SMOKING SUBSTITUTE CONSUMABLE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an HNB consumable comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the consumable having an axial length extending perpendicularly to a non-rectangular transverse end face. The axial length of the aerosol-forming substrate is greater than 45% of the axial length of the consumable and/or the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate is greater than 45% of the volume of the consumable.

Claims

1. A HNB consumable comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the consumable having an axial length extending perpendicularly to a non-rectangular transverse end face, wherein the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate is greater than 45% of the volume of the consumable.

2. A consumable according to claim 1 wherein the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate is greater than 50% of the axial length/volume of the consumable.

3. A consumable according to claim 2 wherein the axial volume of the aerosol-forming substrate is greater than 65% of the axial length/volume of the consumable.

4. A consumable according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the axial volume of the aerosol-forming substrate is between 50 and 70% of the axial length/volume of the consumable.

5. A consumable according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the transverse end face has a polygonal shape such as a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, octagon etc. shape.

6. A consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein at least a portion of the perimeter of the transverse end face is curved.

7. A consumable according to claim 6 wherein the transverse end face is substantially circular or oval.

8. A consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 7 having a transverse cross-sectional area that varies along the axial length.

9. A consumable according to any one of the preceding claims having a transverse cross-sectional shape that varies along the axial length.

10. A consumable according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the axial length of the consumable is less than 45 mm.

11. A consumable according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a recess or bore extending axially from a downstream transverse end face.

12. A consumable according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising at least one element selected from a filter element, a spacer element, a hollow bore element or a cooling element.

13. A system comprising a smoking substitute article according to any one of the preceding claims and a device comprising a heating element.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the device comprises a main body for housing the heating element and the heating element comprises an elongated heating element.

15. A method of using the system according to claim 13 or 14, the method comprising: inserting the article into the device; and heating the article using the heating element.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

[0085] So that the disclosure may be understood, and so that further aspects and features thereof may be appreciated, embodiments illustrating the principles of the disclosure will now be discussed in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an HNB consumable;

[0087] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of an HNB consumable;

[0088] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of an HNB consumable;

[0089] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment within a device forming an HNB system; and

[0090] FIGS. 5A-5I shows alternative shapes for the transverse end face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0091] As shown in FIG. 1, the HNB consumable 1 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 2 at the upstream end of the consumable 1.

[0092] The aerosol-forming substrate comprises reconstituted tobacco which includes nicotine as a volatile compound.

[0093] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is dosed either with 21 wt % of a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) and 8 wt % guar gum or with just 20% of the humectant.

[0094] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It has a circular transverse end face 5 having diameter of 7.1 mm and an axial length of 12 mm.

[0095] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is circumscribed by a paper wrapping layer 4.

[0096] The consumable 1 comprises an upstream spacer element 3 formed of a cardboard tube having an axial length of either 6 mm or 4 mm.

[0097] Thus, the overall length of the consumable is either 18 mm in which case the length/volume of the substrate is 66.7% of the total length/volume, or the overall length is 16 mm. This gives an aspect ratio of the length to diameter of 2.25:1 and an aspect ratio of length to the square root of the area of the transverse end face 5 of 2.0:1.

[0098] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a consumable 1′ which is the same as that shown in FIG. 1 except that there is a terminal filter element 6 having an axial length of 10 mm.

[0099] Thus, the overall length of the consumable is 22 mm. The length/volume of the substrate is 54.5% of the total length/volume. This gives an aspect ratio of the length to diameter of 3.1:1 and an aspect ratio of length to the square root of the area of the transverse end face 5 of 3.5:1.

[0100] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a consumable 1″ which is the same as that shown in FIG. 2 except that the filter element 6 comprises a crushable capsule 7 (crush-ball) having a shell wall containing a liquid menthol or cherry or vanilla flavorant. The capsule 8 is spherical and has a diameter of 3.5 mm. It is positioned within the axial center of the terminal filter portion 6.

[0101] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment inserted into an HNB device 10 comprising a rod-shaped heating element 22. The heating element 22 projects into a cavity 11 within the main body 12 of the device.

[0102] The consumable 1 is inserted into the cavity 11 of the main body 12 of the device 10 such that the heating rod penetrates the aerosol-forming substrate 2. The reduced axial length compared to the dimensions of the transverse end face 5 (into which the heating element 22 is inserted) helps reduce bending and breakage of the consumable 1 as it is inserted into the device 10.

[0103] Heating of the reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is effected by powering the heating element 22 (e.g., with a rechargeable battery (not shown)). As the tobacco is heated, moisture and volatile compound (e.g., nicotine) within the tobacco and the humectant are released as a vapor and entrained within an airflow generated by inhalation by the user at the terminal filter portion 5.

[0104] As the vapor cools within the upstream filter element 4 and the cardboard spacer tube 6, it condenses to form an aerosol containing the volatile compounds for inhalation by the user.

[0105] FIGS. 5A-5I show alternative shapes for the transverse end face such as an oval shape (5D), a truncated oval shape (5E), an obround shape (5A) a triangular shape (5H) and a hexagonal shape (51).

[0106] While the disclosure has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0107] Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “have”, “comprise”, and “include”, and variations such as “having”, “comprises”, “comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0108] Preferred aspects and embodiments are set out in the following numbered paragraphs:

[0109] 1. An aerosol-forming article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the article having an axial length extending perpendicularly to a non-rectangular (and preferably non-circular) transverse end face, wherein: [0110] a) the aspect ratio of the axial length to a diameter of the transverse end face is between 6:1 and 1:1; and/or [0111] b) the aspect ratio of the axial length to a minimum dimension through the axial center of the transverse end face perpendicular to the axial length is between 6:1 and 1:1; and/or [0112] c) the aspect ratio of the axial length to the square root of the area of the transverse end face is between 7:1 and 1.1:1.

[0113] 2. An article according to paragraph 1 wherein the aspect ratio of the axial length to the diameter of the transverse end face or to the minimum dimension through the axial center of the transverse end face perpendicular to the axial length is between 5:1 and 1:1.

[0114] 3. An article according to paragraph 2 wherein the aspect ratio of the axial length to the diameter of the transverse end face or to the minimum dimension through the axial center of the transverse end face perpendicular to the axial length is between 2.5:1 and 1.1.

[0115] 4. An article according to paragraph 1 wherein the aspect ratio of the axial length to the square root of the area of the transverse end face is between 5.6:1.

[0116] 5. An article according to paragraph 1 wherein the aspect ratio of the axial length to the square root of the area of the transverse end face is between 2.8:1 and 1.1:1.

[0117] 6. An article according to any one of the preceding paragraphs wherein the axial length of the consumable is less than 40 mm.

[0118] 7. An article according to paragraph 6 wherein the axial length of the consumable is less than 25 mm.

[0119] 8. An article according to paragraph 7 wherein the axial length of the consumable is less than 18 mm.

[0120] 9. An article according to any one of the preceding paragraphs wherein the perimeter of the transverse end face comprises at least one curved portion.

[0121] 10. An article according to paragraph 9 wherein the transverse end face is substantially circular or oval.

[0122] 11. An article according to any one of the preceding paragraphs wherein the article is a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable.

[0123] 12. An article according to any one of the preceding paragraphs further comprising at least one element selected from a filter element, a spacer element, a hollow bore element or a cooling element.

[0124] 13. A system comprising a smoking substitute article according to any one of the preceding paragraphs and a device comprising a heating element.

[0125] 14. A system according to paragraph 13 wherein the device comprises a main body for housing the heating element and the heating element comprises an elongated heating element.

[0126] 15. A method of using the system according to paragraph 13 or 14, the method comprising: [0127] inserting the article into the device; and [0128] heating the article using the heating element.