AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM HAVING AN AIR INGRESS ZONE

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an aerosol-generating article including a rod of aerosol-forming substrate, a filter downstream of the rod, the rod and the filter being assembled within a wrapper, and an air ingress zone located on the wrapper and being configured to allow ingress of air into an interior of the article; and an aerosol-generating device having distal and mouth ends and including a housing defining a device cavity to removably receive the article at the mouth end, a heater to heat the substrate when the article is received within the cavity, and an air-flow channel extending between a channel inlet and outlet and establishing fluid communication between an interior of the cavity and an exterior of the device, in which there is fluid communication between the interior of the aerosol-generating article and the exterior of the aerosol-generating device when the article is received within the cavity.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. An aerosol-generating system, comprising: an aerosol-generating article comprising: a rod of aerosol-forming substrate, and a filter positioned downstream of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the rod of aerosol-forming substrate and the filter are assembled within a wrapper, the aerosol-generating article further comprising a first air ingress zone located on the wrapper, the first air ingress zone being configured to allow ingress of air into an interior of the aerosol-generating article; and an aerosol-generating device having a distal end and a mouth end, the aerosol-generating device comprising: a housing defining a device cavity configured to removably receive the aerosol-generating article at the mouth end of the aerosol-generating device, a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-generating article is received within the device cavity, and an air-flow channel extending between a channel inlet and a channel outlet, the air-flow channel being configured to establish a fluid communication between an interior of the device cavity and an exterior of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the aerosol-generating system is configured so that, when the aerosol-generating article is received within the device cavity, fluid communication between the interior of the aerosol-generating article and the exterior of the aerosol-generating device is established by a fluid communication being established between the first air ingress zone of the aerosol-generating article received within the device cavity and the air-flow channel of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a peripheral wall defining the device cavity, and wherein, when the aerosol-generating article is received within the aerosol-generating device, a sealing portion of the peripheral wall is configured to establish an airtight fit with a portion of the aerosol-generating article at a position downstream or upstream of the first air ingress zone of the aerosol-generating article.

16. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the fluid communication between the interior of the aerosol-generating article and the exterior of the aerosol-generating device is established by the air-flow channel outlet of the aerosol-generating device overlying the first air ingress zone of the aerosol-generating article received within the device cavity.

17. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein, when the aerosol-generating article is received within the device cavity, an upstream end of the aerosol-generating article is blocked such that air is substantially prevented from entering the aerosol-generating article through the upstream end.

18. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein a diameter of the device cavity increases from the sealing portion of the peripheral wall in a direction towards the distal end of the device cavity.

19. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a circumferential protrusion extending from the peripheral wall into the device cavity, the circumferential protrusion being configured to establish an airtight fit with a portion of the aerosol-generating article, when received within the aerosol-generating device, at a position downstream of the first air ingress zone of the aerosol-generating article.

20. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the wrapper of the aerosol-generating article comprises an air-impermeable material.

21. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the first air ingress zone is located along the rod of aerosol-forming substrate.

22. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the first air ingress zone is located at least 2 mm downstream of an upstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate.

23. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the filter of the aerosol-generating article comprises: a mouthpiece segment comprising a plug of filtration material arranged downstream of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate, and a hollow tubular segment located between the mouthpiece segment and the rod of aerosol-forming substrate.

24. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 23, wherein the first air ingress zone is located along the hollow tubular segment.

25. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the aerosol-generating article further comprises a second air ingress zone located on the wrapper at a position downstream of the first air ingress zone.

26. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 25, wherein the second air ingress zone is located a position at least 1 mm downstream of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate.

27. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 25, wherein a level of air ingress into the interior of the aerosol-generating article through the first air ingress zone is configured to be greater than a level of air ingress into the interior of aerosol-generating article through the second air ingress zone.

28. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 15, wherein the first air ingress zone comprises a plurality of apertures extending through the wrapper.

29. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 25, wherein the second air ingress zone comprises a plurality of apertures extending through the wrapper.

Description

[0260] Specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, in which:

[0261] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0262] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0263] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0264] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0265] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an aerosol-generating article used in the aerosol-generating systems shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0266] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of a comparative example of an aerosol-generating system;

[0267] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0268] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an aerosol-generating article used in the aerosol-generating system shown in FIG. 7;

[0269] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0270] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention;

[0271] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an aerosol-generating article used in the aerosol-generating systems shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in accordance with the present invention;

[0272] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention; and

[0273] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of an aerosol-generating article used in the aerosol-generating system shown in FIG. 12.

[0274] FIG. 1 illustrates an aerosol-generating system 100 comprising an aerosol-generating device 10 and an aerosol-generating article 1. The aerosol-generating device 10 comprises a housing 4, extending between a mouth end 2 and a distal end (not shown). The housing 4 comprises a peripheral wall 6. The peripheral wall 6 defines a device cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article 1. The device cavity is defined by a closed, distal end and an open, mouth end. The mouth end of the device cavity is located at the mouth end of the aerosol-generating device 10. The aerosol-generating article 1 is configured to be received through the mouth end of the device cavity and is configured to abut the closed end of the device cavity.

[0275] An air-flow channel 5 is defined within the peripheral wall 6. The air-flow channel 5 extends between an inlet 7 located at the mouth end of the aerosol-generating device 10 and outlet 9 located at a distal position along the peripheral wall 6.

[0276] The aerosol-generating device 10 further comprises a heater (not shown) and a power source (not shown) for supplying power to the heater. A controller (not shown) is also provided to control such supply of power to the heater. The heater is configured to heat the aerosol-generating article 1 during use, when the aerosol-generating article 1 is received within the device 10.

[0277] The aerosol-generating article 1 comprises a first air ingress zone 15 located along the wrapper 22. The first air ingress zone 15, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a line of perforations extending through the wrapper 22. When the aerosol-generating article 1 is received within the device cavity, the outlet 9 is configured to align or overlie the first air ingress zone 15. Once received within the device cavity, the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 1 is arranged to abut the closed end of the device cavity such that air being drawn through the aerosol-generating device 10 may not flow through the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 1. Air being drawn through the aerosol-generating device 10 may only enter the aerosol-generating article 1 through the first air ingress zone 15, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0278] As shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol-generating article 1 and the device cavity are arranged to form an airtight fit so that air cannot flow between the peripheral wall 6 and the article 1. This airtight fit is established along the most of the whole length of the device cavity. The device cavity has a length of about 25 mm.

[0279] As shown in FIG. 2, as an alternative to defining an airtight fit between the device cavity and the aerosol-generating article 1 throughout the entire length, an aerosol-generating system 200 may comprise an aerosol-generating device 20 having a circumferential protrusion 29 extending from the peripheral wall 6 into the device cavity. The circumferential protrusion 29 is configured to establish an airtight fit with a portion of the aerosol-generating article 1, when received within the aerosol-generating device, at a position downstream of the first air ingress zone 15. The inner diameter of the circumferential protrusion 29 is arranged to be similar to the diameter of the aerosol-generating article 1 in order to define an airtight fit. This ensures that air being drawn through the aerosol-generating device 20 can only enter the aerosol-generating article 1 via the air-flow channel 5 and its outlet 7 and not through a gap between the article 1 and the device cavity.

[0280] FIG. 3 is a more detailed illustration of an aerosol-generating system 100 similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. The air-flow channel 5 is defined within the peripheral wall 6. The air-flow channel 5 comprises a first portion extending in the axial direction from the inlet 7 and a second portion extending in the transverse, or radial, direction from the end of the first portion to the outlet 9. As a result, the air-flow channel 5 comprises an L-shaped bend.

[0281] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol-generating system 300 similar to that shown in FIG. 3. The aerosol-generating system 300 comprises an aerosol-generating device 30 and the aerosol-generating article 1. The aerosol-generating device 30 is similar to aerosol-generating device 10, but differs in that the air-flow channel 205 is defined along the inner surface of the peripheral wall 6. In such embodiments, a portion of the air-flow channel 205 is configured to overlie the first air ingress zone 15 of the aerosol-generating article 1. The air-flow channel 205 has a length of about 23 millimetres. The entire length of the air-flow channel 205 is configured to overlie the aerosol-generating article 1 when received within the device 30.

[0282] FIG. 5 displays an aerosol-generating article 1 configured to be used in the aerosol-generating systems 100, 200, 300 shown in FIGS. 1-4.

[0283] The aerosol-generating article 1 comprises a rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12, a hollow support segment 14, an aerosol-cooling element (or segment) 16 and a mouthpiece segment 18. The components (in this case, the hollow support segment 14, the aerosol-cooling element 16 and the mouthpiece segment 18) downstream of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 form the downstream section of the aerosol-generating article 1. These four elements are arranged in an end-to-end, longitudinal alignment and are circumscribed by a wrapper 22 to form the aerosol-generating article 1. The aerosol-generating article 1 shown in FIG. 1 is particularly suitable for use with an electrically operated aerosol-generating device 1 comprising a heater for heating the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12.

[0284] The rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 has a length of about 12 millimetres and a diameter of about 7 millimetres. The rod 12 is cylindrical in shape and has a substantially circular cross-section. The rod 12 comprises a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material. The hollow cellulose acetate tube (hollow support segment) 14 has a length of about 8 millimetres and its peripheral wall has a thickness of about 1 millimetre.

[0285] The mouthpiece segment 18 comprises a plug of cellulose acetate tow of 8 denier per filament and has a length of about 7 millimetres. The mouthpiece segment 18 has a diameter of about 7 millimetres. The aerosol-cooling element 16 has a length of about 18 millimetres and a diameter of about 7 millimetres.

[0286] The aerosol-generating article 1 comprises a first air ingress zone 15 provided along the rod of aerosol-forming substrate, at least about 2 millimetres from an upstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12. The first air ingress zone 15 is located less than about 10 millimetres from the downstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12, or upstream end of the hollow support segment 14. The first air ingress zone 15 circumscribes the aerosol-generating article 1. That is, the first air ingress zone 15 surrounds the entire periphery of the aerosol-generating article 1.

[0287] FIG. 6 shows a comparative example of an incompatible aerosol-generating article 102, which does not have a first air ingress zone located along and around the rod of aerosol-forming substrate, being used with the aerosol-generating device 30, shown in FIG. 4. Owing to the fact that the article 102 does not have an air ingress zone and that the upstream end of the article 102 is in abutment with the distal end of the device cavity, air cannot be drawn through the device and article 102.

[0288] FIG. 7 displays an aerosol-generating system 400 similar to the aerosol-generating system 300 shown in FIG. 4. The aerosol-generating system 400 comprises an aerosol-generating device 40 and an aerosol-generating article 103. The aerosol-generating system 400 differs from aerosol-generating system 300 in that the first air ingress zone 115 is located around the hollow support segment 14 of the aerosol-generating article 103, as shown in FIG. 8. The first air ingress zone 115 is located about 2 mm downstream of the upstream end of the hollow support segment 14 and about 2 mm downstream of the downstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12, given that the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 and the hollow support segment 14 are in direct abutment.

[0289] As a result of the location of the first air ingress zone 115, the air-flow channel 305 defined in the peripheral wall 6 in the aerosol-generating device 40 is shorter than the air-flow channel 5. The length of the air-flow channel 305 is between about 11 and about 13 mm.

[0290] FIG. 9 shows an aerosol-generating system 500 similar to aerosol-generating system 100. The aerosol-generating system 500 comprises an aerosol-generating device 50 and an aerosol-generating article 104, both configured to be used with each other. The aerosol-generating device 50 is similar to aerosol-generating device 10, but differs in that the device 50 comprises an air-flow channel 405 comprising one inlet 7 and two outlets 9, 19. A first outlet 9 of the air-flow channel 405 is configured to provide fluid communication between the exterior of the aerosol-generating device 50 and a first air ingress zone 15 of the aerosol-generating article 104. A second outlet 19 of the air-flow channel 405 is configured to provide fluid communication between the exterior of the aerosol-generating device 50 and a second air ingress zone 115 of the aerosol-generating article 104.

[0291] FIG. 10 shows an aerosol-generating system 600 similar to aerosol-generating system 500. Instead, the aerosol-generating system 600 comprises the aerosol-generating device 30 and the aerosol-generating article 104. As discussed above, the air-flow channel 205 is defined along the inner surface of the peripheral wall 6.

[0292] The aerosol-generating article 104 is shown in FIG. 11. The two air ingress zones 15, 115 are located along and around two different components of the aerosol-generating article 104. The first air ingress zone 15 is arranged along the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 at least about 2 mm downstream of the upstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12. The second air ingress zone 115 is arranged along the hollow support segment 14, at least about 2 mm downstream of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 and at least about 2 mm downstream of the upstream end of the hollow support segment 14.

[0293] As shown in both FIGS. 9 and 10, fluid communication between the exterior of the aerosol-generating devices 30, 40 and the interior of the aerosol-generating article 104 is established via two different air ingress zones 15, 115. The first air ingress zone 15 is configured to be able to allow the passage of more air than the second air ingress zone 115. In other words, the first air ingress zone 15 is configured to provide a greater level of air ingress than the second air ingress zone 115.

[0294] The first air ingress zone 15 is configured to be the primary air intake zone of the aerosol-generating article 104 when the article 104 is received within the devices 30, 40 when an abutment of the upstream end of the article 104 with the distal end of the device cavity occurs. The second air ingress zone 115 is configured to provide ventilation to the article 104; that is, ventilating air to aerosol flowing from the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12 through the hollow support segment 14 towards the mouth end of the article 104. The second air ingress zone 115 comprises a line of perforations extending around the wrapper 22 and extending through the wrapper 22 and the peripheral wall of the hollow support segment 14.

[0295] FIG. 12 displays an aerosol-generating system 700 comprising the aerosol-generating device 30 and an aerosol-generating article 105, which is shown in FIG. 13. The aerosol-generating article 105 comprises two air ingress zones 215, 315 separated by a distance of about 1.5 mm. The first air ingress zone 215 comprises a porous portion of the wrapper 22. Such a porous portion forming the first air ingress zone 15 is about 3 mm wide. The second air ingress zone 315 comprises a line of perforations extending through and around the wrapper 22. The second air ingress zone 315 is located about 1.5 mm downstream of the first air ingress zone 215. Both the first and second air ingress zones 215, 315 are located along the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12. The first air ingress zone 215 is located about 2 mm downstream of the upstream end of the rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12.

[0296] When received within the aerosol-generating device 30, the open, upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 105 abuts the distal end of the device cavity in order to prevent air flowing through the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 105. Therefore, during use, air is configured to flow through the first air ingress zone 215 due to the overlap between the air-flow channel 205 and the first air ingress zone 215.

[0297] Each of the aerosol-generating devices 10, 20, 50 discussed above comprise more than one air-flow channel. The aerosol-generating devices 10, 20, 50 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 6 & 9, comprise at least two elongate air-flow channels 5, 405. Each of the aerosol-generating devices 30, 40 comprise an annular air-flow channel 205, 305, as shown in FIGS. 4, 7, 10 & 12.

[0298] Unless otherwise specified, each of the described aerosol-generating articles 1, 102, 103, 104, 105 comprise the same structural components—for example, a rod of aerosol-forming substrate 12, a hollow support segment 14, an aerosol-cooling element 16 and a mouthpiece segment 18 arranged within a wrapper 22—but differ mainly in the configuration of the air ingress zones provided on the article.