WO2022167580A1

WO2022167580A1 - Aerosol generating article

Info

Publication number: WO2022167580A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/052702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alec WRIGHT
Original assignee: Jt International S.A.
Priority date: 2021-02-08
Filing date: 2022-02-04
Publication date: 2022-08-11

Abstract

An aerosol generating article for an aerosol generating device comprises a substrate carrier (3) comprising a filter (4), for receiving an aerosol substrate (2). The substrate carrier is configured to support at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions (10) containing a predetermined amount of aerosol substrate (2) for forming an aerosol when heated.

Description

AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating article for an aerosol device.

The present invention also relates to an aerosol substrate portion for such an aerosol generating article.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating system.

Background of the invention

An alternative to industrial cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, which contains a predetermined dose of tobacco, is roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes, which are hand- rolled cigarettes made with loose tobacco. RYO cigarettes also called rollies, rollups, burns, or rolls are made with cigarette paper and an amount of loose tobacco that can be adjusted to suit the needs of a user.

In order to avoid burning of tobacco, various devices and systems are available that heat or agitate an aerosol substrate to produce an aerosol and/or vapour for inhalation, as opposed to conventional tobacco products.

One type of device is called heat-not-burn device. Devices of this type generally comprise a pen-like holder or chamber, in which a tobacco stick is inserted, which is then heated up to 150°C to 350°C by means of one or several electrically controlled heaters.

A tobacco stick looks like a traditional cigarette and typically includes a reconstituted tobacco material, a component which cools the aerosol and a filter as a soft mouthpiece which mimics the feel of a traditional cigarette. The reconstituted tobacco material may be made of a dried tobacco suspension including tobacco, humectants (like water and glycerine) to encourage aerosol formation, binding agents and aroma agents.

For example, US 2014/0345634 describes a smoking article comprising an aerosol substrate, a filter and a transfer cooling section. The smoking article is engaged with a heat-not-burn device having a heating rod penetrating the aerosolforming substrate for generating an aerosol.

However, the amount of aerosol substrate (tobacco material) contained in the smoking article is predetermined, as in industrial cigarettes. Once the aerosol substrate is heated, it must be consumed within a specified time, especially to keep the taste. Therefore, a user wanting to smoke less than the predetermined amount of aerosol substrate contained in the smoking article cannot be satisfied or is forced to waste some aerosol substrate.

Furthermore, the user has to throw away each smoking article, as a conventional tobacco product, once the aerosol substrate is consumed. Thus, unconsumed or partially consumed aerosol substrate and the filter or the transfer cooling section are thrown away while they are still usable. Therefore, they represent for each smoking article, an additional cost to the user and an additional waste to the environment.

The present invention aims to improve the flexibility to select the amount of tobacco or other suitable aerosol substrate to suit the needs of a user of an aerosol generating device.

Summary of the invention

The present invention thus relates to an aerosol generating article for an aerosol generating device comprising a substrate carrier comprising a filter, for receiving an aerosol substrate, the substrate carrier being configured to support at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions containing a predetermined amount of aerosol substrate for forming an aerosol when heated.

According to the invention, the substrate carrier comprises an assembly rod for receiving the at least two aerosol substrate portions.

Thus, the substrate carrier supports at least two distinct aerosol substrate portions which are stackable to adjust the amount of aerosol substrate, depending on the number of aerosol substrate portions stacked on the substrate carrier.

The aerosol substrate portions are also distinct. When several aerosol substrate portions are stacked, they form a single portion of aerosol substrate.

Furthermore, the aerosol substrate portions may be assembled easily by the user on the substrate carrier.

Such an aerosol generating article allows to select the aerosol substrate amount to suit the needs of a user of an aerosol generating device.

In one embodiment, the assembly rod is configured to fit in a hole of each of said at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions.

The aerosol substrate portions are thus threaded onto the assembly rod and aligned along the same axis of the assembly rod. In addition, the aerosol substrate portions are held radially in position and do not require an outer case to hold them aligned. Therefore, the user can easily manipulate the portions when they are threaded onto the assembly rod.

According to one embodiment, the at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions are removably mounted on the assembly rod.

The aerosol substrate portions may then be removed of the substrate carrier after they have been consumed. Thus, the substrate carrier may be reused several times. Only the consumed portions are thrown away in order to reduce waste and costs for the user.

According to one embodiment, the substrate carrier further comprises a case with an open end, the case forming a vapour cooling region and being arranged between the filter and the at least two aerosol substrate portions.

Therefore, it forms an aerosol cooling region so that the aerosol can be vaped by the user. The open end is opposite to an end closed by the filter.

The case may be formed integrally with the substrate carrier because it is not necessary to throw it away after each use.

In one configuration, the case consists of a tube connecting the aerosol substrate to the filter, for improving the cooling of the aerosol produced by heating of the aerosol substrate.

In one configuration, the assembly rod is coaxial with the case and protrudes from the open end of the case.

In one embodiment, the open end of the case forms an axial abutment for one of the at least two aerosol substrate portions.

As a consequence, the aerosol substrate portions may be compressed towards the open end of the case in order to avoid air intake between the different stacked aerosol substrate portions, that can alter the concentration of substances in the aerosol. Thus, the passage of the aerosol through the aerosol substrate portions to the aerosol cooling region is improved.

According to second aspect, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article as recited above. The aerosol generating device comprises a heating chamber mainly extending in an axial direction, bounded by an open end through which an aerosol substrate is receivable and a bottom end opposed to the open end.

The aerosol generating device has at least the same advantages as described above.

According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating device comprises several heaters for heating the aerosol substrate between 150 and 350 °C, activated depending on the number of aerosol substrate portions in the heating chamber of aerosol generating device.

In practice, each heater corresponds to one aerosol substrate portion. The heaters are arranged in the heating chamber along the axial direction. The heaters may also be arranged equidistant from each other along the axial direction.

In an embodiment, each heater may have the same length along the axial direction as a height of an aerosol substrate portion. In one configuration, the heaters encircle the heating chamber.

In addition, the activation of the heaters according to the number of aerosol substrate portions saves energy by avoiding the activation of all heaters. In one embodiment, the heating chamber of the aerosol generating device comprises a base plate compressing the at least two aerosol substrate portions against an open end of a case of the aerosol generating article, the case forming a vapour cooling region and being arranged between the filter and the at least two aerosol substrate portions.

Thus, as previously explained, the base plate makes it possible to reduce air intakes.

In one configuration, the base plate includes a hole for receiving the assembly rod of the aerosol generating article, the assembly rod being configured to receive the at least two aerosol substrate portions.

Such a hole allows the base plate to contact the aerosol substrate contained in the aerosol substrate portions regardless of the assembly rod. Thus, the base plate slides along the assembly rod until it comes into contact with one of the aerosol substrate portions.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to an aerosol substrate portion configured to be supported by an aerosol generating article as mentioned above, wherein the aerosol substrate portion has a hole configured to receive the assembly rod of the aerosol generating article.

According to one embodiment, the aerosol substrate portion has a shape of a hollow cylinder, the hole substantially extending along a central axis of the aerosol substrate portion.

The hollow shape of the aerosol substrate portion may facilitate the cooperation with the heating chamber of an aerosol generating device, without requiring a particular angular position. The positioning of the hole along a central axis of the cylindrical portion allows a uniform aerosol substrate thickness around the assembly rod, therefore a uniform heating.

Furthermore, the hollow cylinder shape with the hole in the center of the aerosol substrate portions may facilitate the cooperation with the assembly rod of substrate carrier, without requiring a particular angular position. In practice, the aerosol substrate portion is wrapped with a paper material only on the inner surface and the outer circumferential surface.

Thus, the end faces of the cylinder, i.e. the plane faces, are not wrapped so that the aerosol substrate is exposed.

The wrap keeps the aerosol substrate in the form of a hollow cylinder while the non-wrapped faces are intended to contact other non-wrapped faces when several aerosol substrate portions are stacked. Thus, stacked aerosol substrate portions form a single hollow cylinder without discontinuity at the intersection of different portions.

Brief description of the drawings

Other particularities and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples:

- Figure 1 represents, in a schematic view, an aerosol generating article according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2A represents a schematic cross-sectional view from a side of an aerosol substrate portion of the aerosol generating article of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 2B represents a schematic cross-sectional view from the top of the aerosol substrate portion of Figure 2; and

- Figure 3 represents a schematic cross-sectional view from the side of an aerosol generating system according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 depicts an aerosol generating article according to a first embodiment, adapted to be received in an aerosol generating device.

Such an aerosol generating device is preferably a heat-not-burn device but the invention is not limited to this type of device and the aerosol generating article 1 may also be used or received in a type of device called vaporizer.

In a conventional way, the aerosol generating article 1 comprises an aerosol substrate 2 for forming an aerosol when heated, typically to a temperature typically in the range 150°C to 300°C. The aerosol substrate 2 generally contains a reconstituted tobacco material or another suitable aerosolisable material that is heatable to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

The aerosol substrate 2 may include tobacco, for example in dried or cured form, in some cases with additional ingredients for flavouring or producing a smoother or otherwise more pleasurable experience.

In some examples, the aerosol substrate 2 such as tobacco may be treated with a vaporizing agent. The vaporizing agent may improve the generation of vapour from the aerosol substrate 2. The vaporizing agent may include, for example, a polyol such as glycerol, or a glycol such as propylene glycol. In some cases, the aerosol substrate 2 may contain no tobacco, or even no nicotine, but instead may contain naturally or artificially derived ingredients for flavouring, volatilization, improving smoothness, and/or providing other pleasurable effects.

The aerosol substrate 2 may be provided as a solid or paste type material in shredded, pelletized, powdered, granulated, strip or sheet form, optionally a combination of these. Equally, the aerosol substrate 2 may be a liquid or gel. Indeed, some examples may include both solid and liquid/gel parts.

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the aerosol generating article 1 comprises a substrate carrier 3 for supporting the aerosol substrate 2. The substrate carrier 3 supporting the aerosol substrate 2 is elongate, that is to say extend for a greater length than his width, along an axial direction X. The substrate carrier 3 comprises various components arranged along his length. Each component is centered on the axial direction X, which is thus a central axis of the substrate carrier 3. As described in the remainder of the description, the substrate carrier 3 may be formed in one piece or may result of the assembly of the various components.

One of the components included in the substrate carrier 3 is a filter 4, such as a mouthpiece filter, preferably located at a mouth end 5 of the aerosol generating article 1 , as shown in Figure 1 .

The filter 4 may be provided as part of the substrate carrier 3. As a variant, the filter 4 may be a separate component. In the latter case, the filter 4 may be received in a removable manner in order to be replaced once used. In this embodiment, the filter 4 is cylindrical. Such a filter 4 may be similar or resembling to filters used in roll-your-own cigarettes. For this purpose, cylindrical filters are much more common on the market and thus, easy to obtain for the user.

Of course, the cylindrical shape of the filter is not limited and a wide variety of shapes are possible such as polygonal shapes, curved shapes, including multiple shapes of one or more of these types.

In this way, any filter known in the art may be used to filter the aerosol.

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the substrate carrier 3 of the aerosol generating article 1 further comprises a case 6 forming a cooling region for the aerosol generated by heating of the aerosol substrate 2. In this embodiment, the case 6 is tubular and extends along the central axis X. More specifically, the case 6 is a hollow cylinder having for axis of revolution the central axis X. For example, the case 6 extends longitudinally along the central axis X over a length of between 10 mm and 30 mm, preferably about 20 mm. Of course, this length is given by way of example and any length likely to allow adequate cooling of the aerosol may be considered.

The case 6 is advantageously adjacent to the filter 4 in order to cool the aerosol before being filtered, then vaped by the user. So that all the aerosol passing through the case 6 is filtered, the filter 4 closes one end of the case 6 on the side of the mouth end 5. In this way, all the aerosol coming out of the case 6 is filtered.

Preferably, the filter 4 and the case 6 have the same external diameter so as to form a homogeneous cylinder that can be easily inserted into an aerosol generating device.

The case 6 may be one part with the filter 4 when the filter 4 is provided as part of the substrate carrier 3 as described. Otherwise, the case 6 may form a support to receive a removable filter, on the side of the mouth end 5. This support must be able to hold the filter 4 in position to prevent aerosol leaks or air intake between the filter 4 and the case 6.

At one end 7 opposed to the filter 5, the case 6 is opened to receive the hot aerosol vaporized by heating of the aerosol substrate 2.

The case 6 is made from a material resistant to the temperatures to which the aerosol substrate 2 is heated. In practice, the case 6 is made from a plastic material or from paper material. The thickness of the material forming the case 6 is generally between 0.5 and 3 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 2 mm, more preferably equal to 1 mm. Of course, these thickness values are given by way of example and the invention is not limited to these values.

In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate carrier 3 of the aerosol generating article 1 further comprises an assembly rod 8 for supporting the aerosol substrate 2. The assembly rod 8 is located partly inside the case 6 and protrudes from the open end 7 of said case 6. The assembly rod 8 has a circular cross section of diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the case 6, in order to leave sufficient space for the passage of the hot aerosol. Of course, as better described later, the cross section of the assembly rod 8 is not limited to a circular shape and a wide variety of shapes are possible such as polygonal shapes, curved shapes, including multiple shapes of one or more of these types.

As shown in Figure 1 , the assembly rod 8 is centered and aligned with the central axis X of the substrate carrier 3. Thereby, the assembly rod 8 is held spaced apart from an inner surface of the case 6. This arrangement holds the assembly rod 8 in a broadly coaxial arrangement with the case 6. Therefore, this arrangement leads to an annular passage for the aerosol through the case 6 from the open end 7 to the end adjacent to the filter 4.

Preferably, the assembly rod 8 extends from the end of the case 6 that is adjacent to the filter 4, and protrudes from the opposite end, i.e. the open end 7 of the case 6. In other words, the assembly rod 8 has preferably a length greater than the length of the case 6 in the axial direction X. Thus, the assembly rod 8 comprises a free end 9 opposite the filter 5, protruding from the open end 7 of the case 6. A distance D separates the open end 7 of the case 6 and the free end 9 of the assembly rod 8 along the axial direction X.

In the same way as for the other components of the substrate carrier 3, the assembly rod 8 may be one part with the filter 4, with the case 6 or both of them. As a variant, the assembly rod 8 may also be a separate component of the substrate carrier 3. As shown in Figure 1 , the assembly rod 8 is connected to the filter 4. Thus, the assembly rod 8 is detached from the case 6.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the assembly rod 8 is connected to the case 6.

Thus, the aerosol substrate 2 is supported or intended to be supported by the substrate carrier 3 and more precisely by the assembly rod 8, on the side of the open end 7 of the case 6.

As depicted in Figures 1 , 2A and 2B, the substrate carrier 3 is configured to support at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions 10. Each aerosol substrate portion 10 contains a predetermined amount of aerosol substrate 2 containing material as described above. The predetermined amount is generally less than the amount of aerosol substrate contained in the aerosol generating articles of the prior art.

By stacking several aerosol substrate portions 10 on the substrate carrier 3, the user increases the amount of aerosol substrate 2 and can adjust it according to his needs. Indeed, the aerosol substrate portions 10 are distinct but form a single larger portion of aerosol substrate 2 when stacked. The amount of aerosol substrate 2 of this single larger portion is equivalent to the sum of the amounts contained in each aerosol substrate portion 10. Thus, the stacking of aerosol generating portions 10 on the substrate carrier 3 makes it possible to select the amount of aerosol substrate 2 to suit the needs of the user. The aerosol substrate portions 10 may contain a different amount of aerosol substrate 2 but also be of different size.

Advantageously, the aerosol substrate portions 10 are removably mounted on the substrate carrier 3. Once the aerosol substrate portions 10 have been consumed, i.e. the aerosol substrate 2 has been heated and the aerosol has been released, they can be removed from the substrate carrier 3 to be thrown away. The substrate carrier 3 can be reused to receive new aerosol substrate portions 10.

More precisely, the aerosol substrate portions 10 are mounted on the assembly rod 8 of the substrate carrier 3 as shown in Figure 1 . Thus, the assembly rod 8 is configured to removably receive at least two aerosol substrate portions 10. To be mounted on the assembly rod 8, each aerosol substrate portion 10 includes a hole 1 1 as illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B. The hole 1 1 having a section complementary to the section of the assembly rod 8 so as to allow it to fit in said hole 1 1 . In other words, the assembly rod 8 is configured to fit in the hole 11 of the aerosol substrate portions 10. The complementary sections of the hole 1 1 and of the assembly rod 8 are preferably circular in order to avoid a particular angular position of one relative to the other. Conversely, these complementary sections may be of polygonal shape, for example triangular or rectangular in order to avoid the rotation of the aerosol substrate portions 10 around the assembly rod 8.

The dimensions of the hole 1 1 of the aerosol substrate portions 10 are slightly larger than that of the assembly rod 8 in order to guarantee the removability of the assembly. In addition, this also makes it easier to assemble and disassemble the aerosol substrate portions 10 on the assembly rod 8 by reducing friction efforts between an inner surface 12 of the hole 1 1 and the assembly rod 8.

For this purpose, the aerosol substrate portions 10 are assembled on the substrate carrier 3 by being threaded through the free end 9 of the assembly rod 8 towards the case 6. The free end 9 of the assembly rod 8 may be conical or frustoconical in order to facilitate the assembly of the aerosol substrate portions 10.

It is noted that the inner surface 12 of the hole 1 1 is wrapped with a paper materiel to facilitate sliding along the assembly rod 8. The paper material may be of any type, for example conventional cigarette paper. In addition to sliding, the paper material protects the rod from soiling that may come from aerosol substrate residues. Thanks to the paper material, the user does not need to clean the assembly rod 8 after each use.

With reference to Figures 2A and 2B, the aerosol substrate portion 10 has a shape of hollow cylinder of height h. In general, the height h of the aerosol substrate portions 10 should be selected as :

where D refers to the distance separating the open end 7 of the case 6 and the free end of the assembly rod 8 along the axial direction X. Accordingly, at least two aerosol substrate portions 10 can be assembled on the assembly rod 8 in the manner described above.

As shown in Figure 2A, the hole 11 of the aerosol generating portion 10 is a through hole, substantially extending along a central axis Y, i.e. the revolution axis, of the cylinder. Moreover, the hole 1 1 has preferably a constant section for the same reasons explained above. The aerosol substrate 2 is held in the position of a hollow cylinder using a second wrap on the outer circumferential surface 13 of the aerosol substrate portion 10 in addition to the wrap inside the hole 11 . Thus the aerosol substrate 2 is contained between these two wraps in the form of a hollow cylinder. For reasons of clarity, the two wraps are not illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The material used to the second wrap is preferably the same that the wrap of the internal surfaces of the hole 1 1 . As shown, the flat end surfaces of the aerosol substrate portion 10 are not wrapped. The aerosol substrate 2 contained in the aerosol substrate portion 10 is compact enough so that it does not fall through these flat end surfaces. On the one hand, a saving of paper material is achieved by wrapping only the inner surface 12 of the hole 1 1 and the outer circumferential surface 13 of the aerosol substrate portion 10. On the other hand, the aerosol substrate 2 contained in one aerosol substrate portion 10 is in direct contact with the aerosol substrate of another aerosol substrate portion when these aerosol substrate portions are stacked (see Figure 1 ). Indeed, when two aerosol substrate portions 10 are stacked, a flat end surface of one aerosol substrate portion 10 contacts a flat end surface of the other aerosol substrate portion.

The aerosol substrate 2 being exposed on these flat end surfaces, the stacking of several aerosol substrate portions 10 forms a single aerosol substrate portion of annular section without solid separation between the different aerosol substrate portions 10 in the axial direction X.

The aerosol substrate portion 10 of this embodiment has an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the case 6 of the substrate carrier 3, so that the aerosol substrate portion 10 comes into abutment against the open end 7 of the case 6 when they are axially threaded on the assembly rod 8. This axial abutment formed by the open end 7 of the case 6, serves as a bearing surface for compressing on the one hand the aerosol substrate portion 10 against the case 6 and on the other hand the different aerosol substrate portions between them. By compressing the aerosol substrate portions 10 towards each other, air separations and thus air intakes or aerosol leaks are considerably reduced. It is the same between the aerosol substrate portion 10 and the case 6.

It may be necessary for an additional wrapping paper material to cover the aerosol substrate portions 10 and the filter 4 together to ensure the aerosol is pulled through the aerosol generating article 1 . Such a paper material may wrap the aerosol generating article 1 in the same way as a roll-your-own cigarette, when the aerosol substrate portions 10 have been assembled on the substrate carrier 3. Thus, air intakes or aerosol leaks are further reduced between the different aerosol substrate portions 10, between the aerosol substrate portions 10 and the case 6 and between the case 6 and the filter 4.

Referring to Figure 3, an aerosol generating system 100 comprises an aerosol generating device 50 and the aerosol generating article 1 as described above. The aerosol generating device 50 comprises an outer casing 51 housing various components such as a battery 57 and a microcontroller 58.

The aerosol generating device 50 has a heating chamber 52 mainly extending in an axial direction. Preferably, the heating chamber 52 has substantially the same shape as the aerosol generating article 1 , with slightly larger dimensions. Thus, in this embodiment the heating chamber 52 has a cylindrical shape.

However, it is also preferable that there is a frictional force when the user inserts the aerosol generating article 1 into the heating chamber 52 of the aerosol generating device 50.

The heating chamber 52 opens towards the outer casing 51 of the aerosol generation device 100. In other words, the heating chamber 52 has an open end 53 through which the aerosol generating article 1 is receivable. More precisely, it is preferable that only part of the aerosol generating article 1 is received in the heating chamber 52 of the aerosol generating device 50. This part corresponds preferably to the aerosol substrate portions 10 and the case 6 of the substrate carrier 3. At least part of the filter 4 must remain outside and protruding from the heating chamber 52 to be placed in the user's mouth. On that point, the heating chamber 52 further comprises a bottom end 53 opposite the open end. Thus, the heating chamber 52 is bounded by the open end and the bottom end 53. The bottom end 53 forms a stop surface against which the aerosol generating article 1 comes into contact when inserted into the heating chamber 52. Therefore, the length of the aerosol generating article 1 is predetermined in such a way that at least part of the filter 4 remains outside the heating chamber 52 when the end of the aerosol generating article 1 , and more precisely the free end 9 of the assembly rod 8 of the substrate carrier 3, contacts the bottom end 53 of the heating chamber 52. Thus, to assemble the aerosol generating article 1 into the heating chamber 52 of the aerosol generating device 50, the aerosol generating article 1 should be inserted through the open end of the heating chamber 52 until the free end 9 of the assembly rod 8 abuts the bottom end 53 of the heating chamber 52.

As also shown in Figure 3, the aerosol generating device 50 comprises a base plate 55 located in the heating chamber 52. The base plate 55 is movable in translation along the main axial direction in the heating chamber 52, remaining substantially parallel to the surface of the bottom end 53 of the heating chamber 52. In addition, the base plate 55 exerts a force towards the open end of the heating chamber 52 in order to compress the aerosol substrate portions 10 against each other and against the case 6 of the substrate carrier 3 of the aerosol generating article 1. The base plate 55 may be circular to evenly distribute the force on the aerosol substrate portions 10. Of course, the base plate 55 is not limited to a circular shape and mainly depends on the shape of the aerosol substrate portions 10 and the heating chamber 52 for the explained reasons.

The base plate 55 includes a hole 56 for the assembly rod 8 to pass through the base plate 55. The hole 56 may be arranged at different position on the base plate 55 depending on the position of the assembly rod 8 on the aerosol generating article 1 .

In this embodiment, the hole 56 is in the center of the base plate 55 as shown in the Figure X. To ensure the axial movement of the base plate 55 around the assembly rod 8 of the aerosol generating article 1 , the dimensions of the hole 56 are slightly larger than those of the assembly rod 8. In the present embodiment, the hole 56 has a circular shape with a diameter greater than the diameter of the assembly rod 8.

The shape of the assembly rod 8 and the hole 56 may of course be different as long as they remain complementary so that the base plate 55 can translate along the assembly rod 8.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the base plate 55 also includes air circulation holes in addition to the hole 56, in order to allow air circulation through. The size of these air circulation holes is predetermined so as to allow the passage of air without allowing the aerosol substrate 2 to pass.

The aerosol generating device 50 further comprises heaters 54 for heating the aerosol substrate 2 of the aerosol generating article 1 . The term “heater” should be understood to mean any device for outputting thermal energy sufficient to form an aerosol from the aerosol substrate 2. The transfer of heat energy from the heater 54 to the aerosol substrate 2 may be conductive, convective, radiative or any combination of these means.

In order to heat the aerosol substrate 2 without burning it, the heaters 54 are configured to heat to a temperature between approximately 150 and 350 °C. The heaters 54 may be electrically powered by the battery of the aerosol generating device 50.

The heaters 54 are ring-shaped and encircle the heating chamber 52. As illustrated, the ring-shaped heaters 54 are arranged side by side along the main axial direction of the heating chamber 52. In this example, the aerosol generating device 50 includes four ring-shaped heaters. In a preferred embodiment, each heater 54 has a length along the main axis of the heating chamber that is substantially equal to the height h of one aerosol generating portion 10. In this way, each heater 54 is suitable for heating an aerosol substrate portion 10.

The heaters 54 may be activated simultaneously or separately by the microcontroller 58 of the aerosol generating device 50. The microcontroller 58 is also able to receive information about the presence or the position of one or several aerosol substrate portions 10 emitted by one or several sensors [not shown]. This presence or position information may be used to activate the heaters 54 encircling an aerosol substrate portion 10. Thus, the microcontroller 58 may only activate the heaters 54 being suitable for heating the detected aerosol generating portions 10.

Advantageously, each heater 54 suitable for heating an aerosol substrate portion 10 is activated by the microcontroller 58 only when an aerosol generating portion 10 is detected by a sensor at the same level of this heater 54, i.e. inside this heater.

In other words, the microcontroller 58 is configured to activate the heaters 54 depending on the number of aerosol substrate portions 10 in the heating chamber 52 of aerosol generating device 50. Therefore, the heat is regulated precisely according to the amount of aerosol substrate 2 contained in the aerosol generating article 1 .

Thanks to the invention, an improved aerosol generating article may be provided for an aerosol generating device, with an adaptable amount of aerosol substrate that suit the user's needs compared to an aerosol generating article having a predetermined amount of aerosol substrate.

Due to the improved conception, the aerosol substrate may be removably assembled on the substrate carrier, making it reusable. The waste formed by the unconsumed aerosol substrate, the filter or the case is then reduced. The user only has to change the aerosol substrate when it has been consumed, which also reduces costs. The aerosol generating device adapted to heat only the aerosol substrate portions present in the heating chamber makes it possible to better control the heating and improve the quality of the aerosol vaped.

List of references:

1 : aerosol generating article

2 : aerosol substrate

3 : substrate carrier

4 : filter

5 : mouth end

6 : case

7 : open end

8 : assembly rod

9 : free end

10 : aerosol substrate portion

1 1 : hole

12 : inner surface

13 : outer circumferential surface

50 : aerosol generating device

51 : outer casing

52 : heating chamber

53 : bottom end

54 : heater

55 : base plate

56 : hole

57 : battery

58 : microcontroller

100 : aerosol generating device

Claims

1. An aerosol generating article for an aerosol generating device comprising : a substrate carrier (3) comprising a filter (4), for receiving an aerosol substrate (2), said substrate carrier being configured to support at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions (10) containing a predetermined amount of aerosol substrate (2) for forming an aerosol when heated, wherein said substrate carrier comprises an assembly rod (8) for receiving the at least two aerosol substrate portions (10).

2. The aerosol generating article according to Claim 1 , wherein said assembly rod (8) is configured to fit in a hole (1 1 ) of each of said at least two aerosol substrate portions (10).

3. The aerosol generating article according to Claims 1 or 2, wherein said at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions (10) are removably mounted on said assembly rod (8).

4. The aerosol generating article according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said substrate carrier (3) further comprises a case (6) with an open end (7), said case (6) forming a vapour cooling region and being arranged between the filter (4) and the at least two aerosol substrate portions (10).

5. The aerosol generating article according to Claim 4, wherein said open end (7) of the case (6) forms an axial abutment for one of said at least two stackable aerosol substrate portions (10).

6. An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device (50) and an aerosol generating article (1 ) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said aerosol generating device (50) comprises a heating chamber (52) mainly extending in an axial direction, bounded by an open end through which said aerosol generating article (1 ) is receivable and a bottom end (53) opposed to the open end.

7. The aerosol generating system according to Claim 6, wherein said aerosol generating device (50) comprises several heaters (54) for heating the aerosol substrate (2) between 150 and 350 °C, activated depending on the number of stackable aerosol substrate portions (10) in the heating chamber (52) of the aerosol generating device (50).

8. The aerosol generating system according to Claim 7, wherein the heating chamber (52) comprises a base plate (55) pressing one of the at least two aerosol substrate portions (10) against an open end (7) of a case (6) of the aerosol generating article (1 ), the case (6) forming a vapour cooling region and being arranged between the filter (4) and the at least two aerosol substrate portions (10).

9. The aerosol generating system according to Claim 8, wherein said base plate (55) includes a hole (56) for receiving the assembly rod (8) of the aerosol generating article (1 ), said assembly rod (8) being configured to receive the at least two aerosol substrate portions (10).

10. An aerosol substrate portion configured to be supported by an aerosol generating article (1 ) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, .wherein said aerosol substrate portion has a hole (11 ) configured to receive the assembly rod (8) of said aerosol generating article (1 ).

1 1 . The aerosol substrate portion according to Claim 10, wherein said aerosol substrate portion has a shape of a hollow cylinder, said hole (1 1 ) substantially extending along a central axis (Y) of said aerosol substrate portion (1 ).

12. The aerosol substrate portion according to Claim 1 1 , wherein said aerosol substrate portion is wrapped with a paper material only on the inner (12) surface and the outer circumferential surface (13).