Patent Grant
12225930
The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate and a hollow tubular filter portion.
It is known to provide an aerosol-generating device for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such devices may heat aerosol-forming substrate contained in an aerosol-generating article without burning the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating article may have a rod shape for insertion of the aerosol-generating article into a heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device. A heating element may be arranged in or around the heating chamber for heating the aerosol-forming substrate once the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device. The mouthpiece may be provided at the end of the aerosol-generating article.
Known aerosol-generating articles are relatively complex and require multiple different portions such as a substrate portion, one or more filter portion and a cooling section for generating the inhalable aerosol, frequently requiring three to five segments or plugs in the aerosol-generating article that all need to be arranged into a rod shaped form. This requires complex making machinery and combining machinery.
It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating article and a mouthpiece with reduced complexity. It would be further desirable that such an aerosol-generating article shows good aerosol generation characteristics.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an aerosol-generating article comprising a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate and a hollow tubular filter portion. The hollow tubular filter portion may have an inner diameter of below 5 millimeters.
A diameter of below 5 millimeters can have at least two distinct advantages. Where the diameter is between about 2 millimeters and 5 millimeters, a cavity is created at the downstream end of the aerosol-forming substrate. When the stream of material that is released from the aerosol-former substrate enters such an open space of the hollow tubular filter portion, this expansion cools down the stream to some extent and can aerosol droplets may form. In addition, this effect can be further enhanced to use a further reduction of diameter downstream of the cavity, for example with a mouthpiece as will be discussed further below.
However, it has been found that advantageously, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion is below 2 millimeters. At 2 millimeters or below, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion is smaller than the inner diameter of conventional hollow tubular filter portions of conventional aerosol-generating articles. Advantageously, this relatively small diameter may enable a venturi effect when combined with a subsequence structure with a larger diameter such as a further mouthpiece described below. Hence, the complexity of the aerosol-generating article may be reduced due to the fact that the number of elements of the aerosol-generating article may be advantageously reduced such as, for example, a cooling section for generating the aerosol. According to the invention, some of the functionality of the aerosol generating article can be transferred into the reusable mouthpiece. This means that elements that would be otherwise only used once can now be used multiple times. This means that the aerosol-generating articles can be simplified. This reduces the amount of waste from the single use articles that would be created otherwise.
Additionally, this relatively small diameter may result in a desired resistance to draw.
As used herein, the terms ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ are used to describe the relative positions of components, or portions of components, of the mouthpiece and the aerosol-generating article according to the invention in relation to the direction of air drawn through the mouthpiece and the aerosol-generating article during use thereof.
The hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article may comprise for example a hollow acetate tube (HAT), a fine hollow acetate tube (FHAT) or a plug of tow wrapped around a central cardboard tube, all of which structures being known from manufacture of filter elements. The hollow tubular filter portion preferably comprises a hollow central space. The inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion may refer to the diameter of the hollow central space.
The hollow tubular filter portion may be located immediately downstream of the substrate portion containing the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article and may directly abut the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating article may only comprise the substrate portion and the hollow tubular filter portion.
If desired or required, for example to achieve a sufficiently high resistance to draw of the aerosol-generating article, an additional filter section may be included in the aerosol-generating article. Preferably such additional filter section may be included between the substrate portion and the hollow tubular filter portion. Preferably, such additional filter section comprises a filtration material such as, for example, cellulose acetate. Preferably, the length of the additional filter section is between about 4 millimeters and about 8 millimeters, preferably, between about 5 millimeters and about 7 millimeters. Preferably, the combined length of the additional filter section and the hollow tubular filter portion is between about 10 millimeters and about 18 millimeters, preferably, 13 millimeters.
The hollow tubular filter portion may be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials. For example, the hollow tubular filter portion may be formed from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: cellulose acetate; cardboard; paper, such as crimped heat resistant paper or crimped parchment paper; cotton; viscose; glass fibres; and other polymeric materials, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE). In a preferred embodiment, the hollow tubular filter portion is formed from cellulose acetate.
The hollow tubular filter portion preferably has an external diameter that is approximately equal to the external diameter of the aerosol-generating article.
The hollow tubular filter portion may have an external diameter of between approximately 4 millimeters and approximately 8 millimeters, for example of between approximately 5 millimeters and approximately 6 millimeters, preferably around 5.3 millimeters. The hollow tubular filter portion may have a length of between approximately 10 millimeters and approximately 14 millimeters.
The hollow tubular filter portion may have an inner diameter of between 0.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, preferably between 0.75 millimeters and 1.25 millimeters, more preferably around 1 millimeter. Alternatively, the hollow tubular filter portion may have an inner diameter between 2 millimeters and 5 millimeters.
The aerosol-generating article may comprise a cylindrical filter portion arranged between the substrate portion and the hollow tubular filter portion.
The cylindrical filter portion may prevent aerosol-forming substrate such as tobacco from entering the hollow tubular filter portion, which may clog the hollow tubular filter portion. The cylindrical filter portion may further aid in removing unwanted constituents from the air containing vaporized aerosol-forming substrate drawn through the aerosol-generating article. Additionally, the cylindrical filter portion may be used to adjust the resistance to draw to a desired level. In case a cylindrical filter portion is provided, the total length of the cylindrical filter portion plus the hollow tubular filter portion may be between 10 millimeters and 13 millimeters. The cylindrical filter portion may have a length between 4 millimeters and 8 millimeters, preferably between 5 millimeters and 7 millimeters. According to this aspect, the hollow tubular filter portion may have a length between 5 millimeters and 9 millimeters. Most preferred the combined length of the cylindrical filter portion and the hollow tubular filter portion is 13 millimeters.
The invention also relates to a system comprising an aerosol-generating article as described above and a mouthpiece configured attachable to the aerosol-generating article. The aerosol-generating article with a hollow tubular filter portion with small diameter in conjunction with the mouthpiece may reduce complexity of the system as well as improve aerosol generation. The mouthpiece preferably is provided as a reusable mouthpiece.
The mouthpiece may comprise an upstream end with a cavity configured for enabling insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity.
The cavity may be configured for securely holding the aerosol-generating article in the cavity and thus in connection with the mouthpiece. The cavity may be configured to tightly receive the aerosol-generating article so as to prevent leakage of one or more of air, vaporized aerosol-forming substrate and aerosol between the aerosol-generating article and the mouthpiece. A user may insert the aerosol-generating article into the cavity of the mouthpiece for usage. After the smoking experience, the user may remove the used aerosol-generating article from the cavity and insert a new aerosol-generating article into the cavity.
The cavity may comprise a conical section at a downstream side of the cavity, wherein an inner diameter of the cavity may decrease in the conical section in a downstream direction.
The conical section may be provided to reduce the diameter of the cavity so that an inserted aerosol-generating article is tightly received at the downstream end of the cavity. Preferably, the conical section is provided to contact the outer perimeter of the aerosol-generating article during insertion of the aerosol-generating article. The conical section may thus provide a tight connection between the downstream end of the conical section and the outer perimeter of the aerosol-generating article, thereby facilitating secure holding of the aerosol-generating article. Furthermore, a seal may be provided by the downstream end of the conical section to prevent escape of one or more of air, vaporized aerosol-forming substrate and aerosol between the aerosol-generating article and the mouthpiece, after the aerosol-generating article has been inserted into the cavity of the mouthpiece.
The inner diameter of the cavity adjacent the upstream end of the mouthpiece may be larger than the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article. This diameter may ease insertion of the aerosol-generating article.
A minimum inner diameter of the conical section may be smaller than an outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article. In embodiments of the invention where the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion is between 2 millimeters and 5 millimeters, the mouthpiece preferably comprises a reduction of its inner diameter to between about 0.7 and 1.5 millimeters. Such a reduction of the inner diameter of the mouthpiece may to create the pin-hole effect that helps determining the aerosol. Such a reduction of the inner diameter of the mouthpiece may also contribute to a target resistance to draw of the aerosol-generating article.
Preferably, the minimum inner diameter of the conical section is reached at the downstream end of the cavity, more preferably at the downstream end of the conical section of the cavity. During insertion of the aerosol-generating article, the outer perimeter of the aerosol-generating article may come into contact with the inner wall of the cavity so that the outer perimeter of the aerosol-generating article may be squeezed together during insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity of the mouthpiece.
The mouthpiece may comprise a stop configured for limiting insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity.
The stop may be provided at the downstream end of the cavity. The stop may be configured as a wall that extends essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece. The stop may comprise a sealing element such as an O-ring.
The mouthpiece may comprise a downstream end and a venturi section extending from the downstream end in an upstream direction.
The mouthpiece may comprise a central airflow channel. The central airflow channel may be shaped to form the venturi section. The central airflow channel may be arranged along the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece so that, after insertion of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity of the mouthpiece, the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article may align with the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece. In other words, after connecting the aerosol-generating article to the mouthpiece, the central airflow channel of the mouthpiece may be aligned with the aerosol-generating article such that air may be drawn through the aerosol-generating article and into the central channel of the mouthpiece. When an aerosol-generating article is inserted into the cavity of the mouthpiece, the venturi section may directly abut the aerosol-generating article.
The venturi section may be conical, wherein an inner diameter of the venturi section increases towards the downstream end of the mouthpiece. Where a pin-hole type constriction of the inner diameter of the mouthpiece is present, the conical section is arranged adjacent and downstream of that constriction of the inner diameter of the mouthpiece. An optimized Venturi effect may be realized by the small diameter in the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article in direct abutment with the venturi section. Air flowing through the aerosol-generating article and particularly the substrate portion of the aerosol-generating article in a downstream direction will enter the small diameter hollow tubular filter portion. After passing the hollow tubular filter portion, the air containing vaporized aerosol-forming substrate will stream into the venturi section and expand after the constriction (either constricted by the small inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter section or constriction in the mouthpiece). As a reaction, the air will cool and aerosol droplets will form in the air. Hence, by providing an aerosol-generating article with a hollow tubular filter portion at the downstream end with a small inner diameter and a mouthpiece with a venturi section in direct abutment to the hollow tubular filter portion, a simple aerosol-generating article may be provided with optimized aerosol generation in the venturi section of the mouthpiece.
A conical angle of the venturi section may be between 0 degrees to 20 degrees, preferably between 4 degrees to 10 degrees, more preferably around 6 degrees. The conical angle may be measured between the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece and an angled inner wall of the venturi section.
The maximum inner diameter of the venturi section of the mouthpiece and the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article may be configured such that air containing vaporized aerosol-forming substrate being drawn from the hollow tubular filter portion into the venturi section may be subject to a temperature drop. The initial temperature may be around 250 degrees Celsius. The temperature drop may be between 50 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius, preferably between 75 degrees Celsius and 125 degrees Celsius, more preferably around 100 degrees Celsius. The temperature may drop to around 160 degrees Celsius. The temperature may further decrease towards the downstream end of the venturi section. Aerosol may thus form in the venturi section. The temperature may be, at the downstream end of the venturi section, between 40 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius, preferably between 50 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius.
The airflow channel of the mouthpiece may have a minimum diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article.
In this way, it is guaranteed that the air will expand in the venturi section when flowing into the venturi section from the hollow tubular filter portion and that thereby aerosol will be generated.
The minimum diameter of the airflow channel may be at least 2 millimeters, preferably at least 3 millimeters, more preferably at least 4 millimeters. To enable expansion of the air entering the venturi section from the hollow tubular filter portion, the minimum diameter of the venturi section is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion. The minimum diameter of the venturi section may be 1 millimeters larger, preferably 2 millimeters larger, most preferred 3 millimeters larger than the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion.
As used herein, the term ‘aerosol-generating article’ refers to an article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate that is capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol, typically under the application of heat, that is, above room temperature. The aerosol-generating article may be disposable.
The aerosol-generating article may be substantially cylindrical in shape. However, alternatively other cross sections may be used. Indeed, the cross section of the aerosol-generating article may vary along its length, for example by varying the shape of the cross section or the cross sectional dimensions. The aerosol-generating article may be substantially elongate. The aerosol-generating article may have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially elongate. The aerosol-forming substrate may also have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length.
The aerosol-generating article may have a total length between 30 millimeters and 60 millimeters, preferably between 40 millimeters and 50 millimeters, more preferably 45 millimeters. The aerosol-generating article may have an external diameter between approximately 4 millimeters and 8 millimeters, preferably between 5 millimeters and 6 millimeters, more preferably around 5.3 millimeters. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article has a total length of approximately 45 millimeters. Further, the aerosol-forming substrate may have a length of between 20 millimeters and 55 millimeters. The aerosol-generating article may comprise an outer wrapper, preferably an outer paper wrapper.
As used herein, the term ‘aerosol-forming substrate’ relates to a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be part of the aerosol-generating article or smoking article.
The aerosol-forming substrate is a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. The volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise plant-based material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise tobacco. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavour compounds, which are released from the aerosol-forming substrate upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may alternatively comprise a non-tobacco-containing material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise homogenised plant-based material, including homogenized tobacco, for example made by, for example, a paper making process or a casting process.
The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise at least one aerosol-former. An aerosol-former is any suitable known compound or mixture of compounds that, in use, facilitates formation of a dense and stable aerosol and that is substantially resistant to thermal degradation at the temperature of operation of the system. Suitable aerosol-formers are for example: polyhydric alcohols, such as triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerine; esters of polyhydric alcohols, such as glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids, such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. Aerosol formers may be polyhydric alcohols or mixtures thereof, such as triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerine. The aerosol-former may be propylene glycol. The aerosol former may comprise both glycerine and propylene glycol.
The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device comprising a mouthpiece as described herein. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a housing, electric circuitry, a power supply, a heating chamber and a heating element.
As used herein, an ‘aerosol-generating device’ relates to a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-forming substrate may be part of the aerosol-generating article. An aerosol-generating device may be a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol.
The electric circuitry may comprise a microprocessor, which may be a programmable microprocessor. The microprocessor may be part of a controller. The electric circuitry may comprise further electronic components. The electric circuitry may be configured to regulate a supply of power to the heating element. Power may be supplied to the heating element continuously following activation of the system or may be supplied intermittently, such as on a puff-by-puff basis. The power may be supplied to the heating element in the form of pulses of electrical current. The electric circuitry may be configured to monitor the electrical resistance of the heating element, and preferably to control the supply of power to the heating element dependent on the electrical resistance of the heating element.
The device may comprise a power supply, typically a battery, within the main body. As an alternative, the power supply may be another form of charge storage device such as a capacitor. The power supply may require recharging and may have a capacity that enables to store enough energy for one or more usage experiences; for example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to continuously generate aerosol for a period of around six minutes or for a period of a multiple of six minutes. In another example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to create an aerosol for multiple puffs.
The power supply may be any suitable power supply, for example a DC voltage source such as a battery. In one embodiment, the power supply is a Lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power supply may be a Nickel-metal hydride battery, a Nickel cadmium battery, or a Lithium based battery, for example a Lithium-Cobalt, a Lithium-Iron-Phosphate, Lithium Titanate or a Lithium-Polymer battery.
The heating element may be arranged inside or around the heating chamber for heating an aerosol-generating article insertable into the heating chamber. The heating chamber may be a cavity. Alternatively, or in addition, an internal heating element may be provided, for example a pin or a blade that is inserted for use at least partly into the aerosol-forming substrate.
For example, the device may include an external heating element positioned around a perimeter of the heating chamber. An external heating element may take any suitable form. For example, an external heating element may take the form of one or more flexible heating foils on a dielectric substrate, such as polyimide. The flexible heating foils can be shaped to conform to the perimeter of the heating chamber. Alternatively, an external heating element may take the form of a metallic grid or grids, a flexible printed circuit board, a moulded interconnect device (MID), ceramic heating element, flexible carbon fibre heating element or may be formed using a coating technique, such as plasma vapour deposition, on a suitable shaped substrate. An external heating element may also be formed using a metal having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal may be formed as a track between two layers of suitable insulating materials. An external heating element formed in this manner may be used to both heat and monitor the temperature of the external heating element during operation. The heating element may be configured to heat to a temperature of around 250 degrees Celsius.
The invention also relates to a method for attaching an aerosol-generating article comprising a hollow tubular filter portion with an inner diameter of below 5 millimeters to a mouthpiece.
Features described in relation to one aspect may equally be applied to other aspects of the invention.
The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The top part of
The bottom part of
The aerosol-generating device 30 comprises a heating chamber 32 for insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10. A heating element 34 is arranged in or surrounding the heating chamber 32 for heating the aerosol-forming substrate contained in the aerosol-generating article 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol. The aerosol-generating device 30 may comprise further components such as a power supply 36 for supplying electrical energy to the heating element 34 as well as electric circuitry 38 for controlling the supply of electrical energy from the power supply 36 to the heating element 34.
The right part of
Alternatively, a gap may be provided between the mouthpiece 18 and the aerosol-generating device 30 as shown in
The mouthpiece 18 shown in
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| PCT/EP2019/083700 | 12/4/2019 | WO |
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| WO2020/115147 | 6/11/2020 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20220030939 A1 | Feb 2022 | US |
