CN118695788A - Method for producing tobacco flavor liquid, tobacco flavor liquid, regenerated tobacco material and flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid for use in an aerosol-generating flavor inhaler, the method comprising: heating a tobacco material to vaporize flavor components from the tobacco material; dissolving a gas containing the flavor components in a first liquid serving as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor components; and distilling the liquid containing the flavor components at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid to obtain the tobacco flavor liquid.

Description

Method for producing tobacco flavor liquid, tobacco flavor liquid, regenerated tobacco material and flavor inhaler

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for producing tobacco flavor liquid, tobacco flavor liquid, regenerated tobacco material and a flavor inhaler.

Background Art

It is known that: a tobacco material is heated to generate a gas containing flavor components, the resulting gas is dissolved in a liquid to obtain a liquid containing flavor components, and the liquid containing the flavor components is used as a tobacco flavor source for a flavor inhaler (eg, Patent Document 1).

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2017/144705

Summary of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The above-mentioned liquid containing fragrance components has excellent fragrance when used in a fragrance inhaler, but it will turn black over time, which is not preferred in appearance. In addition, the color change of the liquid containing fragrance components over time means the change of the content components. Therefore, the liquid containing fragrance components may not stably maintain the fragrance after storage.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology for suppressing the discoloration over time of a tobacco flavor liquid used in an aerosol-generating flavor inhaler.

Solution to the problem

According to one aspect, the present invention can provide a method for manufacturing a tobacco flavor liquid for use in a flavor inhaler that generates an aerosol, the method comprising:

Heating the tobacco material to vaporize flavor components from the tobacco material;

Dissolving the gas containing the flavor component in a first liquid serving as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor component; and

The liquid containing the flavor component is distilled at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid.

According to another aspect, the present invention can provide a tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above method.

According to still another aspect, the present invention may provide a flavor inhaler comprising the above-mentioned tobacco flavor liquid.

According to yet another aspect, the present invention may provide a regenerated tobacco material comprising:

The tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above method, and

The heated tobacco material obtained when the gas containing the flavor component is obtained in the above method.

According to still another aspect, the present invention may provide a flavor inhaler comprising the above-mentioned regenerated tobacco material.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, a technique for suppressing the discoloration over time of a tobacco flavor liquid used in a flavor inhaler that generates an aerosol can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a heating device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a dissolving apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a heating type flavor inhaler.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a power supply unit in the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main part configuration of a power supply unit in the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4 .

FIG8A is a schematic front view showing an example of an aerosol generating device.

FIG. 8B is a schematic top view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 8A .

FIG. 8C is a schematic bottom view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 8A .

FIG. 9 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of the flavor-generating article.

FIG10 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG8B taken along line III-III.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the range of change in the color of the tobacco flavor liquid.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing the content of sulfur-containing components in the tobacco flavor liquid.

Explanation of symbols

2...heating device, 2A...container, 2B...sintering plate, 2C...preheater, 2D...tobacco material, 2E...air flow path, 2F...gas flow path,

3...dissolving device, 3A...inner container, 3B...sintered filter, 3C...outer container, 3D...first liquid, 3E...glass beads, 3F...ice water, 3G...exhaust gas flow path,

1…heating type flavor inhaler, 10…power supply unit, 20…first tube, 30…second tube, 11…power supply unit box, 11a…top, 11b…bottom, 12…power supply, 13…charger, 14…operating unit, 15…inhalation sensor, 16…voltage sensor, 17…temperature sensor, 18…memory, 21…load, 22…tobacco flavor liquid, 23…storage container, 24…tube core, 25…aerosol flow path, 26…end cap, 26a…tube accommodating portion, 26b…communication path, 27…tube housing, 31…flavor source, 32…inhalation port, 41…discharge terminal, 42…air supply portion, 45…notification portion, 50…control portion

100 ... aerosol generating device, 101 ... outer shell, 102 ... slide cover, 103 ... switch portion, 110 ... inner shell, 120 ... power supply portion, 121 ... power supply, 130 ... atomizing portion, 132 ... heat insulating portion, 134 ... insertion guide member, 136 ... bottom member, 137 ... first holding portion, 138 ... second holding portion, 140 ... heater, 150 ... chamber, 200 ... flavor generating article, 201 ... smokeable article, 202 ... first roll paper, 203 ... second roll paper, 204 ... cylindrical member, 205 ... filter portion, 206 ... hollow filter portion, 207 ... lip release agent

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. However, the following description is for the purpose of explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention.

<1. Method for producing tobacco flavor liquid>

The manufacturing method of tobacco flavor liquid comprises:

Heating the tobacco material to vaporize flavor components from the tobacco material;

Dissolving the gas containing the flavor component in a first liquid serving as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor component; and

The liquid containing the flavor component is distilled at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid.

The "tobacco flavor liquid" manufactured by this method can be used in a flavor inhaler that generates an aerosol. The "tobacco flavor liquid" contains a first liquid as an aerosol source and various flavor components derived from tobacco materials. When the tobacco flavor liquid is matched with the flavor inhaler and atomized, the first liquid as an aerosol source becomes vapor, and the flavor components are transferred to the vapor, resulting in the generation of an aerosol (tobacco smoke).

In this specification, the term "aerosol source" refers to the source (liquid) used to generate vapor (gas) when the tobacco flavor liquid is combined with the flavor inhaler and atomized. The term "aerosol source" refers to the source (liquid) of the dispersion medium (gas) used to generate the aerosol (tobacco smoke), and does not include the particles (flavor components, etc.) in the aerosol.

Hereinafter, the method for producing tobacco flavor liquid will be described in the order of "heating step (S1)", "dissolving step into first liquid (S2)", and "distillation step (S3)" with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows an example of the method for producing tobacco flavor liquid by means of a flow chart.

[Heating step (S1)]

In the heating step (S1), the tobacco material is heated to vaporize the flavor components from the tobacco material. The heating step (S1) can obtain a gas containing the flavor components (see FIG. 1 ).

The “tobacco material” may be shredded tobacco that is prepared to be used in tobacco products such as combustion-type or heating-type flavor inhalers. “Shredded tobacco that is prepared to be used in tobacco products” means that the shredded tobacco is prepared to be used in tobacco products after various processing such as drying by farmers, long-term aging for one to several years in a raw material factory, and mixing and shredding in a manufacturing factory.

Tobacco shreds are tobacco leaf shreds. Tobacco shreds can be shreds of de-reined tobacco leaves, shreds of leaf stems, shreds of reconstituted tobacco (i.e., tobacco materials formed by processing leaf scraps, silk scraps, leaf stem scraps, fine powder, etc. produced in the operation process of a factory into a shape that can be reused), or any material in a mixture thereof. Tobacco shreds can be pulverized, and the pulverized material obtained is used in a heating process (S1). When the pulverized material of tobacco shreds is used as a tobacco material, the recovery efficiency from the tobacco material to the recovery of flavor components can be improved. Thus, the content of the flavor components in the tobacco flavor liquid finally obtained can be increased.

Any type of tobacco may be used as the shredded tobacco, for example, yellow tobacco, burley tobacco, or Oriental tobacco, etc. A single type of tobacco may be used, or a mixture of different types may be used.

The heating can be performed at a temperature of, for example, 150 to 400° C., preferably 160 to 230° C. The heating can be performed for, for example, 5 to 60 minutes, preferably 10 to 30 minutes.

For example, heating can be performed using a heating device shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the heating device 2 includes: a container 2A for accommodating a tobacco material 2D, a sintering plate 2B provided on the bottom surface of the container 2A, a preheater 2C for heating air sent to the container 2A, an air flow path 2E for sending air to the container 2A, a gas flow path 2F for discharging gas generated by heating the tobacco material 2D from the container 2A, and an oven (not shown) for accommodating the container 2A.

The heating action is described below. First, tobacco material 2D is contained in container 2A. Air is heated by preheater 2C, and then, it is delivered to the gas inlet hole arranged on the bottom surface of container 2A via air flow path 2E. The sintering plate 2B arranged on the bottom surface of container 2A is a porous body. Therefore, the high-temperature air entering container 2A from the gas inlet hole is supplied to the whole of tobacco material 2D via sintering plate 2B. Tobacco material 2D is heated by the supplied high-temperature air.

On the other hand, the container 2A is housed in an oven (not shown), so that the tobacco material 2D is also heated from the outside of the container 2A.

When the tobacco material 2D is heated in this manner, a gas containing flavor components is generated from the tobacco material 2D and is discharged from the gas discharge holes provided on the upper surface of the container 2A through the gas flow path 2F.

When the oxygen concentration in the air supplied to the container 2A is changed, the composition of the gas containing the aroma component can be changed. Therefore, the composition of the gas containing the aroma component can be changed by controlling the oxygen concentration in the air supplied to the container 2A. For example, when the oxygen concentration in the air is reduced, the content of harmful components in the gas containing the aroma component can be reduced.

It should be noted that the heating step may be performed as long as the flavor components from the tobacco material can be vaporized, and is not limited to being performed using the heating device shown in FIG. 2 .

The above-mentioned heating step can produce a gas containing flavor components. On the other hand, the tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1) can be used to produce a regenerated tobacco material. The regenerated tobacco material will be described later.

[Dissolving step into first liquid (S2)]

In the dissolving step (S2), the gas containing the flavor component obtained in the heating step (S1) is dissolved in the first liquid as an aerosol source. Thus, a liquid containing the flavor component can be obtained (see FIG. 1 ). In this specification, the solution obtained by dissolving the gas containing the flavor component in the first liquid is referred to as a "liquid containing the flavor component."

In the dissolving step (S2), the first liquid functions as a trapping solvent for trapping flavor components in the liquid. In addition, when the tobacco flavor liquid produced by the present method is introduced into a flavor inhaler, the first liquid functions as an aerosol source.

The first liquid can be a liquid that can be used as an aerosol source in a flavor inhaler. As the first liquid, for example, propylene glycol, glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol diacetate, polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof can be used. The first liquid is preferably propylene glycol, glycerol, or a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol. In the case of a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol, the mass ratio of propylene glycol to glycerol is not particularly limited and can be set to, for example, 0.1:9.9 to 9.9:0.1.

The first liquid exemplified has a lower polarity than water, and the aroma component has a lower polarity. Therefore, the first liquid exemplified is suitable as a liquid for dissolving the aroma component. In addition, the first liquid exemplified has a higher boiling point than water. Therefore, the first liquid exemplified is suitable for evaporating the aroma component in the subsequent distillation process without evaporating the first liquid.

The dissolution can be preferably performed by bubbling the gas containing the flavor component obtained in the heating step (S1) in the first liquid. In the dissolution step, for example, 3 to 20 mL of the first liquid can be used per 10 g of the tobacco material.

For example, the dissolution can be performed using the dissolution device shown in FIG3. The dissolution device 3 shown in FIG3 is connected to the heating device shown in FIG2 via a gas flow path 2F. As shown in FIG3, the dissolution device 3 comprises: an inner container 3A for accommodating the first liquid 3D, a sintered filter 3B as a bubbling nozzle, an outer container 3C for accommodating the inner container 3A, a gas flow path 2F for delivering the gas containing the flavor component to the inner container 3A, and an exhaust gas flow path 3G for exhausting the gas in the inner container 3A.

The dissolving action is described below. The gas containing the aroma component obtained in the heating step (S1) is sent to the sintered filter 3B provided at the front end of the gas flow path 2F through the gas flow path 2F. The sintered filter 3B has a porous structure and is immersed in the first liquid 3D. Thus, the gas containing the aroma component is bubbled in the first liquid 3D. Thus, the gas containing the aroma component is dissolved in the first liquid 3D.

The inner container 3A contains glass beads 3E in addition to the first liquid 3D. Thus, when bubbling is performed in the presence of the glass beads 3E, the efficiency of collecting the flavor components in the first liquid 3D can be improved.

When the gas containing the flavor component is bubbled in the first liquid 3D, the temperature of the first liquid 3D rises. Therefore, ice water 3F is contained in the outer container 3C. Thus, the temperature rise of the first liquid 3D can be prevented. The gas generated in the inner container 3A is discharged through the exhaust gas flow path 3G.

It should be noted that the dissolving step may be performed as long as the gas containing the flavor component obtained in the heating step can be dissolved in the first liquid, and is not limited to being performed using the dissolving apparatus shown in FIG. 3 .

By the above-mentioned dissolving step, the gas containing the flavor component is dissolved in the first liquid, and a liquid containing the flavor component can be obtained. The liquid containing the flavor component usually exhibits a reddish brown color.

[Distillation step (S3)]

In the distillation step (S3), the liquid containing the flavor component obtained in the dissolution step (S2) is distilled at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid. Thus, a tobacco flavor liquid can be obtained (refer to Figure 1). In this specification, the separated liquid obtained by distilling the liquid containing the flavor component is referred to as "tobacco flavor liquid". Distillation refers to the operation of heating the mixed liquid of the distillation object and condensing (liquefying) the obtained vapor to obtain the separated liquid.

The distillation is performed at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid. Preferably, the distillation is performed at a temperature higher than 100°C and lower than the boiling point of the first liquid. More preferably, the distillation is performed at a temperature higher than the boiling point of the first liquid minus 40°C and lower than the boiling point of the first liquid. The distillation can be performed, for example, at a temperature in the range of 150 to 180°C. The distillation can be performed, for example, under atmospheric pressure.

When propylene glycol (boiling point: 188.2°C) is used as the first liquid, the distillation temperature is lower than 188.2°C, preferably higher than 100°C and lower than 188.2°C, and more preferably 148.2°C or higher and lower than 188.2°C.

When the liquid containing the flavor component is distilled, the discolored cause substance will remain in the liquid containing the flavor component, and the flavor component can be evaporated and separated from the liquid containing the flavor component. Thus, it is possible to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid that is not prone to discoloration over time. The tobacco flavor liquid usually shows a light yellow color.

[Optional process]

The above method may further include a step of adding a second liquid as an aerosol source to the tobacco material before the heating step (S1).

When an aerosol source is added to the tobacco material before the heating process, it helps to gasify the flavor components from the tobacco material during the heating process, and can improve the recovery efficiency of the flavor components from the tobacco material. Thus, the content of the flavor components in the obtained tobacco flavor liquid can be finally increased.

The second liquid can be a liquid that can be used as an aerosol source in a flavor inhaler. As the second liquid, propylene glycol, glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol diacetate, polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof can be used. The second liquid is preferably propylene glycol, glycerol, or a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol. In the case of a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol, the mass ratio of propylene glycol to glycerol is not particularly limited and can be set to, for example, 0.1:9.9 to 9.9:0.1.

The exemplified liquid has a lower polarity than water, and the flavor component has a lower polarity. Therefore, the exemplified liquid is suitable as a liquid for helping the flavor component to be vaporized from the tobacco material.

The second liquid may be the same type as the first liquid or a different type from the first liquid. In this step, for example, 0.1 to 20 mL of the second liquid may be added per 10 g of the tobacco material.

[Effect]

The tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above method is not prone to discoloration over time (with reference to Example 1 described later). Therefore, when the tobacco flavor liquid is introduced into the flavor inhaler, even if time has passed since the manufacture of the tobacco flavor liquid, the user can be provided with a desired appearance when the tobacco flavor liquid is replaced or reinstalled.

In addition, the discoloration through time of being not easy to take place tobacco flavor liquid shows that the change through time of content component is not easy to take place.Therefore, when this tobacco flavor liquid is imported into the situation of flavor inhaler, even through time from the manufacturing of tobacco flavor liquid, also can provide excellent fragrant inhalation taste to the user.

In addition, the tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above method has a small amount of sulfur content immediately after preparation, and the amount of sulfur content decreases after storage (see Example 2 described later). From the viewpoint of the content of sulfur content, when the tobacco flavor liquid is introduced into a flavor inhaler, even if time has passed since the production of the tobacco flavor liquid, it can provide the user with an excellent flavor.

＜2. Tobacco flavor liquid＞

According to another aspect, there is provided a tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above-mentioned "method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid".

As described above, the tobacco flavor liquid is not prone to discoloration over time and has an excellent aroma and taste even after storage. Therefore, when the tobacco flavor liquid is introduced into the flavor inhaler, the user can be provided with a desired appearance when the tobacco flavor liquid is replaced or refilled, and can also be provided with an excellent aroma and taste when used.

The tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above-mentioned "method for producing tobacco flavor liquid" can be introduced into a flavor inhaler that generates aerosol by a known technique. Hereinafter, an example of using the tobacco flavor liquid will be described.

For example, the tobacco flavor liquid can be introduced into a liquid atomization type flavor inhaler in a liquid state and atomized during use, thereby being used as a tobacco flavor source of the flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid may be added to a tobacco material (eg, stemmed leaves, tobacco leaves), the resulting mixture may be dried, and the resulting dried product may be used as a tobacco flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be added to the tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1), and a tobacco molded body such as tobacco sheets or tobacco granules can be prepared from the obtained mixture, and the tobacco molded body can be used as a tobacco flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be added to the tobacco material remaining after the above-mentioned heating step (S1), the obtained mixture is dried and crushed to produce tobacco powder, the tobacco powder is added to the tobacco material (e.g., destemmed leaves, tobacco leaves), and the obtained mixture is used as a tobacco flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be added to the tobacco material remaining after the above-mentioned heating step (S1), the obtained mixture is dried and crushed to make tobacco powder, the tobacco powder is suspended in water to prepare tobacco slurry, the tobacco slurry is added to the tobacco material (for example, stemmed leaves, tobacco leaves), and the obtained mixture is used as a tobacco flavor source for a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the tobacco flavor liquid can be encapsulated according to known techniques, and the obtained flavor capsules are introduced into the filter portion of the flavor inhaler, and the flavor capsules are destroyed during use, thereby being used as a tobacco flavor source for the flavor inhaler.

＜3. Regenerated tobacco materials＞

As mentioned above, the tobacco flavor liquid can be used in combination with the tobacco material remaining after the above-mentioned heating step (S1). Therefore, according to another aspect, a regenerated tobacco material can be provided, which comprises:

The tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the above-mentioned "method for producing tobacco flavor liquid", and

The heated tobacco material obtained when obtaining the gas containing the flavor component in the above-mentioned "method for producing tobacco flavor liquid" (that is, the tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1)).

Specifically, a regenerated tobacco material can be provided, comprising: a tobacco flavor liquid and a heated tobacco material obtained when obtaining a gas containing flavor components (i.e., a tobacco material remaining after a heating process), wherein the tobacco flavor liquid is obtained by a method comprising the following steps:

heating the tobacco material to vaporize flavor components from the tobacco material;

Dissolving a gas containing a flavor component in a first liquid serving as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor component; and

The liquid containing the flavor component is distilled at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid.

Specific examples of the regenerated tobacco material will be described below.

For example, the regenerated tobacco material may be a product obtained by drying a mixture of the tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1). This product may be used as a tobacco flavor source of a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the regenerated tobacco material may be a tobacco molded body obtained by molding a mixture of tobacco flavor liquid and tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1) into a specific shape such as a sheet shape or a granule shape. The tobacco molded body can be used as a tobacco flavor source of a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the regenerated tobacco material can be a tobacco powder obtained by drying and pulverizing a mixture of the tobacco material remaining after the tobacco flavor liquid and the heating step (S1) into a powder. The tobacco powder can be added to the tobacco material (e.g., stemmed leaves, tobacco leaves) to enhance the flavor of the tobacco material. The tobacco material having enhanced the flavor can be used as a tobacco flavor source of a flavor inhaler.

Alternatively, the regenerated tobacco material can be a tobacco slurry obtained by drying a mixture of tobacco flavor liquid and the tobacco material remaining after the heating step (S1), crushing it into a powder, and suspending the obtained powder in water. The tobacco slurry can enhance the flavor of the tobacco material by adding it to the tobacco material (e.g., stemmed leaves, tobacco leaves). The tobacco material having enhanced the flavor can be used as a tobacco flavor source of a flavor inhaler.

The regenerated tobacco material may contain additives such as a binder, a pH adjuster, a preservative, and an antioxidant as needed.

[Effect]

The above tobacco flavor liquid is not prone to discoloration over time. Therefore, when the above tobacco flavor liquid is used to manufacture a regenerated tobacco material and the regenerated tobacco material is introduced into a flavor inhaler, it is not easy to produce substances that cause discoloration even after storage, and it is not easy to contaminate the surrounding components (such as rolling paper) that package the regenerated tobacco material.

In addition, the tobacco flavor liquid is not prone to changes in content over time, and has an excellent aroma and taste even after storage. Therefore, when the tobacco flavor liquid is used to manufacture a regenerated tobacco material and the regenerated tobacco material is introduced into a flavor inhaler, an excellent aroma and taste can be provided to the user even after storage.

＜4. Aroma Inhaler＞

The above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" or the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" can be introduced into any flavor inhaler that generates aerosol. That is, according to another aspect, a flavor inhaler containing the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" can be provided. According to another aspect, a flavor inhaler containing the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" can be provided. As the flavor inhaler, there can be listed: a combustion type flavor inhaler, a heating type flavor inhaler, and a non-heating type flavor inhaler.

According to a preferred embodiment, a flavor inhaler having the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" and an atomizing unit for atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid can be provided. The flavor inhaler is more preferably a heating type flavor inhaler. According to a more preferred embodiment, a flavor inhaler having the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" and an atomizing unit for heating and atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid can be provided.

According to a preferred embodiment, a flavor inhaler having the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" and an atomizing unit for atomizing the liquid component contained in the regenerated tobacco material can be provided. The flavor inhaler is more preferably a heating-type flavor inhaler. According to a further preferred embodiment, a flavor inhaler having the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" and an atomizing unit for heating the regenerated tobacco material and atomizing the liquid component contained in the regenerated tobacco material can be provided.

A "combustion type flavor inhaler" is a flavor inhaler that provides tobacco flavor to the user by burning tobacco filling material (tobacco shreds or tobacco molded bodies, etc.) Examples of combustion type flavor inhalers include cigarettes, pipes, tobacco pouches, cigars, or cigarillos.

A "heating type flavor inhaler" is a flavor inhaler that provides tobacco flavor to the user by heating a tobacco flavor source such as a tobacco filler material or a tobacco flavor liquid without burning it. Examples of heating type flavor inhalers include:

A carbon heat source type flavor inhaler that heats tobacco filler material by combustion heat of a carbon heat source (see, for example, WO2006/073065);

An electrically heated flavor inhaler having a tobacco rod containing a tobacco filling material and a heating device for electrically heating the tobacco rod (see, for example, WO2010/110226); or

A liquid atomization type flavor inhaler that heats a liquid aerosol source with a heater to generate an aerosol, and inhales the aerosol and a flavor derived from a tobacco filler material (for example, refer to WO2015/046385); and the like.

A "non-heating type flavor inhaler" is a flavor inhaler that provides tobacco flavor to the user without burning or heating tobacco flavor sources such as tobacco filler materials and tobacco flavor liquid. Examples of non-heating type flavor inhalers include liquid atomization type flavor inhalers that include tobacco flavor liquid and an atomization unit that atomizes the tobacco flavor liquid using surface acoustic waves (for example, see WO2017/167521).

[Representative Example 1 of Fragrance Inhaler]

Hereinafter, an example of a heating type flavor inhaler including the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a heating type flavor inhaler. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a power supply unit in the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the main part structure of the power supply unit in the heating type flavor inhaler of FIG. 4.

The heating type flavor inhaler 1 shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 has a rod shape extending along a given direction (hereinafter referred to as the length direction A). As shown in FIG. 4 , the heating type flavor inhaler 1 is provided with a power supply unit 10, a first tube 20 and a second tube 30 in sequence along the length direction A. The first tube 20 is detachable relative to the power supply unit 10, and the second tube 30 is detachable relative to the first tube 20. In other words, the first tube 20 and the second tube 30 are replaceable.

(Power supply unit)

As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the power supply unit 10 accommodates a power supply 12, a charger 13, a control unit 50, various sensors, etc. in a cylindrical power supply unit case 11. The power supply 12 is a rechargeable secondary battery, preferably a lithium ion secondary battery.

A discharge terminal 41 is provided at the top 11a located at one end side (first tube 20 side) in the longitudinal direction A of the power supply unit case 11. The discharge terminal 41 is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the top 11a toward the first tube 20 and is configured so as to be electrically connectable to the load 21 of the first tube 20.

Furthermore, an air supply portion 42 for supplying air to the load 21 of the first cylinder 20 is provided on the upper surface of the top portion 11 a near the discharge terminal 41 .

A charging terminal (not shown) capable of electrically connecting the power source 12 to a rechargeable external power source is provided at the bottom 11 b located at the other end side in the longitudinal direction A of the power source unit case 11 (the side opposite to the first tube 20 ).

A user-operable operation unit 14 is provided on the side of the top 11a of the power supply unit case 11. The operation unit 14 is composed of a push-button switch, a touch panel, etc., and is used to activate/deactivate the control unit 50 and various sensors according to the user's intention.

As shown in FIG7 , the control unit 50 is connected to various sensor devices such as the charger 13, the operating unit 14, the inhalation sensor 15 for detecting the suction (inhalation) action, the voltage sensor 16 for measuring the voltage of the power supply 12, the temperature sensor 17 for detecting the temperature, and the memory 18 for storing the number of suction actions or the power-on time to the load 21, etc., to perform various controls on the heating type flavor inhaler 1. The inhalation sensor 15 can be composed of a capacitor microphone, a pressure sensor, etc. Specifically, the control unit 50 is a processor (MCU: micro control unit). The structure of the processor is more specifically a circuit composed of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

(Carrtridge 1)

As shown in FIG6 , the first tube 20 comprises, inside the cylindrical tube shell 27, a storage container 23 for storing the above-mentioned "tobacco flavor liquid" 22, an electric load 21 for atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid 22, a wick 24 for introducing the tobacco flavor liquid from the storage container 23 into the load 21, an aerosol flow path 25 through which the aerosol generated by the atomization of the tobacco flavor liquid 22 flows toward the second tube 30, and an end cap 26 for accommodating a portion of the second tube 30.

The storage container 23 is divided and formed so as to surround the aerosol flow path 25, and stores the tobacco flavor liquid 22. The storage container 23 may contain a porous body such as a resin net or cotton, and the porous body may be impregnated with the tobacco flavor liquid 22. The storage container 23 may not contain a porous body such as a resin net or cotton, and only store the tobacco flavor liquid 22.

The wick 24 is a liquid holding member that introduces the tobacco flavor liquid 22 from the storage container 23 into the load 21 using a capillary phenomenon, and is made of, for example, glass fiber, porous ceramics, or the like.

The load 21 utilizes the power supplied from the power source 12 via the discharge terminal 41 to atomize the tobacco flavor liquid 22 without accompanying combustion. The load 21 is composed of a heating wire (coil) wound at a given pitch. It should be noted that the load 21 can be any element that can atomize the tobacco flavor liquid 22 to generate an aerosol, such as a heating element or an ultrasonic generator. As the heating element, a heating resistor, a ceramic heater, and an induction heating heater can be listed.

The aerosol flow path 25 may be provided on the downstream side of the load 21 and on the center line L of the power supply unit 10 .

The end cap 26 includes a cartridge housing portion 26 a that houses a portion of the second cartridge 30 , and a communication passage 26 b that allows the aerosol flow path 25 to communicate with the cartridge housing portion 26 a .

(Second tube)

As shown in Figure 6, the second tube 30 stores a fragrance source 31. The second tube 30 is removably contained in the tube accommodating portion 26a provided in the end cap 26 of the first tube 20. The end of the second tube 30 opposite to the first tube 20 side becomes the user's mouthpiece 32. It should be noted that the mouthpiece 32 is not limited to the situation that it is integrally constituted with the second tube 30, and can be removably constituted with the second tube 30. By constituting the mouthpiece 32 separately from the power supply unit 10 and the first tube 20, the mouthpiece 32 can be kept sanitary.

The second cylinder 30 imparts additional flavor to the aerosol by passing the aerosol generated by atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid 22 using the load 21 into the flavor source 31. As the flavor source 31, tobacco filler materials such as tobacco sheets and tobacco particles can be used. The above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" can be introduced into the flavor source 31. The flavor source 31 can be imparted with flavors such as menthol.

In the heating type flavor inhaler 1, an aerosol to which an additional flavor is added can be generated by the tobacco flavor liquid 22, the flavor source 31, and the payload 21. That is, the tobacco flavor liquid 22 and the flavor source 31 can be referred to as an aerosol generation source that generates the aerosol.

The heated flavor inhaler 1 may have a structure in which the tobacco flavor liquid 22 and the flavor source 31 are separate bodies, or may have a structure in which the tobacco flavor liquid 22 and the flavor source 31 are integrally formed. Alternatively, the heated flavor inhaler 1 may not include the second cartridge 30. In the case where the second cartridge 30 is omitted in the heated flavor inhaler 1, only the aerosol generated by atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid 22 is supplied to the inhalation port.

In the heating type flavor inhaler 1, as shown by arrow B in FIG6, the air flowing in from the air inlet (not shown) provided in the power unit box 11 passes through the vicinity of the load 21 of the first cylinder 20 from the air supply unit 42. The load 21 atomizes the tobacco flavor liquid 22 introduced or transferred from the storage container 23 through the wick 24. The aerosol generated by atomization flows through the aerosol flow path 25 together with the air flowing in from the air inlet, and is supplied to the second cylinder 30 via the connecting path 26b. The aerosol supplied to the second cylinder 30 is given an additional flavor by the flavor source 31 and is supplied to the inhalation port 32.

In addition, the heating type flavor inhaler 1 is provided with a notification unit 45 for notifying various information. The notification unit 45 can be composed of a light emitting element, a vibration element, or a sound output element. In addition, the notification unit 45 can be a combination of two or more elements among a light emitting element, a vibration element, and a sound output element. The notification unit 45 can be arranged in any member of the power supply unit 10, the first tube 20, and the second tube 30, and is preferably arranged in the power supply unit 10 in order to shorten the wire from the power supply 12. For example, the notification unit 45 can be arranged around the operating unit 14, the operating unit 14 has light transmittance around it, and is composed of a light emitting element such as an LED to emit light.

[Representative Example 2 of Fragrance Inhaler]

Hereinafter, an example of a heating type flavor inhaler including the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" is described with reference to Fig. 8A, Fig. 8B, Fig. 8C, Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. In this example, the non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler is composed of an aerosol generating device 100 and a flavor generating article 200. Fig. 8A is a front schematic diagram of an example of an aerosol generating device. Fig. 8B is a top schematic diagram of the aerosol generating device shown in Fig. 8A. Fig. 8C is a bottom schematic diagram of the aerosol generating device shown in Fig. 8A. Fig. 9 is a side sectional schematic diagram of an example of a flavor generating article. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of the aerosol generating device shown in Fig. 8B.

For convenience of explanation, the drawings are sometimes labeled with an X-Y-Z orthogonal coordinate system. In this coordinate system, the Z axis is oriented vertically upward, the X-Y plane is arranged so as to cut the aerosol generating device 100 in the horizontal direction, and the Y axis is arranged so as to extend from the front to the back of the aerosol generating device 100. The Z axis may also be referred to as the insertion direction of the flavor generating article contained in the chamber 150 of the atomizing section 130 described later, or the axial direction of the chamber 150. In addition, the X axis is a direction orthogonal to the Y axis and the Z axis, and the X axis and the Y axis may also be referred to as radial directions orthogonal to the axial direction of the chamber 150, or radial directions of the chamber 150.

The aerosol generating device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol containing a flavor by heating a stick-shaped flavor generating article having a flavor source containing the above-mentioned “regenerated tobacco material”.

As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C , the aerosol generating device 100 includes an outer shell 101 (equivalent to an example of a housing), a slide cover 102, and a switch portion 103. The outer shell 101 constitutes the outermost shell of the aerosol generating device 100 and has a size that can be placed in the hand of a user. When the user uses the flavor inhaler, the aerosol generating device 100 can be held in the hand to inhale the aerosol. The outer shell 101 can be constructed by assembling a plurality of components. The outer shell 101 is made of, for example, resin, and in particular can be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) or a polymer alloy containing a plurality of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum.

The outer shell 101 has an opening (not shown) for loading a flavor generating article, and the slide cover 102 is slidably mounted on the outer shell 101 in a manner of closing the opening. Specifically, the slide cover 102 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the outer shell 101 between a closed position (a position shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B ) for closing the opening of the outer shell 101 and an open position (a position shown in FIG. 10 ) for opening the opening. For example, the slide cover 102 can be moved to the closed position and the open position by the user manually operating the slide cover 102. Thus, the flavor generating article can be allowed or restricted to enter the interior of the aerosol generating device 100.

The switch portion 103 can be used to switch the operation of the aerosol generating device 100 on and off. For example, by operating the switch portion 103 when the flavor generating article is inserted into the aerosol generating device 100, the user can supply power from the power supply (refer to the symbol 121 of FIG. 10 ) to the heater (refer to the symbol 140 of FIG. 10 ), thereby heating the flavor generating article without burning it. It should be noted that the switch portion 103 can be a switch disposed on the outside of the outer shell 101, or it can be a switch located inside the outer shell 101. In the case where the switch is located inside the outer shell 101, the switch can be indirectly pressed by pressing the switch portion 103 on the surface of the outer shell 101. In this example, an example in which the switch of the switch portion 103 is located inside the outer shell 101 is described.

The aerosol generating device 100 may further include a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface for connecting the aerosol generating device 100 to, for example, an external power source. When the power source of the aerosol generating device 100 is a rechargeable battery, the external power source may be connected to the terminal so that current flows to the power source to charge the power source. In addition, by connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal, data related to the operation of the aerosol generating device 100 may be sent to an external device.

Next, the flavor generating article used in the aerosol generating device 100 will be described. Fig. 9 is a schematic side sectional view of an example of the flavor generating article 200. In this example, the flavor inhaler is composed of the aerosol generating device 100 and the flavor generating article 200. As shown in Fig. 9, the flavor generating article 200 has a smokable substance 201, a tubular member 204, a hollow filter portion 206, and a filter portion 205.

The smokeable material 201 is wrapped by the first paper roll 202. The cylindrical member 204, the hollow filter portion 206, and the filter portion 205 are wrapped by the second paper roll 203 which is different from the first paper roll 202. The second paper roll 203 also wraps a part of the first paper roll 202 that wraps the smokeable material 201. Thus, the cylindrical member 204, the hollow filter portion 206, and the filter portion 205 are connected to the smokeable material 201. Among them, the second paper roll 203 can be omitted, and the cylindrical member 204, the hollow filter portion 206, and the filter portion 205 are connected to the smokeable material 201 using the first paper roll 202. The outer surface near the end of the second paper roll 203 on the filter portion 205 side is coated with a lip release agent 207 for making it easy for the user's lips to leave the second paper roll 203. The portion of the flavor generation article 200 on which the lip release agent 207 is applied functions as a mouthpiece of the flavor generation article 200 .

The smokeable material 201 contains the above-mentioned "regenerated tobacco material" as a tobacco flavor source. In addition, the first roll paper 202 wrapped with the smokeable material 201 can be a sheet member with air permeability. The cylindrical member 204 can be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In this example, the flavor generating article 200 includes the smokeable material 201, the cylindrical member 204, the hollow filter portion 206 and the filter portion 205, but is not limited to the structure of the flavor generating article 200. For example, the hollow filter portion 206 can be omitted, and the cylindrical member 204 and the filter portion 205 can be arranged adjacent to each other.

Next, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 is described. FIG10 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III of the aerosol generating device 100 shown in FIG8B . As shown in FIG10 , an inner shell 110 (equivalent to an example of a housing) is provided on the inner side of the outer shell 101 of the aerosol generating device 100. The inner shell 110 is made of, for example, resin, and in particular can be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) or a polymer alloy containing a plurality of polymers, or metals such as aluminum. It should be noted that, from the viewpoint of heat resistance and strength, the inner shell 110 is preferably PEEK. A power supply unit 120 and an atomization unit 130 are provided in the internal space of the inner shell 110.

The power supply unit 120 includes a power supply 121. The power supply 121 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 121 is electrically connected to the atomization unit 130. Thus, the power supply 121 may supply power to the atomization unit 130 so as to appropriately heat the aroma generating article 200.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the atomizing unit 130 includes a metal chamber 150 (corresponding to an example of a cylindrical portion) extending along the insertion direction (Z-axis direction) of the flavor generating article 200, a heater 140 covering a portion of the chamber 150, a heat insulating portion 132, and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 134 (corresponding to an example of a guide portion) contacting the opening of the chamber 150. The chamber 150 is configured to surround the periphery of the flavor generating article 200. The heater 140 is configured to contact the outer circumferential surface of the chamber 150 and include a heating portion for heating the flavor generating article 200 inserted into the chamber 150.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 10 , a bottom member 136 (corresponding to an example of abutting portion) is provided at the bottom of the chamber 150. The bottom member 136 can function as a stopper that abuts against the fragrance generating article 200 inserted into the chamber 150 in the insertion direction of the fragrance generating article 200 and positions the fragrance generating article 200. Here, a housing portion that accommodates at least a portion of the fragrance generating article 200 is formed by the chamber 150 and the bottom member 136. The bottom member 136 can be formed of a resin material, for example. The bottom member 136 can have a concave-convex surface on the surface abutted by the fragrance generating article 200, and define a first air flow path that can supply air to the air inlet of the fragrance generating article 200 (that is, communicated with the fragrance generating article 200 accommodated in the housing portion). The bottom member 136 is made of resin, for example, and can be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) or a polymer alloy containing multiple polymers, or metal such as aluminum. It should be noted that in order to suppress heat transfer to the heat insulating portion 132, etc., the bottom member 136 is preferably formed of a raw material with a small thermal conductivity.

The heat insulating part 132 is generally cylindrical as a whole and is arranged in a manner of covering the chamber 150. The heat insulating part 132 may include, for example, an aerosol sheet. The insertion guide member 134 is arranged between the slide cover 102 in the closed position and the chamber 150. The insertion guide member 134 is made of, for example, resin, and in particular, may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) or a polymer alloy containing a plurality of polymers. It should be noted that the insertion guide member 134 may be formed of metal, glass, ceramics, etc. In addition, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, the insertion guide member 134 is preferably PEEK. When the slide cover 102 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 134 is connected to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100, and the insertion of the fragrance generating article 200 into the chamber 150 is guided by inserting the fragrance generating article 200 into the insertion guide member 134. By providing the insertion guide member 134 , the flavor-generating article 200 can be easily inserted into the cavity 150 .

The aerosol generating device 100 further includes a first holding portion 137 and a second holding portion 138 that hold both ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating portion 132. The first holding portion 137 is configured to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating portion 132 on the negative side of the Z axis. The second holding portion 138 is configured to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating portion 132 on the slide cover 102 side (positive side of the Z axis).

<5. Preferred embodiment>

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be summarized and described.

[A1] A method for producing a tobacco flavor liquid for use in an aerosol-generating flavor inhaler, the method comprising:

Heating the tobacco material to vaporize flavor components from the tobacco material;

Dissolving the gas containing the flavor component in a first liquid serving as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor component; and

The liquid containing the flavor component is distilled at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the first liquid to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid.

[A2] The method according to [A1], wherein the distillation is performed at a temperature higher than 100°C.

[A3] The method according to [A1] or [A2], wherein the distillation is performed at a temperature not less than a temperature obtained by subtracting 40° C. from the boiling point of the first liquid.

[A4] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A3], wherein the first liquid is propylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylene glycol, glycerol diacetate, polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

[A5] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A4], wherein the first liquid is propylene glycol, glycerin, or a mixed liquid of propylene glycol and glycerin.

[A6] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A5], wherein the distillation is performed at a temperature in the range of 150 to 180°C.

[A7] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A6], wherein the distillation is performed under atmospheric pressure.

[A8] The method according to any one of claims [A1] to [A7], further comprising, before the heating, adding a second liquid as an aerosol source to the tobacco material.

[A9] The method according to [A8], wherein the second liquid is propylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylene glycol, glycerol diacetate, polyethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

[A10] The method according to [A8] or [A9], wherein the second liquid is propylene glycol, glycerin, or a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerin.

[A11] The method according to any one of [A8] to [A10], wherein the second liquid is added in an amount of 0.1 to 20 mL per 10 g of the tobacco material.

[A12] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A11], wherein the heating is performed at a temperature of 150 to 400°C.

[A13] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A12], wherein the heating is performed at a temperature of 160 to 230°C.

[A14] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A13], wherein the heating is performed for 5 to 60 minutes, preferably 10 to 30 minutes.

[A15] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A14], wherein the heating is performed by supplying heated air to the tobacco material.

[A16] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A15], wherein the heating is performed by supplying heated air to the tobacco material via a porous body (preferably a porous plate).

[A17] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A16], wherein the dissolving is performed by bubbling the gas containing the flavor component into the first liquid.

[A18] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A17], wherein the dissolution is performed by bubbling the gas containing the flavor component into the first liquid through a porous body (preferably a porous filter).

[A19] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A18], wherein the dissolving is performed by bubbling the gas containing the flavor component into the first liquid in which the plurality of beads are dispersed.

[A20] The method according to [A19], wherein the beads have a diameter of 1 to 5 mm.

[A21] The method according to any one of [A1] to [A20], wherein the tobacco material is shredded tobacco.

[B1] A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method described in any one of [A1] to [A21].

[C1] A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco flavor liquid described in [B1].

[C2] A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco flavor liquid described in [B1] and an atomizing unit for atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid.

[C3] A flavor inhaler comprising the tobacco flavor liquid described in [B1] and an atomizing unit that heats and atomizes the tobacco flavor liquid.

[D1] A regenerated tobacco material comprising:

A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method described in any one of [A1] to [A21], and

The heated tobacco material obtained when the gas containing the flavor component is obtained by the method of any one of [A1] to [A21].

[D2] The regenerated tobacco material according to [D1], wherein the regenerated tobacco material is a tobacco molded body obtained by molding a material containing the tobacco flavor liquid and the heated tobacco material.

[D3] The regenerated tobacco material according to [D2], wherein the tobacco molded body is a tobacco sheet or tobacco particles.

[E1] A flavor inhaler comprising the regenerated tobacco material according to any one of [D1] to [D3].

[E2] A flavor inhaler comprising the regenerated tobacco material according to any one of [D1] to [D3], and an atomizing unit that atomizes a liquid component contained in the regenerated tobacco material.

[E3] A flavor inhaler comprising the regenerated tobacco material according to any one of [D1] to [D3], and an atomizing unit that heats and atomizes a liquid component contained in the regenerated tobacco material.

Example

[Example 1]

In Example 1, the color change of the tobacco flavor liquid over time was investigated.

1-1. Preparation of tobacco flavor liquid

(Heating process)

Glycerin was added to the tobacco material (cut tobacco) in an amount of 10% by mass relative to the tobacco material. The obtained tobacco material was heated at 180° C. for 10 minutes using the heating device shown in FIG2 . Thus, a “gas containing flavor components” was obtained.

(Dissolution process)

The gas containing the flavor component was bubbled into polyethylene glycol using the dissolving apparatus shown in Fig. 3. 32 g of glass beads (particle size: 3 mm, density: 2.5 g/cm ³ ) were added to 5 mL of polyethylene glycol to obtain a "liquid containing the flavor component".

(Distillation process)

The liquid containing the flavor component was distilled at 170° C. The distillation was performed under atmospheric pressure. A “tobacco flavor liquid” was obtained by distillation. It was confirmed that the obtained tobacco flavor liquid had the same flavor and aroma as the liquid containing the flavor component.

1-2. Color evaluation method

The tobacco flavor liquid was placed in an ampoule bottle and stored at 40° C. under atmospheric pressure for 2 months. As a control, a liquid containing a flavor component was stored under the same conditions.

For the color of tobacco flavor liquid, absorbance was measured in the range of 570 to 690 nm and evaluated. Specifically, absorbance was measured for tobacco flavor liquid before storage, tobacco flavor liquid after storage, liquid containing flavor components before storage, and liquid containing flavor components after storage. According to the measured value of absorbance, the variation range was calculated by the following formula.

[Mathematical formula 1]

1-3. Results

The result is shown in Figure 11. Figure 11 shows a wavelength of 570 to 690nm on the horizontal axis and a variation range on the vertical axis. The wavelength of 570 to 690nm is a wavelength near yellow to red, which can be considered to be a wavelength range that will affect the change in the color of the liquid containing the flavor component and the tobacco flavor liquid. The closer the value of the variation range is to 1, the more it shows that the change in the color of the tobacco flavor liquid is equal to the change in the color of the liquid containing the flavor component. The more the value of the variation range shows a large value exceeding 1, the more it shows that the change in the color of the tobacco flavor liquid is smaller than the change in the color of the liquid containing the flavor component.

As shown in Figure 11, the tobacco flavor liquid has no color change after storage compared to the liquid containing the flavor component. This result shows that the color-changing cause substance is removed from the liquid containing the flavor component by the distillation operation, and the color-changing cause substance is basically not included in the tobacco flavor liquid. In addition, it is shown that the content components of the tobacco flavor liquid are not easy to change over time, and the fragrant smoking taste is stably maintained.

[Example 2]

In Example 2, the content of sulfur-containing components in the tobacco flavor liquid after storage was investigated.

2-1. Preparation of tobacco flavor liquid

A tobacco flavor liquid was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

2-2. Determination of sulfur content

The tobacco flavor liquid was placed in an ampoule bottle and stored at 40° C. under atmospheric pressure for 1 month or 2 months. As a control, a liquid containing a flavor component was stored under the same conditions.

The contents of methyl mercaptan and dimethyl trisulfide were measured for the tobacco flavor liquid before storage, the tobacco flavor liquid after storage for 1 month, the tobacco flavor liquid after storage for 2 months, the liquid containing flavor components before storage, the liquid containing flavor components after storage for 1 month, and the liquid containing flavor components after storage for 2 months.

Specifically, the measurement was performed using GC-MS (Agilent, 5977B). The sample was introduced using a thermal desorption introduction system (GERSTEL TDS3). The area ratio of methyl mercaptan to the internal standard substance and the area ratio of dimethyl trisulfide to the internal standard substance were summed up, and the obtained total value was used as the "content of sulfur-containing components".

2-3. Results

The results are shown in FIG12. In FIG12, 0M indicates before storage, 1M indicates after 1 month of storage, and 2M indicates after 2 months of storage. The vertical axis of FIG12 shows the content of sulfur-containing components by taking the content of sulfur-containing components in the liquid containing the flavor component before storage as a relative value when 1 is set. Although sulfur-containing components are not the cause of discoloration, they do not have a suitable aroma, so it is desirable that the content is small.

As shown in Figure 12, the tobacco flavor liquid before storage contains less sulfur than the liquid containing flavor components before storage. In addition, the amount of sulfur in the liquid containing flavor components increases after storage, but the amount of sulfur in the tobacco flavor liquid decreases after storage. According to these results, the tobacco flavor liquid also contains less sulfur after storage, and can provide users with excellent fragrant and delicious taste.

Claims (13)

1. A method of manufacturing a tobacco flavor liquid for use in an aerosol-generating flavor aspirator, the method comprising:

heating a tobacco material to gasify flavour components from the tobacco material;

Dissolving a gas containing the flavor component in a1 st liquid as an aerosol source to obtain a liquid containing the flavor component; and

Distilling the liquid containing the flavor component at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the 1 st liquid to obtain a tobacco flavor liquid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein,

The distillation is carried out at a temperature above 100 ℃.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The distillation is performed at a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature obtained by subtracting 40 ℃ from the boiling point of the 1 st liquid.

4. The method according to claim 1 to 3, wherein,

The 1 st liquid is propylene glycol, glycerol or a mixed liquid of propylene glycol and glycerol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein,

The distillation is carried out at a temperature in the range of 150 to 180 ℃.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein,

Further comprising, prior to said heating: a2 nd liquid is added to the tobacco material as an aerosol source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein,

The 2 nd liquid is propylene glycol, glycerol or a mixed liquid of propylene glycol and glycerol.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein,

The heating is performed at a temperature of 150 to 400 ℃.

9. A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A flavor aspirator comprising the tobacco flavor liquid of claim 9.

11. A flavor aspirator comprising:

The tobacco flavor liquid of claim 9, and

And an atomizing unit for atomizing the tobacco flavor liquid.

12. A reconstituted tobacco material comprising:

A tobacco flavor liquid obtained by the method of any one of claims 1 to 8, and

A heated tobacco material obtained when a gas comprising the flavour ingredient is obtained in a method according to any of claims 1 to 8.

13. A flavor aspirator comprising the reconstituted tobacco material of claim 12.