CARBONATED LIQUID NICOTINE FORMULATION

Abstract

A carbonated liquid nicotine formulation for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation including: at least one of water and one or more water-miscible solvents, the carbonated liquid formulation having an ethanol content of less than 1 percent by weight, a nicotine content of greater than or equal to 0.25 percent by weight, and a carbon dioxide content of greater than or equal to 0.5 percent by weight. A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, and an aerosol-generating system, are also provided.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A carbonated liquid nicotine formulation for an aerosol-generating system, the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation comprising: at least one of water and one or more water-miscible solvents, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has an ethanol content of less than 1 percent by weight, a nicotine content of greater than or equal to 0.25 percent by weight, and a carbon dioxide content of greater than or equal to 0.5 percent by weight.

17. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has an ethanol content of less than or equal to about 0.5 percent by weight.

18. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a carbon dioxide content of less than or equal to about 5 percent by weight.

19. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a carbon dioxide content of between 1 percent by weight and 3 percent by weight.

20. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a nicotine content of between 0.5 percent by weight and 5 percent by weight.

21. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a total water and water-miscible solvent content of greater than or equal to about 70 percent by weight.

22. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation further comprises water and one or more other water-miscible solvents.

23. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the one or more water-miscible solvents are one or more water-miscible polyhydric alcohols selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butanediol, glycerine, propylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.

24. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the one or more water-miscible solvents are one or more water-miscible polyhydric alcohols selected from the group consisting of glycerine and propylene glycol.

25. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a combined glycerine and propylene glycol content of between 25 percent by weight and 85 percent by weight.

26. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16, further comprising one or more flavorants.

27. The carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 26, wherein the carbonated liquid formulation has a flavorant content of less than or equal to about 4 percent by weight.

28. A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge containing a carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16.

29. The cartridge according to claim 28, further comprising an atomizer configured to generate an aerosol from the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation.

30. An aerosol-generating system, comprising: a carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to claim 16; and an atomizer configured to generate an aerosol from the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation.

Description

[0171] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following example and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0172] FIG. 1a shows a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a cartridge being inserted into the aerosol-generating device;

[0173] FIG. 1b shows a schematic illustration of the aerosol-generating system of FIG. 1a, in which the cartridge is received in the aerosol-generating device; and

[0174] FIG. 2 shows the nicotine yield of aerosols generated from the liquid nicotine compositions shown in Table 1 using an IQOS MESH™ device.

[0175] FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic illustrations of an exemplary aerosol-generating system according to the invention. The aerosol-generating system shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b is like that disclosed in WO 2015/117702 A1 and comprises an aerosol-generating device 10 and a cartridge 20.

[0176] The aerosol-generating device 10 is portable and has a size comparable to a conventional cigar or cigarette. The aerosol-generating device 10 comprises a main body 11 and a mouthpiece portion 12. The main body 11 contains a battery 14 and control electronics 16. The main body 11 defines a device cavity 18 configured to receive the cartridge 20.

[0177] The device cavity 18 is of substantially circular transverse cross-section and is sized to receive the cartridge 20. Electrical connectors 19 are provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 to provide an electrical connection between the control electronics 16 and the battery 14 and corresponding electrical contacts provided on the cartridge 20.

[0178] The mouthpiece portion 12 is connected to the main body 11 by a hinged connection 21 and can move between an open position as shown in FIG. 1a and a closed position as shown in FIG. 1b. The mouthpiece portion 12 is placed in the open position to allow for insertion and removal of the cartridge 20 from the aerosol-generating device 10 and is placed in the closed position when the aerosol-generating system is to be used to generate an aerosol, as described below. The mouthpiece portion 12 comprises a plurality of air inlets 13 and an outlet 15. In use, a user draws on the outlet 15 to draw air into the mouthpiece portion 12 through the air inlets 13, through the mouthpiece portion to the outlet 15, and thereafter into the mouth and lungs of the user. As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, internal baffles 17 are provided to force the air flowing through the mouthpiece portion 12 past the cartridge 20.

[0179] FIG. 1a shows the cartridge 20 just prior to insertion into the aerosol-generating device 10, with the arrow 1 in FIG. 1a indicating the direction of insertion of the cartridge 20.

[0180] The cartridge 20 contains a carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to the invention. The cartridge 20 is replaceable by a user when the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation contained in the cartridge 20 is depleted. The cartridge 20 comprises a generally circular cylindrical housing 24 that has a size and shape selected to be received into the device cavity 18. The housing 24 contains a capillary material (not shown) that is soaked in the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation. In this example the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation comprises 17 percent by weight water, 40 percent by weight glycerine, 40 percent by weight propylene glycol, 2 percent by weight carbon dioxide and 1 percent by weight nicotine. A capillary material is a material that actively conveys liquid from one end to another, and may be formed from any suitable material. In this example the capillary material is formed from polyester.

[0181] The housing 24 has an open end to which an atomiser comprising a heater assembly 30 is fixed. The heater assembly 30 comprises a substrate having an aperture formed in it, a pair of electrical contacts fixed to the substrate and separated from each other by a gap, and a plurality of electrically conductive heater filaments spanning the aperture and fixed to the electrical contacts on opposite sides of the aperture.

[0182] The heater assembly 30 is covered by a removable cover 26 that is secured to the heater assembly 30. The removable cover 26 is liquid impermeable and is configured to be removed from the heater assembly 30 by a user prior to use of the aerosol-generating system. The removable cover 26 may be secured to the heater assembly 30 by any suitable means. Suitable means include, but are not limited to, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, such as for example, laser bonding and ultrasonic welding, and combinations thereof. As shown in FIG. 1a, the removable cover 26 is provided with a pull tab to facilitate removal of the removable cover 26 by a user prior to use of the aerosol-generating system.

[0183] In use, with the mouthpiece portion 12 of the aerosol-generating device 10 in the open position shown in FIG. 1a, the cartridge 20 is inserted into the device cavity 18 of the aerosol-generating device 10 and the removable cover 26 is removed from the cartridge 10. Once the cover 26 has been removed, the heater filaments are exposed through the aperture in the substrate so that vaporised carbonated liquid nicotine formulation can escape into the air flow past the heater assembly 30.

[0184] In this position, the electrical connectors 19 provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 rest against the electrical contacts provided on the cartridge 20. The mouthpiece portion 12 is then moved to the closed position shown in FIG. 1b. The mouthpiece portion 12 is retained in the closed position by a clasp mechanism (not shown).

[0185] In the closed position the mouthpiece portion 12 of the aerosol-generating device 10 retains the cartridge 20 in electrical contact with the electrical connectors 19 provided at the sides of the device cavity 18 so that, in use, a good electrical connection is maintained regardless of the orientation of the aerosol-generating system. The mouthpiece portion 12 may include an annular elastomeric element that engages a surface of the cartridge 20 and is compressed between a rigid element of the mouthpiece portion 12 and the cartridge 20 when the mouthpiece portion 12 is in the closed position. This may ensure that a good electrical connection is maintained despite manufacturing tolerances. Other mechanisms for maintaining a good electrical connection between the cartridge and the device may be employed.

[0186] In use the heater assembly 30 operates by resistive heating. Current is passed through the heater filaments under the control of control electronics 16, to heat the heater filaments to within a desired temperature range.

[0187] The air flow through the mouthpiece portion 12 when the aerosol-generating system is used is illustrated in FIG. 1d. The mouthpiece portion 12 includes internal baffles 17, which are integrally moulded with the external walls of the mouthpiece portion and ensure that, as air is drawn from the air inlets 13 to the outlet 15, it flows over the heater assembly 30 on the cartridge 10 where carbonated liquid nicotine formulation is being vaporised. As the air passes the heater assembly 30, vaporised carbonated liquid nicotine formulation is entrained in the airflow and cools to form an aerosol before exiting through the outlet 15. Accordingly, in use, the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation passes through the heater assembly 30 by passing through interstices between the heater filaments as it is vaporised.

EXAMPLE

[0188] An ethanol-free, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation not according to the invention (Example A), an ethanol-free, carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to the invention (Example B), two ethanol-containing, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples C and E) and two ethanol-containing, carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples D and F) are prepared having the compositions shown in Table 1:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Example A B C D E F Nicotine (% by weight) 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 Water (% by weight) 19.6 19.2 17.6 17.3 14.7 14.5 Vegetable Glycerine (% by weight) 39.2 38.5 39.2 38.5 39.2 38.5 Propylene Glycol (% by weight) 39.2 38.5 39.2 38.5 39.2 38.5 Carbon Dioxide (% by weight) 0 1.8 0 1.8 0 1.7 Ethanol (% by weight) 0 0 2 1.9 4.9 4.8 Flavourant (% by weight) 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9

[0189] The liquid nicotine formulations of Examples B, D and F are carbonated using a sodastream® SPIRIT™ Sparling Water Maker by:

[0190] (i) placing 20 g of the non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation cooled to a temperature between 0 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius in a 1 litre sodastream® carbonating bottle;

[0191] (ii) immersing a plastic tube connected to the carbonating tube of the sodastream® SPIRIT™ Sparling Water Maker in the non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation in the 1 litre sodastream® carbonating bottle;

[0192] (iii) depressing the carbonating button of the sodastream® SPIRIT™ Sparling Water Maker for around two seconds, releasing and repeating five times to carbonate the liquid nicotine formulation; and

[0193] (iv) releasing the pressure in the bottle and then closing the 1 litre sodastream® carbonating bottle containing the carbonated liquid nicotine formulation with a sodastream® fizz-preserving cap.

[0194] The quantity of carbon dioxide in each of the carbonated liquid nicotine formulations is calculated by weighing the 1 litre sodastream® carbonating bottle, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation, plastic tube and sodastream® fizz-preserving cap prior to step (iii) and weighing the 1 litre sodastream® carbonating bottle, carbonated liquid nicotine formulation, plastic tube and sodastream® fizz-preserving cap after step (iv).

[0195] Aerosols are generated from ethanol-free, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation not according to the invention (Example A), an ethanol-free, carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to the invention (Example B), two ethanol-containing, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples C and E) and two ethanol-containing, carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples D and F) using an IQOS MESH™ device. Aerosols generated from three VEEV flavor caps containing each liquid nicotine formation were analysed using FT-IR and the average nicotine yield per puff for 10 puffs calculated. The results are shown in FIG. 2.

[0196] As shown in FIG. 2, the average nicotine yield per puff for the aerosols generated from the ethanol-free, carbonated liquid nicotine formulation according to the invention (Example B) is advantageously about 9% greater than the average nicotine yield per puff for the aerosols generated from the ethanol-free, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulation not according to the invention (Example A).

[0197] As also shown in FIG. 2, the average nicotine yield per puff for the aerosols generated from the two ethanol-containing, carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples D and F) is not increased compared to the two ethanol-containing, non-carbonated liquid nicotine formulations not according to the invention (Examples C and E).

[0198] The data shown in FIG. 2 illustrates that carbonation of substantially ethanol-free, liquid nicotine formulations having an ethanol content of less than 1 percent by weight in accordance with the invention advantageously increases the nicotine delivery to a user of inhalable aerosols generated from the liquid nicotine formulations. The data shown in FIG. 2 also illustrates that carbonation of liquid nicotine formulations having an ethanol content of greater than 1 percent by weight does not increase the nicotine delivery to a user of inhalable aerosols generated from the liquid nicotine formulations.