AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH BIOMARKER SENSOR

Abstract

This invention relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating article comprises a mouth end, a distal end, and a biomarker sensor, wherein the biomarker sensor is provided to the aerosol-generating article and at least 1 centimeter distant from the mouth end. This invention also relates to an aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article. This invention also relates to a method for operating such aerosol-generating system.

Claims

1. Aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-generating article comprising a mouth end and a distal end, and a biomarker sensor, wherein the biomarker sensor is provided to the aerosol-generating article and at least 1 centimeter distant from the mouth end.

2. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece at the mouth end and wherein the biomarker sensor is provided distant from the mouthpiece.

3. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, further comprising a portion in which the aerosol-forming substrate is provided and wherein the biomarker sensor is positioned at the portion in which the aerosol-forming substrate is provided.

4. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, further comprising a perforation and wherein the biomarker sensor is provided upstream from the perforation.

5. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating article has a cylindrical shape and the biomarker sensor is provided in the form of a band around an outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article.

6. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the biomarker sensor comprises a substance having a characteristic that changes upon contact with corresponding biomarkers in user's saliva.

7. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the substrate in the biomarker sensor is a colorimetric substance configured to change its color upon contact with nicotine or nicotine metabolites present in user's saliva.

8. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the biomarker sensor is positioned such that it can be visually inspected by a user.

9. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the biomarker sensor is positioned at an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article.

10. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the biomarker sensor is covered by one or more layers of transparent, semi-transparent or perforated material.

11. Aerosol-generating device comprising a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a sensor configured to detect a change of a characteristic of the biomarker sensor of the aerosol-generating article.

12. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 11, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises an optical sensor configured to detect a colorimetric change of the biomarker sensor of the aerosol-generating article.

13. Aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 and an aerosol-generating device comprising a cavity for receiving the aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a sensor configured to detect a change of a characteristic of the biomarker sensor of the aerosol-generating article.

14. Aerosol-generating system according to claim 13, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises control unit that is operably coupled to the sensor and which controls operation of the aerosol-generating device based on a biomarker concentration levels obtained by the biomarker sensor of the aerosol-generating article.

15. Method of operating an aerosol-generating system according to claim 13, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a control unit that is operably coupled to the sensor and wherein operation of the aerosol-generating device is controlled based on a biomarker concentration levels obtained by the biomarker sensor of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

[0098] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0099] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol-generating article with capillary channels;

[0100] FIG. 2 shows an aerosol-generating article with a biomarker sensor;

[0101] FIG. 3 shows an aerosol-generating device of the present invention;

[0102] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol-generating article with a perforation;

[0103] FIG. 5 shows an aerosol-generating article with a filter tipping paper.

[0104] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol-generating article 10 in an embodiment of the present invention. As depicted in FIG. 1A the cylindrical aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a sensorial medium portion 12 and a mouthpiece portion 14. The mouthpiece portion 14 is provided at the mouth end 16 of the aerosol-generating article 10. Both portions are wrapped with and connected to each other by a wrapper 18.

[0105] Along the full length of the aerosol-generating article 10 capillary channels 20 are provided. These capillary channels 20 are hollow polymeric tubes having an inner diameter of 0.01 millimeter. The capillary channels are provided over the circumference of the sensorial media portion 12 and the mouthpiece portion 14 and are sandwiched between these portions 12, 14 and the wrapper 16. Wrapper 18 is made from conventional cigarette paper.

[0106] Orthogonal to the capillary channels 20 a biomarker sensor 22 is provided. In this case, the biomarker sensor 22 comprises pyrazolone, which is useful for determining nicotine and cotinine concentrations in a user's saliva.

[0107] The biomarker sensor 22 is provided in the form of a band that extends over the full circumference of the aerosol-generating article 10. The biomarker sensor 22 is operably coupled to the capillary channels 20. Fluid, in particular a user's saliva, may enter into the capillary channels 20 from the mouth end 16 when the aerosol-generating article 10 is placed in a user's mouth during a user experience.

[0108] FIG. 1B shows a fully wrapped aerosol-generating article 10. The wrapper is provided with different colors to identify the sensorial media portion 12 and the mouthpiece portion 14 of the aerosol-generating article 10. As depicted in FIG. 1B the biomarker sensor 22 is provided at the sensorial medium portion 12 of the aerosol-generating article 10. As long as no nicotine or cotinine is detected at the biomarker sensor 22, the biomarker sensor 22 is colorless and not recognizable on the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0109] During use of the aerosol-generating article 10 the mouthpiece portion is placed in a user's mouth. The physical contact of the aerosol-generating article 10 with a user's mouth allows saliva to enter into the capillary channels 20. The saliva is drawn by capillary action towards and onto the biomarker sensor 22. If the user's saliva contains nicotine or cotidine, these biomarkers react with the pyrazolone of the biomarker sensor and change the color of the biomarkers sensor 22 as schematically indicated in FIG. 1C. This change of color can be visually determined by the user and may also be detected by a corresponding sensor arrangement of an aerosol-generating device.

[0110] FIG. 2 shows an alternative arrangement of an aerosol-generating article 10 of the present invention. The aerosol-generating article 10 largely corresponds to the aerosol-generating article 10 of FIG. 1. The aerosol-generating article 10 of FIG. 2 does not comprise any capillary channels. Thus, in order to allow user's saliva to come into contact with the biomarker sensor 22, the user may lick the biomarker sensor 22 or the portion of the cigarette paper wrapper 18 comprising the biomarker sensor 22 directly with the user's tongue.

[0111] Again, if the user's saliva contains nicotine or cotidine, a change of color will occur that can be visually determined by the user and may also be detected by a corresponding sensor arrangement of an aerosol-generating device.

[0112] In FIG. 3 an aerosol-generating device 30 for use with an aerosol-generating article 10 is depicted. The aerosol-generating device 30 and the aerosol-generating article 10 together form an aerosol generating system.

[0113] As depicted in FIG. 3A, the aerosol-generating device 30 comprises a housing 32 with a removable cap 34. The removable cap 34 comprises a cover 36 which covers an opening in the removable cap 34. The aerosol-generating device 30 has a button 38 via which the aerosol-generating device 30 may be switched on and off.

[0114] In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3B the internal components of the aerosol-generating device 30 are depicted. The aerosol-generating device 30 comprises a battery 40, and a charging port 42, and a printed circuit board 44 with a control unit 46.

[0115] The aerosol-generating device defines a cavity 50 that is accessible via the opening in the removable cap 34. The cavity 50 comprises an electric heater 52 and acts as a heating chamber for heating the sensorial medium portion of an aerosol-generating article.

[0116] A sensor arrangement is provided within the cavity 50. The sensor arrangement comprises an optical sensor 54. The optical sensor 54 is ring shaped and extends around the inner surface of the cavity 50. The optical sensor 54 is located in direct line of sight of the biomarker sensor 22 of an inserted aerosol-generating article 10.

[0117] FIG. 3C shows an aerosol-generating article 10 according to FIG. 1 or 2 comprising a band shaped biomarker sensor 22. As can be seen form a comparison of FIGS. 3B and 3C the vertical position of the biomarker sensor 22 corresponds to the vertical position of the optical sensor 54, when the aerosol-generating article 10 is fully inserted into the cavity of the aerosol-generating device 30.

[0118] The control unit of the aerosol-generating device 30 is coupled with the optical sensor 54. The optical sensor 54 is configured to monitor the biomarker sensor 22. When the biomarker sensor 22 changes its color due to the presence of nicotine or cotinine in a user's saliva, the optical sensor 54 may generate a corresponding signal that is received by the control unit 46. Based on the data received from the optical sensor 54, the control unit 46 may adjust operation of the aerosol-generating device 30.

[0119] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of an aerosol-generating article 10 of the present invention. The aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a sensorial medium portion 12 and a mouthpiece portion 14 that are connected by a wrapper 18. Between the sensorial medium portion 12 and a mouthpiece portion 14 there are provided additional components 60, 62. These additional components 60, 62 are hollow acetate tubes with different diameters, that are used to assist in aerosol formation within the air flow path defined in the aerosol-generating article 10. A perforation line 58 comprising a plurality of perforations is provided in the area of component 62, which is the larger diameter hollow acetate tube. A biomarker sensor 22 is provided upstream from the perforation line 58. Since perforation line 58 is not to be covered by a user's mouth during the user experience, the biomarker sensor 22, which is located even further away from the mouth end 16 of the aerosol-generating article 10, will equally not be in direct contact with the user's mouth during the user experience. In order to transfer a user's saliva to the biomarker sensor 22, the biomarker sensor 22 may be licked by the user in accordance with the embodiment described with FIG. 2, or capillary tubes may be provided at the aerosol-generating article 10 in accordance with the embodiment described with FIG. 1.

[0120] FIG. 5 shows also an embodiment of an aerosol-generating article 10 of the present invention, which is similar to the aerosol-generating article 10 of FIG. 4. In this embodiment no perforation line is provided. However, the portion that is potentially in contact with a user's mouth is additionally wrapped with a tipping paper 64 having a different color than wrapper 18. The biomarker sensor 22 is provided upstream from the region covered by the tipping paper 64. Thus, again the biomarker sensor 22 is provided in an area of the aerosol-generating article 10, which will not be in direct contact with the user's mouth during the user experience. In order to transfer a user's saliva to the biomarker sensor 22 capillary tubes 20 are provided that extend from the mouth end 16 of the aerosol-generating article 10 and which are operably coupled to the biomarker sensor 22. For better visibility only a part of the capillary tubes 20 are indicated in FIG. 5 to extend from the mouth end 16 of the aerosol-generating article 10. Typically, all capillary tubes 20 will be configured to extend from the mouth end 16 of the aerosol-generating article 10.