JP7637151B2 - Aerosol Generation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to consumables for use in, but not limited to, in inhalable medium generating assemblies. The present invention also relates to aerosol generating assemblies including the consumables, methods for generating inhalable medium, uses of vapours and/or aerosols, and kits.

background

Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Alternatives to these types of articles release compounds without combustion to form an inhalable medium.

Examples of such products are heated devices, including e-cigarette/non-combustion heat hybrid devices, also known as electronic cigarette hybrid devices. These hybrid devices contain a liquid that is vaporized by heating to produce an inhalable vapor and/or aerosol. The liquid may contain flavorings and/or aerosol generating substances, such as glycerol, and optionally nicotine. The vapor and/or aerosol passes through a substrate within the device and incorporates one or more components of the substrate to produce an inhalation medium. The substrate material may be, for example, tobacco, which may or may not contain nicotine, other non-tobacco products, or combinations, such as blended mixtures.

overview

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a consumable for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, the consumable comprising an acid-containing liquid having a pH of 2 or more and less than 7, and a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or more.

In some embodiments, the pH of the acid-containing liquid is 4-5 or 4.3-4.8.

In some embodiments, the difference between the pH of the solid nicotine-containing material and the pH of the acid-containing liquid is between 3 and 5.5.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a consumable for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, the consumable comprising a liquid containing an acid having a pKa greater than 0.5 and a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or greater.

In some embodiments, the pKa of the acid is greater than 3 or is between 3.7 and 4.3.

In some embodiments, the pH of the solid nicotine-containing material is 8 to 9.5 or 8.5 to 9.

In some embodiments, the vapor pressure of the acid at 25°C is 0.1 Pa to 2.5 kPa.

In some embodiments, the acid-containing liquid contains 0.001-5% acid by weight.

In some embodiments, the solid nicotine-containing material comprises a tobacco material. In some embodiments, the tobacco is cut rag or tobacco granules.

In some embodiments, the consumable includes a carrier material impregnated with a liquid that includes an acid. In some embodiments, the carrier material is a wicking material.

In some embodiments, the consumable is a cartridge, and the acid-containing liquid is present in a first chamber and the solid nicotine-containing material is present in a second chamber.

In some embodiments, the consumable is a rod having a first section containing a liquid including an acid and a second section containing a solid nicotine-containing material.

In some embodiments, the rod further comprises a cooling section, optionally in the form of a tube.

In some embodiments, the rod further comprises a filter section that optionally includes a cellulose acetate filter material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating assembly comprising a consumable according to the first or second aspect, the assembly being configured to form an inhalable medium by heating at least a portion of the consumable and to form one or more nicotine salts by reacting free nicotine from a solid nicotine-containing material with an acid.

In some embodiments, the assembly is configured to heat an acid-containing liquid to form an acid-containing vapor and/or aerosol, and to contact a solid nicotine-containing material with the acid-containing vapor/aerosol to incorporate one or more components of the solid nicotine-containing material into the inhalable medium. In some embodiments, the assembly is configured such that the solid nicotine-containing material is heated only by the vapor/aerosol.

In some embodiments, the assembly is configured to heat a solid nicotine-containing material to form a vapor and/or aerosol containing nicotine, and contacts a liquid containing an acid with the vapor/aerosol containing free nicotine from the solid nicotine-containing material such that the acid and the free nicotine react to form one or more nicotine salts.

In some embodiments, the solid nicotine-containing material is heated by a vapor or aerosol formed by heating an aerosolizable liquid other than the acid-containing liquid.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of generating an inhalable medium using an aerosol generation assembly comprising a consumable according to the first or second aspect, the method comprising heating at least a portion of the consumable to form an inhalable medium comprising one or more components of a solid nicotine-containing material, including free nicotine, and reacting the free nicotine with an acid to form one or more nicotine salts.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the use of an acidic vapour and/or aerosol to extract nicotine from a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH above 7, whereby the rate of nicotine extraction exceeds the rate of nicotine salt formation in the solid, thereby increasing the nicotine content in the vapour and/or aerosol compared to using a neutral vapour and/or aerosol.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit comprising (i) a liquid pod containing a liquid comprising an acid and having a pH of 2 or more and less than 7, and (ii) a nicotine-containing pod containing a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or more, the liquid pod and the nicotine-containing pod being configured for use in an assembly for use in producing an inhalable medium, the assembly being configured in use to produce an inhalable medium by contacting the aerosolizable liquid in the form of a vapour and/or aerosol with the solid nicotine-containing material and incorporating one or more components thereof.

Features described in relation to one aspect of the invention are expressly disclosed in combination with all other aspects, to the extent compatible. For example, features described in relation to an assembly, cartridge, nicotine-containing pod, liquid pod, or kit are expressly disclosed in combination with each of the other features of the assemblies, cartridges, nicotine-containing pods, liquid pods, and kits. In particular, features of the solid nicotine-containing materials and aerosolizable liquids described herein are expressly disclosed in combination with the assembly, cartridge, nicotine-containing pod, liquid pod, and kit embodiments of the invention. Similarly, features described in relation to a device are expressly disclosed in combination with the method and use aspects of the invention, and vice versa.

Features and further advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Examples of inhalable medium generating assemblies and cartridges according to the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example of an inhalable medium generating assembly. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of an inhalable medium generating assembly. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of an inhalable medium generating assembly. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example of a cartridge having a liquid chamber and an integral solid material chamber. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example cartridge having a liquid chamber and a removable solid material chamber. 1 shows nicotine delivery from assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention and comparative assemblies. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example consumable rod according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In some aspects, the present invention relates to improving the taste of an inhalable aerosol and increasing the nicotine content in the inhalable aerosol. The present invention provides a consumable that is heated in an aerosol generating assembly used in a hybrid device where the nicotine has been pH treated to increase its pH.

Most commonly, the consumables described herein comprise a liquid containing an acid, the liquid having a pH of 2 or more and less than 7, and a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or more. Within the consumable, the liquid containing an acid and the solid nicotine-containing material are maintained separate from one another. Upon use of the consumable in an aerosol generating assembly, the acid adjusts the pH of the nicotine. In some embodiments, the liquid containing an acid is heated to form a vapor and/or aerosol that passes through the solid nicotine-containing material to generate an inhalable medium containing one or more components, such as nicotine, derived from the solid. In other embodiments, a vapor and/or aerosol is formed containing one or more components of the solid nicotine-containing material, and the vapor and/or aerosol is contacted with the liquid containing an acid.

In some embodiments, the assemblies described herein volatilize an aerosolizable liquid to form a vapor and/or an aerosol that passes through a solid nicotine-containing material to produce an inhalable medium that includes one or more components, such as nicotine, that are derived from the solid.

In some embodiments, base-treated nicotine may be included in the solid nicotine-containing material. Nicotine reacts with a base, which deprotonates the nicotine, making it more volatile and releasing it from its bound state to provide the deprotonated base form of nicotine (hereinafter referred to as "deprotonated nicotine" or simply "free nicotine"). As a result, the base-treated nicotine is more volatile when heated. However, the present invention has found that inhalable aerosols containing free nicotine (sometimes referred to herein as "inhalable media") have a less desirable flavor than those containing nicotine salts.

In some embodiments, the inhalable aerosol produced from the consumable has improved sensory qualities, such as flavor. In some embodiments, the inhalable aerosol may have a higher nicotine delivery and may enhance nicotine extraction from the nicotine source when the nicotine source is base-treated to increase the pH compared to other inhalable aerosols.

The inventors have determined that the inclusion of an acid-containing liquid produces a better tasting inhalable aerosol. In some embodiments, the acid in the vapor/aerosol produced by heating the acid-containing liquid reacts with the free nicotine from the solid nicotine-containing material to provide a better tasting salt form of nicotine. That is, the acid and the free nicotine undergo acid-base salt formation to produce a nicotine salt in the vapor/aerosol.

While the use of an acidic aerosol/vapor improves flavor, it was thought that some reduction in overall nicotine delivery would be expected to be observed because fewer volatile nicotine salts are formed in the solid nicotine-containing material after contact with the acidic vapor/aerosol.

Surprisingly, the inventors have found that the inclusion of an acid in the aerosol/vapor actually increases the overall nicotine delivery during use compared to a neutral aerosol/vapor. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the affinity between free nicotine and the acid in the vapor/aerosol allows the nicotine to be drawn or extracted from the solid nicotine-containing material. This extraction is believed to occur at a rate that is faster than the rate of formation of nicotine salts in the solid. Thus, an inhalable aerosol with improved flavor and higher nicotine content can be provided. The use of an acid vapor/aerosol can also increase the total amount of nicotine extracted from the solid.

Solid Nicotine-Containing Material In some examples, the present invention provides a consumable for use in an aerosol generating assembly for generating an inhalable medium, the consumable comprising a solid nicotine-containing material (referred to herein as a "nicotine source" or simply as a "solid").

The pH of the nicotine source is 7 or greater. In some examples, the pH of the nicotine source is 8-9.5, 8.2-9.3, 8.3-9.2, or 8.4-9.1. Preferably, the pH is 8.5-9, or 8.5. This allows the nicotine in the solid nicotine-containing material to be provided in the form of a deprotonated base (as free nicotine), thereby increasing the volatility of the nicotine such that it is more likely to volatilize after heating.

In some examples, the pH of the nicotine source is selected such that the difference between the pH of the nicotine source and the pH of the aerosolizable liquid is 3-5.5, 3.5-5, 3.7-4.8, preferably 4.1-4.2, and preferably 3.6-3.8. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that a greater pH difference results in a greater affinity between the acidic vapor/aerosol and the free nicotine, resulting in increased extraction and increased nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium.

The nicotine source may be treated to increase the pH, which is measured according to the CORESTA protocol for measuring the pH of tobacco, CORESTA Recommended Method No. 69 (CRM-69). One example of a pH treatment method may include the addition of a base solution to the nicotine source. The base solution may, in some examples, include an aqueous solution of, for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, or mixtures thereof, or other GRAS water-soluble base.

In some examples, the nicotine source includes a tobacco material. In some examples, the nicotine source is a tobacco material. It may also provide a tobacco flavoring to the inhalable medium.

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material that contains tobacco or its derivatives. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, reconstituted tobacco, agglomerated tobacco, spheronized tobacco, and/or tobacco extract.

The tobacco used to produce the tobacco material may be any suitable tobacco, such as a single grade or blend, including Virginia and/or Burley and/or Oriental, cut rag or whole leaf. The tobacco may be a "fine powder" or powder of tobacco particles, expanded tobacco, stems, expanded stems, and other processed stem materials such as cut rolled stems. The tobacco material may be ground tobacco or reconstituted tobacco material. The reconstituted tobacco material may include tobacco fiber and may be formed by casting, a Fourdrinier-type papermaking process with the later addition of tobacco extract, or by extrusion.

In some instances, the nicotine source may be porous to allow the aerosol and/or vapor to pass through the solid nicotine source. This increases the contact area of the nicotine source with the aerosol and/or vapor. Thus, the components of the nicotine source are efficiently incorporated into the aerosol/vapor.

The nicotine source may additionally include flavoring agents and/or aerosol generating agents. As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used to produce a desired flavor or aroma in products for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations.

In some examples, the nicotine source may be provided in one of two or more portions of the consumable described herein. In some embodiments, the consumable is a cartridge and the nicotine source is provided in one of two chambers.

In some examples, the nicotine source may be provided in a nicotine-containing pod configured for use in an assembly for use in generating an inhalable medium as part of a kit described herein.

Acid-Comprising Liquid In some embodiments, the present invention provides a consumable for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, the consumable comprising an acid-comprising liquid (sometimes referred to herein simply as "liquid").

The acid-containing liquid may, in some instances, comprise a gel and/or a liquid. Preferably, the acid-containing liquid comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a liquid.

In some embodiments, the acid-containing liquid is heated to form an acid vapor and/or aerosol. In some embodiments, the acid-containing liquid is heated by the assembly. In other embodiments, the liquid is heated as a result of contact with the heated aerosol or vapor.

The acid-containing liquid may include liquids conventionally used in e-cigarettes or hybrid assemblies. In some examples, the acid-containing liquid may include flavoring agents and/or aerosol generating agents, including, but not limited to, propylene glycol and/or glycerol. In some examples, the acid-containing liquid is nicotine-free.

In some embodiments, the acid-containing liquid is an aerosolizable liquid that is intended to be heated to form an aerosol and/or vapor upon use in the aerosol generating assembly. Aerosolizable liquids typically volatilize at around 100-300°C, preferably around 150-250°C.

In some embodiments, the liquid includes an acid such that the liquid can have a pH of greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 7. In some examples, the pH of the liquid is 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, or 4 up to 6.9, 6.8, 6.7, 6.6, 6.5, 6.4, 6.3, 6.2, 6.1, 6, 5.9, 5.8, 5.7, 5.6, 5.5, 5.4, 5.3, 5.2, 5.1, 5, 4.9, 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, 4.4, 4.3, 4.2, 4.1, or 4. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that this results in an affinity between the free nicotine from the nicotine source and the acid in the vapor/aerosol, which allows the vapor/aerosol to draw or extract the nicotine from the nicotine source. It is believed that a lower pH of the aerosolizable liquid can increase the extraction rate by increasing the affinity between the free nicotine and the aerosolizable liquid.

The pH of a liquid depends on various properties such as the kPa or concentration of the acid and the acidity or basicity of any other components in the liquid.

In some examples, the pH of the liquid is selected such that the difference between the pH of the nicotine source and the pH of the liquid is 3-5.5, 3.5-5, 3.7-4.8, preferably 4.1-4.2, preferably 3.6-3.8. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that a greater pH difference results in a greater affinity between the acidic vapor/aerosol and the free nicotine, resulting in increased extraction and increased nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium.

In some examples, the properties of the acid-containing liquid, including but not limited to dipole moment, polarity, and vapor pressure, may be changed or selected to increase the affinity of the liquid with the free "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source. For example, a higher dipole moment, polarity, or vapor pressure may increase the affinity of the liquid with the free "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source. Adding an acid may change the polarity and vapor pressure properties of the acid-containing liquid.

An acid suitable for protonating the acid nicotine may be used in the liquid. Examples of acids include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid or sulfuric acid, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated alicyclic acids, aromatic acids (including heteroaromatic acids), polycarboxylic acids, hydroxy acids, alkoxy acids, keto acids, oxo acids, thio acids, amino acids, and each of the above optionally substituted with one or more heteroatoms, including but not limited to halogens. In some examples, the acid is a carboxylic acid, preferably benzoic acid. In some examples, the carboxylic acid is a hydroxy acid, preferably lactic acid. In some examples, the acid is selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, and combinations thereof. The selected acid may protonate free nicotine and promote acid-base salt formation after the aerosol/vapor contacts the nicotine source, thereby providing a nicotine salt. This promotes nicotine extraction from the nicotine source to increase nicotine delivery of the assembly and improves the taste of nicotine in the inhalable medium.

In some examples, the pKa of the selected acid is greater than 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, or 3.5, or preferably between 3.7 and 4.3. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that this promotes acid-base salt formation of free nicotine to improve flavor and nicotine delivery from the inhalable vehicle, and that a lower pKa or more acidic nicotine source at the same pH may increase the affinity between the acidic liquid and free nicotine and promote nicotine extraction from the nicotine source, thereby increasing nicotine delivery in the inhalable vehicle during use.

In some examples, the acid provides a liquid with a pKa of greater than 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, or greater than 3.5, or preferably between 3.7 and 4.3, and a pH of 4-5, 4.1-4.9, 4.2-4.8, preferably 4.3-4.8, preferably 4.37, preferably 4.8. Thus, in some embodiments, this promotes acid-base salt formation of free nicotine, improving flavor upon use and increasing nicotine delivery by the inhalable vehicle.

In some examples, the liquid comprises an acid having a vapor pressure at 25°C of 0.05-3 kPa, 0.1-2.5 kPa, 0.1-2 kPa, 0.1-1.5 kPa, 0.1-1 kPa, 0.1-750 Pa, 0.1-500 Pa, 0.1-250 Pa, 0.1-100 Pa, 0.1-90 Pa, 0.1-80 Pa, 0.1-70 Pa, 0.1-60 Pa, 0.1-50 Pa, 0.1-40 Pa, 0.1-30 Pa, 0.1-20 Pa, 0.1-11 Pa, preferably 0.1-0.2, and preferably 9-11 Pa. The acid becomes more volatile as its vapor pressure at 25°C increases. Therefore, more acid can be present in the aerosol/vapor, which can further increase the rate of free nicotine extraction from the nicotine source during use.

In some examples, the liquid comprises an acid in an amount of 0.001-5% by weight. In some embodiments, the liquid comprises an acid in an amount of at least 0.01%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, or at least 1%. In some embodiments, the liquid comprises an acid in an amount of up to 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3%, 2.5%, 2%, 1.5%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, or up to 0.01% by weight. Incorporating a higher concentration of acid into the liquid increases the acidity of the liquid and decreases the pH. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that increasing the acidity of the liquid increases the affinity of the liquid for the free nicotine in the nicotine source, thereby facilitating the extraction of nicotine and allowing for increased nicotine delivery by the inhalable medium during use.

In some examples, the acid-containing liquid may be provided in one of two or more portions of a consumable described herein. In some examples, the consumable is a cartridge and the acid-containing liquid may be provided in one of two chambers of the cartridge described herein.

In some examples, the acid-containing liquid may be provided in a liquid pod configured for use in an assembly used to generate an inhalable medium as part of a kit described herein.

In some instances, the acid may be selected such that the conjugate acid-base salt formed upon reaction with free nicotine in the aerosol/vapor is highly volatile (i.e., has a high vapor pressure), which can further increase the amount of nicotine delivered in the inhalable medium.

In some embodiments, the vapor pressure of the conjugate acid-base is similar to or slightly lower than the acid used. Conjugate acid-base formation is one mechanism for increasing vapor pressure.

Consumables Consumables may include two or more parts. In some embodiments, the liquid, including the acid, and the solid nicotine-containing material are provided in different parts of the consumable, so that the consumable remains separate prior to use.

The consumable may be a disposable product that is replaced in its entirety after use. Alternatively, the user may remove the first and/or second chamber from the consumable and replace the used material or replenish the first and/or second chamber with material, which is then returned to the consumable.

Upon use in the aerosol generation assembly, at least one portion of the consumable is heated to generate an aerosol and/or vapor. One or more further portions may be heated after contact with the generated aerosol and/or vapor.

In some embodiments, the portion containing the solid nicotine-containing material is downstream of the portion containing the acid-containing liquid. In other embodiments, the portion containing the acid-containing liquid is downstream of the portion containing the solid nicotine-containing material.

In some embodiments, the consumable is a cartridge or the like that has two or more chambers.

In some embodiments, the consumable comprises a first chamber (referred to herein as the "liquid chamber") for containing an acid-containing liquid and a second chamber (referred to herein as the "solid chamber") for containing a solid nicotine-containing material.

In one embodiment, the first and/or second chambers are in the form of a pot, a pod (which in some embodiments may be, for example, annular), etc., and/or an absorbent filling.

In some embodiments, the consumable is a rod with two or more portions, which may be arranged, for example, along the longitudinal axis of the rod. One portion of the rod may include a solid nicotine-containing material and another portion may include a liquid containing an acid. The liquid may be provided in an adsorbent carrier material, such as an absorbent wad. Alternatively, the liquid containing an acid may be provided in a collapsible capsule. Another portion of the rod may include a portion that cools the aerosol passing therethrough, for example a cooling tube. Another portion of the rod may include a filter portion that includes a filter material.

The assembly according to some examples of the present invention may be configured such that, in use, liquid volatilized by the heater passes through a solid nicotine source in at least one of the form of a vapor and an aerosol, thereby capturing one or more components from the nicotine source to generate an inhalable medium. In some examples, the inhalable medium is discharged through an outlet.

The assembly may include components such as a first chamber for containing an aerosolizable liquid (referred to herein as the "liquid chamber"), and a second chamber for containing a solid nicotine-containing material (referred to herein as the "solid chamber"). The assembly may further include an outlet, and a flow path between the chambers and the outlet.

As the vapor/aerosol passes over the nicotine source, it comes into contact with the nicotine source and picks up one or more components thereof. After being picked up by the vapor/aerosol, one or more components from the nicotine source may undergo a reaction with a component in the vapor/aerosol. For example, an acid-base salt formation reaction may occur. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that acid-base salt formation reactions in the vapor/aerosol occur at a faster rate than acid-base salt formation reactions in solids. The use of an acidic vapor/aerosol may result in an increased amount of nicotine being extracted or drawn from the tobacco compared to a vapor/aerosol that is pH neutral.

In some embodiments, the assembly heats the nicotine source during use to facilitate release of components of the nicotine source into the inhaled medium. In other embodiments, the assembly heats both the nicotine source and the aerosolizable liquid. Suitably, the assembly may be configured such that the heater directly heats only the aerosolizable liquid, and the nicotine source is heated by heat carried over to the vapor/aerosol formed from the aerosolizable liquid (thereby volatilizing components of the nicotine source that are subsequently entrained in the vapor/aerosol stream). That is, the assembly is configured to directly heat the aerosolizable liquid but not directly heat the solid nicotine-containing material.

In some examples, the present invention provides a cartridge for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, the cartridge comprising an aerosolizable liquid in a first chamber, the aerosolizable liquid including an acid, the aerosolizable liquid corresponding to the liquid described herein above, and a solid nicotine-containing material in a second chamber, the solid nicotine-containing material corresponding to the nicotine source described herein above. The cartridge is configured such that, in use, vapor and/or aerosol generated from the aerosolizable liquid passes through the second chamber, which contains the nicotine source, and entrains one or more components of the nicotine source. Suitably, the cartridge may be configured for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly as described herein.

In some embodiments, the assembly includes a cooling device or cooling zone downstream of the heater and upstream of the second chamber containing the nicotine source, configured to cool the vaporized material to form an aerosol of droplets that, in use, pass through the nicotine source in the second chamber. In some embodiments, the cooling device may be configured to act substantially as a heat exchanger to allow for heat recovery from the vapor and/or aerosol. The recovered heat may be used, for example, to preheat the nicotine source and/or assist in heating the aerosolizable liquid.

In one embodiment, the assembly is battery powered.

In one embodiment, each heater is an electrical resistance heater.

In one embodiment, the heater is puff activated, i.e. the assembly includes a puff sensing device and only heats the aerosolizable liquid upon sensing a puff. This means that vapor/aerosol is only formed within the assembly during a puff.

The present invention also provides a kit comprising an aerosol generating assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The kit comprises (i) a liquid pod containing an aerosolizable liquid according to an embodiment described herein, and (ii) a nicotine-containing pod containing a solid nicotine-containing material according to an embodiment described herein. The features described above with respect to the assembly herein are expressly disclosed in combination with the kit aspect of the present invention. Thus, for example, the assembly may comprise one or more puff activation devices, cooling elements or cooling zones, activation means such as buttons, additional heaters, pumps for wetting agents, etc.

There is also provided the use of an acidic vapour and/or aerosol to extract nicotine from a solid nicotine-containing material having an operating pH above 7, whereby the rate of nicotine extraction exceeds the rate of nicotine salt formation in the solid nicotine-containing material, thereby increasing the nicotine content in the vapour and/or aerosol compared to using a neutral vapour and/or aerosol.

Exemplary Embodiments Examples of consumable products, including cartridges, liquid pods, nicotine-containing pods and rods, and inhalable medium generation assemblies according to some embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIG. 1, an example of an inhalable medium generating assembly 1 is shown. Broadly speaking, the assembly 1 volatilizes an aerosolizable liquid that includes an acid to form a vapor and/or an aerosol that passes through the nicotine source to generate an inhalable medium that includes one or more components derived from the nicotine source.

In this regard, it should first be noted that a vapor is generally a substance in the gas phase below its critical temperature, meaning that the vapor can be condensed into a liquid, for example, by increasing its pressure without lowering the temperature. On the other hand, an aerosol is generally a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets present in air or another gas. A "colloid" is a substance in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the assembly 1 in this example has an outer housing 2 that is generally hollow and cylindrical. The housing 2 has an open end 3. In this example, a tubular mouthpiece 4 is provided at the open end 3. The mouthpiece 4 in this example is removable from the housing 2 by the user. An O-ring or other seal 5 assists in sealing the mouthpiece 4 in the housing 2. At or towards the other end 6 of the housing 2 is a battery 7 that powers the various components of the assembly 1, as will be further described below. The battery 7 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. A controller 8 is also provided in the housing 2 for controlling the operation of the various components of the assembly 1, as will be further described below.

The housing 2 has a chamber 9 (sometimes referred to herein as the "liquid chamber") that holds or contains an aerosolizable liquid (sometimes referred to herein simply as the "liquid") 10. The liquid 10 corresponds to the liquids described above herein and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may contain an acid, for example with a pKa of greater than 3. A variety of different forms can be used for the liquid chamber 9. In the example of FIG. 1, the liquid chamber 9 is in the form of an annular chamber 9 provided in the housing 2 between the open end 3 and the other end 6. In this particular example, the housing 2 is divided into two parts, a first part 2a towards the open end 3 and a second part 2b towards the other end 6. The first and second parts 2a and 2b of the housing 2 may be connected to each other, such as by a screw thread or a bayonet fitting. In use, the first and second parts 2a and 2b of the housing 2 can be separated by the user to allow the aerosolizable liquid 10 to be refilled or replaced as required. Alternatively, the mouthpiece 4 can be removed to allow access to the liquid chamber 9. However, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, the liquid 10 may be provided in a separate annular pot-like liquid chamber that can be removed in its entirety from the housing 2. The separate liquid chamber may be disposable to allow a user to replace the liquid 10 by fitting a new liquid chamber containing the liquid 10 into the housing 2. Alternatively, the chamber may be reusable. In such an example, a user may refill or replace the liquid 10 in the liquid chamber that has been removed from the housing 2 and then return the refilled liquid chamber to the housing 2. It will be appreciated that the housing 2 need not be in two parts and may be provided with other configurations that allow for user access, for example to allow for in situ refilling.

The heater 11 is typically located in the center of the housing 2, i.e., in this example, centrally along the length and width of the housing 2. In this example, the heater 11 is powered by the battery 7 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 7. The heater 11 may be an electrical resistance heater, including, for example, a Nichrome resistance heater, a ceramic heater, and the like. The heater 11 may be, for example, a wire, which may be in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of multiple different materials, one or more of which may be conductive and one or more of which may be non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or non-woven, and may also be multi-layered), a thin film heater, and the like. Other configurations, including non-electrical heating configurations, may also be used.

The heater 11 is provided to volatilize the liquid 10. In the example described, the annular wick 12 surrounds the heater 11 and is in (thermal) contact with it. The outermost surface of the annular wick 12 is in contact with the liquid 10 contained in the liquid chamber 9. The wick 12 is generally absorbent and serves to draw the liquid 10 from the liquid chamber 9 by capillary action. The wick 12 is preferably non-woven and may be of a material such as cotton or wool, or a synthetic material including, for example, polyester, nylon, viscose or polypropylene. This will be described in more detail below, but it should be noted here that in use, the liquid 10 drawn into the wick 12 is heated by the heater 11. The liquid 10 may be volatilized to generate an aerosol of droplets or sufficiently heated to generate vapor. The aerosol and/or vapor so generated is expelled from the wick 12 and moves towards the mouthpiece 4 by the user's action of holding the mouthpiece 4, as shown by arrow A. The heater 11 and wick 12 may be provided as a single, effectively integrated product, sometimes referred to as an "atomizer", such that the heating and wicking functions are effectively performed by a single unit.

The housing 2 further contains a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as a "solid chamber") 13 that holds or contains a solid nicotine-containing material (sometimes referred to herein as a "nicotine source") 14 in the assembly 1. The nicotine source 14 corresponds to the nicotine sources described above in this specification and may be base-treated, e.g., having a pH of 8 to 9.5. In use, the user can access the solid chamber 13 and replace or replenish the nicotine source 14 through the open end 3 of the housing 2 by removing the mouthpiece 4 and/or separating the two parts 2a and 2b of the housing 2. A variety of different configurations can be used for the solid chamber 13. For example, each solid chamber 13 may be a tube containing nicotine, completely open at both ends. As another example, each solid chamber 13 may be a tube having one or more end walls with through holes through which vapor and/or aerosol can pass. The solid chamber 13 may remain in place within the housing 2 while the user removes and replaces the nicotine source 14. Alternatively, the solid chamber 13 containing the nicotine source 14 may be a separate product that is inserted into and removed from the housing 2 in its entirety when used. This type of removable solid chamber 13 may be disposable, such that the user replaces the nicotine source 14 by fitting a new solid chamber 13 containing an unused nicotine source 14 into the housing 2. Alternatively, the chamber 13 may be reusable. In such an example, the user may replace the nicotine source 14 in the solid chamber 13 while removed from the housing 2, and then replace the refilled chamber 13 back into the housing 2. In yet another example, the solid chamber 13 may be provided inside the housing 2 with a clip or the like that holds the nicotine source 14 in place. In some examples, the nicotine source 14 simply fits snugly into the solid chamber 13. Alternatively, the chamber 9 containing the liquid 10 may itself be configured to support or carry the nicotine source 14. For example, the liquid chamber 9 may have one or more clips, tubes, or the like for receiving and holding the nicotine source 14 in place. The dual function liquid chamber 9/solid chamber 13, intended for both containing the liquid 10 and receiving the nicotine source 14, may be in the form of a cartridge or the like, and may be a disposable product or may be reusable such that the liquid 10 and the nicotine source 14 are replaced or refilled by the user as needed. In some examples, the user is provided with enough liquid 10 for multiple uses and only needs to refill or replace the nicotine source 14 from time to time. Once the liquid 10 is consumed, the user disposes of the dual function liquid chamber 9/solid chamber 13 and uses a new one. Similarly, a sufficient nicotine source 14 is provided for multiple uses and only needs to refill or replace the liquid 10 from time to time. Once the nicotine source 14 has been consumed, the user disposes of the dual function liquid chamber 9/solid chamber 13 and uses a new one. Specific examples of dual function liquid chambers/solid chambers are discussed in more detail below.

The nicotine source 14 is disposed in the housing 2 downstream of where the aerosol and/or vapor is generated from the liquid 10 and upstream of the open end 3 of the housing 2 and the mouthpiece 4. In this particular example, the nicotine source 14 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 2 as the wick 12. The aerosol and/or vapor generated from the liquid 10 is expelled from the wick 12 and moves toward the nicotine source 14 by the user's action of holding the mouthpiece 4 to their mouth, as shown by arrow A. In certain embodiments, the nicotine source 14 is porous such that the aerosol and/or vapor passes through the nicotine source 14 and then through the open end 3 of the housing 2 and the mouthpiece 4.

In some embodiments, the nicotine source 14 and/or its chamber 13 are configured such that there are no air gaps between the nicotine source 14/solid chamber 13 and the interior of the housing 2 such that the entire aerosol and/or vapor flows through the nicotine source 14.

The liquid 10 is preferably a liquid that is volatilizable at moderate temperatures, preferably above 100-300°C, particularly around 150-250°C, so as to help reduce the power consumption of the assembly 1. Suitable materials include those materials conventionally used in e-cigarette assemblies, including, for example, propylene glycol and glycerol (also known as glycerin). The liquid 10 corresponds to the liquids described above herein and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may include an acid, for example with a pKa above 3.

The nicotine source 14 imparts flavorings to the aerosol and/or vapor generated from the liquid 10 as it passes through the interior of the nicotine source 14. As the acidic aerosol and/or vapor passes through and over the nicotine source 14, the hot aerosol and/or vapor imparts flavorings to the aerosol and/or vapor on its way to the mouthpiece 4 by picking up organic and other compounds or components from the nicotine source 14 that impart organoleptic properties to the nicotine source. In particular, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 14 undergoes acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 10. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 14 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol to increase the nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Furthermore, by passing the acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 14, the nicotine is provided in a more flavorful salt form.

Assembly 1 provides nicotine for the user. The nicotine may be obtained from a nicotine source 14, or may be provided as a coating on the nicotine source 14, or a combination thereof. Similarly, flavorings may be added to the nicotine source 14 and/or the liquid 10.

In the example depicted in FIG. 1, the only heat source required to heat the nicotine source 14 in the assembly 1 to produce organic compounds and other compounds or components from the nicotine source 14 is the hot aerosol and/or vapor produced from heating the liquid 10.

2, another example of an inhalable medium generating assembly is shown. In the following description and in FIG. 2, components and features that are the same or similar to the corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to FIG. 1 have the same reference numerals, plus 200. For the sake of brevity, the description of these components and features will not be repeated in their entirety here. It will be understood that the configurations and alternatives, etc. described above in relation to the example of FIG. 1 are also applicable to the example of FIG. 2. Again, broadly, the assembly 201 of FIG. 2 heats an acid-containing liquid to form a vapor and/or aerosol that passes through the nicotine source 214 to generate an inhalable medium containing one or more components derived from the nicotine source 214.

The assembly 201 in this example has a generally hollow cylindrical outer housing 202 with an open end 203 and a tubular mouthpiece 204. The mouthpiece 204 in this example is removable from the housing 202 by the user, and an O-ring or other seal 205 helps seal the mouthpiece 204 in the housing 202. A battery 207, which powers the various components of the assembly 201, and a controller 208 are provided at or towards the other end 206 of the housing 202. The housing 202 in this example is divided into two parts, with a first part 202a towards the open end 203 and a second part 202b towards the other end 206.

The housing 202 has a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as the "liquid chamber") 209 that holds or contains an aerosolizable liquid (sometimes referred to herein simply as the "liquid") 210. The liquid 210 corresponds to the liquids described above in this specification and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may contain an acid, e.g., a pKa of greater than 3. The liquid chamber 209 may be of any type described above in connection with the example of FIG. 1. A heater 211 is generally provided in the center (along the length and width) of the housing 202 to volatilize the liquid 210. In this example, the heater 211 is powered by the battery 207 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 207. The heater 211 may be an electrical resistance heater, a ceramic heater, or the like. For example, the heater 211 may be a wire, which may be in the form of, for example, a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of different materials, one or more of which may be conductive, one or more of which may be non-conductive), a mesh (which may be a woven or non-woven fabric, which may also be multi-layered), or a thin film heater. Other heating configurations may be used, including induction heating configurations or non-electrical heating configurations. The annular wick 212 surrounds and is in (thermal) contact with the heater 211. The outermost surface of the annular wick 212 is in contact with the liquid 210 contained in the liquid chamber 209. The liquid 210 may be heated to generate an aerosol of droplets or may be sufficiently heated to generate vapor. The aerosol and/or vapor so generated is expelled from the wick 212 and moves towards the mouthpiece 204 by the user's action of holding the mouthpiece 204 to their mouth, as shown by arrow A. The heater 211 and wick 212 may be provided as a single, effectively integrated product, such that the heating and wicking functions are effectively performed by a single unit.

The housing 202 further contains a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as a "solid chamber") 213 that holds or contains a nicotine source 214 in the assembly 201. The nicotine source 214 corresponds to the nicotine sources described above in this specification and may be base treated, e.g., having a pH of 8 to 9.5. The solid chamber 213 may be of any type described above in connection with the example of FIG. 1. The nicotine source 214 is located in the housing 202 downstream of where the aerosol and/or vapor is generated from the liquid 210 and upstream of the open end 203 and mouthpiece 204 of the housing 202. In this particular example, the nicotine source 214 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 202 as the wick 212. The aerosol and/or vapor generated from the liquid 210 is expelled from the wick 212 and moves toward the nicotine source 214 by the user's action of holding the mouthpiece 204 to their mouth, as shown by arrow A. In certain embodiments, the nicotine source 214 is porous so that the aerosol and/or vapor passes through the nicotine source 214 and then through the open end 203 of the housing 202 and the mouthpiece 204.

In some embodiments, the nicotine source 214 and/or its chamber 213 are configured such that there are no air gaps between the nicotine source 214/chamber 213 and the interior of the housing 202 such that the entirety of the aerosol and/or vapor flows through the nicotine source 214. As the aerosol and/or vapor passes through and over the nicotine source 214, the hot aerosol and/or vapor flavors the aerosol and/or vapor on its way toward the mouthpiece 204 by picking up organic compounds and other compounds or components from the nicotine source 214 that impart organoleptic properties to the nicotine source. In particular, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 214 undergoes acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 210. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 214 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol to increase nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Additionally, by passing the acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 214, the nicotine is provided in a more flavorful salt form.

The liquid chamber 209 that contains the liquid 210 may itself be configured to support or carry the nicotine source 214. For example, the liquid chamber 209 may have one or more clips, tubes, or the like for receiving and holding the nicotine source 214 in place. The dual-function liquid chamber 209/solid chamber or receptacle 213 for both containing the liquid 210 and receiving the nicotine source 214 may be in the form of a cartridge or the like, and may be a disposable product or may be reusable such that the liquid 210 and the nicotine source 214 are replaced or replenished as needed by the user. In some examples, the user only needs to replenish or replace the nicotine source 214 from time to time, provided that the user has provided sufficient liquid 210 for multiple uses. Once the liquid 210 is consumed, the user disposes of the dual-function liquid chamber 209/solid chamber 213 and uses a new one. Similarly, it is believed that the user only needs to replenish or replace the liquid 210 from time to time, provided that the user has provided sufficient nicotine source 214 for multiple uses. Once the nicotine source 214 is consumed, the user disposes of the dual function liquid chamber 209/solid chamber 213 and uses a new one.

In the example assembly 201 of FIG. 2, a second heater 215, e.g., an oven heater, is provided in thermal contact with the nicotine source 214 to preheat the nicotine source 214 and/or provide additional heat to the nicotine source 214 throughout use of the assembly 201. This promotes the release of components from the nicotine source 214 as the vapor and/or aerosol passes through the interior of the nicotine source 214 during use. The amount of liquid 210 heated to achieve the desired heating of the nicotine source 214 may be reduced. The second heater 215 may be, for example, an electrical resistance heater powered by the battery 207, a ceramic heater, or the like. For example, the second heater 215 may be a wire, e.g., in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of multiple different materials, one or more of which may be conductive and one or more of which may be non-conductive), a mesh (which may be, for example, a woven or non-woven material, which may also be multi-layered), a thin film heater, or the like. The second heater 215 may be an induction heater, for example, powered by a battery 207. The nicotine source 214 may include a material that is susceptible to induction heating. Other heating configurations may be used for the second heater 215, including non-electrical heating configurations.

In the example assembly 201 of FIG. 2, the heater 215 for heating the nicotine source 214 is provided outside the nicotine source 214 and heats the nicotine source 214 by thermal conduction from the outside of the nicotine source 214. The heater 215 in this example is generally cylindrical. The heater 215 may actually be an integral element of the assembly 201 or may be provided as part of the housing 202. Alternatively, the heater 215 may be provided integrally with the solid chamber 213 that holds or contains the nicotine source 214. In this alternative, if the solid chamber 213 is disposable, the heater 215 would be replaced when the user loads a new solid chamber 213 containing an unused nicotine source into the assembly 201.

Now referring to FIG. 3, another example of an inhalable medium generating assembly is shown. In the following description and in FIG. 3, components and features that are the same or similar to the corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to FIG. 1 have the same reference numerals, but increased by 300. For the sake of brevity, the description of these components and features will not be repeated in their entirety here. It will be understood that the configurations and alternatives, etc. described above in relation to the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2 are also applicable to the example of FIG. 3. Again, in broad terms, the assembly 301 of FIG. 3 heats a liquid to form a vapor and/or aerosol that passes through a nicotine source 314 to generate an inhalable medium that includes one or more components derived from the nicotine source 314.

The assembly 301 in this example again has a generally hollow cylindrical outer housing 302 including an open end 303 and a tubular mouthpiece 304, removable from the housing 302 by a user. An O-ring or other seal 305 helps seal the mouthpiece 304 in the housing 302. A battery 307, which powers the various components of the assembly 301, and a controller 308 are provided at or towards the other end 306 of the housing 302. The housing 302 in this example is again divided into two parts, a first part 302a towards the open end 303 and a second part 302b towards the other end 306.
The housing 302 has a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as the "liquid chamber") 309 that holds or contains an aerosolizable liquid (sometimes referred to herein simply as the "liquid") 310. The liquid 310 corresponds to the liquids described above herein and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may contain an acid, e.g., a pKa of greater than 3. The liquid chamber 309 may be of any of the types described above in connection with the examples of Figures 1 and 2. A heater 311 is provided, generally in the center of the housing 302, for heating the liquid 310. The heater 311 may be of any of the types described above. In this example, the heater 311 is powered by the battery 307 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 307. An annular wick 312 surrounds the heater 311 and is in (thermal) contact with the heater 311. The outermost surface of the annular wick 312 is in contact with the liquid 310 contained in the liquid chamber 309. Liquid 310 may be heated to produce an aerosol of droplets, or may be heated sufficiently to produce a vapor, which, upon the action of a user holding mouthpiece 304, is expelled from wick 312 and moves towards mouthpiece 304, as shown by arrow A. Heater 311 and wick 312 may be provided as a single, effectively integrated product, such that heating and wicking functions are effectively performed by a single unit.

The housing 302 further contains a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as a "solid chamber") 313 that holds or contains a nicotine source 314 in the assembly 301. The nicotine source 314 corresponds to the nicotine sources described herein above and may be base treated, e.g., having a pH of 8-9.5. The solid chamber 313 may be of any of the types described above in connection with the examples of Figs. 1 and 2. (In the example described in Fig. 3, the solid chamber 313 is in the form of a tube having an end wall 316 with a through hole 317 through which the vapor and/or aerosol may pass, which was mentioned above as an option.) The nicotine source 314 is located in the housing 302 downstream of where the aerosol and/or vapor is generated from the liquid 310 and upstream of the open end 303 and mouthpiece 304 of the housing 302. Again, in this particular example, the nicotine source 314 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 302 as the wick 312. Aerosol and/or vapor generated from the liquid 310 is expelled from the wick 312 by the user's movement of the mouthpiece 304 to the mouth, as shown by arrow A, and travels toward the nicotine source 314. In certain embodiments, the nicotine source 314 is porous such that the aerosol and/or vapor passes through the nicotine source 314 and then through the open end 303 of the housing 302 and the mouthpiece 304.

In some embodiments, the nicotine source 314 and/or its chamber 313 are configured such that there are no air gaps between the nicotine source 314/chamber 313 and the interior of the housing 302 such that the entirety of the aerosol and/or vapor flows through the nicotine source 314. As the aerosol and/or vapor passes through and over the nicotine source 314, the hot aerosol and/or vapor picks up organic and other compounds or components from the nicotine source 314, thereby imparting flavor to the aerosol and/or vapor on its way toward the mouthpiece 304. In particular, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 314 may undergo acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 310. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 314 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol to increase nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Additionally, by passing an acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 314, nicotine can be provided in a more flavorful salt form.

The chamber 309 containing the liquid 310 may itself be configured to support or carry the nicotine source 314. For example, the liquid chamber 309 may have one or more clips, tubes, or the like for receiving and holding the nicotine source 314 in place. The dual-function liquid chamber 309/solid chamber or receptacle 313 for both containing the liquid 310 and receiving the nicotine source 314 may be in the form of a cartridge or the like, and may be a disposable product or may be reusable such that the liquid 310 and the nicotine source 314 are replaced or refilled as needed by the user. In some examples, the user only needs to refill or replace the nicotine source 314 from time to time, provided that the user has provided enough liquid 310 for multiple uses. Once the liquid 310 is consumed, the user disposes of the dual-function liquid chamber 309/solid chamber 313 and uses a new one. Similarly, it is contemplated that the user only needs to refill or replace the liquid 310 from time to time, provided that the user has provided enough nicotine source 314 for multiple uses. Once the nicotine source 314 is consumed, the user disposes of the dual function liquid chamber 309/solid chamber 313 and uses a new one.
3, a second heater 318 is also provided in thermal contact with the nicotine source 314 to heat the nicotine source 314 as vapor and/or aerosol passes through the nicotine source 314 during use to promote release of components therefrom. The second heater 318 may be, for example, an electrical resistance heater powered by a battery 307, a ceramic heater, or the like. Other heating configurations may be used for the second heater 318, including non-electrical heating configurations.

In the example assembly 301 of FIG. 3, the heater 318 for heating the nicotine source 314 is provided inside the nicotine source 314 and heats the nicotine source 314 by thermal conduction from inside the nicotine source 314. The heater 318 in this example is generally in the form of a cylindrical rod disposed along the central longitudinal axis of the nicotine source 314. In other configurations, the heater 318 may be a wire, which may be in the form of a coil, for example, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of multiple different materials, one or more of which may be conductive and one or more of which may be non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or non-woven, and may also be multi-layered), a thin film heater, etc. The nicotine source 314 in this example is generally tubular or otherwise has an internal opening for receiving the heater 318. The heater 318 may actually be an integral element of the assembly 301 or may be provided as part of the housing 302. In this example, when the nicotine source 314 is loaded into the assembly 301 (e.g., when the solid chamber 313 containing the nicotine source 314 is loaded into the assembly 301), the nicotine source 314 surrounds the second heater 318. Alternatively, the heater 318 may be integral with the chamber 313 that holds or contains the nicotine source 314. In this alternative, if the solid chamber 313 is disposable, the heater 318 would be replaced when the user loads a new solid chamber 313 with an unused nicotine source into the assembly 301.

In another example, multiple internal heaters 318 may be provided to provide more efficient heating of the nicotine source 314. In another example, the nicotine source 314 may be heated by both one or more external heaters (such as the second heater 215 in the example of FIG. 2) and one or more internal heaters (such as the second heater 318 in the example of FIG. 3).

4, there is shown a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example cartridge 600 having a liquid chamber 601 containing an aerosolizable liquid 602 including an acid, and a receptacle or chamber (sometimes referred to herein as a "solid chamber") 603 for a nicotine source 604. The liquid 602 corresponds to the liquids described above herein and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may include an acid, e.g., a pKa of greater than 3. The nicotine source 604 corresponds to the nicotine source described above herein and may be base-treated, e.g., having a pH of 8-9.5. In this example, the liquid chamber 601 and the nicotine source chamber 603 are provided as one integral component, either by being formed integrally from the beginning, or by being formed initially of two pieces that are later assembled in a substantially permanent manner. The cartridge 600 is configured such that the liquid 602 is vaporized to produce an aerosol of droplets or is heated sufficiently to produce a vapor, and at least a portion, and preferably all or substantially all, of the aerosol and/or vapor passes through the nicotine source 604 to absorb flavorants from the nicotine source 604. In particular, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 604 may undergo acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 602. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 604 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol to increase nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Additionally, passing the acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 604 can provide nicotine in a more flavorful, salt form.

In the example of FIG. 4, the liquid chamber 601 is generally located in the center of the cartridge 600. The liquid chamber 601 in the described example is frusto-conical, but may have a different shape, such as conical or cylindrical. The liquid chamber 601 is surrounded by an outer shell 605 that defines an annular passage 606 that surrounds the exterior of the length of the liquid chamber 601 and extends from one end of the liquid chamber 601 to the other end. The outer shell 605 extends beyond the first end wall 607 of the liquid chamber 601 to define a chamber 608 that extends beyond the first end wall 607 of the liquid chamber 601. In the described example, both the chamber 608 and the annular passage 606 contain the nicotine source 604, and thus can be viewed as collectively providing a solid chamber 603 for the nicotine source 604. In another example, the nicotine source 604 may be provided only in the chamber 608, thus defining a solid chamber 603 for the nicotine source 604, and the annular channel 606 is empty. The chamber 608 is blocked by an end wall 609 that is spaced from the end wall 607 of the liquid chamber 601. The end wall 609 may be part of the outer shell 605 or a separate plastic or rubber cap, or the like. In yet another example, the annular channel 606 contains the nicotine source 604 and there is no material in the chamber 608, in fact the chamber 608 may be omitted and the channel 606 substantially terminates at the end wall 609. The channel 606 and/or the chamber 608 may be entirely filled with the nicotine source 604 or may contain only a portion or mass of the nicotine source 604. The end wall 609 is porous and/or has one or more through holes 610 to allow aerosol and/or vapor to exit the cartridge 600 and be inhaled by a user. The liquid chamber 601 and solid chamber 603 may each be formed of a hard, water-tight and air-tight material, such as metal, a suitable plastic, or the like.

The example cartridge 600 shown in FIG. 4 is provided with a heater 611 and a wick 612 in thermal contact with the heater 611. In this example, the heater 611 and wick 612 are provided as a single unit, often referred to as an "atomizer." In this example, if the cartridge 600 includes an atomizer, it is often referred to as a "cartomizer." The orientation of the heater 611 is shown diagrammatically, for example, the heater 611 may be a coil with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge 600, rather than parallel as shown in FIG. 4.

The wick 612 contacts the liquid 602. This can be achieved, for example, by inserting the wick 612 through a through hole (not shown) in the second end wall 613 of the liquid chamber 601. Alternatively, additionally, the second end wall 613 may be a porous member (schematically depicted in dashed lines in FIG. 4) that allows liquid to pass from the liquid chamber 601, and the wick 612 may contact the porous second end wall 613. The second end wall 613 may be in the form of a porous ceramic disc, for example. Such a porous second end wall 613 helps regulate the flow of liquid into the wick 612. The wick 612 is generally absorbent and serves to draw the liquid 602 from the liquid chamber 601 by capillary action. The wick 612 is preferably non-woven and may be a material such as cotton or wool, or a synthetic material including, for example, polyester, nylon, viscose, or polypropylene.

In use, the cartridge 600 is connected by the user to a battery section (not shown) of the assembly to power the heater 611. When the atomizer heater 611 is powered (which may be activated, for example, by the user operating a button on the entire assembly, or by a puff detector on the entire assembly, as known per se), the liquid 602 drawn from the liquid chamber 601 by the wick 612 is heated by the heater 611 which volatilizes or vaporizes the liquid. When the user holds the mouthpiece of the entire assembly in his mouth, the vapor and/or aerosol travels to the annular flow passage 606 and chamber 608 which surrounds the exterior of the length of the liquid chamber 601, as shown by arrow A. The vapor and/or aerosol absorbs the flavoring from the nicotine source 604 and takes up one or more of its components. When the vapor and/or aerosol contacts the nicotine source 604, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 604 may undergo acid-base salt formation with the acid vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 602. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 604 by the acid vapor and/or aerosol to increase the nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Additionally, by passing the acid vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 604, nicotine can be provided in a more flavorful salt form. The vapor and/or aerosol can then be exhausted from the cartridge 600 through the end wall 609, as shown by arrow B. Optionally, a one-way valve 614 may be provided inside the end wall 609 to allow the vapor and/or aerosol to only be exhausted from the cartridge 600 and not flow back to the heater 611 or the electronics of the entire assembly.

5, there is shown a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of a cartridge 700 having a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as the "liquid chamber") 701 that contains an aerosolizable liquid (sometimes referred to herein simply as the "liquid") 702 and a chamber (sometimes referred to herein as the "solid chamber") 703 that defines a chamber 708 that contains a nicotine source 704. The liquid 702 corresponds to the liquids described herein above and may have a pH of 4-5 and/or may include an acid, e.g., a pKa of greater than 3. The nicotine source 704 corresponds to the nicotine sources described herein above and may be base-treated and have a pH of, e.g., 8-9.5. In the following description and in FIG. 5, components and features that are the same or similar to the corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to FIG. 4 bear reference numerals that are the same but increased by 100. For the sake of brevity, the description of these components and features will not be repeated in their entirety here.

In this example, the liquid chamber 701 and the solid chamber 703 of the cartridge 700 are provided as separate components that are removably connected to each other during use. The liquid chamber 701 and the solid chamber 703 may be, for example, clipped or otherwise removably secured to each other, or, for example, the solid chamber 703 may simply ride or frictionally fit to the liquid chamber 701. The cartridge 700 is configured such that the liquid 702 is vaporized to produce an aerosol of droplets or is heated sufficiently to produce vapor, and at least a portion and preferably all or substantially all of the aerosol and/or vapor passes through the nicotine source 704 to absorb flavoring from the nicotine source 704 and incorporate one or more components thereof. When the vapor and/or aerosol contacts the nicotine source 704, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 704 may undergo acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 702. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 704 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol, increasing the amount of nicotine delivered in the inhalable medium. Additionally, by passing the acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 704, the nicotine can be provided in a more flavorful salt form.

In this example, the liquid chamber 701 is surrounded by an outer shell 705 that defines an annular flow passage 706 that surrounds the exterior of the length of the liquid chamber 701 and extends from one end of the liquid chamber 701 to the other. The outer shell 705 extends beyond a first end wall 707 of the liquid chamber 701 and terminates in an end wall 709. The end wall 709 may be another plastic cap, a rubber cap, or the like. The end wall 709 may be porous and/or have one or more through holes 710 to allow aerosol and/or vapor to exit the annular flow passage 706. A one-way valve 714 may be provided inside the end wall 709 so that the vapor and/or aerosol can only exit the annular flow passage 706 at the end distal to the heater 711 and wick 712, but cannot flow back to the heater 711 or the electronics of the entire assembly. The nicotine source chamber 703 is disposed above the end wall 709 such that, in use, vapor and/or aerosol exiting through the end wall 709 travels to the solid chamber 703. The solid chamber 703 has an exit opening and/or a porous end wall 715 to allow aerosol and/or vapor to exit the cartridge 700 and be inhaled by the user.

In use, the cartridge 700 is connected by the user to a battery section (not shown) of the assembly to enable powering of the heater 711. When the atomizer heater 711 is powered (which may be activated, for example, by the user operating a button on the entire assembly, or by a puff detector on the entire assembly, as known per se), the liquid 702 drawn from the liquid chamber 701 by the wick 712 through the end wall 713 is heated by the heater 711 causing the liquid to volatilize or vaporize. When the user holds the mouthpiece of the entire assembly in his mouth, the vapour and/or aerosol travels to the annular flow passage 706 which surrounds the exterior of the length of the liquid chamber 701 and towards the end wall 709 of the outer shell 705, as shown by arrow A. The vapor or aerosol then passes through the end wall 709 (via one-way valve 714, if present) into the solid chamber 703, where it absorbs flavorings from the nicotine source 704 contained therein and incorporates one or more components of the nicotine source 704. When the vapor and/or aerosol contacts the nicotine source 704, the liberated "deprotonated" nicotine in the nicotine source 704 may undergo acid-base salt formation with the acidic vapor and/or aerosol from the liquid 702. In this manner, nicotine can be drawn or extracted from the nicotine source 704 by the acidic vapor and/or aerosol to increase the nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium. Additionally, passing the acidic vapor/aerosol through the nicotine source 704 can provide nicotine in a more flavorful, salt form. The vapor and/or aerosol can then be expelled from the cartridge 700 through the end wall 715 of the solid chamber 703, as shown by arrow B.

The example depicted in Figures 4 and 5 is particularly suitable for use with so-called modular or "e-go" products, where the cartomizer is typically snapped onto a battery section (not shown) by a screw thread or bayonet fitting or the like. The cartomizer is typically discarded in its entirety after use and a new replacement cartomizer is used. Alternatively, the user may be able to reuse the cartridge by refilling with liquid and/or replacing solid material from time to time as needed.

4 and 5 can be easily adapted for use with other types of e-cigarette hybrid devices known per se. For example, so-called "e-cigarette look-alike" or "ciga-like" assemblies, which are generally small and have a similar form and appearance to a conventional cigarette. In such assemblies, the liquid chamber typically includes some kind of filler material, e.g. cotton, to hold the liquid. The cartridge or cartomizer in such known assemblies is typically entirely disposable, but may allow for refilling of the liquid and/or replacement of the solid material in examples using embodiments of the present invention. Another example is the so-called tank assembly or personal vaporizer, which generally has a large liquid chamber for holding a relatively large amount of liquid, and also offers advanced features that allow the user to control many aspects of the assembly.

As an alternative to any of the above cartomizer configurations, an atomizer for the liquid (i.e., heater and wick) may be provided separately from the liquid and solids chambers. The atomizer may, for example, be provided as part of the battery section of the overall assembly to which the cartridge is removably attached by the user during use.

In any of the examples described above in relation to Figures 4 and 5, a heater for the nicotine source may be provided to "pre-heat" the nicotine source. This heater may be provided as part of the cartridge or as part of the battery section of the assembly in which the cartridge is attached during use.

7, an example of a consumption rod 801 is shown. The rod is formed of several adjacent portions. In an exemplary embodiment, the rod 801 comprises a portion 802 containing an acid-containing liquid. In this illustrated embodiment, the portion 802 contains a carrier material impregnated with an acidified aerosolizable liquid. The carrier material may be, for example, cotton, a solid absorbent material or a paper filter. In some embodiments, the carrier material is a wicking material. The adjacent portion 803 contains a solid nicotine-containing material. In this example, the material is a tobacco substrate containing cut rags and/or tobacco granules. In use, the portion 802 containing the acid-containing liquid is heated by the aerosol generating assembly to form an acid vapor and/or aerosol. This is directed through the consumption rod and the portion 803 containing the nicotine-containing material. The heated aerosol/vapor heats the nicotine-containing material to release one or more components of the nicotine-containing material, including nicotine that is entrapped in the aerosol/vapor. In some embodiments, the portion 80 containing the nicotine-containing material is also heated by the assembly. The aerosol/vapor then passes through portion 804 of the rod, which is the cooling section. In this embodiment, this section is a tube that cools the aerosol/vapor as it passes through. Finally, jaw portion 805 is placed after the cooling section, which is the filter section. This portion of the consumable rod contains a filter material, such as cellulose acetate tow, optionally with appropriate additives to enhance filtration or otherwise alter the properties of the aerosol.

In an alternative embodiment, the acid-containing liquid may be provided in the mouthpiece portion 805 of the consuming rod rather than in the distal portion 802. In such an embodiment, the acid-containing liquid may be provided, for example, in a capsule embedded in the filter material or may be impregnated into the filter material. As the free nicotine released by the solid nicotine-containing material passes through this section, it reacts with the acid to form one or more nicotine salts.

To enhance nicotine delivery in an inhalable medium, several experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of using acidic vapors and/or aerosols on nicotine extraction from a nicotine source.

The objective in this example was to test whether the use of an acidic aerosolizable liquid would result in the extraction of nicotine from pH-treated tobacco in a manner that would increase the nicotine delivery in the inhalable medium.
1-C, a control sample having an e-liquid composition consisting of glycerol (17 wt%), propylene glycol (71 wt%) and water (12 wt%);
Three aerosolizable liquids were prepared: 1-BA, a sample containing 0.04 wt. % benzoic acid and e-liquid, and 1-LA, a sample containing 0.04 wt. % lactic acid and e-liquid.

The solid nicotine-containing material used was a tobacco blend that had been treated with base to a pH of 8.5. The material was loaded into a standard test system as a pod and the liquid was heated. The heater element had a power output of 7.5 W. The vapor/aerosol formed from the liquid was then passed through or over the pH-treated tobacco composition, entraining one or more components of the composition to provide an inhalable medium that travels via an outlet to a sensing device.

During one experiment, the system produced a total of 60 puffs per pod, divided into three blocks of 20 puffs each, and measured the nicotine delivery after each of the 20 puffs. Puffs were produced using a 55/3/30 regime (55 ml puffs for 3 seconds, separated by 30 seconds). Measurements were repeated four times for each sample. A summary of the results is shown in the table below.

Referring to FIG. 6, a graph of the experimental results described above is shown, demonstrating examples of nicotine delivery from assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention, as well as comparative assemblies.

For 1-20 puff block measurements for each sample, nicotine delivery increased with acidified liquids. For benzoic acid-containing liquids, nicotine delivery increased from 67.2 μg/puff (control, 1-C) to 79 μg/puff (1-BA). For lactic acid-containing liquids, nicotine delivery increased from 67.2 μg/puff (control, 1-C) to 100 μg/puff (1-LA).

The results of these experiments therefore demonstrate that the use of an acidic vapor/aerosol (such as those formed from liquids containing benzoic acid or lactic acid in 1-BA or 1-LA, respectively) increases the amount of nicotine delivered to the user compared to a neutral vapor/aerosol (such as the liquid used in 1-C).

Furthermore, the above results indicate that the total amount of nicotine removed from the solid tobacco is increased when an acidic vapor/aerosol is used. That is, a greater amount of nicotine is extracted from the tobacco using an acidic vapor/aerosol (1-BA, 1-LA) compared to a neutral vapor/aerosol (1-C). Thus, in some embodiments, the assembly allows for an increased nicotine extraction rate as well as an increase in the total amount of nicotine available to be extracted from the nicotine source.

As used herein, "aerosol generating agent" refers to a compound or mixture that facilitates the generation of an aerosol. An aerosol generating agent can facilitate the generation of an aerosol by facilitating the initial evaporation and/or condensation of a gas into an inhalable solid and/or liquid aerosol.

In general, any suitable aerosol generating agent or agents may be included in the aerosolizable liquid or nicotine source. Suitable aerosol generating agents include, but are not limited to, polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol, non-polyols such as monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, or myristic acid including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate, and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.

As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used to produce a desired flavor, aroma, or other somatic sensation in products intended for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations. Examples of flavors and flavoring agents include natural flavor materials, botanical substances, botanical substance extracts, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, citrus ... rufruit, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberries, mulberries, citrus fruits, drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, nazwa, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, Ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, Indian cannabis, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, toshimiki, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pea Mann, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugar and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, potassium acesulfame, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. The flavors and flavorings may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients or combinations thereof. The flavors and flavorings may be in any suitable form, e.g., liquids such as oils, solids such as powders, or gases.

In some embodiments, the flavoring includes menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or red berry flavor ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor ingredients extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavoring may include sensory materials aimed at achieving somatic sensations, usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the aroma or gustatory nerves, which may include substances that produce heating, cooling, tingling and numbing effects. Suitable heat effect agents may be vanillyl ethyl ether, etc., and suitable cooling agents may be eucoliptol, WS-3, etc.

For the avoidance of doubt, where the term "comprises" is used herein in defining the invention or a feature of the invention, embodiments are also disclosed in which the invention or feature can be defined using the term "consists essentially of" or "consists of" instead of "comprises."

The above-described embodiments should be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Further embodiments of the present invention are envisioned. It should be understood that any feature described in connection with any one embodiment can be used alone or in combination with other features described, and can also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment or any combination of any other embodiments. Moreover, equivalents and modifications not illustrated above can also be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The various embodiments described herein are presented solely for the purpose of aiding in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are presented only as representative samples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and/or other aspects described herein should not be taken as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The various embodiments of the present invention are preferably considered to include, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the present disclosure is considered to include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (20)

1. A consumable for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, comprising: a liquid containing an acid, the liquid having a pH of 2 or more and less than 7; and a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or more , the difference between the pH of the solid nicotine-containing material and the pH of the liquid containing an acid being 3.0 to 5.5, and the liquid containing an acid containing 0.001 to 5% by weight of acid . The consumable product according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the acid-containing liquid is 4 to 5 or 4.3 to 4.8. 1. A consumable for use in an inhalable medium generating assembly, comprising: a liquid containing an acid having a pKa greater than 0.5; and a solid nicotine-containing material having a pH of 7 or greater , wherein the difference between the pH of the solid nicotine-containing material and the pH of the liquid containing acid is 3.0 to 5.5, and the liquid containing acid contains 0.001 to 5% by weight of acid . 4. The consumable of claim 3 , wherein the acid has a pKa greater than 3 or between 3.7 and 4.3. The consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the solid nicotine-containing material has a pH of 8 to 9.5 or 8.5 to 9. The consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the acid has a vapor pressure of 0.1 Pa to 2.5 kPa at 25°C. The consumable product of any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the solid nicotine-containing material comprises a tobacco material. 8. The consumable product of claim 7 , wherein the tobacco is cut rag or tobacco granules. A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , comprising a carrier material impregnated with said liquid comprising an acid. The consumable of claim 9 , wherein the carrier material is a wicking material. A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the consumable product is a cartridge, the liquid comprising an acid being contained in a first chamber and the solid nicotine-containing material being contained in a second chamber. A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , which is a rod comprising a first section containing the liquid comprising an acid and a second section containing the solid nicotine-containing material. The consumable of claim 12 , wherein the rod further comprises a cooling section, optionally in the form of a tube. The consumable of claim 1 2 or 1 3 , wherein the rod further comprises a filter section optionally comprising a cellulose acetate filter material. An aerosol generating assembly comprising a consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 14 , the aerosol generating assembly being configured to form an inhalable medium by heating at least a portion of the consumable, and to form one or more nicotine salts by reacting free nicotine from the solid nicotine-containing material with the acid. The aerosol generation assembly of claim 15, configured to heat the liquid containing an acid to form a vapor and/or aerosol containing an acid, and to contact the solid nicotine-containing material with the vapor/aerosol containing an acid to incorporate one or more components of the solid nicotine-containing material into the inhalable medium. The aerosol generating assembly of claim 16 , configured so that the solid nicotine-containing material is heated only by the vapor/aerosol. 16. The aerosol generating assembly of claim 15, configured to heat the solid nicotine-containing material to form a vapor and/or aerosol containing nicotine, wherein the liquid containing an acid is contacted with the vapor/aerosol containing free nicotine from the solid nicotine-containing material such that the acid and the free nicotine react to form one or more nicotine salts. 20. The aerosol generating assembly of claim 18 , wherein the solid nicotine-containing material is heated by a vapor or aerosol formed by heating an aerosolizable liquid other than the liquid containing an acid. A method for generating an inhalable medium using an aerosol generation assembly comprising a consumable as described in any one of claims 1 to 14 , comprising heating at least a portion of the consumable to form an inhalable medium comprising one or more components of a solid nicotine-containing material, including free nicotine, and reacting the free nicotine with the acid to form one or more nicotine salts.

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