KR20230093020A - Articles for use in non-flammable aerosol delivery systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the article comprising an aerosol-generating material made from one or more plant materials, at least one of the plant materials having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. It is about the goods you have.

Description

Articles for use in non-flammable aerosol delivery systems

The present invention relates to articles for use in non-combustible aerosol delivery systems, and aerosol-generating materials for use in such articles.

Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, and the like burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Alternative smoking articles produce an inhalable aerosol or vapor by releasing compounds from a base material without burning. These articles may be referred to as non-combustible smoking articles or aerosol delivery systems. Such articles generally include a portion comprising an aerosol-generating composition.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the article comprising an aerosol-generating material made from one or more plant materials, wherein at least one of the plant materials is about 6 An article having a fill value greater than mL/g is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, wherein the article comprises an aerosol-generating material comprising one or more plant materials, wherein at least one of the plant materials is about 6 An article having a fill value greater than mL/g is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol providing system, the article comprising: a second plant material to release at least a portion of a fluid from a second plant material to form a first plant material; An article is provided comprising an aerosol-generating material comprising a first plant material produced by a process comprising increasing the temperature of the material.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a process for manufacturing an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the process comprising combining two or more plant materials to form an aerosol-generating material forming an aerosol-generating material, wherein at least one of the plant materials has a fill value of at least about 6 mL/g, and wrapping the aerosol-generating material with a wrapper to form a rod of the aerosol-generating material. A process comprising the step of (wrapping) is provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a process for manufacturing an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the process comprising: a plant material to release at least a portion of a fluid from a plant material to form an expanded plant material; A process is provided that includes increasing the temperature of the material, and wrapping the aerosol-generating material with a wrapper to form a rod of aerosol-generating material.

According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system made according to the process of the fourth or fifth aspect is provided.

According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a non-combustible aerosol providing system comprising an article according to the first, second or sixth aspect and a non-combustible aerosol providing device.

According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the use of a plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system is provided.

According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, use of a plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system is provided.

According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure there is provided the use of a plant material made by an expansion process in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

1 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of reconstituted tobacco.
2 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of extruded tobacco.
3 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of an article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system.
4 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of puffed tobacco.
5 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of puffed stem tobacco.
6 is a process flow diagram for the manufacture of seared tobacco.
7 is a cross-sectional view of an article formed by the process shown in FIG. 3;
8 is a perspective view of a non-combustible aerosol providing device for generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material of the article of FIG. 7;
Figure 9 shows the device of Figure 8 with the outer cover removed and no articles present.
Figure 10 is a side view of the device of Figure 8 in partial cross-section;
11 is an exploded view of the device of FIG. 8 with the outer cover omitted.
12A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 8;
Figure 12b is an enlarged view of a region of the device of Figure 8;

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system is provided. Non-combustible aerosol-providing systems release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without burning the aerosol-generating material. These are often known as "electronic cigarettes", "tobacco heating products", and "hybrid systems", which use a combination of aerosol-generating substances to generate an aerosol.

According to the present disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol-provisioning system is such that a component aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-provisioning system (or parts thereof) is combustible or combustible (to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user). It is a system that does not burn.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol providing system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol-provisioning system is a hybrid system for generating an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating substances may be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel, for example, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. Solid aerosol-generating substances may include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

Typically, a non-combustible aerosol-providing system may include a non-combustible aerosol-providing device and an article for use with the non-combustible aerosol-providing device.

In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, such as a non-combustible aerosol-providing device thereof, can include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electric power source or a heating power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source includes a carbon substrate capable of being energized to distribute electrical power in the form of heat to aerosol-generating materials or to heat transfer materials proximate to the exothermic power source.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an article comprising an aerosol-generating material and configured for use with a non-combustible aerosol providing device. Such articles are sometimes referred to as consumables throughout this disclosure.

The articles disclosed herein may have a lower overall weight than conventional articles for use in non-combustible aerosol delivery systems, but may have acceptable hardness/firmness and sensory properties. It is desirable to reduce the overall weight of articles for use in non-flammable aerosol delivery systems. Reducing overall weight can provide numerous benefits, such as reduced shipping costs. In addition, reducing the weight of an article may also have a positive impact on the environment as less energy may be required to transport the article. Additionally, consumers may prefer to carry and use lighter items.

In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system can include an area for containing consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.

The consumable contains substances to be delivered, at least one of which is an aerosol-generating substance. The consumable may also contain another substance to be delivered, such as a substance not intended to be aerosolized. Where appropriate, any one material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavoring agents, one or more aerosol former materials, and/or one or more other functional materials.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered includes an active substance.

An active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active substance, which is a substance intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. Active substances can be selected from, for example, nutraceuticals, fragrances and psychotropic agents. The active substance may be naturally occurring or obtained synthetically. Active substances may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, thein, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may include one or more components, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or other plants.

In some embodiments, the active agent includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active agent includes caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

Articles for use in non-combustible aerosol-providing systems include aerosol-generating substances. The article may also include an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material delivery component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and/or an aerosol modifier.

An aerosol-generating substance is a substance capable of generating an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating substances may be in the form of solids, liquids or gels, which may or may not contain, for example, active substances and/or flavoring agents. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an “amorphous solid,” which may alternatively be referred to as a “monolithic solid” (ie, non-fibrous). In some embodiments, an amorphous solid can be a dried gel. Amorphous solids are solid materials that can hold some fluids, such as liquids, within them. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, from about 50%, 60% or 70% amorphous solids to about 90%, 95% or 100% amorphous solids by weight. there is.

The aerosol-generating material may include one or more aerosol formers, may include one or more active substances and/or flavoring agents, and optionally one or more other functional substances.

An aerosol former may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol former material is glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanilate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. can Preferably, the aerosol former is glycerol or glycerine.

The aerosol-generating material may include an aerosol former in any suitable amount. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises an aerosol former in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. Preferably, the aerosol-generating material comprises an aerosol former material in an amount from about 10% to about 20% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. More preferably, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 13% to about 18% by weight of the aerosol-generating material, or about 14%, about 15%, about 17%, or about 18% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. of the aerosol former. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is present in an amount of about 15% by weight of the aerosol-generating material.

It has been found that inclusion of an aerosol former in an amount of from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the aerosol-generating material further enhances the sensory properties of the aerosol-generating material when heated by an aerosol-generating device. Advantageously, a loading of about 10% to about 30% aerosol former by weight of the aerosol-generating material can provide sensory properties of the composition similar to those of conventional combustible smoking articles.

Aerosol-generating substances may include flavors. As used herein, the terms “flavor” and “flavoring agent” refer to substances that can be used to create a desired taste or aroma in products intended for adult consumers when local regulations permit. These include extracts (e.g. licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, dramby, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine , ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, pement, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll , minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as oils, liquids, or powders.

The aerosol-generating material may include flavoring in an amount from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. Preferably, the aerosol-generating material comprises a flavoring agent in an amount of about 0.5% to about 1.5%.

Aerosol-generating substances are prepared from one or more plant substances. One or more plant materials are used to prepare the aerosol-generating material. Accordingly, an aerosol-generating material may comprise or consist of one or more plant materials used to make it. In some embodiments, an aerosol-generating composition consists of a composition comprising one or more plant substances.

The aerosol-generating material may be prepared from a composition comprising one plant material or from two or more plant materials, such as two, three, four, five or more plant materials. An aerosol-generating composition may be prepared by blending two or more plant materials.

As used herein, the term “botanical” refers to anything derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, hulls, bark, and the like. contains the substance of Alternatively, the substance may include an active compound naturally present in plants, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, pulverized particles, granules, pellets, flakes, strips, sheets, and the like. Exemplary plants include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay, liquorice, matcha, Orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green or black tea, bamboo, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, Rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant, turmeric, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damian , marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, leek, carbi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any of these is a combination of The mint can be selected from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v. Mentha piperita citrata c.v.), Mentha piperita c.v., Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suavellorens barriere Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolen. In a preferred embodiment, the plant material is tobacco.

As used herein, the term “tobacco material” refers to material derived from plants of the Nicotiana species. The selection of plants of the Nicotiana species is not limited, and the type of tobacco or tobaccos used may vary. The term “tobacco material” may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, puffed tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, leaf tobacco, tobacco stems, reconstituted tobacco and/or tobacco extracts. As used herein, “leaf tobacco” refers to cut lamina tobacco.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is flue-cured or Virginia, Burley, sun-cured, Maryland, cow, cancer air-cured, light air cured, Indian air cured, Red Russian and Rustica tobacco, and mixtures thereof, as well as a variety of other rare or specialty tobaccos, either green or cured. Tobacco material produced through fermented tobacco or any other type of tobacco treatment capable of modifying tobacco taste, such as genetic modification or breeding techniques, is also within the scope of this disclosure. For example, it is envisaged that tobacco plants may be genetically engineered or bred to increase or decrease production of a component, trait or attribute.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is from Izmir, Basma, Samsun, Katerini, Prelip, Komotini, Xanthi and Yambol. ) sun cured tobacco selected from Indian Kurnool and oriental tobacco, including tobacco. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is a dark air cured tobacco selected from Passanda, Cubano, Jatin and Besuki tobacco. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is natural cured tobacco selected from North Wisconsin and Galpao tobacco.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material is selected from Brazilian tobacco, including Mata Fina and Bahia tobacco. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is Criollo, Piloto Cubano, Olor, Green River, Isabella DAC, White Pata, Eluru, Zatim, Madura, Kasturi, Connecticut Seed, Broad Reef, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Italian It is selected from dry air cured, Paraguay dry air cured and One Sucker cigarettes.

For the production of smoking/vaping or smokeless tobacco products, plants of the Nicotiana species may be subjected to a curing process. Certain types of tobacco may undergo an alternative type of curing process, such as flame curing or sun curing. Preferably, but not necessarily, the cured harvested tobacco is aged.

Tobacco can be harvested at different stages of growth, for example when the plant has reached a level of maturity and the lower leaves are ready for harvest while the upper leaves are still developing.

In some embodiments, at least one part of a plant of the Nicotiana species (eg, at least a part of tobacco material) is used in immature form. That is, in some embodiments, the plant or at least one part of the plant is generally harvested prior to reaching maturity or a stage considered mature.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of a plant of the Nicotiana species (eg, at least a portion of tobacco material) is used in its mature form. That is, in some embodiments, a plant, or at least one part of a plant, is harvested when the plant (or plant part) reaches a point traditionally considered mature, over-ripe, or mature, which farmers typically This can be achieved through the use of tobacco harvesting techniques that are used. Both Oriental Tobacco and Burley Tobacco plants can be harvested. Virginia tobacco leaves may also be harvested or primed depending on their stem location.

Nicotiana species can be selected for the content of various compounds present in the plant. For example, a plant may be selected based on the fact that the plant produces relatively large amounts of one or more compounds to be isolated (ie, a volatile compound of interest). In certain embodiments, plants of the Nicotiana species are grown specifically for the abundance of leaf surface compounds. Tobacco plants can be grown in greenhouses, growth chambers, or outdoors in the field, or grown hydroponically.

Various parts or parts of plants of the Nicotiana species may be used. In some embodiments, whole plants, or substantially whole plants, are harvested and used as is. As used herein, the term "substantially the entire plant" means that at least 90% of the plants are harvested, such as at least 95% of the plants, such as at least 99% of the plants. Alternatively, in some embodiments, various parts or pieces of a plant are harvested or separated for further use after harvest. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is selected from leaves, stems, stalks, and various combinations of these parts of plants. Thus, the tobacco material of the present disclosure may include the whole plant or any part of a plant of the Nicotiana species.

The tobacco material may be paper reconstituted tobacco, extruded tobacco, bandcast reconstituted tobacco, or a combination of reconstituted bandcast tobacco and other forms of tobacco such as tobacco granules.

Paper reconstituted tobacco is obtained by extracting tobacco feedstock with a solvent to provide an extract of soluble substances and a residue comprising fibrous substances, followed by deposition of the extract on a fibrous substance (usually after concentration, and optionally after further processing). (usually after purification of the fibrous material, and optionally with the addition of portions of non-tobacco fibers) by a process in which fibrous material is recombined with fibrous material from the residue. The recombination process is similar to that for making paper.

The paper reconstituted cigarette may be any type of paper reconstituted cigarette known in the art. In certain embodiments, paper reconstituted tobacco is prepared from a feedstock comprising at least one of tobacco strip, tobacco stem, and whole leaf tobacco. In a further embodiment, paper reconstituted tobacco is prepared from a feedstock consisting of tobacco strip and/or whole leaf tobacco and tobacco stems. However, in other embodiments, scrap, grinding and winnowing may alternatively or additionally be used for feedstock.

In some embodiments, paper-recycled tobacco is made from puffed tobacco. For example, paper-recycled tobacco can be made from ground puffed tobacco. Examples of puffed tobacco are provided herein.

Paper reconstituted tobacco for use in the tobacco materials described herein may be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for making paper reconstituted tobacco.

Referring to FIG. 1 , tobacco offerings, such as leaves, strips, stems, scrap, fines, and/or winnowings (in some embodiments, leaves, strips, and stems) are initially prepared in an aqueous solvent (e.g., water , and water miscible solvents such as ethanol). Distilled water, deionized water, or tap water may be used. The suspension of tobacco in the solvent is agitated, for example by stirring or shaking to increase the rate of extraction of the soluble portion from the fibrous portion of the tobacco. Stirring is usually carried out for 30 minutes to 6 hours. Agitation may be achieved in an agitator comprising a vessel and a blade for achieving agitation. The amount of solvent in the suspension can vary widely, from about 75 to 99% by weight of the suspension, depending on the tobacco offering, the type of solvent and stirring equipment (particularly the blade type), and the temperature of the suspension. A typical range of suspension temperatures is from about 10°C to about 100°C.

The soluble portion of the tobacco offering is separated from the insoluble fibrous portion of the tobacco by, for example, pressing in a pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical press or by filtration. After separation, the fibrous portion of tobacco is usually subjected to mechanical refining to produce a fibrous pulp. Suitable clarifiers may typically be disk clarifiers or cone clarifiers. The fibrous pulp will then be formed into a base web comprising tobacco fibrous pulp in a papermaking station, such as a Fourdrinier-type papermaking machine. It is usually placed on a flat wire belt from which excess water is removed by gravity draining and suction draining. Non-tobacco fibers such as cellulose, wheat fibers or wood fibers may be incorporated at this stage along with the tobacco-derived fibrous portion. The soluble portion of the tobacco feedstock is concentrated using any known type of concentrator, such as a film evaporator or vacuum evaporator. After concentration, a component such as an aerosol forming material (as defined herein), a casing such as an acid such as cocoa, licorice, and malic acid, or a flavor (as defined herein) is added and concentrated. can be mixed with tobacco solubles. The concentrated tobacco solubles, potentially containing aerosol-forming materials and/or casings and/or flavors, are then recombined with the dried tobacco fiber sheets to form reconstituted tobacco. The concentrated solubles can be added back to the fibrous web in a variety of ways, such as spraying, coating, impregnating, or sizing.

Finally, the reconstituted tobacco is dried. It may optionally be cut into strips or wound into rolls and then slit into bobbins or broken into cut rags.

Reconstituted tobacco may include one or more aerosol formers as described herein. In some embodiments, reconstituted tobacco may include an aerosol former in an amount of from about 5% to about 40% by weight of the reconstituted tobacco.

The aerosol-generating material may be made from and/or include a composition comprising paper reconstituted tobacco in an amount from about 0% to about 90% by weight of the composition. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is made from and/or comprises a composition comprising reconstituted paper tobacco in an amount from 10% to 90%, 10% to 80%, or 20% to 70% by weight of the composition. do. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is made from and/or comprises a composition comprising reconstituted paper tobacco in an amount from about 50% to about 90% by weight of the composition.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 10% to about 89%, about 20% to about 88%, about 30% to about 87%, about 40% and about 86% by weight of the composition. %, about 50% and about 85%, about 60% and about 84%, about 70% and about 83% by weight of paper reconstituted tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is made from and/or comprises a composition comprising reconstituted tobacco in an amount from about 75% to about 85% by weight of the composition.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77% by weight of the composition. %, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84% or about 85% reconstituted tobacco prepared from and/or comprising

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is made from and/or comprises a composition comprising leaf tobacco and paper reconstituted tobacco. Weight ratios of leaf tobacco to paper reconstituted tobacco material were 10:90, 11:89, 12:88, 13:87, 14:86, 15:85, 16:84, 17:83, 18:82, 19:81 , 20:80, 21:79, 22:78, 23:77, 24:76, 25:75, 26:74, 27:73, 28:72, 29:71, 30:70, 31:69, 32 :68, 33:67, 34:66, 35:65, 36:64, 37:63, 38:62, 39:61, 40:60, 41:59, 42:58, 43:57, 44:56 , 45:55, 46:54, 47:53, 48:52, 49:51, 50:50, 51:49, 52:48, 53:47, 54:46, 55:45, 56:44, 57 :43, 58:42, 59:41, 60:40, 61:39, 62:38, 63:37, 64:36, 65:35, 66:34, 67:33, 68:32, 69:31 , 70:30, 71:29, 72:28, 73:27, 74:26, 75:25, 76:24, 77:23, 78:22, 79:21, 80:20, 81:19, 82 :18, 83:17, 84:16, 85:15, 86:14, 87:13, 88:12, 89:11 or 90:10 (weight of leaf tobacco: weight of paper reconstituted tobacco).

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is made from and/or comprises an expanded plant material and a composition comprising a mixture of reconstituted tobacco and leaf tobacco.

The composition may comprise a mixture of reconstituted tobacco and leaf tobacco in an amount of about 90% by weight of the composition and a puffed plant in an amount of about 10% by weight of the composition. The weight ratio of reconstituted tobacco to leaf tobacco may be 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, 20:80 or 10:90.

The reconstituted tobacco material may have a density of less than about 700 milligrams per cubic centimeter (mg/cc).

Such tobacco materials have been found to be particularly effective in providing aerosol-generating materials that can be rapidly heated to release an aerosol, compared to denser materials. For example, the properties of various aerosol-generating materials, such as bandcast reconstituted tobacco material and paper reconstituted tobacco material, were tested when heated. For each given aerosol-generating substance, below which the net heat flow is endothermic, i.e. more heat enters the substance than leaves it, and above which the net heat flow is exothermic, i.e. entering the substance. It has been found that there is a certain zero heat flow temperature where more heat leaves the material while heat is added to the material. Materials with densities less than 700 mg/cc had lower zero heat flow temperatures. Since a significant portion of the heat flow from the material is through the formation of the aerosol, having a lower zero heat flow temperature has a beneficial effect on the time it takes to first release an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. For example, an aerosol-generating material having a density of less than 700 mg/cc has a zero heat flow of less than 164°C compared to a material having a density of greater than 700 mg/cc having a zero heat flow temperature of greater than 164°C. found to have a temperature.

The density of the plant material also affects the rate at which heat is conducted through the material at lower densities, e.g., densities less than 700 mg/cc, conduct heat through the material more slowly, and thus a longer duration of the aerosol. enable the release of

In some embodiments, the plant material is extruded tobacco. The aerosol-generating material may be made from or include extruded tobacco in an amount of 10 to 30%, or 10 to 20% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. Extruded tobacco that may be used in the tobacco compositions described herein may be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for making extruded tobacco. In some embodiments, extruded tobacco may be prepared as follows. Tobacco offerings may include Virginia (flue hardened) tobacco, Burley tobacco, and/or Oriental tobacco. Tobacco offerings may be stems, scraps, strips, fines, or winnowings. Additional ingredients include non-tobacco fibers such as straw fibers or wheat fibers; binders such as cellulose or modified cellulose such as hydroxypropyl cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose; and a casing, for example an acid such as malic acid.

As shown in Figure 2, the tobacco offerings and any additional ingredients are mixed in a mixing silo and conveyed by an input screw and a conveyor screw to an extruder where they are mixed with water, at which stage the aerosol-forming material is also added After extrusion, the extruded tobacco is cooled on a cooling belt.

Materials similar to those described in the above section may be used in the filler component of the tobacco composition, except that they are made using only non-tobacco fibers such as wheat fibers or wood fibers.

As used herein, the term “fill value” is a measure of a material's ability to occupy a specific volume at a given moisture content. A high fill value indicates that less weight of material is required to produce a rod at an acceptable hardness/stiffness level for a given circumference, volume, and length than is required for a lower fill value material.

Many of the plant materials mentioned above typically have filling values of less than about 6 mL/g. For example, leaf tobacco, paper reconstituted tobacco and extruded tobacco can typically have a fill value of less than 6 mL/g. These materials may have a fill value of about 3 mL/g to about 5.9 mL/g. For example, paper reconstituted tobacco can typically have a fill value of about 2.5 to about 5.6 mL/g. Lamina tobacco, eg, Virginia leaf, can typically have a fill value of about 4.5 ml/g to about 5.6 mL/g.

At least one of the plant materials has a filling value greater than about 6 mL/g. In some embodiments, at least one of the plant materials has a filling value of at least about 7 mL/g, at least about 8 mL/g or at least about 9 mL/g to about 10 mL/g. For example, the filling value of at least one of the plant materials may be between about 6 mL/g and about 10 mL/g, between about 6.5 mL/g and about 9 mL/g, or between about 7 mL/g and about 8 mL/g. there is.

Any plant material with a filling value of at least 6 mL/g can be used in the present invention. In particular, the plant material may be formed from an expanded plant material having a fill value of at least about 6 mL/g.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the aerosol-generating material can be prepared by combining a plant material having a fill value of at least 6 mL/g and a plant material having a filler value of less than 6 mL/g. Optionally, one or more flavors or aerosol formers may be added. The aerosol-generating material may then be incorporated into the article for use in a non-combustible aerosol-providing system.

A composition may be formed by blending two or more different plant materials.

For example, a first plant material comprising leaf tobacco may be mixed with a second plant material comprising expanded tobacco material. The aerosol-generating material may be formed from a combination of the first and second plant material with a third plant material. For example, in one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material may be formed by combining leaf tobacco, reconstituted tobacco and puffed tobacco material.

The aerosol-generating material may be formed entirely from plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g, such as a bulk plant material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may be present in an amount of 1% to 10%, or about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. %, 80% or 90% by weight of plant material having a filling value greater than about 6 mL/g.

The use of a plant material with a relatively high filling value may result in a reduction in the weight of the aerosol-generating material and thus the article, as a lower mass of the expanded plant material may reduce the weight of the article compared to a plant material with a relatively low filling value. This is because it is needed to fill the given volume.

However, using too much plant material with a relatively high fill value, such as a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g (eg, puffed tobacco), when used in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system , can negatively affect the organoleptic properties of aerosol-generating substances. In addition, the relatively low density of such plant material can reduce the hardness or firmness of the aerosol-generating section of the article and, when introduced in relatively large amounts, can negatively affect the pressure drop across the aerosol-generating section of the article. . The hardness of the aerosol-generating section of an article is important because the article and articles are intended for use with non-flammable aerosol-providing systems. If the hardness of the aerosol-generating section is too low, the article may have poor structural integrity. Articles with poor structural integrity may be unsuitable for use with non-combustible aerosol delivery systems.

The inventors have found that a balance can be achieved between the advantageous weight savings provided by using plant material with a relatively high filling value and the negative effects observed when using relatively large amounts of material.

In particular, we find aerosol-generating compositions comprising no more than about 30% by weight, preferably no more than about 25% and more preferably no more than about 20% plant material with a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. It has been found that preparing the material provides an article of satisfactory sensory results and acceptable firmness, while achieving the desired weight reduction. The aerosol-generating material comprises plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g in an amount from about 1% to about 30%, about 25%, about 20% or about 15% by weight of the composition. It can be prepared from a composition that In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 2% to about 14%, about 3% to about 13%, about 4% to about 12%, or about 5% to about 11% by weight of the composition. % amount of plant material having a filling value greater than about 6 mL/g. In some embodiments, the composition comprises or is prepared from plant material having a filler value greater than about 6 mL/g, in an amount of about 10% by weight of the composition.

When incorporated into an article, the aerosol-generating section comprising the aerosol-generating material may have a hardness of about 55% to about 75%. Preferably, the hardness is as close to about 70% as possible. In some embodiments, the hardness is about 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69% or 70%.

The plant material used to form the aerosol-generating material is preferably a mixture of two or more plant materials. The plant material may include a first plant material having a fill value greater than 6 mL/g in an amount from about 1% to about 30% or from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the plant material.

The remainder of the composition used to form the aerosol-generating material may include one or more other plant materials as described herein. As a result, the plant material may have different properties such as different filling values. For example, an aerosol-generating material can be prepared from a composition comprising a first plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g and a second plant material having a lower fill value. A relatively high fill value of the first plant material may lower the total mass of tobacco material required to fill the volume of the aerosol-generating section of the article. As a result, the overall weight of the article can be reduced by using a plant material with a relatively high filling value.

An aerosol-generating section of an article may define a contiguous volume containing an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material can substantially fill a volume. The aerosol-generating material may fill at least about 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% of the volume of the aerosol-generating section. The aerosol-generating section may consist of or consist essentially of an aerosol-generating material. The article may include a single continuous aerosol-generating section defining a volume substantially filled with an aerosol-generating material.

The aerosol-generating section may include additional components such as wrappers surrounding the aerosol-generating material and/or heaters such as susceptors.

The aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating section includes plant material with a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. Aerosol-generating substances may include other plant substances with a fill value of less than 6 mL/g. Accordingly, the fill value of aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating section may be greater than about 6 mL/g, equal to about 6 mL/g, or less than about 6 mL/g. The aerosol-generating substance is about 2 mL/g to about 10 mL/g, 2 mL/g to about 9 mL/g, 2 mL/g to about 8 mL/g, 2 mL/g to about 7 mL/g, It may have a fill value of 3 mL/g to about 6 mL/g or about 4 mL/g to about 6 mL/g. For example, the aerosol-generating material may have a fill value of about 5 mL/g to about 6 mL/g. The fill value of an aerosol-generating substance can be controlled by varying the relative amounts of plant material having a fill value greater than 6 mL/g and plant material having a fill value less than 6 mL/g.

The fill value of the aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-generating section is measured after separating it from other parts of the article (e.g., wrapper, susceptor, filter, etc., if present) and then filling according to the fill value measurement method described herein. It can be determined by measuring the value.

Any plant material with a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g can be used. A particular material that can be used is an expanded plant material.

The expanded plant material is plant material that has been subjected to a swelling process. Bulking involves an increase in the area and spacing between fibers of plant material. After going through the swelling process, the plant material has a higher packing value, but a lower density than the plant material before the swelling process.

Typically, the swelling process involves rapidly increasing the temperature and/or pressure of a solid material containing a fluid (eg, water) such that the fluid is rapidly released from the material. This generally involves a change in the phase of a fluid (eg, water changing from a liquid to a gas) and an increase in the volume of the fluid. Rapid release and swelling in the fluid releases the fluid from the solid material. At the same time, the solid material expands and takes up a larger volume. The fluid is often naturally present in the solid material, but additional fluid may be introduced by impregnation or absorption (optionally under pressure) of the fluid into the solid material.

One such puffing process that can be used to make plant material is dry ice puffing.

Dry ice swelling involves infiltrating liquid carbon dioxide into the plant material prior to warming. The carbon dioxide gas produced causes the plant matter to swell. Additional methods include treating the plant material with a solid material that decomposes when heated to produce a gas that serves to swell the plant material. Another method involves treating the plant material with a gas-containing liquid, such as carbon dioxide-containing water, under pressure to impregnate the plant material with the liquid. The impregnated plant material is then heated or reduced in pressure, causing the release of gas and puffing of the tobacco. Additional techniques have been developed for bulking plant material that include treatment of the plant material with plasticizers, which react to form solid chemical reaction products within the plant material, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia to form ammonium carbonate. These solid reaction products can subsequently be thermally decomposed to produce gases within the plant material that upon release cause swelling of the plant material.

The plant material to be expanded can be of various shapes, such as laminae or stems. For example, tobacco stems can be puffed by using various types of heat treatment or microwave energy. Freeze-drying of plant material can also be used to obtain an increase in volume (and thus filling value). Continuous drying techniques can also be used to expand the cut stems, such as air drying, fluid bed drying, and the like.

The plant material may be tobacco. In a preferred embodiment, the plant material is Dry Ice Puffed Tobacco Matter (DIET) or Puffed Tobacco Stems.

The swelling process reduces the density of plant matter. The swelling process also provides plant material with a higher packing value than the plant material prior to the swelling process.

The bulked plant material is at least about 6 mL/g, at least about 7 mL/g, at least about 8 mL/g, or at least about 9 mL/g up to about 15 mL/g, up to about 14 mL/g, up to about 13 mL/g. g, up to about 12 mL/g, up to about 11 mL/g, or up to about 10 mL/g.

4 shows a process for making dry ice puffed tobacco. The process can be applied to other plant materials. A bale of tobacco material is sliced and then the bale is conditioned using water and steam. The tobacco material may be any of the tobacco materials described herein. Lamina tobacco, particularly laminar Virginia tobacco, is particularly preferred. One reason for this is that it exhibits desirable organoleptic properties and, compared to other tobacco varieties, relatively low levels of compounds that are considered undesirable. Another advantage of using Virginia tobacco is that it tends to puff easily during the puffing process. In some embodiments, stem tobacco may be used in place of, or even in addition to, the lamina. After conditioning, the conditioned tobacco material is blended with other conditioned tobacco materials or mixed before being fed to a cutter. Preferably, the cutter cuts the tobacco material at 25 to 28 cuts per inch (CPI). Although other cut widths may be used, a cut width of 25 CPI is particularly preferred. Cutting the tobacco material increases its surface area and thus reduces the time it takes to be impregnated with liquid during the impregnation step. This cut width can also increase the fill value of the final material.

After wetting the cut material and blending the wet cut material, the material has a moisture content of about 26%. This material is then fed into an impregnator vessel, which is subsequently charged with carbon dioxide under pressure and at a temperature of -20°C for about 6 minutes. These conditions allow the carbon dioxide to remain in liquid form and have sufficient time to penetrate and be absorbed into the tobacco material. Following this, the impregnated tobacco material is fed to a sublimator where it is immediately heated in a gas stream at a temperature of 330°C. This results in rapid volatilization of moisture and carbon dioxide from the tobacco material, causing it to puff.

Other gas temperatures may be used. For example, the gas temperature may be from about 250 °C to about 400 °C or greater. The maximum temperature is preferably below the burning temperature of the plant material. Higher temperatures can improve the rate of swelling and thus the efficiency of the process. The filling value of the plant material can also be controlled by varying the temperature. Increasing the temperature can remove more moisture from the material and thus result in a higher filling value of the final material. Conversely, using a lower temperature may reduce the fill value of the final material.

High gas temperatures can be achieved by any suitable means (eg, by heating air using a hot plate or burner). At the end of sublimation, the tobacco material is relatively dry and has a moisture content of about 6%. The water content is increased to about 12% to 14% (the target is often 13.6%) by hydrating it in a realignment cylinder to produce the final puffed tobacco material. The bulking material may have a fill value of at least about 6 mL/g.

It is important to understand that a wide variety of and conflicting definitions and terms are used when referring to “moisture”. "Moisture" or "moisture content" is commonly used to refer to the moisture content of a substance, but in the context of certain industries, such as the tobacco industry, it is difficult to distinguish between "moisture" as moisture content and "moisture" as oven volatility. need. Moisture content is defined as the percentage of water contained in the total mass of a solid material. Volatility is defined as the percentage of volatile components contained in the total mass of a solid material. This includes water and all other volatile compounds. The oven dry mass is the mass that remains after the volatiles have been removed by heating. It is expressed as a percentage of the total mass. Oven volatiles (OV) are the mass of volatiles removed.

Moisture content (oven volatiles) can be measured as mass loss when the sample is dried for 3 hours ± 0.5 minutes in a forced air oven at a temperature controlled at 110 °C ± 1 °C. After drying, the sample is cooled to room temperature in a desiccator for about 30 minutes to allow the sample to cool.

Unless otherwise stated, references to moisture content herein are references to oven volatiles (OV).

The plant material may include expanded plant stems such as expanded tobacco stems. The process of forming a swollen stem typically involves treating the stem with steam, which causes the material to swell and increase its fill value.

5 illustrates one such process for puffing tobacco stems. The process can be applied to other plant materials. Tobacco is loaded into the feeder. Tobacco stems may be derived from any of the tobacco varieties described herein. After adding water, the moisture content of the stem is about 34%. The mixture is then blended and/or thoroughly mixed with stems from other batches, at which point the stems are about 30% to about 40%, preferably about 32% to about 36% and preferably about 36% moisture. have content. The material is then cut so that portions of the stem have consistent dimensions. Such cleavage may help to further increase the packing value of the material. Water is then applied to the cut stem to increase the moisture content to about 35% to about 45%, preferably about 38% to about 40%. The relatively high moisture level achieved at this stage helps to increase the swelling of the stem during the subsequent swelling stage. The material is then steamed (eg using steam or superheated steam) at temperatures in excess of 100°C. This leads to swelling of the stem and an increase in its filling value. Steam may be applied at a rate of at least 200 kg/hr, preferably greater than 300 kg/hr and more preferably greater than 350 kg/hr. In some embodiments, steam is applied at a rate of about 375 kg/hr to about 500 kg/hr. Higher application rates can also be used. The rate of throughput can be increased by using higher steam application rates. After dust is removed using a dust collector, the swollen stems can be stored.

The plant material may include seeded plant material such as tobacco, such as sheared stem tobacco.

The flow chart shown in FIG. 6 summarizes an exemplary process for making seeded tobacco material. Tobacco starting materials may optionally be subjected to pretreatment, such as, for example, conventional primary manufacturing (PMD) processes, including one or more of conditioning of raw stems, subsequent rolling, cutting and puffing/drying and mixing. In some embodiments, pretreatment of the lamina may include slicing, conditioning, casing (optional), cutting, drying, cooling, and mixing.

The moisture content of the tobacco starting material may be in the region of eg 14.5% OV. The starting material (eg stem) is supplied to a processing device where it is treated by intermittent contact with a heated surface. During treatment, the tobacco material is agitated and brought into intermittent contact with the heated surface. The treatment reduces the moisture content to as low as 0% OV. Upon completion of treatment of the tobacco material by intermittent contact with the heated surface, the treated tobacco material may optionally be subjected to conditioning. In the illustrated process, this involves adding water or steam to the treated tobacco material to increase the moisture content, eg, in the region of 14.5% OV, to produce a mild tobacco material.

Sheared stem tobacco can have a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. In some embodiments, the sheared stem tobacco has a fill value greater than about 7 mL/g, greater than 8 mL/g, or greater than 9 mL/g.

In some embodiments, the plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g has an oven volatile (OV) moisture content of about 10% to about 20%. Typically, the moisture content of these plant materials is about 11% to about 16% oven volatiles. Preferably, the moisture content of the plant material is between about 11.5% and about 14.5% oven volatiles. Puffed plant material, such as puffed tobacco, typically has this moisture content. In some embodiments, the plant material has a fill value of about 7.4 mL/g and a moisture content of oven volatiles (OV) of about 13.4%. In some embodiments, the plant material has a fill value of about 7.4 mL/g and a moisture content of oven volatiles (OV) of about 12.5%.

In some embodiments, the plant material is about 6 mL/g to about 10 mL/g, 6 mL/g to about 9 mL/g, 6 mL/g to about 8 mL/g, or about 6 mL/g to about 7 mL/g. It has a fill value of mL/g, and a moisture content of about 10% to about 20%. In some embodiments, the plant material is about 6 mL/g to about 10 mL/g, 6 mL/g to about 9 mL/g, 6 mL/g to about 8 mL/g, or about 6 mL/g to about 7 mL/g. It has a fill value of mL/g, and a moisture content of about 10% to about 15%.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid, such as a dried gel.

Amorphous solids may contain gelling agents. In some embodiments, the gelling agent is one or more compounds selected from the group comprising alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. includes For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent is alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fuming one or more of silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin and polyvinyl alcohol. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrocolloid. In some cases, the gelling agent includes an alginate and/or pectin and may be combined with a curing agent (eg, a calcium source) during formation of the amorphous solid. In some cases, the amorphous solid may include calcium-crosslinked alginate and/or calcium-crosslinked pectin.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises an alginate, and the alginate is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10 to 30%, 20 to 35%, or 25 to 30% by weight of the slurry/amorphous solid (dry weight calculated based on). In some embodiments, alginate is the only gelling agent present in the amorphous solid. In another embodiment, the gelling agent comprises an alginate and at least one additional gelling agent such as pectin.

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

In some embodiments, the cellulose gelling agent is hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate (CA ), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent is one or more non-cellulosic gels, including but not limited to agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginates, and combinations thereof. Contains (or is a gelling agent) an agent. In a preferred embodiment, the non-cellulosic based gelling agent is an alginate or agar.

An amorphous solid can be formed by forming a slurry, which is then dried to form an amorphous solid. Inclusion of a gelling agent in the slurry allows the aerosol-generating material to be formed from the dried gel. It has been found that by including a gel in an aerosol-generating material, a flavor compound, such as menthol, can be stabilized within the gel matrix so that a higher flavor loading can be achieved than in non-gel compositions. Flavoring agents (eg menthol) are stabilized at high concentrations and the product has a good shelf life.

In some instances, the alginate is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 5 to 40%, or 15 to 40% by weight of the amorphous solid. That is, the amorphous solid includes alginate in an amount of about 5 to 40 weight percent, or 15 to 40 weight percent, based on the dry weight of the amorphous solid. In some instances, the amorphous solid comprises alginate in an amount of about 20 to 40%, or about 15% to 35% by weight of the amorphous solid.

In some instances, pectin is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 3 to 15% by weight of the amorphous solids. That is, the amorphous solid includes pectin in an amount of about 3 to 15% by weight based on the dry weight of the amorphous solid. In some instances, the amorphous solid includes pectin in an amount of about 5 to 10% by weight of the amorphous solid.

In some instances, guar gum is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 3 to 40% by weight of amorphous solids. That is, the amorphous solid includes guar gum in an amount of about 3 to 40% by weight based on the dry weight of the amorphous solid. In some instances, the amorphous solid includes guar gum in an amount of about 5 to 10% by weight of the amorphous solid. In some instances, the amorphous solid comprises guar gum in an amount of about 15 to 40%, or about 20 to 40%, or about 15 to 35% by weight of the amorphous solid.

In an example, the alginate is present in an amount of at least about 50% by weight of the gelling agent. In an example, the amorphous solid comprises alginate and pectin, and the ratio of alginate to pectin is from 1:1 to 10:1. The ratio of alginate to pectin is usually >1:1, i.e., alginate is present in greater amounts than pectin. In an example, the ratio of alginate to pectin is about 2:1 to 8:1, or about 3:1 to 6:1, or about 4:1.

Amorphous solids typically contain an aerosol former (also referred to herein as an aerosol former material) in an amount of up to about 80% by weight of the amorphous solid, such as about 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 3% by weight. %, 5%, 7% or 10% to about 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30% or 25% by weight of an aerosol former material. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises an aerosol former in an amount of about 40 to 80%, 40 to 75%, 50 to 70%, or 55 to 65% by weight.

The aerosol former material may act as a plasticizer. In some cases, the aerosol former material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol former material comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of glycerol. It has been found that if the content of plasticizer is too high, the amorphous solid can absorb water, resulting in a material that does not produce an adequate consumption experience when used. It has been found that if the plasticizer content is too low, the amorphous solid is brittle and can be easily broken. The plasticizer content specified herein provides an amorphous solid flexibility that allows the sheet to be wound onto a bobbin, which is useful in the manufacture of consumables or allows the sheet to be transported prior to shredding.

Aerosol former substances are typically glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl one or more of suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. In certain instances, the aerosol former material comprises or consists of glycerol.

In some embodiments, the aerosol former material is selected from one or more polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin; Esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.

Aerosol formers, particularly where the amorphous solids contain relatively high amounts (e.g., >40% by weight) of aerosol formers, do not affect the taste of aerosols produced by aerosol-generating substances when heated and inhaled by a user. In addition, it is possible to improve sensory properties in general. The ability of an amorphous solid to retain large amounts of aerosol former may reduce the need for other components of the aerosol-generating material, such as expanded plant material, to be loaded with large amounts of aerosol former. This can improve manufacturing efficiency. Amorphous solids may contain flavors. The inventors have discovered that using the ingredient ratios described herein means that as the gel cures, the flavor compounds are stabilized within the gel matrix, allowing higher flavor loadings to be achieved than in non-gel compositions. Flavoring agents (eg menthol) are stabilized at high concentrations and the product has a good shelf life.

Amorphous solids may include fillers. In some cases, the amorphous solid comprises 5 to 50%, 10 to 40% or 15 to 30% filler by weight. In some such cases, the amorphous solid comprises at least 1% by weight of a filler, such as at least 5% by weight, at least 10% by weight, at least 20% by weight, at least 30% by weight, at least 40% by weight, or at least 50% by weight. Contains fillers. In an exemplary embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises 5 to 25 weight percent of a filler comprising fibers. Suitably, the filler consists of fibers or is in the form of fibers.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid is less than 60% by weight, e.g., 1% to 60%, or 5% to 50%, or 5% to 30%, or 10% to 20% by weight. % of fillers.

In another embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises less than 20%, suitably less than 10% or less than 5% filler by weight.

The filler may include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, cellulose and cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate or chalk may be used. In certain cases, amorphous solids do not include calcium carbonate, such as chalk.

Suitably, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler may be a fibrous organic filler material such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose or cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the inclusion of fibrous fillers in an amorphous solid can increase the tensile strength of the material. Additionally, inclusion of fibrous fillers has been found to improve the handling of amorphous solids during manufacturing. In particular, the resulting amorphous solids have been found to be less "sticky" and consequently prone to fracture during manufacture. Thus, inclusion of fibrous fillers can increase manufacturing efficiency, reducing the possibility of machine downtime during crushing. Including fibrous fillers in the amorphous solid also means that the amorphous solid is less likely to clump together (eg, aggregate) once broken. When the crushed amorphous solids are included in the consumable, the reduced agglomeration optimizes the distribution of the crushed amorphous solids in the consumable. Thus, each consumable is more likely to contain a similar amount of crushed amorphous solids, which can improve the homogeneity of flavor loading within a batch of consumables and/or within a given consumable.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solids may comprise no more than about 80%, 70%, 60%, 55%, 50% or 45% flavoring agent by weight. In some cases, the amorphous solids may comprise at least about 0.1%, 1%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 35% or 40% by weight of the flavoring agent (all on a dry weight basis). calculated). For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 1 to 80%, 10 to 80%, 20 to 70%, 30 to 60%, 35 to 55% or 30 to 45% by weight of the flavoring agent. . In an exemplary embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises 35 to 50% by weight of flavoring agent. In some cases, the flavoring agent comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of menthol.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid alternatively or additionally includes an active material. For example, in some cases, the amorphous solid further comprises tobacco material and/or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solids may comprise from 5 to 60 weight percent (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco material and/or nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solids may be present in an amount of from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% to about 70%, 60%, 50%, 45%, 40% by weight. %, 35%, or 30% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the active material. In some cases, the amorphous solids may be present in an amount of from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% to about 70%, 60%, 50%, 45%, 40% by weight. %, 35%, or 30% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco material. For example, the amorphous solids may comprise 10 to 50%, 15 to 40% or 20 to 35% tobacco material by weight. In some cases, the amorphous solids may contain from about 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% to about 20%, 18%, 15% or 12% nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). can include For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 1 to 20%, 2 to 18% or 3 to 12% nicotine by weight.

In some cases, amorphous solids include active substances such as tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solids may include 5 to 60 weight percent (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid is from about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% to about 60%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, or 30% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco extract. For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 10 to 50%, 15 to 40% or 20 to 35% tobacco extract by weight. The tobacco extract contains from 1%, 1.5%, 2% or 2.5% to about 6%, 5%, 4.5% or 4% nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis) of amorphous solids. It may contain nicotine at a concentration that makes it contain. In some cases, amorphous solids other than those produced from tobacco extract may be free of nicotine.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco material but does contain nicotine. In some such cases, the amorphous solids are from about 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% to about 20%, 18%, 15% or 12% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of May contain nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 1 to 20%, 2 to 18% or 3 to 12% nicotine by weight.

In some cases, the total amount of active material and/or flavoring agent may be at least about 0.1%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25% or 30% by weight of the amorphous solid. . In some cases, the total amount of active material and/or flavoring agent may be less than about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50% or 40% by weight (all calculated on a dry weight basis). ).

The aerosol-generating composition or amorphous solid may include an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid can be at least one of a monoprotic acid, a diprotic acid, and a triprotic acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid can be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, a carboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, and a keto acid. In some such embodiments, the acid can be an alpha-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid can be one or more of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid.

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

The inclusion of an acid is particularly desirable in embodiments where the aerosol-generating composition or amorphous solid comprises nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of an acid may stabilize dissolved species in the aerosol-generating composition or slurry from which an amorphous solid is formed. The presence of the acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during manufacture.

In certain embodiments, the aerosol-generating composition or amorphous solid comprises a gelling agent comprising a cellulosic gelling agent and/or a non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active agent and an acid.

Amorphous solids may contain colorants. Addition of a colorant can change the visual appearance of an amorphous solid. The presence of a colorant in an amorphous solid can enhance the visual appearance of the amorphous solid and aerosol-generating composition. By adding a colorant to the amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can be color-matched to other components of the aerosol-generating composition or to other components of an article comprising the amorphous solid.

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

The colorant may be introduced during formation of the amorphous solid (eg, when forming a slurry comprising materials that form the amorphous solid), or it may be introduced after its formation (eg, by spraying it onto the amorphous solid). It can be applied to solids.

The amorphous solid comprises 1 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent, 0.1 to 70% by weight of an aerosol former material, 5 to 50% by weight of a filler in the form of fibers, and 0.1 to 80% by weight of a flavoring agent and/or active substance. can do.

The amorphous solid may comprise 10 to 40% by weight of a gelling agent, 10 to 70% by weight of an aerosol former material, 20 to 40% by weight of a filler and optionally 10 to 50% by weight of a flavoring agent.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises alginate in an amount of 32.8% by weight, glycerol in an amount of 19.2% by weight and menthol in an amount of 48% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises alginate in an amount of 26.2%, glycerol in an amount of 15.4%, menthol in an amount of 38.4% and fibers (from wood pulp) in an amount of 20% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises alginate in an amount of 32% by weight, pectin in an amount of 8% by weight and glycerol in an amount of 60% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises alginate in an amount of 24% by weight, pectin in an amount of 6% by weight, cellulosic fibers in an amount of 10% by weight and glycerol in an amount of 60% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in an amount of about 7% by weight, cellulosic fibers (from wood pulp) in an amount of about 43% by weight, and glycerol in an amount of about 50% by weight.

The amorphous solid can be prepared by (a) forming a slurry comprising a component of the amorphous solid or a precursor thereof, (b) forming a layer of the slurry, (c) curing the slurry to form a gel, (d) drying It can be prepared by the step of forming an amorphous solid. Optionally, curing the slurry includes applying a curing agent to the slurry. In some embodiments, the curing agent is sprayed onto the slurry, such as the top surface of the slurry.

In an example, the curing agent comprises or consists of calcium acetate, calcium formate, calcium carbonate, calcium hydrogencarbonate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the curing agent comprises or consists of calcium formate and/or calcium lactate. In certain instances, the curing agent comprises or consists of calcium formate. Conventionally, it has been found that using calcium formate as a curing agent results in amorphous solids with greater tensile strength and greater resistance to elongation.

The total amount of curing agent, such as a calcium source, may be 0.5 to 5% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). Suitably, the total amount may be from about 1%, 2.5% or 4% to about 4.8% or 4.5% by weight. It has been found that adding too little of the curing agent can produce an amorphous solid that does not stabilize the amorphous solid components and causes these components to fall out of the amorphous solid. It has been found that the addition of too much curing agent results in an amorphous solid that is very tacky and consequently has poor handling properties.

If the amorphous solid does not contain tobacco, a higher amount of hardener may need to be applied. Thus, in some cases the total amount of curing agent may be 0.5 to 12% by weight, for example 5 to 10% by weight calculated on a dry weight basis. Suitably, the total amount may be from about 5%, 6% or 7% to about 12% or 10% by weight. In this case, the amorphous solid will generally not contain any tobacco.

(b) forming a layer of slurry typically involves spraying, casting or extruding the slurry. In an example, the slurry layer is formed by electrospraying the slurry. In an example, the slurry layer is formed by casting a slurry.

In some examples, (b) and/or (c) and/or (d) occur at least partially simultaneously (eg, during electrospray). In some instances, (b), (c) and (d) occur sequentially.

In some examples, the slurry is applied to a support. A layer may be formed on a support.

Amorphous solids may be provided as crushed sheets. The crushed sheet may be formed by crushing the amorphous solid after drying. In certain instances, providing the amorphous solid includes breaking the sheet of amorphous solid to provide the amorphous solid as a broken sheet.

Alternatively, the amorphous solid may be provided as an inner wrap in an article for use in a non-flammable aerosol-providing device. For example, an amorphous solid can be a continuous sheet of material surrounding a rod that includes other components of an aerosol-generating material, such as puffed plant material. Inclusion of amorphous solids in the aerosol-generating material map helps to enhance sensory properties, such as taste and taste, of aerosols produced when the aerosol-generating material is heated. Incorporation of the expanded plant material into the aerosol-generating material may result in a decrease in the sensory properties of the aerosol compared to a composition that does not include the expanded plant material. Inclusion of an amorphous solid in the aerosol-generating material in addition to the expanded material may help offset any reduction in organoleptic properties that may be attributable to the inclusion of the expanded plant material.

Amorphous solids may have a lower fill value than bulk plant material, and thus inclusion of amorphous solids in aerosol-generating material may contribute to maintaining the structural integrity and rigidity of the rod of aerosol-generating material.

Aerosol-generating materials can be prepared by combining and blending crushed sheets of amorphous solids and expanded plant material.

Aerosol-generating materials may include expanded plant matter and amorphous solids. In some embodiments, aerosol-generating materials include DIET and amorphous solids; DIET, bulked/seed stems and amorphous solids; or bulked/seed stems and amorphous solids.

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises DIET, bulked and/or seed stalks, and an amorphous solid comprising alginate in an amount of 32.8%, glycerol in an amount of 19.2% and menthol in an amount of 48% by weight. includes

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises DIET, puffed and/or seed stems, and alginate in an amount of 26.2%, glycerol in an amount of 15.4%, menthol in an amount of 38.4% and 20% by weight. It contains an amorphous solid containing a good amount of fibers (wood pulp).

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises DIET, bulked and/or seed stalks, and an amorphous solid comprising alginate in an amount of 32%, pectin in an amount of 8% and glycerol in an amount of 60%. .

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises DIET, puffed and/or seed stems, and alginate in an amount of 24%, pectin in an amount of 6%, cellulosic fibers in an amount of 10%, and glycerol in an amount of 60%. Including an amorphous solid containing.

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises DIET, puffed and/or seed stems, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in an amount of about 7% by weight, cellulosic fibers (from wood pulp) in an amount of about 43% by weight, and an amorphous solid comprising glycerol in an amount of about 50% by weight.

Amorphous solids may be included in any suitable amount in the aerosol-generating material in combination with the bulking plant material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises, for example, about 1% to about 90%, 1% to about 80%, 1% to about 70%, 1% to about 60% by weight. %, 1% to about 50%, 1% to about 40%, 1% to about 30%, 1% to about 20%, or 1% to about 10% amorphous. solids, the remainder comprising or consisting of expanded plant material and lamina and/or reconstituted tobacco material.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solids comprise about 1% to about 50% amorphous solids and about 1% to about 50% expanded plant material.

The weight ratio of the amorphous solid to the bulky plant may be 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8 or 1:9, or the bulky plant material The weight ratio of the solid to the amorphous solid may be 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8 or 1:9.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 20% or less or about 30% or less by weight of amorphous solids. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid in an amount of about 10% to about 25% by weight.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 30% or less by weight of amorphous solids, about 1% to 30% by weight of expanded plant material and balance lamina and/or reconstituted tobacco. For example, the aerosol-generating material may comprise about 10% to about 20% amorphous solids, about 10% expanded plant material (e.g., DIET) and about 70% to 80% lamina and /or reconstituted tobacco.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises up to about 30% by weight amorphous solids, about 1% to 30% by weight of expanded plant material, and the remainder being a mixture of lamina and reconstituted tobacco.

For example, the aerosol-generating material may comprise a mixture comprising about 10% amorphous solids by weight, an expanded plant material comprising about 10% DIET by weight, and a mixture comprising 80% lamina and reconstituted tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises about 10 weight percent amorphous solids, about 10 weight percent expanded plant material comprising DIET, and about 80 weight percent lamina tobacco.

The weight ratio of reconstituted tobacco to lamina may be, for example, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, 20:80 or 10:90. . Using a higher amount of lamina compared to reconstituted tobacco may improve the sensory properties of the aerosol-generating material and provide a more pronounced flavor.

When the aerosol-generating material is introduced into an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the aerosol-generating material may be compressed.

In addition to the aerosol-generating material, the article may also include an aerosol-generating material storage area, aerosol-generating material delivery component, aerosol generator, aerosol-generating area, housing, wrapper, filter, mouthpiece, and/or aerosol-modifier. there is.

An article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system is shown in FIG. 7 . The article 1 comprises a mouthpiece 2 and a cylindrical rod 3 of aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating section of the article connected to the mouthpiece 2 .

The aerosol-generating material includes puffed tobacco (in this case, DIET) in an amount of about 10% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating section of the article may have a pressure drop across it of from about 35 to about 70 mm Wg.

The aerosol-generating section has a diameter of about 100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm, 600 mm or 700 mm up to about 800 mm, 900 mm, 1000 mm, 1100 mm, 1200 mm, 1 300 ㎣, 1400 ㎣ or 1500 The volume in mm3 can be defined. In some embodiments, the volume of the aerosol-generating section is between about 800 mm 3 and about 1300 mm 3 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol-generating material 3 comprises at least one aerosol former. In this embodiment, the aerosol former is glycerol. In an alternative example, the aerosol former may be another material or combination thereof as described herein. Aerosol formers have been found to improve the sensory performance of articles by helping to deliver compounds, such as flavor compounds, from aerosol-generating materials to consumers. However, a problem associated with adding such an aerosol former to an aerosol-generating material in an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol-providing system is that when the aerosol former aerosolizes upon heating, this is due to the mass of the aerosol delivered by the article. can increase, and this increased mass can maintain a higher temperature as it progresses through the mouthpiece. As it progresses through the mouthpiece, it can maintain a higher temperature. As it progresses through the mouthpiece, the aerosol transfers heat to the mouthpiece, which warms the outer surface of the mouthpiece, including the areas that come into contact with the consumer's lips during use. Mouthpiece temperatures can be significantly higher than a consumer may be accustomed to, for example when smoking a conventional cigarette, which can be an undesirable effect caused by the use of such aerosol formers.

The portion of the mouthpiece that comes into contact with the consumer's lips is a paper tube, usually hollow or surrounding a cylindrical body of filter material.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 comprises an upstream end 2a adjacent the aerosol-generating substrate 3 and a downstream end 2b distal from the aerosol-generating substrate 3 do. At the downstream end 2b, the mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular element 4 formed from a filament toe. This has advantageously been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece, which comes into contact with the consumer's mouth when the article 1 is in use. It has also been found that the use of the tubular element 4 significantly reduces the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 also upstream of the tubular element 4 . Without wishing to be bound by theory, this is because the tubular element 4 directs the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2, thereby reducing heat transfer from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2. It is assumed that

In this example, the article 1 has a perimeter of about 21 mm (ie the article is in a demi-slim format). In another example, an article may be provided in any format described herein, for example having a circumference of 15 mm to 25 mm. Because the article heats up and emits an aerosol, improved heating efficiency can be achieved with articles having outer circumferences lower within this range, for example less than 23 mm. An article circumference of greater than 19 mm has also been found to be particularly effective, while maintaining a suitable product length, to achieve improved aerosol through heating. It has been found that articles having a circumference of 19 mm to 23 mm, and more preferably 20 mm to 22 mm, provide a good balance between allowing efficient heating while providing effective aerosol delivery. The circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially the same as that of the rod 3 of aerosol-generating substance, so that there is a smooth transition between these components. In this example, the outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is about 20.8 mm. A tipping paper (5) is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece (2) and over a portion of the rod (3) of aerosol-generating substance, its It has adhesive on the inner surface. In this example, the tipping paper 5 extends 5 mm above the rod 3 of aerosol-generating material, but alternatively extends 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm above the rod 3. to provide a fixed attachment between the mouthpiece (2) and the rod (3). Tipping paper 5 will have a basis weight higher than the basis weight of the plug wrap used in article 1, for example between 40 gsm and 80 gsm, more preferably between 50 gsm and 70 gsm, in this example 58 gsm. can It has been found that basis weights in this range result in a tipping paper having acceptable tensile strength while being flexible enough to wrap around the article 1 and attach to itself along a longitudinal lap seam on the paper. The outer circumference of the tipping paper 5 once wound around the mouthpiece 2 is about 21 mm.

The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element 4 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 4 in the radial direction. This can be measured using calipers, for example. The wall thickness is advantageously greater than 0.9 mm, and more preferably equal to or greater than 1.0 mm. Preferably, the wall thickness is substantially constant around the entire wall of the hollow tubular element 4 . However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm, more preferably greater than 1.0 mm at any point around the hollow tubular element 4 .

Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 10 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is between about 5 mm and about 20 mm, more preferably between about 6 mm and about 10 mm, even more preferably between about 6 mm and about 8 mm, most preferably between about 6 mm and about 8 mm. Preferably it may be about 6 mm, 7 mm or about 8 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is 6 mm.

Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 0.25 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), more preferably at least about 0.3 g/cc. Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 0.75 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the hollow tubular element 4 has a density of 0.25 to 0.75 g/cc, more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g/cc, and even more preferably 0.4 g/cc to 0.6 g/cc or about 0.5 g /cc. It has been found that this density provides a good balance between the improved robustness provided by the denser material and the lower heat transfer properties of the lower density material. For the purposes of this invention, the "density" of a hollow tubular element 4 refers to the density of the filamentary tow forming the element incorporating any plasticizer. Density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular element 4 by the total volume of the hollow tubular element 4, where the total volume is the appropriate weight of the hollow tubular element 4 taken, for example, using a caliper. can be calculated using measurements. If necessary, suitable dimensions can be measured using a microscope.

The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a total denier of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. It has been found that this total denier allows the formation of a tubular element 4 that is not too dense. Preferably, the total denier is at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filamentary tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has a total denier of 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably 35,000 to 45,000. Preferably the cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is 'Y' shaped, but in other embodiments other shapes such as 'X' shaped filaments may be used.

The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a denier per filament greater than 3. It has been found that this denier per filament allows the formation of a tubular element 4 that is not too dense. Preferably, the denier per filament is at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has a denier per filament of 4 to 10, more preferably 4 to 9. In one example, the filamentary tow forming hollow tubular element 4 has 8Y40,000 tow formed from cellulose acetate and containing 18% plasticizer, eg triacetin.

The hollow tubular element 4 preferably has an inner diameter greater than 3.0 mm. A smaller diameter may advantageously increase the speed of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2 and into the mouth of the consumer so that the aerosol becomes too warm, e.g., reaching a temperature of greater than 40° C. or greater than 45° C. there is. More preferably, the hollow tubular element 4 has an inner diameter greater than 3.1 mm, and even more preferably greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 3.9 mm.

The hollow tubular element 4 preferably comprises 15% to 22% by weight of a plasticizer. In the case of cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer is preferably triacetin, but other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) may be used. More preferably, the tubular element 4 comprises between 16% and 20% plasticizer by weight, for example about 17%, about 18% or about 19% plasticizer by weight.

The pressure drop or difference (also referred to as resistance to draw) across the mouthpiece, eg, the portion of the article 1 downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3, is preferably about 40 mmH ₂ is less than 0 It has been found that this pressure drop allows sufficient aerosol containing desirable compounds, such as flavor compounds, to be delivered through the mouthpiece 2 to the consumer. More preferably, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 is less than about 32 mmH ₂ 0 . In some embodiments, a particularly improved aerosol is obtained using a mouthpiece 2 having a pressure drop of less than 31 mmH ₂ 0 , eg, about 29 mmH ₂ 0 , about 28 mmH ₂ 0 or about 27.5 mmH ₂ 0 has been achieved Alternatively or additionally, the mouthpiece pressure drop may be at least 10 mmH ₂ 0, preferably at least 15 mmH ₂ 0 and more preferably at least 20 mmH ₂ 0. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece pressure drop may be between about 15 mmH ₂ 0 and 40 mmH ₂ 0 . This value allows the aerosol to slow down as the mouthpiece 2 passes through the mouthpiece 2 so that the temperature of the aerosol has time to decrease before reaching the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2 .

In this example, the mouthpiece 2 comprises a body of material 6 upstream of the hollow tubular element 4 , in this example adjacent to and in abutting relationship with the hollow tubular element 4 . The material body 6 and the hollow tubular element 4 each form a substantially cylindrical overall external shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The body of material 6 is wrapped with a first plug wrap 7 . Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 40 gsm. Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 is a non-porous plug wrap, eg having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, eg less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 may be a porous plug wrap having a permeability greater than 200 Coresta units, for example.

Preferably, the length of the body of material 6 is less than about 15 mm. More preferably, the length of the body of material 6 is less than about 10 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the body of material 6 is at least about 5 mm.

Preferably, the length of the body of material 6 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the body of material 6 is between about 5 mm and about 15 mm, more preferably between about 6 mm and about 12 mm, even more preferably between about 6 mm and about 12 mm, most preferably between about 6 mm and about 12 mm. Preferably it is about 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm. In this example, the length of the body of material 6 is 10 mm. In this example, the body of material 6 is formed from filament tow. In this example, the tow used for the body of material 6 has a denier per filament (dpf) of 8.4 and a total denier of 21,000. Alternatively, the tow may have, for example, a denier per filament (dpf) of 9.5 and a total denier of 12,000. In this example, the tow includes plasticized cellulose acetate tow. Plasticizers used in tow constitute about 7% by weight of the tow. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In another example, a different material may be used to form the body of material 6 . Rather than tow, for example, the body 6 may be formed from paper, for example, in a manner similar to paper filters known to be used in cigarettes.

Alternatively, body 6 may be formed from other materials described herein for tow other than cellulose acetate, eg, polylactic acid (PLA), filament tow, or similar materials. Tow is preferably formed from cellulose acetate. The tow, whether formed from cellulose acetate or other material, preferably has a d.p.f. of at least 5, more preferably at least 6 and even more preferably at least 7. This value of denier per filament provides a tow with relatively coarse, thick fibers with a lower surface area that results in a lower pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 than tows with lower d.p.f. Preferably, to achieve a sufficiently uniform body of material 6, the tow is 12 d.p.f. or less, preferably 11 d.p.f. or less, and even more preferably 10 d.p.f. It has the following denier per filament.

The total denier of the tow forming the body of material 6 is preferably at most 30,000, more preferably at most 28,000 and even more preferably at most 25,000. This total denier value provides a tow that occupies a reduced percentage of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2 resulting in a lower pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 than toes with higher total denier values. For adequate firmness of the body of material 6, the tow preferably has a total denier of at least 8,000 and more preferably at least 10,000. Preferably, the denier per filament is 5 to 12, and the total denier is 10,000 to 25,000. More preferably, the denier per filament is 6 to 10, and the total denier is 11,000 to 22,000. Preferably the cross-sectional shape of the filament of the tow is 'Y' shape, but in other embodiments the same d.p.f. and other shapes may be used, such as 'X' shaped filaments having a total denier value as provided herein.

In this example, the hollow tubular element 4 is the first hollow tubular element 4, and the mouthpiece has a second hollow tubular element 8, also referred to as a cooling element, upstream of the first hollow tubular element 4. include In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 is upstream of the body of material 6 and is adjacent to and in abutting relation thereto. The material body 6 and the second hollow tubular element 8 each form an overall substantially cylindrical external shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The second hollow tubular element 8 is formed from a plurality of paper layers wound in parallel with butt seams to form the tubular element 8 . In this example, the first and second paper layers are provided in a 2-ply tube, but in other examples, 3, 4 or more paper layers may be used to form a 3, 4 or more ply tube. Other configurations may be used, such as spirally wound layers of paper, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a papier-mache type process, molded or extruded plastic tubes, or the like. The second hollow tubular element 8 can also be formed using a rigid plug wrap and/or tipping paper as the second plug wrap 9 and/or tipping paper 5 described herein, which is a separate tubular element. means you don't need The rigid plug wrap and/or tipping paper is manufactured to be rigid enough to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and while the article 1 is in use. For example, the rigid plug wrap and/or tipping paper may have a basis weight of 70 gsm to 120 gsm, more preferably 80 gsm to 110 gsm. Additionally or alternatively, the rigid plug wrap and/or tipping paper may have a thickness of 80 μm to 200 μm, more preferably 100 μm to 160 μm, or 120 μm to 150 μm. It may be desirable for both the second plug wrap 9 and the tipping paper 5 to have values in this range to achieve an acceptable overall level of stiffness for the second hollow tubular element 8 .

The second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 100 μm to about 1.5 mm, preferably between 100 μm and 1 mm and more preferably between 100 μm and 1 mm, which can be measured in the same way as the first hollow tubular element 4. and a wall thickness of 150 μm to 500 μm, or about 300 μm. In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 has a wall thickness of about 290 μm.

Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 30 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 10 mm. Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is at least about 15 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is between about 20 mm and about 30 mm, more preferably between about 22 mm and about 28 mm, even more preferably between about 24 mm and about 26 mm, most preferably between about 24 mm and about 26 mm. preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is 25 mm.

A second hollow tubular element 8 is located around and forms an air gap in the mouthpiece 2 acting as a cooling segment. The air gap provides a chamber through which the heated volatile components produced by the aerosol-generating substance 3 flow. The second hollow tubular element 8 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is sufficiently rigid to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and while the article 1 is in use. The second hollow tubular element 8 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating substance 3 and the substance body 6 . The physical displacement provided by the second hollow tubular element 8 will provide a thermal gradient across the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 .

Preferably, the mouthpiece 2 comprises a cavity with an internal volume greater than 450 mm 3 . It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume allows for improved aerosol formation. This cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to allow the heated volatilized components to cool, allowing the aerosol-generating substance 3 to be exposed to higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible, which would result in too warm aerosols. because it can lead to In this example, the cavity is formed by the second hollow tubular element 8 , but in an alternative arrangement it may be formed in a different part of the mouthpiece 2 . More preferably, the mouthpiece 2 comprises a cavity having an internal volume greater than 500 mm, and even more preferably greater than 550 mm, for example formed in the second hollow tubular element 8, It allows further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity comprises a volume between about 550 mm 3 and about 750 mm 3 , for example about 600 mm 3 or 700 mm 3 .

The second hollow tubular element 8 comprises a heated volatilized component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 and a heated volatilized component entering the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8. It may be configured to provide a temperature differential of at least 40°C between components. The second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably formed between the heated volatilized component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow and the heated volatilized component entering the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 . to provide a temperature difference of at least 60°C, preferably at least 80°C and more preferably at least 100°C. This temperature difference over the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 protects the temperature sensitive body of the aerosol-generating substance 3 from the high temperature of the substance 6 when heated.

In an alternative article, the second hollow tubular element 8 is an alternative cooling element, eg an element formed from a body of material that allows aerosols to pass longitudinally therethrough and also serves to cool the aerosol. can be replaced with

In this example, the first hollow tubular element 4, the material body 6 and the second hollow tubular element 8 are combined using a second plug wrap 9 wrapped around all three sections. Preferably, the second plug wrap 9 has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 45 gsm. Preferably, the second plug wrap 9 has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. The second plug wrap 9 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in an alternative embodiment, the second plug wrap 9 may be a porous plug wrap having a permeability greater than 200 Coresta units, for example.

In this example, the aerosol-generating substance 3 is wrapped in the wrapper 10 . Wrapper 10 may be, for example, a paper or paper-backed foil wrapper. In this example, wrapper 10 is substantially impermeable to air. In an alternative embodiment, the wrapper 10 preferably has a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta units. For example, a low permeability wrapper having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta units, has been found to improve aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating material 3 . Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper 10 . The permeability of the wrapper 10 may be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 for determination of air permeability for materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wrap and filter bonding paper.

In this embodiment, wrapper 10 comprises aluminum foil. Aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing the formation of aerosols within the aerosol-generating material 3 . In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer with a thickness of about 6 μm. In this embodiment, the aluminum foil has a paper backing. However, in an alternative arrangement, the aluminum foil may be of a different thickness, for example between 4 μm and 16 μm. The aluminum foil also need not have a paper backing, but may have a backing formed from another material to help provide adequate tensile strength to the foil, for example, or may have no backing material. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum may also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper is preferably between 20 μm and 60 μm, more preferably between 30 μm and 50 μm, which can provide a wrapper with adequate structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tensile force that can be applied to the wrapper before it breaks can be greater than 3,000 gram force, such as 3,000 to 10,000 gram force or 3,000 to 4,500 gram force.

The article may have a ventilation level of about 75% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In an alternative embodiment, the article may have a ventilation level between 50% and 80% of the aerosol drawn through the article, for example between 65% and 75%. Ventilation at this level helps to slow the flow of the aerosol drawn through the mouthpiece 2, whereby it can be sufficiently cooled before reaching the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2. Ventilation is provided directly to the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 . In this example, ventilation is provided in the second hollow tubular element 8 , which has been found to be particularly advantageous in assisting the aerosol generating process. Ventilation is provided via first and second parallel rows of perforations 12 formed in this case as laser perforations, at positions 17.925 mm and 18.625 mm from the mouth-end 2b, respectively, downstream of the mouthpiece 2. do. These perforations pass through the tipping paper (5), the second plug wrap (9) and the second hollow tubular element (8). In an alternative embodiment, ventilation may be provided into the mouthpiece at another location, for example into the body of matter 6 or into the first tubular element 4 .

In this example, the aerosol former added to the aerosol-generating substrate 3 comprises 15% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Preferably, the aerosol former comprises at least 5% by weight, more preferably at least 10% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate. Preferably, the aerosol former comprises less than 25% by weight, more preferably less than 20% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, for example from 10% to 20%, from 12% to 18% or from 13% to 16%. .

Preferably the aerosol-generating substance 3 is provided as a cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating substance. Regardless of the shape of the aerosol-generating material, it preferably has a length of about 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol-generating material is preferably in the range of about 25 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 45 mm, and even more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 40 mm. is the range

The volume of aerosol-generating material 3 provided may vary from about 200 mm 3 to about 4300 mm 3 , preferably about 500 mm 3 to 1500 mm 3 , more preferably about 1000 mm 3 to about 1300 mm 3 . Providing such a volume of aerosol-generating material, for example from about 1000 mm to about 1300 mm, advantageously achieves a superior aerosol with greater visibility and sensory performance compared to that achieved with volumes selected from the lower end of the range. appeared to do

The mass of the aerosol-generating substance 3 provided may be greater than 200 mg, for example between about 200 mg and 400 mg, preferably between about 230 mg and 360 mg, more preferably between about 250 mg and 360 mg. Advantageously, it has been found that providing a higher mass of aerosol-generating material results in improved sensory performance compared to aerosols produced from lower mass of tobacco material.

Preferably, the aerosol-generating material is formed from a tobacco material as described herein comprising tobacco components.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is a sheet or crushed sheet of material comprising first and second plant material.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises an intimate mixture of a first plant material and a second plant material.

Including plant material with a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g in the rod increases the tendency of the aerosol-generating material to drip or escape from the rod. Without wishing to be bound by theory, this may be due to the relatively small particle size of the expanded plant material and the lower overall weight of the aerosol-generating material. To limit the amount of aerosol-generating material that falls from the rod, the packing density of the aerosol-generating material may be higher at the distal end of the rod.

Accordingly, the packing density of the aerosol-generating material 3 may vary throughout the rod. In particular, the density of the aerosol-generating material 3 may be greater at the distal end of the rod of aerosol-generating material than at the proximal end. The packing density of the aerosol-generating material at the distal end of the rod can be increased by applying pressure to the tobacco material in this region of the rod during manufacture.

Non-combustible aerosol-providing devices are used to heat the aerosol-generating material of the articles described herein. The non-combustible aerosol providing device preferably includes a coil, as it has been found to allow improved heat transfer to the article compared to other devices.

In some examples, the coil is configured, in use, to cause heating of the at least one electrically-conductive heating element such that thermal energy is conducted from the at least one electrically-conductive heating element to the aerosol-generating material to cause heating of the aerosol-generating material. do.

In some examples, the coil is configured to, in use, generate a variable magnetic field to pass through the at least one heating element, resulting in induction heating and/or magnetic hysteretic heating of the at least one heating element. In such an arrangement, or each heating element may be referred to as a "susceptor" as defined herein. A coil configured to, in use, generate a variable magnetic field to pass through the at least one electrically-conductive heating element, thereby causing induction heating of the at least one electrically-conductive heating element, may be referred to as an “induction coil” or “inductor coil”. there is.

The device may include heating element(s), eg electrically-conductive heating element(s), the heating element(s) suitably relative to a coil to enable such heating of the heating element(s). Can be located or placed. The heating element(s) may be in a fixed position relative to the coil. Alternatively, at least one heating element, eg at least one electrically-conductive heating element, may be included in an article for insertion into a heating zone of the device, wherein the article also contains an aerosol-generating substance 3 . It is included and detachable from the heating zone after use. Alternatively, both the device and such article may include at least one discrete heating element, eg at least one electrically-conductive heating element, and the coils may include the device and the article, respectively, when the article is in a heating zone. It may cause heating of the heating element(s).

In some examples, the coil is helical. In some examples, the coil surrounds at least a portion of a heating zone of a device configured to contain an aerosol-generating substance. In some examples, the coil is a helical coil surrounding at least a portion of the heating zone.

In some examples, the device includes an electrically-conductive heating element at least partially surrounding the heating zone, and the coil is a helical coil surrounding at least a portion of the electrically-conductive heating element. In some examples, the electrically-conductive heating element is tubular. In some examples, the coil is an inductor coil.

In some examples, the use of a coil allows a non-combustible aerosol-providing device to reach an operating temperature faster than a non-coiled aerosol-providing device. For example, a non-combustible aerosol providing device comprising a coil as described above may reach an operating temperature such that a first puff may be provided in less than 30 seconds, more preferably less than 25 seconds from initiation of the device heating program. can In some examples, the device may reach operating temperature within about 20 seconds from initiation of the device heating program.

The use of a coil as described herein in a device to cause heating of an aerosol-generating material has been found to enhance the aerosol produced. For example, consumers may find that aerosols produced by devices comprising coils such as those described herein are more sensitive to aerosols produced in factory manufactured tobacco (FMC) products than aerosols produced by other non-combustible aerosol providing systems. reported to be closer to While not wishing to be bound by theory, this could be due to the reduced time to reach the required heating temperature when the coil is used, the higher heating temperature that can be achieved when the coil is used, and/or the relatively high temperature of the coil with such a system. It is assumed that this is a result of the fact that simultaneous heating of a volume of aerosol-generating material produces an aerosol temperature similar to the FMC aerosol temperature. In FMC products, burning coal creates a hot aerosol that heats the cigarette in the tobacco rod behind the coal as the aerosol is drawn through the rod. This hot aerosol is understood to release flavor compounds from tobacco in a rod behind burning coals. It is believed that a device comprising a coil as described herein may also heat an aerosol-generating material, such as tobacco material described herein, to release flavor compounds to produce an aerosol that is reported to more closely resemble an FMC aerosol. do.

Using an aerosol-providing system comprising a coil as described herein, e.g., an induction coil that heats at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, the properties and properties of the FMC product It includes aerosol-generating substances having certain properties that are thought to be more closely similar. For example, when heating an aerosol-generating substance containing nicotine using an induction heater heated to at least 250° C. for a period of 2 seconds, under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m for a period of time, one or more of the following properties are observed: became:

at least 10 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material;

In the resulting aerosol, the weight ratio of aerosol-forming substance to nicotine is at least about 2.5:1, suitably at least 8.5:1;

At least 100 μg of aerosol-forming material may be aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material;

The average particle or droplet size in the resulting aerosol is less than about 1000 nm;

The aerosol density is at least 0.1 μg/cc.

In some cases, at least 10 μg of nicotine, suitably at least 30 μg or 40 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m for a period of time. In some cases, less than about 200 μg, suitably less than about 150 μg or less than about 125 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m for a period of time.

In some cases, the aerosol contains at least 100 μg of the aerosol-forming material, suitably at least 200 μg, 500 μg or 1 mg of the aerosol-forming material is removed from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m for a period of time. aerosolized. Suitably, the aerosol-forming material may comprise or consist of glycerol.

As defined herein, the term "average particle or droplet size" refers to the average size of the solid or liquid component (ie, component suspended in a gas) of an aerosol. When an aerosol contains suspended droplets and suspended solid particles, the terms together refer to the average size of all components.

In some cases, the average particle or droplet size in the generated aerosol may be less than about 900 nm, 800 nm, 700 nm, 600 nm, 500 nm, 450 nm, or 400 nm. In some cases, the average particle or droplet size may be greater than about 25 nm, 50 nm or 100 nm.

In some cases, the aerosol density generated during the period is at least 0.1 μg/cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is at least 0.2 μg/cc, 0.3 μg/cc or 0.4 μg/cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is less than about 2.5 μg/cc, 2.0 μg/cc, 1.5 μg/cc or 1.0 μg/cc.

The non-combustible aerosol providing device is preferably arranged to heat the aerosol-generating material 3 of the article 1 to a maximum temperature of at least 160°C.

Preferably, the non-combustible aerosol-providing device heats the aerosol-forming material 3 of the article 1 to at least about 200° C., or at least about 220° C., at least once during a heating process followed by the non-combustible aerosol-providing device. or to a maximum temperature of at least about 240°C, more preferably at least about 270°C.

Using an aerosol delivery system comprising a coil as described herein, e.g., an induction coil that heats at least a portion of an aerosol-generating material to at least 200° C., more preferably at least 220° C., results in an aerosol that is better than previous devices. Generation of an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material within the article 1 as described herein, which has a higher temperature upon leaving the mouth end of the mouthpiece 2, and which contributes to the generation of an aerosol that is considered closer to the FMC product. can make it possible. For example, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth-end of the article 1 may preferably be greater than 50°C, more preferably greater than 55°C and even more preferably greater than 56°C or 57°C. Additionally or alternatively, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth-end of the article 1 may be less than 62°C, more preferably less than 60°C and even more preferably less than 59°C. In some embodiments, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth-end of the article 1 may preferably be between 50°C and 62°C, more preferably between 56°C and 60°C.

8 shows an example of a non-combustible aerosol providing device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating medium/material, such as the aerosol-generating material 3 of the article 1 described herein. In broad outline, device 100 heats a replaceable article 110 containing an aerosol-generating medium, such as article 1 described herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalation that is inhaled by a user of device 100. It can be used to create possible media. Device 100 and interchangeable item 110 together form a system.

Device 100 includes a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and houses the various components of device 100 . The device 100 has an opening 104 at one end through which an article 110 may be inserted for heating by the heating assembly. In use, article 110 may be fully or partially inserted into a heating assembly where it may be heated by one or more components of the heating assembly. The heater assembly includes a heater configured to supply heat to the article and volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material.

The heater may include one or more electrical resistive heaters including, for example, one or more nichrome resistive heater(s) and/or one or more ceramic heater(s). The one or more heaters may include one or more induction heaters comprising an arrangement comprising one or more susceptors capable of forming a chamber into which an article containing an aerosolizable substance may be inserted or otherwise positioned during use. Alternatively or additionally, one or more susceptors may be provided on the aerosolizable substance. Other heating devices may also be used.

The device 100 of this example includes a first end member 106 comprising a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in place. include In FIG. 8 , lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but lid 108 is movable in a closed configuration. For example, the user can cause the lid 108 to slide in the direction of arrow "B".

Device 100 may also include user-operable control elements 112, such as buttons or switches that actuate device 100 when pressed. For example, a user may turn on the device 100 by manipulating the switch 112 .

Device 100 may also include electrical components, such as a socket/port 114 that may receive a cable to charge a battery of device 100 . For example, socket 114 may be a charging port such as a USB charging port.

FIG. 9 shows the device 100 of FIG. 8 with the outer cover 102 removed and the article 110 absent. Device 100 forms a longitudinal axis 134 . As shown in FIG. 9 , a first end member 106 is disposed at one end of device 100 and a second end member 116 is disposed at an opposite end of device 100 . The first and second end members 106 , 116 together at least partially define an end surface of the device 100 . For example, a bottom surface of second end member 116 at least partially defines a bottom surface of device 100 . The edge of the outer cover 102 may also form part of the end surface. In this example, lid 108 also defines a portion of the top surface of device 100 .

The end of the device closest to the opening 104 may be known as the proximal end (or mouth end) of the device 100 because, in use, it is closest to the user's mouth. In use, the user inserts the article 110 into the opening 104, operates the user control 112 to initiate heating of the aerosol-generating material, and draws in the device-generated aerosol. This causes the aerosol to flow through the device 100 along a flow path towards the proximal end of the device 100 .

The other end of the device furthest from opening 104 may be known as the distal end of device 100 because, in use, this is the end farthest from the user's mouth. As the user inhales the aerosol generated by the device, the aerosol flows away from the distal end of device 100 .

Device 100 further includes a power source 118 . Power source 118 may be, for example, a battery, such as a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (eg, lithium-ion batteries), nickel batteries (eg, nickel-cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. A battery is electrically coupled to the heating assembly to supply power when needed and under the control of a controller (not shown) for heating the aerosol-generating material. In this example, the battery is connected to a central support 120 that holds the battery 118 in place.

The device further comprises at least one electronic module 122 . The electronic module 122 may include, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). PCB 122 may support at least one controller, such as a processor and memory. PCB 122 may also include one or more electrical tracks to electrically connect the various electronic components of device 100 together. For example, battery terminals can be electrically connected to PCB 122 so that power can be distributed throughout device 100 . Socket 114 may also be electrically coupled to the battery through an electrical track.

In the exemplary device 100, the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly and includes various components for heating the aerosol-generating material of the article 110 through an induction heating process. Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conductive object (eg, a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. An induction heating assembly may include an induction element, eg, one or more inductor coils, and a device for passing various currents, such as alternating current, through the induction element. A changing current in an inductive element creates a changing magnetic field. The changing magnetic field passes through the susceptor properly positioned relative to the inductive element, generating eddy currents inside the susceptor. The susceptor has an electrical resistance to eddy currents, so the flow of eddy currents across this resistance causes the susceptor to be heated by Joule heating. If the susceptor contains a ferromagnetic material such as iron, nickel or cobalt, heat is also generated by magnetic hysteresis losses in the susceptor, i.e. by different orientations of the magnetic dipoles in the magnetic material as a result of alignment with different magnetic fields. It can be. In induction heating, compared to heating by, for example, conduction, heat is generated inside the susceptor to allow rapid heating. In addition, since any physical contact is not required between the induction heater and the susceptor, the degree of freedom in configuration and application is improved.

The induction heating assembly of the exemplary device 100 includes a susceptor array 132 (referred to herein as a “susceptor”), a first inductor coil 124 and a second inductor coil 126 . The first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are made of an electrically conductive material. In this example, the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are made of litz wire/cable wound in a helical fashion to provide helical inductor coils 124 and 126 . Litz wire includes a plurality of individual wires that are individually insulated and twisted together to form a single wire. Litz wire is designed to reduce skin effect losses in conductors. In the exemplary device 100, the first and second inductor coils 124, 126 are made of copper litz wire having a rectangular cross section. In other examples, the litz wire may have other shaped cross-sections, such as circular.

The first inductor coil 124 is configured to generate a first variable magnetic field for heating a first section of the susceptor 132, and the second inductor coil 126 heats a second section of the susceptor 132. It is configured to generate a second variable magnetic field for In this example, the first inductor coil 124 is in a direction along the longitudinal axis 134 of the device 100 (ie, the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 do not overlap) the second inductor coil ( 126) is adjacent. The susceptor array 132 may include a single susceptor or two or more individual susceptors. Ends 130 of first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 may be connected to PCB 122 .

It will be appreciated that in some examples, the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 may have at least one characteristic different from each other. For example, the first inductor coil 124 may have at least one characteristic different from that of the second inductor coil 126 . More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil 124 may have an inductance of a different value from that of the second inductor coil 126 . In FIG. 9 , the first and second inductor coils 124 , 126 have different lengths such that the first inductor coil 124 is wound on a smaller section of the susceptor 132 than the second inductor coil 126 . Thus, the first inductor coil 124 may include a different number of turns than the second inductor coil 126 (assuming the spacing between the individual turns is substantially the same). In another example, first inductor coil 124 may be made of a different material than second inductor coil 126 . In some examples, first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 may be substantially identical.

In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when the inductor coils are activated at different times. For example, initially, first inductor coil 124 can be operated to heat a first section/portion of article 110, and later second inductor coil 126 can be operated to heat a second section of article 110. /can be operated to heat the part. Winding the coil in the opposite direction helps reduce the current induced in the inactive coil when used with certain types of control circuits. In the device 100 of FIG. 9 , the first inductor coil 124 is a right helix and the second inductor coil 126 is a left helix. However, in other implementations, inductor coils 124 and 126 can be wound in the same direction, or first inductor coil 124 can be a left helix and second inductor coil 126 can be a right helix.

The susceptor 132 of this example is hollow, thus forming a receptacle in which an aerosol-generating substance is received. For example, article 110 may be inserted into susceptor 132 . In this example, the susceptor 120 is tubular with a circular cross section.

Susceptor 132 may be made of one or more materials. Preferably, the susceptor 132 comprises carbon steel with a coating of nickel or cobalt.

In some examples, susceptor 132 may include at least two substances that can be heated at two different frequencies for selective aerosolization of the at least two substances. For example, the first section of the susceptor 132 (heated by the first inductor coil 124) may include a first material, and the susceptor (heated by the second inductor coil 126) The second section of 132) may include a different second material. In another example, the first section can include first and second materials, where the first and second materials can be heated differently based on operation of the first inductor coil 124 . The first and second materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by susceptor 132 or may form different layers within susceptor 132 . Similarly, the second section may include third and fourth materials, where the third and fourth materials may be heated differently based on operation of the second inductor coil 126 . The third and fourth materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by susceptor 132 or may form different layers within susceptor 132 . The third material may be, for example, the same as the first material, and the fourth material may be, for example, the same as the second material. Alternatively, each material may be different. The susceptor may include, for example, carbon steel or aluminum.

The device 100 of FIG. 9 further includes an insulating member 128 that can be generally tubular and can at least partially surround the susceptor 132 . The insulating member 128 may be made of any insulating material, such as, for example, plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is composed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Insulation member 128 may help insulate various components of device 100 from heat generated in susceptor 132 .

The insulating member 128 may also fully or partially support the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 . For example, as shown in FIG. 9 , first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are disposed around and in contact with a radially outer surface of insulating member 128 . In some examples, insulating member 128 does not contact first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 . For example, a small gap may exist between the outer surface of the insulating member 128 and the inner surfaces of the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 .

In a particular example, susceptor 132 , insulating member 128 , and first and second inductor coils 124 , 126 are coaxial about a central longitudinal axis of susceptor 132 .

10 shows a side view of device 100 in a partial cross-section. An outer cover 102 is present in this example. The rectangular cross-sectional shapes of the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 can be seen more clearly.

Device 100 further includes a support 136 that engages one end of susceptor 132 to hold susceptor 132 in place. Support 136 is connected to second end member 116 .

The device may also include an associated second printed circuit board 138 within the control element 112 .

Device 100 further includes a second lid/cap 140 and a spring 142 arranged towards the distal end of device 100 . The spring 142 causes the second lid 140 to open, providing access to the susceptor 132. The user may clean the susceptor 132 and/or the support 136 by opening the second lid 140 .

The device 100 further includes a swelling chamber 144 extending away from the proximal end of the susceptor 132 towards the opening 104 of the device. Located at least partially within the swelling chamber 144 is a retaining clip 146 for engaging and retaining the article 110 when received within the device 100 . The swelling chamber 144 is connected to the end member 106.

11 is an exploded view of the device 100 of FIG. 8 with the outer cover 102 omitted.

12A shows a cross section of a portion of device 100 of FIG. 8 . Fig. 12b shows an enlarged view of the area of Fig. 12a. 12A and 12B show an article 110 contained within a susceptor 132 , the article 110 being dimensioned such that an outer surface of the article 110 abuts an inner surface of the susceptor 132 . This ensures that heating is most efficient. The article 110 of this example includes an aerosol-generating material 110a. Aerosol-generating material 110a is located within susceptor 132 . Article 110 may also include other components such as filters, wrapping materials, and/or cooling structures.

12B shows that the outer surface of the susceptor 132 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 150 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. . In one specific example, distance 150 is between about 3 mm and 4 mm, between about 3 and 3.5 mm, or about 3.25 mm.

FIG. 12B further indicates that the outer surface of the insulating member 128 is spaced apart from the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 152 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. show In one specific example, distance 152 is about 0.05 mm. In another example, the distance 152 is substantially 0 mm such that the inductor coils 124 and 126 proximately contact the insulating member 128 .

In one example, the susceptor 132 has a wall thickness 154 between about 0.025 mm and 1 mm, or about 0.05 mm.

In one example, the susceptor 132 has a length of about 40 mm to 60 mm, about 40 mm to 45 mm, or about 44.5 mm.

In one example, insulating member 128 has a wall thickness 156 of about 0.25 mm to 2 mm, 0.25 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

In use, an article 1 described herein may be inserted into a non-combustible aerosol providing device, such as device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 8-12 . At least a portion of the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 protrudes from the non-combustible aerosol providing device 100 and can be placed in a user's mouth. The aerosol is generated by heating the aerosol-generating substance 3 using the device 100 . The aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substance 3 passes through the mouthpiece 2 and into the mouth of the user.

Article 1 described herein has certain advantages when used in conjunction with a non-combustible aerosol providing device such as, for example, device 100 described with reference to FIGS. 8-12 . In particular, it has been surprisingly found that the first tubular element 4 formed from a filamentary tow has a significant influence on the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 . For example, when a hollow tubular element 4 formed from filament tow is wrapped in an outer wrapper, for example tipping paper 5, the outer surface of the outer wrapper is considered to reach a maximum temperature of less than 42° C. during use. Turns out. less than 40°C and more preferably less than 38°C or less than 36°C.

Example

Test Method A

In the following examples, the filling value of plant material was measured according to the following process.

A 15 g sample of plant material was deposited into the 60 mm diameter cylinder of the density meter and then the plant material was compressed with a 1 kg piston for 30 seconds. The moisture content of the sample was measured as well as the height of the piston in the density meter. The filling value of the sample was calculated according to the following equation.

The volume occupied by the plant material when compressed was determined using Equation 1 below:

[Equation 1]

r = radius of cylinder (cm)

h = measured height

The filling value was then determined using the measured volume and mass of the plant material according to Equation 2 below:

[Equation 2]

The fill value was corrected to account for its moisture content using Equation 3 below:

[Equation 3]

Fv ₀ = filling value at moisture content M _o %

FV = Filling value determined at moisture content M % (cm 3 /10 g)

M _o = 13.5% (target moisture content)

M = actual water content of the plant material (%)

0.8 = constant

Moisture content (oven volatiles) is measured as mass loss when samples are dried in a forced air oven at a temperature controlled at 110° C. ± 1° C. for 3 hours ± 0.5 minutes. After drying, cool the sample by cooling it to room temperature in a desiccator for about 30 minutes.

Example 1

A selection of aerosol-generating substances was prepared and these are presented in Table 1. Each material included glycerol in an amount of 15% by weight of the material and flavoring 2% by weight of the material. The filling value of the bulking material (DIET) was 7.3 mL/g at 12.5% moisture.

Table 1

A selection of articles for use in the non-combustible aerosol delivery system were prepared using the aerosol-generating materials listed in Table 1. The properties of these articles are presented in Table 2. Hardness was measured using a Sodimat device.

Table 2

Table 2 shows that aerosol-generating material comprising expanded tobacco material can be introduced into an article at a lower weight than an aerosol-generating material that does not contain expanded tobacco material but does not significantly adversely affect the hardness of the aerosol-generating section of the article. indicates In addition, the inclusion of relatively high levels of expanded tobacco material did not adversely affect the sensory (eg organoleptic) properties of the aerosol-generating material when aerosolized.

Example 2

Two amorphous solids, Amorphous Solid A and Amorphous Solid B, were prepared by forming a slurry of ingredients in water, curing the slurry, drying the slurry to form a sheet, and then crushing the sheet.

Amorphous Solid A comprised an alginate/pectin mixture (26.2%), glycerol (15.4%), cellulosic fibers (20%) and menthol (38.4%). The slurry was cured by spraying calcium lactate on its surface.

Amorphous Solid B contained alginate (24%), pectin (6%), cellulosic fibers (10%) and glycerol (60%).

A selection of articles for use in the non-combustible aerosol-providing system can be made comprising aerosol-generating materials including amorphous solids A or amorphous solids B and DIET, such as those listed in Table 3.

Table 3

Compared to Comparative Articles, amorphous Solids A and B would be expected to enhance the sensory properties of an aerosol produced by an aerosol-generating material when heated in a non-combustible aerosol-providing device. In addition, the article is expected to exhibit acceptable robustness.

To address various problems and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure illustrates various embodiments in which the claimed invention may be practiced and may provide superior methods, devices, and treated tobacco materials and extracts therefrom. shown as The advantages and features of this disclosure are only of a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to teach and aid understanding of the claimed features. No advantage, implementation, example, function, feature, structure, and/or other aspect of the present disclosure shall be construed as a limitation to the present disclosure as defined by the claims or to the equivalents of the claims, and However, other implementations may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the present disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably include, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, and the like. In addition, this disclosure covers other inventions not currently claimed that may be claimed in the future.

Claims (56)

An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the article comprising an aerosol-generating material made from one or more botanical materials, at least one of which has a concentration greater than about 6 mL/g. An article that has a fill value. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating material is prepared from the composition, the composition comprising one or more plant materials, wherein the one or more plant materials having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g is about 1 part of the composition % to about 30% by weight or about 5% to about 25% by weight. 3. The article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the botanical materials is an expanded botanical material. 4. The article according to claim 3, wherein the expanded plant material is expanded lamina and/or expanded stem tobacco. 5. The article of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plant materials has a fill value of less than about 6 mL/g. 6. The article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the plant materials has a filling value of about 4 mL/g to 6 mL/g. 7 . The article according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plant materials is paper reconstituted plant material. 8. The article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the plant materials is laminar tobacco. 9. The article of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises an aerosol former in an amount of at least about 10% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. 10. The article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the aerosol-generating material consists of a composition comprising at least one plant material. 11. An article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the article comprises an aerosol-generating section comprising an aerosol-generating material. 12. The article of claim 11, wherein the aerosol-generating section comprises a wrapper surrounding the aerosol-generating material. 13. The article of claim 11 or 12, wherein the aerosol-generating section has a hardness of about 50% to 80%. 14. The article according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the pressure drop across the aerosol-generating section is from about 35 to about 70 mm Wg. 15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein at least one of the plant materials is heated to a temperature of the first plant material to cause release of at least a portion of the fluid from the first plant material to form a second plant material. An article produced by a process comprising increasing 16. The article of claim 15, wherein the second plant material is plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the article comprising an aerosol-generating material comprising one or more plant materials, wherein at least one of the plant materials has a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g. having, goods. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plant material having a fill value of greater than about 6 mL/g is present in the aerosol-generating material from about 1% to about 30% or from about 5% to about 25% by weight of the aerosol-generating material. Article, present in % amount. 19. The article of any one of claims 1-18, wherein the article comprises the aerosol-generating substance in an amount from about 200 mg to about 400 mg. 20. The article of any one of claims 1-19, wherein the aerosol-generating material has a fill value of about 2 mL/g to about 10 mL/g. 21. An article according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the article comprises an aerosol-generating section defining a continuous volume, wherein the volume is substantially filled with an aerosol-generating substance. 22. The article of claim 21 having a volume of about 100 mm3 to about 1500 mm3. An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system, the article comprising: increasing the temperature of a second plant material to cause release of at least a portion of a fluid from the second plant material to form the first plant material; An article comprising an aerosol-generating material comprising a first plant material produced by a process comprising: 24. The article of claim 23, wherein the process is an expansion process. 25. The article according to any preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid. 26. The article of claim 25, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight. 27. The method of claim 25 or 26, wherein the aerosol-generating material is an amorphous solid in an amount of about 5% to about 30% by weight, a charge greater than about 6 mL/sec in an amount of about 1% to about 30% by weight An article comprising plant material having a value, and tobacco material comprising lamina tobacco and/or reconstituted tobacco in an amount of up to about 70% by weight. 28. The method of any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein the amorphous solid is
1 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent; and
0.1 to 80% by weight of an aerosol former. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the amorphous solid is
0.1 to 80% flavor and/or active substance. 30. The method of claim 28 or 29, wherein the amorphous solid is
0 to 50% by weight of a filler. 31. The article of any one of claims 1-30, wherein the plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g has a water content of about 8% to about 15%. 32. The article according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the fill value is determined according to Test Method A. A method for manufacturing an article for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery system, the method comprising:
combining two or more plant materials to form an aerosol-generating material, at least one of the plant materials having a fill value of at least about 6 mL/g; and
Wrapping the aerosol-generating material with a wrapper to form a rod of aerosol-generating material. A method for manufacturing an article for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery system, the method comprising:
increasing the temperature of the plant material to cause release of at least a portion of the fluid from the plant material to form an expanded plant material; and
wrapping the aerosol-generating material comprising the expanded plant material with a wrapper to form an aerosol-generating material. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the method
impregnating the plant material with a fluid to form an impregnated plant material;
increasing the temperature of the impregnated plant material to cause release of at least a portion of the fluid from the plant material to form an expanded plant material. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein impregnating the plant material is performed at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. 37. The method according to any one of claims 34 to 36, wherein the expanded plant material has a higher filling value than the plant material prior to the treatment process. 38. The method according to any one of claims 35 to 37, wherein the step of impregnating the plant material is performed at a temperature below 0 °C. 39. The method of any one of claims 35 to 38, wherein the temperature of the impregnated plant material is increased to a temperature of about 250 °C to about 400 °C, about 290 °C to about 350 °C or about 200 °C to about 240 °C, method. 40. The method of any one of claims 35-39, wherein the fluid is a liquid. 41. The method of any one of claims 34 to 40, wherein the expanded plant material is combined with at least one other plant material to form the aerosol-generating material. 42. The method according to any one of claims 33 to 41, wherein the method comprises adding an aerosol former to the plant material. 43. A method according to any one of claims 33 to 42, wherein the article is any of the articles as defined in claims 1 to 24. 44. A method according to any one of claims 33 to 43, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises an amorphous solid according to any one of claims 25 to 28. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the amorphous solid is a shredded sheet. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the crushed sheet of amorphous solid is blended with the plant material. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the amorphous solid is in the form of a sheet and the method comprises enclosing at least a portion of the vegetable material with the sheet of amorphous solid. An article for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery system prepared according to a method according to any one of claims 33 to 47. A non-combustible aerosol-dispensing system comprising an article according to any one of claims 1 to 30 or 48 and a non-combustible aerosol-dispensing device. Use of a plant material having a fill value greater than about 6 mL/g in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery system. Use of a plant material produced by a swelling process in an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol-providing system. 51. Use according to claim 41 or 50, wherein the article is a rod and the plant material is surrounded by a wrapper. 53. The use according to claim 50 or 52, wherein the article is an electrically heated article. 54. The use of claim 53, wherein the electrically heated article is heated in an electrically operated aerosol-generating device comprising an aerosol generator. 55. The use of claim 54, wherein the aerosol generator supplies heat to the aerosol-generating material and volatilizes at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material. 56. Use according to any one of claims 50 to 55, comprising insertion of an article into and removal of the article from the electrically heated aerosol-generating system.

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