CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE

Abstract

A cartridge (100) for use with an aerosol generating device (200) includes a housing (110) and an aerosol-forming substrate (500) disposed in the housing (110). The aerosol-forming substrate (500) has a first portion (510) that includes a tobacco powder, and a second portion (520) that includes a gel. The first portion is adjacent the second portion. The gel includes an aerosol former.

Claims

1. A cartridge for use with an aerosol generating device, the cartridge comprising: a housing; and an aerosol-forming substrate disposed in the housing, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a first portion comprising tobacco powder, wherein the tobacco powder comprises the majority of the first portion, and a second portion comprising gel, wherein the gel comprises an aerosol former, and wherein the first portion is adjacent the second portion.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines an open end, a closed end, and an aperture between the closed end and the open end, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is disposed in proximity to the closed end, and wherein the cartridge further comprises: a flow control apparatus disposed in the housing, the flow control apparatus comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal airflow passageway between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the proximal end is closer to the open end of the housing than the distal end.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines an open end, a closed end, and an aperture between the closed end and the open end, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is disposed in proximity to the closed end, and wherein the cartridge further comprises: a seal between an exterior of the flow control apparatus and an interior of the housing, wherein the seal is between the open end of the housing and the aperture of the housing.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines an open end, a closed end, and an aperture between the closed end and the open end, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is disposed in proximity to the closed end, and wherein the cartridge further comprises: a channel between a portion of the exterior of the flow control apparatus and the interior of the housing, wherein the channel is in communication with the aperture and directs air towards the aerosol-forming substrate.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to receive heat such that the gel in the second portion melts and forms a mixture with the tobacco powder, in the adjacent first portion.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises about 10 mg to about 50 mg of tobacco powder, preferably, wherein the cartridge comprises about 20 mg to about 40 mg of tobacco powder.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol former comprises glycerol, preferably, the gel comprises from about 50 percent by weight to about 95 percent by weight glycerol, preferably, the gel comprises about 65 percent to about 70 percent by weight glycerol.

8. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the gel comprises about 1 percent to about 5 percent of binder, preferably, agar.

9. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol forming substrate comprises two second portions, and wherein the first portion is disposed between the two second portions such that each of the two second portions contacts the first portion.

10. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are stacked perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

11. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are stacked parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

12. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises an interior opening, and wherein the first portion is disposed in the second opening.

13. The cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the airflow passageway is configured to accelerate air as it flows from the distal end towards the proximal end of the flow control apparatus.

14. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco powder comprises less than 5 percent of the weight of tobacco powder tobacco dust that is produced as a by-product from processing of tobacco material.

15. A system comprising: the cartridge according to claim 1; and an aerosol generating device comprising a receptacle configured to receive at least the closed end of the housing and a heater operably coupled to the receptacle and configured to the cartridge when received in the receptacle.

Description

[0131] Reference will now be made to the drawings, which depict one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other aspects not depicted in the drawings fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components, steps and the like. However, it will be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number. In addition, the use of different numbers to refer to components in different figures is not intended to indicate that the different numbered components cannot be the same or similar to other numbered components. The figures are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. Schematic drawings presented in the figures are not necessarily to scale.

[0132] FIG. 1A is a schematic sectional view of an aerosol generating device and a schematic side view of a cartridge that may be inserted into the aerosol generating device.

[0133] FIG. 1B is a schematic sectional view of the aerosol generating device depicted in FIG. 1A and a schematic side view of the cartridge depicted in FIG. 1A inserted into the aerosol generating device.

[0134] FIG. 2A is a schematic sectional view of an adaptor and an aerosol generating device into which the adaptor may be inserted.

[0135] FIG. 2B is a schematic sectional view of the adaptor depicted in FIG. 2A inserted into the aerosol generating device depicted in FIG. 2B.

[0136] FIG. 2C is a schematic sectional view of the adaptor and aerosol generating device depicted in FIG. 2B and a schematic side view of a cartridge inserted into the adaptor.

[0137] FIGS. 3-6 are schematic sectional views of various embodiments of cartridges.

[0138] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional side view of a cartridge heated by a heating element.

[0139] FIGS. 1A-B illustrate of an example of a cartridge 100 and aerosol generating device 200. The cartridge 100 has a mouth end 101 and a closed distal end 103. In FIG. 1B, the distal end 103 of the cartridge 100 is received in a receptacle 220 of the device 200. The device 200 includes a housing 210 defining the receptacle 220, which is configured to receive the container 100. The device 200 also includes a heating element 230 that forms a cavity 235 configured to receive the cartridge 100, preferably by interference fit. The heating element 230 may comprise an electrically resistive heating component. In addition, the device 200 includes a power supply 240 and control electronics 250 that cooperate to control heating of heating element 230.

[0140] The heating element 230 may heat the distal end 103 of the cartridge 100, which contains an aerosol-forming substrate. Heating of the cartridge 100 causes the aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol, which may be drawn through the mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100.

[0141] FIGS. 2A-C illustrate an example of an aerosol generating device 200, cartridge 100, and adaptor 300. The aerosol generating device 200 includes a housing 210 that forms a receptacle 220 for receiving aerosol generating articles. The device 200 includes an elongate heating element 230 that extends into the receptacle 230. The heating element 230 is operably coupled to control electronics 250 and power supply 240, which cooperate to heat the heating element 230. The device 200 may be, for example, a Philip Morris International iQOS® aerosol generating device or other commercially available aerosol generating device that may be configured to receive aerosol generating articles other than the cartridges described in the present disclosure.

[0142] An adaptor 300 may be used to allow the device 200 to be used with a cartridge 100 described in the present disclosure. In the depicted embodiment, the adaptor 300 comprises a housing 310 that includes a thermally conductive material to transfer heat from the heating element 230 to the cartridge 100. The housing 310 of the adaptor 300 defines a cavity 320 for receiving the cartridge 100 and a slot 330 for receiving the heating element 230 of the device 200. The adaptor 300 may be inserted into the receptacle 220 of the device 200 such that the heating element 230 is received in the slot 330, as depicted in FIG. 2B. Preferably, the heating element 230 contacts the housing 310 defining the slot 330 to make good thermal contact.

[0143] A distal end of the cartridge 100 may be inserted into the cavity 320 of the adaptor 300, as depicted in FIG. 2C. When the cartridge 100 is received in the cavity 320 of the adaptor 300 and the heating element 230 of the device 200 is received in the slot 330 of the adaptor 300, the heating element 230 of the device 200 may heat the cartridge 100 through the adaptor 300.

[0144] Using an appropriate adaptor, one example of which is depicted in FIGS. 2A-C, any suitable aerosol generating device may be employed to heat a cartridge of the present disclosure.

[0145] FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of a cartridge 100 including a housing 110 and a flow control apparatus 400. The housing 110 and flow control apparatus 400 may be formed from a single part or multiple parts. The flow control apparatus 400 has a proximal end 401, a distal end 403 and an interior passageway 430 from the distal end 403 to the proximal end 401. The flow control apparatus 400 has a first portion 410 and a second portion 420. The first portion 410 defines a first portion of the passageway 430, which extends from the distal end 413 of the first portion 410 to the proximal end 411 of the first portion 410. The second portion 420 defines a second portion of the passageway 430, which extends from the distal end 423 of the second portion 420 to the proximal end 421 of the second portion 420. The first portion of the passageway 430 has a constricted cross section moving from the distal end 413 to the proximal end 411 of the first portion 410 to cause air to accelerate through this portion of the passageway 430 when a negative pressure is applied to the mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100. In other words, the cross section of the first portion of the passageway narrows from the distal end 413 to the proximal end 411. The second portion of the passageway 430 has an expanding cross section from the distal end 423 to the proximal end 421 of the second portion 420 of the flow control apparatus 400. In the second portion of the passageway 430, airflow may decelerate.

[0146] The housing 110 defines an open mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100 and a closed distal end 103. An aerosol-forming substrate 500 includes a first portion 510 comprising tobacco powder and second portion 520 comprising an aerosol-former. The second portion 520 comprises a gel that melts upon heating to allow the aerosol-former to mix with the tobacco powder in the first portion 510. The aerosol-forming substrate 500 is disposed in proximity to the closed distal end 103 of the housing 110. Aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate 500 when heated may enter the headspace 140 in the housing 110 above the aerosol-forming substrate 500 to be carried through the passageway 430.

[0147] Apertures 150 extend through the housing 110. At least one aperture 150 is in communication with a channel 440 formed between an outer surface of the flow control apparatus 400 and an inner surface of the housing 110. A seal is formed between the flow control apparatus 400 and the housing 110 at a location between the apertures 150 and the mouth end 101.

[0148] When a user draws on the mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100, air enters the apertures 150, flows through the channel 440 into the headspace 140 above the aerosol-forming substrate 500, where the air may entrain aerosol formed when the aerosol-forming substrate 500 is heated. The air may then flow through the airflow passageway 430, and through the mouth end. As air flows through the first portion of the passageway 430, the airflow accelerates. As air flows through the second portion of the passageway 430, the airflow decelerates. The second portion of the airflow passageway 430 is optional. In the depicted embodiment, the housing defines a cavity 130 between proximal end 401 of the flow control apparatus 400 and the mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100, which could serve to decelerate the airflow prior to exiting the mouth end 101.

[0149] In FIG. 3, the aerosol-forming substrate 500 includes two portions, a first portion 510 comprising tobacco powder and a second portion 520 comprising an aerosol former. The second portion 520 comprise a gel and is in contact with the first portion 510. The first portion 510 is closer to the closed distal end 103 of the housing 110. The first 510 and second 520 portions are stacked perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing 110.

[0150] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate additional orientations of the aerosol-forming substrate 500 in the housing of the cartridge. Because components of the cartridge other than the aerosol-forming substrate 500 are the same between FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4-6, the other components are not labeled in FIGS. 4-6 for purposes of brevity.

[0151] In FIG. 4, the aerosol-forming substrate 500 includes two portions, a first portion 510 comprising tobacco powder and a second portion 520 comprising an aerosol former. The second portion 520 comprise a gel and is in contact with the first portion 510. The second portion 510 is closer to the closed distal end 103 of the housing 110. The first 510 and second 520 portions are stacked perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing 110.

[0152] In FIG. 5, the aerosol-forming substrate 500 includes two portions, a first portion 510 comprising tobacco powder and a second portion 520 comprising an aerosol former. The second portion 520 comprise a gel and is in contact with the first portion 510. The second portion 520 defines an interior opening 525. In other words, the second portion 520 may be annular shaped. The first portion 510 is disposed in the interior opening 525 of the second portion 520. The first 510 and second 520 portions are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing 110.

[0153] In FIG. 6, the aerosol-forming substrate 500 includes three portions, a first portion 510 comprising tobacco powder and two second portions 520 comprising an aerosol former. The second portions 520 comprise a gel and are in contact with the first portion 510. The first portion 510 is disposed between the two second portions 520. The first 510 and second 520 portions are stacked perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing 110.

[0154] In FIG. 7, a distal portion of the cartridge 100 is in contact with a heating element 230 configured to apply heat to the closed end 103 of the housing. Following application of heat from the heating element 230, the gel of the second portion melts to form a mixture 600 with the tobacco powder. When sufficiently heated, the aerosol-former from the gel and constituents of the tobacco powder produce an aerosol 610. When a negative pressure is applied to the mouth end 101 of the cartridge 100, air enters aperture 150, flows through channel 440 between an exterior of flow control apparatus 400 and an interior of the housing 110, flows into headspace 140, entrains aerosol 610, and then flows through central opening 430 of flow control apparatus 400 for inhalation by the user. The mixture 600 may be a mixture produced by heating an aerosol-forming substrate as depicted in any one of FIGS. 3-6.

[0155] All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein.

[0156] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

[0157] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

[0158] As used herein, “have”, “having”, “include”, “including”, “comprise”, “comprising” or the like are used in their open-ended sense, and generally mean “including, but not limited to”. It will be understood that “consisting essentially of”, “consisting of”, and the like are subsumed in “comprising,” and the like.

[0159] The words “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, including the claims.

[0160] Any direction referred to herein, such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” “lower,” and other directions or orientations are described herein for clarity and brevity are not intended to be limiting of an actual device or system. Devices and systems described herein may be used in a number of directions and orientations.

[0161] The embodiments exemplified above are not limiting. Other embodiments consistent with the embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art.