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WO2024245989A1 - Aerosol-generating article comprising a spacer element - Google Patents

Aerosol-generating article comprising a spacer element Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024245989A1
WO2024245989A1 PCT/EP2024/064490 EP2024064490W WO2024245989A1 WO 2024245989 A1 WO2024245989 A1 WO 2024245989A1 EP 2024064490 W EP2024064490 W EP 2024064490W WO 2024245989 A1 WO2024245989 A1 WO 2024245989A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
aerosol
generating
generating material
generating article
segment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/EP2024/064490
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Alessandro METRANGOLO
Daniel Nhân NGUYEN
Alexandre REDONDO
Maria Leonor CABRAL DE CARVALHO
Vincenzo Riccardo FUZIO
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Philip Morris Products SA
Original Assignee
Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Philip Morris Products SA filed Critical Philip Morris Products SA
Publication of WO2024245989A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024245989A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/01—Making cigarettes for simulated smoking devices
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
    • A24D1/00—Cigars; Cigarettes
    • A24D1/20—Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
    • 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
    • A24F40/46—Shape or structure of electric heating means
    • A24F40/465—Shape or structure of electric heating means specially adapted for induction heating
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod
    • A24C5/1821—Forming the rod containing different tobacco mixtures, e.g. composite rods

Definitions

  • Aerosol-generating article comprising a spacer element
  • the present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating article for an aerosol-generating device, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises at least one spacer element.
  • the present disclosure further relates an apparatus and methods for producing such aerosolgenerating article.
  • Aerosol-generating articles may generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substrate. Aerosol-generating articles generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substrate without requiring combustion of the aerosol-generating substrate are known. Such articles are often designated as “heat-not-burn” aerosol-generating articles, since an aerosolgenerating substrate is heated to a relatively low temperature to induce the formation of an aerosol but prevent the combustion of material contained within the aerosol-generating substrate. Known aerosol-generating substrates are typically not heatable to operating temperatures by induction. This means that, for inductive heating, a separate susceptor is typically required.
  • portions of the aerosol-generating substrate which are located further away from the susceptor may not reach a temperature sufficiently high for releasing many volatile compounds.
  • peripheral portions of the aerosol-generating substrate may have a limited effect on the volume of aerosol generated.
  • it upon disposal of an aerosolgenerating article, it may still comprise unused aerosol-generating substrate.
  • an aerosolgenerating article with a longitudinal passageway.
  • the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment, that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway, a heating element, that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper extending around the longitudinal passageway.
  • a spacer element extends inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosol-generating material segment. The spacer element is free of contact from the heating element. In particular, the spacer element is free of surface contact from the heating element.
  • the aerosol-generating article may be provided with two or more spacer elements. The two or more spacer elements may be free of contact from the heating element, in particular respectively free of contact from the heating element.
  • the two or more spacer elements may be free of contact surface from the heating element, in particular may be respectively free of contact surface from the heating element.
  • the spacer element is arranged in a distance from the heating element. The distance may be at least 0.5 millimeters, in particular at least 1 millimeter, more in particular at least 1.5 millimeters.
  • the spacer element may be spatially separated from the heating element.
  • the aerosol-generating article may be characterized by the absence of contact between the spacer element and the heating element, in particular by the absence of surface contact between the spacer element and the heating element.
  • the spacer element is only optionally free of contact from the heating element.
  • the spacer element may or may not be in contact with the heating element.
  • the spacer element may be a less expensive material than the material of the aerosol-generating substrate.
  • the longitudinal passageway of the aerosol-generating article may be formed by the outer wrapper.
  • the longitudinal passageway may have a cylindrical shape.
  • the longitudinal passageway may have a constant cross-section.
  • the longitudinal passageway may have a substantially circular cross-section.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment may be rodshaped, in particular having a cylindrical shape with a constant cross-section, more in particular having a substantial circular constant cross-section.
  • the aerosol-generating article may be rod-shaped, in particular having a cylindrical shape with a constant cross-section, more in particular having a substantial circular constant cross-section.
  • a cross-section substantially circular may result from the technical tolerance of the method of producing the aerosolgenerating article.
  • the greatest dimension of the heating element may extend along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway.
  • the heating element may extend all the way from an upstream end to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • the heating element may have substantially the same length as the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • a plurality of heating elements may be distributed along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway.
  • the heating element may be an induction heating element.
  • the heating element may be a susceptor.
  • the susceptor may be a strip susceptor.
  • the susceptor may be a particulate susceptor, or a susceptor filament, or a susceptor mesh, or a susceptor wick, or a susceptor pin, or a susceptor rod, or a susceptor blade, or a susceptor sleeve, or a susceptor cup, or a susceptor coil, or a cylindrical susceptor, or a planar susceptor, or a combination thereof.
  • the thickness of the susceptor may be comprised between 30 micrometers and 60 micrometers.
  • the length of the susceptor may be comprised between 5 millimeters and 20 millimeters.
  • the susceptor may be made by one of a paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or ferromagnetic material.
  • the susceptor may comprise metal.
  • the susceptor may comprise one of aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, bronze, cobalt, plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, or austenitic stainless steel.
  • the susceptor may comprise Inconel alloys (austenite nickel-chromium- based superalloys).
  • the susceptor may comprise transition metals such as for example Fe, Co, Ni, or metalloids components such as for example B, C, Si, P, Al.
  • the susceptor may comprise mu-metal or permalloy.
  • the susceptor may comprise or be made of a carbon material.
  • the susceptor may comprise or be made of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, ceramics such as for example zirconia.
  • the susceptor may be heated to a temperature in excess of 250 degrees Celsius.
  • the aerosol-generating material may form an aerosol-generating substrate.
  • the aerosolgenerating material may be a substrate capable of releasing upon heating volatile compounds, which can form an aerosol.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be configured to generate more than 90%, in particular 100%, of the total volume of the aerosol generated by the heated aerosol-generating article.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be formed by a sheet, a crimped sheet, a foil or a web of the aerosol-generating material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a laminar substrate.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise an alkaloid compound.
  • the aerosolgenerating material may comprise nicotine.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise plant-based material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise tobacco.
  • the aerosolgenerating material may comprise a tobacco blend.
  • the aerosol-generating material may comprise a cut tobacco material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a homogenized sheet of tobacco. Instead or in addition to tobacco, other plant-based materials may be part of the aerosol-generating substrate.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a homogenized sheet of non-tobacco.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise humectants.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise aerosol formers, such as polyhydric alcohols, like propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1 ,3-butanediol and glycerine; esters of polyhydric alcohols, like glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids, like dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a fiber-based material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a plastic fiber-based material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a biodegradable fiber-based material.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise or be made of cellulose.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise or be made of cotton.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may be a polylactic acid substrate.
  • the aerosol-generating substrate may comprise acetate.
  • the spacer element may be located within the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • two or more spacer elements may be located within the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • the spacer element may be separated from the heating element by the aerosol- generating material.
  • the surface of the heating element may not be in direct physical contact with the spacer element.
  • the heating of the spacer element upon heating of the heating element may be at least reduced in comparison to the heating of the aerosol-generating material.
  • the spacer element may be in surface contact with the outer wrapper.
  • two or more spacer elements may be in surface contact with the outer wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be in surface contact only with the aerosol-generating material and the outer wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be in surface contact with the aerosol-generating material only.
  • the aerosol-generating article may further comprise an inner wrapper, that forms the longitudinal passageway.
  • the outer wrapper may extend around the inner wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper. In particular, two or more spacer elements may be arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be separated from the heating element by at least the inner wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be in surface contact with the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
  • the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may be respectively made of different materials. Alternatively, the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper may be made of the same material.
  • the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may have different porosity.
  • the inner wrapper may be more porous than the outer wrapper.
  • the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may have different thickness.
  • the outer wrapper may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner wrapper.
  • the longitudinal passageway defined by the outer wrapper may have a substantial circular transversal cross-section.
  • the diameter of the longitudinal passageway defined by the outer wrapper may be substantially the same than the diameter of the aerosol-generating article.
  • the longitudinal passageway defined by the inner wrapper may have a transversal cross-section deviating from a circular shape due to the presence of the spacer element arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be positioned into a longitudinal groove created by a deformation of the inner wrapper.
  • the aerosol-generating article may be provided with two or more spacer elements.
  • the aerosol-generating article may comprise three distinct spacer elements.
  • the spacer element in particular two or more spacer elements, may be formed by one or more string, filament, thread, fiber, wick, cord or rod.
  • the spacer element may be made of a gathered plurality of fibers or a gathered plurality of threads. The plurality of fibers or threads may be twisted or threaded together.
  • the spacer element may be made of natural fibers, in particular of hemp, flax or sisal.
  • the spacer element may be made of plastic fibers.
  • the spacer element may be a foam material.
  • the spacer element may comprise, or be made of, cellulose. In particular, at least one spacer element of two or more spacer elements may comprise, or be made of, cellulose.
  • the spacer element may be recycled.
  • the spacer element may comprise a flavoring component.
  • at least one spacer element of two or more spacer elements may comprise a flavoring component.
  • the flavored spacer element may enhance the user’s experience.
  • the flavoring component may be absorbed into the spacer element.
  • the flavoring component may be adsorbed onto the spacer element.
  • the adsorbed flavoring component may only adhere to a surface of the spacer element, in particular without being absorbed within the spacer element.
  • the flavoring component may comprise menthol, either natural or synthetic menthol.
  • the flavoring component may comprise essential oil.
  • the spacer element may further comprise an aerosol former such as glycerin.
  • the spacer element may have a specific color, for example, to provide a visual indication, during manufacturing of the aerosol-generating article, of a property of the aerosol-generating segment, such as the flavour or the content of nicotine. In the formed aerosol-generating article, the spacer element may not be visible from an external inspection of the aerosol-generating article.
  • the spacer element may have a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • two or more spacer elements may respectively have a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • the air permeability of the spacer element may be at least 5 times lower than the air permeability of the aerosolgenerating material segment.
  • the spacer element may carry less moisture content than the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • the spacer element may further comprise an external coating. The provision of an external coating may advantageously limit the permeation of oxygen or water vapour into the spacer element, which may help to extend the shelf life of the aerosol-generating article.
  • the spacer element may provide a favorable Resistance-To-Draw RTD value of the aerosol-generating article comprising the aerosol-generating segment.
  • a favorable RTD value may be between 20 millimeters of water gauge and 70 millimeters of water gauge, in particular between about 35 millimeters of water gauge and about 52 millimeters of water gauge.
  • the spacer element may extend parallel to the longitudinal passageway.
  • the spacer element may extend helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • a plurality of spacer elements may be twisted or threaded around the inner wrapper of the aerosol-generating segment.
  • the ratio of spacer element, in particular of spacer elements, to aerosolgenerating material may be comprised between 0.25 and 0.45.
  • the ratio is the ratio of the area of the cross-section occupied by the spacer element to the area of the cross- section occupied by the aerosol-generating material.
  • the ratio of the volume of the spacer element to the volume of the aerosol-generating material may be comprised between 0.1 and 0.5. This ratio allows reducing the amount of unused aerosol-generating material while maintaining a similar user’s experience.
  • the aerosol-generating article may further comprise a mouthpiece arranged at one end of the first longitudinal passageway.
  • the aerosol-generating article may further comprise a hollow acetate tube, in particular two hollow acetate tubes.
  • an apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating material segment for an article aerosol-generating article comprising a converging device with a forming chamber that converges along an axial direction from a first open end of the forming chamber to a second open end of the forming chamber.
  • the apparatus comprises a first conveyor configured to convey aerosolgenerating material, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end of the forming chamber to converge the aerosol-generating material into a segment at the second open end of the forming chamber.
  • the apparatus comprises at least a second conveyor configured to convey one or more spacer elements through the first open end of the forming chamber.
  • the converging device is configured to converge the one or more spacer elements with the aerosolgenerating material segment.
  • the first conveyor and the second conveyor may respectively comprise at least one rotating roller, in particular two rotating rollers.
  • the apparatus may further comprise a susceptor guide for guiding a susceptor band, the susceptor guide extending into the forming chamber from the first open end to the second open end of said forming chamber, and wherein the susceptor band is incorporated at the second open end of the forming chamber into the segment of aerosol-generating material.
  • the converging device may comprise a guiding element for helping to guide the spacer element towards the forming chamber.
  • the guiding element may comprise a passageway.
  • the size of the passageway may be adapted to the diameter of the spacer element.
  • the passageway may extend inside the forming chamber.
  • the passageway of the guiding element may extend along an external surface of the converging device, so that the spacer element may be converged with the aerosol-generating material and the susceptor band at the second open end, rather from the first open end.
  • the apparatus may further comprise a wrapping unit located downstream of the second open end of the forming chamber of the converging device, to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged segment of aerosol-generating material and the one or more spacer elements.
  • the apparatus may further comprise at least one additive supply line upstream of the converging device and configured to dispense additive, in particular a flavoring additive, to the spacer element.
  • the additive supply device may comprise one or further nozzles for spraying the additive on the spacer element.
  • the additive supply device may comprise a chamber for limiting the spraying of the additive within said chamber.
  • an additive supply device may be provided upstream of the converging device for applying additive to the aerosol-generating material.
  • the aerosol-generating material and the spacer element may be supplied with different additives.
  • the aerosol-generating material and the spacer element may be supplied with the same additive in different amounts.
  • a method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article comprising the steps of: conveying a spacer element through a forming chamber of a converging device along an axial direction; converging an aerosol-generating material, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment incorporating the spacer element by conveying the aerosol-generating material through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
  • the method may further comprise a step of conveying a susceptor band through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction; and incorporating the susceptor into the segment of aerosol-generating material in the forming chamber.
  • the method may further comprise a step of applying an additive, in particular a flavor additive, on the spacer element prior the step of conveying the spacer element through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
  • an additive in particular a flavor additive
  • the method may further comprise the steps of conveying a wrapper downstream of the converging device and wrapping the segment into the wrapper.
  • the spacer element may be provided as a bobbin. Prior to the step of conveying the spacer element, the method may comprise unwinding the spacer element from a bobbin.
  • a method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article comprising the steps of: forming an aerosol-generating material segment wrapped into an inner wrapper; providing a spacer element along the inner wrapper; wrapping the spacer element and the inner wrapper in an outer wrapper.
  • the method may comprise the further step of incorporating a heating element in the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • spacer element may apply to two or more spacer elements, either to each of the two or more spacer elements, or to at least one of the two or more spacer elements.
  • Example Ex1 An aerosol-generating article with a longitudinal passageway, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment, that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway, a heating element, that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper extending around the longitudinal passageway, a spacer element extending inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosolgenerating material segment, and the spacer element is free of contact from the heating element.
  • Example Ex2 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex1 , wherein the longitudinal passageway is formed by the outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex3 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex1 or Ex2, wherein the longitudinal passageway is formed by the outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex4 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex3, wherein the heating element is an induction heating element.
  • Example Ex5 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex4, wherein the heating element is a susceptor.
  • Example Ex6 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex5, wherein the susceptor is a particulate susceptor, or a susceptor filament, or a susceptor mesh, or a susceptor wick, or a susceptor pin, or a susceptor rod, or a susceptor blade, or a susceptor strip, or a susceptor sleeve, or a susceptor cup, or a susceptor coil, or a cylindrical susceptor, or a planar susceptor.
  • the susceptor is a particulate susceptor, or a susceptor filament, or a susceptor mesh, or a susceptor wick, or a susceptor pin, or a susceptor rod, or a susceptor blade, or a susceptor strip, or a susceptor sleeve, or a susceptor cup, or a susceptor coil, or a cylindrical susceptor, or a planar susceptor.
  • Example Ex7 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex5 or Ex6, wherein the greatest dimension of the susceptor extends along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway.
  • Example Ex8 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex7, wherein the aerosol-generating material forms an aerosol-generating substrate.
  • Example Ex9 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex8, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a tobacco blend.
  • Example Ex10 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex9, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a cut tobacco material.
  • Example Ex11 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a homogenized sheet of tobacco.
  • Example Ex12 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a homogenized sheet of non-tobacco.
  • Example Ex13 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a fiber-based material, in particular a plastic fiber-based material, more in particular a biodegradable fiber-based material.
  • Example Ex14 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate comprises or is made of cellulose.
  • Example Ex15 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate comprises or is made of cotton.
  • Example Ex16 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex15, wherein the spacer element is located within the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • Example Ex17 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex16, wherein the spacer element is in surface contact with the outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex18 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex15, further comprising an inner wrapper, that forms the longitudinal passageway, the outer wrapper extending around the inner wrapper and the spacer element being arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex19 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex18, wherein the spacer element is in surface contact with the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex20 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex19, wherein the aerosol-generating article is provided with two or more spacer elements.
  • Example Ex21 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex20, wherein the aerosolgenerating article comprises three distinct spacer elements.
  • Example Ex22 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex21 , wherein the spacer element is formed by one or more string, filament, thread, fiber, wick, cord or rod.
  • Example Ex23 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22, wherein the spacer element is made of a gathered plurality of fibers or a gathered plurality of threads.
  • Example Ex24 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22 or Ex23, wherein the spacer element is made of natural fibers, in particular of hemp, flax or sisal.
  • Example Ex25 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22 or Ex23, wherein the spacer element is made of plastic fibers.
  • Example Ex26 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex23, wherein the spacer element comprises, or is made of, cellulose.
  • Example Ex27 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex26, wherein the spacer element comprises a flavoring component.
  • Example Ex28 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex27, wherein the flavoring component is absorbed into the spacer element.
  • Example Ex29 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex27, wherein the flavoring component is adsorbed onto the spacer element.
  • Example Ex30 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex27 to Ex29, wherein the flavoring component comprises menthol, either natural or synthetic menthol.
  • Example Ex31 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex27 to Ex30, wherein the flavoring component comprises essential oil.
  • Example Ex33 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex32, wherein the spacer element has a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • Example Ex34 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex33, wherein the air permeability of the spacer element is at least 5 times lower than the air permeability of the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • Example Ex35 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex34, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper are made of different material.
  • Example Ex36 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex35, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper have different porosity.
  • Example Ex37 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex36, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper have different thickness.
  • Example Ex38 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex37, wherein the spacer element extends parallel to the longitudinal passageway.
  • Example Ex39 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex37, wherein the spacer element extends helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • Example Ex40 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex39, wherein, in a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway, the ratio of spacer element to aerosol-generating material is comprised between 0.25 and 0.45.
  • Example Ex41 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex40, wherein the ratio of the volume of the spacer element to the volume of the aerosol-generating material is comprised between 0.1 and 0.5.
  • Example Ex42 The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex41 , wherein the aerosol-generating article further comprises a mouthpiece arranged at one end of the first longitudinal passageway.
  • Example Ex43 The aerosol-generating article according to Ex42, wherein the aerosolgenerating article further comprises a hollow acetate tube, in particular two hollow acetate tubes.
  • Example Ex44 An apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising: a converging device with a forming chamber that converges along an axial direction from a first open end of the forming chamber to a second open end of the forming chamber; a first conveyor configured to convey aerosol-generating material, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end of the forming chamber to converge the aerosol-generating material into a segment at the second open end of the forming chamber; and at least a second conveyor configured to convey one or more spacer elements through the first open end of the forming chamber; and the converging device is configured to converge the one or more spacer elements with the aerosol-generating material segment.
  • Example Ex45 The apparatus according to Ex44, further comprising a susceptor guide for guiding a susceptor band, the susceptor guide extending into the forming chamber from the first open end to the second open end of said forming chamber, and wherein the susceptor band is incorporated at the second open end of the forming chamber into the segment of aerosol-generating material.
  • Example Ex46 The apparatus according to Ex44 or Ex45, further comprising a wrapping unit located downstream of the second open end of the forming chamber of the converging device, to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged segment of aerosol-generating material and the one or more spacer elements.
  • Example Ex47 A method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: conveying a spacer element through a forming chamber of a converging device along an axial direction; converging an aerosolgenerating material, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment incorporating the spacer element by conveying the aerosol-generating material through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
  • Example Ex48 The method according to Ex47, comprising a step of conveying a susceptor band through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction; and incorporating the susceptor into the segment of aerosol-generating material in the forming chamber.
  • Example Ex49 The method according to Ex47 or Ex48, comprising a step of applying an additive, in particular a flavor additive, on the spacer element prior the step of conveying the spacer element through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
  • an additive in particular a flavor additive
  • Example Ex50 The method according to one of Ex47 to Ex49, further comprising the steps of conveying a wrapper downstream the converging device and wrapping the segment into the wrapper.
  • Example Ex51 The method according to one of Ex47 to Ex50, wherein, prior the step of conveying the spacer element, the method comprises unwinding the spacer element from a bobbin.
  • Example Ex52 A method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: forming an aerosol-generating material segment wrapped into an inner wrapper; providing a spacer element along the inner wrapper; wrapping the spacer element and the inner wrapper in an outer wrapper.
  • Example Ex53 The method according to Ex52, comprising the further step of incorporating a heating element in the aerosol-generating material segment. Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic lateral view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment
  • Fig. 2 shows a schematic transversal view of the aerosol-generating material segment according to the first embodiment
  • Fig. 3 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a second embodiment
  • Fig. 4 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a third embodiment
  • Fig. 5 shows a schematic side view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a fourth embodiment
  • Fig. 6 shows a schematic side view of an apparatus 100 for manufacturing an aerosolgenerating material segment, in particular the aerosol-generating material segment according to the first embodiment.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic lateral view of an aerosol-generating article 10 according to a first embodiment.
  • the aerosol-generating article 10 has a rod-shape extending along a central longitudinal axis 12 from a mouth end 14 to a distal end 16, so as to define a longitudinal passageway 18 between the mouth end 14 and the distal end 16.
  • the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a plurality of components within the longitudinal passageway 18, as can be seen from the lateral view of Fig. 1 . All the components may have the same diameter.
  • the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises along the central longitudinal axis 12: a mouthpiece 20, a first hollow acetate tube 22, a second hollow acetate tube 24, an aerosol-generating material segment 26 and a plug element 28.
  • a cross section of the aerosol-generating article 10 along a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal axis 12 is substantially a circle.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 26 is arranged in the longitudinal passageway 18.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 26 comprises an aerosol-generating substrate 30.
  • a heating element 32 is located in the aerosol-generating substrate 30 of the aerosolgenerating material segment 26.
  • the heating element 32 is surrounded by the aerosolgenerating material forming the aerosol-generating substrate 30.
  • the heating element 32 is a susceptor 32 having the shape of a strip extending along the full length of the aerosol-generating material segment 26.
  • the susceptor 32 is positioned centrally with respect to the aerosol-generating material segment 26.
  • the susceptor 32 is in thermal contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 such that, when the susceptor 32 is inductively heated, heat is transferred to the aerosolgenerating substrate 30 and aerosol is thereby released.
  • the aerosol-generating article 10 further comprises an outer wrapper 34 extending around the longitudinal passageway 18.
  • the longitudinal passageway 18 is formed by the outer wrapper 34.
  • the aerosol-generating article 10 further comprises one spacer element 36.
  • the spacer element 36 may be made of cellulose.
  • the spacer element 36 extends inside the longitudinal passageway 18 along the aerosol-generating material segment 26.
  • the spacer element 36 is separated from the susceptor 32 by the aerosol-generating substrate 30.
  • the spacer element 36 is only in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the outer wrapper 34. There is no direct surface contact between the spacer element 36 and the susceptor 32.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis 12 of the longitudinal passageway 18.
  • the spacer element 36 is positioned within the aerosolgenerating material segment 26 such that the heat generated by the heating of the susceptor 32, schematically represented by arrows 38, primarily heat the aerosol-generating substrate 30 directly surrounding the susceptor 32.
  • the spacer element 36 has a substantially oval cross-section.
  • Fig. 3 shows a schematic transversal view of the aerosol-generating material segment of an aerosol-generating article 40 according to a second embodiment.
  • the aerosol-generating article 40 differs from the aerosol-generating article 10 in that, in the second embodiment, the aerosol-generating material segment 26 comprises three spacer elements 42, 44, 46, instead of one spacer element 36 in the first embodiment.
  • Elements with the same reference numeral already described and illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 will not be described in detail again but reference is made to their description above.
  • the three spacer elements 42, 44, 46 may be made of cellulose. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the three spacer elements 42, 44, 46 respectively have a substantially circular cross-section. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the diameter of the cross-section of the spacer element 42 is smaller than the diameter of the cross-section of the spacer elements 44, 46. The respective diameter of the spacer elements 44, 46 may be substantially the same. In the cross-section of Fig. 3, the ratio of spacer elements 42, 44, 46 to aerosolgenerating substrate 30 may be comprised between 0.25 and 0.45. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the spacer element 42 is in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 only. The two spacer elements 44, 46 are only in surface contact with: the aerosolgenerating substrate 30 and the outer wrapper 34. None of the spacer elements 42, 44, 46 is in direct surface contact with the susceptor 32.
  • Fig. 4 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment 52 of an aerosol-generating article 50 according to a third embodiment.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 52 comprises the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the susceptor 32 located within the aerosol-generating substrate 30.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 52 of the aerosolgenerating article 50 is provided with an outer wrapper 54.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 52 further comprises an inner wrapper 56.
  • the inner wrapper 56 forms the longitudinal passageway of the aerosolgenerating article 50.
  • the outer wrapper 54 extends around the inner wrapper 56.
  • four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are arranged between the outer wrapper 54 and the inner wrapper 56.
  • the four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are only in surface contact with the outer wrapper 54 and the inner wrapper 56.
  • the four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are not in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 nor with the susceptor 32.
  • the outer wrapper 54 defines a longitudinal passageway with a substantial circular cross-section.
  • the inner wrapper 56 defines a longitudinal passageway with a non-circular cross-section in that the inner wrapper 56 is deformed in a convex manner at the respective location of the four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64.
  • the external shape and the dimension of the cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 52 of the aerosol-generating article 50 is substantially the same than the ones of the aerosol-generating material segment 26 according to the first and the second embodiments.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 52 shown in Fig. 4 may be obtained by converging and wrapping the aerosol-generating material 30 and the susceptor 32 into the inner wrapper 56, providing the spacer element 58, 60, 62, 64 along the inner wrapper 56; and wrapping the spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 and the inner wrapper 56 in the outer wrapper 54.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 52 shown in Fig. 4 may be obtained by means of spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 having an initial substantially circular cross-section.
  • the spacers element 58, 60, 62, 64 may be placed along the inner wrapper 56.
  • the wrapping of the outer wrapper 54 may have the effect of compressing the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 against the inner wrapper 56 and towards the center of the aerosol-generating material segment 52.
  • the shape of the cross-section of the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 may be modified.
  • the curvature of the portion of the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 in contact with the outer wrapper 54 may be reduced so that the cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 52 is substantially circular, as shown in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 5 shows of schematic view of an aerosol-generating material segment 72 of an aerosol-generating article 70 according to a fifth embodiment.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 72 comprises the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the susceptor 32 located within the aerosol-generating substrate 30.
  • the aerosol-generating material segment 72 is provided with an outer wrapper 74 and an inner wrapper 76.
  • the outer wrapper 74 is only partially wound around the inner wrapper 76 and is made transparent to render the spacer element 78 visible.
  • the spacer element 78 is arranged between the outer wrapper 74 and the inner wrapper 76.
  • the spacer element 78 extends helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment 72 along its central longitudinal axis 80.
  • the spacer element 78 may extend helicoidally directly around a surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 30, without the presence of the inner wrapper 76.
  • the spacer elements 36, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 62, 64, 78 may be formed by a string, a filament, a thread, a wick, a cord or a rod.
  • Fig. 6 shows a schematic side view of an apparatus 100 for manufacturing an aerosolgenerating article 10 according to the first embodiment. Arrows are used in Fig. 6 to indicate movement of components of the apparatus 100.
  • the apparatus 100 comprises a converging device 102 with a forming chamber 104 that converges along an axial direction 106 from a first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104 to a second open end 110 of the forming chamber 104. The open end 108 is larger than then second end 110, so that the converging device 102 has a funnel-shape along the axial direction 106.
  • the apparatus 100 comprises a first conveyor 112 configured to convey aerosol-generating material 30, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104.
  • the first conveyor 112 is configured to converge the aerosol-generating material 30 into a segment 114 at the second open end 110 of the forming chamber 104.
  • the apparatus 100 also comprises a band of susceptor material 32, which is conveyed through the forming chamber 104 along an axial direction 106. The band of susceptor material 32 is wound around a bobbin.
  • the apparatus 100 further comprises a second conveyor 116 configured to convey the spacer element 36 through the first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104.
  • the converging device 102 is configured to converge the spacer element 36 with the aerosol-generating material 30 to form an aerosolgenerating material segment 114.
  • a transversal cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 114 may be illustrated by the example of Fig. 2.
  • the converging device 102 further comprises a guiding element 120 for helping guiding the spacer element 36 towards the forming chamber 104.
  • the guiding element 120 comprises a passageway 122.
  • the size of the passageway 122 is adapted to the diameter of the spacer element 36.
  • the passageway 122 extends inside the forming chamber 104.
  • the passageway 122 of the guiding element 120 may extend along an external surface of the converging device 102, so that the spacer element 36 is converged with the aerosol-generating material 30 and the susceptor band 32 at the second open end 110, rather from the first open end 118.
  • the apparatus 100 may further comprising a wrapping unit (not represented in Fig. 6) to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged aerosol-generating segment 114.
  • the apparatus 100 may further comprise a cutting unit (not represented in Fig. 6) to cut the converged and wrapped aerosol-generating segment 114 into individual aerosol-generating material segments 26.
  • a method for producing the aerosol-generating segment 114 comprises conveying the spacer element 36 through the forming chamber 104 of a converging device 102 along the axial direction 106; converging the aerosol-generating material 30, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment 114 incorporating the spacer element 36 by conveying the aerosol-generating material 30 through the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102 along the axial direction 116.
  • the method comprises conveying the susceptor band 32 through the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102 along the axial direction 116; and incorporating the susceptor 32 into the segment of aerosol-generating material 30 in the forming chamber 104.
  • a transversal cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 114 may be illustrated by the example of Fig. 2.
  • the aerosol-generating material segments shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 may be obtained by adding a corresponding number of conveyors 116 configured to respectively convey spacer elements 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 62, 64 towards the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article (10, 40, 50, 70) with a longitudinal passageway (18), wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment (26, 52, 72), that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway (18), a heating element (32), that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper (34, 54, 74) extending around the longitudinal passageway, two or more spacer elements (36, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 62, 64, 78) extending inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosol-generating material segment, and the spacer element is free of contact from the heating element (32). The present invention further relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article, in particular the aerosol-generating material segment of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

Aerosol-generating article comprising a spacer element
The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating article for an aerosol-generating device, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises at least one spacer element. The present disclosure further relates an apparatus and methods for producing such aerosolgenerating article.
Aerosol-generating articles may generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substrate. Aerosol-generating articles generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substrate without requiring combustion of the aerosol-generating substrate are known. Such articles are often designated as “heat-not-burn” aerosol-generating articles, since an aerosolgenerating substrate is heated to a relatively low temperature to induce the formation of an aerosol but prevent the combustion of material contained within the aerosol-generating substrate. Known aerosol-generating substrates are typically not heatable to operating temperatures by induction. This means that, for inductive heating, a separate susceptor is typically required.
Where an inductively heated susceptor is placed in a central position in the aerosolgenerating substrate, portions of the aerosol-generating substrate which are located further away from the susceptor may not reach a temperature sufficiently high for releasing many volatile compounds. Hence, peripheral portions of the aerosol-generating substrate may have a limited effect on the volume of aerosol generated. Thus, upon disposal of an aerosolgenerating article, it may still comprise unused aerosol-generating substrate.
It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating article enabling reducing the amount of aerosol-generating substrate, while maintaining a similar user experience. It would be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating article enabling reducing the amount of unused aerosol-generating substrate after use.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosolgenerating article with a longitudinal passageway. The aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment, that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway, a heating element, that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper extending around the longitudinal passageway. A spacer element extends inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosol-generating material segment. The spacer element is free of contact from the heating element. In particular, the spacer element is free of surface contact from the heating element. In particular, the aerosol-generating article may be provided with two or more spacer elements. The two or more spacer elements may be free of contact from the heating element, in particular respectively free of contact from the heating element. More in particular, the two or more spacer elements may be free of contact surface from the heating element, in particular may be respectively free of contact surface from the heating element. In particular, the spacer element is arranged in a distance from the heating element. The distance may be at least 0.5 millimeters, in particular at least 1 millimeter, more in particular at least 1.5 millimeters. In particular, the spacer element may be spatially separated from the heating element. The aerosol-generating article may be characterized by the absence of contact between the spacer element and the heating element, in particular by the absence of surface contact between the spacer element and the heating element.
According to another aspect of the invention, the spacer element is only optionally free of contact from the heating element. Thus, the spacer element may or may not be in contact with the heating element.
In comparison to aerosol-generating articles of the state of the art, less amount of aerosol-generating substrate may be used per aerosol-generating material segment because a portion of aerosol-generating substrate may be replaced by the spacer element. The spacer element may be a less expensive material than the material of the aerosol-generating substrate.
The longitudinal passageway of the aerosol-generating article may be formed by the outer wrapper. The longitudinal passageway may have a cylindrical shape. The longitudinal passageway may have a constant cross-section. The longitudinal passageway may have a substantially circular cross-section. The aerosol-generating material segment may be rodshaped, in particular having a cylindrical shape with a constant cross-section, more in particular having a substantial circular constant cross-section. The aerosol-generating article may be rod-shaped, in particular having a cylindrical shape with a constant cross-section, more in particular having a substantial circular constant cross-section. A cross-section substantially circular may result from the technical tolerance of the method of producing the aerosolgenerating article.
The greatest dimension of the heating element may extend along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway. The heating element may extend all the way from an upstream end to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating material segment. The heating element may have substantially the same length as the aerosol-generating material segment. A plurality of heating elements may be distributed along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway.
The heating element may be an induction heating element. The heating element may be a susceptor. The susceptor may be a strip susceptor. The susceptor may be a particulate susceptor, or a susceptor filament, or a susceptor mesh, or a susceptor wick, or a susceptor pin, or a susceptor rod, or a susceptor blade, or a susceptor sleeve, or a susceptor cup, or a susceptor coil, or a cylindrical susceptor, or a planar susceptor, or a combination thereof. The thickness of the susceptor may be comprised between 30 micrometers and 60 micrometers. The length of the susceptor may be comprised between 5 millimeters and 20 millimeters. The susceptor may be made by one of a paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or ferromagnetic material. The susceptor may comprise metal. The susceptor may comprise one of aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, bronze, cobalt, plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, or austenitic stainless steel. The susceptor may comprise Inconel alloys (austenite nickel-chromium- based superalloys). The susceptor may comprise transition metals such as for example Fe, Co, Ni, or metalloids components such as for example B, C, Si, P, Al. The susceptor may comprise mu-metal or permalloy. The susceptor may comprise or be made of a carbon material. The susceptor may comprise or be made of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, ceramics such as for example zirconia. The susceptor may be heated to a temperature in excess of 250 degrees Celsius.
The aerosol-generating material may form an aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosolgenerating material may be a substrate capable of releasing upon heating volatile compounds, which can form an aerosol. The aerosol-generating substrate may be configured to generate more than 90%, in particular 100%, of the total volume of the aerosol generated by the heated aerosol-generating article. The aerosol-generating substrate may be formed by a sheet, a crimped sheet, a foil or a web of the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a laminar substrate.
The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise an alkaloid compound. The aerosolgenerating material may comprise nicotine. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise plant-based material. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise tobacco. The aerosolgenerating material may comprise a tobacco blend. The aerosol-generating material may comprise a cut tobacco material. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a homogenized sheet of tobacco. Instead or in addition to tobacco, other plant-based materials may be part of the aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a homogenized sheet of non-tobacco. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise humectants. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise aerosol formers, such as polyhydric alcohols, like propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1 ,3-butanediol and glycerine; esters of polyhydric alcohols, like glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids, like dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a fiber-based material. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a plastic fiber-based material. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a biodegradable fiber-based material. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise or be made of cellulose. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise or be made of cotton. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a polylactic acid substrate. The aerosol-generating substrate may comprise acetate.
The spacer element may be located within the aerosol-generating material segment. In particular, two or more spacer elements may be located within the aerosol-generating material segment. The spacer element may be separated from the heating element by the aerosol- generating material. The surface of the heating element may not be in direct physical contact with the spacer element. The heating of the spacer element upon heating of the heating element may be at least reduced in comparison to the heating of the aerosol-generating material.
The spacer element may be in surface contact with the outer wrapper. In particular, two or more spacer elements may be in surface contact with the outer wrapper. The spacer element may be in surface contact only with the aerosol-generating material and the outer wrapper.
Alternatively, the spacer element may be in surface contact with the aerosol-generating material only.
The aerosol-generating article may further comprise an inner wrapper, that forms the longitudinal passageway. The outer wrapper may extend around the inner wrapper. The spacer element may be arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper. In particular, two or more spacer elements may be arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper. The spacer element may be separated from the heating element by at least the inner wrapper. The spacer element may be in surface contact with the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper. The outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may be respectively made of different materials. Alternatively, the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper may be made of the same material. The outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may have different porosity. The inner wrapper may be more porous than the outer wrapper. The outer wrapper and the inner wrapper may have different thickness. The outer wrapper may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner wrapper. The longitudinal passageway defined by the outer wrapper may have a substantial circular transversal cross-section. The diameter of the longitudinal passageway defined by the outer wrapper may be substantially the same than the diameter of the aerosol-generating article. The longitudinal passageway defined by the inner wrapper may have a transversal cross-section deviating from a circular shape due to the presence of the spacer element arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper. The spacer element may be positioned into a longitudinal groove created by a deformation of the inner wrapper.
The aerosol-generating article may be provided with two or more spacer elements. In particular, the aerosol-generating article may comprise three distinct spacer elements. The spacer element, in particular two or more spacer elements, may be formed by one or more string, filament, thread, fiber, wick, cord or rod. The spacer element may be made of a gathered plurality of fibers or a gathered plurality of threads. The plurality of fibers or threads may be twisted or threaded together. The spacer element may be made of natural fibers, in particular of hemp, flax or sisal. The spacer element may be made of plastic fibers. The spacer element may be a foam material. The spacer element may comprise, or be made of, cellulose. In particular, at least one spacer element of two or more spacer elements may comprise, or be made of, cellulose. The spacer element may be recycled.
The spacer element may comprise a flavoring component. In particular, at least one spacer element of two or more spacer elements may comprise a flavoring component. The flavored spacer element may enhance the user’s experience. The flavoring component may be absorbed into the spacer element. The flavoring component may be adsorbed onto the spacer element. The adsorbed flavoring component may only adhere to a surface of the spacer element, in particular without being absorbed within the spacer element. The flavoring component may comprise menthol, either natural or synthetic menthol. The flavoring component may comprise essential oil. The spacer element may further comprise an aerosol former such as glycerin.
Alternatively or in addition, the spacer element may have a specific color, for example, to provide a visual indication, during manufacturing of the aerosol-generating article, of a property of the aerosol-generating segment, such as the flavour or the content of nicotine. In the formed aerosol-generating article, the spacer element may not be visible from an external inspection of the aerosol-generating article.
The spacer element may have a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment. In particular, two or more spacer elements may respectively have a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment. The air permeability of the spacer element may be at least 5 times lower than the air permeability of the aerosolgenerating material segment. The spacer element may carry less moisture content than the aerosol-generating material segment. The spacer element may further comprise an external coating. The provision of an external coating may advantageously limit the permeation of oxygen or water vapour into the spacer element, which may help to extend the shelf life of the aerosol-generating article.
The spacer element may provide a favorable Resistance-To-Draw RTD value of the aerosol-generating article comprising the aerosol-generating segment. A favorable RTD value may be between 20 millimeters of water gauge and 70 millimeters of water gauge, in particular between about 35 millimeters of water gauge and about 52 millimeters of water gauge.
The spacer element may extend parallel to the longitudinal passageway. Alternatively, the spacer element may extend helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment. A plurality of spacer elements may be twisted or threaded around the inner wrapper of the aerosol-generating segment.
In a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway, the ratio of spacer element, in particular of spacer elements, to aerosolgenerating material may be comprised between 0.25 and 0.45. In particular, the ratio is the ratio of the area of the cross-section occupied by the spacer element to the area of the cross- section occupied by the aerosol-generating material. The ratio of the volume of the spacer element to the volume of the aerosol-generating material may be comprised between 0.1 and 0.5. This ratio allows reducing the amount of unused aerosol-generating material while maintaining a similar user’s experience.
The aerosol-generating article may further comprise a mouthpiece arranged at one end of the first longitudinal passageway. The aerosol-generating article may further comprise a hollow acetate tube, in particular two hollow acetate tubes.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating material segment for an article aerosol-generating article. The apparatus comprises a converging device with a forming chamber that converges along an axial direction from a first open end of the forming chamber to a second open end of the forming chamber. The apparatus comprises a first conveyor configured to convey aerosolgenerating material, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end of the forming chamber to converge the aerosol-generating material into a segment at the second open end of the forming chamber. The apparatus comprises at least a second conveyor configured to convey one or more spacer elements through the first open end of the forming chamber. The converging device is configured to converge the one or more spacer elements with the aerosolgenerating material segment.
The first conveyor and the second conveyor may respectively comprise at least one rotating roller, in particular two rotating rollers.
The apparatus may further comprise a susceptor guide for guiding a susceptor band, the susceptor guide extending into the forming chamber from the first open end to the second open end of said forming chamber, and wherein the susceptor band is incorporated at the second open end of the forming chamber into the segment of aerosol-generating material.
The converging device may comprise a guiding element for helping to guide the spacer element towards the forming chamber. The guiding element may comprise a passageway. The size of the passageway may be adapted to the diameter of the spacer element. The passageway may extend inside the forming chamber. Alternatively, the passageway of the guiding element may extend along an external surface of the converging device, so that the spacer element may be converged with the aerosol-generating material and the susceptor band at the second open end, rather from the first open end.
The apparatus may further comprise a wrapping unit located downstream of the second open end of the forming chamber of the converging device, to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged segment of aerosol-generating material and the one or more spacer elements.
The apparatus may further comprise at least one additive supply line upstream of the converging device and configured to dispense additive, in particular a flavoring additive, to the spacer element. The additive supply device may comprise one or further nozzles for spraying the additive on the spacer element. The additive supply device may comprise a chamber for limiting the spraying of the additive within said chamber. Alternatively, or in combination, an additive supply device may be provided upstream of the converging device for applying additive to the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material and the spacer element may be supplied with different additives. The aerosol-generating material and the spacer element may be supplied with the same additive in different amounts.
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: conveying a spacer element through a forming chamber of a converging device along an axial direction; converging an aerosol-generating material, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment incorporating the spacer element by conveying the aerosol-generating material through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
The method may further comprise a step of conveying a susceptor band through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction; and incorporating the susceptor into the segment of aerosol-generating material in the forming chamber.
The method may further comprise a step of applying an additive, in particular a flavor additive, on the spacer element prior the step of conveying the spacer element through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
The method may further comprise the steps of conveying a wrapper downstream of the converging device and wrapping the segment into the wrapper.
The spacer element may be provided as a bobbin. Prior to the step of conveying the spacer element, the method may comprise unwinding the spacer element from a bobbin.
According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: forming an aerosol-generating material segment wrapped into an inner wrapper; providing a spacer element along the inner wrapper; wrapping the spacer element and the inner wrapper in an outer wrapper.
The method may comprise the further step of incorporating a heating element in the aerosol-generating material segment.
The features respectively described herein in relation to a spacer element may apply to two or more spacer elements, either to each of the two or more spacer elements, or to at least one of the two or more spacer elements.
The invention is defined in the claims. However, below there is provided a non- exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more of the features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein. Example Ex1 : An aerosol-generating article with a longitudinal passageway, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment, that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway, a heating element, that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper extending around the longitudinal passageway, a spacer element extending inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosolgenerating material segment, and the spacer element is free of contact from the heating element.
Example Ex2: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex1 , wherein the longitudinal passageway is formed by the outer wrapper.
Example Ex3: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex1 or Ex2, wherein the longitudinal passageway is formed by the outer wrapper.
Example Ex4: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex3, wherein the heating element is an induction heating element.
Example Ex5: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex4, wherein the heating element is a susceptor.
Example Ex6: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex5, wherein the susceptor is a particulate susceptor, or a susceptor filament, or a susceptor mesh, or a susceptor wick, or a susceptor pin, or a susceptor rod, or a susceptor blade, or a susceptor strip, or a susceptor sleeve, or a susceptor cup, or a susceptor coil, or a cylindrical susceptor, or a planar susceptor.
Example Ex7: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex5 or Ex6, wherein the greatest dimension of the susceptor extends along the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway.
Example Ex8: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex7, wherein the aerosol-generating material forms an aerosol-generating substrate.
Example Ex9: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex8, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a tobacco blend.
Example Ex10: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex9, wherein the aerosol-generating material comprises a cut tobacco material.
Example Ex11 : The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a homogenized sheet of tobacco.
Example Ex12: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a homogenized sheet of non-tobacco.
Example Ex13: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate is a fiber-based material, in particular a plastic fiber-based material, more in particular a biodegradable fiber-based material.
Example Ex14: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate comprises or is made of cellulose. Example Ex15: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex8, wherein the aerosolgenerating substrate comprises or is made of cotton.
Example Ex16: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex15, wherein the spacer element is located within the aerosol-generating material segment.
Example Ex17: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex16, wherein the spacer element is in surface contact with the outer wrapper.
Example Ex18: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex15, further comprising an inner wrapper, that forms the longitudinal passageway, the outer wrapper extending around the inner wrapper and the spacer element being arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
Example Ex19: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex18, wherein the spacer element is in surface contact with the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
Example Ex20: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex19, wherein the aerosol-generating article is provided with two or more spacer elements.
Example Ex21 : The aerosol-generating article according to Ex20, wherein the aerosolgenerating article comprises three distinct spacer elements.
Example Ex22: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex21 , wherein the spacer element is formed by one or more string, filament, thread, fiber, wick, cord or rod.
Example Ex23: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22, wherein the spacer element is made of a gathered plurality of fibers or a gathered plurality of threads.
Example Ex24: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22 or Ex23, wherein the spacer element is made of natural fibers, in particular of hemp, flax or sisal.
Example Ex25: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex22 or Ex23, wherein the spacer element is made of plastic fibers.
Example Ex26: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex23, wherein the spacer element comprises, or is made of, cellulose.
Example Ex27: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex26, wherein the spacer element comprises a flavoring component.
Example Ex28: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex27, wherein the flavoring component is absorbed into the spacer element.
Example Ex29: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex27, wherein the flavoring component is adsorbed onto the spacer element.
Example Ex30: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex27 to Ex29, wherein the flavoring component comprises menthol, either natural or synthetic menthol.
Example Ex31 : The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex27 to Ex30, wherein the flavoring component comprises essential oil. Example Ex32: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex27 to Ex31 , wherein the spacer element further comprises an aerosol former such as glycerin.
Example Ex33: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex32, wherein the spacer element has a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment.
Example Ex34: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex33, wherein the air permeability of the spacer element is at least 5 times lower than the air permeability of the aerosol-generating material segment.
Example Ex35: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex34, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper are made of different material.
Example Ex36: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex35, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper have different porosity.
Example Ex37: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex36, wherein the outer wrapper and the inner wrapper have different thickness.
Example Ex38: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex37, wherein the spacer element extends parallel to the longitudinal passageway.
Example Ex39: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex37, wherein the spacer element extends helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment.
Example Ex40: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex39, wherein, in a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway, the ratio of spacer element to aerosol-generating material is comprised between 0.25 and 0.45.
Example Ex41 : The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex40, wherein the ratio of the volume of the spacer element to the volume of the aerosol-generating material is comprised between 0.1 and 0.5.
Example Ex42: The aerosol-generating article according to one of Ex1 to Ex41 , wherein the aerosol-generating article further comprises a mouthpiece arranged at one end of the first longitudinal passageway.
Example Ex43: The aerosol-generating article according to Ex42, wherein the aerosolgenerating article further comprises a hollow acetate tube, in particular two hollow acetate tubes.
Example Ex44: An apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising: a converging device with a forming chamber that converges along an axial direction from a first open end of the forming chamber to a second open end of the forming chamber; a first conveyor configured to convey aerosol-generating material, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end of the forming chamber to converge the aerosol-generating material into a segment at the second open end of the forming chamber; and at least a second conveyor configured to convey one or more spacer elements through the first open end of the forming chamber; and the converging device is configured to converge the one or more spacer elements with the aerosol-generating material segment.
Example Ex45: The apparatus according to Ex44, further comprising a susceptor guide for guiding a susceptor band, the susceptor guide extending into the forming chamber from the first open end to the second open end of said forming chamber, and wherein the susceptor band is incorporated at the second open end of the forming chamber into the segment of aerosol-generating material.
Example Ex46: The apparatus according to Ex44 or Ex45, further comprising a wrapping unit located downstream of the second open end of the forming chamber of the converging device, to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged segment of aerosol-generating material and the one or more spacer elements.
Example Ex47: A method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: conveying a spacer element through a forming chamber of a converging device along an axial direction; converging an aerosolgenerating material, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment incorporating the spacer element by conveying the aerosol-generating material through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
Example Ex48: The method according to Ex47, comprising a step of conveying a susceptor band through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction; and incorporating the susceptor into the segment of aerosol-generating material in the forming chamber.
Example Ex49: The method according to Ex47 or Ex48, comprising a step of applying an additive, in particular a flavor additive, on the spacer element prior the step of conveying the spacer element through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
Example Ex50: The method according to one of Ex47 to Ex49, further comprising the steps of conveying a wrapper downstream the converging device and wrapping the segment into the wrapper.
Example Ex51 : The method according to one of Ex47 to Ex50, wherein, prior the step of conveying the spacer element, the method comprises unwinding the spacer element from a bobbin.
Example Ex52: A method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: forming an aerosol-generating material segment wrapped into an inner wrapper; providing a spacer element along the inner wrapper; wrapping the spacer element and the inner wrapper in an outer wrapper.
Example Ex53: The method according to Ex52, comprising the further step of incorporating a heating element in the aerosol-generating material segment. Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic lateral view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment;
Fig. 2 shows a schematic transversal view of the aerosol-generating material segment according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 3 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a second embodiment;
Fig. 4 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a third embodiment;
Fig. 5 shows a schematic side view of an aerosol-generating material segment according to a fourth embodiment;
Fig. 6 shows a schematic side view of an apparatus 100 for manufacturing an aerosolgenerating material segment, in particular the aerosol-generating material segment according to the first embodiment.
Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic lateral view of an aerosol-generating article 10 according to a first embodiment. The aerosol-generating article 10 has a rod-shape extending along a central longitudinal axis 12 from a mouth end 14 to a distal end 16, so as to define a longitudinal passageway 18 between the mouth end 14 and the distal end 16. The aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a plurality of components within the longitudinal passageway 18, as can be seen from the lateral view of Fig. 1 . All the components may have the same diameter. Starting from the mouth end 14 towards the distal end 16, the aerosol-generating article 10 comprises along the central longitudinal axis 12: a mouthpiece 20, a first hollow acetate tube 22, a second hollow acetate tube 24, an aerosol-generating material segment 26 and a plug element 28. In the example of Fig. 1 , a cross section of the aerosol-generating article 10 along a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal axis 12 is substantially a circle.
The aerosol-generating material segment 26 is arranged in the longitudinal passageway 18. The aerosol-generating material segment 26 comprises an aerosol-generating substrate 30. A heating element 32 is located in the aerosol-generating substrate 30 of the aerosolgenerating material segment 26. The heating element 32 is surrounded by the aerosolgenerating material forming the aerosol-generating substrate 30. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 1 , the heating element 32 is a susceptor 32 having the shape of a strip extending along the full length of the aerosol-generating material segment 26. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 1 , the susceptor 32 is positioned centrally with respect to the aerosol-generating material segment 26. The susceptor 32 is in thermal contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 such that, when the susceptor 32 is inductively heated, heat is transferred to the aerosolgenerating substrate 30 and aerosol is thereby released. The aerosol-generating article 10 further comprises an outer wrapper 34 extending around the longitudinal passageway 18. The longitudinal passageway 18 is formed by the outer wrapper 34.
The aerosol-generating article 10 further comprises one spacer element 36. The spacer element 36 may be made of cellulose. The spacer element 36 extends inside the longitudinal passageway 18 along the aerosol-generating material segment 26. The spacer element 36 is separated from the susceptor 32 by the aerosol-generating substrate 30. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 1 , the spacer element 36 is only in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the outer wrapper 34. There is no direct surface contact between the spacer element 36 and the susceptor 32.
This arrangement is also visible in Fig. 2, which illustrates a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis 12 of the longitudinal passageway 18. Elements with the same reference numeral already described and illustrated in Fig. 1 will not be described in detail again but reference is made to their description above.
As can be seen on Fig. 2, the spacer element 36 is positioned within the aerosolgenerating material segment 26 such that the heat generated by the heating of the susceptor 32, schematically represented by arrows 38, primarily heat the aerosol-generating substrate 30 directly surrounding the susceptor 32. A peripheral zone of the aerosol-generating material segment 26, i.e. wherein the spacer element 36 is located, is less exposed to the heat that may be generated by the susceptor 32. The spacer element 36 is thus less prone to be heated than the aerosol-generating substrate 30 surrounding the susceptor 32.
In the non-limitative example of Fig. 2, the spacer element 36 has a substantially oval cross-section.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic transversal view of the aerosol-generating material segment of an aerosol-generating article 40 according to a second embodiment. The aerosol-generating article 40 differs from the aerosol-generating article 10 in that, in the second embodiment, the aerosol-generating material segment 26 comprises three spacer elements 42, 44, 46, instead of one spacer element 36 in the first embodiment. Elements with the same reference numeral already described and illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 will not be described in detail again but reference is made to their description above.
The three spacer elements 42, 44, 46 may be made of cellulose. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the three spacer elements 42, 44, 46 respectively have a substantially circular cross-section. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the diameter of the cross-section of the spacer element 42 is smaller than the diameter of the cross-section of the spacer elements 44, 46. The respective diameter of the spacer elements 44, 46 may be substantially the same. In the cross-section of Fig. 3, the ratio of spacer elements 42, 44, 46 to aerosolgenerating substrate 30 may be comprised between 0.25 and 0.45. In the non-limitative example of Fig. 3, the spacer element 42 is in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 only. The two spacer elements 44, 46 are only in surface contact with: the aerosolgenerating substrate 30 and the outer wrapper 34. None of the spacer elements 42, 44, 46 is in direct surface contact with the susceptor 32.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic transversal view of an aerosol-generating material segment 52 of an aerosol-generating article 50 according to a third embodiment.
As in the first and second embodiments, the aerosol-generating material segment 52 comprises the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the susceptor 32 located within the aerosol-generating substrate 30. The aerosol-generating material segment 52 of the aerosolgenerating article 50 is provided with an outer wrapper 54.
In the third embodiment, the aerosol-generating material segment 52 further comprises an inner wrapper 56. The inner wrapper 56 forms the longitudinal passageway of the aerosolgenerating article 50. The outer wrapper 54 extends around the inner wrapper 56. In the third embodiment, four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are arranged between the outer wrapper 54 and the inner wrapper 56. The four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are only in surface contact with the outer wrapper 54 and the inner wrapper 56. The four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 are not in surface contact with the aerosol-generating substrate 30 nor with the susceptor 32.
The outer wrapper 54 defines a longitudinal passageway with a substantial circular cross-section. The inner wrapper 56 defines a longitudinal passageway with a non-circular cross-section in that the inner wrapper 56 is deformed in a convex manner at the respective location of the four spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64. The external shape and the dimension of the cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 52 of the aerosol-generating article 50 is substantially the same than the ones of the aerosol-generating material segment 26 according to the first and the second embodiments.
The aerosol-generating material segment 52 shown in Fig. 4 may be obtained by converging and wrapping the aerosol-generating material 30 and the susceptor 32 into the inner wrapper 56, providing the spacer element 58, 60, 62, 64 along the inner wrapper 56; and wrapping the spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 and the inner wrapper 56 in the outer wrapper 54.
In one example, the aerosol-generating material segment 52 shown in Fig. 4 may be obtained by means of spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 having an initial substantially circular cross-section. The spacers element 58, 60, 62, 64 may be placed along the inner wrapper 56. The wrapping of the outer wrapper 54 may have the effect of compressing the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 against the inner wrapper 56 and towards the center of the aerosol-generating material segment 52. As a result, the shape of the cross-section of the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 may be modified. In particular, the curvature of the portion of the respective spacer elements 58, 60, 62, 64 in contact with the outer wrapper 54 may be reduced so that the cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 52 is substantially circular, as shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 shows of schematic view of an aerosol-generating material segment 72 of an aerosol-generating article 70 according to a fifth embodiment. As in all preceding embodiments, the aerosol-generating material segment 72 comprises the aerosol-generating substrate 30 and the susceptor 32 located within the aerosol-generating substrate 30.
Like in the fourth embodiment, the aerosol-generating material segment 72 is provided with an outer wrapper 74 and an inner wrapper 76. For sake of clarity, in the schematic view of Fig. 5, the outer wrapper 74 is only partially wound around the inner wrapper 76 and is made transparent to render the spacer element 78 visible. The spacer element 78 is arranged between the outer wrapper 74 and the inner wrapper 76. In the fifth embodiment, the spacer element 78 extends helicoidally around the aerosol-generating material segment 72 along its central longitudinal axis 80.
In an alternative embodiment not represented, the spacer element 78 may extend helicoidally directly around a surface of the aerosol-generating substrate 30, without the presence of the inner wrapper 76.
In all the above-described embodiments, the spacer elements 36, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 62, 64, 78 may be formed by a string, a filament, a thread, a wick, a cord or a rod.
Fig. 6 shows a schematic side view of an apparatus 100 for manufacturing an aerosolgenerating article 10 according to the first embodiment. Arrows are used in Fig. 6 to indicate movement of components of the apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 comprises a converging device 102 with a forming chamber 104 that converges along an axial direction 106 from a first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104 to a second open end 110 of the forming chamber 104. The open end 108 is larger than then second end 110, so that the converging device 102 has a funnel-shape along the axial direction 106. The apparatus 100 comprises a first conveyor 112 configured to convey aerosol-generating material 30, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104. The first conveyor 112 is configured to converge the aerosol-generating material 30 into a segment 114 at the second open end 110 of the forming chamber 104. The apparatus 100 also comprises a band of susceptor material 32, which is conveyed through the forming chamber 104 along an axial direction 106. The band of susceptor material 32 is wound around a bobbin. The apparatus 100 further comprises a second conveyor 116 configured to convey the spacer element 36 through the first open end 108 of the forming chamber 104. The converging device 102 is configured to converge the spacer element 36 with the aerosol-generating material 30 to form an aerosolgenerating material segment 114. A transversal cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 114 may be illustrated by the example of Fig. 2. The converging device 102 further comprises a guiding element 120 for helping guiding the spacer element 36 towards the forming chamber 104. The guiding element 120 comprises a passageway 122. The size of the passageway 122 is adapted to the diameter of the spacer element 36. In the example of Fig. 6, the passageway 122 extends inside the forming chamber 104. In an alternative embodiment of the apparatus, which is not represented, the passageway 122 of the guiding element 120 may extend along an external surface of the converging device 102, so that the spacer element 36 is converged with the aerosol-generating material 30 and the susceptor band 32 at the second open end 110, rather from the first open end 118.
Downstream the second open end 110 of the converging device 102, the apparatus 100 may further comprising a wrapping unit (not represented in Fig. 6) to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged aerosol-generating segment 114.
Downstream the wrapping unit, the apparatus 100 may further comprise a cutting unit (not represented in Fig. 6) to cut the converged and wrapped aerosol-generating segment 114 into individual aerosol-generating material segments 26.
A method for producing the aerosol-generating segment 114 comprises conveying the spacer element 36 through the forming chamber 104 of a converging device 102 along the axial direction 106; converging the aerosol-generating material 30, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment 114 incorporating the spacer element 36 by conveying the aerosol-generating material 30 through the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102 along the axial direction 116. The method comprises conveying the susceptor band 32 through the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102 along the axial direction 116; and incorporating the susceptor 32 into the segment of aerosol-generating material 30 in the forming chamber 104. A transversal cross-section of the aerosol-generating material segment 114 may be illustrated by the example of Fig. 2.
The aerosol-generating material segments shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 may be obtained by adding a corresponding number of conveyors 116 configured to respectively convey spacer elements 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 62, 64 towards the forming chamber 104 of the converging device 102.
For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about". Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A ± 5% of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.

Claims

1 . An aerosol-generating article with a longitudinal passageway, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-generating material segment, that is arranged in the longitudinal passageway, a heating element, that is located within the aerosol-generating material segment, and an outer wrapper extending around the longitudinal passageway, two or more spacer elements extending inside the longitudinal passageway and at least along the aerosol-generating material segment, and the spacer elements are free of contact from the heating element.
2. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer elements are located within the aerosol-generating material segment.
3. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spacer elements are in surface contact with the outer wrapper.
4. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , further comprising an inner wrapper, that forms the longitudinal passageway, the outer wrapper extending around the inner wrapper and the spacer elements being arranged between the inner wrapper and the outer wrapper.
5. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer elements are formed by one or more string, filament, thread, fiber, wick, cord or rod.
6. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the spacer elements comprises, or is made of, cellulose.
7. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the spacer elements comprises a flavoring component.
8. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer elements have respectively a lower air permeability than the aerosol-generating material segment.
9. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating element is a susceptor.
10. The aerosol-generating article according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in a cross-section transversal to the central longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passageway, the ratio of spacer elements to aerosol-generating material is comprised between 0.25 and 0.45.
11 . An apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosolgenerating article, comprising: a converging device with a forming chamber that converges along an axial direction from a first open end of the forming chamber to a second open end of the forming chamber; a first conveyor configured to convey aerosol-generating material, in particular formed as a sheet, through the first open end of the forming chamber to converge the aerosol-generating material into a segment at the second open end of the forming chamber; and at least a second conveyor configured to convey one or more spacer elements through the first open end of the forming chamber; and the converging device is configured to converge the one or more spacer elements with the aerosol-generating material segment.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a wrapping unit located downstream of the second open end of the forming chamber of the converging device, to wrap an outer wrapper around the converged segment of aerosol-generating material and the one or more spacer elements.
13. Method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: conveying a spacer element through a forming chamber of a converging device along an axial direction; converging an aerosol-generating material, in particular being in the form of a sheet, into a segment incorporating the spacer element by conveying the aerosol-generating material through the forming chamber of the converging device along the axial direction.
14. Method for producing an aerosol-generating material segment for an aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: forming an aerosol-generating material segment wrapped into an inner wrapper; providing a spacer element along the inner wrapper; wrapping the spacer element and the inner wrapper in an outer wrapper.
PCT/EP2024/064490 2023-06-02 2024-05-27 Aerosol-generating article comprising a spacer element Pending WO2024245989A1 (en)

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