Aerosol Generating Article with a Wrapper Comprising a Tobacco Leaf Portion

Abstract

An aerosol generating article, for use in a non-combustible aerosol generating device including a filtering mouthpiece, an aerosol generating segment and a spacer element positioned between the aerosol generating segment and the filtering mouthpiece, is wrapped at least partially by a first wrapper, wherein the first wrapper includes an outer and an inner surface. Furthermore, the aerosol generating article extends in a length and a circumferential direction. The first wrapper includes at least one tobacco leaf portion. A method for manufacturing such an aerosol generating article is also provided.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating article for use in a non-combustible aerosol generating device comprising a filtering mouthpiece, an aerosol generating segment and a spacer element positioned between the aerosol generating segment and the filtering mouthpiece, and being wrapped at least partially by a first wrapper, wherein the first wrapper comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the aerosol generating article extends in a length direction and a circumferential direction, wherein the first wrapper comprises at least one tobacco leaf portion, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion is a part of a preshaped, harvested and aged tobacco plant leaf.

2. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion extends along the length direction and comprises a length which corresponds to a length of the aerosol generating article.

3. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion extends along the circumferential direction and comprises a circumference which corresponds to a circumference of the aerosol generating article.

4. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion is arranged as the outer surface and/or the inner surface of at least the first wrapper.

5. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion is formed as a spirally wound tube as the outer surface and/or the inner surface of the first wrapper.

6. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating segment is formed as a rod comprising reconstituted tobacco.

7. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein the reconstituted tobacco is at least one gathered sheet.

8. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein the reconstituted tobacco is formed as a plurality of reconstituted tobacco strips or strands extending along the length direction.

9. The aerosol generating article according to claim 6, wherein the reconstituted tobacco is formed as a reconstituted tobacco cut filler which is randomly oriented in the aerosol generating segment.

10. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating segment is individually wrapped with a second wrapper comprising at least one of: paper, cellulose acetate, aluminium foil, tobacco leaf, or tobacco paper.

11. The aerosol generating article according to claim 10, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a third wrapper which is adhesively attached to the first wrapper at least partially.

12. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the first wrapper is a single wrapper of the aerosol generating article.

13. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the first wrapper comprises two layers, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion is a layer of the two layers of the first wrapper adhesively attached on the outer surface or the inner surface of a second layer of the two layers of the first wrapper.

14. The aerosol generating article according to claim 13, wherein the layers of the first wrapper are superimposed or at least overlapping.

15. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein several tobacco leaf portions of the at least one tobacco leaf portion are distributed on the entire outer surface and/or the entire inner surface of the first wrapper.

16. The aerosol generating article according to claim 15, wherein the several tobacco leaf portions are attached to the inner surface and/or the outer surface of the first wrapper as rings, wherein the tobacco leaf rings enclose the aerosol generating article circumferentially.

17. The aerosol generating article according to claim 16, wherein the ring of one of the several tobacco leaf portions replaces at least one lacking portion of the first wrapper.

18. The aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion comprises at least one adhesive surface glued to portions or edges of the first wrapper thereby replacing lacking portions with the at least one tobacco leaf portion.

19. A method for manufacturing an aerosol generating article for use in a non-combustible aerosol generating device, wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a filtering mouthpiece, an aerosol generating segment and a spacer element positioned between the aerosol generating segment and the filtering mouthpiece, wherein the aerosol generating article extends in a length direction and a circumferential direction, the method comprising: wrapping the aerosol generating article at least partially with a first wrapper, wherein the first wrapper comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the first wrapper comprises at least one tobacco leaf portion, wherein the at least one tobacco leaf portion is a part of a preshaped, harvested and aged tobacco plant leaf.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: wrapping the aerosol generating segment with a second wrapper comprising a paper or tobacco leaf or tobacco paper.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising wrapping the aerosol generating article with a third wrapper, wherein the third wrapper is adhesively attached to the first wrapper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Further advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will be described, by way of example only, in the following description with reference to the appended figures. In the figures, like components in different embodiments can exhibit the same reference symbols.

[0059] The figures show:

[0060] FIG. 1 schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by first wrapper comprising a tobacco leaf portion;

[0061] FIG. 2 schematic explosion lateral view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first wrapper comprising several tobacco leaf portions;

[0062] FIG. 3a schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first wrapper comprising a tobacco leaf portion at its inner surface;

[0063] FIG. 3b schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first wrapper comprising a tobacco leaf portion at its outer surface;

[0064] FIG. 4 schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article wounded by a first wrapper being the tobacco leaf portion;

[0065] FIG. 5 schematic explosion lateral view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first, a second and a third wrapper;

[0066] FIG. 6a schematic cross-sectional top view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first wrapper comprising a tobacco leaf portion;

[0067] FIG. 6b schematic cross-sectional bottom view of an aerosol generating article surrounded by a first wrapper comprising a tobacco leaf portion;

[0068] FIG. 7 schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating article inserted in an aerosol generating device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by first wrapper 5 comprising a tobacco leaf portion 7. The tobacco leaf portion 7 is shown as a dashed area. The shown aerosol generating article 1 comprises an aerosol generating segment 3, a spacer element 4a, 4b or, alternatively combination of support element 4a and spacer element 4b, and a filtering mouthpiece 2. Furthermore, the aerosol generating article 1, in particular all segments and elements, extends along a length direction L and a circumferential direction C. The spacer element 4a, 4b may act as a cooling element of the aerosol generating article 1. In alternative embodiment, a support element 4a and a spacer (or cooling) element 4b might be provided as two separate elements (shown in FIG. 5).

[0070] The tobacco leaf portion 7 might be punched out, cut out or torn off from a tobacco plant leaf thereby being performed for the further processing. The shown tobacco leaf portion 7 is preferably provided as a single preformed strip of tobacco leaf. The tobacco leaf strip 7 might comprise a longitudinal expansion measured in an unwrapped state along the length direction L and a width expansion measured perpendicular to the length direction L. Preferably the tobacco leaf strip 7 comprises a length in range of 1 cm and 3 cm, preferably 0.5 cm and 2 cm, also preferably 2 cm and 5 cm. Furthermore, the tobacco leaf strip 7 might comprise a wide in range of 0.3 cm and 1.5 cm, preferably 0.5 and 2.5 cm, also preferably 1.5 cm and 4 cm. Moreover, the tobacco leaf strip 7 might comprise a distal and a mouth end measured along the length direction L. Preferably but not necessary the wide of the tobacco leaf strip 7 is perpendicular to its length. Alternatively, the wide of the tobacco leaf strip 7 might be at an angle to its length. In such a case the distal and/or mouth end of the tobacco leaf strip 7 might be inclined to its length. It is also conceivable that the distal and/or the mouth end of the tobacco leaf strip 7 comprises a tapered shape.

[0071] The aerosol generating article 1 is preferably surrounded by the first wrapper 5 which comprises an inner 6b and an outer 6a surface. Preferably the tobacco leaf portion 7 surrounds the aerosol generating segment 3 of the article 1. Thus, it is conceivable that a length of the tobacco leaf portion 7 corresponds to a length of the aerosol generating segment 3 measured along the length direction L.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a schematic explosion lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by a first wrapper 5 comprising several tobacco leaf portions 7. The shown aerosol generating article 1 corresponds to the aerosol generating article 1 shown in FIG. 1 with a difference regarding the first wrapper 5.

[0073] The shown first wrapper 5 is formed of three tobacco leaf portions 7 arranged between two portions 5a of the first wrapper 5. Preferably the tobacco leaf portions 7 are provided as rectangular tobacco leaf strips or pieces. It is conceivable but not necessary that the first wrapper portions 5a comprise similar dimensions to the tobacco leaf strips 7. Alternatively, the first wrapper portions 5a comprise smaller or larger dimensions compared to the dimensions of the tobacco leaf portions 7. Preferably the tobacco leaf strips 7 are adhesively attached to the first wrapper portions 5a. Also preferably the tobacco leaf strips 7 alternate with the first wrapper portions 5a. Thus, the first wrapper portions 5a and the tobacco leaf strips 7 are preferably preshaped for attaching to each other. However, the tobacco leaf strips 7 are preferably adhesively placed to the first wrapper portions 5a. Preferably the tobacco leaf strips 7 are coated at the distal and/or mouth ends with a suitable adhesive for sticking on to the first wrapper portions 5a. Thus, the strips 7 and the portions 5a result the first wrapper 5 of the aerosol generating article 1. Due to this, the first wrapper 5 comprises tobacco leaf portions 7 at its outer 6a and inner 6b surface.

[0074] The shown aerosol generating article 1 is wrapped by ring-shaped by tobacco leaf portions 7 at the aerosol generating segment 3, the element(s) 4a, 4b and the filtering mouthpiece 2. It is also conceivable that the aerosol generating article 1 is surrounded by two tobacco leaf portions 7 at the aerosol generating segment 3 and the filtering mouthpiece 2 (not shown).

[0075] The aerosol generating segment 3 of the shown aerosol generating article 1 comprises a bundle of reconstituted tobacco 12 which preferably consists of several strands. Preferably the bundle 12 comprises multiple strands of reconstituted tobacco.

[0076] The support element 4a preferably comprises a tubular shape with preferably a centrally located recess. Preferably the support element 4a abuts against to the spacer element 4b and wrapped by the wrapper. Alternatively a single tubular element forms the spacer element 4a, 4b and may further ensure the function of the support element. In an embodiment, the aerosol generating article 1 comprises only the spacer element 4a ensuring a cooling function.

[0077] The filtering mouthpiece 2 preferably comprises filter material. The filtering mouthpiece 2 may comprise a single filter segment or two or more filter segments as well as a non-filter cavity (not shown). A filter segment of the mouthpiece 2 may be a hollow tube made of filtering material. A filter segment of the mouthpiece 2 may be a filled (i.e. non-hollow) filter part. At least one or both segments comprise or are made of cellulose material, preferably cellulose acetate or paper tow. A mouth end of the filter mouthpiece may formed of a filter tube or recessed paper tube.

[0078] FIG. 3a shows a schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by a first wrapper 5 comprising a tobacco leaf portion 7 at its inner surface 6b. The outer surface 6b of the first wrapper 5 is not coated with tobacco leaf portion 7. Thus, the outer surface 6b only comprise the first wrapper 5 extending over an entire length of the aerosol generating article 1 measured along the length direction L. Preferably the tobacco leaf portion 7 is wounded around the whole aerosol generating article 1. The first wrapper portions 5a are positioned between each turn of the tobacco leaf portion 7 around the aerosol generating article 1.

[0079] Preferably the ribbon-like tobacco leaf portion 7 is one continuous wound strip. Also preferably, the tobacco leaf strip 7 comprises a length which corresponds to at least a double length of the aerosol generating article 1. The longitudinal expansion of the tobacco leaf strip 7 is preferably arranged at an angle to the length direction L to achieve a spiral turn around the aerosol generating article 1. Preferably, the angle comprises a range of 25? and 45?, preferably 30? and 55?, also preferably 45? and 70?. In particular, the tobacco leaf strip 7 is wrapped around the aerosol generating article 1 in such a way that it follows a spiral course which extends in the length direction L. Thus, the aerosol generating article 1 is spirally surrounded by tobacco leaf strip 7 and the tobacco leaf strip 7 carries out several spiral turns around the aerosol generating article 1.

[0080] Each turn of the tobacco leaf strip 7 are preferably spaced from each other at a distance in range of 1.3 cm and 3 cm, preferably 2.5 cm and 4.5 cm, also preferably 3 cm and 6 cm. In the shown embodiment, the turn of tobacco leaf strips 7 are at a distance to each other which corresponds to the wide of the tobacco leaf strip 7.

[0081] Preferably the mouth and the distal ends of the tobacco leaf strip 7 are fixed to the surface 6b of the first wrapper 5, at least at a distal or mouth end of the article 1.

[0082] In the shown figure, the tobacco leaf strip 7 spirals around the aerosol generating article 1 and thereby completes three turns. Thus, the tobacco leaf strip 7 runs circumferentially at the inner surface 6b of the first wrapper 5 extending at the same time in the length direction L. Preferably, each segment or element of the aerosol generating article 1 is wrapped at least once with the tobacco leaf portion 7. In particular, the aerosol generating segment 3, the spacer elements 4b, and optionally support element 4a, and the filtering mouthpiece 2 are wrapped with at least one turn of the wounded tobacco leaf portion 7.

[0083] The first wrapper 5 preferably comprises a first thickness t1 at the unwrapped portions 5a and another second thickness t2 at portions which comprise tobacco leaf 7. The thickness t1 is preferably in range of 0.3 mm and 2 mm. The thickness t2 is preferably in range of 0.5 mm and 2.7 mm. The difference between the first thickness t1 and the second thickness t2 is preferably invisible from the outside. Only the outer surface 6a of the first wrapper 5 is visible from the outside of the aerosol generating article 1. The tobacco leaf portion 7 is preferably adhesively attached to the first wrapper, in particular to the inner surface 6b of the first wrapper 5.

[0084] The first wrapper 5 comprising tobacco leaf portion 7 forms preferably a tube 9. The tobacco leaf portion 7 runs on the inner surface of the tube 9. The tube 9 encases the aerosol generating segment 3, the cooling 4a element, the spacer element 4b and the filtering mouthpiece 2.

[0085] FIG. 3b shows a schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by a first wrapper 5 comprising a tobacco leaf portion 7 at its outer surface 6a. The shown aerosol generating article 1 is similar to the aerosol generating article 1 in FIG. 3a. The only difference between the two articles 2 is the applied tobacco leaf portion 7 on the inner 6b and outer 6a surfaces of the first wrapper 5. The shown first wrapper 5 preferably comprises a first thickness t1 at the unwrapped portions 5a and another second thickness t2 at portions which comprise tobacco leaf 7. The thickness t1 is preferably in range of 0.2 mm and 2.3 mm. The thickness t2 is preferably in range of 0.4 mm and 3 mm. The difference between the first thickness t1 and the second thickness t2 is preferably visible from the outside. The tobacco leaf portion 7 is preferably adhesively attached to the outer surface 6a of the first wrapper 5.

[0086] The first wrapper 5 is preferably shaped as a tube 9 which comprises at least one tobacco leaf portion 7 at its outer surface.

[0087] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 wounded by a first wrapper 5 being the tobacco leaf portion 7. The tobacco leaf portion 7 is attached at the outer surface 6a of the first wrapper 5. The first wrapper 5 might support the wounded tobacco leaf portion 7. It is conceivable that the first wrapper is provided as a ready-made tube 9 on which the tobacco leaf portion 7 is attached. Preferably the tobacco leaf portion 7 surrounds the whole first wrapper 5 tube 9.

[0088] The wounded tobacco leaf portion 7 is preferably provided as a strip. The tobacco leaf strip 7 is wrapped around the aerosol generating article 1 in such a way that it follows a spiral course which extends in the length direction L, wherein every turn of the tobacco leaf strip 7 around the aerosol generating article 1 overlaps the previous turn thereby creating an overlap 15. The overlap 15 preferably comprises a length measured along the length direction L in a range of 1 mm and 3 mm, preferably 2.5 mm and 5 mm, also preferably 3 mm and 7 mm. The portion 7 may be adhesively sealed at the overlap 15.

[0089] It is also conceivable that the tobacco leaf portion 7 may be formed of several layers of tobacco leaf pieces with portions overlapping each other. The tobacco leaf portion 7 may comprise a natural geometry being not preformed precisely (not shown). This allows even the smallest tobacco leaf remnants of the tobacco leaf to be processed.

[0090] FIG. 5 shows a schematic explosion lateral view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by a first 5, a second 13 and a third 14 wrapper. The shown aerosol generating article 1 comprises a filtering mouthpiece 2, a spacer (cooling) element 4b, a support element 4a and an aerosol generating segment 3. The filtering mouthpiece 2 extends in a length direction L and is attached to the spacer element 4b. The spacer element 4b extends in the length direction L and is attached to the support element 4a. The support element 4a extends in the length direction L and is attached to the aerosol generating segment 3. The aerosol generating segment 3 extends in the length direction L and is a distal part of the aerosol generating article 1.

[0091] The aerosol generating segment 3 preferably comprises a gathered sheet 10a or randomly arranged shreds of reconstituted tobacco 10. The aerosol generating segment 3 is surrounded by the third wrapper 14. Preferably the third wrapper 14 comprises paper, tobacco leaf or tobacco paper.

[0092] Furthermore, the aerosol generating segment, the support element 4a, the spacer element 4b and the filtering mouthpiece 2 are surrounded by a second or combining wrapper 13. Preferably the second wrapper comprises paper or the tobacco paper.

[0093] Moreover, the whole aerosol generating article 1 is surrounded by the first wrapper 5. The first wrapper 5 comprises three tobacco leaf portions 7 attached at the outer surface 6a of a support layer of the first wrapper 5. The support layer can be made of paper. It is conceivable that the first wrapper 5 comprises more or less tobacco leaf portions 7 on its surfaces 6a, 6b. In particular, it is also conceivable that the first wrapper 5 comprises tobacco leaf portions 7 on its outer 6a and inner 6b surfaces.

[0094] FIGS. 6a and 6b show a schematic cross-sectional top and bottom view of an aerosol generating article 1 surrounded by a first wrapper 5 comprising a tobacco leaf portion 7. In FIG. 6a an aerosol generating segment 3 of the aerosol generating article 1 is shown. The aerosol generating segment 3 comprises in its center a bundle 12 of reconstituted tobacco 10. The bundle 12 is surrounded with a second wrapper 13, a third wrapper 14 and the first wrapper 5. The first wrapper 5 comprises one tobacco leaf portion 7 attached on its outer surface 6a. The tobacco leaf portion 7 comprises a curvature with a circumference c1 which corresponds to a circumference c2 of the first wrapper 5. The first and second wrappers 13, 14 may comprise paper material.

[0095] In FIG. 6b the same aerosol generating article 1 as in FIG. 6a is shown. However, a filtering mouthpiece 2 is arranged in the center of the aerosol generating article 1. The filtering mouthpiece 2 is surrounded by the second wrapper 13 and the first wrapper 5. The first wrapper comprises one tobacco leaf portion 7 which comprises a circumference c1 similar to the circumference c2 of the first wrapper 5.

[0096] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating article 1 inserted in an aerosol generating device 8. The aerosol generating device 8 comprises a cavity 17 and preferably a heating element 16 inside the cavity 17. It is conceivable that the heating element 16 comprises a blade-type or pin-type heater or other inside heating system. Therefore, it is conceivable that the aerosol generating segment 3 comprises a gathered sheet, strips or strands 10b of reconstituted tobacco 10, as shown in FIG. 2. The aerosol generating segment 3 is inserted in the aerosol generating device 8, in particular the heating element 16 is inserted in a center of the aerosol generating segment 3.

[0097] The aerosol generating article 1 is spirally wounded with a tobacco leaf portion 7 which is preferably adhesively attached on the outer 6a or inner 6b surface of the first wrapper 5. The shown tobacco leaf portion 7 and the first wrapper 5 preferably surround the aerosol generating segment 3, a cooling element 4a, a spacer element 4b and the filtering mouthpiece 2 of the article 1.

[0098] The first wrapper 5 comprising tobacco leaf portion 7 which wraps the filtering mouthpiece 2 may absorb humectant released from the heating element 16, preferably inner heater. Preferably the tobacco leaf portion comprised in the first wrapper 5 positioned closer to the filter material inside the filtering mouthpiece 2 may act as a filter for humectant.

[0099] The applicant reserves his right to claim all features disclosed in the application document as being an essential feature of the invention, as long as they are new, individually or in combination, in view of the prior art. Furthermore, it is noted that in the figures features are described, which can be advantageous individually. Someone skilled in the art will directly recognize that a specific feature being disclosed in a figure can be advantageous also without the adoption of further features from this figure. Furthermore, someone skilled in the art will recognize that advantages can evolve from a combination of diverse features being disclosed in one or various figures.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0100] 1 aerosol generating article [0101] 2 filtering mouthpiece [0102] 3 aerosol generating segment [0103] 4a support element [0104] 4b spacer element [0105] 5 first wrapper [0106] 5a first wrapper portion [0107] 6a outer surface of the first wrapper [0108] 6b inner surface of the first wrapper [0109] 7 tobacco leaf portion [0110] 8 aerosol generating device [0111] 9 tube [0112] 10 reconstituted tobacco [0113] 10a gathered sheet of reconstituted tobacco [0114] 10b strips or strands of reconstituted tobacco [0115] 11 rod [0116] 12 bundle of reconstituted tobacco [0117] 13 second wrapper [0118] 14 third wrapper [0119] 15 overlap [0120] 16 heating element [0121] 17 cavity in the aerosol generating device [0122] c1 circumference of the tobacco leaf portion [0123] c2 circumference of the first wrapper [0124] l1 length of the tobacco leaf portion l2 length of the aerosol generating article [0125] t1 first thickness of the first wrapper [0126] t2 second thickness of the first wrapper [0127] L length direction [0128] C circumferential direction