WO2018172389A1 - Tapered aerosol-generating article and method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate - Google Patents
Tapered aerosol-generating article and method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2018172389A1 WO2018172389A1 PCT/EP2018/057091 EP2018057091W WO2018172389A1 WO 2018172389 A1 WO2018172389 A1 WO 2018172389A1 EP 2018057091 W EP2018057091 W EP 2018057091W WO 2018172389 A1 WO2018172389 A1 WO 2018172389A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- aerosol
- rod
- article
- receiving chamber
- tapered
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
- A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
- A24C5/60—Final treatment of cigarettes, e.g. marking, printing, branding, decorating
- A24C5/605—Pressing of cigarettes, e.g. for obtaining an oval form
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
- A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
- A24C5/01—Making cigarettes for simulated smoking devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
- A24D1/00—Cigars; Cigarettes
- A24D1/20—Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
- A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
- A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
- A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
- A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors
Definitions
- an aerosol- generating article in the form of a rod comprising an aerosol-forming substrate.
- the rod comprises a tapered portion arranged at a distal end of the aerosol-generating article.
- the tapered portion tapers versus the distal end of the aerosol-generating article.
- the most tapered part of the tapered portion is arranged at the distal end of the article.
- a proximal end of the aerosol-generating article corresponds to a mouth end of the article and a distal end defines that end of the article that is to be inserted into a receiving chamber of an electronic device.
- the frustum comprises an apex angle.
- An apex angle of the tapered portion may be between about 1 degree and about 30 degrees.
- the apex angle is between about 1.5 degrees and about 10 degrees, for example between about 2 degrees and about 5 degrees.
- Fig. 6 shows a cross section of the system of Fig. 5;
- the article may consist of aerosol-forming substrate wrapped in a wrapper.
- further elements may be arranged in the article.
- a mouthpiece element such as a filter element may be arranged at a proximal end of the article 32.
- the tapering blades are arranged on a circle.
- the circle already has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the tapered portion 300 to be formed.
- the blades have an alignment already corresponding to the shape of the tapered portion 300 to be formed.
- the bases 41 of the blades 41 are arranged on a circle having substantially the diameter of the distal end 320 of the tapered portion 300 or of the tip of the article, respectively.
Landscapes
- Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)
Abstract
The aerosol-generating article (31) in the form of a rod comprises an aerosol-forming substrate (311). The rod comprises a tapered portion (300) arranged at a distal end of the aerosol-generating article (31). Also disclosed is a method for forming a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate.
Description
TAPERED AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A TAPERED ROD
OF
AEROSOL-FORMING SUBSTRATE
The invention relates to an aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating system comprising such an article and a method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate .
Tobacco products resembling conventional cigarettes are known and are sometimes used in electronic devices for generating aerosol. Typically the tobacco products are rod- shaped and are inserted into a cylindrical receiving chamber in the device. In the device, a tobacco substrate of the product is preferably heated but not combusted. For good heating performance good contact between product and device is required. On the other hand insertion and removal of the product into and from the device should be simple and not lead to damage of the product.
This can be particularly problematic in devices that heat the tobacco product from the outside. In such devices, the heating may deteriorate the outer wall of the tobacco product, for example the surrounding paper. The outer wall may then become brittle, making the removal of the used and heated tobacco product difficult.
Thus there is need for an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system using such an article that allows simple insertion and removal of the article into and from an aerosol-generating device and that provides good heat contact between the device and the article.
According to the invention there is provided an aerosol- generating article in the form of a rod comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. The rod comprises a tapered
portion arranged at a distal end of the aerosol-generating article. The tapered portion tapers versus the distal end of the aerosol-generating article. The most tapered part of the tapered portion is arranged at the distal end of the article.
The tapered portion facilitates insertion of the distal end of the article into a receiving chamber of a device. The tapered portion also facilitates the removal of the article from the receiving chamber, for example after use of the article. A distal end of a tapered portion has a smaller diameter than a maximum diameter of the article. Accordingly, a receiving opening of a receiving chamber in a device has a larger diameter than the distal end of the tapered portion and than the distal end of the article, respectively. Thus, the article may more easily be located in and inserted into the receiving opening. In addition, due to the tapered portion of the article a close contact between article and receiving chamber exists only when the article is entirely inserted into the receiving chamber. Accordingly, upon removal of the article a contact must be loosened only by initially overcoming the frictional force between article and receiving chamber walls with reduced or no friction.
With conventional rod-shaped articles and cylindrical receiving chambers the diameters of rod and receiving chamber are basically equal. This requires an exact positioning of the rod in the receiving chamber opening for insertion of the article. In addition, a contact between rod and receiving chamber is based on frictional force along an entire length of a receiving chamber. If the force is too high, insertion as well as removal of the article is hindered. On the other hand, if the diameter of the article and the receiving chamber do not provide a precise form fit, a heat contact between article and heater in the receiving chamber may be
insufficient .
In the present invention, a physical contact between the article and receiving chamber walls is improved by insertion of the article with the tapered portion into a corresponding tapered section of a receiving chamber in a device. Preferably, an article is pressed into the tapered section of a receiving chamber with a force that is greater than a frictional force only. By this, a close contact and good heat transfer between a heater in the device and article may be established.
The tapered portion may extend over an entire length of the rod, thus preferably over an entire length of the article formed by the rod.
The tapered portion may extend over a portion of the length of the rod only. For example, the rod may comprise a cylindrical portion arranged adjacent the tapered portion.
For example a cylindrical portion of the article may be arranged at a proximal end of the aerosol-generating article.
A proximal end of the aerosol-generating article corresponds to a mouth end of the article and a distal end defines that end of the article that is to be inserted into a receiving chamber of an electronic device.
Preferably, the tapered portion comprises aerosol-forming substrate. More preferably, the tapered portion is formed by aerosol-forming substrate. The entire article may be formed by aerosol-forming substrate. A portion of the article may also be formed by materials other than aerosol-forming substrate, for example by a support element, an aerosol- cooling element, a filter element or other elements known to be used in heat not burn aerosol-generating articles.
Preferably, the proximal end of the aerosol-generating article comprises a filter element. Most preferably, a filter
element is arranged at the proximal end of the article. Preferably, a user puffs at the proximal end of the article, while the distal end comprising the tapered portion is inserted in the receiving chamber of the device.
For example, a cylindrical portion of the article arranged at the proximal end of the article may comprise a filter element.
The tapered portion may very generally be described as comprising or being a full body having conical side walls. The tapered portion is or comprises a frustum.
The shape of the tapered portion may, for example be any kind of pyramid or a cone, preferably any kind of truncated pyramid or a truncated cone. If the frustum is a pyramid or truncated pyramid, the base of the frustum might be any kind of polygon, preferably a regular polygon. If the frustum is a cone or truncated cone, that is, if the frustum is a circular frustum, the base of the frustum may be a circle or an ellipse. Preferably, the base is a circle.
Preferably, the frustum is a right frustum, where the axis of the frustum through the base and the top of the frustum is perpendicular to the base and the top.
The tapered portion may have the form of a cone but preferably has the form of a frustum. Thus, the article preferably comprises at least a frusto-conical distal portion.
The frustum comprises an apex angle. An apex angle of the tapered portion may be between about 1 degree and about 30 degrees. Preferably, the apex angle is between about 1.5 degrees and about 10 degrees, for example between about 2 degrees and about 5 degrees.
The apex angle is herein understood as the angle at the vertex of the frustum (the tip of the cone or pyramid)
between the frustum axis and a surface line (generatrix) . In a truncated frustum, the apex angle is a virtual angle defined by the virtual cross-section of the frustum axis and a surface line.
For a frustum having a base in the form of a polygon, the apex angle is understood to be the apex angle of a corresponding cone having a base being the circumcircle of the polygon (directrix) .
The conical shape of the tapered portion of the aerosol- generating article allows for a self-fitting and tight fitting of the article in a correspondingly shaped receiving chamber of a device. A cone or frustum shape having apex angles in the defined range, facilitate an insertion of an aerosol-generating article in the receiving chamber. They also simplify removal of the article after use. Too large apex angles provide small surface areas to be in contact with a receiving chamber such that the article may fall out of the receiving chamber. An apex angle of 0 degree corresponds to a cylindrical rod with the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Preferably, the tapered portion has a length between about 10 millimeters and about 120 millimeters, more preferably between about 15 millimeters and about 60 millimeters. If the tapered portion does not extend over the entire length of an article, the length of the tapered portion is preferably between about 10 millimeters and about 25 millimeters.
Preferably, the tapered portion comprises a maximum diameter of about 5 millimeters to about 12 millimeters, preferably a maximum diameter of about 6 millimeters. Preferably, a diameter of a base of the tapered portion is between about 4 millimeters and about 8 millimeters.
Preferably, the aerosol-generating article comprises a maximum diameter of about 5 millimeters to about 12 millimeters, preferably a maximum diameter of about 6 millimeters. Preferably, a diameter of the aerosol- generating article is between about 4 millimeter and about 8 millimeters in a cylindrical portion.
The aerosol-forming substrate may contain tobacco material or may contain a non-tobacco material or a combination of both tobacco material and non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may be cellulose material impregnated with nicotine, preferably comprising one or more flavours.
Advantageously the aerosol-forming substrate comprises tobacco material, preferable homogenised tobacco material, preferably comprising one or more aerosol-formers.
An aerosol-forming substrate is a substrate comprising substances, which substances may be volatilized from the substrate upon heating the substrate and which substances may form an inhalable aerosol.
As used herein, the term 'homogenised tobacco material' denotes a material formed by agglomerating particulate tobacco .
The aerosol-forming substrate may, for example, be in the form of a crimped and gathered sheet of tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may also be in the form of cut or shredded homogenised tobacco material arranged into a rod shape. The aerosol-forming substrate is preferably wrapped by a wrapper, for example a paper or plastic wrapper.
The article in the form of a rod may be used as a smoking article comprising combustible smokable material and preferably a filter downstream of the rod of combustible smokable material such as for example a cigarette.
Preferably, the article in the form of a rod is a heatable aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol- forming substrate of the rod is heated and not combusted to form an aerosol.
Such aerosol-generating articles may be used in electrically heated aerosol-generating systems in which the aerosol-forming substrate of the heated article is heated by an electrical heat source. Volatilized substances may form an aerosol for inhalation.
According to the invention, there is also provided an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention and as described herein. The system also comprises an aerosol-generating device comprising a receiving chamber, wherein the aerosol- generating article is at least partly accommodated in the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber comprises a tapered section in contact with at least a portion of the tapered portion of the aerosol-generating article. Preferably, the tapered portion of the article and the tapered section of the receiving chamber form a form-fit.
The aerosol-generating article may be entirely or may be only partly accommodated in the receiving chamber. Preferably, a proximal end of the aerosol-generating article extends from the receiving chamber. Preferably, a proximal end of the aerosol-generating article extends from a device housing. If the article comprises a cylindrical portion, preferably, the cylindrical portion extends from the receiving chamber.
Preferably, a filter element is arranged at the proximal end of the article. Preferably, the filter element extends at least partially from the receiving chamber of the device, most preferably, from the device housing.
Preferably, the tapered section of the receiving chamber has a length which is shorter than the length of the tapered portion of the aerosol-generating article. Length of tapered section and length of tapered portion may also be substantially equal.
Preferably, a tapered section of the receiving chamber has a length between about 5 millimeters and about 50 millimeters and a maximum diameter of between about 5 millimeters and about 12 millimeters.
The system also comprises at least a heating element for heating the aerosol-forming substrate in the article accommodated in the receiving chamber.
Preferably, the heating element is arranged for heating at least the portion of the tapered portion of the article in contact with the tapered section of the receiving chamber.
Advantageously, the heating element is arranged in the tapered section of the receiving chamber. For example, a heating element may surround the tapered section of the receiving chamber.
Rods comprising a tapered portion may be manufactured directly having a tapered portion. However, it may be advantageous to manufacture cylindrically shaped rods and provide the cylindrically shaped rods with a tapered end portion .
According to the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate. Preferably, the tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate is used in an electronic aerosol-generating device. The method comprises the steps of providing a cylindrically shaped rod of aerosol-forming substrate, providing several radial tapering blades, the radial tapering blades being arranged on a circle, and relatively moving the cylindrically shaped rod
and the radial tapering blades towards each other. Thereby the aerosol-forming substrate coming in contact with the radial tapering blades is compressed and a tapered portion of the rod is formed.
Preferably, the method comprises the further step of moving the tapered portion of the rod and the tapering blades away from each other, thereby getting the tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate.
Preferably, the rod of aerosol-forming substrate is ductile, such that the deformation of the outer surface of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate remains to a sufficient extent impressed into the new form after the removal of the radial tapering blades.
The relative movement of rod and blades may be done while the rod is positioned in the circle formed by the blades or while the rod is being inserted into the circle formed by the blades .
To perform the relative movement of radial tapering blades and rod, preferably either the radial tapering blades or the cylindrically shaped rod is kept stationary while forming the tapered portion of the rod. Advantageously, the rod is kept stationary, while the radial tapering blades are moved towards the rod.
Depending on the manufacturing method, the radial tapering blades are moved in a radial direction versus the center of the circle. By this the cylindrical rod positioned in the circle or the portion of the cylindrical rod positioned in the circle is compressed from radial directions. The stationary cylindrically shaped rod is compressed in a radial direction only.
In another variant of the method, the radial tapering blades are as an entirety moved in a longitudinal direction
of the rod. Thereby the rod is inserted into the circle formed by the radial tapering blades. The more the rod becomes inserted into the circle formed by the radial tapering blades, the more the aerosol-forming substrate of the rod is compressed by the blades.
Thus, the method according to the invention preferably comprises the step of compressing the aerosol-forming substrate coming in contact with the radial tapering blades less at one end of the radial tapering blades and more at an opposite end of the radial tapering blades. Preferably, a more or less uniform compression of the aerosol-forming substrate is realized by radial tapering blades that have a thin end and an oppositely arranged thick end. Preferably, a transition from the thin to the thick end of the radial tapering blades is linear, preferably such that a right linear cone or frustum is formed by the radial tapering blades .
Preferably, the radial tapering blades are arranged on a circle. Preferably, the circle has an exact circular shape to provide a rod with a circular cross section with a tapered portion having the shape of a right cone or right frustum. However, the circle the radial tapering blades are arranged on may have a shape adapted to the shape of the tapering portion to be formed and to the shape of the cross section of the rod, for example, oval.
The diameter of the circle preferably has a diameter corresponding to the smallest diameter of the tapered portion to be formed. Thus, the diameter of the circle may define the tip of the article.
The arrangement and form of the radial tapering blades define the size and form of the tapered portion.
Several blades, preferably at least three, preferably
four to eight radial tapering blades are arranged on a circle. Preferably, the radial tapering blades are individual single blades. All or some of the radial tapering blades may also be integrated in a tapering wall. For example, a tapering wall may be provided with a plurality of longitudinally arranged tapering ribs that extend radially to the interior formed by the tapering wall.
Preferably, the radial tapering blades are elongate blades arranged substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rod inserted in between the radial tapering blades. If the tapered portion is formed by radially movable radial tapering blades, then the cylindrical rod is inserted in between the blades and the circle formed by the blades is made smaller to form the tapered portion. If the tapered portion is formed by longitudinally movable radial tapering blades, then the size of the circle remains fixed and the blades are moved along a longitudinal insertion direction. The rod is then compressed stronger the further the rod is inserted between the blades.
The tapering blades are part of a forming device of, for example, a forming apparatus. Thus, a cylindrical rod is preferably inserted into the forming apparatus. After the tapered portion has been formed by the blades of the forming device, the tapered rod is removed from the forming device. Thereby, the cylindrical rod of aerosol-forming substrate is preferably inserted and the tapered rod is preferably removed from the forming device. Alternatively, the rod may be stationary and the forming device of the forming apparatus is moved versus the rod.
The tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate may directly be used in an electronic device, may be stored for future use, or may, for example, be aligned with further elements to
form an aerosol-generating article in the form of a rod comprising a plurality of elements.
The cylindrically shaped rod has a substantially constant cross section. The cross section is typically circular but may also be oval, and preferably, elliptical.
The invention is further described with regard to embodiments, which are illustrated by means of the following drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a cylindrically shaped article;
Fig. 2 shows a rod shaped aerosol-generating article comprising a tapered portion;
Fig. 3 shows a rod shaped tapered aerosol-generating article;
Figs. 4,5 show an aerosol-generating system with a tapered article before and after being accommodated in a device;
Fig. 6 shows a cross section of the system of Fig. 5;
Figs. 7,8 show an aerosol-generating system with a rod shaped article comprising a tapered portion before and after being accommodated in a device ;
Fig. 9 shows a cross section of the system of Fig. 8;
Figs. 10-13 show a manufacturing process for tapering a cylindrically shaped rod;
Figs. 14,15 show another manufacturing process for tapering a cylindrically shaped rod.
Fig. 1 shows a cylindrically shaped aerosol-generating article 32, for example as known from the prior art. The article may be used in an electronic device for generating an aerosol. The article comprises an aerosol-forming substrate, preferably a tobacco substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate is provided at least at a distal end of the article, wherein
at least the distal end is intended for being inserted into the electronic device.
The article may consist of aerosol-forming substrate wrapped in a wrapper. Alternatively, further elements may be arranged in the article. For example a mouthpiece element such as a filter element may be arranged at a proximal end of the article 32.
Fig. 2 shows a rod-shaped aerosol-generating article comprising a cylindrical portion 301 and an adjacently arranged tapered portion 300. The tapered portion 300 has the shape of a right frustum. A length of the cylindrical portion
301 and of the tapered portion 300 are substantially equal in the example of Fig. 2. The tapered portion tapers versus the distal end of the article, wherein the most tapered part of the tapered portion is arranged at the distal end of the article .
Aerosol-forming substrate is preferably provided at least in the tapered portion 300 of the article 31. Aerosol-forming substrate may be arranged along the entire length of the article 31. The cylindrical portion 301 may comprise a filter element (not shown) . Such a filter element would preferably be a most downstream or proximal element of the article 31.
The aerosol-generating article 30 of Fig. 3 is an entirely tapered rod shaped article. Thus, a tapered portion extends over the entire length of the article. The article 30 of Fig. 3 is a right frustum. Preferably, an aerosol-forming substrate is provided along the entire length of the article 30.
The aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 comprises a device housing 1 having a funnel shaped receiving chamber 10 arranged in the device housing 1. The receiving chamber 10 is sized to accommodate a tapered article 30 as
shown in Fig. 3. When inserted, the article 30 is not entirely accommodated in the receiving chamber 10 but extends therefrom as shown in Fig. 5. A user may directly draw on the end of the article extending from the receiving chamber 10. Preferably, a filter element arranged at the proximal end of the article extends partially from the receiving chamber. Alternatively, a mouthpiece (not shown) may be arranged to cover the extending end of the article 30.
Preferably, the tapered article 30 is an aerosol- generating tobacco rod comprising aerosol-forming tobacco substrate. The rod preferably comprises loose tobacco, cut homogenized tobacco or homogenised tobacco sheets that have been crimped and gathered to form the rod as is known in the art .
The device housing 1 comprises an activation button 15 for activating the device. Alternatively or in addition, the device may comprise a breath activated switch.
The device housing 1 basically has the form of a flattened cylinder. Preferably, the size of the housing 1 is selected such that the tapered article 30 may be arranged in the housing 1 next to a power source 16. As shown in the cross sectional view of Fig. 6, the device comprises a power source 16 such as a battery or power cell and a control 17 indicated by rectangles.
In the cross sectional view of Fig. 6, heating elements 6 are drawn as black lines along a portion of the length of the receiving chamber 10. A heating element 6 may, for example, be a resistively heatable heating element, for heating the solid substrate contained in the article 30 accommodated in the receiving chamber 10. The heating elements extend around the circumference of the receiving chamber for a homogeneous heating of the tobacco rod 30.
The receiving chamber 10 is tapered as well and provides a form-fit with the tapered article 30. The receiving chamber 10 may be a channel with a channel inlet corresponding to the receiving chamber opening and a channel outlet arranged at the opposite end of the receiving chamber 10.
In Fig. 6 the article 30 is depicted as tapered tobacco rod comprising a tobacco substrate 311.
The heating elements 6 preferably extend over about at least half of the length of the receiving chamber 10. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the heating elements 6 extend over more than 50 percent of the length of the receiving chambers, over about two third of the length of the receiving chamber 10. The heating elements 6 may also extend over substantially the entire length of the receiving chamber.
The device housing 1 comprises an air inlet 14 in the bottom of the housing, where an airflow may enter the device housing 1, then enter the bottom of the receiving chamber 10 or the outlet of the channel forming the receiving chamber, respectively, to pass through the tobacco rod and be guided to a user.
The tobacco rod 30 in the receiving chamber 10 is heated by the heating elements 6 to generate an inhalable aerosol.
The aerosol-generating device shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 comprises a device housing 1 having a tubular shaped receiving chamber 11 arranged in the device housing 1. The receiving chamber comprises a funnel shaped lower section 111 and a cylindrical shaped upper section 110 as may be seen in the cross sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 9. The receiving chamber 11 is sized to accommodate an article 31 comprising a tapered portion as shown in Fig. 2. When inserted, the article 31 is not entirely accommodated in the receiving chamber 11 but extends therefrom as shown in
Fig. 8. A user may directly draw on the end of the article extending from the receiving chamber 11. Alternatively, a mouthpiece (not shown) may be arranged to cover the extending end of the article 31.
Preferably, the article 31 is an aerosol-generating tobacco rod comprising aerosol-forming tobacco substrate. The rod preferably comprises loose tobacco, cut homogenized tobacco or homogenised tobacco sheets that have been crimped and gathered to form the rod as is known in the art. The tobacco substrate is preferably arranged over at least the tapered portion 300 of the article.
The device housing comprises an activation button 15 for activating the device. Alternatively or in addition, the device may comprise a breath activated switch.
The device housing 1 basically has the form of a flattened cylinder. The article 31 is arranged in the housing 1 next to a power source 16. As shown in the cross sectional view of Fig. 9, the device comprises a power source 16 such as a battery or power cell and a control 17 indicated by rectangles.
In the cross sectional view of Fig. 9, heating elements 6 are drawn as black lines along a portion of the length of the tapered section 111 of the receiving chamber 11. A heating element 6 may, for example, be a resistively heatable heating element, for heating the solid substrate contained in the article 31 accommodated in the receiving chamber 11. The heating elements extend around the circumference of the receiving chamber for a homogeneous heating of the tobacco rod 31.
The receiving chamber 11 is partially tapered and provides a form-fit with the article 31. Thus the receiving chamber comprises a cylindrical portion adjacent the
receiving chamber opening and a tapered portion further inside the device housing 1. The receiving chamber 11 may be a channel with a channel inlet corresponding to the receiving chamber opening and a channel outlet arranged at the opposite end of the receiving chamber 11.
In Fig. 9 the article 31 is depicted as tobacco rod comprising a tobacco substrate 311.
An end portion of the rod, for example the cylindrical portion 301 extending from the receiving chamber 11 may comprise a filter element 302.
The heating elements 6 preferably extend over about at least half of the length of the receiving chamber. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the heating elements 6 extend over almost the entire length of the tapered section 111 of the receiving chamber 11.
The device housing 1 comprises an air inlet 14 in the bottom of the housing, where an airflow may enter the device housing 1, then enter the bottom of the receiving chamber 11 or the outlet of the channel forming the receiving chamber, respectively, to pass through the tobacco rod and be guided to a user.
The tobacco rod 31 in the receiving chamber 11 is heated by the heating elements 6 to generate an inhalable aerosol.
Fig. 10 to Fig. 13 show different steps of a method for manufacturing a tapered portion in a cylindrically shaped rod. The rod is a cylindrically shaped aerosol-generating article, for example as shown in Fig. 1. The article comprises a compressible aerosol-generating substrate at least at a distal end 320 of the article 32.
Four radial tapering blades 4 are arranged symmetrically on an imaginary circle. The circle has a diameter slightly larger, for example 0.5 to 1 millimeter, than the diameter of
the article 32 to be tapered. This allows to insert the distal end 320 of the article 32 in between the radial tapering blades. Once the article 32 is inserted between the blades 4 the article is kept stationary.
The tapering blades 4 are elongate and have a triangular shape with a triangular cross section. The tapering blades 4 are arranged such that the wide base 41 of the blades are arranged at an end stop for the rod to be inserted between the blades 4. The blades 4 are arranged parallel to an insertion direction of the rod and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod.
No compression of the article is performed during insertion and positioning of the rod within the blades as may be seen in Fig. 11. In the top drawing of Fig. 11 a cross sectional view of the rod and blade arrangement is shown. A radial moving direction of the tapering blades for tapering the rod is indicated by arrows 50. Through the radial inward movement of the blades the blades press against the rod at four locations and thereby compress the aerosol-forming substrate in the article. Due to the triangular shape being smaller at the tip 40 and wider at the base 41, the article is less compressed with the tips 40 and stronger compressed with the bases 41 of the blades. Thus, an article 31 with a tapered portion 300 is formed, the tapered portion 300 having a length corresponding to the length of the tapering blades 4 as may be seen in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13.
The blades 4 are removed from the article after tapering has been completed. Preferably, the article is irreversibly compressed such that the shape of the tapered portion remains also after removal of the radial tapering blades 4.
Preferably, removal occurs in a radial outward direction such that the blades 4 are in the initial position as shown in Fig. 11 again.
Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 show another variant of a tapering method for a cylindrically shaped article 32. Same or similar elements are indicated by the same reference signs.
In this method the cylindrically shaped article 32 is moved along its longitudinal axis indicated by arrow 51. By this movement the rod is not only positioned between the radial tapering blades but directly compressed by the radial tapering blades 4 upon insertion of the rod between the blades .
As may be seen in Fig. 14 the tapering blades are arranged on a circle. However, the circle already has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the tapered portion 300 to be formed. The blades have an alignment already corresponding to the shape of the tapered portion 300 to be formed. As may be seen in the figures, the bases 41 of the blades 41 are arranged on a circle having substantially the diameter of the distal end 320 of the tapered portion 300 or of the tip of the article, respectively.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 the tapering blades 4 are kept stationary in view of a radial direction. For forming the tapered portion 300 the rod is moved towards the blades 4 or the blades 4 are moved towards the rod. Due to this longitudinal movement, the rod is radially compressed the stronger the deeper the rod is inserted between the radial tapering blades 4.
Claims
1. Aerosol-generating article in the form of a rod
comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the rod comprises a tapered portion arranged at a distal end of the aerosol-generating article.
2. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1,
wherein the rod comprises a cylindrical portion
arranged adjacent the tapered portion.
3. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1,
wherein the tapered portion extends over an entire length of the rod.
4. Aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tapered portion is formed by aerosol-forming substrate.
5. Aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tapered portion has a length between 10 millimeters and 120 millimeters .
6. Aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a maximum diameter of
5 millimeters to 12 millimeters.
7. Aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises tobacco.
8. Aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol- generating article according to any one of the
preceding claims and an aerosol-generating device comprising a receiving chamber, wherein the aerosol- generating article is at least partly accommodated in the receiving chamber, and wherein the receiving chamber comprises a tapered section in contact with at least a portion of the tapered portion of the aerosol- generating article.
9. System according to claim 8, wherein a proximal end of the aerosol-generating article extends from the
receiving chamber.
10. System according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the tapered section of the receiving chamber has a length which is shorter than the length of the tapered portion of the aerosol-generating article.
11. System according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the tapered section of the receiving chamber has a length between 5 millimeters and 50 millimeters and a maximum diameter of between 5 millimeters and
12 millimeters.
12. System according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
comprising at least a heating element for heating at least the portion of the tapered portion of the article in contact with the tapered section of the receiving chamber .
13. Method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-
forming substrate, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cylindrically shaped rod of aerosol-forming substrate;
providing several radial tapering blades, the radial tapering blades being arranged on a circle;
relatively moving the cylindrically shaped rod and the radial tapering blades towards each other, thereby compressing the aerosol-forming substrate coming in contact with the radial tapering blades and forming a tapered portion of the rod.
Method according to claim 13, keeping the radial tapering blades or the cylindrically shaped rod
stationary while forming the tapered portion of rod .
Method according to any one of claims 13 to 14, compressing the aerosol-forming substrate coming in contact with the radial tapering blades less at one end of the radial tapering blades and more at an opposite end of the radial tapering blades.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP17162219 | 2017-03-22 | ||
| EP17162219.4 | 2017-03-22 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2018172389A1 true WO2018172389A1 (en) | 2018-09-27 |
Family
ID=58410117
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2018/057091 WO2018172389A1 (en) | 2017-03-22 | 2018-03-21 | Tapered aerosol-generating article and method for manufacturing a tapered rod of aerosol-forming substrate |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2018172389A1 (en) |
Cited By (11)
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| WO2021170671A1 (en) * | 2020-02-28 | 2021-09-02 | Philip Morris Products S.A. | Aerosol-generating article with predetermined insertion direction |
| US20220175023A1 (en) * | 2019-08-23 | 2022-06-09 | Nerudia Limited | Smoking substitute consumable |
| WO2022172387A1 (en) * | 2021-02-12 | 2022-08-18 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Non-combustion-heating-type tobacco product and non-combustion-heating-type tobacco stick |
| WO2022172527A1 (en) * | 2021-02-12 | 2022-08-18 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Heat-not-burn tobacco product and heat-not-burn tobacco stick |
| JPWO2022215255A1 (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2022-10-13 | ||
| WO2022215256A1 (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2022-10-13 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor inhaler and smoking system |
| JP2022550651A (en) * | 2020-09-01 | 2022-12-05 | ケーティー アンド ジー コーポレイション | Aerosol generator with improved heating efficiency |
| WO2022263836A1 (en) * | 2021-06-18 | 2022-12-22 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | Article for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision system |
| JP2023527939A (en) * | 2020-12-04 | 2023-06-30 | 新火智造（深▲せん▼）有限公司 | Heated non-burning naked tobacco sticks that do not require wrapping, eco-friendly |
| US11712059B2 (en) | 2020-02-24 | 2023-08-01 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | Beaded tobacco material and related method of manufacture |
| US12016369B2 (en) | 2020-04-14 | 2024-06-25 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | Regenerated cellulose substrate for aerosol delivery device |
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| JP7526828B2 (en) | 2021-02-12 | 2024-08-01 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Non-combustion heated tobacco products and non-combustion heated tobacco sticks |
| JP7529816B2 (en) | 2021-02-12 | 2024-08-06 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Non-combustion heated tobacco products and non-combustion heated tobacco sticks |
| WO2022215256A1 (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2022-10-13 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor inhaler and smoking system |
| JP2023061353A (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2023-05-01 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor sucker and smoking system |
| WO2022215255A1 (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2022-10-13 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor inhaler and smoking system |
| JPWO2022215255A1 (en) * | 2021-04-09 | 2022-10-13 | ||
| JP7530405B2 (en) | 2021-04-09 | 2024-08-07 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor inhaler and smoking system |
| JP7532527B2 (en) | 2021-04-09 | 2024-08-13 | 日本たばこ産業株式会社 | Flavor inhaler and smoking system |
| WO2022263836A1 (en) * | 2021-06-18 | 2022-12-22 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | Article for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision system |
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