TW202241293A - An aerosol generating article and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol generating article (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) for use with an aerosol generating device (102) comprises a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate (14), at least one airflow channel (16) extending along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate (14), and an inductively heatable susceptor (40) positioned in the aerosol generating substrate (14). The aerosol generating article can optionally include a wrapping member (22) surrounding the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate (14) and the at least one airflow channel (16). Methods of manufacturing the aerosol generating article are also described.

Description

Aerosol-generating articles and methods of making the same

The present disclosure relates generally to aerosol-generating articles, and more particularly to aerosol-generating articles for use with aerosol-generating devices that heat the aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a method of making an aerosol-generating article. The present disclosure is particularly applicable to aerosol-generating articles for use with portable (hand-held) aerosol-generating devices.

The popularity and use of risk-reduced or risk-modified devices (also known as aerosol-generating devices or vapor-generating devices) as an alternative to the use of traditional tobacco products has grown rapidly in recent years. Various devices and systems are available that heat or warm an aerosol-generating substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

Commonly used risk-reduced or risk-modified devices are aerosol-generating devices with heated substrates or so-called heat-not-burn devices. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol-generating substrate to a temperature typically in the range of 150°C to 300°C. Heating the aerosol-generating substrate to a temperature within this range without burning or burning the aerosol-generating substrate generates a vapor that typically cools and condenses to form an aerosol that is inhaled by the user of the device.

Currently available aerosol-generating devices can use one of a number of different methods to provide heat to the aerosol-generating substrate. One such approach is to provide an aerosol generating device employing an induction heating system. In such a device, an induction coil is provided in the device and an inductively heatable susceptor is provided to heat the aerosol-generating substrate. When the user activates the device, power is supplied to the induction coil, which in turn generates an alternating electromagnetic field. The susceptor is coupled to the electromagnetic field and generates heat that is transferred to the aerosol-generating substrate, eg, by one or more of conduction, radiation, and convection, and generates an aerosol when the aerosol-generating substrate is heated.

The characteristics of the aerosol generated by an aerosol-generating device depend on many factors, including the configuration of the aerosol-generating article used with the aerosol-generating device. It is therefore desirable to provide an aerosol-generating article which optimizes the properties of the aerosol generated during use of the article and which at the same time is easy to use in conjunction with an aerosol-generating device.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol-generating article for use with an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating article comprising: a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate; at least one gas flow channel extending along the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate; and An inductively heatable susceptor located in the aerosol-generating substrate.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article according to the first aspect, the method comprising: providing a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate; positioning an inductively heatable susceptor in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate; and At least one gas flow channel is formed in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article according to the first aspect, the method comprising: Provides a susceptor that can be heated inductively; forming a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate around the inductively heatable susceptor; and At least one gas flow channel is formed in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate.

The aerosol-generating article is used with an aerosol-generating device for heating the aerosol-generating substrate rather than burning the aerosol-generating substrate to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol-generating substrate and thereby generate heated vapor, The heated vapor cools and condenses to form an aerosol that is inhaled by a user of the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol generating device is a palm-type portable device.

In general, a vapor is a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical temperature, which means that the vapor can condense into a liquid by increasing its pressure without lowering the temperature, while an aerosol is a fine solid particle or liquid droplet Suspended matter in air or another gas. It should be noted, however, that the terms 'aerosol' and 'vapour' may be used interchangeably in this specification, particularly in relation to the form of inhalable medium produced for inhalation by a user.

During use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating substrate is rapidly and efficiently heated by the inductively heatable susceptor, thereby providing efficient and reliable vapor generation. The at least one airflow channel ensures that vapor and/or aerosol generated during use of the aerosol-generating article can be easily directed to a location where it can be inhaled by the user.

The aerosol-generating article may include a distal end, a proximal end (or mouthpiece end), and a longitudinal axis that may extend between the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal end is located at the end of the aerosol-generating article opposite the distal end. More specifically, the proximal end is located downstream of the distal end with respect to the direction of air flow through the aerosol-generating article, for example during use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device. The at least one airflow channel may extend in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. During use of the aerosol-generating article, air flows along the at least one airflow channel from the distal end to the proximal end, thereby ensuring that a maximum amount of volatile components are released from the heated aerosol as the air flows along the airflow channel. The resulting matrix is released into the air. This in turn ensures that the maximum possible amount of vapor and/or aerosol is generated and delivered to the user during use of the aerosol-generating article.

The at least one airflow channel may include at least one groove. The at least one groove may be formed in a surface of the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate. The at least one groove can be readily formed during the manufacture of the aerosol-generating article, for example by pressing the surface of the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate.

The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise a plurality of said grooves. The grooves may be arranged side by side, eg to form a grooved surface. By providing a plurality of grooves, an increased amount of vapor and/or aerosol can be generated and delivered to a user during use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device.

The at least one airflow channel may comprise at least one airflow passage formed within the aerosol-generating substrate. Airflow channels can be easily formed during manufacture of the aerosol-generating article. In addition, since the airflow path is completely surrounded by the aerosol-generating substrate, as the air flows along the airflow path, the maximum amount of volatile components can be released into the air from the heated aerosol-generating substrate, thereby ensuring that the aerosol The generating article generates the maximum possible amount of vapor and/or aerosol during use in the aerosol generating device and delivers it to the user.

In one example, a single gas flow passage may be formed within the aerosol-generating substrate, eg, at a substantially central location within a cross-section of the aerosol-generating substrate. In another example, a plurality of airflow passages may be formed inside the aerosol-generating substrate, and the airflow passages may be arranged side by side, for example, in a second direction (longitudinal direction) perpendicular to the first direction. By providing multiple airflow paths, increased vapor and/or aerosol volumes can be generated and delivered to a user during use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device.

The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise a plurality of aerosol-generating strips. The aerosol-generating strip may extend in a first direction (eg, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis) and may be intermittently arranged in a second direction, the first direction being substantially perpendicular to the second direction. The aerosol-generating article may include a plurality of said airflow channels, and one of said airflow channels may be formed between each pair of intermittently arranged aerosol-generating strips. With this arrangement, airflow channels can be easily formed during manufacture of the aerosol-generating article, for example by spacing the aerosol-generating strips apart in the second direction to form airflow channels. Accordingly, aerosol-generating articles can be manufactured efficiently and mass-produced with relative ease.

The substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate may have a planar rectangular shape and may have a pair of major surfaces. The inductively heatable susceptor can be substantially planar and can be substantially parallel to the major surface. With this arrangement, heat can be efficiently transferred from the inductively heatable susceptor to the aerosol-generating substrate.

The at least one airflow channel may be formed in the first major surface, and the substantially planar inductively heatable susceptor is located in the aerosol-generating substrate closer to the second major surface than the first major surface. This allows efficient heating of the aerosol-generating substrate, especially since the inductively heatable susceptor is located within a large part of the aerosol-generating substrate, allowing it to be heated by conduction.

Discontinuities or holes may be included in the inductively heatable susceptor. For example, an inductively heatable susceptor may comprise a mesh. The point of discontinuity can allow vapor and/or aerosol to flow easily through the susceptor that can be heated inductively and reach this at least one airflow channel, thereby guarantee to produce acceptable vapor amount and/or aerosol amount and pass through this at least one airflow channel to deliver to users.

As used herein, the term "mesh" includes grids and arrays of susceptor elements such as filaments with spaces therebetween. The web may be a uniform susceptor web or may be a non-uniform susceptor web. As used herein, the term "uniform susceptor web" refers to a susceptor web having a uniform thickness and uniform spacing of susceptor elements throughout the web. As used herein, the term "non-uniform susceptor web" refers to susceptor elements having non-uniform (i.e., variable) thickness and/or non-uniform (i.e., variable) spacing or pitch throughout the web network of receptors. The use of a non-uniform susceptor web may allow controlled heating of the aerosol-generating substrate during use in an aerosol-generating device.

The non-uniform susceptor web may include a first susceptor element having a first thickness and may include a second susceptor element having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The use of a non-uniform susceptor web may allow for controlled heating of the aerosol-generating substrate, especially since the first susceptor element may, due to the lower thermal mass of the first susceptor element, during use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device Heats up faster than the second susceptor element.

The non-uniform susceptor web may include first susceptor elements having a first pitch, and may include second susceptor elements having a second pitch that is greater than the first pitch. The use of a non-uniform susceptor web may allow for controlled heating of the aerosol-generating substrate, especially since during use of the aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device, due to the smaller spacing between the first susceptor elements (which in turn allows A greater number of first susceptor elements than second susceptor elements are provided in a given volume of the sol-generating matrix such that the first susceptor elements generate more heat than the second susceptor elements.

In a first example, a non-uniform susceptor web may be positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate with the first susceptor element adjacent to the groove. The shorter time is required due to the shorter path to the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate adjacent to the groove and the lower density (or volume) of the aerosol-generating substrate adjacent to the groove near the first susceptor element segments to generate a sufficient amount of vapor and deliver it to the grooves for the user to inhale. In other words, the preheat time or time to first suck is reduced.

In a second example, a non-uniform susceptor web may be positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate with the second susceptor element adjacent to the grooves and the first susceptor element between the grooves. More uniform heating of the aerosol-generating substrate may be achieved due to the longer path to locations between the grooves of the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate and the higher density (or volume) of the aerosol-generating substrate near the first susceptor element, The total volume of vapor generated during use of the aerosol-generating article during a predetermined period of time (eg, total inhalation time) is thereby increased.

The aerosol-generating article may further comprise a wrapping member which may surround the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate and the at least one airflow channel. By surrounding the at least one airflow channel with the wrapping member, vapor and/or aerosol generated during use of the aerosol-generating article in the aerosol-generating device flows along the at least one airflow channel inside the article and is then inhaled by the user. The formation of condensed species on the inner surfaces of the aerosol-generating device is thereby substantially eliminated or at least minimized, and this may provide numerous benefits. For example, it can be shown to reduce residue build-up within an aerosol-generating device and reduce the number of cleaning and maintenance operations that must be performed by a device user. It can also help ensure that the maximum possible amount of vapor and/or aerosol is delivered to the user, and that the vapor and/or aerosol delivered has optimal characteristics.

The substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate may have a planar rectangular shape and may have a pair of major surfaces. The wrapping member may include a pair of rectangular sheets respectively attachable to the pair of major surfaces. Due to the flat rectangular shape of the aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating article can have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The aerosol-generating substrate and the inductively heatable susceptor can be easily covered by the wrapping member, thereby ensuring that the user does not come into direct contact with the aerosol-generating substrate during handling of the aerosol-generating article. The flat rectangular shape can also facilitate packaging and storage of multiple aerosol-generating articles.

The wrapping member may comprise a substantially non-conductive and non-magnetic material, and may comprise, for example, a paper wrap. The use of paper wraps can facilitate the manufacture and handling of aerosol-generating articles and can enhance aerosol generation.

The wrapping member may have a porous inner surface that may face the aerosol-generating substrate to absorb condensate. The porous inner surface may further help ensure that the formation of condensation on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating device is substantially eliminated or at least minimized. The wrapping member may have a non-stick outer surface which may face away from the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, the wrapping member may include a release coating on the outer surface. The non-stick outer surface can help ensure that the wrapping member does not stick to the surface of the aerosol-generating device when the aerosol-generating device has been heated. The combination of the porous inner surface and the non-stick outer surface can be shown to reduce residue build-up within the aerosol-generating device, thereby reducing the number of cleaning and maintenance operations that a user of the device may have to perform.

The aerosol-generating article may comprise a support member which may form a mouth end portion of the article. The support member may have a tubular form, such as a rectangular tubular form, to receive the aerosol-generating substrate and the downstream end of the at least one gas flow channel. The support member may be self-supporting and may eg comprise cardboard or plastic material. The support member may advantageously deliver vapors and/or aerosols generated during use of the article directly to the user's mouth. The support member may allow heated vapor generated during use of the aerosol-generating article to cool and condense to form an aerosol with optimal properties for inhalation by the user.

The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise non-liquid aerosol-generating material, such as any type of solid or semi-solid material. Exemplary types of aerosol-generating solids include powders, granules, pellets, shreds, strands, particulates, gels, bars, loose leaves, cut leaves, cut tobacco, porous materials, foams, or sheets. The aerosol-generating substrate may include plant-derived materials, and may include tobacco in particular. The aerosol-generating material may advantageously comprise reconstituted tobacco, for example comprising tobacco and any one or more of cellulose fibers, tobacco stem fibers and inorganic fillers such as CaCO3.

Accordingly, an aerosol-generating device with which an aerosol-generating article is intended to be used may be referred to as a "heated tobacco device", a "heat-not-burn tobacco device", a "device for vaporizing tobacco products", etc., and such is construed as a means suitable for effecting such effects. The features disclosed herein are equally applicable to devices designed to vaporize any aerosol generating substrate.

The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise an aerosol-forming agent. Examples of aerosol formers include polyols and mixtures thereof, such as glycerol or propylene glycol. Typically, the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise an aerosol-forming agent content of between about 5% and about 50% (on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise an aerosol-forming agent content of between about 10% and about 20% (dry weight basis), and possibly about 15% (dry weight basis).

The inductively heatable susceptor may comprise metal. The metal is typically selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and carbon steel. However, the inductively heatable susceptor may comprise any suitable material including, but not limited to, one or more of aluminum, iron, nickel, stainless steel, carbon steel, and alloys thereof (eg, nickel chrome or nickel copper). By applying an electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the aerosol-generating article during use in the aerosol-generating device, the inductively heatable susceptor can generate heat due to eddy currents and hysteresis losses.

The aerosol-generating substrate releases volatile compounds when heated by an inductively heatable susceptor. Volatile compounds may include nicotine or flavor compounds, such as tobacco flavorings.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a first example of an aerosol-generating article 1 for use with an electrokinetic aerosol-generating device 102, an example of which will be described later in this specification with reference to Figure 13 . The aerosol-generating article 1 is substantially planar and has a distal end 10 and a proximal end 12 (or mouthpiece end) at opposite ends of the aerosol-generating article 1 . As indicated by the three arrows in FIG. 1 , the proximal end 12 is located downstream of the distal end 10 with respect to the direction of air flow through the aerosol-generating article 1 . The longitudinal axis extends between the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12 to define the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 1 .

The aerosol-generating article 1 comprises a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14 . The aerosol-generating substrate 14 comprises a volume or mass of aerosol-generating material and is of flat rectangular shape having a pair of oppositely disposed first and second major surfaces 14a, 14b. An aerosol-generating article 1 is a consumable or disposable article in which the aerosol-generating substrate 14 may comprise tobacco or tobacco material.

The aerosol-generating article 1 includes a plurality of airflow channels 16 which, in the example shown, include a plurality of grooves 18 formed in the first major surface 14a of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 . The grooves 18 are arranged side by side and parallel to each other, and the grooves 18 extend in a longitudinal direction between the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12 substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The grooves 18 together form a grooved surface 20 . The grooves 18 may be formed in any suitable manner, such as by pressing the first major surface 14a of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 with a suitably shaped pressing tool. In the example of Figures 1 and 2 three grooves 18 are shown, but it is understood that any suitable number of grooves 18 may be provided, eg depending on the desired resistance to draw of the aerosol-generating article 1 . It should also be noted that the groove 18 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, including but not limited to square, rectangular, trapezoidal, or semicircular as shown in FIG. 2 .

The aerosol-generating article 1 includes a substantially planar inductively heatable susceptor 40 positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and arranged substantially parallel to the first major surface 14a and the second major surface 14b. The inductively heatable susceptor 40 includes a plurality of holes or discontinuities 42 to allow air and/or vapor to pass through. In some embodiments, the inductively heatable susceptor 40 may include a substantially planar mesh 43 . The inductively heatable susceptor 40 is positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 closer to the second major surface 14b than the first major surface 14a, although other locations are possible and well within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to Figure 3, a second example of an aerosol-generating article 2 is shown. The aerosol-generating article 2 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 1 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and corresponding features are indicated using the same reference numerals.

The aerosol-generating article 2 includes a plurality of airflow channels 16 in the form of airflow channels 30 formed inside an aerosol-generating substrate 14 . Like the groove 18, the airflow passage 30 extends in a longitudinal direction between the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12 substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The airflow passages 30 are arranged side-by-side within the aerosol-generating substrate 14, closer to the first major surface 14a than the second major surface 14b, but a different location may be used as long as each airflow passage 30 is formed into the aerosol-generating substrate 14. It is sufficient that the aerosol-generating material surrounds completely. It should also be noted that the air flow passage 30 can have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, including but not limited to square, rectangular, circular, oval, or triangular as shown in FIG. 3 .

Referring now to Figure 4, a third example of an aerosol-generating article 3 is shown. The aerosol-generating article 3 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 2 described above with reference to Figure 3, and like reference numerals are used to designate corresponding features.

The aerosol-generating article 3 includes an airflow channel 16 in the form of a single airflow passage 30 formed inside the aerosol-generating substrate 14 . The airflow passage 30 extends along a longitudinal direction between the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The air flow passage 30 is positioned closer to the first major surface 14a than the second major surface 14b of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and is completely surrounded by the aerosol-generating substrate 14, ensuring During use in 102 , volatile components may be released from aerosol-generating substrate 14 and entrained in the air flowing through airflow path 30 .

The aerosol-generating articles 1, 2, 3 described above may be manufactured by: (i) providing a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14; (ii) positioning an inductively heatable susceptor 40 on the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14; and (iii) forming at least one airflow channel 16 (eg, groove 18 or airflow channel 30 ) in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14 . By way of example only, steps (i) and (ii) may be performed by providing first and second aerosol-generating sheets with an inductively heatable susceptor 40 therebetween, and then compressing the aerosol-generating sheets together to form a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14. Steps (ii) and (iii) may be performed in any order, for example, at least one air flow may be created in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14 prior to positioning the inductively heatable susceptor 40 in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 Channel 16. In some embodiments, steps (ii) and (iii) can be performed simultaneously.

Alternatively, the aerosol-generating article 1, 2, 3 described above may be manufactured by: (i) providing an inductively heatable susceptor 40; (ii) forming a substantially planar aerosol around the inductively heatable susceptor 40 Substrate 14 is produced. For example, aerosol-generating substrate 14 may be applied as a paste to inductively heatable susceptor 40 (e.g., susceptor web 43) and then cured to form substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14, wherein inductively heatable susceptor 40 located in it. As a final step, the method may include (iii) forming at least one airflow channel 16 (eg, groove 18 or airflow channel 30 ) in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14 .

Referring now to Figures 5a and 5b, a fourth example of an aerosol-generating article 4 is shown. The aerosol-generating article 4 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 1 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and like reference numerals have been used to designate corresponding features.

The aerosol-generating article 4 has the same structure as the aerosol-generating article 1 and additionally includes a wrapping member 22 surrounding the aerosol-generating substrate 14 , the inductively heatable susceptor 40 and the groove 18 . Thus, aerosol-generating substrate 14, inductively heatable susceptor 40, and recess 18 are completely surrounded by wrapping member 22, which may comprise, for example, cigarette paper or similar material. Wrapping member 22 includes a pair of rectangular sheets 24, 26 attached to first major surface 14a and second major surface 14b of aerosol-generating substrate 14, respectively. The rectangular sheets 24, 26 are typically formed from a single piece of material that wraps the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and may have overlapping edges that are adhered to each other to wrap the wrapping member 22 around the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and the groove 18. fixed in place.

In an exemplary and non-limiting example, the aerosol-generating substrate 14 may have a length (in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 4) of approximately 18.0 mm, may have a width of approximately 11.8 mm, and may have a width of approximately 1.2 mm. thickness (or depth). As shown in Figure 5a, the aerosol-generating substrate 14 may be spaced inwardly from the distal end 10 of the aerosol-generating article 4 by a small distance, eg approximately 3.0 mm. The aerosol-generating article 4 may have a width of approximately 12.0 mm and a thickness (or depth) of approximately 1.4 mm to house the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and the inductively heatable susceptor 40 within the wrapping member 22 . The aerosol-generating article 4 can have any suitable length between the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12 by varying the length of the portion of the wrapping member 22 that extends between the downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 and the proximal end 12. . As vapor flows through this portion of wrapping member 22 during use of aerosol-generating article 4 in aerosol-generating device 102, the vapor may cool and condense to form an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Thus, the length of the portion of wrapping member 22 extending between the downstream end of aerosol-generating substrate 14 and proximal end 12 of aerosol-generating article 4 may be selected at the time of manufacture to provide an aerosol having desired characteristics.

In some embodiments, wrapping member 22 includes a porous inner surface 22a that faces aerosol-generating substrate 14 and is capable of absorbing condensation that may form during the heating process. Alternatively or in addition, the wrapping member 22 may include a non-stick outer surface 22b facing away from the aerosol-generating substrate 14 to reduce the tendency of the wrapping member 22 to stick to the surface of the aerosol-generating device 102 when the aerosol-generating device 102 has been heated. risk. The release outer surface 22b may comprise a release coating on the outer surface 22b of the wrapping member 22 .

The aerosol-generating article 4 may be manufactured by the method described above and includes the further step of wrapping the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate 14 with the wrapping member 22 to form the substantially planar aerosol-generating article 4 .

Referring now to Figure 6, a fifth example of an aerosol-generating article 5 is shown. The aerosol-generating article 5 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 4 described above with reference to Figures 5a and 5b, and like reference numerals have been used to denote corresponding features.

The aerosol-generating article 5 includes a support member 28 positioned at the proximal end 12 of the aerosol-generating article 5 to form a mouthpiece end portion 34 that is held in place during use of the aerosol-generating article 5 in the aerosol-generating device 102. The mouth end portion may be engaged by the user's lips. The support member 28 typically comprises a self supporting material such as cardboard or plastic material and has a rectangular tubular form when viewed in cross-section to receive the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the downstream end of the groove 18 formed in the first major surface 14a. Wrap member 22 also surrounds support member 28 .

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, a sixth example of an aerosol-generating article 6 is shown. The aerosol-generating article 6 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 4 described above with reference to Figures 5a and 5b, and like reference numerals have been used to denote corresponding features.

In the aerosol-generating article 6, the aerosol-generating substrate 14 comprises a plurality of aerosol-generating strips 32 extending along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 6 substantially parallel to the distal end 10 and the proximal end 12. The first direction of the direction extends. The aerosol-generating strips 32 are laterally spaced apart, in other words they are arranged intermittently and spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. This intermittent arrangement (or spacing) of aerosol-generating strips 32 forms airflow channels 16 formed between each adjacent pair of aerosol-generating strips 32 .

The aerosol-generating article 6 is shown without the support member 28 at the proximal end 12 . However, as explained above in connection with the aerosol-generating article 5 of FIG. 6 , the support member 28 may be provided at the proximal end 12 of the aerosol-generating article 6 .

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, seventh and eighth examples of aerosol-generating articles 7, 8 are shown. The aerosol-generating articles 7, 8 are similar to the aerosol-generating articles 1 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and the same reference numerals are used for corresponding features.

In the aerosol-generating article 7 , 8 the inductively heatable susceptor 40 comprises a non-uniform susceptor web 43 . The non-uniform susceptor web 43 includes a plurality of first susceptor elements 44 having a first thickness and a plurality of second susceptor elements 46 having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness of the first susceptor elements 44 .

In the aerosol-generating article 7, the non-uniform susceptor web 43 is positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 such that the thinner first susceptor element 44 is adjacent to (in particular below) the groove 18, allowing for aerosol generation. The surface of the substrate 14 has a shorter path and the density (or volume) of the aerosol generating substrate 14 is lower. With this configuration, the time to first suck can be reduced.

In the aerosol-generating article 8, the non-uniform susceptor web 43 is positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 such that the thicker second susceptor element 46 is located adjacent to (and specifically below) the groove 18 and the thinner first susceptor element 46 is The susceptor elements 44 are located between the grooves 18 such that the path to the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 is longer and the density (or volume) of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 is higher. With this configuration, more uniform heating of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 may be achieved, thereby providing increased vapor volume during a predetermined period of time (eg, total inhalation time).

Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, ninth and tenth examples of aerosol-generating articles 9, 10 are shown. The aerosol-generating articles 9, 10 are similar to the aerosol-generating articles 1 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and like reference numerals are used for corresponding features.

In the aerosol-generating article 9 , 10 the inductively heatable susceptor 40 comprises a non-uniform susceptor web 43 . The non-uniform susceptor web 43 includes a plurality of first susceptor elements 44 having a first spacing (or pitch) and a plurality of second susceptor elements 46 having a second spacing (or pitch) that pitch) is greater than the first pitch (or pitch) of the first susceptor elements 44 .

In the aerosol-generating article 9, the non-uniform susceptor web 43 is positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 such that the first susceptor elements 44 (with a small spacing or pitch) are adjacent to the grooves 18 such that the aerosol The path to the surface of the generating substrate 14 is shorter and the density (or volume) of the aerosol generating substrate 14 is lower. This configuration provides the same effect as described with reference to FIG. 9 .

In the aerosol-generating article 10, the non-uniform susceptor web 43 is positioned in the aerosol-generating substrate 14 such that the second susceptor elements 46 (with greater spacing or pitch) are located adjacent to the grooves 18, while the first susceptor elements 44 (with smaller spacing or pitch) between the grooves 18 such that the path to the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 is longer and the density (or volume) of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 is higher. This configuration provides the same effects as those described with reference to FIG. 10 .

Referring now to Figure 13, there is shown an aerosol generating system 100 comprising an aerosol generating device 102 and a fourth example of an aerosol generating article 4 described above with reference to Figures 5a and 5b. It should be appreciated that the aerosol-generating device 102 may be used in combination with alternative aerosol-generating articles according to the present disclosure, such as the aerosol-generating articles 1 , 2, Example of 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

The aerosol-generating device 102 includes a receiving chamber 106 and an electromagnetic field generator 104 positioned in a device body 108 . The electromagnetic field generator 104 may comprise a first planar coil 122 and a second planar coil 124 , but it may be sufficient to provide only a single planar coil 122 , 124 . In the example shown in FIG. 13 , the first planar coil 122 and the second planar coil 124 are planar helical coils located on opposite sides of the receiving chamber 106 .

In use, a user inserts the aerosol-generating article 4 into the receiving chamber 106 . The aerosol-generating device 102 may include a cover 110 and a pivot mount 112 that allows the cover 110 to move between a closed position shown in FIG. 13 and an open position (not shown). As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the user must pivot the cover 110 to the open position to allow insertion of the aerosol-generating article 4 into the receiving chamber 106, and then pivot the cover 110 back to that shown in FIG. The closed position of the aerosol-generating article 4 is kept in place in the receiving chamber 106.

The aerosol-generating device 102 includes a power source 114 , such as a rechargeable battery, and a controller 116 . The first planar coil 122 and the second planar coil 124 may be activated by the power supply 114 and the controller 116, such as manually, such as via a user interface (such as a button on the aerosol generating device 102), or automatically in response to a user's aerosol response. The suction of the suction nozzle 118 of the sol generating device 102 turns on electricity. The controller 116 may include, among other electronic components, an inverter arranged to convert direct current from the power supply 114 into an alternating high-frequency current for the first planar coil 122 and the second planar coil 124 . When the first planar coil 122 and the second planar coil 124 are supplied with an alternating high frequency current, an alternating and time-varying electromagnetic field is generated that penetrates the receiving chamber 106 and the aerosol-generating article 4 located therein. The electromagnetic field couples with the inductively heatable susceptor 40 and induces eddy currents and/or hysteresis losses in the inductively heatable susceptor 40, causing it to heat up. Heat is then transferred from the inductively heatable susceptor 40 to the aerosol-generating substrate 14, eg, by conduction, radiation and convection.

Heat transferred from the inductively heatable susceptor 40 to the aerosol-generating substrate 14 causes the aerosol-generating substrate to exotherm without burning and thereby release one or more volatile components. The aerosol-generating device 102 includes one or more air inlets 120 to allow air to flow into the aerosol-generating article 4 and through the grooves 18 formed in the first major surface 14a of the aerosol-generating substrate 14 . The direction of air flow is shown by the arrows in Figure 13. Volatile components are entrained in the air flowing through the groove 18, forming a vapor. The vapor cools and condenses as it flows through the groove 18 to form an aerosol, which is inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece 118 of the aerosol generating device 102 .

When the aerosol-generating substrate 14 is exhausted and no longer releases enough volatile components to generate an aerosol of acceptable quality, the aerosol-generating article 4 can be released from the receiving chamber after pivoting the cover 110 to the open position. 106, and a replacement aerosol-generating article 4 can be inserted in its place.

Where the aerosol-generating device 102 is used in conjunction with an aerosol-generating article having a support member 28, such as the fifth example of an aerosol-generating article 5 described above with reference to FIG. The open end 106a of the aerosol-generating article 5 protrudes, thereby enabling the user's lips to engage the mouthpiece end portion 34 of the aerosol-generating article 5 formed by the support member 28 .

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aerosol-generating device 102 described with reference to FIG. 13 is an example of a conceptual design used to demonstrate the principles of an aerosol-generating article according to the present disclosure. Aerosol-generating articles according to the present disclosure may be used with any inductively heatable aerosol-generating device 102 of suitable design.

Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the preceding paragraphs, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to those embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claims should not be limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

The present disclosure encompasses any combination of the above-described features in all possible variations thereof unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the scope of the patent application, the word "comprise/comprising" will be interpreted as an inclusive meaning rather than an exclusive or exhaustive meaning; that is, "including but not limited to the meaning of ".

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: Aerosol generating products 10: remote 12: near end 14: Aerosol-generating substrates 14a: first major surface 14b: second major surface 16: Airflow channel 18: Groove 20: grooved surface 22: Wrap components 22a: porous inner surface 22b: Anti-stick outer surface 24, 26: rectangular sheet 28: Support member 30: Airflow path 32: Aerosol generating strips 34: nozzle end part 40: Receptor 42: hole 43: Receptor Network 44: first receptor element 46: Second receptor element 100: Aerosol generating device 102: Electric aerosol generating device 104: Electromagnetic Field Generator 106: receiving chamber 106a: Open end 108: Device body 110: Cover 112: pivot mount 114: power supply 116: Controller 118: Nozzle 120: air inlet 122: The first planar coil 124: Second planar coil

[Fig. 1] is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a first example of an aerosol-generating article;

[Fig. 2] is a diagrammatic sectional view along line A-A in Fig. 1;

[ FIG. 3 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a second example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 2 ;

[ FIG. 4 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a third example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 3 ;

[FIG. 5a] is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a fourth example of an aerosol-generating article;

[Fig. 5b] is a diagrammatic sectional view along the line B-B in Fig. 5a;

[FIG. 6] A diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a fifth example of an aerosol-generating article;

[FIG. 7] A diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a sixth example of an aerosol-generating article;

[Fig. 8] is a diagrammatic sectional view along line C-C in Fig. 7;

[ FIG. 9 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a seventh example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 2 ;

[ FIG. 10 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an eighth example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 2 ;

[ FIG. 11 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a ninth example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 2 ;

[ FIG. 12 ] is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a tenth example of an aerosol-generating article similar to FIG. 2 ; and

[ FIG. 13 ] is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating system including an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article according to the present disclosure.

1: Aerosol generating products

14: Aerosol-generating substrates

14a: first major surface

14b: second major surface

16: Airflow channel

18: Groove

20: grooved surface

40: Receptor

42: hole

43: Receptor Network

Claims (15)

An aerosol-generating article (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) for use with an aerosol-generating device (102), the aerosol-generating article comprising: a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14); at least one gas flow channel (16) extending along the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14); and An inductively heatable susceptor (40) is located in the aerosol-generating substrate (14). The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a distal end (10), a proximal end (12), a a longitudinal axis, and the at least one airflow channel (16) extends along a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. An aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one airflow channel (16) comprises at least one of the surfaces (14a) formed on the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14) groove (18). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in claim 3, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate (14) comprises a plurality of said grooves (18) arranged side by side to form a grooved surface (20). The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one airflow channel (16) comprises at least one airflow channel (30) formed inside the aerosol-generating substrate (14). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, The aerosol-generating substrate (14) includes a plurality of aerosol-generating strips (32) extending along a first direction and intermittently arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; The aerosol-generating article includes a plurality of said airflow channels (16), and one of said airflow channels (16) is formed between each pair of intermittently arranged aerosol-generating strips (32). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14) is in the shape of a flat rectangle having a pair of major surfaces (14a, 14b), and the inductively heatable The susceptor (40) is substantially planar and substantially parallel to the major surface (14a, 14b). The aerosol-generating article of claim 7, wherein the at least one airflow channel (16) is formed in the first major surface (14a), and the substantially planar inductively heatable susceptor (40) is located on the airflow The sol-generating matrix (14) is closer to the second major surface (14b) than the first major surface (14a). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor (40) includes discontinuities or holes (42), preferably wherein the inductively heatable susceptor (40 ) including net (43). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a wrapping member (22) surrounding the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14) and the at least one airflow channel (16). The aerosol-generating article of claim 10, wherein the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14) is in the shape of a flat rectangle having a pair of major surfaces (14a, 14b), and the wrapping member (22) comprises A pair of rectangular sheets (24, 26) respectively attached to the pair of major surfaces (14a, 14b). The aerosol-generating article as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the wrapping member (22) has a porous inner surface (22a) facing the aerosol-generating substrate (14) to absorb condensate and facing away from the aerosol-generating substrate (14). The sol produces an anti-adhesive outer surface (22b) of the substrate (14), preferably, wherein the wrapping member (22) comprises an anti-adhesive coating on the outer surface (22b). An aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a support member (28) forming a mouthpiece end portion (34) of the article, and the support member (28) has a tubular form to receive the aerosol-generating substrate (14) and the downstream end of the at least one gas flow channel (16). A method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article as claimed in any preceding claim, the method comprising: providing a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14); positioning an inductively heatable susceptor (40) in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14); and At least one gas flow channel (16) is formed in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14). A method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, the method comprising: providing an inductively heatable susceptor (40); forming a substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14) around the inductively heatable susceptor (20); and At least one gas flow channel (16) is formed in the substantially planar aerosol-generating substrate (14).

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