AEROSOL-GENERATING SUBSTRATE COMPRISING AN AEROSOL-GENERATING FILM

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article including a rod of aerosol-generating substrate is provided, the rod including: an aerosol-generating film comprising at least 25 percent by weight of a polyhydric alcohol and at least 10 percent by weight of a cellulose based film-forming agent, the aerosol-generating film being configured such that an exposed surface area of the aerosol-generating film within the aerosol-generating substrate is at least 5 square millimeters per mg of the aerosol-generating film, and the aerosol-generating film being substantially tobacco-free. A rod for use as an aerosol-generating substrate in an aerosol-generating article, and an aerosol-generating system including an aerosol aerosol-generating article and an electrically operated aerosol-generating device are also provided.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An aerosol-generating article comprising a rod of aerosol-generating substrate, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises: an aerosol-generating film comprising at least 25 percent by weight of a polyhydric alcohol and at least 10 percent by weight of a cellulose based film-forming agent, wherein the aerosol-generating film is configured such that an exposed surface area of the aerosol-generating film within the aerosol-generating substrate is at least 5 square millimeters per mg of the aerosol-generating film, and wherein the aerosol-generating film is substantially tobacco-free.

17. An aerosol-generating article comprising a rod of aerosol-generating substrate, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises: an aerosol-generating film comprising at least 25 percent by weight of a polyhydric alcohol and at least 10 percent by weight of a cellulose based film-forming agent, wherein the aerosol-generating film is configured such that a bulk density of the aerosol-generating film is at least 100 mg per cubic centimeter of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, and wherein the aerosol-generating film is substantially tobacco-free.

18. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises a plurality of stacked layers of the aerosol-generating film.

19. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of layers of the aerosol-generating film are stacked such that each layer extends in a transverse direction of the aerosol-generating article.

20. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of layers of the aerosol-generating film are stacked such that each layer extends in a longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article.

21. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 18, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a tubular carrier element defining a longitudinally extending internal channel, and wherein the plurality of stacked layers is provided within the internal channel.

22. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of stacked layers of the aerosol-generating film comprises between 2 and 50 stacked layers.

23. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 17, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises a plurality of stacked layers of the aerosol-generating film.

24. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of layers of the aerosol-generating film are stacked such that each layer extends in a transverse direction of the aerosol-generating article.

25. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of layers of the aerosol-generating film are stacked such that each layer extends in a longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article.

26. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a tubular carrier element defining a longitudinally extending internal channel, and wherein the plurality of stacked layers is provided within the internal channel.

27. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of stacked layers of the aerosol-generating film comprises between 2 and 50 stacked layers.

28. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises one or more gathered layers of the aerosol-generating film.

29. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein the rod of aerosol-generating substrate comprises a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating film.

30. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein a thickness of the aerosol-generating film is between 0.1 millimeter and 0.5 millimeter.

31. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein the aerosol-generating film is textured or crimped.

32. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 16, wherein the aerosol-generating film is provided on at least one surface of a carrier layer or a paper layer.

33. A rod for use as an aerosol-generating substrate in an aerosol-generating article, the rod comprising: an aerosol-generating film comprising at least 25 percent by weight of a polyhydric alcohol and at least 10 percent by weight of a cellulosic film-forming agent, wherein the aerosol-generating film is configured such that an exposed surface area of the aerosol-generating film within the aerosol-generating substrate is at least 5 square millimeters per mg of the aerosol-generating film, and wherein the aerosol-generating film is substantially tobacco-free.

34. A rod for use as an aerosol-generating substrate in an aerosol-generating article, the rod comprising: an aerosol-generating film comprising at least 25 percent by weight of a polyhydric alcohol and at least 10 percent by weight of a cellulose based film-forming agent, wherein the aerosol-generating film is configured such that a bulk density of the aerosol-generating film is at least 100 mg per cubic centimeter of the rod of aerosol-generating substrate, and wherein the aerosol-generating film is substantially tobacco-free.

35. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol aerosol-generating article and an electrically operated aerosol-generating device comprising a heater element configured to heat an aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol-generating article, wherein: the aerosol-generating article comprises a rod of aerosol-generating substrate according to claim 33, and wherein the heater element is a heater blade or a heater pin configured to be inserted into the rod of aerosol-generating substrate in order to heat the aerosol-generating film.

Description

[0156] The invention will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0157] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0158] FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the aerosol-generating article of FIG. 1 in combination with an internal heater element of an aerosol-generating device;

[0159] FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the aerosol-generating article of FIG. 1 in combination with an external heater element of an aerosol-generating device; and

[0160] FIG. 4 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0161] The aerosol-generating article 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a tubular carrier element 12, a rod of aerosol-generating substrate 14 and a flow restriction element 16.

[0162] The tubular carrier element 12 is in the form of a paper tube having a length of approximately 12 millimetres and an external diameter of approximately 7 millimetres. The tubular carrier element 12 is cylindrical in shape and defines a longitudinally extending internal cavity 18 extending from an upstream end 20 of the tubular carrier element 12 to a downstream end 22.

[0163] The rod of aerosol-generating substrate 14 comprises a plurality of layers 24 of an aerosol-generating film. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the plurality of layers 24 extends in a longitudinal direction along the full length of the rod 14. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the layers 24 are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction. Each of the layers 24 has a thickness of approximately 0.25 millimetres and a length of approximately 10 millimetres. The rod contains approximately 30 sheets. The total amount of the aerosol-generating film within the rod 14 is approximately 200 mg. The exposed surface area of the layers 24 of aerosol-generating film is greater than 5 square millimetres per mg of the aerosol-generating film.

[0164] The bulk density of the aerosol-generating film within the rod 14 is greater than 100 mg per cubic centimetre of the rod 14.

[0165] The aerosol-generating film 14 has the following composition:

TABLE-US-00001 Aerosol-generating film composition (w/w) 19.3% HPMC 4.8% Agar 1.4% Nicotine 48% Glycerin 2.1% Levulinic Acid 24.4% Water

[0166] The flow restriction element 16 comprises a single segment of cellulose acetate tow which is provided within the internal cavity 18 of the tubular carrier element 12, at the downstream end 22. The flow restriction element 16 has a length of approximately 20 millimetres and an external diameter corresponding to the diameter of the internal cavity 18 of the tubular carrier element 12. The flow restriction element 16 is downstream of the aerosol-generating film 14 and spaced apart from the aerosol-generating film 14 such that an empty space is defined inside the tubular carrier element 12, between the downstream end of the aerosol-generating film 14 and the upstream end of the flow restriction element 16.

[0167] The upstream end 20 of the tubular carrier element 12 is sealed by means of upstream sealing element 26 which comprises a sheet of aluminium provided over the end of the tubular carrier element 12 to seal the upstream end of the internal cavity 18.

The aerosol-generating article 10 shown in FIG. 1 is suitable for use with an electrically operated aerosol-generating device comprising a heater for heating the aerosol-generating film 14.

[0168] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the aerosol-generating article 10 being heated in an aerosol-generating device 50 having a heater blade 52. The aerosol-generating article is inserted into the aerosol-generating device 50 such that the heater blade 52 pierces through the upstream sealing element 24 and is inserted into the rod of aerosol-generating substrate 14 between the layers of aerosol-generating film 24.

[0169] During use, the heater blade 52 heats the layers 24 of the aerosol-generating film to a temperature sufficient to generated an aerosol from the aerosol-generating film. The aerosol is drawn through the flow restriction element 16 and out through the downstream end 22 of the tubular carrier element.

[0170] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the aerosol-generating article 10 being heated in an alternative aerosol-generating device 60 having a heating chamber 62 into which the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article is inserted such that an external heater element 64 surrounds the upstream part of the tubular carrier element 12 incorporating the rod of aerosol-generating substrate 14. The heater element 64 heats the layers 24 of aerosol-generating film in the rod of aerosol-generating substrate 14 circumferentially from outside the tubular carrier element 12.

[0171] The aerosol-generating device 60 further comprises a piercing element 66 which pierces the upstream sealing element 24 as the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the heating chamber 62.

[0172] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol-generating article 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is similar in construction to the aerosol-generating article 10 shown in FIG. 1 but comprises a rod of aerosol-generating substrate 74 having a different configuration of aerosol-generating film.

[0173] The rod 74 comprises a plurality of layers 76 of aerosol-generating film. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the layers 76 of aerosol-generating film extends in a transverse direction. The layers 76 are parallel to each other and stacked such that adjacent layers are in contact with each other, with no longitudinal spacing between them. The layers 76 are circular in shape and have a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the internal cavity 18 of the tubular carrier element 12. Each of the layers 76 has a thickness of approximately 0.25 millimetres and the rod contains approximately 45 layers. The length of the rod 74 is approximately 5 millimetres. The total amount of the aerosol-generating film within the rod 74 is approximately 200 mg.

[0174] The exposed surface area of the layers 76 of aerosol-generating film is greater than 5 square millimetres per mg of the aerosol-generating film.

[0175] The bulk density of the aerosol-generating film within the rod 74 is greater than 100 mg per cubic centimetre of the rod 74.

[0176] Each of the layers 76 comprises a plurality of air flow holes (not shown) arranged over the surface, which provide the layers 76 with sufficient porosity to enable air flow through the rod 74 during use.

[0177] The aerosol-generating article 70 may be heated in an aerosol-generating device as described above with reference to the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0178] It will be appreciated that the aerosol-generating articles 10 shown in FIG. 1 may also be suitable for use with other types of aerosol-generating devices.