ARTICLE FOR FORMING AN AEROSOL

Abstract

An article (1) for forming an aerosol, the article (1) comprising a cover layer (2) having a peripheral mould surface (20) which circumscribes a moulded aerosol-forming substrate (3). The article (1) is insertable, in use, into a heating chamber of a device for generating an aerosol. A method of manufacture of the article (1) is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an article for forming an aerosol, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a cover layer which comprises, defines or provides a mould surface for defining the periphery of an article for forming an aerosol; b) depositing a substance which is at least partially fluid and comprises aerosol-forming substrate into the mould surface; and c) causing or allowing the substance to at least partially solidify thereby to provide an article for forming an aerosol having a periphery formed from the cover layer, wherein the mould surface circumscribes the moulded aerosol-forming substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising a step d) of foaming the substance.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein step d) occurs subsequent to step b).

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising a step e) of reticulating the foam.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein step e) occurs subsequent to step b).

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising a step f) of adding to the mould surface and/or the substance one or more of a volatile flavour-generating component, an aerosol former and nicotine.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein step f) comprises adding the or each of the one or more of the volatile flavour-generating component, aerosol former and nicotine to the mould surface prior to step b).

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising a step g) of forming a line of weakness in the substance and/or mould surface to thereby at least partially define first and second portions of the substance.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising a step h) of separating a or the first portion of the substance from a or the second portion of the substance, for example with a separator.

10. An article for forming an aerosol, the article comprising a cover layer which comprises, provides or defines a peripheral mould surface circumscribing a moulded aerosol-forming substrate, the article being insertable, in use, into a heating chamber of a device for generating an aerosol.

11. The article according to claim 10, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises first and second portions at least partially defined by a frangible portion of the aerosol-forming substrate and/or of the peripheral surface.

12. An article for forming an aerosol, the article comprising a peripheral surface circumscribing an aerosol-forming substrate, the article being insertable, in use, into a heating chamber of a device for generating an aerosol, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises first and second portions at least partially defined by a frangible portion of the aerosol-forming substrate and/or of the peripheral surface.

13. The article according to claim 11, wherein the frangible portion comprises a separator and/or by a line of weakness in the aerosol-forming substrate between the first and second portions.

14. The article according to claim 11, wherein the article comprises a separator at least partially defining the first and second portions, and the peripheral surface comprises the separator.

15. The article according to claim 11, wherein the first and second portions have substantially similar shapes and/or volumes.

16. The article according to claim 10, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a foam, for example a reticulated foam, say formed from reconstituted tobacco.

17. The article according to claim 12, wherein the frangible portion comprises a separator and/or by a line of weakness in the aerosol-forming substrate between the first and second portions.

18. The article according to claim 12, wherein the article comprises a separator at least partially defining the first and second portions, and the peripheral surface comprises the separator.

19. The article according to claim 12, wherein the first and second portions have substantially similar shapes and/or volumes.

20. The article according to claim 12, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a foam, for example a reticulated foam, say formed from reconstituted tobacco.

Description

[0084] The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0085] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of an article for forming an aerosol according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0086] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the article for forming an aerosol shown in FIG. 1;

[0087] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view of an article for forming an aerosol according to a further embodiment of the invention;

[0088] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 3; and

[0089] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the article for forming an aerosol shown in FIG. 3.

[0090] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an article 1 for forming an aerosol according to an embodiment of the invention. The article 1 comprises a peripheral cover layer 2 comprising or defining a mould surface 20 which circumscribes a moulded aerosol-forming substrate 3.

[0091] The cover layer 2 is formed from paper and has the form of a netting or weave, with plural apertures through its thickness, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, the cover layer 2 may comprise a solid surface absent or provided with apertures and/or may be formed from any suitable material, for example polymer material and/or paper, etc.

[0092] The aerosol-forming substrate 3 comprises reticulated open-celled foam of reconstituted tobacco (e.g. stems and the like), in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, the aerosol-forming substrate 3 may be supported or carried by a carrier substance which is itself in the form of a foam (e.g. an open-celled or reticulated open-celled foam). Where a carrier substance is provided, the aerosol-forming substrate 3 may be in any suitable form for being retained by the carrier substance. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate 3 may be in the form of a solid (e.g. a powder) or a fluid.

[0093] The aerosol-forming substrate 3 is impregnated with nicotine and glycerine, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, where the aerosol-forming substrate 3 is carried in a carrier substance, the carrier substance may be impregnated with nicotine and/or glycerine. Additionally or alternatively, any suitable additive may be impregnated into the aerosol-forming substrate 3 (or carrier substance, where provided) in addition to or instead of the nicotine and glycerine. Suitable additives include, but are not limited to, tobacco and non-tobacco fibres, aerosol formers, humectants, plasticisers, volatile flavour-generating components, flavourants, fillers, aqueous and non-aqueous solvents and combinations thereof. In embodiments, the cover layer 2 may be impregnated with nicotine, glycerine and/or any other suitable additive, additionally or alternatively. In embodiments, nicotine, glycerine and/or any other suitable additive may be provided on the mould surface 20 of the cover layer 2, additionally or alternatively.

[0094] Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the article for forming an aerosol shown in FIG. 1.

[0095] The method comprises a first step S1 of providing a cover layer 2 comprising or defining a mould surface 20, which is shaped to define the periphery of an article 1 for forming an aerosol.

[0096] In a second step S2 a substance, e.g. an at least partially liquid substance, comprising aerosol-forming substrate is introduced onto the mould surface 20 of the cover layer 2. In embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises tobacco, for example reconstituted or waste tobacco products (such as stems and the like). The substance may be a slurry, which is is formed in a conventional manner, as is well known to one skilled in the art.

[0097] The substance, e.g. slurry, is formed into a foam in a third step S3 via foaming with a gas (e.g. a gas blown into the substance and/or a gas generated within the substance) whilst the substance, e.g. slurry, is located on the mould surface 20, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, the substance, e.g. slurry, may be foamed before it is introduced onto the mould surface 20 in second step S2.

[0098] The foamed material is reticulated in a fourth step S4, which also occurs subsequent to introducing the substance, e.g. slurry, onto the mould surface 20, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, the fourth step S3 of reticulation may occur prior to contacting the mould surface 20.

[0099] Nicotine and glycerine are provided on the mould surface 20 prior to introducing the substance, e.g. slurry, thereonto, in the second step S2. The nicotine and glycerine may be sprayed, rolled, dip-coated or otherwise deposited onto the mould surface 20. The nicotine and glycerine may be provided on the mould surface 20 simultaneously or sequentially. The nicotine and glycerine impregnate into the substance, e.g. slurry, when it is introduced onto the mould surface 20 and, consequently, into the foamed aerosol-forming substrate 3, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, such impregnation may comprise providing the nicotine and/or glycerine directly into the substance, e.g. slurry, or the foamed material (e.g. via spraying or the like). In embodiments, the cover layer 2 may be formed from a material which is at least partially absorbent and may be configured to at least partially retain the nicotine and/or the glycerine (and/or any other suitable additive).

[0100] The reticulated foam aerosol-forming substrate is then cured or is otherwise dried or allowed to dry. In this way, an article 1 for forming an aerosol is formed.

[0101] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown an article 11 for forming an aerosol according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein like references preceded by a ‘1’ refer to like features which will not be described herein further. The article 11 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from the article 1 shown in FIG. 1 in that the cross-section has a different shape (the article 11 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape instead of the circular cross-sectional shape of the article 1) and that a line of weakness W (thereby providing a frangible portion) is provided in the aerosol-forming substrate 13.

[0102] The line of weakness W defines first and second portions 13a, 13b of the aerosol-forming substrate 13, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4. The first and second portions 13a, 13b have a generally similar shape and volume, in this embodiment. In embodiments, however, the first and second portions 13a, 13b may have different shapes and/or volumes.

[0103] The line of weakness W comprises a continuous and uninterrupted line which extends across a width w of the article 11 in this embodiment. The line of weakness W does not extend through the thickness t of the aerosol-forming substrate 13, in this embodiment, such that the first and second portions 13a, 13b remain partially joined to one another. In use, a user may preferentially separate the first and second portions 13a, 13b from one another at the line of weakness W. The first portion 13a of the aerosol-forming substrate 13 may then be used in a device for generating an aerosol (not shown) whilst the second portion 13b is retained for future use therein. A portion of the cover layer 12 extends into the line of weakness W, thereby forming a separator S.

[0104] The article 11 for forming an aerosol is formed by the method shown in FIG. 5. In a first step S5 a cover layer 12 is provided. In a second step S6 an aerosol-forming substrate 13 is provided. The cover layer 12 is wrapped around (or otherwise disposed about) the aerosol-forming substrate 13 in a third step S7. A portion of the cover layer 12, in the shape and location of a desired line of weakness W, is then pressed into the aerosol-forming substrate 13 in a fourth step S8, using a pressing tool (not shown) shaped and sized to form the line of weakness W. The pressure acting against the aerosol-forming substrate 13 causes it to deform and form a line of weakness W. The portion of the cover layer 12 pressed into the aerosol-forming substrate remains in the line of weakness W in this embodiment, thereby forming a separator S which at least partially separates the first portion 13a from the second portion 13b of the aerosol-forming substrate 13. In embodiments, however, the cover layer 12 may be at least partially formed from a material which may at least partially retract from the line of weakness W after its formation (and thereby return to or toward its shape prior to application of pressure thereagainst).

[0105] In embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate 13 may comprise more than one line of weakness W, for example two, three, four or more lines of weakness. In embodiments, one or more of the additional lines of weakness may be substantially parallel to or perpendicular to the first line of weakness W.

[0106] As will be appreciated, in embodiments the line of weakness W may extend across only a part of the width w of the article 11. Additionally or alternatively, the line of weakness W may not comprise a continuous line but may instead include one or more interruptions along its length. Where the line of weakness W extends only partly across the width w of the article 11 and/or comprises a non-continuous line thereacross, the line of weakness W may extend through the thickness t of the aerosol-forming substrate 13. Where the line of weakness W extends through the thickness t of the aerosol-forming substrate 13 the portion of the cover layer 12 extending into the line of weakness W may contact and/or be joined to the cover layer 12 on the obverse face of the aerosol-forming substrate 13. Such joining may be accomplished by adhesive bonding, one or more fixings and/or by thermally bonding the portion of the cover layer 12 within the line of weakness W to the cover layer 12 on the obverse face of the aerosol-forming substrate 13.

[0107] In embodiments, the line of weakness W may be formed by pressing the cover layer 12 into the aerosol-forming substrate 13 on opposite sides thereof, either simultaneously or sequentially.

[0108] While it is described that the line of weakness W is formed only by pressing the cover layer into the aerosol-forming substrate this need not be the case and, instead, the line of weakness may be at least partially formed prior to covering the aerosol-forming substrate 13 with the cover layer 12. In embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate 13 may be directly pressed so as to form the line of weakness W. In embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may be moulded into shape in a mould comprising a projection arranged to at least partially define the line of weakness W. In some embodiments the line of weakness W may be formed by piercing the cover layer 12 with one or more piercing edges.

[0109] In an alternative embodiment, the line of weakness W may extend across the width w and through the thickness t of the aerosol-forming substrate 13, thereby separating the first and second portions 13a, 13b from one another. The portion of the cover layer 12 in the line of weakness W may be at least partially joined or affixed to the cover layer 12 on the obverse face of the aerosol-forming substrate 13, where the first and second portions 13a, 13b are separate from one another. Where the cover layer 12 comprises such a joined portion between the first and second portions the joined portion of the cover layer 12 (comprising a separator) may be provided with a line of weakness. For example, one or more apertures may be provided through the joined portion of the cover layer. These apertures may be formed by a blade or otherwise sharp-edged tool.

[0110] The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. The drawings 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 of this disclosure.