Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/42—Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/10—Devices using liquid inhalable precursors

Definitions

• the present invention concerns an aerosol generating article configured to operate with an aerosol generating device, in particular to produce aerosol.
• the aerosol generating article comprises a retaining element configured to store a liquid vaporizable material able to be vaporized upon heating.
• Disposable aerosol generating articles are known in the art.
• the retaining element is for example in the form of a porous solid such as ceramic or a foam.
• One of the aims of the invention is to provide an aerosol generating article configured to operate with an aerosol generating device, wherein heating of the liquid vaporizable material is more efficient.
• the invention relates to an aerosol generating article configured to operate with an aerosol generating device and comprising:
• the aerosol generating article is devoid of any other packaging mean surrounding the retaining element.
• the retaining element presents a rigid porous structure or a foam structure.
• the retaining element comprises a porous material.
• a porous material refers to a material having openings therein such as pores or voids. The openings may either be isolated from each other (closed pores) and/or interconnected with each other so as to notably form a complex network of interconnected channels.
• the porous material may be a solid material or a semi-solid material such as a mousse-like, or foam-like, material.
• the rigid porous structure can be a solid material.
• the foam structure can be a semi-solid material.
• the foam structure can be made of a foam-like material, or a mousse-like material (also known as foam or mousse).
• the foam structure e.g. a foam-like material, or a mousse-like material (also known as foam or mousse)
• a foam-like material e.g. a foam-like material, or a mousse-like material (also known as foam or mousse)
• foam structure is made up of a mixture of liquid and foam forming agent, preferably of a mixture of liquid, foam forming agent and foam stabilizing agent.
• the retaining element stores a significant quantity of liquid vaporizable material.
• the thermal conductivity of the retaining element is low, resulting in poor heat transfer and poor heat distribution throughout the retaining element.
• the heat transferring properties of the shell makes it possible to remedy this issue.
• the rigid porous structure is made up of alumina ceramic.
• ceramic material for example ceramic boron nitride, porous glass ceramics, silicon carbide, cordierite or zirconia.
• the retaining element has a volume of less than 1 000 mm 3 , preferably less than 500 mm 3 , preferably less than 200 mm 3 .
• the shell defines at least an inlet opening and an outlet opening; the at least one barrier film sealing both openings when the article is not operating with the device and being designed to uncover at least partially each opening when the article is operating with the device.
• the at least one barrier film is fixed onto the shell by an adhesive.
• the liquid vaporizable material is protected from the surrounding atmosphere when the article is not operating with the device.
• the at least one barrier film is impermeable to gases and water.
• the at least one barrier film has an oxygen transmission rate less than 20 cm 3 /m 2 /24hr, preferably less than 6 cm 3 /m 2 /24hr and a water vapour transmission rate less than 20 g/m 2 /24hr, preferably less than 6 g/m 2 /24hr.
• the retaining element defines at least one airflow channel configured to guide airflow from the at least one inlet opening to the at least one outlet opening.
• the openings are arranged to face each other.
• the output region for vapor to escape is limited.
• the vapor can be directed only towards the mouthpiece, minimizing the contact of the liquid vaporizable material with other surfaces.
• the shell has a cylindrical shape extending along an article axis between two opposite ends, the openings being formed on the opposite ends of the shell.
• the shell has a tapered shape.
• the shell and the receiving compartment of the device are easy to manufacture.
• the article is easy to manipulate. In particular, inserting the article within the device and taking it out of the device is easy.
• the shell comprises a cylindrical wall, advantageously with a tapered shape, extending along an article axis between opposite ends, a first circular flange at a first end and a second circular flange at a second end.
• the cylindrical wall has a thickness between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm, preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm.
• the shell comprises or is made of a heat conductive material, such as metal.
• the heat conductive material has a heat conductivity greater than 10 W/(m.K), preferably greater than 100 W/(m.K).
• the heat conductive material is impermeable to gases and water.
• the shell has an oxygen transmission rate less than 6 cm 3 /m 2 /24hr and a water vapour transmission rate less than 6 g/m 2 /24hr.
• the heat conductive material is aluminum.
• the metallic housing provides an exterior surface which has an important thermal conductivity, allowing improved heat transfer from the heat source to the retaining element, and improved heat distribution throughout the housing to provide a more uniform heat distribution to the retaining element.
• the shell is designed to be heated by the aerosol generating device by conduction and/or convection and/or induction.
• the retaining element is arranged in contact with an internal surface of the shell.
• the at least one barrier film is designed to be pierced upon inserting the article into the aerosol generating device and/or comprises at least one peelable portion designed to be peeled before inserting the article into the aerosol generating device.
• the liquid vaporizable material is protected from the surrounding atmosphere when the article is not operating with the device, while allowing a flow of air through the retaining element when the article is to be operated with the device.
• the at least one barrier film comprises aluminum and/or paper.
• the liquid vaporizable material is efficiently protected from the surrounding atmosphere.
• the aerosol generating article is a single session consumable.
• the shell comprises on its external surface at least one counterfeit protection element.
• the at least one counterfeit protection element is a unique optical code which is readable by a dedicated device.
• the invention also concerns an aerosol generating assembly comprising an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article as described above, the aerosol generating article being configured to operate with said aerosol generating device.
• the term "aerosol generating device” or “device” may include a vaping device to deliver an aerosol to a user, including an aerosol for vaping, by means of a heater element explained in further detail below.
• the device may be portable.
• “Portable” may refer to the device being for use when held by a user.
• the device may be adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol, e.g. by activating the heater element for a variable amount of time (as opposed to a metered dose of aerosol), which can be controlled by a trigger.
• the trigger may be user activated, such as a vaping button and/or inhalation sensor.
• the inhalation sensor may be sensitive to the strength of inhalation as well as the duration of inhalation to enable a variable amount of vapour to be provided (so as to mimic the effect of smoking a conventional combustible smoking article such as a cigarette, cigar or pipe, etc.).
• the device may include a temperature regulation control to drive the temperature of the heater and/or the heated aerosol generating substance (aerosol pre-cursor) to a specified target temperature and thereafter to maintain the temperature at the target temperature that enables efficient generation of aerosol.
• aerosol may include a suspension of vaporizable material as one or more of: solid particles; liquid droplets; gas. Said suspension may be in a gas including air. Aerosol herein may generally refer to/include a vapour. Aerosol may include one or more components of the vaporizable material.
• vaporizable material may refer to a smokable material which may for example comprise nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol former.
• tobacco may take the form of various materials such as shredded tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf and/or reconstituted tobacco.
• Suitable aerosol formers include: a polyol such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols like propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; a non-polyol such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin or vegetable glycerin.
• the aerosol generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol.
• the substrate may also comprise at least one of a gelling agent, a binding agent, a stabilizing agent, and a humectant.
• Figure 1 shows an aerosol generating device 10 of an aerosol generating assembly 1.
• the aerosol generating assembly 1 comprises the aerosol generating device 10 and an aerosol generating article 50, shown on Figures 2 to 4 , configured to operate with said aerosol generating device 10, in particular to generate aerosol.
• the aerosol generating device 10 comprises a device body 12, an article compartment 24 and a heater 28.
• the aerosol generating device 10 further comprises various components designed to carry out different functionalities of the device 10, such as a control module 34, a battery 38, etc. These elements are known as such and will not be further disclosed below.
• the device body 12 extends along a device axis X-X'.
• the device body 12 comprises a main portion 14 and a mouthpiece portion 16.
• the device body 12 further comprises an air inlet channel 18 and an aerosol outlet channel 20.
• the main portion 14 comprises the article compartment 24, the heater 28 and the air inlet channel 18.
• the mouthpiece portion 16 is removably mounted onto the main portion 14.
• the article compartment 24 is accessible when the mouthpiece portion 16 is separated from the main portion 14.
• the mouthpiece portion 16 is fixedly connected to the main portion 14 and the article compartment 24 is accessible via a trapdoor.
• the mouthpiece portion 16 comprises the aerosol outlet channel 20.
• the article compartment 24 is configured to receive the aerosol generating article 50, for instance such that the aerosol generating article 50 is tightly fixed within the compartment 24.
• the article compartment 24 has a shape complementary to the shape of the aerosol generating article 50.
• the article compartment 24 is configured to apply contact pressure onto the aerosol generating article 50 when the aerosol generating article 50 is inserted within the compartment 24.
• the article compartment 24 comprises piercing elements 25 to pierce at least one barrier film 80, 82 of the aerosol generating article 50, when said aerosol generating article 50 is inserted within the article compartment 24.
• the piercing elements 25 are configured to pierce the at least one barrier film 80, 82, so that the air inlet channel 18 and the aerosol outlet channel 20 are in fluidic communication with a liquid vaporizable material retaining element 54 of the aerosol generating article 50.
• the heater 28 is configured to heat the aerosol generating article 50.
• the heater 28 is configured to heat the article compartment 24, and to heat the aerosol generating article 50 when said article 50 is inserted within the compartment 24.
• the heater 28 comprises heating elements 30 surrounding the compartment 24.
• the heating elements 30 are resistive-heating elements. Heat transfer to the article compartment 24 is mainly made by conduction and radiation.
• the heating elements 30 are in contact with the compartment 24.
• the heating elements 30 are induction heating element.
• the article comprises at least one susceptor element, for example a shell 60 of the article 50, and the heating elements 30 need not necessarily be in contact with the compartment 24.
• the air inlet channel 18 extends from an external surface 13 of the device body 12 to the article compartment 24 and is intended to be put in fluidic communication with the retaining element 54 of the article 50.
• the aerosol outlet channel 20 extends from the article compartment 24 to a delivery opening 17 of the mouthpiece portion 16 and is intended to be put in fluidic communication with the retaining element 54 of the article 50.
• the delivery opening 19 is intended to deliver aerosol to a user of the aerosol generating device 10.
• the control module 34 is configured to control the heater 28.
• the battery 38 is configured to power the control module 34 and the heater 28.
• the aerosol generating article 50 comprises a retaining element 54, a fluid impermeable shell 60 and the at least one barrier film 80, 82.
• the aerosol generating article 50 extends along an article axis Y-Y'.
• the device axis X-X' and the article axis Y-Y' are substantially parallel, for example collinear.
• the aerosol generating article 50 is a single session consumable.
• single session consumable it is meant that the aerosol generating article 50 is designed to be discarded, preferably recycled, when the liquid vaporizable material content of the retaining element 54 is depleted.
• the aerosol generating article 50 is devoid of any mechanism for reloading the retaining element 54 with liquid vaporizable material.
• the aerosol generating article 50 is devoid of any other packaging mean surrounding the retaining element 54.
• Packaging means means elements or parts designed to wrap or protect the retaining element 54.
• the retaining element 54 is configured to store the liquid vaporizable material able to be vaporized upon heating, in particular to generate aerosol.
• the retaining element 54 presents a rigid porous structure, for example made up of alumina ceramic, or a foam structure.
• the foam structure can be for example made up of a mixture of liquid and foam forming agent, preferably of a mixture of liquid, foam forming agent and foam stabilizing agent.
• An element with a foam structure e.g. comprising a foam-like material or a mousse-like material (also know as foam or mousse), is an element having a network of air bubbles or gas pockets that are dispersed throughout a matrix. Density ranges of a mousse-like material are commonly known from the skilled person.
• a mousse-like (or foam-like) material typically comprises a foam-forming agent that may include non-protein containing polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of agar, gellan gum, lecithin, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, glycerol esters of fatty acids, sorbitan esters of fatty acids, and mixtures thereof, and preferably gellan gum.
• foam-forming agent may include non-protein containing polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of agar, gellan gum, lecithin, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, glycerol esters of fatty acids, sorbitan esters of fatty acids, and mixtures thereof, and preferably gellan gum.
• Examples of mousse-like (or foam-like) materials and their preparation are described for example in WO2018122375 or WO2020/002607 .
• a manufacturing process of a mousse may comprise:
• the retaining element 54 has a self-supporting structure.
• porous material refers to a material having openings therein such as pores or voids. The openings may either be isolated from each other (closed pores) and/or be interconnected with each other so as to notably form a complex network or interconnected channels. Liquid vaporizable material is retained in the pores or is included in the foam structure.
• the retaining element 54 is arranged in contact with an internal surface 59 of the shell 60. As shown on the example of Figures 2 to 4 , the retaining element 54 defines at least one airflow channel 56 configured to guide airflow from an inlet opening 62 of the shell 60 to an outlet opening 64 of the shell 60.
• At least one flow path (also referred to herein as at least one airflow channel) is formed inside the porous material. It may also comprise a plurality of - for instance parallel - flow paths. The at least one flow path may typically pass through the entire porous material and open at two opposite ends thereof. Unlike pores which are intrinsically present in the porous material, flow path(s) is(are) voluntarily formed during manufacturing process, for example by molding or extrusion. Such path(s) facilitate the entry of air and exit of aerosol during use, but may also be provided to cooperate with puncturing means (e.g. piercing elements 25) upon insertion of the article in the corresponding device to facilitate rupturing of the barrier film, as for example disclosed in greater detail later.
• puncturing means e.g. piercing elements 25
• the retaining element 54 has a volume of less than 1 000 mm 3 , preferably less than 500 mm 3 , preferably less than 200 mm 3 .
• the retaining element 54 has a cylindrical shape, in particular the shape of a truncated cone.
• the retaining element 54 (and as a consequence the article compartment 24) has a different shape, such as spherical, prismatic, etc.
• the retaining element 54 presents a rigid porous structure, in particular in the case of alumina ceramic, the retaining element 54 can be made by injection moulding, extrusion, isostatic pressing, slip casting (or drain casting), uniaxial pressing or electrophoretic deposition.
• the retaining element 54 presents a foam structure
• the retaining element 54 can be made by mixing an aerosol forming agent with a foam forming agent.
• the fluid impermeable shell 60 houses the retaining element 54 and defines at least one opening 62, 64.
• the shell 60 is designed to be heated by the aerosol generating device 10, in particular by conduction and/or convection and/or induction, and to transfer heat to the retaining element 54.
• the shell 60 is designed to conduct heat to the retaining element 60.
• the shell 60 has a cylindrical shape extending along the article axis Y-Y' between two opposite ends 66, 68.
• the shell 60 has a tapered shape.
• the shell 60 has a truncated cone shape, the axis of said cone being the article axis Y-Y'.
• the shell 60 comprises a cylindrical wall 61, advantageously with a tapered shape, extending along the article axis Y-Y' between the opposite ends 66, 68, a first circular flange 70 at a first end 66 and a second circular flange 72 at a second end 68.
• the cylindrical wall 61 has a thickness between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm, preferably between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm. This ensures a sufficient structural rigidity of the shell 60 to support the internal components and sufficient impermeability to the surrounding atmosphere.
• the shell 60 defines the at least one inlet opening 62 and the at least one outlet opening 64.
• the at least one inlet opening 62 and the at least one outlet opening 64 are formed on the opposite ends 66, 68 of the shell 60, in particular by the first and second circular flanges 70, 72.
• the at least one inlet opening 62 and the at least one outlet opening 64 are arranged to face each other.
• the shell 60 comprises or is made of a heat conductive material, in particular of a heat conductive material which is impermeable to gases and water.
• said heat conductive material is a metal, for example aluminum.
• the heat conductive material is a food safe material.
• the shell 60 is covered with a food safe coating, said food safe coating being designed to be interposed between the shell 60 and the retaining element 54.
• the fluid impermeable shell 60 protects the liquid vaporizable material from the surroundings, in particular from the atmosphere. They prevent oxidization of nicotine by oxygen and absorption of water by propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine and nicotine.
• the shell 60 has an oxygen transmission rate less than 6 cm 3 /m 2 /24hr and a water vapour transmission rate less than 6 g/m 2 /24hr. This makes it possible to ensure a freshness of the liquid vaporizable material for a certain amount of time, typically 12 months or more.
• the fluid impermeable shell 60 prevents leaking of the liquid vaporizable material onto the user's hands, typically when the user loads an article 50 within the article compartment 24 of the device 10.
• the shell 60 comprises on its external surface 63 at least one counterfeit protection element 74.
• the at least one counterfeit protection element 74 is a unique optical code which is readable by a dedicated device. This makes it possible to certify the article 50 and give the user a guarantee that the article 50 is adapted to operate with the device 10.
• the shell 60 is manufactured by deep-drawing, stamping, or cold forming.
• the at least one barrier film 80, 82 seals the at least one opening 62, 64 when the article 50 is not operating with the device 10 and is designed to uncover at least partially the at least one opening 62, 64 when the article 50 is operating with the device 10.
• the aerosol generating article 50 comprises exactly two barrier films 80, 82.
• a first barrier film 80 covers the at least one inlet opening 62 and a second barrier film 82 covers the at least one outlet opening 64.
• the first barrier film 80 is fixed onto the first circular flange 70, for example by an adhesive
• the second barrier film 82 is fixed onto the second circular flange 72, for example by an adhesive.
• the aerosol generating article 50 comprises a single barrier film covering both the at least one inlet opening 62 and the at least one outlet opening 64.
• the at least one barrier film 80, 82 is designed to be pierced, in particular by the piercing elements 25, upon inserting the article 50 into the aerosol generating device 10, in particular into the article compartment 24, and/or comprises at least one peelable portion designed to be peeled before inserting the article 50 into the aerosol generating device 10.
• the at least one barrier film 80, 82 comprises aluminium and/or paper.
• the at least one barrier film 80, 82 is a paper-based material with a barrier coating.
• the at least one barrier film 80, 82 has an oxygen transmission rate less than 5 cm 3 /m 2 /24hr and a water vapour transmission rate less than 2.5 g/m 2 /24hr.
• a method of using the aerosol generating assembly 1 is described below.

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Citations (6)

• 2024
  • 2024-03-07 EP EP24162103.6A patent/EP4613124A1/fr active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

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