Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF 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
  • A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device and to a system for heating aerosol-generating material.
• Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke.
• Alternatives to these types of articles release an inhalable aerosol or vapour by releasing compounds from a substrate material by heating without burning.
• These may be referred to as non-combustible smoking articles, aerosol generating assemblies or non-combustible aerosol provision systems.
• a heating device which release compounds by heating, but not burning, a solid aerosolisable material.
• This solid aerosolisable material may, in some cases, contain a tobacco material.
• the heating volatilises at least one component of the material, typically forming an inhalable aerosol.
• These products may be referred to as heat-not-burn devices, tobacco heating devices or tobacco heating products (THP).
• THP tobacco heating products
• e-cigarette / tobacco heating product hybrid devices also known as electronic tobacco hybrid devices.
• These hybrid devices contain a liquid source (which may or may not contain nicotine) which is vaporised by heating to produce an inhalable vapour or aerosol.
• the device additionally contains a solid aerosolisable material (which may or may not contain a tobacco material) and components of this material are entrained in the inhalable vapour or aerosol to produce the inhaled medium.
• a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device wherein the consumable comprises:
• the mass ratio of the first section to the portion of aerosol generating material is from 1 to 5, for example 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, or 5.0, or within a range defined by any two of these values.
• the mass ratio of the second section to the portion of aerosol generating material is more than 1.
• the mass ratio of the second section to the portion of aerosol generating material is from 1 to 5, for example 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, or 5.0, or within a range defined by any two of these values.
• the overall mass of the consumable is 390mg or less, for example 340mg or less, or 300mg or less, or 290mg or less.
• the portion of aerosol generating material is or comprises an aerosol-generating film, optionally wherein the aerosol-generating film is or comprises an amorphous solid.
• the aerosol generating film is provided on a carrier, for example paper.
• the carrier is a sheet material.
• the aerosol generating film is provided as a layer, for example as a thin layer, on the carrier.
• the aerosol-generating material is arranged to comprise at least one longitudinally-extending air channel extending through the first aerosol generating material.
• the at least one longitudinally-extending air channel extends entirely through the portion of aerosol generating material.
• the aerosol generating material is provided on or as a sheet material arranged to comprise at least one a substantially spiral shaped cross section so as to define at least one longitudinally-extending air channel between each layer of the spiral (e.g. between two opposing, or spaced-apart layers of the spiral).
• the longitudinally-extending air channel extends entirely through the portion of aerosol generating material.
• the aerosol generating material is provided on or as a sheet material gathered to comprise a plurality of folds defining one or more longitudinally-extending air channels between each fold.
• the one or more longitudinally-extending air channels extend entirely through the portion of aerosol generating material.
• the first section comprises a body of aerosol generating material.
• the aerosol generating material of the body of aerosol generating material of the first section is different to the aerosol generating material of the portion of aerosol generating material.
• the body of aerosol generating material of the first section comprises a plurality of discrete bodies of aerosol generating material.
• the discrete bodies comprise aerosol generating material provided on a carrier.
• the body of aerosol generating material of the first section comprises a first aerosol generating material and plurality of discrete bodies comprise a second aerosol generating material different from the first aerosol generating material.
• the plurality of discrete bodies are provided as strips of aerosol generating material, optionally provided on a carrier, such as paper or cardboard.
• the plurality of discrete bodies of aerosol generating material are distributed, interspersed, or mixed throughout the body of aerosol generating material of the first section.
• the aerosol generating material is provided as a layer, for example as a film, on the carrier.
• the plurality of discrete bodies of aerosol generating material each comprise an aerosol-generating film, for example an aerosol-generating film that is or comprises an amorphous solid.
• the second section comprises a cooling chamber or segment comprising a longitudinally extending air channel for cooling the flow of air therethrough.
• a system for heating aerosol-generating material to volatilise at least one component of the aerosol generating material comprising:
• such a mass ratio allows for less aerosol-generating material to be provided within the portion of aerosol-generating material while compensating for the reduction in weight and/or pressure drop by providing more mass in the first portion.
• the overall mass and/or pressure drop may in some embodiments be the same, or similar, to that expected or preferred by a user.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol former.
• a substance to be delivered and/or filler may also be present.
• a solvent such as water, is also present and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent.
• the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from botanical material.
• the aerosol-generating material is substantially tobacco free.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise or be in the form of an aerosol-generating film.
• the aerosol-generating film may comprise a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol former.
• a substance to be delivered and/or filler may also be present.
• the aerosol-generating film may be substantially free from botanical material.
• the aerosol-generating material is substantially tobacco free.
• the aerosol-generating film may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1 mm.
• the thickness may be in the range of about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm.
• the aerosol-generating film may have a thickness of about 0.11 mm to 0.17 mm, for example of about 0.12 mm to 0.13 mm.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise more than one film, and the thickness described herein may refer to the aggregate thickness of those films.
• the aerosol-generating film may be continuous.
• the film may comprise or be a continuous sheet of material.
• the sheet may be in the form of a wrapper.
• the sheet may be gathered to form a gathered sheet or it may be shredded to form a shredded sheet.
• the shredded sheet may comprise one or more strands or strips of aerosol-generating material.
• the aerosol-generating film may be discontinuous.
• the aerosol-generating film may comprise one or more discrete portions or regions of aerosol-generating material, such as dots, stripes, strips or lines, which may be supported on a support.
• the support may be planar or non-planar.
• Each of the one or more discrete portions or regions of aerosol-generating material may comprise a combination of two or more aerosol-generating materials. Discrete portions of different aerosol-generating materials may be heated separately.
• the aerosol-generating film may be formed by combining a binder, such as a gelling agent, with a solvent, such as water, an aerosol-former and one or more other components, such as one or more substances to be delivered, to form a slurry and then heating the slurry to volatilise at least some of the solvent to form the aerosol-generating film.
• a binder such as a gelling agent
• a solvent such as water
• an aerosol-former such as one or more other components, such as one or more substances to be delivered
• the slurry may be heated to remove at least about 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt% or 90 wt% of the solvent.
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise or be an "amorphous solid".
• the aerosol-generating material is or comprises an aerosol-generating film that is or comprises an amorphous solid.
• the amorphous solid may be a "monolithic solid".
• the amorphous solid may be substantially non-fibrous.
• the amorphous solid may be a dried gel.
• the amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it.
• the amorphous solid may, for example, comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.
• the amorphous solid may be substantially free from botanical material.
• the amorphous solid may be substantially tobacco free.
• the aerosol-generating film may comprise from about 15 wt% to about 60 wt% binder, such as a gelling agent, for example from about 25 wt%, 30 wt%, or 35 wt% to about 40 wt%, 45 wt% or 50 wt% of a binder (all calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise about 25 to 50 wt%, 30 to 45 wt% or 35 to 40 wt% of the binder.
• the binder comprises a hydrocolloid.
• the binder comprises (or is) one or more compounds selected from polysaccharide gelling agents, such as alginate, pectin, starch or a derivative thereof, cellulose or a derivative thereof, pullulan, carrageenan, agar and agarose; gelatin; gums, such as xanthan gum, guar gum and acacia gum; silica or silicone compounds, such as PDMS and sodium silicate; clays, such as kaolin; and polyvinyl alcohol.
• polysaccharide gelling agents such as alginate, pectin, starch or a derivative thereof, cellulose or a derivative thereof, pullulan, carrageenan, agar and agarose
• gelatin such as xanthan gum, guar gum and acacia gum
• silica or silicone compounds such as PDMS and sodium silicate
• clays such as kaolin
• polyvinyl alcohol polyvinyl alcohol
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more polysaccharide gelling agents.
• the polysaccharide gelling agent is selected from alginate, pectin, starch or a derivative thereof, or cellulose or a derivative thereof. In some embodiments the polysaccharide gelling agent is selected from alginate and a cellulose derivative.
• the gelling agent is a polysaccharide gelling agent, optionally wherein the polysaccharide gelling agent is selected from alginate and a cellulose derivative.
• the alginate is sodium alginate.
• the polysaccharide gelling agent is a cellulose derivative. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that such gelling agents do not react with calcium ions to form crosslinks.
• the polysaccharide gelling agent is alginate.
• the binder is not crosslinked.
• the absence of crosslinks in the binder may facilitate quicker delivery of the constituent, derivative or extract of active substances and/or flavours) from the aerosol-generating material.
• cellulosic gelling agents include, but are not limited to, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), and cellulose acetate propionate (CAP).
• the cellulose or derivative thereof is selected from hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), and cellulose acetate propionate (CAP).
• CMC carboxymethylcellulose
• HPMC hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
• CAP cellulose acetate propionate
• the cellulose derivative is CMC.
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin and polyvinyl alcohol.
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, acacia gum, alginate and/or pectin.
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) alginate and/or pectin, and may be combined with a setting agent (such as a calcium source) during formation of the aerosol-generating material.
• a setting agent such as a calcium source
• the aerosol-generating material may comprise a calcium-crosslinked alginate and/or a calcium-crosslinked pectin.
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) alginate, optionally wherein the alginate is present in the aerosol-generating material in an amount of from about 15 to 40 wt%, for example about 15 to 25 wt%, of the aerosol-generating material (calculated on a dry weight basis).
• the gelling agent comprises (or is) alginate, optionally the alginate is present in the aerosol-generating material in an amount of from about 15 to 40 wt%, for example about 30 to 40 wt%, of the aerosol-generating material (calculated on a dry weight basis).
• alginate is the only gelling agent present in the aerosol-generating material.
• the gelling agent comprises alginate and at least one further gelling agent, such as pectin.
• the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, and triacetin. In some cases, the aerosol-former material comprises, consists essentially of or consists of glycerol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol.
• the "thickness" of the aerosol-generating material describes the shortest distance between a first surface and a second surface.
• the thickness of the aerosol-generating material is the shortest distance between a first planar surface of the sheet and a second planar surface of the sheet which opposes the first planar surface of the sheet.
• the aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a sheet or layer having a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1.0 mm.
• the thickness may be in the range of about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm, for example 0.1-3 mm or 0.15-3 mm.
• the device 51 comprises a housing 59 for locating and protecting various internal components of the device 51.
• the housing 59 comprises a uni-body sleeve 11 that encompasses the perimeter of the device 51, capped with a top panel 17 which defines generally the 'top' of the device 51 and a bottom panel 19 which defines generally the 'bottom' of the device 51.
• the housing comprises a front panel, a rear panel and a pair of opposite side panels in addition to the top panel 17 and the bottom panel 19.
• the power source 27 may be for example a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery.
• suitable batteries include for example a lithium-ion battery, a nickel battery (such as a nickel-cadmium battery), an alkaline battery and/ or the like.
• the battery 27 is electrically coupled to the heater arrangement 23 to supply electrical power when required and under control of the control circuitry 25 to heat the aerosol-generating material in the article (as discussed, to volatilise the aerosol-generating material without causing the aerosol-generating material to burn).
• the heater arrangement 23 is generally in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube, having a hollow interior heating chamber 29 into which the article 101, 301 comprising the aerosol-generating material is inserted for heating in use.
• the heater arrangement 23 may comprise a single heating element or may be formed of plural heating elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the heater arrangement 23.
• the or each heating element may be annular or tubular, or at least part-annular or part-tubular around its circumference.
• the or each heating element may be a thin film heater.
• the or each heating element may be made of a ceramics material.
• suitable ceramics materials include alumina and aluminium nitride and silicon nitride ceramics, which may be laminated and sintered.
• Other heating arrangements are possible, including for example inductive heating, infrared heater elements, which heat by emitting infrared radiation, or resistive heating elements formed by for example a resistive electrical winding.
• the or each heating element may be arranged so that selected zones of the aerosol-generating material can be independently heated, for example in turn (over time, as discussed above) or together (simultaneously) as desired.
• the heater arrangement 23 in this example is surrounded along at least part of its length by a thermal insulator 31.
• the insulator 31 helps to reduce heat passing from the heater arrangement 23 to the exterior of the device 51. This helps to keep down the power requirements for the heater arrangement 23 as it reduces heat losses generally.
• the insulator 31 also helps to keep the exterior of the device 51 cool during operation of the heater arrangement 23.
• the insulator 31 may be a double-walled sleeve which provides a low pressure region between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the insulator 31 may be for example a "vacuum" tube, i.e. a tube that has been at least partially evacuated so as to minimise heat transfer by conduction and/or convection.
• Other arrangements for the insulator 31 are possible, including using heat insulating materials, including for example a suitable foam-type material, in addition to or instead of a double-walled sleeve.
• the collar 33 comprises a plurality of ridges 60 arranged circumferentially around the periphery of the opening 20 and which project into the opening 20.
• the ridges 60 take up space within the opening 20 such that the open span of the opening 20 at the locations of the ridges 60 is less than the open span of the opening 20 at the locations without the ridges 60.
• the ridges 60 are configured to engage with an article 101, 301 inserted into the device to assist in securing it within the device 51.
• Open spaces (not shown in the Figures) defined by adjacent pairs of ridges 60 and the article 101, 301 form ventilation paths around the exterior of the article 101, 301. These ventilation paths allow hot vapours that have escaped from the article 101, 301 to exit the device 51 and allow cooling air to flow into the device 51 around the article 101, 301 in the air gap 36.
• the article 101, 301 is removably inserted into an insertion point 20 of the device 51, as shown in Figures 5 to 7 .
• the portion 102; 302 of aerosol-generating material which may be located towards the distal end 115, 315 of the article 101, 301, is entirely received within the heater arrangement 23 of the device 51.
• the proximal end 113, 313 of the article 101, 301 extends from the device 51 and acts as a mouthpiece assembly for a user.
• the heater arrangement 23 will heat the article 101, 301 to volatilise at least one component of the aerosol-generating material from the portion 102 of aerosol-generating material.
• the primary flow path for the heated volatilised components from the portion 102 of aerosol-generating material is axially through the article 101, 301, through the chamber inside the cooling segment 107, 307, through the filter segment 109, 309, through the mouth end segment 111, 313 to the user.
• the temperature of the heated volatilised components that are generated from the portion 102 of aerosol-generating material is between 60°C and 250°C, which may be above the acceptable inhalation temperature for a user.
• the heated volatilised component travels through the cooling segment 107, 307, it will cool and some volatilised components will condense on the inner surface of the cooling segment 107, 307.
• cool air will be able to enter the cooling segment 307 via the ventilation holes 117; 317 formed in the cooling segment 107; 307 or filter segment 109; 309. This cool air will mix with the heated volatilised components to provide additional cooling to the heated volatilised components.
• tobacco material refers to any material comprising tobacco or derivatives therefore.
• tobacco material may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes.
• the tobacco material may comprise one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fibre, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, reconstituted tobacco and/or tobacco extract.
• the tobacco used to produce tobacco material may be any suitable tobacco, such as single grades or blends, cut rag or whole leaf, including Virginia and/or Burley and/or Oriental. It may also be tobacco particle 'fines' or dust, expanded tobacco, stems, expanded stems, and other processed stem materials, such as cut rolled stems.
• the tobacco material may be a ground tobacco or a reconstituted tobacco material.
• the reconstituted tobacco material may comprise tobacco fibres, and may be formed by casting, a Fourdrinier-based paper making-type approach with back addition of tobacco extract, or by extrusion.

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• Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)

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Citations (8)

• 2024
  • 2024-02-12 EP EP24157140.5A patent/EP4599706A1/fr active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-02-12 WO PCT/EP2025/053716 patent/WO2025172358A1/fr active Pending

Patent Citations (8)

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