AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE, AEROSOL-GENERATING PELLET, METHOD FOR FORMING AEROSOL-GENERATING PELLETS AND AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM COMPRISING AEROSOL-GENERATING PELLETS

Abstract

The aerosol-generating article (9) comprises a casing (8) and a plurality of aerosol-generating particles (1) arranged in the casing. The aerosol-generating particles of the plurality of aerosol-generating particles comprise a core of susceptor material, which core of susceptor material is coated with aerosol-forming substrate. Also disclosed is an aerosol-forming pellet (3) and a method for forming aerosol-generating pellets. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of particles, filling the plurality of particles into a cavity of a predefined shape and compacting the plurality of particles in the cavity, thereby forming an aerosol-generating pellet having the shape of the cavity.

Claims

1. Aerosol-generating article comprising a casing and a plurality of aerosol-generating particles arranged in the casing, wherein the aerosol-generating particles of the plurality of aerosol-generating particles comprise a core of susceptor material, which core of susceptor material is coated with aerosol-forming substrate.

2. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of particles form at least one aerosol-generating pellet.

3. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 2, comprising more than one aerosol-generating pellet, wherein the casing comprises a longitudinal shape having a longitudinal axis, and wherein the more than one aerosol-generating pellet is arranged at a distance to each other along the longitudinal axis of the casing.

4. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises two opposed ends, and wherein one or both of the opposed ends of the casing is frangible.

5. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 4, wherein the casing is cylindrical and one or both of the opposed ends is sealed by one or more frangible or removable barriers.

6. Aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a polymer material or a cellulose based material.

7. Aerosol-generating pellet for use in an aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, the aerosol-generating pellet being a compacted plurality of aerosol-generating particles, the particles of the plurality of aerosol-generating particles each comprising a core of susceptor material coated with aerosol-forming substrate.

8. Pellet according to claim 7, having a porosity in a range between 0.2 and 0.35.

9. Pellet according to claim 7, having a tubular form having a length between 2 millimeter and 20 millimeter and a diameter between 2 millimeter and 15 millimeter.

10. Pellet according to claim 7, comprising different types of aerosol-generating particles, wherein different types of aerosol-generating particles differ in at least one of size or shape of the particles, shape or composition of susceptor material, thickness, porosity or composition of aerosol-forming substrate coating, aerosol delivery profile.

11. Pellet according to claim 7, wherein the core of susceptor material of the particles of the plurality of particles is a susceptor granule, susceptor flake or susceptor fibers.

12. Method for forming aerosol-generating pellets, the method comprising the steps: providing a plurality of particles, the particles of the plurality of particles comprising a core of susceptor material coated with aerosol-forming substrate; filling the plurality of particles into a cavity of a predefined shape; compacting the plurality of particles in the cavity, thereby forming an aerosol-generating pellet having the shape of the cavity.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the step of filling the plurality of particles into a cavity comprises filling the plurality of particles into a separate casing, and forming the aerosol-generating pellet inside the casing, thereby manufacturing an aerosol-generating article comprising the casing and the aerosol-generating pellet.

14. Aerosol-generating system comprising: at least one aerosol-generating pellet according to claim 7; an aerosol-generating device comprising a device housing comprising a device cavity arranged in the device housing, the device cavity containing the at least one aerosol-generating pellet; a power source connected to a load network, the load network comprising an inductor for being inductively coupled to a core of susceptor material of a plurality of particles of the at least one aerosol-generating pellet.

15. System according to claim 14, the aerosol-generating device further comprising a piecing member for piercing a casing comprising the at least one aerosol-generating pellet.

Description

[0097] The invention is further described with regard to embodiments, which are illustrated by means of the following drawings, wherein:

[0098] FIGS. 1,2 are schematic illustrations of a tubular-shaped consumable comprising a pellet in a partial longitudinal and a transversal cross sectional view;

[0099] FIGS. 3,4 are schematic illustrations of a tubular-shaped consumable comprising two distinct pellets in a partial longitudinal and transversal cross sectional view;

[0100] FIG. 5 shows capsules comprising a plurality of particles;

[0101] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a capsule comprising a pellet in a partial longitudinal and transversal cross sectional view;

[0102] FIG. 7 illustrates porosity of a pellet;

[0103] FIG. 8a-c show cross sections of a susceptor granule before and after two coating steps with aerosol-forming substrate;

[0104] FIG. 9a-c show cross sections of a susceptor flake before and after two coating steps with aerosol-forming substrate;

[0105] FIGS. 10a-g illustrate a manufacturing process for tubular consumables;

[0106] FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an inductively heatable aerosol-generating device during preparation for use of the device;

[0107] FIG. 12 illustrates the device of FIG. 11 in operation;

[0108] FIG. 13 illustrates an aerosol-generating device in operation with capsule and piecing member.

[0109] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a tubular shaped casing 8, for example made of a polymeric material or cardboard, having a circular diameter 85. A pellet 3 formed of a compacted plurality of particles 1 comprising susceptor material and aerosol-forming substrate is arranged in the casing 8. The pellet is a double-length pellet, assembled by arranging two single-length pellets 3 adjoining each other in the casing 8. The embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 may also be realized by arranging in the casing 8 a single pellet having double-length.

[0110] The single-length pellet 3 has a length 30 in a range between 3 mm and 10 mm. The pellet 3 has a diameter 32 in a range between 3 mm and 7 mm.

[0111] The casing 8 has a length 86 in a range between 7 mm and 18 mm. The inner diameter of the casing 8 corresponds to the diameter 32 of the pellet.

[0112] The outer diameter 85 of the casing 8 is in a range between 4 mm and 8 mm.

[0113] The pellet 3 is arranged symmetrically in the casing 8, leaving empty edge portion 82 on both sides of the pellet 3. The edge portions 82 may each have a length in a range between 0.5 mm and 11 mm, preferably, in a range between 2 mm and 5 mm.

[0114] The pellet as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 may be formed directly inside the casing 8 or may be pre-formed and inserted into the casing 8.

[0115] The two end portions of the tubular casing 8 are each sealed by a sealing cap 80, for example a pierceable or removable foil.

[0116] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a same tubular shaped casing 8 as in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements.

[0117] Two pre-formed pellets 3 made of a plurality of particles are arranged in the casing 8. The two pellets 3 are arranged at a distance 81 to each other. The pellets have a same size as the single-length pellet of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0118] The distance 81 between the pellets 3 preferably lies in a range between 1 mm and 9 mm, more preferably in a range between 1 mm and 4 mm. The casing may have a length 87, which may be longer than the length 86 of a casing 8 with only one pellet. A length 87 of a casing comprising two or more pellets 3 is in a range between 8 mm and 35 mm, preferably in a range between 8 mm and 18 mm.

[0119] The two pellets 3 are arranged symmetrically in the casing 8, also leaving empty edge portions 82 on the sides of the pellets 3 directing versus the two ends of the tubular casing 8.

[0120] The two end portions of the tubular casing 8 are each sealed by sealing caps 80, for example a pierceable or removable foil.

[0121] An aerosol-generating article comprising two or more individual pellets are specifically manufactured for segmented or sequential heating in aerosol-generating devices designed for sequential or segmented induction heating.

[0122] In FIG. 5 a casing 8 in the form of a capsule is filled with a predefined amount or number of inductively heatable particles 1, for example aerosol-forming substrate coated susceptor flakes or granules or a combination thereof. After filling of the capsule, hermetic closing of the capsule may be achieved by techniques known in the art, for example from pharmaceutical industry. The particles 3 may precisely be dosed and filled into the capsule before closing the two halves of the capsule. The casing is made of a pierceable material such that upon piercing of the casing an air path into and through the capsule may be provided upon use of the capsule.

[0123] A capsule may also be filled with a preformed pellet 3 as shown in FIG. 6. Sizes of the capsule as well as of the pellet 3 are the same as given for the tubular casing and pellet of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the capsule, an overlap portion 84 is formed after closing the two halves of the capsule.

[0124] The capsule may be a standard two-part capsule as used in pharmaceutical industry. Typical volumes of such capsules are about 0.20 ml to 1.04 ml with a typical fill capacity of about 170 mg to about 1250 mg.

[0125] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a cross-section of a pellet formed of granules 1. The granules 1 are compacted to a confined space showing interstices 13 between individual granules, which define a porosity of the pellet through the tri-dimensional gaps between the granules 1. Such a porosity preferably lies in a range between 0.24 and 0.35, wherein the porosity is the volume fraction of void space within the pellet.

[0126] The granules or particles 1 from which the pellets 3 are formed comprise a susceptor core, which is coated by one or several aerosol-forming substrate coatings.

[0127] FIG. 8a shows a cross section of a susceptor core particle in the form of a granule 10 with rough surface 100. In FIG. 8b the susceptor core particle 10 is coated with a first coating of aerosol-forming substrate 20. This first coating 20 also has a rough surface 200. In FIG. 8c a second coating 21 of aerosol-forming substrate coats the first coating 20. Also this second coating 21 is provided with a rough surface 210. The aerosol-forming substrate of the first coating and of the second coating may be the same or different, for example different in any one or a combination of composition, density, porosity, coating thickness.

[0128] The particles 1 shown in FIGS. 8b and 8c in the form of granules formed by the susceptor core 10 coated with one or two aerosol-forming substrate coatings 20,21 form particles 1, which may be filled into a capsule or may be compacted to form pellets.

[0129] Preferably, the susceptor granule 10 is a metallic granule made of a metal or metal alloy, for example an austenitic or martensitic stainless steel. Preferably, the first and second aerosol-forming substrate coatings 20,21 are tobacco containing substrate coatings. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8b and 8c, the second coating 21 has about half of the thickness of the first coating 20.

[0130] Sizes of particles, as well as of coatings may be determined by average circumferences 500,550,560 as shown in the lower part of FIGS. 8a-c. Susceptor granules, as well as the final granules 1 often do not have an exact round shape such that an average diameter 50,55,56 or an average coating thickness 51,52 is determined for the susceptor granules 10 and the final granules 1.

[0131] An average diameter 50 for a susceptor granule 10 may be in a range between 0.1 millimeter and 4 millimeter, preferably between 0.3 millimeter and 2.5 millimeter.

[0132] An average thickness 51 for a first aerosol-forming substrate coating 20 may be in a range between 0.05 millimeter and 4.8 millimeter, preferably between 0.1 millimeter and 2.5 millimeter.

[0133] Thus, an average diameter 55 of a granule comprising one coating 20 of aerosol-forming substrate may be between 0.2 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.5 millimeter and 4 millimeter.

[0134] An average thickness 52 for a second aerosol-forming substrate coating 21 may be in a range between 0.05 millimeter and 4 millimeter, preferably between 0.1 millimeter and 1.3 millimeter.

[0135] Thus, an average diameter 56 of a granule comprising two coatings 20,21 of aerosol-forming substrate may be between 0.3 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.7 millimeter and 4 millimeter.

[0136] While a maximum particle size is 6 millimeter, preferably 4 millimeter, even more preferably 2 millimeter, an average diameter 55 of the particle shown in FIG. 8b having one coating is typically smaller than an average diameter 56 of the particle shown in FIG. 8c having two coatings.

[0137] When using a tobacco and aerosol-former containing slurry as aerosol-forming substrate coating, preferably a fluid bed granulation method is used for high volume production of particles 1. If low moisture slurry is used, preferably, powder granulation methods may be used for particle production. Preferably rotative coating granulators are used for the manufacture of granules.

[0138] FIG. 9a shows a cross section of a susceptor core particle in the form of a flake 11. In FIG. 9b the susceptor flake 11 is coated with a first coating of aerosol-forming substrate 22. In FIG. 9c a second coating 23 of aerosol-forming substrate coats the first coating 22. A plurality of the inductively heatable flake 1 as shown in FIG. 9b or FIG. 9c may be used for being filled into a capsule or for being compacted into a pellet.

[0139] A diameter 60 of a susceptor flake may be between 0.2 millimeter and 4.5 millimeter, preferably between 0.5 millimeter and 2 millimeter. A thickness 600 of the susceptor flake may be between 0.02 millimeter and 1.8 millimeter, preferably between 0.05 millimeter and 0.3 millimeter.

[0140] A thickness 61,62 for a first and a second aerosol-forming substrate coating 22,23 may be in the same ranges and in the same preferred ranges as the thicknesses for the above described coatings for granules.

[0141] Thus, a diameter 65 of a flake 1 coated with one aerosol-forming coating as shown in FIG. 9b may be in a range between 0.3 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.7 millimeter and 4 millimeter. A thickness of a flake 1 coated with one aerosol-forming coating 22 may be in a range between 0.12 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.25 millimeter and 4 millimeter.

[0142] A diameter 66 of a flake 1 coated with two aerosol-forming coatings 22,23 as shown in FIG. 9c may be in a range between 0.4 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.9 millimeter and 4 millimeter. A thickness of a flake 1 coated with two aerosol-forming coatings may be in a range between 0.22 millimeter and a maximum of 6 millimeter, preferably between 0.45 millimeter and 4 millimeter.

[0143] FIG. 10a to FIG. 10g illustrate a manufacturing process of an aerosol-generating article or consumable 9, wherein a pellet 3 is formed in its casing 8. A mold 40 having a cavity 44 within is closed at a lower end by an inner bottom piston 42 and an outer bottom piston 41. Inner piston 42 and outer piston 41 are movable relative to each other and within the cavity 44. In FIG. 10a the outer piston 41 is in its retracted position, while the inner piston 42 is in a pellet forming position. Between inner piston 2 and cavity wall a circumferentially running receiving space 45 is formed for receiving a casing 8. A tubular casing 8 is inserted from the open top side of the mold 40 into the cavity 44 and into the receiving space 45. The outer piston 41 thereby forms an end stop for the casing 8. After positioning the casing in the mold 40, a metered amount of inductively heatable particles 1 is filled into the casing 8 in the cavity 44 as shown in FIG. 10b. In FIG. 10c, a top piston 43 moves from the open top end of the mold 40 into the casing 8 until a desired compacting of the particles 1 and size of the pellet 3 is reached. Top piston 43 and inner bottom piston 42 are then retracted. While the top piston 43 is entirely removed from the casing 8 and the cavity 44, the inner bottom piston 42 is retracted to the retracted position of the outer bottom piston 41. Both bottom pistons 41,42 being at a same level are then moved upwards pushing the consumable 9 via the casing 8 upwards out of the cavity 44 as may be seen in FIG. 10e and FIG. 10f. In FIG. 10f the bottom pistons 41,42 have completed their upward movement and are at their most extended position. The consumable 9 is ejected from the cavity 44 and may be removed, for example, for being sealed with end caps. The consumable 9 may directly be inserted into a cavity of an aerosol-generating device.

[0144] The inductively heatable aerosol-generating device shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 comprises a main housing 70 and a mouthpiece 71. The main housing 70, preferably in tubular form, comprises a cavity 701 for receiving a consumable 9 comprising a pellet 3 made of a plurality of inductively heatable particles 1, for example a pellet manufactured according to the method shown in FIG. 10a to FIG. 10g. The main housing 70 also comprises an inductor, here in the form of an induction coil 703, for inductively heating the susceptor core of the particles 1 of the pellet 3 arranged in the cavity 701. The induction coil 703 is arranged to surround the cavity 701 in longitudinal direction and to be able to heat inductive material arranged in the cavity 701.

[0145] The main housing 70 also comprises a battery and a power management system (not shown).

[0146] The mouthpiece 71 forms the proximal or most downstream element of the device.

[0147] The bottom of the cavity 701 as well as the bottom or distal end of the mouthpiece 71 is closed by a porous element 700,710 for example a porous material or a grid or mesh. The porous elements 700,710 (in the mounted state of the mouthpiece as shown in FIG. 12) are adapted to position and retain the consumable 9 in the cavity 701 and to allow an airflow to pass through the porous elements 700,710, through the cavity 701 and into and through the mouthpiece 71.

[0148] The main housing 70 is provided with air-inlet channels 702 to allow air 90 from the environment to enter the housing 70 and pass into the cavity 701. Therein, the air 90 picks up aerosol formed in the cavity by heating the particles 1 of the pellet 3. The aerosol containing air 91 continuous further downstream leaving the device through an outlet opening 711 of the mouthpiece 71 at the proximal end of the mouthpiece, which airflow 90, 91 is illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0149] Upon preparing a device for use, the mouthpiece 71 may be removed from the main housing 70 such as to provide open access to the cavity 701. Removal may be a complete detachment of the mouthpiece 71 from the housing 70 as shown in the example of FIG. 11. Removal may also be an incomplete removal, for example a hinging away of the mouthpiece, where the mouthpiece 71 remains connected to the housing 70 via a hinge.

[0150] A pellet or consumable 9 may then be filled into the cavity 701. After repositioning of the mouthpiece 71 on the housing 70 the device is ready for being used.

[0151] In FIG. 13, an inductively heatable inductively heatable aerosol-generating device is shown, where a consumable 9 in the form of a capsule comprising a pellet 3 is shown. The device is further provided with piercing members 712, preferably hollow piercing members, for piercing the pierceable casing of the capsule from two opposite sides. One of the two piercing members 712 is arranged at the distal end of the mouthpiece. The other piercing member 712 extends from the device housing into the cavity 703 through the porous element 700. Upon reattachment of the mouthpiece 71, the piercing members 712 are pushed into the capsule, creating a pathway for air to pass through the capsule.

[0152] In FIG. 13 the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements as in the device shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12.