An Aerosol Generating Article

Abstract

An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device includes a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate, at least one airflow channel extending along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate, and a wrapping member surrounding both the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one airflow channel.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating article comprising: a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate; at least one airflow channel extending along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate; and a wrapping member surrounding the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one airflow channel.

2. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating article includes a distal end, a mouth end, a longitudinal axis extending between the mouth end and the distal end, and the at least one airflow channel extends in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

3. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one airflow channel comprises at least one groove formed in a surface of the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate.

4. The aerosol generating article according to claim 3, wherein the aerosol generating substrate includes a plurality of said grooves arranged side by side to form a fluted surface.

5. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one airflow channel comprises at least one airflow passage formed internally within the aerosol generating substrate.

6. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein: the aerosol generating substrate comprises a plurality of aerosol generating strips extending in a first direction and arranged intermittently in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and the at least one airflow channel comprises a plurality of airflow channels and one of said plurality of airflow channels is formed between each pair of intermittently arranged aerosol generating strips and in fluid communication with said pair of intermittently arranged aerosol generating strips.

7. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of aerosol generating strips comprises a same aerosol generating material.

8. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein at least a first one of the plurality of aerosol generating strips comprises a first aerosol generating material and at least a second one of the plurality of aerosol generating strips comprises a second aerosol generating material that differs from the first aerosol generating material.

9. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of aerosol generating strips includes a flavourant.

10. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate has a flat rectangular shape having a pair of main surfaces and the wrapping member comprises a pair of rectangular sheets attached, respectively, to the pair of main surfaces.

11. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, further comprising a support member forming a mouth-end portion of the article, and the support member has a tubular form to receive a downstream end of the aerosol generating substrate and the at least one airflow channel.

12. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the wrapping member has a porous inner surface facing towards the aerosol generating substrate for absorbing condensation and an anti-stick outer surface facing away from the aerosol generating substrate.

13. The aerosol generating article according to claim 12, wherein the wrapping member comprises an anti-stick coating on the outer surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first example of an aerosol generating article:

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a second example of an aerosol generating article;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a third example of an aerosol generating article:

[0033] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fourth example of an aerosol generating article;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view along the line B-B in FIG. 5;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fifth example of an aerosol generating article:

[0036] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view along the line C-C in FIG. 7; and

[0037] FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a first example of an aerosol generating article 1 for use with an electrically-operated aerosol generating device 102, an example of which will be described later in this specification with reference to FIG. 9. The aerosol generating article 1 is substantially planar and has a distal end 10 and a mouth end 12 (or proximal end) at the opposite end of the aerosol generating article 1. The mouth end 12 is downstream of the distal end 10 with respect to an airflow direction through the aerosol generating article 1 as represented in FIG. 1 by the three arrows. A longitudinal axis extends between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12 to define a longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 1.

[0040] The aerosol generating article 1 comprises a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate 14. The aerosol generating substrate 14 comprises a bulk or mass of aerosol generating material and has a flat rectangular shape with a pair of oppositely disposed main surfaces 14a, 14b. The aerosol generating article 1 is a consumable, or disposable, article in which the aerosol generating substrate 14 may comprise tobacco or a tobacco material.

[0041] The aerosol generating article 1 comprises a plurality of airflow channels 16 which, in the illustrated example, comprise a plurality of grooves 18 formed in a main surface 14a of the aerosol generating substrate 14. The grooves 18 are arranged side-by-side and parallel to each other, and the grooves 18 extend in the longitudinal direction between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. Together, the grooves 18 form a fluted surface 20. The grooves 18 may be formed in any suitable manner, for example by pressing the main surface 14a of the aerosol generating substrate 14 with a suitably shaped pressing tool. Three grooves 18 are shown in the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, but it will be understood that any suitable number of grooves 18 can be provided, for example depending on the desired resistance-to-draw of the aerosol generating article 1. It should also be noted that the grooves 18 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape including, but not limited to, square as illustrated in FIG. 2, rectangular, trapezoidal, or semi-circular.

[0042] The aerosol generating article 1 further comprises a wrapping member 22 which surrounds the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the grooves 18. The aerosol generating substrate 14 and the grooves 18 are, thus, fully enclosed by the wrapping member 22 which may, for example, comprise cigarette paper or a similar material. The wrapping member 22 comprises a pair of rectangular sheets 24, 26 which are attached, respectively, to the main surfaces 14a, 14b of the aerosol generating substrate 14. The rectangular sheets 24, 26 are typically formed by a single sheet of material which is wrapped around the aerosol generating substrate 14 and which may have overlapping edges that are adhered to each other to secure the wrapping member 22 in position around the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the grooves 18.

[0043] In an exemplary and non-limiting example, the aerosol generating substrate 14 may have a length (in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 1) of approximately 18.0 mm, may have a width of approximately 11.8 mm, and may have a thickness (or depth) of approximately 1.2 mm. The aerosol generating substrate 14 may be spaced inwardly from the distal end 10 of the aerosol generating article 1 by a small distance, for example approximately 3.0 mm, as shown in FIG. 1. The aerosol generating article 1 may have a width of approximately 12.0 mm and a thickness (or depth) of approximately 1.4 mm to accommodate the aerosol generating substrate 14 inside the wrapping member 22. The aerosol generating article 1 may have any suitable length between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12 by varying the length of the portion of the wrapping member 22 that extends between the downstream end of the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the mouth end 12. As vapour flows through this portion of the wrapping member 22 during use of the aerosol generating article 1 in an aerosol generating device 102, the vapour may cool and condense to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user. Thus, the length of the portion of the wrapping member 22 that extends between the downstream end of the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the mouth end 12 of the aerosol generating article 1 may be selected at the time of manufacture to provide an aerosol with desired characteristics.

[0044] In some embodiments, the wrapping member 22 comprises a porous inner surface 22a which faces towards the aerosol generating substrate 14 and which is capable of absorbing condensation that may be formed during the heating process. Alternatively or in addition, the wrapping member 22 can comprise an anti-stick outer surface 22b facing away from the aerosol generating substrate 14 to reduce the risk of the wrapping member 22 sticking to surfaces of the aerosol generating device 102 when it has been heated. The anti-stick outer surface 22b may comprise an anti-stick coating on the outer surface 22b of the wrapping member 22.

[0045] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a second example of an aerosol generating article 2. The aerosol generating article 2 is similar to the aerosol generating article 1 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and corresponding features are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0046] The aerosol generating article 2 includes a plurality of airflow channels 16 in the form of airflow passages 30 formed internally within the aerosol generating substrate 14. Like the grooves 18, the airflow passages 30 extend in the longitudinal direction, between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The airflow passages 30 are arranged side-by-side roughly at a mid-point between the main surfaces 14a, 14b of the aerosol generating substrate 14, although different positions could be adopted provided that each airflow passage 30 is fully surrounded by the aerosol generating material that forms the aerosol generating substrate 14. It should also be noted that the airflow passages 30 may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes including, but not limited to, square as illustrated in FIG. 3, rectangular, circular, oval, or triangular.

[0047] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a third example of an aerosol generating article 3. The aerosol generating article 3 is similar to the aerosol generating article 1 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and corresponding features are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0048] The aerosol generating article 3 includes a support member 28 positioned at the mouth end 12 of the aerosol generating article 3 to form a mouth-end portion 34 which can be engaged by a user's lips during use of the aerosol generating article 3 in an aerosol generating device 102. The support member 28 typically comprises a self-supporting material such as cardboard or a plastics material and has a rectangular tubular form when viewed in cross-section to receive a downstream end of the aerosol generating substrate 14 and the grooves 18 formed in the surface 14a. The wrapping member 22 also surrounds the support member 28.

[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a fourth example of an aerosol generating article 4. The aerosol generating article 4 is similar to the aerosol generating article 2 described above with reference to FIG. 3 and corresponding features are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0050] The aerosol generating article 4 includes an airflow channel 16 in the form of a single airflow passage 30 formed internally within the aerosol generating substrate 14. The airflow passage 30 extends in the longitudinal direction, between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The airflow passage 30 is positioned centrally within the aerosol generating substrate 14 and is surrounded on all sides by the aerosol generating substrate 14, ensuring that volatile components can be released from the aerosol generating substrate 14 and entrained in air flowing through the airflow passage 30 during use of the aerosol generating article 4 in an aerosol generating device 102.

[0051] The aerosol generating article 4 is shown without a support member 28 at the mouth end 12. A support member 28 can, however, be provided at the mouth end 12 of the aerosol generating article 4 as explained above in connection with the aerosol generating article 3 of FIG. 4.

[0052] Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a fifth example of an aerosol generating article 5. The aerosol generating article 5 is similar to the aerosol generating articles 1, 2, 3, 4 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 and corresponding features are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0053] In the aerosol generating article 5, the aerosol generating substrate 14 comprises a plurality of aerosol generating strips 32 which extend in a first direction, substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 5, between the distal end 10 and the mouth end 12. The aerosol generating strips 32 are spaced apart laterally, in other words they are arranged intermittently and spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. This intermittent arrangement (or spacing) of the aerosol generating strips 32 forms airflow channels 16, with an airflow channel 16 being formed between each adjacent pair of aerosol generating strips 32. Each airflow channel 16 is directly exposed to, and in fluid communication with, the adjacent aerosol generating strips 32 that form the airflow channel 16, which means that vapour or aerosol generated during use of the aerosol generating article 5 can flow into the airflow channels 16 to be entrained in an airflow through the airflow channels 16 and delivered to a user during inhalation, when the aerosol generating article 5 is used in an aerosol generating device 102 as described below.

[0054] Each of the aerosol generating strips 32 has an in use upper and lower surface, and the upper and lower surfaces 32 of the aerosol generating strips 32 together define the respective main surfaces 14a, 14b of the aerosol generating substrate 14. The wrapping member 22 can be attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the aerosol generating strips 32, for example by a pharmaceutically acceptable adhesive. In this way, the aerosol generating strips 32 are secured to the wrapping member 22 and are secured in position relative to each other to define the airflow channels 16 between the intermittently arranged (i.e., spaced) aerosol generating strips 32.

[0055] In the illustrated example, the aerosol generating strips 32 all comprise the same aerosol generating material. However, in other examples, at least some of the aerosol generating strips 32 may comprise aerosol generating materials that differ from each other. For example, at least one of the aerosol generating strips 32 may comprise a first aerosol generating material and at least another one of the aerosol generating strips 32 may comprise a second aerosol generating material that differs from the first aerosol generating material. In both examples, at least one of the aerosol generating strips 32 may include a flavourant. By providing aerosol generating strips 32 that comprise different aerosol generating materials and/or aerosol generating strips 32 that include a flavourant, an aerosol with improved user appeal may be generated during use of the aerosol generating article 5.

[0056] The aerosol generating article 5 is shown without a support member 28 at the mouth end 12. A support member 28 can, however, be provided at the mouth end 12 of the aerosol generating article 5 as explained above in connection with the aerosol generating article 3 of FIG. 4.

[0057] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an aerosol generating system 100 comprising an aerosol generating device 102 and a first example of an aerosol generating article 1 as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. It will be appreciated that the aerosol generating device 102 could be used in combination with an alternative aerosol generating article according to the present disclosure, such as the second, third, fourth or fifth examples of the aerosol generating articles 2, 3, 4, 5 described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

[0058] The aerosol generating device 102 comprises a receiving chamber 106 and a heater 104 positioned in the device body 108 to provide heat to the receiving chamber 106. The heater 104 may be a resistive heater or may alternatively be an induction heater comprising a susceptor and an electromagnetic field generator including an induction coil.

[0059] In use, a user inserts the aerosol generating article 1 into the receiving chamber 106. The aerosol generating device 102 may include a cover 110 and a pivotal mounting 112 that allows the cover 110 to be moved between a closed position shown in FIG. 9 and an open position (not shown). As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a user must pivot the cover 110 to the open position to permit insertion of the aerosol generating article 1 into the receiving chamber 106 and then pivot the cover back to the closed position shown in FIG. 9 to retain the aerosol generating article 1 in position in the receiving chamber 106.

[0060] The aerosol generating device 102 includes a power source 114, e.g., a rechargeable battery, and a controller 116, both of which are connected to the heater 104. The heater 104 may be actuated manually, e.g., via a user interface such as a button on the aerosol generating device 102, or may be actuated automatically in response to a user drawing on a mouthpiece 118 of the aerosol generating device 102. The aerosol generating device 102 includes one or more air inlets 120 to allow air to flow into the aerosol generating article 1 and through the grooves 18 formed in the surface of the aerosol generating substrate 14. The airflow direction is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 9.

[0061] With the aerosol generating article 1 positioned in the receiving chamber 106, power is supplied from the power source 114 to the heater 104 (either by a manual or automatic actuation of the heater 104 as described above), thereby heating the aerosol generating substrate 14 without burning it to release one or more volatile components. The volatile components are entrained in the air flowing through the grooves 18 thereby forming a vapour. The vapour cools and condenses as it flows through the grooves 18 to form an aerosol which is inhaled by a user through the mouthpiece 118 of the aerosol generating device 102.

[0062] When the aerosol generating substrate 14 becomes depleted and no longer releases sufficient volatile components to generate an aerosol with acceptable qualities, the aerosol generating article 1 can be removed from the receiving chamber 106 after pivoting the cover 110 to the open position, and a replacement aerosol generating article 1 can be inserted in its place.

[0063] In the event that the aerosol generating device 102 is used in combination with an aerosol generating article having a support member 28, for example the third example of the aerosol generating article 3 described above with reference to FIG. 4, the support member 28 may project from an open end 106a of the receiving chamber 106 thereby enabling a user's lips to engage the mouth-end portion 34 of the aerosol generating article 3 formed by the support member 28.

[0064] Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the preceding paragraphs, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to those embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claims should not be limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

[0065] Any combination of the above-described features in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the present disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

[0066] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words comprise, comprising, and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of including, but not limited to.