EP4585070A1

EP4585070A1 - Smoking article including lyocell tow

Info

Publication number: EP4585070A1
Application number: EP25151972.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Min Hee Hwang; Sung Min Moon; Sung Jong Ki; Jin Chul Yang; Sung Hoon Ha; John Tae Lee; Kyeng Bae Ma; Ki Jin AHN; Jong Cheol Jeong; Sang Woo Jin; Eun Young Park; Jeong Hun Lee; Seung Dong SEO; Yeong Nam Hwang
Original assignee: Kolon Industries Inc; KT&G Corp
Current assignee: Kolon Industries Inc; KT&G Corp
Priority date: 2024-01-15
Filing date: 2025-01-15
Publication date: 2025-07-16
Also published as: WO2025155072A1

Abstract

There is provided a smoking article. The smoking article includes a medium portion, a mouthpiece portion arranged to be spaced apart from one side of the medium portion, a support structure arranged between the medium portion and the mouthpiece portion, and a cooling structure arranged between the support structure and the mouthpiece portion, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers.

Description

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a smoking article in which lyocell tow is applied to a mouthpiece portion of the smoking article, thereby preventing the tow of the mouthpiece portion from melting due to the high temperature applied to heat the smoking article and effectively reducing the feeling of heat generated during the initial puff to provide an improved smoking experience.

[Background Art]

In smoking articles, the transfer of tobacco components (e.g., nicotine, tar) and the generation of an atomized aerosol (vapor) have a significant impact on the user's smoking experience. In general, the smoking articles operate by heating a stick to a high temperature of approximately 150 to 300°C using a device and transferring the heated heat to a medium portion so that the tobacco components such as nicotine and the like can be smoothly transferred as the temperature of the medium portion rises. In this process, substances such as glycerin and the like are heated to generate vapor, and the tobacco components contained in the vapor are transferred so that the user can inhale the tobacco components. However, when the device is set to a temperature below the boiling point of glycerin, there is a problem in that the transfer of tobacco components is limited because vapor is not generated smoothly.
Meanwhile, conventionally, the mouthpiece portion performed a function of filtering components within the mainstream smoke using cellulose acetate (hereinafter may be abbreviated as "CA") tow. Meanwhile, in the case of cellulose acetate (CA) tow, the CA tow melts or deforms at a temperature of approximately 70°C or higher and then solidifies again. This phenomenon causes problems of interfering with the smooth transfer of smoke or generating negative off-flavors and preventing the filtering function from working properly.

[Disclosure]

[Technical Problem]

One object of the present invention is to provide a smoking article including: a medium portion, a support structure, a cooling structure, and a mouthpiece portion, wherein lyocell tow is applied to the mouthpiece portion to prevent the tow of the mouthpiece portion from melting due to the high temperature applied to heat the smoking article and to effectively reduce the feeling of heat generated during the initial puff, thereby providing a richer and improved smoking experience to the user.
The objects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned objects can be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[Technical Solution]

One aspect of the present application for achieving the above object provides a smoking article including: a medium portion, a mouthpiece portion arranged to be spaced apart from one side of the medium portion, a support structure arranged between the medium portion and the mouthpiece portion, and a cooling structure arranged between the support structure and the mouthpiece portion, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers.
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers included in the lyocell tow may have a single fiber fineness of 2.22 to 16.67 dtex (a mono denier of 2 to 15), and the lyocell tow may have a total fiber fineness of 1,111 to 4,444 tex (a total denier of 10,000 to 40,000).
In some embodiments, the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion may be 5 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 14 mmH₂O (mmWG) based on the length (12 mm) of the mouthpiece.
In some embodiments, the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion may be 6.2 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 12 mmH₂O (mmWG) based on the length (12 mm) of the mouthpiece.
In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may have a hardness of 60% to 100%. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion may have a hardness of 85% to 95%.
In some embodiments, the cooling structure may have a tube shape having a hollow formed therein.
In some embodiments, the support structure may have a tube shape having a hollow formed therein.
In some embodiments, the cooling structure may have a tube shape having a hollow formed therein, the support structure may have a tube shape having a hollow formed therein, and the hollow of the cooling structure and the hollow of the support structure may communicate with each other.
In some embodiments, the support structure may include at least one of cellulose acetate, lyocell, and a paper tube.
In some embodiments, the cooling structure may include at least one of a tubular structure made of a paper material, a tubular structure made of a cellulose acetate material, and a tubular structure made of a lyocell material.
Another aspect of the present application for achieving the above object provides a system including the above-described smoking article and an aerosol generation device to which the smoking article is applied.
Still another aspect of the present application provides a method of manufacturing the above-described smoking article.

[Advantageous Effects]

According to a smoking article according to one embodiment, which includes: a medium portion, a support structure, a cooling structure, and a mouthpiece portion, lyocell tow is applied to the mouthpiece portion to prevent the tow of the mouthpiece portion from melting due to the high temperature applied to heat the smoking article and to effectively reduce the feeling of heat generated during the initial puff, thereby providing a richer and improved smoking experience to the user.
Advantageous effects according to the technical spirit of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned advantageous effects can be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the description below.

[Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a smoking article according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 3 to 5 show various types of aerosol generation devices to which the smoking articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied.

[Mode for Invention]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods of achieving the same should become clear with embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and may be implemented in various different forms. The following embodiments are only provided to make the technical spirit of the present disclosure complete and completely inform those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains of the scope of the present disclosure. The technical spirit of the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.
In assigning reference numerals to components in each of the drawings, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components wherever possible even when the components are shown in different drawings. Also, in describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of a known related configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical or scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Also, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Terms used herein are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In the present specification, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Also, in describing components of the present disclosure, the terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. Such terms are only used for distinguishing one component from another component, and the essence, order, sequence, or the like of the corresponding component is not limited by the terms. In a case in which a certain component is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "linked" to another component, it should be understood that, although the component may be directly connected or linked to the other component, still another component may also be "connected," "coupled," or "linked" between the two components.
The terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" used herein do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more components, steps, operations, and/or devices other than those mentioned.
First, some terms used herein will be clarified.
In the present specification, a "smoking article" may refer to any product that can be smoked or any product that can provide a smoking experience, regardless of whether the product is based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. For example, the smoking article may include products that can be smoked, such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos.
In the present specification, a "smoking material" may refer to any type of material that may be used in a smoking article.
In the present specification, "user" may be used interchangeably with "consumer."
In the present specification, "upstream" or "upstream direction" may refer to a direction moving away from an oral region of a smoker, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" may refer to a direction approaching the oral region of the smoker.
In the present specification, a "longitudinal direction" may refer to a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of a smoking article. The "longitudinal axis" of the smoking article may refer to an imaginary line that extends along the main longitudinal direction of the smoking article. This axis typically runs from one end of the smoking article (e.g., the mouthpiece or filter end) to the opposite end (e.g., the combustion or heat source end).
In the present specification, a "lyocell filter" refers to a filter that includes or is composed of lyocell tow.
In the present specification, "lyocell tow" includes or is composed of a plurality of lyocell fibers. In some embodiments, the lyocell tow may refer to a bundle formed by cross-linking adjacent lyocell fibers.
In the present specification, "lyocell fiber" may refer to a fiber made of lyocell cellulose. In particular, the lyocell fiber may be a fiber made of cellulose derived from or mainly derived from wood pulp, particularly a semi-synthetic fiber.
In the present specification, the "single fiber fineness" of lyocell tow or cellulose acetate tow refers to a fiber fineness of a single strand of monofilament separated from a multifilament of lyocell fibers or cellulose acetate fibers constituting the lyocell tow or cellulose acetate tow.
In the present specification, the "total fiber fineness" of lyocell tow or cellulose acetate tow refers to a fiber fineness of a multifilament of lyocell fibers or cellulose acetate fibers constituting the lyocell tow or cellulose acetate tow.
In the present specification, a "reconstituted tobacco leaf" refers to a tobacco leaf reconstituted from tobacco materials.
In the present specification, a "reconstituted tobacco leaf" or "reconstituted tobacco sheet" may refer to a sheet made by combining tobacco by-products selected from the group consisting of stems, dust, particulates and a combination thereof with a binder. In some embodiments, the reconstituted tobacco leaf is a homogenized tobacco leaf.
In the present specification, a "non-circular cross-section" is defined as a cross-section having a shape including a plurality of protrusions instead of having a circular shape. For example, a cross-section having a shape in which the plurality of protrusions branch and/or extend from the center and/or the center of the cross-section may be referred to as "non-circular cross-section." Here, the term "protrusion" may refer to a distinct and extended segment or arm extending outward from the central core or joining point of the cross-section of the lyocell fiber.
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers may have a Y-shaped cross-section with three protrusions branching and/or extending from the center and/or the center of the cross-section, a cross-shaped cross-section with four protrusions, and/or a star-shaped cross-section with five protrusions, or may also have an O-shaped cross-section, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers may include three or more protrusions branching and/or extending from the center and/or the center of the cross-section.
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers included in the lyocell tow may have a Y-shaped cross-section in terms of application to cigarette filters.
In the present specification, a "hollow" may refer to a channel extending along in the longitudinal direction. For example, a structure having a hollow may be referred to as a "tubular structure."
In the present specification, "consisting of" any element may mean including or consisting of that element.
In the present specification, "basis weight" refers to a mass per unit area of a wrapping paper and/or wrapper. The basis weight of the wrapping paper and/or wrapper may be determined by measuring the mass and area of the wrapping paper and/or wrapper and dividing the mass of the wrapping paper and/or wrapper by the area. The unit of the basis weight may be gram per square meter (gsm), i.e., g/m².
In the present specification, the "wrapping" of a smoking article by a wrapper and/or wrapping paper may refer to at least a portion of the peripheral surface along the longitudinal axis of each part and/or structure of the smoking article being surrounded by the wrapper.
In the present specification, the hardness of the mouthpiece portion is a value obtained by quantifying the degree to which the diameter of the mouthpiece portion is maintained when the mouthpiece portion is pressed with a certain level of force in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece portion, and may be the percentage of the diameter of the mouthpiece portion after the force is applied compared to the diameter of the mouthpiece portion before the force is applied. For example, the hardness (%) of the mouthpiece portion may be calculated as (D-a)/D × 100%. Here, D represents the diameter of the mouthpiece portion, and a represents the distance the mouthpiece portion moves downward due to a 300 g weight (i.e., when the mouthpiece portion is pressed). The measured value necessary for calculating the hardness may be obtained using, for example, DHT 200^™ of Filtrona. In measuring the hardness, the force applied to the mouthpiece portion may be considered to be a value equivalent to the force applied when an actual user holds a smoking article.
A filter of the smoking article according to one aspect of the present invention may collect at least a portion of smoke components generated when the smoking article is smoked. In some embodiments, the filter of the smoking article may collect the total particulate matter (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "TPM") including at least a portion of at least one of nicotine (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "Nic"), tar, propylene glycol (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "PG"), and glycerin (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "Gly") included in the smoke components generated when the smoking article is smoked.
In the present specification, the removal efficiency (%) of a specific component by a filter may be calculated as (residual amount in filter after smoking)/(residual amount in filter after smoking + aerosol transfer amount after smoking) × 100%, and the transfer rate (%) of the specific component of interest may be calculated as 100 (%) - removal efficiency (%).
In the present specification, "resistance to draw" refers to a difference in static pressure between both ends of a sample when an airflow passes through the sample. In the present specification, "PDC" refers to a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are blocked, and the inflow of outside air is blocked, and "PDO" refers to a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are not blocked, and the inflow of outside air is allowed. For example, the resistance to draw may be measured using the method specified in ISO standard 6565:2015. According to ISO standard 6565:2015, the resistance to draw may refer to a difference in static pressure between both ends of the sample when an airflow passes through the sample under normal conditions (22 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5% relative humidity) with a volume flow rate of 17.5 mm/s at the discharge end.
In the present specification, an organic acid is a general term for organic compounds that are acidic.
In some embodiments, room temperature may refer to 20 °C to 25 °C.
In the present specification, when no separate physical quantity is indicated, "component %" and "component proportion" refer to the weight % of the component and the weight proportion of the component, respectively.
In the present specification, "puff" refers to an action of drawing or inhaling the air through a smoking article to produce and inhale smoke or vapor. "Puff count" may refer to the total number of drawing and inhalation actions during use of the smoking article. Alternatively or additionally, the puff count may represent the maximum number of drawing and inhalation actions that the smoking article can provide before it is completely consumed or ceases to function.
In the present specification, Health Canada (HC) conditions may include a puff volume of 55 ml, a puff frequency of 30 seconds, and a puff duration of 2 seconds. Particularly, the HC conditions may be based on a state in which the perforations of a filter are blocked. In measurement under the HC conditions, the puff count may be 9.
In the present specification, the "ventilation rate (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "Vent")" of a smoking article may be defined as the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the total volume flow rate (e.g., mL/s) of air entering the smoking article without burning or heating through the front region, that is, the longitudinal upstream end, of the smoking article to the total volume flow rate (e.g., mL/s) of air at the outlet, that is, the longitudinal downstream end, of the smoking article. For example, the ventilation rate may be measured according to ISO 9512:2019. For example, the total volume flow rate of air entering the smoking article without burning or heating through the front region of the smoking article may be the total volume flow rate of air entering in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the smoking article. For example, the total volume flow rate of air entering the smoking article without burning or heating through the front region of the smoking article may be the total volume flow rate of air entering the smoking article through wrapping paper.
The content of the components in the total particulate matter (TPM) of the collected smoke may be analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). For example, in the case of tar or nicotine, a Cambridge filter (Cambridge filter pad (CFP)) on which the smoke components are collected is immersed in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for a predetermined time (for example, 20 minutes to 16 hours). In the case of PG and Gly, a Cambridge filter (Cambridge filter pad (CFP)) on which the smoke components are collected is immersed in methanol for a predetermined time (for example, 2 hours to 16 hours), treated using a shaker device, and then passed through a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) syringe filter to remove impurities. Thereafter, the content of the components included in the total particulate matter (TPM) of the collected smoke may be measured using a GC/MS device. The immersion time may be 20 minutes or more, particularly for tar or nicotine, and 2 hours or more for PG and Gly.
The amount of components (particularly, the amount of nicotine components) remaining inside the filter (particularly, the lyocell filter and/or lyocell tow, particularly the mouthpiece portion) and/or segments constituting a tobacco rod after smoking may be measured by immersing the tobacco rod, the filter and/or segments, and the like in water after smoking to extract the residual components (particularly, the nicotine components) and analyzing the residual components with a GC/MS device. At this time, the tobacco rod, filter and/or segments (particularly, the mouthpiece portion), and the like are immersed in a container containing distilled water overnight (for example, for 12 to 16 hours), and a solution containing the components extracted thereby may be utilized for GC/MS analysis. The immersion time may be particularly 16 hours.
The GC/MS may be, for example, a measuring device from Agilent.
Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a smoking article according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, a smoking article 100 may include a medium portion 110, a support structure 120, a cooling structure 130, and a mouthpiece portion 140. The cooling structure 130 may be arranged to be spaced apart from one end of the medium portion 110 along the longitudinal direction of the medium portion 110. The mouthpiece portion 140 may be arranged in an opposite direction of the support structure 120 with respect to the cooling structure 130. In some embodiments, the smoking article 100 may further include a wrapper 150. In particular, the smoking article 100 may include a medium portion 110, a cooling structure 130 arranged to be spaced apart from the medium portion 110 on one side of the medium portion 110, a support structure 120 arranged between the medium portion 110 and the cooling structure 130, and a mouthpiece portion 140 arranged on one side of the support structure 120 with the cooling structure 130 interposed therebetween. The medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may be arranged sequentially in a longitudinal direction. In some embodiments, the smoking article 100 may further include a wrapper 150 configured to wrap around at least a portion of the medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140.
The medium portion 110 may include an aerosol-forming substrate. Since the medium portion 110 includes the aerosol-forming substrate, the medium portion 110 may generate an aerosol when heated. The medium portion 110 may have a length of approximately 10 mm to 14 mm (for example, 12 mm), but the present invention is not limited thereto. The medium portion 110 may be inserted into an aerosol generation device to generate an aerosol when heated. The generated aerosol (e.g., mainstream smoke) may be inhaled through the user's oral region.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may include a tobacco material, although the processed form of the tobacco material may vary. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate may include a reconstituted tobacco sheet such as a reconstituted tobacco leaf sheet. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may include the reconstituted tobacco leaf sheet. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may also include a plurality of tobacco strands (or shredded tobacco) formed from shredded reconstituted tobacco sheets. For example, the medium portion 110 may be filled with the plurality of tobacco strands arranged in the same (e.g., parallel) direction and/or randomly. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may also include shredded leaf tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate may include the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the shredded leaf tobacco.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate or the medium portion 110 may include at least one humectant. The humectant may include glycerin and/or propylene glycol, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming substrate or the medium portion 110 may contain at least one flavoring agent (or, as may be referred to a "flavoring material") and/or other additives such as an organic acid. For example, the flavoring agent may include licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, an artificial sweetener (e.g., Isosweet^™), cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, ylang ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander, and/or coffee, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
The support structure 120 is located downstream (on one side) of the medium portion 110, and the upstream side of the support structure 120 may come into contact with the downstream side of the medium portion 110. The support structure 120 may function as a support member for the medium portion 110. For example, when a heating element of the aerosol generation device is inserted into the medium portion 110 and/or aligned to the outside of the medium portion 110, the support structure 120 may function to prevent the medium portion 110 from moving downstream. The support structure 120 may also serve as a passage for aerosol (e.g., mainstream smoke) formed in the medium portion 110.
In some embodiments, the support structure 120 includes a tubular structure having a hollow 120H formed therein, and the hollow 120H may function as a channel for the aerosol (i.e., through which the aerosol moves). The hollow 120H may extend along the longitudinal direction of the support structure 120. The hollow 120H is located at the center of a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support structure 120 and may extend along the longitudinal direction of the support structure 120. The hollow 120H and the support structure 120 may have a coaxial structure along the longitudinal direction. The support structure 120 may have a length of approximately 8 mm to 12 mm (for example, 10 mm), but the present invention is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the length of the support structure 120 may be shorter than or equal to the length of the cooling structure 130 described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
The downstream end of the tubular structure included in the support structure 120 may come into contact with the upstream end of the tubular structure included in the cooling structure 130. In other words, one end located on one side (downstream) of the support structure 120 may come into contact with an end located on the other side (upstream) opposite to the one side of the cooling structure 130, and the other end located on the other side (upstream) of the support structure 120 may come into contact with one side end of the medium portion 110. Accordingly, the aerosol formed in the medium portion 110 may move toward the mouthpiece portion 140 (i.e., in the downstream direction) through the hollow 120H or 130H.
The support structure 120 may include at least one of cellulose acetate, lyocell, and a paper tube. In particular, the support structure 120 may include a tubular structure made of a cellulose acetate material and/or a tubular structure made of a lyocell material including a plurality of lyocell fibers. In other words, the support structure 120 may be a tubular filter composed of cellulose acetate fibers or a tubular filter composed of lyocell fibers. The support structure 120 may effectively prevent the medium portion 110 from moving in a downstream direction in a situation in which a heating element is inserted, and may also provide filtration and cooling effects for the aerosol.
Preferably, the support structure 120 may include a tubular structure composed of lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers. Alternatively or additionally, the support structure 120 may also include a tubular structure made of a cellulose acetate material, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As the support structure 120 is composed of lyocell tow having a hollow formed therein (i.e., having a tubular structure) and including a plurality of lyocell fibers, due to the high heat resistance characteristics of lyocell tow that does not melt even at high temperatures, deformation of the support structure 120 caused by heat applied to heat the smoking article 100 and/or high-temperature aerosol passing through the hollow 120H of the support structure 120 may be prevented or minimized. Accordingly, since the support structure 120 may maintain its shape during smoking, the smoke components passing through the hollow 120H of the support structure 120 can be maintained uniformly without variation depending on the smoking time, thereby providing a more improved smoking experience to the user.
Meanwhile, it may be desirable for the support structure 120 to be manufactured to have appropriate hardness and/or durability for its support role. In some embodiments, when the support structure 120 includes cellulose acetate, the hardness of the support structure 120 may be adjusted by adjusting the amount of plasticizer added when the support structure 120 is manufactured using the cellulose acetate. For example, the hardness of the support structure 120 may be enhanced as the amount of plasticizer added increases. Also, as the inner diameter of the support structure 120 increases (i.e., as the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the support structure 120 decreases), the content of the added plasticizer may also increase. In some other embodiments, the support structure 120 may be manufactured by inserting a structure made of the same or different material, such as a film, a tube, or the like, into the interior (i.e., the hollow 120H) of the support structure 120.
In other some embodiments, when the support structure 120 includes lyocell, the support structure 120 may be a lyocell filter which has a hollow 120H formed therein and to which at least one binder is added. Unlike cellulose acetate, lyocell does not have a plasticizer material that hardens lyocell fibers. Instead, a binder may be added to appropriately impart hardness to the support structure 120. That is, when the support structure 120 further includes at least one binder, excellent hardness may be achieved even though the support structure 120 is a lyocell filter composed of lyocell tow.
In some embodiments, the binder may include at least one of a cellulose-based binder, vinyl-based binder, a polyester-based binder, a dextrin-based binder, a starch-based binder, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, konjac, and agar, but is not limited thereto as long as the binder is a material capable of binding between a plurality of lyocell fibers to impart appropriate hardness. For example, the cellulose-based binder may include hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and the like, the vinyl-based binder may include polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc), and the like, the polyester-based binder may be a polyester including one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylenes, arylenes, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, the dextrin-based binder may include dextrin and the like, and the starch-based binder may include starch (for example, tapioca, corn, wheat, potato, sweet potato, and the like), cationic starch, esterified starch, and the like, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the binder may include at least one of a polyester including one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylenes, arylenes, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc), dextrin, tapioca starch, corn starch, wheat starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, cationic starch, esterified starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, konjac, and agar.
In some embodiments, the support structure 120 may be a flavored filter to which a flavoring material such as menthol has been added (i.e., flavored). In this case, the flavor development of the smoking article 100 may be enhanced.
The cooling structure 130 may function as a cooling member for a high-temperature aerosol generated as the medium portion 110 is heated. In particular, the cooling structure 130 may include a tubular structure having a hollow 130H formed therein, and may cool an aerosol passing through the hollow 130H. In particular, the aerosol formed in the medium portion 110 may move to the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 through the hollow 120H of the support structure 120, and may move toward the mouthpiece portion 140 (i.e., in the downstream direction). The hollow 130H may extend along the longitudinal direction of the cooling structure 130. The hollow 130H is located at the center of a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cooling structure 130, and may extend along the longitudinal direction of the cooling structure 130. The hollow 130H and the cooling structure 130 may have a coaxial structure along the longitudinal direction.
The hollow 120H of the support structure 120 and the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 are located at the center of a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support structure 120 and the cooling structure 130, respectively, and thus may extend along the longitudinal direction of the support structure 120 and the cooling structure 130. The hollow 120H of the support structure 120 and the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 may extend along the same axis along the longitudinal direction. However, the hollow 120H of the support structure 120 and the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 may have the same or different diameters in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis.
Accordingly, the user may inhale an aerosol at an appropriate temperature, and the mainstream smoke may be smoothly aerosolized to improve an amount of vapor.
In some embodiments, the cooling structure 130 may include at least one of a tubular structure made of a paper material, a tubular structure made of a cellulose acetate material, and a tubular structure made of a lyocell material. The cooling structure 130 may have a length of approximately 12 mm to 16 mm (for example, 14 mm), but the present invention is not limited thereto.
Preferably, the cooling structure 130 may include a tubular structure composed of lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers. The cooling structure 130 may also include a tubular structure and/or a paper tube made of cellulose acetate, but the present invention is not limited thereto. When the cooling structure 130 is composed of lyocell tow having a hollow formed therein and including a plurality of lyocell fibers, deformation of the cooling structure 130 caused by heat applied to heat the smoking article 100 and/or high-temperature aerosol passing through the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 may be prevented or minimized due to the high heat resistance characteristics of lyocell tow that does not melt even at high temperatures. Accordingly, the cooling structure 130 may maintain its shape while smoking, so that the smoke components passing through the hollow 130H of the cooling structure 130 may be maintained uniformly without variation according to the smoking time, thereby providing a more improved smoking experience to the user. When the cooling structure 130 is composed of lyocell tow, the cooling structure 130 may further include a binder dispersed in the lyocell tow so as to provide a predetermined hardness.
In some embodiments, the binder included in the cooling structure 130 may include the exemplary materials listed as the binder included in the support structure 120, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the binder included in the cooling structure 130 may be the same as or different from the binder included in the support structure 120.
In some embodiments, the binder may include at least one of a polyester including one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylenes, arylenes, and heteroarylenes having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVAc), dextrin, tapioca starch, corn starch, wheat starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, cationic starch, esterified starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, carrageenan, konjac, and agar.
The mouthpiece portion 140 may serve as a mouthpiece that comes into contact with the user's oral region and as a filter that ultimately delivers the aerosol delivered from the upstream side to the user. The mouthpiece portion 140 may be located downstream of the cooling structure 130 and the upstream side of the mouthpiece portion 140 may come into contact with the downstream side of the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may form the downstream end of the smoking article 100.
In one embodiment, the mouthpiece portion 140 may include a lyocell filter composed of lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers. The mouthpiece portion 140 may have a length of approximately 10 mm to 14 mm (for example, 12 mm), but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In the present invention, the lyocell fibers included in the mouthpiece portion 140 are environmentally-friendly fibers made of cellulose extracted from wood pulp. The lyocell tow may refer to a bundle formed by cross-linking adjacent lyocell fibers.
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers may have a non-circular cross-section. The non-circular cross-section is defined as a cross-section whose shape is not circular but includes a plurality of protrusions. For example, a cross-section having a shape in which a plurality of protrusions extend from the center thereof may be referred to as a "non-circular cross-section."
In some embodiments, the lyocell fibers may have a Y-shaped cross-section with three protrusions branching from the center thereof, a cross-shaped cross-section with four protrusions, and/or a star-shaped cross-section with five protrusions, or may also have an O-shaped cross-section, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the single fiber fineness (mono denier) of the lyocell fibers included in the mouthpiece portion 140 is in the range of 2.22 to 16.67 dtex (2 to 15 denier), preferably 2.44 to 15.56 dtex (2.2 to 14 denier), more preferably 2.78 to 14.44 dtex (2.5 to 13 denier), and even more preferably 3.33 to 13.33 dtex (3 to 12 denier), and the mouthpiece portion 140 may include lyocell tow having a total fiber fineness of 1,111 to 4,444 tex (10,000 to 40,000 denier), preferably 2,222 to 4,333 tex (20,000 to 39,000 denier), and more preferably 2,778 to 4,222 tex (25,000 to 38,000 denier).
In some embodiments, the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion 140 may be 5 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 14 mmH₂O (mmWG), preferably 5.5 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 13 mmH₂O (mmWG), more preferably 6 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 12.5 mmH₂O (mmWG), and even more preferably 6.2 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 12 mmH₂O (mmWG) based on the length (12 mm) of the mouthpiece portion 140. Also, the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion 140 may be even more preferably in the range of 6.4 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 6.8 mmH₂O (mmWG), even more preferably 8.7 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 9.3 mmH₂O (mmWG), even more preferably 11 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 12 mmH₂O (mmWG), and even more preferably 11.5 mmH₂O (mmWG) to 11.8 mmH₂O (mmWG). When the mouthpiece portion 140 has a resistance to draw in the above range, the moisture transfer amount in the aerosol generated during smoking may be reduced, thereby reducing the smoker's feeling of heat in the initial puff and improving the nicotine removal efficiency in the aerosol.
Hardness is a physical property associated with the elasticity and resilience of the mouthpiece portion 140, and refers to the degree to which the mouthpiece portion 140 resists a pressure applied in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In order for the user to easily use the smoking article while maintaining its shape when using the smoking article, it is desirable to maintain a certain level of hardness or higher.
In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 140 may have a hardness of 60% to 100%, preferably 70% to 99%, more preferably 75% to 98%, even more preferably 80% to 97%, and even more preferably 85% to 95%, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The hardness of the mouthpiece portion 140 is a value obtained by quantifying the degree to which the diameter of the mouthpiece portion 140 is maintained when the mouthpiece portion 140 is pressed with a certain level of force in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the mouthpiece portion 140, and may be a value indicating, as a percentage, the ratio of the diameter of the mouthpiece portion 140 after the force is applied to the diameter of the mouthpiece portion 140 before the force is applied.
The cross-section of the mouthpiece portion 140 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 100 may have a circumference of 14 mm to 25 mm, for example, 22 mm to 23 mm, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 140 further includes a binder dispersed in the lyocell tow. When the mouthpiece portion 140 further includes the binder dispersed in the lyocell tow, the mouthpiece portion 140 may have a predetermined hardness.
In some embodiments, the mouthpiece portion 140 may have at least one flavor capsule inserted therein.
For reference, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may all function as filters for aerosols. In this case, each component may be referred to as a "filter segment" to emphasize their function as filters. For example, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may be referred to as a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a third filter segment, respectively.
The wrapper 150 may surround at least one of the medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 and wrap the medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140. Although not shown, at least one of the medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may be wrapped with a separate wrapper before being wrapped by the wrapper 150. For example, the medium portion 110 may be wrapped by a medium portion wrapper (not shown), and the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and the mouthpiece portion 140 may be wrapped by a first filter wrapper (not shown), a second filter wrapper (not shown), and a third filter wrapper (not shown), respectively. However, a method of wrapping the smoking article 100 and components thereof is not limited thereto and may vary.
In some embodiments, the wrapper 150 may have perforations 160 (see FIG. 1) formed therein, the perforations 160 being arranged along the circumference of the cooling structure 130, or may not have perforations (no perforations, see FIG. 2) formed therein. In some embodiments, the wrapper 150 may have perforations 160 (see FIG. 1) formed therein, the perforations 160 being arranged along the circumference of the cooling structure 130, particularly along the circumference of a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cooling structure 130. When the perforations are formed in the wrapper 150, outside air may be introduced into the cooling structure 130 through the plurality of perforations 160. The plurality of perforations 160 may serve to lower the surface temperature of the mouthpiece portion and the temperature of mainstream smoke delivered to the smoker through the introduction of outside air. In this case, no perforations may be formed in the wrapper 150, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Even when no perforations are formed in the wrapper 150, as described later, the lyocell material constituting the support structure 120 may have excellent moisture absorption performance in the mainstream smoke due to its excellent moisture affinity, thereby significantly reducing the feeling of heat of the mainstream smoke passing through the support structure 120.
Hereinafter, the configurations of the present invention and the advantageous effects according thereto will be described in more detail with reference to examples and comparative examples. However, it should be understood that these examples are merely for describing the present invention in more detail, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Example 1

A smoking article having a structure as shown in FIG. 1, which includes a medium portion having a length of 12 mm, a support structure composed of a cellulose acetate material and having a hollow inner diameter of 2.7 mm, an outer diameter of 7 mm and a length of 10 mm, a cooling structure composed of a paper tube and having an inner diameter of 6 mm and a length of 14 mm, and a mouthpiece portion composed of lyocell tow and having a length of 12 mm, was manufactured under the conditions listed in Table 1.

Comparative Example 1

A smoking article was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 under the conditions as listed in Table 1, except that the mouthpiece portion was manufactured using cellulose acetate tow. [Table 1]

Classification Weight (mg) Circumference (mm) Vent (%) PDO (mmH₂0) PDC (mmH₂0)

Example 1 616.3 22.656 58.01 121.8 156.4

Comparative Example 1 604.9 22.646 57.17 118.6 151.4

(In Table 1, PDC represents a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are blocked, and the inflow of outside air is blocked, PDO represents a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are not blocked, and the inflow of outside air is allowed, Vent represents a ventilation rate (VR).)

Experimental Example 1: Measurement of temperature of mainstream smoke by puff according to material of mouthpiece portion

To compare the temperatures of mainstream smoke by puff in the smoking articles of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the medium portions of the smoking articles according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were heated to a heating temperature of 190°C to 280°C using an external heating method, and the temperature of the generated mainstream smoke was measured. The results are listed in Table 2 below.

In particular, this experiment was conducted on the smoking articles according to Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 in a smoking room having an internal temperature of approximately 22 ± 2°C and an internal relative humidity of approximately 60 ± 5% (specifically, a temperature of approximately 21.9°C and a relative humidity of 64.3%). In this case, the experiment was conducted under smoking conditions, that is, HC conditions (Puff volume: 55 mL/Puff frequency: 30 s/Puff duration: 2 s/Puff count: 9 puffs), and a thermocouple sensor was positioned within 5 mm from the tip of the mouthpiece portion to measure the temperature of mainstream smoke.

[Table 2]

Puff count	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Example 1	52.3° C	55.0° C	51.3° C	48.0° C	45.8° C	43.3° C	41.1° C	38.9° C	35.9° C
Comparative Example 1	66.3° C	63.4° C	59.7° C	56.7° C	53.4° C	49.6° C	44.9° C	40.3° C	36.6° C

Referring to Table 2 above, when comparing the temperatures of mainstream smoke in the smoking articles of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, which have similar physical properties, it can be seen that the temperature of mainstream smoke in the smoking article of Example 1 is lower than that of the smoking article of Comparative Example 1 for each puff, and that the temperature of mainstream smoke in the smoking article of Example 1 is 8°C or more lower than that of the smoking article of Comparative Example 1 in the initial puffs (especially, the 1^st to 4^th puffs). Based on these results, it can be seen that the lyocell material has a superior cooling effect compared to the cellulose acetate material, especially in the initial puffs.

Example 2

Lyocell tow having a single fiber fineness of 3.33 dtex (a mono denier of 3.0) and a total fiber fineness of 3,889 tex (a total denier of 35,000) was manufactured.

Example 3 to 5

A filter (i.e., a mouthpiece portion) including the lyocell tow of Example 2 was manufactured with a length of 12 mm under the conditions listed in Table 3 below. The manufactured filters (i.e., mouthpiece portions) were named Examples 3, 4, and 5, respectively, according to the magnitude of the resistance to draw, and the wrapper used to manufacture the filters was (non-oil-resistant) wrapping paper having a basis weight of 75 gsm. [Table 3]

Classification Example 3 Example 4 Example 5

Weight (mg) 11.64 10.39 9.14

Resistance to draw (mmH₂O (mmWG)) 11.75 8.91 6.59

Hardness (%) 93.49 91.43 85.91

Next, using the filters of Examples 3 to 5, smoking articles having a structure as shown in FIG. 1, which includes: a medium portion having a length of 12 mm, a support structure composed of a cellulose acetate material and having a hollow inner diameter of 2.7 mm, an outer diameter of 7 mm, and a length of 10 mm, a cooling structure composed of a paper tube and having an inner diameter of 6 mm and a length of 14 mm, and the mouthpiece portion composed of each of Examples 3 to 5 and having a length of 12 mm, were manufactured under conditions as listed in Table 4.

[Table 4]

Classification	Weight (mg)	Circumference (mm)	Vent (%)	PDO (mmH₂0)	PDC (mmH₂0)
Smoking article of Example 3	657.1	22.677	14.56	124.2	128.3
Smoking article of Example 4	648.1	22.663	13.87	102.7	106.9
Smoking article of Example 5	633.5	22.678	14.22	78.7	82.8

(In Table 4, PDC represents a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are blocked, and the inflow of outside air is blocked, and PDO represents a value obtained by measuring the resistance to draw in a state in which the medium portion is open, the perforations of the filter portion are not blocked, and the inflow of outside air is allowed)

Experimental Example 2: Analysis of components in smoke according to resistance to draw of mouthpiece portion

To compare the components in smoke according to the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion, the medium portions of the smoking articles according to Examples 3 to 5 were heated to a heating temperature of 190°C to 280°C using an external heating method, and the total particulate matter (TPM), nicotine components, moisture content, and the like were measured. The results are listed in Table 5 below.

In particular, this experiment was conducted on the smoking articles according to Examples 3 to 5 in a smoking room having an internal temperature of approximately 22 ± 2°C and an internal relative humidity of approximately 60 ± 5% (specifically, a temperature of approximately 21.9°C and a relative humidity of 64.3%). In this case, the experiment was conducted under smoking conditions, that is, HC conditions (Puff volume: 55 mL/Puff frequency: 30 s/Puff duration: 2 s/Puff count: 9 puffs). The generated smoke was collected on a Cambridge filter (i.e., a Cambridge filter pad (CFP)), and analyzed. The total particulate matter (TPM) is a value obtained by measuring the change in weight of the Cambridge filter before and after smoking using a smoking device. For the remaining components, the collected smoke was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC).

[Table 5]

Classification	TPM (mg)	Tar (mg)	Nic (mg)	PG (mg)	Gly (mg)	Moisture (mg)
Example 3	34.55	17.87	0.49	0.28	1.99	16.19
Example 4	37.69	19.43	0.62	0.35	2.54	17.65
Example 5	39.10	19.23	0.72	0.42	2.97	19.15

Referring to Table 5 above, the smoke components transferred during smoking may differ due to the difference in resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion. In particular, the moisture transfer amount of the smoking article of Example 3, in which the mouthpiece portion has a large resistance to draw, is 16.19 mg, and the moisture transfer amount of the smoking article of Example 5, in which the mouthpiece portion has a small resistance to draw, is 19.15 mg. Based on these results, it can be seen that the greater the resistance to draw, the less the moisture transfer amount in the mainstream smoke, and thus the better the effect of reducing the feeling of heat when the user puffs. (Smokers feel a greater feeling of heat at the same temperature when there is a lot of moisture in the mainstream smoke.)

Experimental Example 3: Nicotine removal efficiency according to resistance to draw of mouthpiece portion

Next, in order to compare the nicotine removal performance according to the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion, the medium portions of the smoking articles according to Examples 3 to 5 were heated to a heating temperature of 190°C to 280°C using an external heating method, and the amount of nicotine components included in the transferred aerosol and the amount of nicotine components remaining inside the mouthpiece portion (filter) were measured. The nicotine removal efficiency of the filter was calculated by substituting the measurement results into the following Mathematical Equation 1, and the nicotine transfer rate of the filter was calculated by substituting the results into the following Mathematical Equation 2. The results are listed in Table 6 below.

The amount of the nicotine components included in the aerosol was measured by collecting the smoke generated in Experimental Example 2 on a Cambridge filter (that is, a Cambridge filter pad (CFP)) and analyzing the collected smoke using gas chromatography (GC). The amount of the nicotine components remaining inside the mouthpiece portion was measured by immersing the mouthpiece portion in water after smoking, extracting the residual components, and analyzing the extracted components using a GC/MS device. In this case, the mouthpiece portion was immersed overnight in a container containing distilled water, and a solution including the components extracted thereby was used for GC/MS analysis.

Removal efficiency (%) = (Residual amount in mouthpiece portion (filter) after smoking)/(Residual amount in mouthpiece portion (filter) after smoking + aerosol transfer amount after smoking) × 100

Transfer rate (%) = 100 (%) - Removal efficiency (%)

[Table 6]

Classification	Aerosol transfer amount (mg)	Residual amount in filter (mg)	Transfer rate (%)	Removal efficiency (%)
Example 3	0.49	0.90	35.1	64.9
Example 4	0.62	0.84	42.2	57.8
Example 5	0.72	0.70	50.6	49.4

Referring to Table 6 above, it can be seen that the nicotine removal efficiency of the smoking article of Example 3, which has a large resistance to draw due to the difference in resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion, is 64.9%, and the nicotine removal efficiency of the smoking article of Example 5, which has a small resistance to draw, is 49.4%, indicating that the greater the resistance to draw, the better the nicotine removal efficiency.
FIGS. 3 to 5 show various types of aerosol generation devices to which smoking articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied. In particular, FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram showing a cigarette-type aerosol generation device 1000, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are exemplary configuration diagrams showing a hybrid-type aerosol generation device 1000 in which a liquid and cigarette are used together. Hereinafter, the aerosol generation device 1000 will be briefly described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the aerosol generation device 1000 may be a device configured to generate an aerosol through a cigarette 2000 inserted into an internal space. Here, the cigarette 2000 may correspond to the smoking article 100 described above. Accordingly, the cigarette 2000 may include the medium portion 110, the support structure 120, the cooling structure 130, and mouthpiece portion 140 described above. More specifically, when the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1000, the aerosol generation device 1000 may operate the heater portion 1300 to generate an aerosol from the cigarette 2000. The generated aerosol may be delivered to the user through the cigarette 2000.
As shown, the aerosol generation device 1000 may include a battery 1100, a controller 1200, and a heater portion 1300. However, only components related to the embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may understand that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 3. For example, the aerosol generation device 1000 may further include a display capable of outputting visual information and/or a motor configured to output tactile information, and/or at least one sensor (such as a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, and/or a cigarette insertion detection sensor). Hereinafter, each of the components of the aerosol generation device 1000 will be described.
The battery 1100 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generation device 1000. For example, the battery 1100 may supply power to heat the heater portion 1300, and may supply power required for the controller 1200 to operate. Also, the battery 1100 may supply power required for the display, sensor, motor, and the like (not shown) installed in the aerosol generation device 1000 to operate.
Next, the controller 1200 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 1000. In particular, the controller 1200 may control the operation of not only the battery 1100 and the heater portion 1300, but also other components that may be included in the aerosol generation device 1000. Also, the controller 1200 may also check the status of each of the components of the aerosol generation device 1000 to determine whether the aerosol generation device 1000 is in an operable state.
The controller 1200 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program that may be executed on the microprocessor is stored. Also, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that the processor may be implemented as other types of hardware.
Next, the heater portion 1300 may heat the cigarette 2000 using power supplied from the battery 1100. For example, when the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1000, a heating element of the heater portion 1300 may be inserted into a portion of the inner region of the cigarette 2000 to increase the temperature of an aerosol-forming substrate in the cigarette 2000.
In some embodiments, the heater portion 1300 may alternatively or additionally include an external heating element, unlike that shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the heating element of the heater portion 1300 may be arranged on the outside of the cigarette 2000 inserted into the device 1000. Also, unlike that shown herein, the heater portion 1300 may also include a plurality of heating elements. For example, the heater portion 1300 may include a plurality of internal heating elements or a plurality of external heating elements. As another example, the heater portion 1300 may include one or more internal heating elements and one or more external heating elements.
The heating elements may include or may be composed of an electrically resistant material and/or any material capable of induction heating. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any material may be used as long as it may be heated to a desired temperature under the control of the controller 1200. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generation device 1000 or may also be set to a desired temperature by the user.
Meanwhile, although FIG. 3 shows that the battery 1100, the controller 1200, and the heater portion 1300 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction, the inner structure of the aerosol generation device 1000 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the arrangement of the battery 1100, the controller 1200, and the heater portion 1300 may vary depending on the design of the aerosol generation device 1000.
Hereinafter, a hybrid-type aerosol generation device 1000 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. For clarity of the present disclosure, the description of overlapping components (1100, 1200, 1300) will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4 or 5, the aerosol generation device 1000 may further include a vaporizer 1400.
When the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1000, the aerosol generation device 1000 may operate the heater portion 1300 and/or the vaporizer 1400 to generate an aerosol from the cigarette 2000 and/or the vaporizer 1400. The aerosol generated by the heater portion 1300 and/or the vaporizer 1400 may be delivered to a user through the cigarette 2000. When the cigarette 2000 is inserted into the aerosol generation device 1000, the heating element of the heater portion 1300 may come into contact with a portion of the outer region of the cigarette 2000 or may be arranged adjacent to the outer region of the cigarette 2000 to increase the temperature of an aerosol-forming substrate inside the cigarette 2000 from the outside.
The vaporizer 1400 may heat a liquid composition to generate an aerosol, and the generated aerosol may be delivered to the user through the cigarette 2000. In other words, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1400 may move along an airflow passage of the aerosol generation device 1000, and the airflow passage may be configured to deliver the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1400 to the user through the cigarette 2000.
The vaporizer 1400 may include, but is not limited to, a liquid reservoir, a liquid delivery means, and a liquid heating element. For example, the liquid reservoir, the liquid delivery means, and the liquid heating element may be included as separate modules in the aerosol generation device 1000.
The liquid reservoir may store a liquid composition (i.e., a liquid aerosol-forming substrate). The liquid reservoir may be manufactured to be detachable from/attachable to the vaporizer 1400 or may also be manufactured integrally with the vaporizer 1400.
Next, the liquid delivery means may deliver a liquid composition in the liquid reservoir to the liquid heating element. For example, the liquid delivery means may be, but is not limited to, a wick such as cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or a porous ceramic.
The liquid heating element is an element configured to heat the liquid composition delivered by the liquid delivery means. For example, the liquid heating element may include, but is not limited to, a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate, a ceramic heater, and the like, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, the liquid heating element may be composed of a conductive filament such as a nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure that is wound around the liquid delivery means. The liquid heating element may be heated by the current supply of the controller 1200, and may transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the liquid heating element to heat the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol may be generated.
As shown in FIG. 4 or 4, the vaporizer 1400 and heater portion 1300 may be arranged in parallel or series. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to this arrangement.
For reference, the vaporizer 1400 may be used interchangeably with the terms such as a cartomizer or an atomizer in the relevant technical field.
The controller 1200 may further control the operation of the vaporizer 1400, and the battery 1100 may also further supply power to enable the vaporizer 1400 to operate.
So far, various types of aerosol generation devices 1000 to which the smoking article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied have been described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.
Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains should understand that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as being illustrative, instead of limiting, in all aspects. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent to the claims should be interpreted as falling within the scope of rights of the technical spirit defined by the present disclosure.

[EXPLANATION OF DRAWING SYMBOLS]

100: smoking article
110: medium portion
120: support structure
130: cooling structure
140: mouthpiece portion
150: wrapper

Claims

A smoking article comprising:
a medium portion;

a mouthpiece portion arranged to be spaced from one side of the medium portion;

a support structure arranged between the medium portion and the mouthpiece portion; and

a cooling structure arranged between the support structure and the mouthpiece portion,

wherein the mouthpiece portion includes lyocell tow including a plurality of lyocell fibers.
The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the lyocell fibers included in the lyocell tow have a mono denier of 2 to 15, and lyocell tow has a total denier of 10,000 to 40,000.
The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion is 5 mmWG to 14 mmWG based the length (12 mm) of the mouthpiece.
The smoking article of claim 3, wherein the resistance to draw of the mouthpiece portion is 6.2 mmWG to 12 mmWG based the length (12 mm) of the mouthpiece.
The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece portion has a hardness of 60% to 100%.
The smoking article of claim 5, wherein the mouthpiece portion has a hardness of 85% to 95%.
The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the cooling structure has a tube shape having a hollow formed therein,
the support structure has a tube shape having a hollow formed therein, and

the hollow of the cooling structure and the hollow of the support structure communicate with each other.
The smoking article of claim 7, wherein the support structure includes at least one of cellulose acetate, lyocell, and a paper tube.
The smoking article of claim 7, wherein the cooling structure includes at least one of a tubular structure made of a paper material, a tubular structure made of a cellulose acetate material, and a tubular structure made of a lyocell material.