AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE WITH AN ISOLATED AVERSIVE COMPONENT

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol-generating article (10), particularly for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating, the aerosol-generating article (10) comprising: an aerosol-generating substrate (12); a downstream section (14) extending from a downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate (12) to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article (10), wherein the downstream section (14) defines an airflow pathway through which an aerosol may flow from the aerosol-generating substrate (12) to the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article (10); at least one wrapper (30) circumscribing at least a portion of at least one of the aerosol-generating substrate (12) and the downstream section (14); and an aversive component (50) comprising a thread substrate or a strip substrate and an aversive agent absorbed in the thread substrate or strip substrate. The aerosol-generating article is configured such that the aversive component (50) is isolated from the airflow pathway such that the aversive agent is substantially prevented from entering the airflow pathway.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article comprising: an aerosol-generating substrate; a downstream section extending from a downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article, wherein the downstream section defines an airflow pathway through which an aerosol may flow from the aerosol-generating substrate to the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article; at least one wrapper circumscribing at least a portion of at least one of the aerosol-generating substrate and the downstream section; and an aversive component comprising a thread substrate or a strip substrate and an aversive agent absorbed in the thread substrate or strip substrate; the aerosol-generating article configured such that the aversive component is not directly exposed to the airflow pathway such that the aversive agent is substantially prevented from entering the airflow pathway.

2. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aversive agent comprises at least one of denatonium benzoate (bitrex), columbin, amarogentin, quassin, absinthin, and quinine hydrochloride.

3. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aversive agent is provided in a concentration of at least 2 parts per million.

4. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wrapper comprises a radially inner wrapper portion and a radially outer wrapper portion, the radially outer wrapper portion overlapping the radially inner wrapper portion, wherein the aversive component is disposed between the radially inner wrapper portion and the radially outer wrapper portion.

5. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 4, further comprising at least one ventilation zone to allow air to enter the aerosol-generating article, the ventilation zone comprises a first row of perforations provided through the at least one wrapper.

6. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 5, wherein the at least one ventilation zone is provided about the downstream section and comprises a first row of perforations provided through the at least one wrapper, the first row of perforations including a break where the aversive component is provided such that no perforations are provided through the aversive component.

7. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 4, wherein the radially inner wrapper portion and the radially outer wrapper portion are part of a tipping paper, part of an outer wrapping paper, part of a combining plug wrap, or part of a plug wrap surrounding a component of the aerosol-generating article.

8. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 4, wherein the radially inner wrapper portion is part of a first wrapper, and the radially outer wrapper portion is part of a second wrapper, the aversive component being provided where the first wrapper and the second wrapper overlap.

9. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8, wherein the first wrapper comprising the radially inner wrapper portion is an outer wrapping paper, a combining plug wrap, or a plug wrap surrounding a component of the aerosol-generating article.

10. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8, wherein the second wrapper comprising the radially outer wrapper portion is an outer wrapping paper, a combining plug wrap, or a tipping paper.

11. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 4, wherein the aversive component is attached to at least one of the radially inner wrapper portion and the radially outer wrapper portion using an adhesive.

12. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the downstream section comprises a tubular segment comprising a wall and a hollow lumen delimited by the wall and defining an airflow channel extending from an upstream end of the tubular segment to a downstream end of the tubular segment, the aversive component being embedded in the wall of the tubular segment.

13. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 12, wherein a diameter of the hollow lumen is at least 45 percent of a total external diameter of the downstream section.

14. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the thread substrate is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article.

15. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, further comprising an outer wrapping paper, the outer wrapping paper including an impermeable coating to prevent aversive agent from migrating to the outer surface of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

[0187] Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0188] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating article in accordance with the present invention;

[0189] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of an aerosol-generating article in accordance with the present invention; and

[0190] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating system in accordance with the present invention.

[0191] An aerosol-generating article 10 in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The aerosol-generating article 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate and a downstream section 14 at a location downstream of the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate.

[0192] Further, the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises an upstream section 16 at a location upstream of the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate.

[0193] A ventilation zone 60 is provided at a location downstream of the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate.

[0194] In more detail, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the downstream section 14 comprises a mouthpiece element 18 and a hollow section 20.

[0195] The mouthpiece element 18 comprises a plug 24 of low-density filtration material.

[0196] The hollow section 20 comprises an aerosol-cooling element 22 comprising a hollow tubular element and the ventilation zone 60, which comprises a plurality of openings formed through a wall of the hollow tubular element. The hollow tubular element of the aerosol-cooling element 22 is in the form of a cardboard tube. Further, the hollow section 20 comprises a support element 24 comprising another hollow tubular element, which is in the form of a hollow plug 26 of filtration material. The wall of the hollow plug is formed of compressed cellulose acetate fibres, and delimits a hollow lumen that provides for an unrestricted flow through the hollow plug.

[0197] The support element 24 is positioned immediately downstream of the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate. As shown in the drawing of FIG. 1, an upstream end of the support element 24 abuts a downstream end of the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-cooling element 22 is positioned immediately downstream of the support element 24. In fact, an upstream end of the aerosol-cooling element 22 abuts a downstream end of the support element 24. The mouthpiece element 18 is positioned immediately downstream of the aerosol-cooling element 22. In more detail, an upstream end of the mouthpiece element 18 abuts a downstream end of the aerosol-cooling element 22.

[0198] The rod 12 comprises an aerosol-generating substrate in the form of a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material. However, other types of tobacco-containing substrate, such as a tobacco cut filler, can replace the gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material.

[0199] The upstream section 16 comprises a cylindrical plug 28 of cellulose acetate. An RTD of the plug 28 is about 100 millimetres H.sub.2O.

[0200] A wrapper 30 circumscribes both the aerosol-generating substrate 12 and the downstream section 14, as well as the upstream section 16.

[0201] Further, the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises an aversive component 50. The aversive component 50 comprises a thread substrate comprising cotton yarn and an aversive agent absorbed onto the cotton yarn. The aversive agent is a bittering agent. The bittering agent is present in an amount of from 2.7 micrograms to 27 micrograms.

[0202] The aversive component 50 is provided within the wall of filtration material of the hollow plug 26 of the support element 24. As a result, the aversive component is advantageously kept at a distance from any surface that the consumer's fingers may come into contact with during normal use of the aerosol-generating article. Further, because the support element 24 is separated from the mouth end of the aerosol-generating article by both the aerosol-cooling element 22 and the mouthpiece element 18, it is highly unlikely that the consumer's lips or oral mucosa may even come into contact with the support element 24 during the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article.

[0203] Due to the RTD differential between the wall of the plug 26 and the hollow lumen defined therethrough, airflow into the wall of the plug 26 is substantially prevented and so the aerosol species generated upon heating the aerosol-generating substrate 12 during use bypass the wall of the plug 26 by flowing into the hollow lumen defined therethrough and on to the aerosol-cooling element. As such, the aversive component 50 is advantageously isolated from the airflow pathway extending through the downstream section 14.

[0204] Another example of an aerosol-generating article 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The aerosol-generating article 100 is similar to the aerosol-generating article 10 of FIG. 1 and will be described below only insofar as it differs from the aerosol-generating article 10 of FIG. 1.

[0205] In the aerosol-generating article 100 a susceptor element 70 is embedded within the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate. The susceptor element 70 is elongate and extends longitudinally within the rod 12, such as to be thermally coupled with the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0206] The wrapper 30 circumscribes the upstream portion 16 as well as the aerosol-generating substrate 12 and the downstream section 14. In more detail, the wrapper 30 comprises a radially inner wrapper portion 30a and a radially outer wrapper portion 30b, the radially outer wrapper portion overlapping the radially inner wrapper portion. An aversive component 50 is disposed between the radially inner wrapper portion and the radially outer wrapper portion. As a result, the aversive component is advantageously kept at a distance from any surface that the consumer's fingers may come into contact with during normal use of the aerosol-generating article. In practice, the radially outer wrapper portion may act as a barrier between the aversive component 50 and an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article.

[0207] A tipping wrapper 80 attaches the mouthpiece 24 to the downstream section 14, and so an upstream portion of the tipping wrapper 80 overlaps a downstream portion of the wrapper 28.

[0208] Because the support element 24 is separated from the mouth end of the aerosol-generating article by both the radially outer wrapper portion 30b and the tipping paper, and so it is highly unlikely that the consumer's lips or oral mucosa may come into contact with the aversive component 50 during the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article.

[0209] The aerosol-generating article 100 comprises a ventilation zone 60 to allow air to enter the aerosol-generating article. The ventilation zone comprises a row of perforations provided through both the tipping wrapper 80 and the wrapper 28. The perforations also extend through the hollow tubular element of the aerosol-cooling element 22 such that during use ventilation air is admitted into the cavity defined by the aerosol-cooling element 22. As shown in the drawing of FIG. 2, the row of perforations of the ventilation zone 60 includes a break where the aversive component 50 is provided, such that no perforations are provided through the aversive component 50.

[0210] FIG. 3 illustrates an aerosol-generating system 200 comprising an exemplary aerosol-generating device 1 and the aerosol-generating article 100 of FIG. 1.

[0211] The aerosol-generating device 200 comprises a housing (or body) 40. The housing 40 comprises a peripheral wall 42 and an end wall 44. The peripheral wall 40 defines a device cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article 100. 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 1. The aerosol-generating article 10 is configured to be received through the mouth end of the device cavity and is configured to abut a closed end of the device cavity.

[0212] A device airflow inlet 46 is defined within the end wall 44. Air may be admitted into the upstream section 16 of the aerosol-generating article via the device airflow inlet 46. As such, a fluid communication is established between an exterior of the aerosol-generating device 200 and the rod 12 of aerosol-generating substrate.

[0213] The aerosol-generating device 200 further comprises a heater element in the form of an inductor coil 48 adapted to induce a current in the susceptor element 70. The aerosol-generating device 200 further comprises a power source (not shown) for supplying power to the heater element. A controller (not shown) is also provided to control such supply of power to the heater element. The heater element is configured to controllably heat the aerosol-generating substrate within the rod 12 during use, when the aerosol-generating article 100 is received within the device 200.

[0214] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A5 percent of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.