AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH NARROW HOLLOW TUBULAR FILTER

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article is provided, including: a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate; and a hollow tubular filter portion having an inner diameter of between 0.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, and the aerosol-forming substrate including at least one aerosol-former selected from the group consisting of: polyhydric alcohols, esters of polyhydric alcohols, and aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids. A system for generating an aerosol is also provided, including an aerosol-generating device including a heating chamber and a heating element; and the aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article being configured to be insertable into the heating chamber.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. An aerosol-generating article, comprising: a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate; and a hollow tubular filter portion, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion has an inner diameter of between 0.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, and wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises at least one aerosol-former selected from the group consisting of: polyhydric alcohols, esters of polyhydric alcohols, and aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids.

12. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the at least one aerosol-former comprises at least one polyhydric alcohol.

13. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the at least one aerosol-former comprises triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, or glycerine.

14. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion has an inner diameter of between 0.75 millimeters and 1.25 millimeters.

15. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion has an inner diameter of around 1 millimeter.

16. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion has an external diameter of between approximately 4 millimeters and approximately 8 millimeters.

17. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion has an external diameter of between approximately 5 millimeters and approximately 6 millimeters.

18. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion is a hollow acetate tube.

19. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion is located downstream of the substrate portion.

20. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 19, wherein the hollow tubular filter portion directly abuts the aerosol-forming substrate.

21. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, further comprising a cylindrical filter portion arranged between the substrate portion and the hollow tubular filter portion.

22. A system for generating an aerosol, comprising: an aerosol-generating device including a heating chamber and a heating element; and an aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the aerosol-generating article is configured to be insertable into the heating chamber.

23. The system for generating an aerosol according to claim 22, wherein the heating element comprises an external heating element positioned around a perimeter of the heating chamber.

Description

[0051] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol-generating article comprising a hollow tubular filter portion with a small-diameter and a mouthpiece for attachment with the aerosol-generating article; and

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the aerosol-generating article with attached mouthpiece as well as an aerosol-generating device for insertion of the aerosol-generating article.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol-generating article 10 comprising a substrate portion 12 containing aerosol-forming substrate. Downstream of the substrate portion 12 on the right part of the aerosol-generating article 10 shown in FIG. 1, a hollow tubular filter portion 14 is provided. The hollow tubular filter portion 14 has a hollow central space 16. The hollow central space 16 has a relatively small inner diameter of below 2 millimeters, preferably of around 1 millimeters.

[0055] The top part of FIG. 1 shows the aerosol-generating article 10 as well as a detached mouthpiece 18. The mouthpiece 18 comprises a cavity 20 for insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10 into the cavity 20. The cavity 20 has an upstream end 22 facing the aerosol-generating article 10. The upstream end 22 of the cavity 20 has a diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article 10 such that the aerosol-generating article 10 can easily be inserted into the cavity 20. The cavity 20 has a conical section 24 at a downstream end 26 of the cavity 20 such that the aerosol-generating article 10 inserted into the cavity 20 is compressed and thus tightly received in the cavity 20 once fully inserted into the cavity 20. At a downstream end 26 of the cavity 20, the cavity 20 comprises a stop 28 to prevent over insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0056] The bottom part of FIG. 2 shows the aerosol-generating article 10 attached with the mouthpiece 18 after insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10 into the cavity 20 of the mouthpiece 18.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the aerosol-generating article 10 connected with the mouthpiece 18 and in addition an aerosol-generating device 30. In the left part of FIG. 2, the aerosol-generating article 10 has been inserted into the cavity 20 of the mouthpiece 18 thereby establishing a connection between the aerosol-generating article 10 and the mouthpiece 18. However, the aerosol-generating article 10 and the mouthpiece 18 are not yet inserted into the aerosol-generating device 30. In the right part of FIG. 2, the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the aerosol-generating device 30.

[0058] The aerosol-generating device 30 comprises a heating chamber 32 for insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10. A heating element 34 is arranged in or surrounding the heating chamber 32 for heating the aerosol-forming substrate contained in the aerosol-generating article 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol. The aerosol-generating device 30 may comprise further components such as a power supply 36 for supplying electrical energy to the heating element 34 as well as electric circuitry 38 for controlling the supply of electrical energy from the power supply 36 to the heating element 34.

[0059] The right part of FIG. 2 shows the mouthpiece 18 not in direct attachment with the aerosol-generating device 30. However, if desired, upon insertion of the aerosol-generating article 10 into the aerosol-generating device 30, the mouthpiece 18 may contact the aerosol-generating device 30 so that the aerosol-generating article 10 may be fully surrounded by the heating chamber 32 of the aerosol-generating device 30 as well as the mouthpiece 18. In this way, air may be prevented from entering or exiting between the mouthpiece 18 and the aerosol-generating device 30. In such a configuration, the aerosol-generating device 30 preferably comprises an air inlet for enabling ambient air to enter the heating chamber 32. When a user puffs on the mouthpiece 18, air is preferably drawn from the ambient air through the air inlet into the heating chamber 32 and further through the aerosol-generating article 10 towards the mouthpiece 18 and a mouth of a user.

[0060] Alternatively, a gap may be provided between the mouthpiece 18 and the aerosol-generating device 30 as shown in FIG. 2 so as to enable additional airflow into the aerosol generating device. As a further alternative, the aerosol-generating article 10 may be wrapped with a wrapper which essentially prevents air from entering or exiting the inner of the aerosol-generating article 10 from/to the outside through the wrapper even if a gap is provided between the mouthpiece 18 and the aerosol-generating device 30. Hence, a gap may be provided between the mouthpiece 18 and the aerosol-generating device 30, while air is limited to substantially flow only through the aerosol-generating article 10 along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0061] The mouthpiece 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a venturi section 40, and the inner diameter of the venturi section 40 increases towards the downward end of the mouthpiece 18. Together with the small-diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion 14 of the aerosol-generating article 10, optimized aerosol may be generated in the mouthpiece 18. In this regard, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion 14 is smaller than the smallest inner diameter of the venturi section 40 of the mouthpiece 18. Hence, if air containing vaporized aerosol-forming substrate flows from the aerosol-generating article 10, more precisely the hollow tubular filter portion 14 of the aerosol-generating article 10, to the mouthpiece 18, the air expands and cools down so that aerosol droplets can form.