Smoking Substitute Consumable

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-forming article comprising: an aerosol-forming substrate; and a filter element having a hollow bore extending from the downstream axial end of the substrate to the downstream axial end of the article.

Claims

1. An aerosol-forming article comprising: an aerosol-forming substrate; and a filter element having a hollow bore extending from the downstream axial end of the substrate to the downstream axial end of the article.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein the article is a heat not burn (HNB) consumable.

3. An article according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the axial length of the filter element is between 25 and 45 mm.

4. An article according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein the hollow bore through the filter element is uniform along its axial length.

5. An article according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the hollow bore through the filter element varies along the axial length.

6. An article according to claim 5 wherein the filter element comprises an upstream filter portion and a terminal filter portion and the bore diameter of the upstream filter portion is greater than the bore diameter of the terminal filter portion.

7. An article according to claim 5 wherein the filter element comprises an upstream filter portion and a terminal filter portion and the bore diameter of the upstream filter portion is equal to the bore diameter of the terminal filter portion.

8. An article according to claim 6 or 7 further comprising a filter portion axially interposed and adjacent the upstream and terminal filter portions.

9. An article according to claim 8 wherein the diameter of the bore within the intermediate portion is larger than the diameter in both the upstream and terminal filter portions.

10. An article according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the intermediate filter portion has a greater axial length than the upstream and terminal filter portions.

11. A system comprising a smoking substitute article according to any one of claims 1-10, and a device comprising a heating element.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the device comprises a main body for housing the heating element and the heating element comprises an elongated heating element.

13. A method of using the system according to claim 11 or 12, the method comprising: inserting the article into the device; and heating the article using the heating element.

14. A method according to claim 13 comprising inserting the article into a cavity within a main body of the device and penetrating the article with the heating element upon insertion of the article.

15. An aerosol-forming substrate comprising a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.

16. An aerosol forming substrate according to claim 15 wherein a first region of the substrate comprises a greater proportion of first shreds than second shreds.

17. An aerosol-forming substrate according to claim 16 wherein the first region is disposed at a periphery of the substrate.

18. An aerosol-forming substrate according to any one of claims 15-17, wherein a second region of the substrate comprises a greater proportion of second shreds than of the first shreds.

19. An aerosol-forming substrate according to claim 18 wherein the second region is disposed at a central portion of the substrate, which is spaced from a periphery of the substrate.

20. An aerosol-forming substrate according to any one of claims 15-19 that is cylindrical and the proportion of first shreds to second shreds varies in a radial direction.

21. An aerosol-forming substrate according to any one of claims 15-20 wherein the ratio of the greater of the first and second transverse width to the lesser of the first and second transverse width may is between 1.5:1 and 3:1.

22. An aerosol-forming substrate according to claim 21 wherein the lesser of the first and second transverse width is between 0.6 mm and 1.4 mm and the greater of the first and second transverse width is between 1.6 mm and 2.4 mm.

23. An aerosol-forming substrate according to any one of claims 15-22, wherein the first and second shreds are aligned substantially parallel to one another.

24. An aerosol-forming article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate according to any one of claims 15-23.

25. An aerosol-forming article according to claim 24 wherein the article is a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable.

26. A smoking substitute system comprising an aerosol-forming article according to claim 24 or 25 and a device comprising a heating element.

27. A system according to claim 26 wherein the device comprises a main body for housing the heating element and the heating element comprises an elongated heating element.

28. A web of plant material comprising a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.

29. A web of plant material according to claim 28 comprising one or more of said first shreds at opposing longitudinal edges of the web, and a plurality of said second shreds located at a central portion of the web between the longitudinal edges of the web.

30. A method for forming a web of plant material, the method comprising: providing a sheet of plant material; dividing the plant material using a plurality of longitudinally-extending slits to form a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the longitudinally-extending slits are formed by passing the sheet of plant material through a pair of interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades wherein the rotary cutting blades are unevenly spaced so as to form the first and second shreds of respective first and second transverse widths.

32. A method for forming an aerosol forming article, the method comprising: forming a web of plant material using the method according to claim 29 or 30; gathering the web of plant material to form a cylindrical rod; cutting the cylindrical rod to form a cylindrical aerosol-forming substrate; and circumscribing the aerosol-forming substrate using a wrapping layer.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein the gathering of the web of plant material is performed so as to form a first region comprising a greater proportion of first shreds than second shreds.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the first region is at, or proximate to the circumferential peripheral surface of the cylindrical aerosol-forming substrate when formed.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

[0149] So that the invention may be understood, and so that further aspects and features thereof may be appreciated, embodiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0150] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the first mode of an HNB consumable.

[0151] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the first mode of an HNB consumable.

[0152] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the first mode of an HNB consumable.

[0153] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the first mode within a device forming an HNB system.

[0154] FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the second mode of an HNB consumable.

[0155] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the second mode of an HNB consumable.

[0156] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the second mode of an HNB consumable.

[0157] FIG. 8 shows the first embodiment within a device forming an HNB system of the second mode.

[0158] FIG. 9 shows a first embodiment of the second mode of a substrate that may form part of a HNB consumable.

[0159] FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the second mode of a substrate that may form part of a HNB consumable.

[0160] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the second mode of a shred of plant material.

[0161] FIG. 12A shows a first embodiment of the second mode of a web of plant material that may be used together to form a substrate.

[0162] FIG. 12B shows a second embodiment of the second mode of a web of plant material that may be used together to form a substrate.

[0163] FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of the second mode of a web of plant material that may be used to form a substrate.

[0164] FIG. 14 shows a fourth embodiment of the second mode of a web of plant material that may be used to form a substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0165] First Mode: A Consumable Having an Axial Bore Extending from an Aerosol-Forming Substrate to the Downstream Axial End of the Article

[0166] As shown in FIG. 1, the HNB consumable 1 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 2 at the upstream end 6 of the consumable 1.

[0167] The aerosol-forming substrate comprises reconstituted tobacco which includes nicotine as a volatile compound.

[0168] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 comprises 65 wt % tobacco which is provided in the form of gathered shreds produced from a sheet of slurry/paper recon tobacco. The tobacco is dosed with 20 wt % of a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) and has a moisture content of between 7-9 wt %. The aerosol-forming substrate further comprises cellulose pulp filler and guar gum binder.

[0169] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It has diameter of around 7 mm and an axial length of around 12 mm.

[0170] The consumable further comprises a filter element 4 formed of cellulose acetate tow and having an axial length of around 36 mm. The filter element 4 has a substantially cylindrical shape with diameter of the filter element 4 matching the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2. There is a hollow axial bore 5 having a diameter of around 2 mm extending from the downstream axial end 7 of the aerosol-forming substrate to the downstream axial end 8 of the consumable 1.

[0171] The aerosol-forming substrate 2 and filter element 4 is circumscribed by a paper wrapping layer 3.

[0172] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a consumable 1′ which is the same as that shown in FIG. 1 except that the filter element 4 comprises an upstream filter portion 4a having an axial length of 10 mm and bore 5a diameter of 3 mm, an intermediate filter portion 4b having an axial length of 14 mm and a bore 5b diameter of 5 mm and a terminal filter portion 4c having an axial length of 12 mm and a bore 5c diameter of 3 mm.

[0173] There is a stepped change in bore diameter between the three portions 4a, 4b, and 4c, and each are integrally combined for form the unitary filter element.

[0174] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a consumable 1″ which is the same as the second embodiment except that bore 5a in the upstream filter portion 4a has a greater diameter (3 mm) than the bore 5c in the terminal filter portion 4c.

[0175] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment inserted into an HNB device 10 comprising a rod-shaped heating element 20. The heating element 20 projects into a cavity 11 within the main body 12 of the device.

[0176] The consumable 1 is inserted into the cavity 11 of the main body 12 of the device 10 such that the heating rod 20 penetrates the aerosol-forming substrate 2. Heating of the reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is effected by powering the heating element (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 upstream axial end 8 of the consumable.

[0177] The axial bore 5 extending from the downstream axial end 7 of the substrate to the axial downstream (mouth) end 8 of the article provides a space for mixing and cooling of the vapor/aerosol generated by heating of the substrate and also provides passage of low resistance to help reduce condensation and maximize visible vapor.

[0178] Second Mode: A Consumable Having a Substrate Having a Gathered Web of Plant Material

[0179] As shown in FIG. 5, the HNB consumable 1a comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 2a at the upstream end of the consumable 1a.

[0180] The aerosol-forming substrate 2a comprises reconstituted tobacco which includes nicotine as a volatile compound.

[0181] The aerosol-forming substrate 2a comprises 65 wt % tobacco which is provided in the form of gathered shreds produced from a sheet of slurry/paper recon tobacco. The tobacco is dosed with 20 wt % of a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) and has a moisture content of between 7-9 wt %. The aerosol-forming substrate further comprises cellulose pulp filler and guar gum binder.

[0182] Although not apparent from FIG. 5, the substrate 2a is formed of a plurality of shreds of plant material. An exemplary portion of a shred of plant material 24 is shown (not to scale) in FIG. 11. The shred of plant material 24 comprises spaced longitudinal edges 25a, 25b and a transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is defined between the longitudinal edges 25a, 25b. The transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is generally consistent for the entire length of the shred 24.

[0183] The aerosol-forming substrate 2a comprises a plurality of first shreds 24 having a first transverse width W1 and a plurality of second shreds 24 having a second transverse width W2 that is different from the first transverse width W1. The first and second shreds 24 are distributed evenly throughout the substrate 2a.

[0184] The aerosol-forming substrate 2a is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It has diameter of around 7 mm and an axial length of around 12 mm.

[0185] The aerosol-forming substrate 2a is circumscribed by a paper wrapping layer 3a.

[0186] The consumable 1a comprises an upstream filter element 22a and a downstream (terminal) filter element 26a. The two filter elements 22a, 26a and spaced by a cardboard spacer tube 30a. Both filter elements 22a, 26a are formed of cellulose acetate tow and wrapped with a respective paper plug layer (not shown).

[0187] Both filter elements 22a, 26a have a substantially cylindrical shape. The diameter of the upstream filter 22a matches the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2a. The diameter of the terminal filter element 26a is slightly larger and matches the combined diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2a and the wrapping layer 3a. The upstream filter element 22a is slightly shorter in axial length than the terminal filter element 26a at an axial length of 10 mm compared to 12 mm for the terminal filter element 26a.

[0188] The cardboard tube spacer 30a is longer than each of the two filter portions 22a, 26a having an axial length of around 14 mm.

[0189] Each filter element 22a, 26a is a hollow bore filter element with a hollow, longitudinally extending bore. The diameter of the bore in the upstream filter 22a is slightly larger than the diameter of the bore in the terminal filter 26a having a diameter of 3 mm compared to 2 mm for the terminal filter element 26a.

[0190] The cardboard spacer tube 30a and the upstream filter portion 22a are circumscribed by the wrapping layer 3a.

[0191] The terminal filter element 26a is joined to the upstream elements forming the consumable by a circumscribing paper tipping layer 34a. The tipping layer 34a encircles the terminal filter portion and has an axial length of around 20 mm such that it overlays a portion of the cardboard tube spacer 30a.

[0192] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a consumable 1a′ which is the same as that shown in FIG. 5 except that the terminal filter element 26a is a solid filter element and comprises a crushable capsule 38a (crush-ball) having a shell wall containing a liquid menthol or cherry or vanilla flavorant. The capsule 38a is spherical and has a diameter of 3.5 mm. It is positioned within the axial center of the terminal filter portion 26a.

[0193] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of a consumable 1a″ which is the same as the first embodiment except that the wrapping layer 3a does not completely circumscribe the cardboard spacer tube 30a such that there is an annular gap 42a between the tipping layer 34a and the cardboard spacer tube 30a downstream of the end of the wrapping layer 3a.

[0194] FIG. 8 shows the first embodiment inserted into an HNB device 10a comprising a rod-shaped heating element 20a (shown in dashed lines). The heating element 20a projects into a cavity 11a within the main body 12a of the device 10a.

[0195] The consumable 1a is inserted into the cavity 11a of the main body 12a of the device 10a such that the heating rod penetrates the aerosol-forming substrate 2a. Heating of the reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate 2a is effected by powering the heating element 20a (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 26a.

[0196] As the vapor cools within the upstream filter element 22a and the cardboard spacer tube 30a, it condenses to form an aerosol containing the volatile compounds for inhalation by the user.

[0197] FIG. 9 depicts an embodiment of an aerosol-forming substrate 2a′. As may be apparent, the substrate 2a′ may form a part of any one of the consumables described above and shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. The substrate 2a′ comprises a generally cylindrical form having a circumferential surface 46 extending between first (upstream) 50 and second (downstream) 54 ends. Although not apparent from FIG. 9, the substrate 2a′ is formed of a plurality of shreds of plant material 24. An exemplary portion of a shred of plant material 24 is shown (not to scale) in FIG. 11. The shred of plant material 24 comprises spaced longitudinal edges 25a, 25b and a transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is defined between the longitudinal edges 25a, 25b. The transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is generally consistent for the entire length of the shred 24.

[0198] Returning to FIG. 9, the plurality of longitudinally aligned shreds of plant material 24 (that form the substrate 2a′) comprises first shreds 24 and second shreds 24. The first shreds 24 have a first transverse width W1 and the second shreds 24 have a second transverse width W2 that is different from the first transverse width W1. In the presently illustrated embodiment, the first and second shreds 24 are not distributed evenly throughout the substrate 2a′. Rather, the substrate 2a′ comprises first region 58 and second region 62 that differ with respect to their distribution of first and second shreds 24.

[0199] The first region 58 extends circumferentially at a periphery of the substrate 2a′ (i.e., at the circumferential surface 46), so as to have a donut shaped transverse cross-sectional profile. This first region 58 has a greater proportion (e.g., by volume, number, and/or weight) of first shreds 24 than of the second shreds 24. The first region 58 may, for example, only include first shreds 24. Where the first transverse width W1 is larger than the second transverse width W2, the first region 58 is predominantly formed of larger-width shreds.

[0200] The second region 62 extends along a central longitudinal axis of the substrate 2a′ so as to define a central 25 core of the substrate 2a′ (surrounded by the first region). In contrast to the first region 58, the second region 62 comprises a greater proportion (e.g., by volume, number and/or weight) of second shreds 24 than of the first shreds 24. The second region 62 may only include second shreds 24. Assuming again that first transverse width W1 is larger than the second transverse width W2, the second region 62 is predominantly made up of smaller-width shreds.

[0201] By having larger width shreds at its periphery, and smaller width shreds at its center, the substrate 2a′ may have different heat transfer characteristics than a substrate containing a single shred type. For example, the second region 62 may have a higher rate of heat transfer than the first region 58.

[0202] FIG. 10 depicts a further embodiment of a substrate 2a″ that again comprises a first region 58 having a greater proportion of first shreds 24 (comprising a first transverse width W1) and a second region 62 having a greater proportion of second shreds 24. However, in this case, the regions 58, 62 are arranged so as to be axially adjacent to one another. Thus, the proportion of first and second shreds 24 varies axially rather than radially (as is the case with the embodiment shown in FIG. 9).

[0203] FIGS. 12A and 12B depict webs of plant material 66, 66′ for forming an aerosol forming substrate. Each of the webs 66, 66′ comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending shreds. Each web 66, 66′ is formed of a sheet of homogenized tobacco, e.g., a sheet of paper recon or slurry recon tobacco which is slit by passing it longitudinally between a pair of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades. The blades cut a plurality of longitudinally-extending slits 70a, 70b, 70c, etc. in the sheet, thus forming the web 66, 66′. As is indicated by the dashed lines, each web 66, 66′ may extend indefinitely in the longitudinal direction.

[0204] The web 66 shown FIG. 12A comprises first shreds 74a, 74b, 74c, etc. that each have a transverse width W1 of 1 mm. Such shreds 74a, 74b, 74c may be formed by interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades (as discussed above) spaced apart by 1 mm. On the other hand, the web 66′ shown in FIG. 12B comprises second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c, etc. that each have a transverse width W2 of 2 mm. Again, such shreds 78a, 78b, 78c may be formed by interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades (as discussed above) spaced apart by 2 mm.

[0205] As will be discussed in more detail below, the shreds of the webs 66, 66′ may gathered to form an aerosol forming substrate. In this respect, the aerosol-forming substrate would comprise a plurality of first shreds of 1 mm transverse width W1 (from the web of FIG. 12A) and a plurality of second shreds of 2 mm transverse width W2 (from the web of FIG. 12B).

[0206] FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment of a web of plant material 66″ comprising first and second shreds. The first shreds 74a, 74b, 74c, etc. have a transverse width W1 of 1 mm and the second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c, etc. have a transverse width W2 of 2 mm. As is apparent from FIG. 13, the first shreds 74a, 74b, 74c are interspersed with the second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c. In particular, the pattern of shreds (progressing transversely across the web) alternates between a single second shred 78a and two first shreds 74a, 74b.

[0207] This web 66″ may also be formed by way of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades (as discussed above), but in this case the cutting blades are not evenly spaced. Rather, the cutting blades are arranged in groups of three 1 mm spaced cutting blades, with the groups of cutting blades spaced from one another by 2 mm.

[0208] Like the previously described webs 66, 66′, this web 66″ can be gathered to form an aerosol-forming substrate. However, rather than forming this substrate from two separate webs, only a single web 66″ of the present embodiment is required to form the aerosol-forming substrate comprising first shreds 74a, 74b, 74c and second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c of two different transverse widths W1, W2. As may be apparent from FIG. 13, an aerosol-forming substrate formed from the present web 66″ would have (approximately) an even distribution (e.g., by weight or volume) of shreds 74a, 74b, 74c of 1 mm transverse width and shreds 78a, 78b, 78c of 2 mm transverse width.

[0209] FIG. 14 shows a further embodiment of a web 66′″ of plant material. Like the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, this embodiment comprises first and second shreds of 1 mm transverse width and 2 mm transverse width respectively. However, the distribution of the first and second shreds is different to that previously described. In the present embodiment the second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c are distributed at the longitudinal edges 82 of the web 66′″ and the first shreds 74a, 74b, 74c are sandwiched between the second shreds 78a, 78b, 78c at a central region of the web 66′″. Again, this web 66′″ may also be formed by way of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades. In this case, there are two groups of two 2 mm spaced cutting blades (for forming the second shreds) and a single group of 1 mm spaced cutting blades (for forming the first shreds) disposed intermediate the two 2 mm groups and spaced from those groups by 2 mm. When this web 66′″ is gathered the first shreds will be bundled together in a core region at the axial center of the substrate 2a″.

[0210] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilized for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof.

[0211] While the invention 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 invention 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 invention.

[0212] For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

[0213] Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

[0214] 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.

[0215] It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term “about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means, for example, +/−10%.

[0216] The words “preferred” and “preferably” are used herein refer to embodiments of the invention that may provide certain benefits under some circumstances. It is to be appreciated, however, that other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or different circumstances. The recitation of one or more preferred embodiments therefore does not mean or imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, or from the scope of the claims.