Patent Application
20240358065
The following relates to an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, to a filter assembly that forms part of such an article, to a non-combustible aerosol provision system, and to a method of manufacturing an article according to the invention.
Certain tobacco industry products produce an aerosol for inhalation by a user. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating material such as tobacco to form an aerosol without burning the material. A tobacco industry product of this type may include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol is drawn into the user's mouth.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising: a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user; an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment; a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and being located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows towards the mouth end segment; wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region being configured such that a swirling flow is generated by air entering the tubular cooling segment through the ventilation region.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising: a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user; an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment; a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and being located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows towards the mouth end segment; wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region being configured such that the air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment through the ventilation region at an angle other than perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The ventilation region may comprise a hole in the tubular cooling segment.
Optionally, the ventilation region may comprise a plurality of holes spaced from each other around the circumference of the tubular cooling segment.
The ventilation region may comprise a plurality of rows of holes, each row may be spaced from its adjacent row in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The plurality of rows of holes may be configured to generate opposing swirling flows within the tubular cooling segment.
Optionally, the tubular cooling segment may have an inner surface and the at least one hole may extend into the tubular cooling segment at a tangent to said inner surface.
The tubular cooling segment may have an inner surface and the at least one hole may extend into the tubular cooling segment in a direction which is parallel to, and offset from, a tangent to said inner surface and to a line intersecting the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment that is parallel to said tangent.
The at least one hole may be configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in a direction opposite to the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment.
The at least one hole may be configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in the same direction as the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment.
The at least one hole may taper in a direction into the tubular cooling segment.
Optionally, the at least one hole may be at least one slot.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction that is angled between a position where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment, and where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
Optionally, the tubular cooling segment may be formed from fibrous material.
Optionally, the fibrous material may be filamentary tow.
The filamentary tow may be cellulose acetate.
Optionally, the fibrous material may comprise paper.
Optionally, the article may comprise a filter segment located between the tubular cooling segment and the mouth end segment.
The filter segment may comprise a filamentary tow, such as cellulose acetate.
The article may comprise an elongated filter segment instead of the mouth end segment.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising: a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user; an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment; a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows before passing through the mouth end segment; wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region comprising at least one slot in the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may extend through the tubular cooling segment perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
Optionally, the ventilation region may comprise a plurality of ventilation slots equally spaced from each other around the circumference of the tubular cooling segment.
The ventilation region may comprise a plurality of rows of slots, each row may be spaced from its adjacent row in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may have a major dimension that may extend in a direction that is angled between a position where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment, and where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may be configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in a direction opposite to the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment.
The at least one slot may be configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in the same direction as the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment.
The at least one slot may comprise a flap.
Optionally, the flap may extend at an angle into the tubular cooling segment and may be configured to deflect the flow of aerosol through the tubular cooling segment.
The at least one slot may be configured such that a swirling flow is generated within the tubular cooling segment.
The plurality of rows of slots may be configured to generate opposing swirling flows within the tubular cooling segment.
The tubular cooling segment may have an inner surface and the at least one slot may extend into the tubular cooling segment at a tangent to said inner surface.
The tubular cooling segment may have an inner surface and the at least one slot may extend into the tubular cooling segment along a line which is parallel to, and offset from, a tangent to said inner surface and a line intersecting the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment that is parallel to said tangent.
The tubular cooling segment may be formed from fibrous material.
The fibrous material may be filamentary tow.
The filamentary tow may be cellulose acetate.
The fibrous material may comprise paper.
The tubular cooling segment may comprise an inner surface and the at least one slot may extend partially through the tubular cooling segment towards the inner surface.
Optionally, the at least one slot may stop short of the inner surface by a distance of between 0.1 and 1 mm.
The article may comprise a filter segment located between the tubular cooling segment and the mouth end segment.
The filter segment may comprise a filamentary tow, such as cellulose acetate.
The article may comprise an elongated filter segment instead of the mouth end segment.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a filter assembly for attachment to a rod of aerosol-generating material to form the above articles.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising a non-combustible aerosol provision device and the above articles.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing the above articles, including configuring the ventilation region such that, when a user draws on the mouth end segment, a swirling flow is generated in the tubular cooling segment.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to accompanying drawings, in which:
According to the present disclosure, a non-combustible aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system, and the non-combustible aerosol provision device for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not essential.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, a tobacco or a non-tobacco product.
In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating material. The consumables are configured for use with non-combustible aerosol provision device of the invention. These consumables are generally referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision device, of the non-combustible aerosol provision system of the invention, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate that may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision device comprises an area for receiving the article such as an aperture into which the article may be inserted for use with the device.
The article of the invention includes aerosol-generating material. Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavorants. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an “amorphous solid”, which may alternatively be referred to as a “monolithic solid” (i.e. non-fibrous). In some embodiments, 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. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50 wt %, 60 wt % or 70 wt % of amorphous solid, to about 90 wt %, 95 wt % or 100 wt % of amorphous solid.
The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and/or flavors, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional material.
In the figures described herein, like reference numerals are used to illustrate equivalent features, articles or components.
The aerosol-generating material 2 may contain an aerosol-former material such as glycerol. In alternative examples, the aerosol-former material can be another material as described herein or a combination thereof. The aerosol-former material has been found to improve the sensory performance of the article 1, by helping to transfer compounds such as flavor compounds from the aerosol-generating substrate 2 to the consumer. However, an issue with adding such aerosol-former materials to the aerosol-generating substrate 2 within an article 1 for use in a non-combustible aerosol provision system can be that, when the aerosol-generating material 2 is aerosolized upon heating, it can increase the mass of aerosol which is delivered by the article 1. This increased mass can maintain a higher temperature as it passes through the mouth end segment 3. As it passes through the mouth end segment 3, the aerosol transfers heat into the mouth end segment 3 and this warms the outer surface of the mouth end segment 3, including the area that contacts the user's lips during use. The mouth end segment temperature and/or aerosol temperature can be higher than a user may be accustomed to when smoking, for instance, conventional cigarettes. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the temperature of the aerosol to prevent the mouth end segment 3 from becoming warmer than would normally be the case.
In embodiments of the invention, the tubular cooling segment 4 comprises a ventilation region 7 through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment 4. Air drawn into the tubular cooling segment 4 through the ventilation region 7 mixes with the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 2 and acts to cool the aerosol as it travels towards the mouth end segment 3, thereby reducing the temperature of the mouth end segment 3. The ventilation region 7 may be located closer to the mouth end segment 3 than to the aerosol-generating material 3 along the length of the tubular cooling segment 4.
As seen in
As illustrated in
If the tubular cooling segment 4 is formed from any material that has a degree of air permeability, the ventilation region 7 may not extend all the way through the tubular cooling segment 4, but may stop short of the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4 so that air passing through the ventilation region 7 diffuses through the tubular cooling segment 4 before entering the tubular passage in the tubular cooling segment 4 and mixing with the aerosol passing through the tubular cooling segment 4. Such an embodiment is described in more detail below, with reference to
The ventilation region 7 may comprise at least one ventilation hole 13 in the tubular cooling segment 4. As shown in
The holes 13 may extend through the tubular cooling segment 4 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X of the tubular cooling segment 4. However, it is envisaged that the holes 13 may also extend through the tubular cooling segment 4 at an angle to the longitudinal axis X-X, so that the air enters the tubular cooling segment 4 through the holes 13 in a direction towards the longitudinal axis but angled towards the distal end, or angled towards the mouth end segment 3, of the article 1.
As shown in
To generate a swirling flow, the holes 13 are preferably located so that air enters the tubular cooling segment 4 at a tangent, or close to being at a tangent, to the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4. Air entering the tubular cooling segment 4 through the holes 13 is therefore caused to sweep around the tubular passage close to the inner surface 5, thereby creating a vortex within the tubular cooling segment 4, which promotes mixing. The improved mixing conditions within the tubular cooling segment 4 created by the generated vortex increases cooling of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 2 before it reaches the mouth end segment 3. Therefore, the temperature of the mouth end segment 3 will be reduced.
It will be appreciated that the air need not enter the tubular cooling segment 4 at a tangent to its inner surface 5, but may also enter along a path which is parallel to, and offset from, both a tangent and a line which intersects the longitudinal axis X-X of the tubular cooling segment 4. As shown in
In some embodiments, the ventilation holes 7 may taper in a direction extending into the tubular cooling segment 4. In other words, the diameter of each hole 13 at the outer surface of the tubular cooling segment 4 can be larger than the diameter of the hole 13 at the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4.
In embodiments containing multiple rows of holes 13, the multiple rows of holes 13 may be configured to generate opposing swirl effects within the tubular cooling segment 4. For example, a first row of holes 13 may be configured to generate a clockwise swirl within the tubular cooling segment 4 and a second row of holes 13 may be configured to generate an anticlockwise swirl within the tubular cooling segment 4.
The ventilation holes 13 can be any shape or size and may be cylindrical. In some other embodiments, the holes 13 are slots 13. The slots 13 may have a major dimension extending in a longitudinal direction along the axis X-X of the tubular cooling segment 4, as shown in the side elevation of part of the proximal end of the article shown in
In embodiments containing multiple rows of slots 13, the multiple rows of slots 13 may be configured to generate opposing swirl effects within the tubular cooling segment 4. For example, a first row of slots 13 may be configured to generate a clockwise swirl within the tubular cooling segment 4 and a second row of slots 13 may be configured to generate an anticlockwise swirl within the tubular cooling segment 4.
In any embodiment of the invention, the tubular cooling segment 4 may be formed from a material which has a degree of air permeability. For example, the tubular cooling segment 4 may be formed from a fibrous material such as paper. The fibrous material used to form the tubular cooling segment 4 may also be a filamentary tow, optionally cellulose acetate.
The holes or slots 13 that form the ventilation region 7 may extend all the way through the wall of the tubular cooling segment 4 into the tubular passage. However, if the tubular cooling segment 4 is formed from a material having a degree of air permeability, it is envisaged that the holes 13 may extend only partially through the wall of the tubular cooling segment 4.
With reference to the cross-sectional view through the ventilation region 7 of a tubular cooling segment 4 of
As the holes or slots 13 stop short of the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4, the air drawn into the tubular cooling segment 4 through the holes or slots 13 permeates through the material of the tubular cooling segment 4 for the distance D2 and diffuses or spreads out around the circumference of the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4. Therefore, the inner surface 5 of the tubular cooling segment 4 is more uniformly cooled and acts as a cooling blanket to cool the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 2 as it passes along the tubular cooling segment 4 towards the mouth end segment 3.
Although the cross-section of
The device 100 comprises a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) which surrounds and houses the various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 104 in one end, through which the article 1 may be inserted for heating by a heating assembly within the device 100, such as an inductive heating assembly. In use, the article 1 may be fully or partially inserted into an opening 104 of device where it may be heated by one or more components of the heater assembly to generate an aerosol. A user places their lips around the mouth end segment 3 and draws on the article 1. This causes the aerosol to flow through the device towards the mouth end segment 3 and into the user's mouth.
The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc, other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2108939.6 | Jun 2021 | GB | national |
The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/GB2022/051570 filed Jun. 20, 2022, which claims priority to GB Application No. 2108939.6 filed Jun. 22, 2021, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2022/051570 | 6/20/2022 | WO |
