WO2024095312A1 - Cartridge and aerosol generation device provided with same - Google Patents

Abstract

This cartridge has a liquid storage part including a wall defining a space for storing a liquid, and at least a part of the wall is formed by a material derived from a natural material or a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms.

Description

Cartridge and aerosol generating device including the same

The present invention relates to a cartridge and an aerosol generating device equipped with the cartridge.

　Conventionally, aerosol generating devices for inhaling flavors without burning materials are known. For example, electronic cigarettes are known as such aerosol generating devices. Electronic cigarettes atomize an aerosol-forming material that contains a flavor such as nicotine and supply the generated aerosol to the user's mouth, or atomize an aerosol-forming material that does not contain a flavor such as nicotine and supply the generated aerosol to the user's mouth by passing it through a flavor source (e.g., a tobacco source).

Some electronic cigarettes include a tank or reservoir that contains a liquid for generating an aerosol, and a heater that atomizes the liquid. Some such electronic cigarettes are known to have an atomizer assembly in which a coil-shaped heater is wrapped around a wick that is fluidly connected to the tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,569

Tanks or reservoirs that contain liquids are generally made from synthetic resins such as plastics, from the standpoint of cost and moldability. However, fossil fuels are often used as the raw material for such tanks or reservoirs. In addition, disposing of such tanks or reservoirs after use can be costly.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a new cartridge and an aerosol generating device equipped with the same that contribute to reducing the environmental impact.

According to a first aspect, a cartridge is provided that contains a liquid to be atomized by an aerosol generating device. The cartridge has a liquid containing section that includes a wall that defines a space that contains the liquid, and at least a portion of the wall is formed of a material derived from a natural material or a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms.

According to the first aspect, the walls of the liquid storage section are made of a material derived from natural materials or a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms, so that the environmental impact during the manufacture or disposal of the cartridge can be reduced compared to conventional methods. Note that "liquid" in this specification also includes liquid that is impregnated into tobacco leaves or liquid that is mixed with tobacco leaves.

The second aspect is the first aspect, wherein at least a portion of the wall is made of paper, biomass plastic, or biodegradable plastic.

In the second aspect, the walls of the liquid storage section are made of paper, biomass plastic, or biodegradable plastic, which reduces the environmental impact during manufacturing and disposal compared to conventional methods.

The third aspect is based on the first or second aspect, and is characterized in that the inner surface of the wall, the outer surface of the wall, and at least a part of the inner wall of the flow path that comes into contact with the aerosol are treated to be liquid-resistant or liquid-proof.

According to the third aspect, leakage of liquid from the liquid storage section can be suppressed. Note that liquid-resistant or liquid-proof processing can include, for example, water-resistant processing, oil-resistant processing, water-repellent processing, oil-repellent processing, moisture-resistant processing, moisture-proof processing, waterproof processing, oil-proof processing, etc.

The fourth aspect is the third aspect, in which at least a portion of the wall is made of paper, and the inner surface of the wall made of paper, the outer surface of the wall, and at least a portion of the inner wall of the flow path that comes into contact with the aerosol are treated to be liquid-resistant or liquid-proof.

The liquid atomized by the aerosol generating device may generally include an aerosol source such as glycerin or propylene glycol. Since the molecular weight of glycerin and propylene glycol is smaller than that of glucose, the aerosol source easily penetrates into the pores of pulp or the like. For this reason, if the wall of the liquid storage section is made of paper, there is a risk that the liquid will seep out from the wall of the liquid storage section. According to the fourth aspect, the wall of the liquid storage section can be made of paper while suppressing the liquid from leaking from the liquid storage section. Therefore, compared to the conventional method, the amount of fossil fuel used during manufacturing can be reduced, and the environmental load can be reduced. In addition, compared to when the liquid storage section is made of synthetic resin, the liquid storage section can be easily disposed of. Note that, when all of the walls of the liquid storage section are made of paper, the walls can be formed by, for example, pulp injection molding, pulp molding, deep drawing, or folding (lamination).

The fifth aspect is the fourth aspect, in which a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate is attached or a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the wall made of paper.

According to the fifth aspect, the walls of the liquid storage section can be formed from paper while preventing the liquid from leaking from the liquid storage section. As the liquid-resistant/waterproof laminate, for example, a polyethylene laminate, a polypropylene laminate, a polylactic acid laminate, or a biopolybutylene succinate laminate can be used. As the liquid-resistant/waterproof paint, for example, a coating made of an acrylic resin or a silicone resin can be used. Specifically, FILLHARMO (registered trademark), Silicera Coat (registered trademark), biomass resin, or DLC coating can be used.

The sixth aspect is the fifth aspect, wherein the liquid storage section has a first part and a second part, and the first part and the second part are joined to each other by welding the liquid-resistant and liquid-proof laminates attached to the respective walls or the liquid-resistant and liquid-proof paints applied to the respective walls.

According to the sixth aspect, when the liquid storage section is manufactured from at least two parts, the gap between the two parts can be sealed with a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate or a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint to prevent liquid leakage. Specifically, for example, by forming a main body part and a lid part of the liquid storage section and joining them together by welding, the gap between the main body part and the lid part is sealed with a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate or a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint to prevent liquid leakage.

The seventh aspect is any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the liquid storage portion has a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are joined to each other by an adhesive.

According to the seventh aspect, when the liquid storage section is manufactured from at least two parts, the gap between the two parts can be sealed with adhesive to prevent liquid from leaking. Specifically, for example, by forming a body part and a lid part of the liquid storage section and joining them together with adhesive, the gap between the body part and the lid part is sealed with adhesive, preventing liquid from leaking.

The eighth aspect is the second aspect, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from the biomass plastic, and the biomass plastic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of biopolyethylene, biopolycarbonate, biopolyamide, biopolyethylene terephthalate, biopolytrimethylene terephthalate, biopolyurethane, aromatic polyester, biounsaturated polyester, biophenolic resin, bioepoxy resin, and cellulose acetate (triacetate).

According to the eighth aspect, at least a part of the liquid storage section is made of biomass plastic, which is a material derived from natural materials (plants). This reduces the amount of fossil fuels used in manufacturing the liquid storage section, and also contributes to reducing the environmental impact by suppressing the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide released into nature (or the atmosphere) from a carbon neutral perspective, compared to materials that are not derived from natural materials.

The ninth aspect is the second aspect, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from the biodegradable plastic, and the biodegradable plastic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of starch polyester, polylactic acid, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), polylactic acid/polycaprolactone copolymer, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid/polyether copolymer, butanediol/long chain dicarboxylic acid copolymer, polybutylene adipate/terephthalate, polytetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate succinate, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, and polyvinyl alcohol.

According to the ninth aspect, at least a part of the liquid storage section is made of biodegradable plastic, which is a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms, so that the liquid storage section decomposes into water and carbon dioxide when disposed of, thereby reducing the environmental impact.

The tenth aspect is based on any one of the first to ninth aspects, and is characterized in that at least a portion of the wall is formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material that allows the liquid inside the liquid storage portion to be confirmed.

According to the tenth aspect, the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage section can be easily confirmed.

The eleventh aspect is the tenth aspect, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from cellulose nanofibers.

According to the eleventh aspect, at least a portion of the wall of the liquid storage section is made of transparent cellulose nanofiber, which is a type of paper. This reduces the amount of fossil fuel used during production compared to conventional methods, mitigating the environmental burden, and also makes it easy to check the amount of liquid remaining in the liquid storage section.

The twelfth aspect is that in any one of the first to eleventh aspects, a liquid retaining member that retains the liquid is provided.

According to the twelfth aspect, the liquid contained in the liquid storage section can be held by the liquid holding member.

The thirteenth aspect is the twelfth aspect, in which the liquid retaining member is formed of cellulose fiber, glass fiber, or a ceramic material.

According to a fourteenth aspect, an aerosol generating device is provided. This aerosol generating device includes the cartridge described in any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, and a heating unit that heats the liquid to generate an aerosol.

According to the 14th aspect, the walls of the liquid storage section are made of a material derived from natural materials or a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms, so that the environmental impact during the manufacture or disposal of the aerosol generating device can be reduced compared to conventional methods.

The fifteenth aspect is the fourteenth aspect, wherein the heating unit is configured to be detachable from the cartridge.

The heating unit may generally include a metal (such as a resistance heating element or an induction heating element) for atomizing the liquid. According to the fifteenth aspect, since the heating unit can be removed from the cartridge, only the cartridge after use can be disposed of, making it easier to dispose of the cartridge compared to when the heating unit is incorporated in the cartridge.

The 16th aspect is the 14th or 15th aspect, in which the aerosol generating device has a housing that detachably accommodates the cartridge, and the housing is formed of a material harder than the cartridge.

According to the 16th aspect, the user holds the housing of the aerosol generating device, which is relatively hard, and deformation of the housing is suppressed, which can improve the convenience of the aerosol generating device.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, identical or corresponding components will be given the same reference numerals and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the aerosol generating device according to this embodiment. The aerosol generating device 100 has a battery unit 10, an electrical connection unit 25, a heating unit 20, a cartridge 30, and a mouthpiece 50. In the illustrated example, the battery unit 10, the electrical connection unit 25, the heating unit 20, the cartridge 30, and the mouthpiece 50 are arranged in the order shown, but this is not limiting and each component may be arranged in any position.

The battery unit 10 includes a battery 10a therein. The electrical connection unit 25 and the heating unit 20 are housed in a cylindrical housing 23. When the housing 23 is connected to the battery unit 10, the electrical connection unit 25 electrically connects the heating unit 20 and the battery 10a. This allows the battery 10a to supply power to the heating unit 20. The heating unit 20 includes an atomization unit (not shown) that atomizes the liquid contained in the cartridge 30. The atomization unit may include a heater such as a metal resistance heating element, or a metal induction heating element and an induction coil. The heating unit 20 may further include a wick that holds the liquid supplied from the cartridge 30.

The heating unit 20 is configured to be detachable from the cartridge 30. Specifically, the cartridge 30 is detachably housed in the housing 23. When the cartridge 30 is housed in the housing 23, it is connected to the heating unit 20 and supplies liquid to the heating unit 20. This allows only the cartridge 30 to be discarded after use, making it easier to dispose of the cartridge 30 than when the heating unit 20 is incorporated into the cartridge 30. Specifically, the task of removing the metal-containing heating unit 20 from the cartridge 30 can be omitted when disposing of or recycling the cartridge 30.

The mouthpiece 50 is configured to deliver the aerosol generated by the heating unit 20 into the user's mouth. The mouthpiece 50 may be removably attached to the cartridge 30 or the housing 23, or may be formed integrally with the cartridge 30. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the mouthpiece 50 is formed integrally with the cartridge 30.

The cartridge 30 is configured to contain a liquid (aerosol source) to be atomized by the aerosol generating device 100. Specifically, the cartridge 30 may be composed of two or more parts, such as a main body portion (corresponding to an example of the first portion) and a lid portion (corresponding to an example of the second portion). Without being limited thereto, the cartridge 30 may be composed of a single part.

The cartridge 30 has a liquid storage section that stores liquid. The liquid storage section is formed, for example, by attaching a lid section to a main body section. The liquid storage section has a wall that defines a space that stores liquid. Specifically, in this embodiment, the liquid storage section has a wall of the main body section and a wall of the lid section that define the space that stores liquid. Here, the "wall that defines the space that stores liquid" can also be said to be a wall that can come into contact with the liquid when the liquid storage section stores liquid. Note that the liquid storage section is not limited to a main body section and a lid section, and may be formed by combining multiple parts of any shape, such as two parts of the same shape.

The lid portion communicates with the liquid storage portion and has a liquid discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside of the cartridge. The cartridge 30 may have a liquid retention member that retains the liquid. By having the cartridge 30 have a liquid retention member, the liquid contained in the liquid storage portion can be retained by the liquid retention member.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that at least a portion of the wall of the liquid storage section, i.e., the wall defining the space for storing the liquid, is formed from a material derived from natural materials or a material decomposable by microorganisms. In this case, compared to the conventional case in which the wall of the liquid storage section is formed from a synthetic resin, it is possible to reduce the environmental impact during the manufacture or disposal of the cartridge 30. In this embodiment, it is preferable that at least a portion of the wall defining the liquid storage section is formed from a material derived from natural materials or a material decomposable by microorganisms.

More specifically, it is preferable that at least a portion of the wall defining the liquid storage section is formed from paper, biomass plastic, or biodegradable plastic. When at least a portion of the wall defining the liquid storage section is formed from biomass plastic, it is preferable that the biomass plastic contains at least one selected from the group consisting of biopolyethylene, biopolycarbonate, biopolyamide, biopolyethylene terephthalate, biopolytrimethylene terephthalate, biopolyurethane, aromatic polyester, biounsaturated polyester, biophenol resin, bioepoxy resin, and cellulose acetate (triacetate). In this case, since at least a portion of the liquid storage section is formed from biomass plastic, which is a material derived from natural materials (plants), it is possible to reduce the amount of fossil fuel used in manufacturing the liquid storage section and to suppress the increase in carbon dioxide during incineration.

In addition, when at least a portion of the wall defining the liquid storage portion is formed from a biodegradable plastic, the biodegradable plastic preferably includes at least one selected from the group consisting of starch polyester, polylactic acid, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), polylactic acid/polycaprolactone copolymer, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid/polyether copolymer, butanediol/long-chain dicarboxylic acid copolymer, polybutylene adipate/terephthalate, polytetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate succinate, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, and polyvinyl alcohol. In this case, since at least a portion of the liquid storage portion is formed from a biodegradable plastic, which is a material that can be decomposed by microorganisms, the liquid storage portion decomposes into water and carbon dioxide when disposed of, thereby reducing the environmental load.

It is preferable that at least a portion of the inner surface of the wall defining the liquid storage section, the outer surface of the wall, and at least a portion of the inner wall of the flow path with which the aerosol comes into contact are treated to be liquid-resistant or liquid-proof. In this case, it is possible to prevent the liquid from leaking from the liquid storage section. The liquid-resistant or liquid-proof treatment may include, for example, water-resistant treatment, oil-resistant treatment, water-repellent treatment, oil-repellent treatment, moisture-resistant treatment, moisture-proof treatment, waterproof treatment, or oil-proof treatment. In addition, the liquid atomized by the aerosol generating device 100 may generally include an aerosol source such as glycerin or propylene glycol. Since the molecular weight of glycerin and propylene glycol is smaller than that of glucose, the aerosol source easily penetrates into the pores of pulp, etc. For this reason, if the wall of the liquid storage section is formed of paper, there is a risk that the liquid will seep out from the wall of the liquid storage section. For this reason, when at least a part of the wall defining the liquid storage portion is made of paper (pulp), it is preferable that the inner surface of the wall, the outer surface of the wall, and at least a part of the inner wall of the flow path with which the aerosol comes into contact are liquid-resistant or liquid-proof. In this case, at least a part of the wall of the liquid storage portion can be made of paper while suppressing leakage of liquid from the liquid storage portion. Therefore, compared to the conventional method, the amount of fossil fuel used during manufacturing can be reduced, and the environmental load can be reduced. In addition, compared to when the liquid storage portion is made of synthetic resin, the liquid storage portion can be easily disposed of. Note that, when the entire wall of the liquid storage portion is made of paper, the wall can be formed by, for example, pulp injection molding, pulp molding, deep drawing, folding (lamination), etc. Also, when at least a part of the wall is made of paper, the wall may be unevenly formed or colored. In this case, by providing the aerosol generating device 100 with a sensor that detects unevenness or coloring, the aerosol generating device 100 can recognize the presence or absence of the cartridge 30 or the type of the cartridge 30.

Specifically, it is preferable that a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate is attached to at least a portion of the inner surface of the wall formed of paper, or that a liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint is applied to at least a portion of the wall of the liquid storage section. In this case, at least a portion of the wall of the liquid storage section can be formed of paper while suppressing leakage of liquid from the liquid storage section. As the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate, for example, a polyethylene laminate or a polypropylene laminate, a polylactic acid laminate, or a biopolybutylene succinate laminate can be used. As the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint, for example, a coating made of an acrylic resin or a silicone resin can be used. Specifically, FILLHARMO (registered trademark), Silicera Coat (registered trademark), biomass resin, or DLC coating can be used. Note that the types of laminate and paint are not limited to those mentioned above.

When the cartridge 30 has a body portion and a lid portion as in this embodiment, the body portion and the lid portion can be joined together by welding the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate attached to each wall or the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint applied to each wall. In this case, the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate or the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint is provided not only on the inner surface of the wall but also on the joint surface. When the liquid storage portion is manufactured from at least two parts in this way, the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminate or the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paint can be used to seal the gap between the two parts to prevent liquid leakage. Here, "welding" can include, for example, heat sealing and ultrasonic welding. Alternatively, the body portion and the lid portion can be joined together with an adhesive. When the liquid storage portion is manufactured from at least two parts in this way, the adhesive can be used to seal the gap between the two parts to prevent liquid leakage. Here, for example, a liquid adhesive or a hot melt adhesive can be used as the adhesive.

Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a part of the wall defining the liquid storage section is formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material that allows the liquid inside the liquid storage section to be confirmed. In this case, the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage section can be easily confirmed. Specifically, it is preferable that at least a part of the wall defining the liquid storage section is formed from cellulose nanofiber. In this case, since at least a part of the wall of the liquid storage section is formed from cellulose nanofiber, which is a type of paper and is transparent, it is possible to reduce the amount of fossil fuel used during manufacturing compared to conventional methods, reduce the environmental burden, and also make it easy to check the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid storage section.

Furthermore, the liquid holding member of the cartridge 30 is preferably made of cellulose fiber, glass fiber, or ceramic-based material. As described above, when the cartridge 30 is made of a material derived from natural materials or a material decomposable by microorganisms, some materials have low hardness, and the shape of the cartridge 30 may be deformed when held. Therefore, the housing 23 shown in FIG. 1 is preferably made of a material harder than the cartridge 30 (specifically, for example, the wall defining the liquid storage portion). In this case, since the user holds the housing 23 of the aerosol generating device 100, which is relatively hard, deformation of the housing 23 is suppressed, and the convenience of the aerosol generating device 100 can be improved. The housing 23 can be made of, for example, metal or resin.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Furthermore, any shape or material not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention as long as it provides the functions and effects of the present invention.

20: Heating unit 30: Cartridge 100: Aerosol generating device

Claims (16)

A cartridge for containing a liquid to be atomized by an aerosol generating device, comprising:
a liquid storage portion including a wall defining a space for storing the liquid;
A cartridge, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from a material derived from natural sources or a material that is decomposable by microorganisms. 2. The cartridge according to claim 1,
A cartridge, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from paper, biomass plastic, or biodegradable plastic. 3. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2,
A cartridge, wherein an inner surface of the wall, an outer surface of the wall, and at least a portion of an inner wall of the flow path that comes into contact with the aerosol are treated to be liquid-resistant or liquid-proof. 4. The cartridge according to claim 3,
At least a portion of the wall is formed of paper;
A cartridge, wherein an inner surface of the wall formed of paper, an outer surface of the wall, and at least a part of an inner wall of the flow path that comes into contact with the aerosol are treated to be liquid-resistant or liquid-proof. 5. The cartridge according to claim 4,
A cartridge, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of said wall formed of paper is provided with a liquid-resistant/water-proof laminate or with a liquid-resistant/water-proof paint. 6. The cartridge according to claim 5,
the liquid storage portion has a first portion and a second portion,
A cartridge in which the first part and the second part are joined to each other by welding the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof laminates attached to the respective walls or by welding the liquid-resistant/liquid-proof paints applied to the respective walls. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5;
the liquid storage portion has a first portion and a second portion,
The first and second portions are joined together by an adhesive. 3. The cartridge according to claim 2,
At least a portion of the wall is formed from the biomass plastic,
The cartridge, wherein the biomass plastic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of bio-polyethylene, bio-polycarbonate, bio-polyamide, bio-polyethylene terephthalate, bio-polytrimethylene terephthalate, bio-polyurethane, aromatic polyester, bio-unsaturated polyester, bio-phenolic resin, bio-epoxy resin, and cellulose acetate (triacetate). 3. The cartridge according to claim 2,
At least a portion of the wall is formed from the biodegradable plastic,
The cartridge, wherein the biodegradable plastic includes at least one selected from the group consisting of starch polyester, polylactic acid, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), polylactic acid/polycaprolactone copolymer, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid/polyether copolymer, butanediol/long-chain dicarboxylic acid copolymer, polybutylene adipate/terephthalate, polytetramethylene adipate-co-terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate succinate, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, and polyvinyl alcohol. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A cartridge, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from a transparent or translucent material that allows the liquid inside the liquid storage portion to be confirmed. 11. The cartridge according to claim 10,
A cartridge, wherein at least a portion of the wall is formed from cellulose nanofibers. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A cartridge having a liquid holding member that holds the liquid. 13. The cartridge according to claim 12,
The liquid retaining member is formed of cellulose fiber, glass fiber, or a ceramic material. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 13;
A heating unit that heats the liquid to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generating device according to claim 14,
The aerosol generating device, wherein the heating unit is configured to be detachable from the cartridge. The aerosol generating device according to claim 14 or 15,
a housing for removably accommodating the cartridge;
The aerosol generating device, wherein the housing is formed of a harder material than the cartridge.