensity of the development of menthol flavor during smoking. That is, problems in which the menthol flavor is overexpressed at the beginning of smoking and the menthol flavor is not well expressed after the middle of smoking can be greatly reduced.

In addition, the added amount of flavoring liquid (or liquid moisturizing material) may vary depending on the content (or area) of the cellulosic material in the mouthpiece part 140, but is preferably approximately 1.0 mg/mm to 9.0 mg/mm there is. More preferably, the added amount of flavoring liquid is approximately 2.0 mg/mm to 7.0 mg/mm, 3.0 mg/mm to 7.0 mg/mm, 3.0 mg/mm to 6.0 mg/mm, or 2.0 mg/mm to 6.0 mg/mm. can be Within this numerical range, the problem of increasing the release of fragrance, minimizing the wetness of the wrapper, and preventing the smoker from feeling repulsive due to the expression of an excessively strong fragrance during smoking.

For reference, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece part 140 may all function as filters for aerosols, and each component is referred to as a "filter segment" to emphasize their function as filters. it could be done For example, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece 140 may be referred to as a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a third filter segment, respectively.

Next, the wrapper 150 may be a porous wrapper or a non-porous wrapper. For example, the wrapper 150 may have a thickness of about 40 um to 80 um and a porosity of about 5 CU to 50 CU, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Although not shown, at least one of the medium unit 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece unit 140 may be individually wrapped with a separate wrapper before being wrapped by the wrapper 150. there is. For example, the medium unit 110 is wrapped by a medium unit wrapper (not shown), and each of the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece unit 140 is a first filter wrapper (not shown). , It may be wrapped by a second filter wrapper (not shown) and a third filter wrapper (not shown), respectively. However, the manner in which the aerosol-generating article 100 and its components are wrapped may vary.

In some embodiments, the wrappers may have different physical properties depending on the area they cover. For example, the thickness of the medium unit wrapper surrounding the medium unit 110 may be about 61 um and the porosity may be about 15 CU, and the thickness of the first filter wrapper surrounding the support structure 120 is about 63 um and the porosity is about 15 CU. It may be 15 CU, but is not limited thereto. In addition, an aluminum foil may be further included on an inner surface of the medium part wrapper and/or the first filter wrapper. In addition, the second filter wrapper surrounding the cooling structure 130 and the third filter wrapper surrounding the mouthpiece 140 may be made of hard wrapping paper. For example, the second filter wrapper may have a thickness of about 158 um and a porosity of about 33 CU, and the third filter wrapper may have a thickness of about 155 um and a porosity of about 46 CU, but are not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, a material may be internally added to the wrapper 150 . Here, an example of the predetermined material may be silicon, but is not limited thereto. For example, silicon has properties such as heat resistance with little change with temperature, oxidation resistance that does not oxidize, resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, or electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-described characteristics may be applied (or coated) to the wrapper 150 without limitation.

Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 100 may further include a front filter segment (not shown) adjoining the medium portion 110 upstream of the medium portion 110 . The pre-filter segment can prevent the medium unit 110 from escaping to the outside of the aerosol-generating article 100, and the aerosol liquefied from the medium unit 110 during smoking is transferred to the aerosol-generating device (1000 in FIGS. 7 to 9). flow can also be prevented. In addition, the pre-filter segment may include an aerosol channel, and the aerosol channel can easily move the aerosol toward the mouthpiece portion 140 through the pre-filter segment. The aerosol channel may be located in the center of the pre-filter segment. For example, the center of the aerosol channel may coincide with the center of the front filter segment. The cross-sectional shape of the aerosol channel may be of various shapes, such as a circular shape and a three-lobed shape. In some embodiments, the pre-filter segment may be fabricated from a cellulose acetate material.

An aerosol-generating article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. According to the foregoing, by maximizing the difference in inner diameter between the support structure 120 and the cooling structure 120 (or the difference in average cross-sectional area of the hollow), the cooling performance is improved and the mainstream smoke can be smoothly aerosolized. In addition, as the amount of glycerin transported increases due to the reduced removal ability, the amount of vaporization during smoking can be greatly improved.

Furthermore, since the tubular structure made of paper or plastic does not absorb flavoring substances, it is possible to minimize the decrease in the flavoring substance content of the mouthpiece part 140 during the storage period. The effect of enhancing sexuality can also be achieved. For convenience of understanding, this effect will be further explained. For example, it is assumed that menthol, a volatile flavoring material, is added to the mouthpiece part 140 . In this case, during the conditioning period (or storage period) of the aerosol-generating article 100, the menthol of the mouthpiece part 140 cools the cooling structure 130, the support structure 120, the medium part 110, and the mouthpiece part ( 140), and as a result, a phenomenon in which the menthol component of the mouthpiece part 140 is transferred to other segments 110 to 130 may occur. In particular, when the cooling structure 130 is made of a cellulose acetate material, menthol can be easily transferred (absorbed) to the cooling structure 130 due to the characteristics of the material (e.g. porous structure), which is This can result in a significant reduction in content. On the other hand, when the cooling structure 130 is made of paper material, menthol is hardly absorbed into the cooling structure 130, so that the menthol content of the mouthpiece portion 140 can be maintained high, thereby generating an aerosol-generating article 100 ) can be greatly improved.

Hereinafter, the cooling structure 130 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 .

4 to 6 are exemplary views for explaining the detailed structure and manufacturing method of the cooling structure 130 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For convenience of understanding, FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate simplified and exaggerated detailed structures of the cooling structure 130 . For example, in order to clearly explain the positional relationship of the spiral layers 130a, 130b, and 130c, the axial length of the cooling structure 130 is shown relatively longer and the diameter is relatively shorter, and the hole ( 160), only tubular structures are shown. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the structure of the cooling structure 130 illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 .

4 to 6, the tubular structure of the cooling structure 130 has a structure in which an inner paper spiral layer 130a, an intermediate paper spiral layer 130b, and an outer paper spiral layer 130c are sequentially stacked. It may have, and the inner layer paper and the middle paper, and the middle paper and the outer layer paper may be attached to each other by an adhesive. The adhesive may be ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) having a solid content of 43% to 46% by weight, a viscosity of 14,000cps to 16,000cps, and a pH of 3 to 6. This adhesive can effectively prevent the shape of the cooling structure 130 from being deformed when a rod in which the spiral layers extend long is cut into individual cooling structures 130 having a roundness of about 95% to 99%. . In addition, by improving the airtightness of the cooling structure 130, the outflow of the flavoring material to the outside of the cooling structure 130 can be prevented. In addition, even if the inner diameter of the cooling structure 130 increases, appropriate rigidity can be imparted, so that the cooling performance of the cooling structure 130 can also be effectively improved.

Hereinafter, each of the spiral layers 130a, 130b, and 130c will be described in detail with reference to individual drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, the innermost layer of the tubular structure of the cooling structure 130 may be composed of an inner spiral layer 130a formed of inner paper.

The width 130aL of the inner layer paper constituting the spiral layer 130a in the axial direction (S) of the cooling structure 130 may be about 15 mm to 25 mm (eg, about 20 mm), but is not limited thereto.

The downstream end of the first inner layer surface 130a1 constituting the inner paper spiral layer 130a and the upstream end of the second inner layer surface 130a2 adjacent to the first inner layer surface 130a1 contact each other substantially parallel to each other and have a tangential line ( 130as) can be achieved. An angle 130ag formed between the tangent line 130as and the axial direction S of the cooling structure 130 may be about 40° to 55°. However, it is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, considering the flatness of the middle paper spiral layer 130b and the outer paper spiral layer 130c to be laminated on the inner paper spiral layer 130a and the airtightness of the tubular structure, the inner paper spiral layer 130a is formed Adjacent inner layer surfaces (eg, the downstream end of the first inner layer surface 130a1 and the upstream end of the second inner layer surface 130a2) may contact each other without overlapping each other or may be spaced apart from each other by more than 0 mm and less than 1 mm.

In some embodiments, the inner layer paper may have a basis weight of 50 gsm to 70 gsm and a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.10 mm in order to form a frame having a uniform spiral structure.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5 , an intermediate spiral layer 130b may be stacked on the inner spiral layer 130a of the cooling structure 130 . In FIG. 5, the tangent line 130as of the inner spiral layer 130a is shown as a dotted line, and the tangent line 130bs of the middle paper spiral layer 130b is shown as a solid line.

The width 130bL of the middle finger constituting the intermediate finger spiral layer 130b in the axial direction (S) of the cooling structure 130 may be about 15 mm to 25 mm (eg, about 20 mm), but is not limited thereto.

The downstream end of the first intermediate surface 130b1 constituting the intermediate paper spiral layer 130b and the upstream end of the second intermediate surface 130b2 adjacent to the first intermediate surface 130b1 contact each other substantially parallel to each other and have a tangential line ( 130 bs) can be achieved. An angle 130bg between the tangential line 130bs and the axial direction S of the cooling structure 130 may be about 40° to 55°. However, it is not limited thereto.

The middle paper spiral layer 130b also considers the flatness of the outer paper spiral layer 130c to be laminated on the middle paper spiral layer 130b and the airtightness of the tubular structure, and the adjacent middle constituting the middle paper spiral layer 130b. The sheets (eg, the downstream end of the first intermediate surface 130b1 and the upstream end of the second intermediate surface 130b2) do not overlap each other and may be in contact or spaced apart from each other by more than 0 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm, and the intermediate paper spiral layer ( The tangent 130bs of 130b) may be shifted 7 mm to 13 mm in the axial direction of the aerosol-generating article from the tangent 130as of the inner paper spiral layer 130a. That is, the downstream end of the first intermediate surface 130b1 may be shifted by 7 mm to 13 mm in the axial direction of the aerosol-generating article from the downstream end of the first inner layer surface 130a1.

In some embodiments, to form the rigidity and airtightness of the cooling structure, the intermediate paper may have a basis weight of 120 gsm to 160 gsm and a thickness of 0.15 mm to 0.20 mm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6 , an outer paper spiral layer 130c may be stacked on the intermediate paper spiral layer 130b of the cooling structure 130 . 6, the tangent line 130bs of the middle paper spiral layer 130b is shown as a dotted line, and the tangent line 130cs of the outer paper spiral layer 130c is shown as a solid line.

The width 130cL of the outer layer paper constituting the outer paper spiral layer 130c in the axial direction (S) of the cooling structure 130 may be about 15 mm to 25 mm (eg, about 20 mm), but is not limited thereto.

The downstream end of the first outer layer surface 130c1 constituting the outer paper spiral layer 130c and the upstream end of the second outer layer surface 130c2 adjacent to the first outer layer surface 130c1 are in substantially parallel contact with each other and have a tangential line ( 130 cs) can be achieved. An angle 130cg formed between the tangent line 130cs and the axial direction S of the cooling structure 130 may be about 40° to 55°. However, it is not limited thereto.

The outer paper spiral layer 130c is an adjacent paper spiral layer 130c constituting the outer paper spiral layer 130c in consideration of surface flatness and problems such as external contamination of the branch tube (ie, tubular structure) and spiral layer detachment that may occur during the cigarette manufacturing process. The outer layer papers (eg, the downstream end of the first outer layer paper 130c1 and the upstream end of the second outer layer paper 130c2) may overlap by more than 0 mm and less than or equal to 1 mm or may be in contact without overlapping each other, and the outer paper spiral layer ( The tangent 130cs of 130c) may be shifted 7 mm to 13 mm in the axial direction S of the aerosol-generating article from the tangent 130bs of the intermediate spiral layer 130b. That is, the downstream end of the first outer layer surface 130c1 may shift from the downstream end of the first intermediate surface 130b1 in the axial direction S of the aerosol-generating article by 7 mm to 13 mm.

In some embodiments, as the middle finger spiral layer 130b is shifted relative to the inner finger spiral layer 130a and the outer finger spiral layer 130c is shifted relative to the middle finger spiral layer 130b, the outer finger spiral layer (130c) may have a spiral structure substantially overlapping the inner spiral layer (130a). That is, the outer paper spiral layer 130c may not be shifted with respect to the inner paper spiral layer 130a.

In some embodiments, to form the rigidity and airtightness of the cooling structure, the outer layer paper may have a basis weight of 120 gsm to 160 gsm and a thickness of 0.15 mm to 0.20 mm.

Also, in some embodiments, an angle (e.g. 130ag, 130bg, 130cg) between the outer layer surfaces (e.g. 130a1, 130b1, and 130c1) and the axial direction S may be different from each other. In this case, since the leakage of gas between the layers (e.g. 130a1, 130b1, 130c1) can be more effectively prevented, the airtightness of the cooling structure 130 can be further improved.

Also, in some embodiments, the spiral structure of each of the spiral layers 130a, 130b, and 130c may not overlap. In this case, since the leakage of gas between the layers (e.g. 130a1, 130b1, 130c1) can be more effectively prevented, the airtightness of the cooling structure 130 can be further improved.

In summary, the tubular structure of the cooling structure 130 is formed having a coupling structure in which a plurality of paper layers are stacked as described above, so that the rigidity and airtightness of the cooling structure 130 required in the subsequent process can be effectively secured. . In addition, external contamination and separation of the spiral layer of the tubular structure can be prevented, and uniformity and flatness of the tubular structure can be easily secured.

So far, the detailed structure and manufacturing method of the cooling structure 130 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 . Hereinafter, various types of aerosol generating devices 1000 to which the aerosol generating article 100 described above can be applied will be briefly introduced with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 .

7 is an exemplary configuration diagram illustrating a cigarette-type aerosol generating device 1000, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are exemplary configuration diagrams illustrating a hybrid-type aerosol generating device 1000 in which a liquid and a cigarette are used together. Hereinafter, the aerosol generating device 1000 will be briefly described.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the aerosol generating device 1000 may be a device that generates aerosol through a cigarette 2000 inserted into an internal space. Here, the cigarette 2000 may correspond to the aerosol-generating article 100 described above. More specifically, when the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1000, the aerosol generating device 1000 may generate an aerosol from the cigarette 2000 by operating the heater unit 1300. The generated aerosol may pass through the cigarette 2000 and be delivered to the user.

As shown, the aerosol generating device 1000 may include a battery 1100, a controller 1200, and a heater unit 1300. However, only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure are shown in FIG. 7 . Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs may know that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 7 . For example, the aerosol generating device 1000 includes a display capable of outputting visual information, a motor for outputting tactile information, and at least one sensor (a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc.) may include more. Hereinafter, each component of the aerosol generating device 1000 will be described.

The battery 1100 supplies power used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 1000. For example, the battery 1100 can supply power so that the heater unit 1300 can be heated, and can supply power necessary for the controller 1200 to operate. In addition, the battery 1100 may supply power necessary for the display, sensor, motor, etc. (not shown) installed in the aerosol generating device 1000 to operate.

Next, the controller 1200 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1000. Specifically, the controller 1200 may control the operation of not only the battery 1100 and the heater unit 1300 but also other elements that may be included in the aerosol generating device 1000. In addition, the controller 1200 may check the state of each component of the aerosol generating device 1000 to determine whether the aerosol generating device 1000 is in an operable state.

The controller 1200 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which programs executable by the microprocessor are stored. In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that it may be implemented in other types of hardware.

Next, the heater unit 1300 may heat the cigarette 2000 by the power supplied from the battery 1100 . For example, when the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1000, the heating element of the heater unit 1300 is inserted into a partial area inside the cigarette 2000 to increase the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate in the cigarette 2000. can elevate

In some embodiments, the heater unit 1300 may include an externally heated element unlike that shown in FIG. 7 . In this case, the heating element of the heater unit 1300 may be disposed outside the cigarette 2000 inserted into the device 1000. Also, unlike shown, the heater unit 1300 may include a plurality of heating elements. For example, the heater unit 1300 may include a plurality of internal heating elements or a plurality of external heating elements. As another example, the heater unit 1300 may include one or more internal heating elements and one or more external heating elements.

The heating element may be made of an electrically resistive material or any material capable of induction heating. However, it is not limited to this, and any material may be used as long as it can be heated to a desired temperature under the control of the controller 1200. Here, the desired temperature may be previously set in the aerosol generating device 1000 or may be set to a desired temperature by the user.

Meanwhile, although the battery 1100, the control unit 1200, and the heater unit 1300 are shown arranged in a line in FIG. 7, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1000 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. no. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 1100, the controller 1200, and the heater unit 1300 may vary according to the design of the aerosol generating device 1000.

Hereinafter, the hybrid aerosol generating device 1000 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 . For clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions of overlapping elements 1100, 1200, and 1300 are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8 or 9 , the aerosol generating device 1000 may further include a vaporizer 1400.

When the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1000, the aerosol generating device 1000 operates the heater unit 1300 and/or the vaporizer 1400 so that the cigarette 2000 and/or the vaporizer 1400 ) can generate aerosols from Aerosol generated by the heater unit 1300 and/or the vaporizer 1400 may pass through the cigarette 2000 and be delivered to the user. When the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 1000, the heating element of the heater unit 1300 comes into contact with or is disposed adjacent to a portion of the outer region of the cigarette 2000 to prevent the aerosol-forming substrate in the cigarette 2000 from the outside. temperature can be raised.

The vaporizer 1400 may generate an aerosol by heating the liquid composition, and the generated aerosol may pass through the cigarette 2000 and be delivered to the user. In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1400 can move along the air flow path of the aerosol generating device 1000, and the air flow path allows the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1400 to pass through the cigarette 2000. It can be configured so that it can be delivered to the user.

The vaporizer 1400 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid phase reservoir, a liquid delivery means, and a liquid phase heating element. For example, the liquid reservoir, the liquid delivery means and the liquid heating element may be included in the aerosol-generating device 1000 as independent modules.

The liquid reservoir can store a liquid composition (ie, a liquid aerosol-forming substrate). The liquid storage tank may be manufactured to be detachable from/attached to/from the vaporizer 1400, or may be manufactured integrally with the vaporizer 1400.

Next, the liquid delivery means may deliver the liquid composition in the liquid storage tank to the liquid heating element. For example, the liquid delivery means may be a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic, but is not limited thereto.

The liquid heating element is an element for heating the liquid composition delivered by the liquid delivery means. For example, the liquid phase heating element may be a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate, or a ceramic heater, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the liquid phase heating element may be composed of a conductive filament such as nichrome wire, and may be disposed in a structure wound around the liquid delivery means. The liquid heating element may be heated by the current supply of the control unit 1200, and may heat the liquid composition by transferring heat to the liquid composition in contact with the liquid heating element. As a result, an aerosol may be generated.

As shown in FIG. 8 or 9 , the vaporizer 1400 and the heater unit 1300 may be disposed in parallel or in series. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to this type of arrangement.

For reference, the vaporizer 1400 may be used interchangeably with terms such as a cartomizer or an atomizer in the art.

The controller 1200 may additionally control the operation of the vaporizer 1400, and the battery 1100 may additionally supply power so that the vaporizer 1400 may be operated.

So far, various types of aerosol generating devices 1000 to which the aerosol generating article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied have been described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 .

Hereinafter, the configuration of the above-described aerosol-generating article 100 and its effects will be described in detail through Examples and Comparative Examples. However, since the following embodiments are just some examples of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments.

Comparative Example 1

A heated cigarette having the same structure as the aerosol-generating article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 was prepared. A hollow tube filter made of cellulose acetate with an inner diameter of about 2.5 mm was used as the support structure (e.g. 120), and a hollow tube filter made of cellulose acetate with an inner diameter of about 4.2 mm was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130). And, as the mouthpiece part (e.g. 140), a TJNS filter to which about 6 mg of menthol flavoring solution was added was used.

Comparative Example 2

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that a cellulose acetate hollow tube filter having an inner diameter of about 3.5 mm was used as the support structure (e.g. 120) and the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Comparative Example 3

Except for the fact that a hollow tube filter made of cellulose acetate with an inner diameter of about 4.2 mm is used as the support structure (e.g. 120) and a hollow tube filter made of cellulose acetate with an inner diameter of about 3.5 mm is used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130). , The same heated cigarette as in Comparative Example 1 was prepared.

Comparative Example 4

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that a polylactic acid (PLA) fabric was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Example 1

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that a perforated paper tube filter was used as the cooling structure (eg 130) so that the air dilution rate was about 17%. Specifically, a paper tube filter having a weight of about 103 mg, a length of about 14 mm, a thickness of about 0.52 mm, a total surface area of about 611 mm ² , a roundness of about 97%, and an inner diameter of about 6 mm was used.

Example 2

A heating-type cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a cellulose acetate hollow tube filter having an inner diameter of about 3.0 mm was used as the support structure (e.g. 120).

Example 3

A heating-type cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a cellulose acetate hollow tube filter having an inner diameter of about 3.6 mm was used as the support structure (e.g. 120).

Example 4

A heating-type cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a cellulose acetate hollow tube filter having an inner diameter of about 4.2 mm was used as the support structure (e.g. 120).

Example 5

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a paper tube filter having an inner diameter of about 7 mm was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Example 6

A heated cigarette was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a non-perforated paper tube filter having an air dilution rate of about 0% was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Example 7

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a paper tube filter in which online perforation was performed so that the air dilution rate was about 10% was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Example 8

A heated cigarette was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a paper tube filter in which an online perforation was performed so that the air dilution rate was about 30% was used as the cooling structure (e.g. 130).

Example 9

The same heating type cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the cooling structure (e.g. 130) used an on-line perforated paper tube filter so that the air dilution rate was about 45%.

Table 2 below summarizes the structures of cigarettes according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and Examples 1 to 9.

division medium part support structure cooling structure Mouthpiece part Comparative Example 1 same Acetube Ψ2.5 Acetube Ψ4.2 Ace Fiber + Flavor Comparative Example 2 Acetube Ψ3.5 Acetube Ψ3.5 Comparative Example 3 Acetube Ψ4.2 Acetube Ψ3.5 Comparative Example 4 Acetube Ψ2.5 PLA woven fabric Example 1 Acetube Ψ2.5 Branch pipe Ψ6.0 Dilution rate 17% Example 2 Acetube Ψ3.0 Example 3 Acetube Ψ3.6 Example 4 Acetube Ψ4.2 Example 5 Acetube Ψ2.5 Branch pipe Ψ7.0 Example 6 Branch pipe Ψ6.0 Dilution rate 0% Example 7 Dilution rate 10% Example 8 Dilution rate 30% Example 9 Dilution rate 45%

Experimental Example 1: Smoke component analysis according to inner diameter difference

An experiment was conducted to analyze smoke components of the cigarettes according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and Examples 1 to 5. Specifically, smoke components of mainstream smoke were analyzed during smoking of cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture, and smoke components were analyzed according to HC (Health Canada) smoking conditions using an automatic smoking device in a smoking room with a temperature of approximately 20 ° C and a humidity of approximately 62.5%. The experiment proceeded accordingly. Smoke collection for component analysis was repeated three times per sample, based on 8 puffs per time, and the average values for the three collection results are shown in Table 3 below.

division Nic.
(mg/cig.) PG
(mg/cig.) Gly.
(mg/cig.) moisture
(mg/cig.) Comparative Example 1 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ4.2mm 1.03 0.52 3.98 29.3 Comparative Example 2 Ψ3.5mm/Ψ3.5mm 0.71 0.43 2.48 27.8 Comparative Example 3 Ψ4.2mm / Ψ3.5mm 0.71 0.41 2.47 26.8 Comparative Example 4 Ψ2.5mm/PLA 1.04 0.56 3.67 30.8 Example 1 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ6.0mm 1.14 0.5 5.1 30.2 Example 2 Ψ3.0mm/Ψ6.0mm 1.13 0.48 5.09 30.4 Example 3 Ψ3.6mm/Ψ6.0mm 1.11 0.51 4.98 31.2 Example 4 Ψ4.2mm/Ψ6.0mm 1.09 0.49 4.55 27.9 Example 5 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ7.0mm 1.18 0.53 5.43 31.9

Referring to Table 3, the amount of propylene glycol and moisture did not show a significant difference between Examples and Comparative Examples, but the amount of nicotine and glycerin transferred varied depending on the type of cooling structure and the difference in inner diameter.

Specifically, in both the Examples and Comparative Examples, it was found that as the inner diameter difference increases (when the inner diameter of the cooling structure is larger), the amount of glycerin and nicotine transferred increases, which is due to the airflow diffusion effect and the removal ability reduction effect according to the inner diameter difference (e.g. As the inner diameter increases, the filter material decreases and the removal ability decreases).

In particular, in the case of Examples 1 to 5 to which the paper tube filter with an enlarged inner diameter was applied, it can be seen that the amount of glycerin and nicotine delivered was significantly increased compared to Comparative Examples. It was found that the largest increase was observed.

From this, it can be seen that when the cooling structure 130 is configured with a structure capable of maximizing the difference in inner diameter, such as a branch pipe, the amount of atomization can be improved by increasing the amount of glycerin transfer.

Experimental Example 2: Mainstream smoke temperature measurement according to inner diameter difference

In order to examine the cooling performance according to the difference in inner diameter between the support structure (e.g. 120) and the cooling structure (e.g. 130), an experiment was conducted to measure the main smoking temperature of the cigarettes according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4 and Examples 1 to 5. Specifically, the temperature of the mainstream smoke during smoking was measured for cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture, and the measurement results are shown in Table 4 below.

division Mainstream smoke temperature (℃) Comparative Example 1 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ4.2mm 59.2 Comparative Example 2 Ψ3.5mm/Ψ3.5mm 62.1 Comparative Example 3 Ψ4.2mm / Ψ3.5mm 62.4 Comparative Example 4 Ψ2.5mm/PLA 59.1 Example 1 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ6.0mm 56.3 Example 2 Ψ3.0mm/Ψ6.0mm 57.1 Example 3 Ψ3.6mm/Ψ6.0mm 57.5 Example 4 Ψ4.2mm/Ψ6.0mm 58.1 Example 5 Ψ2.5mm/Ψ7.0mm 55.1

Referring to Table 4, it was found that the main smoke temperature generally decreased as the inner diameter difference between the support structure (e.g. 120) and the cooling structure (e.g. 130) increased. For example, in the case of Example 5 having the largest inner diameter difference, the main smoke temperature was found to be the lowest. From this, it can be seen that the air flow diffusion effect due to the difference in inner diameter increases the contact area and time with the outside air, thereby further improving the cooling performance of the cooling structure (e.g. 130). In addition, referring back to the results of Table 3, it can be seen that the improvement of such cooling performance can also affect the improvement of the amount of atomization.

Experimental Example 3: Additional experiments according to air dilution rate

An experiment was conducted to analyze the smoke components of the cigarettes according to Examples 6 to 9 and measure the temperature of the mainstream smoke. Smoke component analysis was performed in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, and mainstream smoke temperature measurement was performed in the same manner as in Experimental Example 2. The experimental results are shown in Table 5 below. In Table 5 below, the experimental results of Comparative Examples 1 and 4 and Example 1 are described by combining the contents of Tables 3 and 4.

division Nic.
(mg/cig.) PG
(mg/cig.) Gly.
(mg/cig.) moisture
(mg/cig.) mainstream smoke temperature
(℃) Comparative Example 1 Ψ2.4/Ψ4.2 1.03 0.52 3.98 29.3 59.2 Comparative Example 4 Ψ2.4/PLA 1.04 0.56 3.67 30.8 59.1 Example 1 Branch tube (17%) 1.14 0.5 5.1 30.2 56.3 Example 6 Branch tube (0%) 1.06 0.54 3.82 30.6 59.6 Example 7 Branch tube (10%) 1.16 0.54 5.22 33 56.9 Example 8 Branch tube (30%) 1.13 0.45 5.22 28.2 53.2 Example 9 Branch tube (45%) 0.96 0.37 3.94 20.7 48.1

Referring to Table 5, the amount of propylene glycol and moisture did not show a significant difference between Examples and Comparative Examples (except for Examples 6 and 9), but the amount of nicotine and glycerin delivered varied depending on the air dilution rate.

Specifically, in the case of Examples 1 and 7 to 9 to which the perforated paper tube filter was applied as the cooling structure, it was found that the amount of glycerin and nicotine delivered was generally increased compared to Comparative Examples. In addition, it was confirmed that the temperature of the mainstream smoke decreased significantly compared to the comparative examples, and it was confirmed that the temperature tended to decrease linearly as the air dilution rate increased. This is judged to be the result of the minimization of thermal deformation of the mouthpiece, reduction of removal ability, appropriate amount of external air dilution, and airflow diffusion effect according to the difference in inner diameter.

From this, it can be seen that the tubular structure made of paper material having an appropriate air dilution rate can greatly improve the cooling performance compared to the comparative examples, and can also improve the amount of smoke and tobacco taste. In addition, in the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, it can be seen that it is preferable that the air dilution rate is about 10% or more.

On the other hand, although not shown in Table 5, in the case of Example 6 to which the non-perforated paper tube was applied, it was confirmed that the thermal deformation of the mouthpiece part was somewhat excessive compared to other examples. As a result, it was determined that the amount of glycerin transferred was relatively reduced. .

In addition, in Example 9, the amount of air diluted into the branch pipe increased, so the main smoke temperature was measured to be the lowest, while the amount of nicotine and glycerin transferred was also determined to be reduced. In addition, although not described in Table 5, in the case of Example 9, a sucking phenomenon that did not appear in Examples 1, 7 and 8 also occurred. From this, it can be seen that it is preferable that the air dilution rate be about 45% or less in order to prevent a reduction in the amount of atomization and a sucking phenomenon.

Experimental Example 4: Smoking sensory evaluation

For the cigarettes according to Comparative Examples 1 and 4 and Examples 1, 7 and 8, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the satisfaction with smoking sensory. Specifically, sensory evaluation was conducted on the smoke amount, smoke amount duration, suckability, mainstream smoke sensation, taste intensity, irritability, taste and overall taste of cigarettes, and sensory evaluation was performed on cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture It was conducted on a panel of 25 people, and the perfect score was set at 5 points. The sensory evaluation results are shown in Table 6 below.

division Comparative Example 1
(Tube Ψ4.2) Comparative Example 4
(PLA) Example 1
(branch pipe 17%) Example 7
(10% paper core) Example 8
(branch tube 30%) amount of smoke 3.66 3.37 4.06 4.07 4.08 Atomic persistence 4.2 4.17 4.32 4.38 4.32 fasting 4.01 3.7 3.97 3.9 4.03 mainstream smoke fever 3.7 3.59 3.52 3.56 3.40 taste intensity 3.81 3.93 4 4.11 3.95 pepper 3.68 3.72 3.61 3.64 3.57 this hobby 3.49 3.51 3.48 3.37 3.43 overall tobacco flavor 3.85 3.78 4.1 4.11 4.06

Referring to Table 6, in all of Examples 1, 7 and 8 to which the perforated paper pipe was applied, it could be confirmed that the amount of smoke and the durability of the amount of smoke were far superior to the comparative examples to which the cellulose acetate tube or PLA was applied, and the overall tobacco taste was also at a significant level. showed a difference in and showed excellent values compared to the comparative examples. In particular, in the case of Examples 7 and 8, it can be confirmed that the taste intensity was higher than that of the comparative examples and the taste and taste were also reduced. It is judged that the increase in the amount of smoke is due to the reasons described above, and the overall tobacco taste is significantly improved and the off-taste is reduced. .

The configuration of the above-described aerosol-generating article 100 and its effects have been described in more detail through various examples and comparative examples.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may implement the present disclosure in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features. can understand that there is Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not limiting. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

100: aerosol generating article
110: medium part 120: support structure
130: cooling structure 140: mouthpiece part
150: wrapper 160: perforation
1000: aerosol generating device
1100: battery 1200: control unit
1300: heater part 2000: cigarette

Claims (14)

An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate inserted into an aerosol-generating device to form an aerosol upon being heated by a heating element of the aerosol-generating device comprising:
a medium unit including the aerosol-forming substrate and having an entire surface of an upstream end portion exposed to the outside so that air is introduced through the entire surface of the upstream end portion;
a support structure located downstream of the medium unit and including a first tubular structure in which a first hollow is formed;
Located downstream of the support structure, a cooling structure including a second tubular structure of paper material in which a second hollow is formed;
a mouthpiece unit located downstream of the cooling structure; and
Includes; a wrapper surrounding at least a portion of the cooling structure;
The upstream end of the second tubular structure abuts the downstream end of the first tubular structure,
The average cross-sectional area of the second hollow is greater than the average cross-sectional area of the first hollow,
A plurality passing through at least one of the second tubular structure and the wrapper such that the interior of the second tubular structure and the exterior of the aerosol-generating article are in fluid communication so that the air dilution rate of the aerosol-generating article is between 10% and 35%. further comprising perforations of
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The average cross-sectional area of the second hollow is at least twice that of the first hollow,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The inner diameter of the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure is 1: 1.5 to 1: 3.5,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The inner diameter difference between the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure is 2.5 mm or more,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The inner diameter of the first tubular structure is 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm,
The inner diameter of the second tubular structure is 6.0 mm or more,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The first tubular structure is made of a cellulose acetate material,
Aerosol-generating articles. delete According to claim 1,
The second tubular structure has a structure in which an inner paper spiral layer, an intermediate paper spiral layer, and an outer paper spiral layer are sequentially stacked,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 8,
The downstream end of the first inner layer surface constituting the inner layer paper spiral layer and the upstream end of the second inner layer surface adjacent to the first inner layer surface are spaced apart from 0 mm to 1 mm,
The downstream end of the first intermediate surface constituting the intermediate paper spiral layer and the upstream end of the second intermediate surface adjacent to the first intermediate surface are spaced apart from each other by 0 mm to 1 mm,
The downstream end of the first outer layer surface constituting the outer layer paper spiral layer and the upstream end of the second outer layer surface adjacent to the first outer layer surface overlap by 0 mm to 1 mm,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 9,
The angle formed by the line defining the downstream end of the first inner layer paper, the downstream end of the first intermediate surface, and the downstream end of the first outer layer paper and the axis of the aerosol-generating article is 40 ° to 55 °,
Aerosol-generating articles. delete delete According to claim 1,
The mouthpiece part is made of a cellulose acetate filter,
Aerosol-generating articles. According to claim 1,
The mouthpiece part includes a cellulosic material having a bulk of 1.5 cm ³ /g or more,
A liquid moisturizing substance is added to the cellulosic material,
Aerosol-generating articles.

Images