CARTRIDGE COMPRISING NICOTINE AND A WATER-IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT

Abstract

A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge containing: a first liquid formulation including at least one of water and one or more water-miscible solvents; and a second liquid formulation including one or more water-immiscible solvents having a water solubility at 20° C. of less than or equal to about 100 mg/ml, in which at least one of the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation comprises nicotine. An aerosol-generating system is also provided, including the cartridge; and an aerosol-generating device including one or more atomizers configured to generate an aerosol from the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation contained in the cartridge.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge containing: a first liquid formulation comprising at least one of water and one or more water-miscible solvents; and a second liquid formulation comprising one or more water-immiscible solvents having a water solubility at 20° C. of less than or equal to about 100 mg/ml, wherein at least one of the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation comprises nicotine.

18. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the first liquid formulation has a total water and water-miscible solvent content of greater than or equal to about 75 percent by weight.

19. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the first liquid formulation comprises water and one or more water-miscible solvents.

20. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the one or more water-miscible solvents are one or more water-miscible polyhydric alcohols selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butanediol, glycerine, propylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.

21. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the first liquid formulation comprises one or more water-soluble organic acids.

22. The cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the one or more water-soluble organic acids are selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, lactic acid, levulinic acid, and pyruvic acid.

23. The cartridge according to claim 21, wherein the first liquid formulation has a water-soluble organic acid content of greater than or equal to about 2 percent by weight.

24. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the second liquid formulation has a water-immiscible solvent content of greater than or equal to about 70 percent by weight.

25. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the one or more water-immiscible solvents are selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 80, triacetin, triethyl citrate, oleic acid, and a mixture of decanoyl- and octanoyl glycerides.

26. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the one or more water-immiscible solvents comprise one or more partially water-soluble solvents having a water solubility at 20° C. of between about 20 mg/ml and about 100 mg/ml.

27. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the one or more water-immiscible solvents comprise one or more water-insoluble solvents having a water solubility at 20° C. of less than or equal to about 5 mg/ml.

28. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the second liquid formulation comprises one or more flavourants.

29. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein a ratio of a weight percent first liquid formulation content to a weight percent second liquid formulation content of the cartridge is greater than or equal to about 2.

30. The cartridge according to claim 17, further comprising a first compartment containing the first liquid formulation and a second compartment containing the second liquid formulation.

31. The cartridge according to claim 17, further comprising one or more atomizers configured to generate an aerosol from the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation.

32. An aerosol-generating system, comprising: a cartridge according to claim 17; and an aerosol-generating device comprising one or more atomizers configured to generate an aerosol from the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation contained in the cartridge.

Description

[0247] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following examples and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0248] FIG. 1a shows a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a cartridge being inserted into the aerosol-generating device;

[0249] FIG. 1b shows a schematic illustration of the aerosol-generating system of FIG. 1a, in which the cartridge is received in the aerosol-generating device; and

[0250] FIG. 2a shows a schematic illustration of a cartridge comprising a first compartment containing a first liquid formulation and a second compartment containing a second liquid formulation, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are arranged in series within the cartridge; and

[0251] FIG. 2b shows a schematic illustration of a cartridge comprising a first compartment containing a first liquid formulation and a second compartment containing a second liquid formulation, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are arranged in parallel within the cartridge.

[0252] FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic illustrations of an exemplary aerosol-generating system according to the invention. The aerosol-generating system shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b is like that disclosed in WO 2015/117702 A1 and comprises an aerosol-generating device 10 and a cartridge 20.

[0253] The aerosol-generating device 10 is portable and has a size comparable to a conventional cigar or cigarette. The aerosol-generating device 10 comprises a main body 11 and a mouthpiece portion 12. The main body 11 contains a battery 14 and control electronics 16. The main body 11 defines a device cavity 18 configured to receive the cartridge 20.

[0254] The device cavity 18 is of substantially circular transverse cross-section and is sized to receive the cartridge 20. Electrical connectors 19 are provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 to provide an electrical connection between the control electronics 16 and the battery 14 and corresponding electrical contacts provided on the cartridge 20.

[0255] The mouthpiece portion 12 is connected to the main body 11 by a hinged connection 21 and can move between an open position as shown in FIG. 1a and a closed position as shown in FIG. 1b. The mouthpiece portion 12 is placed in the open position to allow for insertion and removal of the cartridge 20 from the aerosol-generating device 10 and is placed in the closed position when the aerosol-generating system is to be used to generate an aerosol, as described below. The mouthpiece portion 12 comprises a plurality of air inlets 13 and an outlet 15. In use, a user draws on the outlet 15 to draw air into the mouthpiece portion 12 through the air inlets 13, through the mouthpiece portion to the outlet 15, and thereafter into the mouth and lungs of the user. As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, internal baffles 17 are provided to force the air flowing through the mouthpiece portion 12 past the cartridge 20.

[0256] FIG. 1a shows the cartridge 20 just prior to insertion into the aerosol-generating device 10, with the arrow 1 in FIG. 1a indicating the direction of insertion of the cartridge 20.

[0257] The cartridge 20 contains a first liquid formulation and a second liquid formulation. The cartridge 20 is replaceable by a user when the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation contained in the cartridge 20 are depleted. The cartridge 20 comprises a generally circular cylindrical housing 24 that has a size and shape selected to be received into the device cavity 18. In this example the first liquid formulation comprises 38 percent by weight water, 38 percent by weight glycerine, 19 percent by weight propylene glycol, 2 percent by weight nicotine and 3 percent by weight lactic acid and the second liquid formulation comprises 85 percent by weight triacetin and 15 percent by weight flavourant.

[0258] The housing 24 has an open end to which an atomiser comprising a heater assembly 30 is fixed. The heater assembly 30 comprises a substrate having an aperture formed in it, a pair of electrical contacts fixed to the substrate and separated from each other by a gap, and a plurality of electrically conductive heater filaments spanning the aperture and fixed to the electrical contacts on opposite sides of the aperture.

[0259] The heater assembly 30 is covered by a removable cover 26 that is secured to the heater assembly 30. The removable cover 26 is liquid impermeable and is configured to be removed from the heater assembly 30 by a user prior to use of the aerosol-generating system. The removable cover 26 may be secured to the heater assembly 30 by any suitable means. Suitable means include, but are not limited to, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, such as for example, laser bonding and ultrasonic welding, and combinations thereof. As shown in FIG. 1a, the removable cover 26 is provided with a pull tab to facilitate removal of the removable cover 26 by a user prior to use of the aerosol-generating system.

[0260] In use, with the mouthpiece portion 12 of the aerosol-generating device 10 in the open position shown in FIG. 1a, the cartridge 20 is inserted into the device cavity 18 of the aerosol-generating device 10 and the removable cover 26 is removed from the cartridge 10. Once the cover 26 has been removed, the heater filaments are exposed through the aperture in the substrate so that vaporised first liquid formulation and vaporised second liquid formulation can escape into the air flow past the heater assembly 30.

[0261] In this position, the electrical connectors 19 provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 rest against the electrical contacts provided on the cartridge 20. The mouthpiece portion 12 is then moved to the closed position shown in FIG. 1b. The mouthpiece portion 12 is retained in the closed position by a clasp mechanism (not shown).

[0262] In the closed position the mouthpiece portion 12 of the aerosol-generating device 10 retains the cartridge 20 in electrical contact with the electrical connectors 19 provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 so that, in use, a good electrical connection is maintained regardless of the orientation of the aerosol-generating system. The mouthpiece portion 12 may include an annular elastomeric element that engages a surface of the cartridge 20 and is compressed between a rigid element of the mouthpiece portion 12 and the cartridge 20 when the mouthpiece portion 12 is in the closed position. This may ensure that a good electrical connection is maintained despite manufacturing tolerances. Other mechanisms for maintaining a good electrical connection between the cartridge and the device may be employed.

[0263] In use the heater assembly 30 operates by resistive heating. Current is passed through the heater filaments under the control of control electronics 16, to heat the heater filaments to within a desired temperature range.

[0264] The air flow through the mouthpiece portion 12 when the aerosol-generating system is used is illustrated in FIG. 1d. The mouthpiece portion 12 includes internal baffles 17, which are integrally moulded with the external walls of the mouthpiece portion and ensure that, as air is drawn from the air inlets 13 to the outlet 15, it flows over the heater assembly 30 on the cartridge 10 where first liquid formulation and second liquid formulation are being vaporised. As the air passes the heater assembly 30, vaporised first liquid formulation and vaporised second liquid formulation are entrained in the airflow and cool to form an aerosol before exiting through the outlet 15. Accordingly, in use, the first liquid formulation and the second liquid formulation pass through the heater assembly 30 by passing through interstices between the heater filaments as they are vaporised.

[0265] FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic illustrations of exemplary cartridges according to the invention. The cartridges 20 shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b each comprise a first compartment 32 containing a first liquid formulation 34 and a second compartment 36 containing a second liquid formulation 38. The first liquid formulation 34 comprises at least one of water and one or more water-miscible solvents. The second liquid formulation 38 comprises one or more water-immiscible solvents having a water solubility at 20° C. of less than or equal to about 100 mg/ml. At least one of the first liquid formulation 34 and the second liquid formulation 38 comprises nicotine. The first compartment 32 and the second compartment 36 of the cartridge 20 shown in FIG. 2a are arranged in parallel within the cartridge 20. The first compartment 32 and the second compartment 36 of the cartridge 20 shown in FIG. 2b are arranged in series within the cartridge 20.

EXAMPLES

[0266] Six cartridges according to the invention are prepared containing first liquid formulations and second liquid formulations having the compositions shown in Table 2 to 6:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 First liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  1.54 Water (% by weight) 38.2 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) water-miscible solvent 38.2 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 18.1 Nicotine (% by weight)  2.4 Lactic Acid (% by weight) water-soluble organic acid  3.1 Second liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  0.62 Triethyl Citrate (% by weight) water-immiscible solvent 85 Flavourant (% by weight) 15

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 First liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  1.54 Water (% by weight) 38.2 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) water-miscible solvent 38.2 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 18.1 Nicotine (% by weight)  2.4 Lactic Acid (% by weight) water-soluble organic acid  3.1 Second liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  0.62 Miglyol (% by weight) water-immiscible solvent 85 Flavourant (% by weight) 15

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 First liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  1.54 Water (% by weight) 38.2 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) water-miscible solvent 38.2 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 18.1 Nicotine (% by weight)  2.4 Lactic Acid (% by weight) water-soluble organic acid  3.1 Second liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  0.62 Triacetin (% by weight) water-immiscible solvent 90 Flavourant (% by weight) 10

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 First liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  1.56 Water (% by weight) 39.1 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) water-miscible solvent 39.1 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 18.5 Lactic Acid (% by weight) water-soluble organic acid  3.2 Second liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  0.66 Triethyl Citrate (% by weight) water-immiscible solvent 88.2 Nicotine (% by weight)  5.9 Flavourant (% by weight)  5.9

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 First liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  1.58 Water (% by weight) 38.7 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) water-miscible solvent 38.7 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 18.3 Nicotine (% by weight)  3.2 Lactic Acid (% by weight) water-soluble organic acid  1.2 Second liquid formulation: Mass (mg)  0.64 Triethyl Citrate (% by weight) water-immiscible solvent 90.9 Nicotine (% by weight)  3.0 Flavourant (% by weight)  6.1