JP7795567B2 - smoking products - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to smoking articles, and in particular, but not exclusively, to aerosol-generating articles comprising coated aerosolizable material, and aerosol-generating combinations comprising aerosol-generating articles comprising coated aerosolizable material.

Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Alternatives to these types of smoking articles release compounds by heating aerosolizable materials without burning them.

Devices are known that heat an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, typically to form an inhalable aerosol without burning or combusting the aerosolizable material. Such devices are also described as "non-combustion heating" devices, "tobacco heating products" (THPs), "tobacco heating devices," or the like. A variety of different configurations are known for volatilizing at least one component of an aerosolizable material.

The material may be, for example, tobacco, other non-tobacco products, or a combination such as a blended mixture, which may or may not contain nicotine.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an aerosol-generating product. The aerosol-generating product includes an aerosolizable material and a wrapping material disposed around the aerosolizable material, the wrapping material including a non-flammable material, and the wrapping material extending from a first end of the aerosolizable material over approximately 10% to approximately 85% of the distance to a second end of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the coating material surrounds the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the aerosolizable material includes tobacco.

In some cases, the aerosolizable material is a rod of aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the non-combustible material includes a metal foil. For example, the metal foil may include aluminum.

In some cases, the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material to about 20% to about 70% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material to about 40% to about 65% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material to about 50% to about 60% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the aerosol generator may further comprise a filter and/or a cooling element. In some cases, the cooling element may be positioned between the aerosolizable material and the filter. In some cases, the filter may be positioned between the aerosolizable material and the cooling element.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an aerosol-generating combination comprising a heater and an aerosol-generating product according to the first aspect of the invention. Optionally, the aerosol-generating combination may be a tobacco heating product (also known as a non-combustion heating device).

A further aspect of the present invention provides a system comprising an aerosol generating device and an aerosol product according to the first aspect.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a process for making an aerosol-generating product, comprising coating an aerosolizable material in a coating material. The coating material comprises a non-flammable material, and the coating material extends from a first end of the aerosolizable material over about 10% to about 85% of the distance to a second end of the aerosolizable material.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a method for preventing a user from igniting or igniting an aerosolizable material in an aerosol-generating product. The method includes coating the aerosolizable material in a coating material, the coating material comprising a non-flammable material, the coating material extending from a first end of the aerosolizable material over between about 10% and about 85% of the distance to a second end of the aerosolizable material.

Features of the invention described in the context of one embodiment, as explicitly disclosed, may be combined with each other embodiment to the extent they are not inconsistent.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following figures and descriptions of examples of the invention (given merely as examples and not as limitations on the scope of the claims).

1 is a schematic side view of an aerosol generator according to an example of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first end of an aerosol generator according to an example of the present invention. 1A-1D are schematic diagrams of first ends of different aerosol generating products according to examples of the present invention. 1 is a schematic side view of an aerosol generator according to an example of the present invention. 1 is a schematic exploded view of a coating material that can be used in some examples. 1 is a schematic exploded view of a coating material that can be used in some examples.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary aerosol-generating product. The aerosol-generating product 101 includes an aerosolizable material 103 that is covered from a first end of the aerosolizable material 103 by a non-combustible material 102. In this example, the non-combustible material 102 extends approximately 50% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the wrapper may extend from the first end of the aerosolizable material and extend at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

When creating aerosol-generating products (such as tobacco heating products), consideration is given to discouraging users from attempting to burn the aerosolizable material and smoking it, since the formulation of the aerosolizable material is not configured to burn (and the aerosol resulting from combustion may not be as inhalable as the aerosol resulting from heating the aerosolizable material without burning it, or as the aerosol resulting from burning a conventional cigarette).

In use, the second end of the aerosolizable material is the mouth end and the first end is the distal end (thus, the second end is sometimes referred to herein as the mouth end, and the first end is sometimes referred to herein as the distal end). By encasing the distal end of the aerosolizable material (i.e., the end that the user attempts to light) within a non-burning material, the aerosolizable material of the aerosol-generating product is prevented from burning and producing smoke, as with a conventional combustible cigarette. The inventors have determined that the greater the proportion of the aerosolizable material encased within the non-burning material, the less likely it is to burn.

In some examples, the non-burnable coating material may be disposed around the tobacco material. The non-burnable coating material may also, optionally, be disposed over the first end of the aerosolizable material, such that the first end is completely surrounded by the coating material. Figure 2 shows an example in which the non-burnable material 102 is coated around the aerosolizable material. The first end of this aerosol-generating product 101 is not covered by the non-burnable material. Figure 3 shows an alternative example of an aerosol-generating product 101 in which the non-burnable material 102 completely surrounds the first end of the aerosol-generating product.

As used herein, the term "non-flammable" refers to a material that will not ignite or burn at temperatures that normally accompany the lighting or burning of a cigarette.

In some cases, the wrapper extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material over a distance that is less than about 85%, 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, or 60% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

Non-combustible materials can be more expensive than traditional tobacco wrapping materials such as paper. Therefore, it may be advantageous to use as little of them as possible, while balancing the need for reduced combustion resistance.

Furthermore, non-combustible materials are typically more difficult to manufacture than traditional tobacco wrapping materials, such as paper. For example, the inventors have determined that non-combustible materials can be more difficult to cut than paper. This can affect the manufacturing method of aerosolizable material when (a) lengths of aerosolizable material may be cut from a longer body, and (b) ventilation holes are provided in the wrapping material.

The inventors have determined that a wrapper extending from the first end satisfies these various competing requirements when it covers 10% to 85% of the length of the aerosolizable material.

In some cases, the coating material may extend from the first end of the aerosolizable material over approximately 20-70%, 40-65%, or 50-60% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material.

Examples of aerosol-generating products may further include a filter and/or a cooling element. In some cases, these additional components are surrounded by a paper wrapper that also surrounds the aerosolizable material. In such cases, a portion of the aerosolizable material is coated within the paper wrapper in addition to the coating material containing the non-flammable material, which may be above or below the coating material containing the non-flammable material.

For example, the second end (i.e., the mouth end) of the aerosolizable material may be adjacent to a cooling element and/or a filter. If present, the cooling element may allow vapor components to condense to form an aerosol and/or may move extremely hot portions of the device away from the user. If present, the filter may remove components from the fluid stream that affect the chemical composition of the inhaled aerosol.

Figure 4 shows an example of an aerosol generator 101 that includes the functional components of Figure 1 plus a cooling element 104, a filter 105, and an oral end tube 106. The cooling element 104 and filter 105 can be positioned between the oral end of the aerosolizable material 103 and the oral end tube 106, as shown, so that the flow from the aerosolizable material 103 passes through the cooling element 104 and the filter 105 before reaching the user (or in the reverse order, if the filter is positioned before the cooling element in the flow). While the example of Figure 4 shows the cooling element 104, the filter 105, and the oral end tube 106, other examples may omit one or more of these elements.

In some examples, the oral end tube 106, if present, can be formed from paper, e.g., in the form of a spirally wound paper tube; cellulose acetate; cardboard; pressure-sensitive paper, such as pressure-sensitive heat-resistant paper or pressure-sensitive parchment; and/or a polymeric material, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or some other suitable material. The oral end tube 106 can be a hollow tube. Such a hollow tube can provide a filtering function to filter volatilized aerosolizable material. The oral end tube 106 can be elongated to direct the aerosolizable material away from the very hot portions of the main device (not shown) that heats the aerosolizable material.

In some examples, if a filter 105 is present, the filter may be a filter plug and may be made, for example, from cellulose acetate.

In some cases, the cooling element 104, if present, may comprise a monolithic rod having first and second ends and a plurality of through holes extending between the first and second ends. The through holes may extend substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the rod. The through holes of the cooling element 104 may be disposed generally radially of the element when viewed in transverse cross section. That is, in one example, the element has an interior wall defining the through hole and having two main structures: a radial wall and a central wall. The radial wall extends along the radius of the cross section of the element, and the central wall is disposed in the center of the cross section of the element. The central wall is circular in one example, although other regular or irregular cross-sectional shapes may be used. Similarly, the cross section of the element is circular in one example, although other regular or irregular cross-sectional shapes may be used.

In one example, the majority of the through holes have a hexagonal or generally hexagonal cross-sectional shape. In this example, the element has what is referred to as a "honeycomb" structure when viewed from one end.

Optionally, when filter 105 is present, cooling element 104 may comprise a hollow tube that separates filter 105 from the very hot portions of the main device that heat the aerosolizable material. Cooling element 104 may be formed from, for example, paper in the form of a spirally wound paper tube, cellulose acetate, cardboard, pressure-sensitive paper such as pressure-sensitive heat-resistant paper or pressure-sensitive parchment, a polymeric material such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or some other suitable material.

If present, the cooling element 104 may be substantially incompressible. It may be formed from a ceramic material or a polymer, e.g., a thermoplastic polymer, which may be an extrudable plastic material. In one example, the porosity of the cooling element ranges from 60% to 75%, where porosity may be a measure of the proportion of the cross-sectional area of the element that is occupied by through holes. In one example, the porosity of the cooling element is approximately 69% to 70%.

Other examples of aerosol cooling elements are disclosed in PCT/GB2015/051253, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference, in particular Figures 1 to 8 and the description on page 8, line 11 to page 18, line 16.

In a further example, the cooling element 104 may be formed from a sheet of material that is folded, corrugated, or pleated to form holes therethrough. The sheet of material may be made, for example, from a metal such as aluminum, a polymeric plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or polyvinyl chloride, or paper.

In some examples, the cooling element 104 and filter 105 can be held together by a wrapper paper to form a combination. This combination can then be joined to the aerosolizable material by a further wrapper that surrounds the combination and at least the mouth end of the aerosolizable material to form the aerosol-generating product 101. In other examples, the aerosol-generating product 101 is formed by effectively coating the cooling element 104, filter 105, and aerosolizable material 103 in a single operation, without the use of separate tipping paper for the cooling element and/or filter components (if present).

In some cases, one or more vent holes may be formed in the aerosol generating product. The vent holes may provide an airflow into the aerosol generating product that, in use, forms a portion of the aerosol that is inhaled. It may be desirable to reduce the airflow at the distal end of the aerosolizable material to make it less susceptible to combustion, and therefore the holes may be formed closer to the mouth end than the distal end. For example, vent holes may be formed in cooling elements and/or filters, if present. Additionally, vent holes may be formed in portions of the aerosol generating product that are not coated in non-combustible material. The inventors have determined that vent holes cannot be easily formed by cutting non-combustible material.

The aerosolizable material may be a rod of aerosolizable material. As used herein, the term "rod" generally refers to an elongated object that may be of any suitable shape for use in an aerosol-generating combination. In some cases, the rod is substantially cylindrical.

In some cases, the aerosolizable material includes tobacco. The tobacco may be any suitable solid tobacco, such as a single grade or blend, cut rag or whole leaf, ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, shredded tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, and/or reconstituted tobacco. The tobacco may be of any type, including, but not limited to, Virginia and/or Burley and/or Orient tobacco.

In use, in some cases, the aerosol generating product may be at least partially disposed within a tobacco heating device to form an aerosol generating combination that heats the aerosol generating product to generate an aerosol without combustion. In some other cases, the aerosol generating product may be provided in combination with a fuel source, such as a combustible fuel source or a chemical heat source, that heats but does not combust the aerosolizable material.

Covering Material Comprising a Non-Flammable Material In some cases, the non-flammable material comprises a metal foil. In some cases, the non-flammable material may consist essentially of, or consist only of, a metal foil. Suitably, the metal foil may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist only of an aluminum foil. Although the metal foil is a non-flammable material, it may act to transfer heat to the aerosolizable material during use.

In some cases, the metal foil may be thinner than about 100 μm, 50 μm, 20 μm, 10 μm, or 8 μm. In some cases, the metal foil may be thicker than about 1 μm, 3 μm, or 5 μm.

In some cases, the aerosolizable material may be coated in more than one coating material. That is, in addition to the coating material including the non-flammable material, the aerosolizable material may be coated in one or more additional materials. These one or more additional coating materials may cover more or less of the aerosolizable material than the coating material including the non-flammable material.

Optionally, one or more additional coating materials may surround other components of the aerosol generating article (in addition to the coating material), as described above.

In some cases, the one or more additional covering materials may include paper over and/or under the non-combustible covering material.

In some cases, the covering material including the non-combustible material may be a laminate material. In some cases, the laminate material may include two, three, four, or more layers.

Suitable laminate materials may include a layer of paper and a layer of metal foil (such as a layer of aluminum foil). In some cases, the laminate material may be composed of two layers, such as a layer of paper and a layer of metal foil.

As used herein, the term "laminate structure" refers to a multi-layer structure in which layers are secured together to form a unitary body. The layers may be secured using, for example, an adhesive. In another example, the layers may be secured by electrostatic interactions. In another example, the laminate structure may be formed by (partially) melting a first layer, contacting the first layer with a second layer, and allowing the first layer to solidify. Any suitable mechanism for securing the layers together may be used to form the laminate structure, including, but not limited to, the above examples, as well as tying, sewing, screwing, nailing, bolting, latching, etc.

In some cases, adhesive may be applied to the surface of each layer. In other cases, adhesive may be applied only to the perimeter of the layer. In some cases, each layer of the laminated structure may be secured to an adjacent layer(s). In some example laminated structures, two layers may be secured together around their perimeters with an intermediate layer in between.

In some cases, the laminate coating material may include an inner layer comprising a metal foil and an outer layer comprising paper. Figure 6 shows such an example. The laminate structure (shown in dotted lines) includes an inner layer 502 and an outer layer 501. In some cases, the laminate coating material may be composed of these two layers.

In some cases, the laminate covering material may include innermost and outermost layers comprising paper, as well as an intermediate metal foil layer. Figure 5 shows such an example. The laminate structure (shown in dotted lines) includes peripheral layers 501, 503 and intermediate layer 502. In some cases, the laminate covering material may be composed of these three layers.

The laminated wrapper described above adequately provides the desired non-flammable properties when the aerosolizable material is coated with both a metal foil layer and a paper layer. Furthermore, this coating provides a low porosity, limiting the side flow of air into the cigarette, further reducing its burn resistance.

Furthermore, the inventors have determined that it can be advantageous for the outer layer to comprise paper (and in some cases, the innermost layer to comprise paper) because the surface(s) of the laminate have a coefficient of friction similar to that of paper. This means that the laminate wrapper can be more easily used in known cigarette manufacturing processes and machines. By having a laminate surface with a coefficient of friction similar to that of cigarettes, the garniture belt of the aerosol-generating machine can drive the laminate wrapper through a garniture in an aerosol-generating process.

The inventors have further determined that an innermost layer of paper can be advantageous because it can act as a flavor carrier. That is, in some cases, the innermost layer of the laminate coating material includes paper and a flavoring that is coated around the aerosolizable material and transfers to the aerosolizable material when heated. In some cases, the flavoring is impregnated into the paper of the innermost layer. In some cases, the flavoring may include menthol.

The paper of the laminate coating materials described herein may have a basis weight of at least about 10 g m ⁻² , 15 g m ⁻² , 20 g m ⁻² , or 25 g m ⁻² , up to about 50 g m ⁻² , 45 g m ⁻² , 40 g m ⁻² , or 35 g m ⁻² . Papers with densities in this range have low porosity, which limits the oxygen levels in the aerosolizable material, making it more difficult to burn.

The paper may be treated with one or more fire-retardant substances.

The laminated material is wound onto a bobbin core for use with standard cigarette making machines, delivered from a single paper bobbin.

The laminated material may be formed using any suitable lamination technique. In one example, the layers may be glued together.

The above examples should be understood as illustrative examples for the present invention. It should be understood that any feature described with respect to any one example may be used alone or in combination with other features described, or in combination with one or more features of any other of the examples, or in combination with any other of the examples. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1. An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosolizable material and a coating material disposed around the aerosolizable material,
the coating material comprises a non-flammable material, the coating material extending from a first end of the aerosolizable material to a second end of the aerosolizable material over 10% to 85% of the distance;
the non-combustible material is a three-ply laminate having an innermost layer of paper and an outermost layer of paper treated with one or more fire-suppressing substances;
Aerosol-generating products. The aerosol-generating product of claim 1, wherein the coating material surrounds the aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating product of claim 1 or 2, wherein the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco. The aerosol-generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aerosolizable material is a rod of aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the non-flammable material comprises metal foil. The aerosol-generating product of claim 5, wherein the metal foil comprises aluminum. The aerosol-generating product described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material over 20% to 70% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material over 40% to 65% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the coating material extends from the first end of the aerosolizable material over 50% to 60% of the distance to the second end of the aerosolizable material. The aerosol-generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a filter and/or a cooling element. The aerosol-generating product of claim 10, comprising a filter and a cooling element, the cooling element being disposed between the aerosolizable material and the filter. An aerosol generating combination comprising the aerosol generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 11 and a heater. The aerosol-generating combination of claim 12, which is a tobacco heating product. The aerosol generating combination of claim 12 or 13, wherein the heater is a device into which the aerosol generating product is at least partially inserted during use. A system comprising an aerosol generating device equipped with a heater and an aerosol generating product according to any one of claims 1 to 11. 1. A process for making an aerosol-generating product, comprising: coating an aerosolizable material in a coating material, the coating material comprising a non-combustible material, the non-combustible material being a three-ply layer having an innermost layer of paper and an outermost layer of paper treated with one or more fire-suppressing substances, the coating material extending from a first end of the aerosolizable material over 10% to 85% of the distance to a second end of the aerosolizable material. A method for preventing a user from igniting or igniting an aerosolizable material in an aerosol-generating product, comprising the step of coating the aerosolizable material in a coating material, the coating material comprising a non-flammable material, the non-flammable material being a three-ply layer having an innermost layer of paper and an outermost layer of paper treated with one or more fire-suppressing substances, the coating material extending from a first end of the aerosolizable material over 10% to 85% of the distance to a second end of the aerosolizable material.