RU2806078C2 - Mouthpiece for product intended for use in aerosol-generating system and product intended for use in aerosol-generating system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aerosol generating systems.

SUBSTANCE: mouthpiece for an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system and article intended for use in an aerosol generating system. The effect is achieved by the fact that the mouthpiece for a product intended for use in an aerosol-generating system contains an element of material located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece, and said element has a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and contains a fibrous material and a plasticizer, and the total denier of the fibrous material per mm² of the cross section of the element is less than 720 g/9000 m and at least 400 g/9000 m, while the content of the plasticizer is from 8 to 13% of the mass of the element from the material, and the pressure drop across the length of the element is from 1.05 to 1.70 mm H₂O per mm of the length of the element, as well as the technical result is achieved by a product containing such a mouthpiece.

EFFECT: possibility of providing improved delivery of aerosol-modifying additives.

18 cl, 4 dwg, 2 tbl

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The present invention relates to a mouthpiece for an article for use in an aerosol generating system and an article for use in an aerosol generating system.

State of the art

Known aerosol-generating systems, such as cigarettes, typically include a mouthpiece including a section that serves to change a certain characteristic of the aerosol passing through it, for example, by filtering to remove constituents of the aerosol. The mouthpiece may be made in the form of a single section or may contain several sections.

Disclosure of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a mouthpiece for an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system is disclosed, comprising an element of material located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece, said element having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and comprising a fibrous material, wherein the total denier of the fibrous material per mm2 of cross-section of the element is less than about 720 g/9000 m, and the pressure drop along the length of the element of the material is from about 1.05 to 1.70 mm water. Art. per mm of element length.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an article is disclosed for use in an aerosol generating system, comprising a mouthpiece according to the above first aspect and a rod of an aerosol generating material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a mouthpiece for an article for use in a combustion aerosol generating system, comprising a material element located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece and a tubular element located upstream of the material element and made of a fiber tow. extending along the longitudinal portion of the mouthpiece from a location less than about 12 mm from the outlet end of the mouthpiece to a location greater than about 12 mm from the outlet end of the mouthpiece.

Brief description of drawings

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system and comprising a mouthpiece including a material element located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece and an additional mouthpiece section located upstream of the material element;

in fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system and comprising a mouthpiece, in this example including first and second additional mouthpiece sections located upstream of the material element;

in fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system and containing a mouthpiece, in this example including a section containing an adsorbent; And

in fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system and comprising a mouthpiece, in this example including a tubular element.

Carrying out the invention

As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to cover a variety of systems used to deliver a substance to a user and includes:

combustion aerosol-generating systems such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars and pipe tobacco, roll-your-own or homemade cigarettes (based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, blasted tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smoking materials);

non-combustion aerosol generating systems that release substances from aerosolizable material without burning the aerosolizable material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating devices and hybrid systems for generating aerosol using combinations of aerosolizable materials;

articles containing aerosolizable material and configured for use as part of one of such non-combustion aerosol-generating systems; And

non-aerosol delivery systems, such as tablets, chewing gums, patches, products containing inhalable powders, and smokeless tobacco products, such as snus and snuff, that deliver a substance to the user without generating an aerosol, which substance may or may not contain nicotine .

In the context of the present invention, a "combustion" aerosol generating system is considered to be a system in which the aerosolizable material constituent of the aerosol generating system (or components thereof) is burned for delivery to the user.

In the context of the present invention, a “non-combustion” aerosol generation system is considered to be a system in which the constituent aerosolizable material of the aerosol generation system (or components thereof) is not burned for delivery to the user.

In embodiments of the invention described herein, the delivery system may be either a combustion or non-combustion aerosol generating system, such as a non-combustion powered aerosol generating system.

The non-combustion aerosol generating system described herein may be an electronic cigarette, also referred to as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosolized material is not required.

The non-combustion aerosol generating system described herein may be a tobacco heating system, also referred to as a non-combustion heating system.

The non-combustion aerosol generating system described herein may also be a hybrid aerosol generating system using combinations of aerosolizable materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosolizable materials may be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel, for example, and may or may not contain nicotine. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the hybrid system contains a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may contain, for example, a tobacco or non-tobacco product.

Typically, a non-combustion aerosol generating system may comprise a non-combustion aerosol generating device and an article for use with the aerosol generating system. However, it is contemplated that articles that themselves contain means for driving an aerosol-generating component can themselves form an aerosol-generating system without combustion.

The non-combustion aerosol generating device may comprise a power source and a controller. The energy source may be an electrical energy source or an exothermic energy source. The exothermic energy source contains a carbon substrate that can be activated to supply energy in the form of heat to the aerosolizable material or heat transfer material in the vicinity of the exothermic energy source. An energy source, such as an exothermic energy source, is provided in the article to form an aerosol generating system without combustion.

In one possible embodiment of the invention, an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol generating device may comprise an aerosolizable material, an aerosol generating component, an aerosol generating area, a mouthpiece and/or an area for accommodating the aerosolizable material.

In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the aerosol generating component is a heater configured to interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatiles from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the aerosol generating component may generate an aerosol from the aerosolized material without heating. For example, the aerosol generating component may be configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without heating the aerosolizable material, for example, through one or more vibration, mechanical, pressure, or electrostatic means.

In one possible embodiment of the invention, the aerosolizable material may contain an active material, an aerosol-forming material and, if necessary, one or more functional materials. The active material may contain nicotine (optionally found in tobacco or its derivatives) or one or more other non-odorous physiologically active substances. An odorless physiologically active substance is a substance included in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological response other than olfactory perception.

The aerosol-forming material may contain one or more of the following substances, namely: glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillin, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetate glycerin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid and propylene carbonate.

The one or more functional materials may contain one or more of the following, namely: flavors, carriers, pH adjusters, stabilizers and/or antioxidants.

In one possible embodiment of the invention, an article intended for use with a non-combustion aerosol generating device may comprise an aerosolizable material or an area for accommodating the aerosolizable material. In one possible embodiment of the invention, an article intended for use with a non-combustion aerosol generating device may include a mouthpiece. The area for placing the aerosolizable material may be an insertion area for inserting the aerosolizable material. For example, the insertion area may be a container. In one of the possible embodiments of the invention, the area for receiving aerosolized material can be made separate from the aerosol generation area or combined with it.

An aerosolizable material, also called an aerosol-generating material, is a material capable of generating an aerosol, for example, when heated, irradiated, or otherwise activated. The aerosolizable material may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine and/or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may be an "amorphous solid", also referred to as a "monolithic solid", i.e. non-fibrous solid. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of holding some fluid, such as a liquid, within itself. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may comprise, for example, from about 50, 60, or 70% by weight of an amorphous solid to 90, 95, or 100% by weight of an amorphous solid.

Aerosolizable material may be present on the substrate. The substrate may be made, for example, from or contain paper, construction paper, cardboard, paperboard, recovered aerosolizable material, plastic, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal or metal alloy.

An aerosol modifying agent is a substance that is capable of modifying an aerosol when used. This agent can modify the aerosol in such a way as to create a physiological effect on the human body or create sensations in a person. Examples of aerosol modifying agents are flavors and sensate materials. The sensation-producing material produces a sensory effect, such as a cold sensation or a sour taste, that can be perceived by the human senses.

Products having, for example, a rod shape and their formats are often designated according to the length of the product, namely: “standard” (length typically 68–75 mm, for example approximately 68 to 72 mm), “short” or "mini" (68 mm or less), "long" (typically 75–91 mm, such as approximately 79 to 88 mm), "extra long" or "super long" (typically 91–105 mm, e.g., approximately 94 to 101 mm) and "extra long" (typically approximately 110 to 121 mm).

In addition, names are assigned to them depending on the circumference of the product: “standard” (approximately 23–25 mm), “thick” (more than 25 mm), “thin” (approximately 22–23 mm), “semi-thin” (approximately 19 –22 mm), “super thin” (approximately 16–19 mm) and “micro thin” (less than approximately 16 mm).

Accordingly, the long super thin format product may have a length of, for example, approximately 83 mm and a circumference of approximately 17 mm.

Each product format can be manufactured with mouthpieces of different lengths. The length of the mouthpiece is approximately 10 to 50 mm, for example 15 to 35 mm. The rim paper connects the mouthpiece to the aerosol generating material and is typically longer than the mouthpiece (e.g. 3-15 mm or 3-12 mm longer) such that the rim paper covers the mouthpiece and overlaps the aerosol generating material, e.g. in the form of a rod of substrate material to connect the mouthpiece to the rod.

The products described herein, their aerosol generating materials, and mouthpieces may be manufactured in any of the above formats, without limitation.

As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative expressions defined with respect to the direction of movement of the main stream of aerosol drawn through the article or device during use.

The fibrous material described herein may be a tow of cellulose acetate fiber. The tow can also be made from other materials used to create fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1,4-butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate) -coterephthalate) (PBAT), starchy materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials and polysaccharide polymers or combinations thereof. The tow may be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for the tow, such as triacetin, the material being cellulose acetate tow, or the tow may be unplasticized. The tow may have any suitable characteristics, for example: the fiber may have a Y-shape or other cross-sectional shape such as an X-shape, the denier per filament may be from 1.5 to 12 denier per filament, for example from 7 to 10 denier per thread, and the "total denier" figure can be from 5000 to 50000, for example from 10000 to 40000.

As used herein, the term “tobacco material” is used to refer to any material containing tobacco, its derivatives or substitutes. The tobacco material may include one or more varieties of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, blasted tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may contain one or more of the following components, namely: ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, blasted tobacco, tobacco stem, tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco and/or tobacco extract.

As used herein, the terms “flavor” and “flavoring” refer to substances that (to the extent permitted by local regulations) may be used to create the desired taste or aroma of a product for adult consumers. One or more flavoring agents may be used in the aerosol modifying agent described herein.

These may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berries, peach, apple, Drambuie whiskey, bourbon, scotch whiskey, american whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, cumin, French cognac, jasmine, allspice, sage, fennel, allspice, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee or mint oil of any type of mint family), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor inhibitors, taste bud activators or stimulants, sugar and/or sweeteners ( for example, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, mineral supplements, herbal extracts or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or mixtures thereof. They can be used in any available form, such as oil, liquid or powder.

In the accompanying drawings, the same, equivalent or similar elements or components are designated by the same reference numerals.

In fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an article 1 intended for use in an aerosol generating system. In this case, product 1 is a cigarette.

Article 1 includes a mouthpiece 2 and a cylindrical rod 3 of an aerosol-generating material (in this case, tobacco material) connected to the mouthpiece 2. The aerosol-generating material 3, when burned, produces an aerosol, for example, in the case where the rod 3 of the aerosol-generating material aerosol is flammable. In other embodiments, the article may be used in a non-combustion aerosol generating device to form a non-combustion aerosol generating system, or the article 1 may contain its own heat source to form an aerosol generating system without requiring a separate aerosol generating device.

The mouthpiece 2 includes a material element 4 located at the outlet end 2b of the mouthpiece. In the present embodiment, the mouthpiece 2 also includes a first additional mouthpiece section 6 located upstream of the material element 4, in this case located adjacent to and closely adjacent to the material element 4. Both the material element 4 and the first additional mouthpiece section 6 have a substantially cylindrical outer shape and a common longitudinal axis. The material element 4 has a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The material from which the element 4 is made may be substantially uniformly distributed throughout the entire volume of the material element 4, for example in relation to its density.

In the example under consideration, product 1 has an outer circumference length of about 24.5 mm (i.e., this product is “standard”). In other embodiments, the product may be made in any of the other formats described herein, for example, the length of its outer circumference may be from 15 to 25 mm. In the example under consideration, the length of the mouthpiece 2 is 22 mm. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the length of the mouthpiece may be from 15 to 35 mm. In the example under consideration, the length of the material element 4 is 7 mm, and the length of the first additional mouthpiece section 6 is 15 mm. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the length of the material element may be from about 5 mm to 10 mm, for example about 7 mm or about 8 mm, and the length of the first additional mouthpiece section 6 can be from about 7 to 20 mm, for example about 7 mm, about 8 mm, approximately 10 mm, approximately 12 mm, approximately 15 mm or approximately 20 mm.

The outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially equal to the outer circumference of the aerosol generating material rod 3, so that there is a smooth transition between these components. In the present embodiment, the outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is approximately 24.3 mm.

In use, a portion of the mouthpiece may retain components of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece, which may result in visible staining of the material in that section. In particular, at the outlet end of the mouthpiece such coloring may be visible to the user.

The element 4 of the material according to the present invention provides a reduction in staining compared to previously known mouthpieces. This can be achieved by using a fibrous material with a total denier per square millimeter of material element of less than approximately 720 g/9000 m; such bundles have less fibrous material per square millimeter of cross-section than previously known mouthpieces. In addition, the pressure drop along the length of the material element is preferably from 1.05 to 1.70 mmH2O. Art. per mm of the length of the material element, which allows the aerosol to pass through the material element without significant obstruction, while providing a sufficient amount of fibrous material to provide acceptable strength to the material element.

The total denier of fibrous material per mm ² cross-section of a material element is preferably less than 720 g/9000 m and at least 400 g/9000 m. This may provide a good compromise between relatively low levels of fibrous material per mm ² cross-section, providing only minor staining, and acceptable filter strength.

In the mouthpieces of the present invention, the fibrous material may have a density of from about 0.09 to 0.13 mg per mm ³ of said material element. The mass of fibrous material may be from 4 to 6 mg per mm of the length of said element of material.

In the example under consideration, the material element 4 is made of fiber tow. In the exemplary embodiment, the tow from which the material element 4 is made has a filament denier of 8 and a total denier of 30,000 g/9,000 m. In the exemplary embodiment, the tow comprises plasticized cellulose acetate fibers. The content of the plasticizer used in the tow is approximately 11.8% by weight of the tow. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In other embodiments of the invention, other materials and/or plasticizers may be used to form the element 4 from the material. For example, element 4 may be made of tows other than cellulose acetate, for example polylactic acid (PLA), or other tow materials specified herein, or similar materials. Preferably, the fiber tow is made of cellulose acetate. The content of the plasticizer, for example triacetin, may be from 6 to 14%, for example from 8 to 13% or from 9 to 12%. Preferably, the tow, whether made from cellulose acetate or other materials, has a denier of at least 6, more preferably at least 7, and even more preferably at least 7.5 g/9000 m. These denier values make it possible to create a tow with relatively thick, coarse fibers with less surface area, resulting in a lower pressure drop across die 2 than with lower denier tows. Preferably, in order to obtain a sufficiently homogeneous material element 4, the tow should have a denier of less than 12, preferably less than 11, even more preferably less than 10.

The total denier of the tow from which the material element 4 is made is preferably less than 35,000, more preferably less than 32,000, even more preferably less than 31,000 g/9,000 m. These total denier values make it possible to create a tow that occupies a smaller portion of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2 , which provides a lower pressure drop across tip 2 than with higher denier tows. To obtain the required strength of the material element 4, the tow should preferably have a total denier of at least 8000, more preferably at least 10000 g/9000 m. Preferably, the denier is from 5 to 12, while the total denier is from 10000 up to 25,000 g/9,000 m. More preferably, the denier is from 7.5 to 9, while the total denier is from 29,000 to 31,000 g/9,000 m. Preferably, the tow fibers have a Y-shaped cross-section, although in others In embodiments of the invention, tow fibers with a different cross-sectional shape, for example, an X-shaped cross-sectional shape or a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, with the same denier and total denier values as specified herein, can be used.

It has been found that selecting a fiber tow with the fiber denier and total denier values specified herein such that the material element has a total fiber denier per mm ² of cross section of less than 720 g/9000 m and at least 400 g/9000 m , provides good optimal fulfillment of the above-mentioned pressure drop and strength requirements, which makes it possible to create a filter section with low visible staining and a pleasant appearance for the user.

It has been found that a plasticizer content of about 9 to 13% by weight of the tow, for example about 11.8% by weight of the tow, can be used in combination with denier tow in the above range. This plasticizer content is higher than typically used and provides greater strength than products with lower plasticizer content. Triacetin can be used as a plasticizer.

The material element 4 is wrapped with a first ficelle 5. In the example considered, the density of the first ficelle 5 is from 45 to 65 g/m ² , preferably from about 50 to 60 g/m ² . Providing a first ficelle with a density in these ranges further helps to increase the stiffness of the proximal end of the filter section. Alternatively, the density of the first ficell 5 may be from 15 to 65 g/m ² , for example from approximately 20 to 40 g/m ² .

The stiffness of the material element or additional section of the mouthpiece can be measured using the following procedure. Where section stiffness is referred to herein, it is determined using the following measurement process. Any suitable device can be used to perform the measurements, for example the H10 hardness tester from Borgwaldt KS.

Stiffness is measured as the ratio of the initial height h ₀ of a material element to the height h ₁ of a material element under a certain load, expressed as a percentage of h ₀ . Thus, the rigidity can be expressed as follows:

Hardness = (h ₁ /h ₀ ) × 100

For an individual material element or a material element included in a multi-section bar, the stiffness is measured at the center point in the direction of the length of the material element.

A load bar is used to apply a specific load to a material element. The length of the load bar must be significantly greater than the length of the sample being measured. Before measuring stiffness, the material being tested is conditioned to ISO 3402 for a minimum of 48 hours and is also exposed to ISO 3402 environmental conditions during the measurement process.

To measure stiffness, a material element is placed in the H10 stiffness tester, a preload of 2 g is applied to the material element, and after 1 second the initial height h ₀ of the material element is recorded under the influence of a preload of 2 g. The preload is then removed and lowered to a sample load bar with a load of 150 g installed on it, and the lowering is carried out at a speed of 0.6 mm/s; after 5 seconds, the height h ₁ of an element made of material is recorded when exposed to a load of 150 g.

According to this methodology, the final stiffness is determined as the average of the stiffness values determined for at least 20 elements of the material or other sections of the mouthpiece.

In the example under consideration, the material element 4 and the first additional mouthpiece section 6 are connected to each other by means of a second ficell 9, which covers both of these sections. The tipping paper 8 is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece 2, as well as around a portion of the rod 3 made of an aerosol generating material, and contains an adhesive applied to the inner surface and serving to connect the mouthpiece 2 to the rod 3. In this example, the tipping paper 8 covers 5 mm length of the rod 3 of the aerosol generating material, but can alternatively span the length of the rod 3 from 3 to 15 mm, more preferably from 4 to 6 mm, to ensure reliable connection of the mouthpiece 2 with the rod 3.

Preferably, the density of the second ficelle 9 is less than 50 g/m ² , more preferably from about 20 to 40 g/m ² . Preferably, the thickness of the second ficelle 9 is from 30 to 60 μm, more preferably from 35 to 45 μm. Preferably, the second ficelle 9 is non-porous and its permeability is, for example, less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the second ficelle 9 may be porous and its permeability may be, for example, greater than 200 Coresta units.

In this example, the rod 3 of aerosol generating material is enclosed in a wrapper 10. The wrapper 10 may be, for example, a paper or paper-based foil wrapper. In the present embodiment, the wrapper 10 is substantially impermeable, but permeable wrappers may also be used. In alternative embodiments, the permeability of the wrapper 10 is preferably less than 100 Coresta units, such as less than 60 Coresta units. The permeability of the wrapper 10 can be measured in accordance with the ISO 2965:2009 standard for determining the air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter wrapper (ficella) and paper for attaching the filter to the cigarette.

The first additional mouthpiece section 6 can be made of any material specified above for the material element 4. The material from which the first additional mouthpiece section 6 is made may be substantially uniformly distributed throughout the entire volume of the section 6, for example in relation to its density. The first additional mouthpiece section 6 may be made of the same material as the material element 4 or of different materials. In the example under consideration, the first additional section 6 of the mouthpiece is also made of fiber tow. In the present embodiment, the tow used in the first additional die section 6 has a filament denier of 2 g/9000 m and a total denier of 35000 g/9000 m. The tow from which the first additional die section is made contains approximately 8% plasticizer by weight tourniquet In this case, triacetin is used as a plasticizer. In alternative embodiments of the invention, any material specified for the material element 4 may be used.

The tow from which the first additional section 6 of the mouthpiece is made, made of cellulose acetate or other materials, preferably has a denier in the range from 1.5 to 7.5 g/9000 m. Such denier values make it possible to create a tow with relatively fine fibers, which allows for a higher pressure drop per mm of the first additional mouthpiece section 6 compared to the pressure drop per mm of the material element 4. In the present embodiment, the first additional mouthpiece section 6 provides higher filtration efficiency than the material element 4.

The first additional mouthpiece section 6 is wrapped in a third ficelle 7. As stated above, preferably the third ficelle is made of the same material as the second ficelle 9. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the third ficelle 7 may have a density and thickness selected from the ranges indicated higher for the second ficella 9.

The total denier of the tow forming the first additional die section 6 is from 24,000 to 45,000 g/9,000 m. To obtain the required stiffness of the first additional die section 6, the tow should preferably have a total denier of at least 25,000, more preferably at least 30,000 g /9000 m. Preferably, the denier per filament is from 1.5 to 3 g/9000 m, while the total denier is from 30,000 to 43,000 g/9000 m. Preferably, the tow fibers have a Y-shaped cross-section, although in other embodiments of the invention, tow fibers may be used with a different cross-sectional shape, such as an X-shaped cross-sectional shape, with the same strand denier and total denier as specified herein.

Features of element 4 made of material are indicated in Table 1.0.

Table 1.0

Tourniquet Ficella, g/ ^m2 Length, mm Pressure drop, mm. water Art. Hardness,% Plasticizer content, % Harness weight 8Y30000 50 7–8 11.5 90–94 11.8 36.6

Article 1 has a ventilation level of approximately 60% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the ventilation level of the product may be from 0 to 90% of the aerosol drawn through the product, for example from 55 to 75%.

Ventilation is provided directly in the mouthpiece 2 of the product 1. In the embodiment under consideration, the product contains first and second parallel rows of perforations 12 passing through the rim material 8, the third ficelle 7 and the second ficelle 9 and providing ventilation in the first additional section 6 of the mouthpiece. In the present case, the perforations 12 are provided by laser perforation at a distance of approximately 18 to 19 mm, respectively, from the downstream outlet end 2b of the mouthpiece 2. In alternative embodiments of the invention, ventilation can be provided at other locations on the mouthpiece, for example in the element 4 of material or in the additional section of the mouthpiece, if available.

In fig. 2 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of the product 1', containing a mouthpiece 2'. The article 1' and the mouthpiece 2' are the same as the article 1 and the mouthpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1, except that the mouthpiece 2' includes a first additional mouthpiece section 6 and a second additional mouthpiece section. In this embodiment, the second additional mouthpiece section comprises a tubular member 13 made of fiber tow located upstream of and immediately adjacent to the first additional mouthpiece section 6. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the second additional mouthpiece section may include any of the options described above for the first additional mouthpiece section 6. The first additional mouthpiece section 6 may also be made of paper, for example similar to paper filters used in cigarettes. In this embodiment, the length of the second additional mouthpiece section 6 is 8 mm. In the example under consideration, the length of the mouthpiece 2 is 27 mm.

By "wall thickness" of the tubular member 13 is meant the wall thickness of the tube 13 in the radial direction. It can be measured, for example, using a caliper. Preferably, the wall thickness is more than 0.9 mm, more preferably 1.0 mm or more. Preferably, the wall thickness is substantially constant over the entire circumference of the wall of the tubular member 13. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm at any point along the circumference of the tubular member 13, more preferably 1. 0 mm or more. Preferably, the wall thickness is less than 3.0 mm, more preferably less than 2.0 mm or less. The wall thickness may be about 1.0 mm, about 1.2 mm, about 1.4 mm, or about 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the wall thickness is from about 0.9 to 1.4 mm, or from about 1.0 to 1.3 mm.

Preferably, the length of the tubular element 13 is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the tubular member 13 is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the tubular member 13 is less than about 10 mm. Alternatively or additionally, the length of the tubular element 13 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the tubular element 13 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the tubular member 13 is from about 5 to 20 mm, more preferably from about 6 to 10 mm, even more preferably from about 6 to 8 mm, most preferably from about 6 mm, 7 mm or 8 mm. In the present embodiment, the length of the tubular element 13 is 7 mm.

Preferably, the density of the tubular member 13 is at least about 0.25 g/cm ³ , more preferably at least about 0.3 g/cm ³ . Preferably, the density of the tubular member 13 is less than about 0.75 g/cm ³ , more preferably less than 0.6 g/cm ³ . In some embodiments, the density of the tubular element 13 is from 0.25 to 0.75 g/cm ³ , more preferably from 0.3 to 0.6 g/cm ³ , more preferably from 0.4 g/cm ³ to 0 .6 g/cm ³ , or approximately 0.5 g/cm ³ .

The total denier of the fiber tow forming the tubular member 13 is preferably less than 80,000, more preferably less than 75,000. Preferably, the total denier is at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the total denier of the fiber tow forming the tubular element 13, ranges from 25,000 to 58,000, more preferably from 28,000 to 40,000. Preferably, the tow fibers have a Y-shaped cross-sectional shape, although other embodiments of the invention may use tow fibers with a different cross-sectional shape, such as an X-shaped cross-sectional shape.

Preferably, the filament denier of the filament tow forming the tubular member 13 is greater than 3. This denier per filament value has been found to enable the formation of a tubular member 13 that is not too dense. Preferably, the denier per filament is at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the denier per filament of the filament tow forming the tubular element 13 is from 4 to 10, more preferably from 4 to 9. Optionally implementation of the invention, the tubular element 13 is made of a 5Y30000, 7.3Y36000, 8Y56000 or 8Y40000 cellulose acetate fiber tow containing approximately 18% of a plasticizer, for example triacetin.

Preferably, the inner diameter of the tubular element 13 is greater than 3.0 mm. More preferably, the inner diameter of the tubular member 13 is greater than 3.1 mm, even more preferably greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the inner diameter of the tubular element 13 is approximately 5.0 mm. The inner diameter of the tubular member 13 may be from approximately 3.5 to 5.2 mm, while the wall thickness is from approximately 1.0 to 1.3 mm.

Preferably, the tubular element 13 contains from 15 to 22 wt.% plasticizer. The plasticizer used for cellulose acetate fibers is preferably triacetin, although other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be used. More preferably, the tubular member 13 contains from 16 to 20 wt% plasticizer, such as about 17 wt%, about 18 wt%, or about 19 wt% plasticizer.

In the present embodiment, the tubular element 13 is made of a fiber tow, however, the tubular element can be formed in other ways, for example in the form of a paper tube made of multiple layers that are wound parallel butt-to-seam, or from spirally wound layers of paper in the form of a tube paperboard, papier-mâché, or molded, extruded or similar plastic tubing.

The hollow tubular element 13 may also be formed from dense ficelle and/or tipping paper, such as the second ficelle 9 and/or tipping paper 8 described herein, which means that a separate tubular element is not required. The dense ficella and/or tipping paper is manufactured with a rigidity sufficient to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during the manufacturing process and during use of the product 1, 1'. For example, the density of the thick ficell and/or tipping paper may be from 70 to 120 g/m ² , more preferably from 80 to 110 g/m ² . Alternatively or additionally, the thickness of the dense ficell and/or tipping paper may be from 80 to 200 microns, more preferably from 100 to 160 microns, or from 120 to 150 microns. It may be desirable for the second ficelle 9 and the tipping paper 8 to be within the above ranges to achieve an acceptable level of rigidity for the hollow tubular member 13.

The length of the rod 3 of the aerosol generating material is preferably from about 10 to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the rod 3 of aerosol generating material is preferably about 50 to 100 mm, more preferably about 55 to 95 mm.

In fig. 3 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of the product 1'', containing a mouthpiece 2''. The article 1'' and the mouthpiece 2'' are the same as the article 1' and the mouthpiece 2' shown in FIG. 2, except that the mouthpiece 2'' instead of a hollow tubular member 13 includes a section 14 containing an adsorbent.

The adsorbent containing section 14 contains granules of adsorbent material 15, for example carbon granules, distributed in the material of the adsorbent containing section 14. A suitable amount of activated carbon granules may be, for example, 40 mg, although other amounts such as 10 to 80 mg or 10 to 50 mg may be used. Section 14 containing the adsorbent is made of fiber tow, in the example under consideration - from plasticized cellulose acetate tow, as described for the first additional section 6 of the mouthpiece. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the tow from which the section containing the adsorbent is formed has a filament denier of 7.3 g/9000 m and a total denier of 33,000 g/9000 m. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the tow may have, for example, a filament denier of 3 .9 g/9000 m and a total denier of 30,000 g/9000 m, or any combination of filament denier and total denier in the range specified for the first additional die section 6. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the section 14 containing the adsorbent can be made in other forms, for example in the form of a cavity at least partially filled with the adsorbent and located between two sections or plugs of the bundle.

Section 14 containing the adsorbent is wrapped with a fourth fitella 16.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the first additional mouthpiece section 6 may contain an aerosol modifying agent located within the section. The aerosol modifying agent may be used in capsule form or, in other embodiments, in other forms, for example, as a material injected into a section, or as a material applied to a thread, for example, a thread carrying a flavoring agent or other aerosol modifying agent, which may also be placed inside the section.

In cases where the aerosol modifying agent is used in the form of a capsule, the capsule may be a frangible capsule, such as a capsule with a hard, frangible shell surrounding the liquid contents. The capsule can be completely embedded in the material of the section, i.e. completely surrounded by the material from which the section is made. In other embodiments, a plurality of rupture capsules, such as 2, 3 or more rupture capsules, may be placed within said section. The length of the section can be increased to accommodate the required number of capsules. In embodiments of the invention that use multiple capsules, the capsules may be the same or may differ from each other in size and/or content. In other embodiments of the invention, several first additional mouthpiece sections 6 may be provided, each of which may accommodate one or more capsules.

The capsule may have a contents-shell structure. In other words, the capsule may comprise a shell surrounding a liquid agent, such as a flavoring agent or other agent, which may be any of the flavoring agents or aerosol modifying agents of the present invention. The user can rupture the capsule shell to release flavor or other agent. In embodiments of the invention in which a capsule is provided, the first ficelle 5 may comprise a protective coating to render the ficelle material substantially impermeable to the liquid contents of the capsule 11. Alternatively or additionally, the second ficelle 9 and/or the tipping paper 8 may comprise a protective coating, making the material of the second ficelle and/or tipping paper substantially impermeable to the liquid contents of the capsule 11.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the capsule is spherical in shape, with a diameter of approximately 3 mm. In other embodiments of the invention, the capsule may have other shapes and sizes. The total capsule weight may range from approximately 10 to 50 mg.

The capsule may be positioned at the center of the first additional mouthpiece section in a longitudinal direction. Thus, the capsule is positioned such that its center is equidistant from each edge of the first additional mouthpiece section. In other embodiments of the invention, the capsule may be located in the first additional section of the mouthpiece not in a longitudinally central position, but in other positions, i.e. closer to the downstream end of the first additional mouthpiece section than to the upstream end, or closer to the upstream end of the first additional mouthpiece section than to the downstream end. Preferably, the mouthpiece is designed in such a way that the capsule and the ventilation holes 12 in the mouthpiece are offset relative to each other in the longitudinal direction.

In some cases, the shell material (also referred to herein as encapsulating material) is brittle. The user crushes or otherwise breaks the capsule to release the encapsulated aerosol modifier. As a rule, the capsule is destroyed immediately before smoking, but the user can choose a different time for releasing the aerosol modifier. The term "frustible capsule" refers to a capsule whose shell can be ruptured by applying pressure to release the contents; more specifically, the shell can be ruptured by pressure exerted by the user's fingers when the user wishes to release the contents of the capsule.

In some cases, the shell material is heat resistant. That is, in some cases, the shell material will not rupture, melt, or otherwise be destroyed by the temperature encountered at the capsule location during operation of the aerosol generating device. For example, the capsule located in the mouthpiece may be exposed to a temperature of from about 30 to 100°C, and the shell material may continue to retain the liquid contents to a temperature of at least about 50 to 120°C.

In other embodiments, the capsule may release its contents when heated, for example by melting the protective material or by swelling of the capsule causing the protective material to rupture.

The total capsule weight may be from about 1 to 100 mg, in some cases from about 5 to 60 mg, about 8 to 50 mg, about 10 to 20 mg, or about 12 to 18 mg.

The total weight of the capsule contents may be from about 2 to 90 mg, in some cases from about 3 to 70 mg, from about 5 to 25 mg, from about 8 to 30 mg, or from about 10 to 25 mg.

As stated above, the capsule according to the present invention includes a content and a shell. The capsule crush strength may be from about 4.5 to 40 N, more preferably from about 5 to 30 N, or up to 28 N (eg, from about 9.8 to 24.5 N). The tensile strength of the capsule can be determined by removing the capsule from the material element 4 and using a dynamometer to determine the force at which the capsule will burst when compressed between two flat metal plates. A suitable measuring device is the Sauter FK50 flat head dynamometer, which can be used to crush the capsule on a flat hard surface similar to the surface of the flat head.

The capsule may have a substantially spherical shape and its diameter may be at least about 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2. 8 mm or 3.0 mm. The capsule diameter may be less than about 10.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.8 mm or 3.6 mm. For example, the diameter of the capsule may be from about 0.4 to 10.0 mm, from about 0.8 to 6.0 mm, from about 2.5 to 5.5 mm, or from about 2.8 to 3.7 mm. In some cases, the capsule may have a diameter of approximately 3.0 mm or 3.5 mm. These dimensions of the capsule are excellent for placement within the article according to the present invention.

In fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another article 1''' intended for use in an aerosol generating system. Product 1''' includes mouthpiece 2'''. In the present embodiment, the product 1''' is a cigarette.

The article 1''' and the mouthpiece 2''' are the same as the article 1' and the mouthpiece 2' shown in FIG. 2, except that product 1''' in FIG. 4 is intended for use in a combustion aerosol generating system, and a second additional mouthpiece section containing a tubular element 13 is located immediately upstream of and adjacent to the material element 4, with a first additional filter section 6 located immediately upstream from the tubular element 13 and adjacent to it.

The mouthpiece 2''' shown in FIG. 4, comprises a material element 4 located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece 2''', and a tubular element 13 located upstream of the material element 4, made of a fiber tow and extending along the longitudinal part of the mouthpiece 2''' from the point located at a distance of less than about 12 mm from the outlet end of the mouthpiece 2''', to a place located at a distance of more than about 12 mm from the outlet end of the mouthpiece 2'''.

Placing the second additional mouthpiece section immediately upstream of the material element 4 results in the second additional mouthpiece section being located below the location in which the user typically holds the article. It has been found that placing a second additional mouthpiece section at this location and in the form of a tubular member 13 can provide an improved feel for the user holding the product while providing a more traditional appearance at the outlet end of the device.

The stiffness of the tubular member 13, measured according to the method of the present invention, may be greater than 85%. Preferably, the stiffness of the tubular element may be from 85 to 95%, more preferably from about 90 to 95%.

The tubular member 13 may extend from a location located approximately 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm from the outlet end of the mouthpiece. Preferably, the tubular member extends from a location less than about 8.5 mm from the end of the mouthpiece, or more preferably, from a location less than about 8 mm from the end of the mouthpiece. The tubular member 13 may extend from a location less than about 9 mm from the end of the mouthpiece to a location greater than about 15 mm from the end of the mouthpiece.

Preferably, the tubular member 13 extends to a location greater than about 13 mm, or more preferably greater than about 14 mm, from the end of the mouthpiece.

Perforations 12 passing through the rim material 8, the third ficell 7 and the second ficell 9 provide ventilation in the first additional section 6 of the mouthpiece.

In alternative embodiments, any of the above-described mouthpiece sections 4, 6, 13, 14 of the present invention may be provided in the mouthpiece together with any other above-described mouthpiece section. The first additional mouthpiece section 6 and the second additional mouthpiece section can be located at any location in the longitudinal direction of the rod 3. Preferably, the material element 4 is located in the downstream position to form the outlet mouthpiece section.

The parameters of the example products containing additional sections in addition to element 4 of the material are given in Table 2.0. The circumference of the mouthpieces is 24.30 mm. All exemplary products containing additional sections, as shown in Table 2.0, also contain an element 4 of material, the length of which can be from 7 to 8 mm. The first additional mouthpiece section of any of the exemplified products in Table 2.0 may alternatively be formed from 7.3X36,000 denier tow. The cellulose acetate tubular sections shown in Table 2.0 may be the tubular member 13 according to the present invention.

In order to address various issues and improve technology, the present invention discusses various possible embodiments that provide the ability to provide improved delivery of aerosol modifying additives. The advantages and features of the present invention relate only to the embodiments discussed and are not exhaustive and/or limiting. They are discussed only for the purpose of facilitating understanding and demonstrating the claimed distinctive features. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and/or other aspects of the present invention do not in any way limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the claims below or restrictions on the equivalents of these claims, and that may Other embodiments of the invention may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims and/or spirit of the invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist entirely of, or essentially consist of various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, operations, means, etc. In addition, this specification includes other inventions not presently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (18)

1. A mouthpiece for an article intended for use in an aerosol generating system, comprising an element of material located at the outlet end of the mouthpiece, said element having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and containing a fibrous material and a plasticizer, wherein the total denier of the fibrous material per mm ² of the element cross-section is less than 720 g/9000 m and at least 400 g/9000 m, the plasticizer content is from 8 to 13% of the mass of the element material, and the pressure drop along the length of the element is from 1.05 to 1.70 mm water. Art. per mm of element length. 2. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, in which the density of the fibrous material of the specified element is from 0.09 to 0.13 mg/mm ³ . 3. The mouthpiece according to claim 1 or 2, in which the mass of fibrous material per mm of the length of the specified element is from 4 to 6 mg. 4. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, wherein the total denier of the fibrous material per mm ² of element cross-section is less than 700 g/9000 m, or less than 675 g/9000 m, or less than 650 g/9000 m. 5. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, in which the denier per thread of the fibrous material is from 6 to 12, or from 7 to 10, or from 7.5 to 9. 6. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, in which the total denier of the fibrous filter material is from 25000 g/9000 m to 35000 g/9000 m, or from 28000 g/9000 m to 32000 g/9000 m, or from 29000 g/9000 m to 31000 g/ 9000 m. 7. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–6, in which the plasticizer content is from 10 to 12% of the mass of the material element. 8. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–7, in which the element of the material is wrapped in ficelle, the density of said ficelle being from 20 to 65 g/ ^m2 , or from 45 to 65 g/ ^m2 , or from 50 to 60 g/ ^m2 . 9. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–8, whose circumference is from 16 to 23 mm or from 23 to 25 mm. 10. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9, which contains at least one additional section located upstream of the material element. 11. The mouthpiece according to claim 10, in which at least one additional section contains a section made of cellulose acetate tow. 12. The mouthpiece of claim 10 or 11, wherein at least one additional section comprises a hollow tubular section. 13. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 10-12, wherein at least one additional section contains particulate absorbent material. 14. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–13, in which the rigidity at a place located at a distance of 3 mm from the output end of the mouthpiece is from 90 to 99%. 15. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–14, which is wrapped in ficell with a density of 20 to 35 g/ ^m2 . 16. Mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–15, which is for an article intended for use in a combustion aerosol generating system. 17. The mouthpiece of claim 16, wherein said combustion aerosol generating system is a cigarette or cigarillo. 18. A product intended for use in an aerosol-generating system and containing a mouthpiece according to any one of paragraphs. 1–17 and a rod made of aerosol-generating material.