AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SEGMENTS

- KT&G CORPORATION

An aerosol-generating article according to one aspect may include: a first segment including a first aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine; and a second segment including a second aerosol-generating material including the nicotine, wherein the first aerosol-generating material includes a moisturizing material in an amount of at least 30 mg by weight.

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Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating article for use with an aerosol-generating device, and more particularly, to an aerosol-generating article including a plurality of segments.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, the demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of general cigarettes has increased. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating aerosol by heating an aerosol generating material in cigarettes, rather than burning cigarettes. Accordingly, there have been active studies on a heating-type cigarette or a heating-type aerosol generating device.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The technical problem to be solved by the present inventive concept is to provide an aerosol-generating article including a segment containing nicotine and another segment containing an aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine. However, the technical problem to be solved is not limited thereto, and other technical problems may be inferred from the following examples.

Technical Solution

An aerosol-generating article according to one aspect may include a first segment including a first aerosol-generating material that excludes nicotine, and a second segment including a second aerosol-generating material that includes the nicotine, wherein the first aerosol-generating material includes a moisturizing material in an amount of at least 30 mg by weight.

Advantageous Effects

An aerosol-generating article includes a plurality of segments, and the plurality of segments contain different components and amounts of the aerosol-generating material. Therefore, the satisfactory amount of atomization and the feeling of smoking can be guaranteed for a user. In addition, even if the aerosol-generating article is heated by a single heater, an excellent quality of an aerosol can be generated. In addition, due to a filtering of the aerosol by the portion not heated by a heater, a user can feel a different feeling of smoking compared to a conventional heating-type aerosol-generating article.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of aerosol-generating articles.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are graphs showing heating temperatures of a second segment according to the content of a moisturizing material.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing an example arrangement of a single heater, a first segment, and a second segment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing an example in which an aerosol is filtered by at least a portion of a second segment.

 BEST MODE

An aerosol-generating article according to one aspect may include a first segment including a first aerosol-generating material that excludes nicotine; and a second segment including a second aerosol-generating material that includes the nicotine, wherein the first aerosol-generating material includes a moisturizing material in an amount of at least 30 mg by weight.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the moisturizing material does not leak out of at least one wrapper surrounding the first segment.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the weight of the moisturizing material is less than or equal to 95 wt % of the weight of a sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second aerosol-generating material is less than or equal to 30 wt % of the total weight of the second aerosol-generating material.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the first segment includes a sheet composed of a polymer material, and the sheet is impregnated with the first aerosol-generating material.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the polymer material includes at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the second aerosol-generating material includes one of nicotine, free-base nicotine, nicotine salt, or a combination thereof, obtained from tobacco cut filler or reformed tobacco material.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the aerosol-generating article is heated by a heater, and the heater heats a first portion of the first segment and a second portion of the second segment.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the area of the first portion and the area of the second portion are equal to each other.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, an aerosol generated by the heater is filtered by remaining portions of the second segment excluding the second portion.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the heater heats the first portion and the second portion to at least 120° C.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the second segment is placed adjacent to the downstream end of the first segment, and the aerosol-generating article further includes at least one segment placed adjacent to the downstream end of the second segment.

MODE FOR INVENTION

As used herein, expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. For example, the expression, “at least one of a, b, and c,” should be understood as including only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “over,” “above,” “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly over, above, on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly over,” “directly above,” “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout.

With respect to the terms used to describe the various embodiments, general terms which are currently and widely used are selected in consideration of functions of structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, meanings of the terms can be changed according to an intention of one of ordinary skill in the art, a judicial precedents, an emergence of a new technology, and the like. In addition, in certain cases, a term which is not commonly used can be selected. In such a case, the meaning of the term will be described in detail in the corresponding portion of the present disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the context of the descriptions provided herein.

In addition, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

In the following embodiments, with respect to the terms “upstream” and “downstream”, when a user inhales air using a smoking article, a portion in which air enters into an aerosol-generating article from the outside is referred to as “upstream”, and a portion in which air exits from the inside of the aerosol-generating article to the outside is referred to as “downstream”. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” are terms used to indicate a relative position or direction between the segments that constitute the aerosol-generating article.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described such that one of ordinary skill in the art may understand and practice the embodiments of the present disclosure. The inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of aerosol-generating articles.

The aerosol-generating article 1 is an article that is heated by an aerosol-generating device to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-generating article 1 may include a first segment 11, a second segment 12, a third segment 13, a fourth segment 14, and wrappers 15.

The first segment 11 may not include nicotine. In addition, the first segment 11 may include an aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine. For example, the first segment 11 may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first segment 11 may include a material in which glycerin and propylene glycol are mixed at a ratio of about 8:2. However, the material is not limited to the above-described mixing ratio. In addition, the first segment 11 may contain other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and/or organic acids. Further, the first segment 11 may contain a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a moisturizing agent.

The first segment 11 may include a crimped sheet, and the first segment 11 may include the aerosol-generating material in a state impregnated with the crimped sheet. In addition, other additives such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and/or organic acids and flavoring liquids may be included in the first segment 11 in a state absorbed by the crimped sheet.

The crimped sheet may be a sheet made of a polymer material. For example, the polymer material may include at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid. For example, the crimped sheet may be a paper sheet that does not generate an odor even when heated to a high temperature. However, the crimped sheet is not limited thereto.

The length of the first segment 11 may be in a range of about 4 mm to 12 mm, but the length of the first segment is not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the first segment 11 may be about 10 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The second segment 12 may include nicotine. In addition, the second segment 12 may include an aerosol-generating material such as glycerin or propylene glycol. In addition, the second segment 12 may contain other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and/or organic acids. Further, a flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a moisturizing agent, may be added to the second segment 12 by spraying the flavoring liquid on the second segment 12.

As an example, the aerosol-generating material may include tobacco cut fillers or reformed tobacco material. Specifically, the aerosol-generating material may include nicotine, and nicotine may be obtained by shaping or reforming tobacco leaves. As another example, the aerosol-generating material may include one of free-base nicotine, nicotine salt, or a combination thereof. Specifically, nicotine may be naturally occurring nicotine or synthetic nicotine.

For example, the second segment 12 may include a mixture of different types of tobacco leaves. In addition, the mixture may be processed through various treatment processes, but is not limited thereto.

Nicotine salts may be formed by adding suitable acids, including organic or inorganic acids, to nicotine. The acid for the formation of the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected in consideration of the rate of nicotine absorption in the blood, the heating temperature of the heater, scent or flavor, solubility, and the like. For example, the acid for the formation of the nicotine salt may be a single acid selected from a group including benzoic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharic acid, malonic acid or malic acid, or may be a mixture of two or more acids selected from the group, but the group not limited thereto.

The second segment 12 may be manufactured in various ways. For example, the second segment 12 may be made of a sheet or may be made of a strand. Further, the second segment 12 may be made of tobacco cut fillers, which are chopped from a tobacco sheet.

The second segment 12 may have a length in the range of about 6 mm to 18 mm, but the length not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the second segment 12 may be about 12 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The third segment 13 may generate a cooling effect of the aerosol. Thus, a user may inhale the cooled aerosol at an appropriate temperature.

For example, the third segment 13 is made of cellulose acetate, and may be a tube-shaped structure including a hollow inside. For example, the third segment 13 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to a cellulose acetate tow. For example, the mono denier of the third segment 13 may be 5.0, and the total denier may be 28,000, but is not limited thereto.

For example, the third segment 13 is made of paper and may be a tube-shaped structure including a hollow inside. In addition, the third segment 13 may include at least one hole through which external air may be introduced.

The third segment 13 may be manufactured by lamination made of several papers. For example, the third segment 13 may be manufactured by a laminate composed of an outer paper, an intermediate paper, and an inner paper, but is not limited thereto. An inner surface of the inner paper constituting the laminate may be coated with a predetermined material (e.g., polylactic acid).

In a case where the third segment 13 is made of a paper, the total thickness of the third segment 13 may be in the range of 330 μm to 340 μm. Preferably, the total thickness of the third segment 13 may be about 333 μm, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, when the third segment 13 is made of a paper, the total basis weight of the third segment 13 may be in the range of 230 g/m2 to 250 g/m2. Preferably, the total basis weight of the third segment 13 may be about 240 g/m2, but is not limited thereto.

The diameter of the hollow included in the third segment 13 may be within the range of about 4 mm to 8 mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the diameter of the hollow of the third segment 13 may be within the range of 7.0 mm to 7.5 mm, but is not limited thereto. The length of the third segment 13 may be within the range of 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the third segment 13 is about 12 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The third segment 13 is not limited to the above-described examples, and if the third segment 13 is capable of performing a function of cooling the aerosol, it may be applicable without limitation.

The fourth segment 14 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to a cellulose acetate tow. The length of the fourth segment 14 may be within the range of about 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the fourth segment 13 is about 14 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The fourth segment 14 may be manufactured to generate a flavor. As an example, the flavoring liquid may be sprayed on the fourth segment 14, or a separate fiber coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the fourth segment 14.

In addition, at least one capsule may be included in the fourth segment 14. Here, the capsule may perform a function of generating a flavor or may perform a function of generating an aerosol. For example, the capsule may have a structure in which a liquid containing perfume is wrapped with a film. The capsule may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

The aerosol-generating article 1 may be wrapped by a plurality of wrappers 15. At least one hole may be formed in the wrappers so that external air flows in or internal gas flows out through the at least one hole.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the first segment 11 is wrapped by a first wrapper 151, the second segment 12 is wrapped by a second wrapper 152, the third segment 13 may be wrapped by a third wrapper 153, and the fourth segment 14 may be wrapped by a fourth wrapper 154. In addition, the entire aerosol-generating article 1 may be rewrapped by a sixth wrapper 156.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1B, the first segment 11 is wrapped by a first wrapper 151, the second segment 12 is wrapped by a second wrapper 152, the third segment 13 may be wrapped by a third wrapper 153, and the fourth segment 14 may be wrapped by a fourth wrapper 154. In addition, the entire aerosol-generating article 1 may be rewrapped by the sixth wrapper 156. In addition, a part of the third segment 13 and the fourth segment 14 may be rewrapped by a fifth wrapper 155.

The first wrapper 151 may be formed by bonding a metal foil such as aluminum foil to a general filter wrapper. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 151 may be in the range of about 40 μm to 80 μm. Preferably, the total thickness of the first wrapper 151 is about 64 μm, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 151 may be in the range of about 10 μm to 30 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 151 is about 20 μm, but is not limited thereto.

The total basis weight of the first wrapper 151 may be in the range of about 80 g/m2 to 90 g/m2. Preferably, the total basis weight of the first wrapper 151 is about 89 g/m2, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the basis weight of the metal foil of the first wrapper 151 may be in the range of about 50 g/m2 to 60 g/m2. Preferably, the basis weight of the metal foil of the first wrapper 151 is about 54 g/m2, but is not limited thereto.

The second wrapper 152 may be formed by bonding a metal foil such as aluminum foil to a general filter wrapper. The first wrapper 151 may have a different thickness and/or basis weight from the second wrapper 152.

For example, the thickness of the second wrapper 152 may be in the range of about 80 μm to 110 μm. Preferably, the total thickness of the second wrapper 152 is about 108 pn, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the thickness of the metal foil of the second wrapper 152 may be in the range of about 10 um to 30 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the metal foil of the second wrapper 152 is about 20 μm, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, the total basis weight of the second wrapper 152 may be in the range of about 120 g/m2 to 130 g/m2. Preferably, the total basis weight of the second wrapper 152 is about 124 g/m2, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the basis weight of the metal foil of the second wrapper 152 may be in the range of about 50 g/m2 to 60 g/m2. Preferably, the basis weight of the metal foil of the second wrapper 152 is about 54 g/m2, but is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the aerosol-generating article 1 may not include the third wrapper 153. For example, when the third segment 13 has a structure including a hollow made of a paper, the third segment 13 may be wrapped by the sixth wrapper 156 without the third wrapper 153.

The fourth wrapper 154 may be made of a wrapper having oil resistance. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 154 may be in the range of about 90 μm to 110 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 154 is about 100 μm, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 154 may be in the range of about 70 g/m2 to 80 g/m2. Preferably, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 154 is about 75 g/m2, but is not limited thereto.

The fifth wrapper 155 may be made of a general filter wrapper. For example, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 155 may be in the range of about 40 μm to 50 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 155 is about 44 μm, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 155 may be in the range of about 36 g/m2 to 40 g/m2. Preferably, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 156 is about 38 g/m2, but is not limited thereto.

The sixth wrapper 156 may be made of a sterilized paper (MFW). For example, the basis weight of the sixth wrapper 156 may be in the range of about 45 g/m2 to 55 g/m2. Preferably, the basis weight of the sixth wrapper 156 is about 50 g/m2, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the thickness of the sixth wrapper 156 may be in the range of about 55 μm to 65 μm. Preferably, the thickness of the sixth wrapper 156 is about 61 μm, but is not limited thereto.

In the aerosol-generating article 1, the first segment 11 includes an aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine, and the second segment 12 includes an aerosol-generating material including the nicotine. The component and content of the aerosol-generating material included in the first segment 11 and the component and content of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12 may not be the same. Therefore, in order for a user to have a satisfactory feeling of smoking, the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 need to be heated to different temperatures. For example, when the second segment 12 is heated to a temperature suitable for the first segment 11, a user may feel a burnt taste. Alternatively, when the first segment 11 is heated to a temperature suitable for the second segment 12, sufficient aerosol may not be generated.

As an example, the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may be heated to different temperatures by different heaters. For example, if the first segment 11 is heated to A ° C. by a heater to produce a sufficient amount of aerosol, and the second segment 12 is heated to B ° C. by another heater to volatilize an appropriate amount of nicotine, and a user may have a satisfactory feeling of smoking.

As another example, the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may be heated by a single heater. In this case, it is difficult to heat the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 to different temperatures. Thus, even if the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 are heated by one heater, at least one of the wrappers 15 may include a thermally conductive wrapper so that each of the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may be heated to an appropriate temperature. An example in which the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 are heated by a single heater will be described later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may include an aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol-generating material may include a moisturizing material. For example, the moisturizing material may include glycerin, propylene glycol, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto. When glycerin and propylene glycol are combined to form a moisturizing material, glycerin and propylene glycol may be combined at a ratio of 8:2. However, the combination ratio is not limited to the example described above.

The moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may contribute to the amount of the aerosol produced. In other words, the total amount of atomization of the aerosol-generating article 1 may be determined by the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11. The moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 may be involved in the smoking taste of the aerosol-generating article 1. In other words, the smoking taste of the aerosol-generating article 1 may be determined by the nicotine and the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12.

In order to generate a sufficient amount of atomization from the aerosol-generating article 1, the first segment 11 must contain a sufficient amount of moisturizing material. In particular, the first segment 11 may include a greater amount of moisturizing material than the second segment 12. However, when an excessive moisturizing material is included in the first segment 11, the moisturizing material may leak out of the aerosol-generating article 1. This is undesirable in view of the appearance of the aerosol-generating article 1.

On the other hand, when a large amount of moisturizing material is included in the second segment 12, there may be a negative effect on the smoking feeling of the user. For example, as the amount of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 increases, the amount of heat required for the moisturizing material to vaporize also increases. Accordingly, the amount of vaporization of nicotine and other aerosol-generating materials included in the second segment 12 is reduced, and results in a decrease in the satisfaction of a smoking feeling of the user.

Therefore, in order to prevent the appearance of the aerosol-generating article 1 from degrading and to increase the user's satisfaction of smoking feeling, it is important to properly adjust the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 and the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12.

In particular, the first segment 11 according to an embodiment includes a moisturizing material in an amount capable of ensuring a sufficient amount of atomization and preventing a change in the appearance of the aerosol-generating article 1. For example, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be at least 30 mg. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be at least 40 mg. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be at least 50 mg. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be at least 60 mg. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be less than or equal to 95 wt % of the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be less than or equal to 85 wt % of the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11 may be less than or equal to 75 wt % of the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material.

In order to determine the optimal amount of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11, the following experiment was conducted. In the experiment below, a sheet made of a paper was impregnated with a moisturizing material, and the weight of the sheet was set to 98 mg. In addition, the moisturizing material was set to be mixed with glycerin and propylene glycol at a ratio of 8:2. Some of the experimental results are illustrated in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Weight of moisturizing Item material TPM Nicotine PG Gly. Moisture 1 40 49.8 1.02 5.41 12.2 20.0 2 59 63.3 1.00 7.78 16.0 24.4 3 78 74.2 1.04 10.2 19.8 28.1

Table 1 shows the results of analyzing the weight (unit: mg) of components included in the aerosol for each weight (unit: mg) of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11. Here, the aerosol means the sum of the aerosols discharged to the outside of the aerosol-generating article 1 by a predetermined number of puffs. Referring to Table 1, it is confirmed that the content of total particulate matter (TPM) in the aerosol varies greatly depending on the content of the moisturizing material in the first segment 11. In particular, although the content of PG (propylene glycol), Gly (glycerin) and moisture in the aerosol is different, it is confirmed that the content of nicotine in the aerosol is not significantly different. That is, when the content of the moisturizing material in the first segment 11 is more than a certain amount, it may be seen that the effect of nicotine in the second segment 12 being discharged to the outside of the aerosol-generating article 1 is small. When the TPM in the aerosol is greater than or equal to about 40 mg, a result similar to the content of nicotine shown in Table 1 was confirmed. In addition, when the content of the moisturizing material in the first segment 11 is about 30 mg, it is confirmed that about 40 mg of TPM is contained in the aerosol. That is, when the moisturizing material in the first segment 11 is greater than or equal to about 40 mg, it is confirmed that a sufficient amount of atomization is ensured and an adequate amount of nicotine transfer may be ensured.

On the other hand, another experiment was conducted in order to determine the optimized amount of the moisturizing material included in the first segment 11. The conditions of the experiment are the same as those in the experiment described above with reference to Table 1. Some of the experimental results are as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Item 1 2 3 4 Ratio of 75.0 82.5 90.0 97.5 moisturizing material (wt%) Weight of 600 660 720 780 moisturizing material (mg) Results on Good Good Good Leakage leakage

In Table 2, the results of a moisturizing substance leakage from the aerosol-generating article 1 according to the ratio of the weight of the moisturizing material to the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material is shown. Here, leakage may mean that the moisturizing material oozes out of the surface of at least one wrapper surrounding the first segment 11. Referring to Table 2, when the ratio of the weight of the moisturizing material to the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material is 97.5 wt %, it is confirmed that the moisturizing material leaks. In addition, when the ratio is less than or equal to 90.0 wt %, it is confirmed that no moisturizing material has leaked. In addition, when the ratio of the weight of the moisturizing material to the weight of the sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material is less than or equal to about 95 wt %, it is confirmed that no moisturizing material has leaked.

Also, a moisturizing material may be included in the second segment 12 according to an exemplary embodiment, and an optimal amount of the moisturizing material is determined to maximize the user's smoking feeling. For example, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 may be less than or equal to 30 wt % of the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 may be less than or equal to 25 wt % of the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 may be less than or equal to 20 wt % of the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12. Alternatively, the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 may be less than or equal to 15 wt % of the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12.

Hereinafter, an example of the content of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are graphs showing heating temperatures of the second segment according to the content of the moisturizing material.

In FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the content of the moisturizing material in the second segment 12 is 3 wt % (A), 10 wt % (B) and 25 wt % (C), graphs showing the relationship between the heating time and temperature of the second segment 12 are shown.

Table 3 below shows the total weight of the aerosol-generating material contained in the second segment 12 and the time taken to reach a specific temperature (e.g., 100° C., 150° C.) when the second segment 12 is heated, based on the graph shown in FIG. 2A.

TABLE 3 Item A B C Ratio of moisturizing 3 10 25 material (wt %) Content of aerosol- 100 170 300 generating material (mg) Time to reach 100° C. 24.1 27.5 45.3 (sec) Time to reach 150° C. 85.6 95.9 152.3 (sec)

In addition, according to the graph shown in FIG. 2B, Table 4 below summarizes the total weight of the aerosol-generating material contained in the second segment 12 and the time taken to reach a specific temperature (e.g., 100° C., 150° C.) when the second segment 12 is heated.

TABLE 4 Item A B C Ratio of moisturizing 3 10 25 material (wt%) Content of aerosol- 100 100 190 generating material (mg) Time to reach 100° C. 24.1 25.6 38.3 (sec) Time to reach 150° C. 85.6 81.1 114.4 (sec)

Comparing the items B and C in Table 3 and the items B and C in Table 4, even if the ratio of the moisturizing material is the same, it is confirmed that the temperature increase rate of the second segment 12 is high when the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12 decreases. That is, it is confirmed that the temperature increase rate of the second segment 12 may be adjusted by controlling the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12. In addition, when the weight of the moisturizing material included in the second segment 12 is less than or equal to about 30 wt % of the total weight of the aerosol-generating material included in the second segment 12, it is confirmed that the rate of temperature increase of the second segment 12 was appropriate.

In addition, the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may be heated by a single heater. In other words, a single heater may be placed over at least a portion of the first segment 11 and at least a portion of the second segment 12. Hereinafter, an example in which a single heater is placed over the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 2B.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing an example of arrangement of a single heater, a first segment, and a second segment.

The aerosol-generating article 1 may include a first segment 11 and a second segment 12 including materials of different compositions in order to produce an abundant amount of aerosol, as well as to transport nicotine and tobacco flavor. For example, the first segment 11 may contain only an aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine to generate an aerosol in an abundant amount. In addition, the second segment 12 may include not only an aerosol-generating material, but also nicotine for transporting tobacco flavor. In addition, the more the moisturizing material is included, the larger the amount of aerosol is generated. Therefore, the first segment 11 may contain a larger amount of the moisturizing material than the second segment 12.

The first segment 11 and the second segment 12 according to an embodiment may be heated by a single heater 410. For example, the single heater 410 may heat a first portion d1 of the first segment 11 and a second portion d2 of the second segment. In this case, the area of the first portion d1 and the area of the second portion d2 may be the same.

In FIG. 3, a cross section of the single heater 410 is shown, however, the single heater 410 may be configured to surround the first segment 11 and the second segment 12. Therefore, when the lengths of the first portion d1 and the second portion d2 are the same, the area of the first segment 11 and the area of the second segment 12, wrapped by the single heater 410 are also the same.

The single heater 410 may directly contact the first segment 11 and the second segment 12, and may indirectly contact the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 through other configurations. For example, the single heater 410 may indirectly contact the first segment 11 or the second segment 12 through a thermally conductive wrapper or thermally conductive tube, and a heating temperature difference between the first segment 11 and the second segment 12 may be realized by indirect heating method through the thermally conductive wrapper or the thermally conductive tube. On the other hand, it was confirmed that when the heating temperature of the single heater 410 is greater than or equal to about 120° C., the user's smoking feeling may be satisfied.

The portion of the second segment 12 that is not heated may perform a function of filtering an aerosol. In other words, an aerosol generated by the single heater 410 may be filtered by the remaining portions of the second segment 12 other than the second portion d2. Hereinafter, an example in which aerosol is filtered will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing an example in which an aerosol is filtered by at least a portion of a second segment.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an aerosol-generating article 1. In particular, the second segment 12 may be divided into a portion 121 heated by a heater and a portion 122 that is not heated by the heater.

As at least a portion 121 of the first segment 11 and at least a portion 122 of the second segment 12 are heated by the heater, an aerosol is generated. The generated aerosol moves along the downstream of the aerosol-generating article 1 and is finally delivered to the user. In this case, as the generated aerosol passes through the portion 122 of the second segment 12 that is not heated, some materials may be filtered. Here, filtering not only filters some of the components included in the aerosol, but may also filter other components contained in the aerosol.

That is, the portion 122 that is not heated may cause changes in the components in the aerosol. For example, as the aerosol passes through the unheated portion 122, some components in the aerosol may be filtered out, and some components included in the unheated portion 122 may be further included in the aerosol. Accordingly, the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol-generating article 1 may be different from the component of the aerosol initially generated. Thus, compared to the second segment 12 being entirely heated, a user may feel a different feeling of smoking.

Those of ordinary skill in the art may understand that various changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the scope of the embodiments described above. The embodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense, and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of the disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and any modifications, substitutions and equivalents thereof should be construed as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article comprising:

a first segment comprising a first aerosol-generating material excluding nicotine; and
a second segment comprising a second aerosol-generating material including the nicotine,
wherein the first aerosol-generating material comprises a first moisturizing material in an amount of at least 30 mg by weight.

2. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein at least one wrapper surrounds the first segment so that the first moisturizing material does not leak out of the first segment.

3. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the weight of the first moisturizing material is less than or equal to 95 wt % of a weight of a sheet impregnated with the moisturizing material.

4. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the second aerosol-generating material comprises a second moisturizing material and a weight of the second moisturizing material included in the second aerosol-generating material is less than or equal to 30 wt % of a total weight of the second aerosol-generating material.

5. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the first segment comprises a sheet made of a polymer material, and the sheet is impregnated with the first aerosol-generating material.

6. The aerosol-generating article of claim 5, wherein the polymer material comprises at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid.

7. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the second aerosol-generating material comprises at least one of nicotine, free-base nicotine, and nicotine salt, obtained from a tobacco cut filler or a reformed tobacco material.

8. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein

the aerosol-generating article is heated by a heater, and
the heater heats a first portion of the first segment and a second portion of the second segment.

9. The aerosol-generating article of claim 8, wherein a first area of the first portion and a second area of the second portion are equal to each other.

10. The aerosol-generating article of claim 8, wherein an aerosol generated by the heater is filtered by remaining portions of the second segment excluding the second portion.

11. The aerosol-generating article of claim 8, wherein the heater heats the first portion and the second portion to at least 120° C.

12. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein

the second segment is placed adjacent to a downstream end of the first segment, and
the aerosol-generating article further includes at least one segment placed adjacent to a downstream end of the second segment.
Patent History
Publication number: 20220361560
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 9, 2020
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2022
Applicant: KT&G CORPORATION (Daejeon)
Inventors: Sung Jong KI (Daejeon), Young Joong KIM (Daejeon), In Su PARK (Seoul), John Tae LEE (Daejeon), Sun Hwan JUNG (Daejeon), Eun Mi JEOUNG (Daejeon)
Application Number: 17/429,014
Classifications
International Classification: A24D 1/20 (20060101); A24F 40/40 (20060101);