WO2025153603A1

WO2025153603A1 - Flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device

Info

Publication number: WO2025153603A1
Application number: PCT/EP2025/051017
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carole MEDAN; Jennifer Ernestine Emma PLUN; Enrico TURRINI; Gérard Edmond ZUBER
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Current assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date: 2024-01-18
Filing date: 2025-01-16
Publication date: 2025-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2026-07-18

Abstract

The invention relates to a flavor plug (50) for an aerosol-generating device (12), wherein the flavor plug comprises: a housing (54) with at least one aperture (52) and with a connection portion for releasably connecting the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device, a flavor substrate that is arranged within the housing, wherein the housing of the flavor plug comprises an adjustment means configured for adjusting the amount of flavor delivered by the flavor plug to an airflow path (26) of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the adjustment means are further configured for adjusting the flavor delivery. The invention also relates to an aerosol-generating system (10) comprising a flavor plug and an aerosol-generating device.

Description

FLAVOR PLUG FOR AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device and to an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a flavor plug.

One type of an aerosol-generating device is an electronic cigarette. Electronic cigarettes typically use a liquid aerosol-forming substrate which is vaporized to form an aerosol. “Heat-not-burn” (HNB) devices may heat one or more solid aerosol-forming substrates to a temperature at which one or more components of the aerosol-forming substrate are volatilised without burning the solid aerosol-forming substrate. In addition, hybrid aerosolgenerating devices, having both liquid aerosol-forming functionality and HNB functionality are known. Further, aerosol-generating devices in the form of dry powder inhalers are known. Another type of aerosol-generating devices are liquid inhalers, in which liquid substrate is aerosolized predominantly by mechanical action. All of these devices, liquid aerosol-forming devices or electronic cigarettes, HNB devices, hybrid devices, dry powder inhalers and liquid inhalers are aerosol-generating devices.

Outside air is drawn into an aerosol-generating device and is guided via an airflow path toward an aerosol-forming substrate. Outside air is mixed with flavor compounds released from the aerosol-forming substrate to form an aerosol. The aerosol may be inhaled by the consumer.

Various techniques are known to flavorize the generated aerosol in order to enhance the user experience. For example, flavorants may be provided directly to the aerosol-forming substrate. However, adding flavor to a solid or a liquid substrate may be complex and may require specific equipment such as to prevent inadvertent release. In particular, the flavor material needs to be compatible with the aerosol-generating system and in particular with the substrate matrix. This compatibility may concern among others solubility, immobilization and stability of the flavor material. In addition, for consumables used in a heated aerosol-generating device, the flavor component needs to be thermally stable and at the same time the flavor should be volatile enough to be vaporized.

Furthermore, the quantity of flavor that is provided per puff of the product is fixed at the manufacturing stage by the concentration of flavor in the aerosol-forming substrate and cannot be adjusted by the user.

It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating device in which the flavor of the generated aerosol can be adjusted by the user. It would be desirable to have an aerosolgenerating device in which flavor modification of the generated aerosol can be controlled and modified by a user. It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating device, in which userbased flavor modification of the generated aerosol is simple. It would be desirable to have an aerosol-generating device where flavor can be modified by providing a flavor plug that is separate from a solid or liquid aerosol-generating material. According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device. The flavor plug may comprise a housing with at least one aperture and with a connection portion for releasably connecting the flavor plug to the aerosolgenerating device. A flavor substrate may be arranged within the housing. The flavor plug may comprise an adjustment means configured for adjusting the amount of flavor delivered by the flavor plug to an airflow path of the aerosol-generating device. The adjustment means may further be configured for adjusting the flavor delivery.

According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device. The flavor plug comprises a housing with at least one aperture and with a connection portion for releasably connecting the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device. A flavor substrate is arranged within the housing. The flavor plug comprises an adjustment means configured for adjusting the amount of flavor delivered by the flavor plug to an airflow path of the aerosol-generating device. The adjustment means are further configured for adjusting the flavor delivery.

The adjustment means may be configured for adjusting the flavor delivery without interfering with the resistance to draw of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device. In other words, the adjustment means are configured such that upon adjusting the flavor delivery the overall resistance to draw of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device is essentially kept constant.

The present invention advantageously provides a flavor plug that can be used with any kind of aerosol-generating device. In particular, the flavor plug can be used with any aerosolgenerating device independent from the employed aerosolisation mechanism.

The connection portion of the flavor plug is configured to allow connection of the flavor plug to an aerosol-generating device. The connection portion is further configured such that upon connection of the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device, a fluid connection is established between the aperture of the flavor plug and the airflow channel of the aerosolgenerating device.

The housing of the flavor plug may comprise a single aperture. The flavor plug may be configured such that the aperture can be brought in fluid contact with an air flow channel of the aerosol-generating device. Preferably the aperture of the flavor plug is brought into contact with the airflow channel without any modification of the cross-section of the airflow channel. By not modifying the cross-section of the airflow channel, the resistance to draw of the airflow channel remains substantially constant. In this way flavor may be released into the airflow channel without changing the resistance to draw of the airflow channel.

The flavor plug may further comprise an adjustment mechanism, which allows to change the size of the aperture. The adjustment mechanism may be provided in the form of a sliding flap. The adjustment mechanism may be configured to allow the user to adjust the quantity of flavor provided by the flavor plug via the aperture to the air passing air flow.

The adjustment mechanism may be configured to allow the user to switch on and switch off flavor delivery to the airflow channel at any time. The adjustment mechanism may be configured to allow the user to adjust flavor delivery to the airflow channel continuously from zero to a maximum quantity that can be provided by the flavor plug.

Adjustment of the flavor delivery can be carried out at any time. Adjustment of the flavor delivery can be carried before, during or after a user experience. Adjustment of the flavor level may be executed during a user experience without the need of stopping or interrupting the user experience.

Since aerosol-generation and flavoring of the airflow or the aerosol flow are effectively decoupled from each other, some of the issues relating with generation of flavorised aerosol encountered in prior art devices are overcome.

The flavor plug may also comprise a plurality of apertures. The plurality of apertures may be arranged such that the air flow is guided past these apertures, wherein the passing airflow may entrain volatile components from the flavor substrate.

The flavor plug may comprise at least two apertures. The flavor plug may be shaped such as to define an air flow channel through the plug. The flavor plug may be configured such that upon connection of the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device at least a part of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device is directed through the flavor plug.

The housing of the flavor plug may have a cylindrical shape with an inner wall separating the inner volume of the plug into at least two compartments. The cylindrical housing of the flavor plug may have any desired cross-sectional shape. For example, the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug may have a circular, oval, rectangular or polygonal shape.

The inner wall of the housing of the flavor plug may extend in longitudinal direction of the plug to define compartments that are arranged in parallel in the inner volume of the flavor plug.

At least one of the compartments may be provided with a flavor substrate. Since at least a part of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device is guided through the flavor plug, the passing airflow may entrain volatile components from the flavor substrate.

Each compartment may be configured to have the same RTD (Resistance To Draw). By configuring the compartments to have the same RTD, the airflow may be guided through either of these compartments without significantly changing the overall RTD of the air flow path.

The compartments may be essentially hollow. The RTD of such hollow compartments is essentially determined by the cross-section of the compartments. The compartments may be configured to comprise porous material, through which the air flow path is guided. The compartments may be configured to comprise identical porous material such that the RTD of each of the compartments is identical.

In embodiments in which the housing of the flavor plug defines compartments through which the device airflow path is guided, the adjustment means may comprise a disc-shaped cap with an opening. The disc-shaped cap may be mounted to an end face of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug. The disc-shaped cap may have the same cross-section as the housing of the flavor plug. In a preferred embodiment the housing of the flavor plug and the disc-shaped cap may have a corresponding circular cross-section.

The size of the opening of the disc-shaped cap may be smaller than the cross-section of the compartments. In this way the size of the opening of the disc-shaped cap may essentially determine the RTD of the flavor plug.

The disc-shaped cap may be rotatably mounted to an end face of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug. The disc-shaped cap is preferably aligned such with the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug that the opening establishes the airflow into the compartments in the inner volume of the flavor plug.

By rotating the disc-shaped cap, the opening can be positioned such as to allow airflow to go completely through one of the compartments or to allow a partial airflow through two adjacent compartments. A user may adjust the rotation of the disc-shaped cap at any time. By adjusting rotation of the disc-shaped cap the air flow distribution through the adjacent compartments may be adjusted. In particular, the opening may be positioned such that the air flow through compartments provided with flavor substrate is adjusted. Thus, by rotating the disc-shaped cap flavor delivery to the airflow through the compartments may be modified. Since all compartments have essentially the same RTD, the overall RTD remains constant independent from the rotational position of the disc-shaped cap.

The opening in the disc-shaped cap may have any desired shape and size. In particular, the size of the opening of the disc-shaped cap may be larger or smaller than the cross-sections of the compartments defined in the flavor plug. The size of the opening may have any desired shape as long as upon rotation disc-shaped cap, a modification of the airflow distribution through the various compartments, and thus a modification of the flavor delivery to the device airflow, is achieved.

In further embodiments the flavor plug may comprise a housing that defines an internal compartment in which a flavor coated film is provided. The flavor coated film may be wound on a rotatable shaft. The rotatable shaft may extend along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug. By rotating the rotatable shaft, the flavor coated film may be wound to or unwound from the shaft. A spreading element may be provided to assist in spreading an unwound portion of the flavor coated film away from the rotatable shaft during unwinding the flavor coated film.

When fully wound up, the flavor coated film is densely packed around the rotatable shaft and only a small fraction of the airflow through the flavor plug passes along the surface of the flavor film. Accordingly, flavor delivery is reduced in this configuration.

The more the flavor coated film is unwound from the rotatable shaft, the more of the surface of the flavor coated film may come into contact with the passing airflow and the higher is the flavor delivery of the flavor coated film to the passing airflow.

The RTD through the compartment comprising the flavor coated film is essentially defined by the unobstructed cross-section through the compartment. This cross section is determined by the cross section of the compartment minus the cross-section of the edge of the flavor coated film facing towards the air flow. The cross-section of the edge of the flavor coated film facing towards the airflow stays the same, independent from whether the flavor coated film is wound up or wound off from the rotatable shaft. Accordingly, by winding and unwinding the flavor coated film from the rotatable shaft, flavor delivery of the compartment of the flavor plug may be adjusted while the overall RTD through the compartment remains constant.

According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to an aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a flavor plug as described above.

The flavor plug may be configured to be connected at an air inlet of the aerosolgenerating device. The flavor plug may be configured to be connected near the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating device. The flavor plug may be configured to be connected in an airflow channel defined between the air inlet and the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating device.

The aerosol-generating device may comprise a flavor plug which comprises a separate air inlet to generate flavored air. The flavored air may be mixed with an aerosol transported in an airflow channel of the aerosol-generating device. The mixture of aerosol and flavored air may be transported via the airflow channel towards a mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating device. A user drawing at the mouthpiece may inhale the flavorized aerosol.

The aerosol-generating device may comprise a separate airflow passage which is configured to convey the flavored air from the flavor plug towards the mouthpiece. The flavored air and the aerosol may be combined not before they have reached the mouthpiece. The aerosol and the flavored air mixed in the mouthpiece may then be inhaled by a user drawing at the mouthpiece.

By choosing the position at which the flavorized air is combined with the aerosol, the desired aerosolization conditions may be obtained. The aerosol-generating device may also be provided with additional ventilation means. Ventilation means are typically provided downstream from an aerosol-generating unit. By introducing cool outside air into the airflow passage, aerosol formation may be enhanced.

In embodiments comprising ventilation means, the flavor plug may be located at different positions with respect to the position of the ventilation means. The position of the flavor plug determines the moment of the aerosol forming process at which the flavored air is introduced into the airflow passage.

The flavor plug may be located upstream from the ventilation means. In such configuration the flavored air is introduced at an early stage of aerosol formation. Introduction of the flavored air may influence aerosol formation.

The flavor plug may be located downstream from the ventilation means. In such configuration the flavored air is introduced at a later stage of aerosol formation. At this moment aerosol formation may already be nearly completed and the further introduction of the flavored air may only slightly influence aerosol formation.

The flavor plug may also be located at the same position as the ventilation means.

By connecting the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device such that an aperture of the flavor plug is in fluid contact with the airflow path through the aerosol-generating device, flavor of the flavor plug may be delivered to the air and/or aerosol transported along the airflow path. Flavoring of the air is carried out independently from the aerosol generation. Accordingly, in the system of the present invention flavouring can be carried out in a more flexible manner, since less restriction applies as compared with aerosol-generating systems in which aerosol generation and aerosol flavouring are carried out at the same time.

The flavor plug may be configured as described above.

In a further aspect the flavor plug may be provided in the form of a frame with a lateral aperture. The frame may be configured to hold and encase a flavor film. The aerosolgenerating device may comprise a slot for receiving the frame-shaped flavor plug. The slot may be positioned adjacent to the air flow channel of the aerosol-generating device. When received in the slot, the frame may be positioned in a first position, in which the lateral aperture of the frame is not in fluid contact with the airflow channel. The frame may be configured to be moveable in the slot into a second position in which a fluid contact between the lateral aperture of the frame and the airflow channel is established.

The slot may extend in parallel to the air flow channel of the device. Upon moving the frame within the slot, the lateral aperture of the frame may be brought into fluid contact with the air flow channel. By moving the frame within the slot, a portion of the aperture is exposed to the airflow channel of the device. The slot may be configured such that the complete lateral aperture of the frame may be exposed to the air flow channel. By adjusting the portion of exposure of the aperture to the airflow channel, flavor delivery of the frame shaped flavor plug to the air flow may be adjusted.

In embodiments, in which the flavor plug comprises a housing with apertures at either end, and in which at least a part of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device is directed through the flavor plug, the adjustment means may also be provided as a part of the device. For example, the device may be configured to receive the flavor plug such that an open end of the air flow channel is in fluid communication with the apertures of the flavor plug. The open end of the air flow channel may act in the same way as the opening of the disc-shaped cap described above.

By rotating the entire flavor plug inside the device with respect to the open end of the air flow channel, the air flow may be adjusted to be guided through one or more of the internal compartments of the flavor plug.

As used herein, the terms ‘proximal’, ‘distal’, ‘downstream’ and ‘upstream’ are used to describe the relative positions of components, or portions of components, of the aerosolgenerating device and the aerosol-generating article in relation to the direction in which a user draws on the aerosol-generating device or aerosol-generating article during use thereof.

As used herein, an ‘aerosol-generating device’ relates to a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The aerosol-forming substrate may be part of an aerosol-generating article. An aerosol-generating device may be a device that interacts with an aerosol-forming substrate of an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol that is directly inhalable into a user’s lungs through the user's mouth. An aerosol-generating device may be a holder. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a housing, electric circuitry, a power supply, a heating chamber and a heating element.

The aerosol-generating device may have a length of between 86 millimeters to 130 millimeters.

As used herein, the term ‘aerosol-forming substrate’ relates to a substrate capable of releasing one or more volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be part of an aerosol-generating article.

The aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosolforming substrate may comprise both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may also be provided in the form of a gel or an amorphous solid. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds which are released from the substrate upon heating. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise plant based or non-plant based material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may be free from nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise an aerosol former that facilitates the formation of a dense and stable aerosol. Examples of suitable aerosol formers are glycerine and propylene glycol.

The aerosol-generating substrate preferably comprises homogenised tobacco material, an aerosol-former and water. Providing homogenised tobacco material may improve aerosol generation, the nicotine content and the flavor profile of the aerosol generated during heating of the aerosol-generating article. Specifically, the process of making homogenised tobacco involves grinding tobacco leaf, which more effectively enables the release of nicotine and flavors upon heating.

The aerosol-generating article may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosolgenerating article may be substantially elongate. The aerosol-generating article may have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length. The aerosol-generating article may be substantially rod shaped. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially elongate. The aerosolforming substrate may also have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to the length. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially rod shaped.

The aerosol-generating article may have a total length of between 55 millimeters and 110 millimeters, preferably of between 60 millimeters and 90 millimeters. The aerosolgenerating article may have an external diameter between 4.5 millimeters and 17 millimeters, preferably between 6 millimeters and 9 millimeters. The aerosol-generating article may comprise a filter plug. The filter plug may be located at a downstream end of the aerosolgenerating article. The filter plug may be a cellulose acetate filter plug. The filter plug is approximately 7 millimeters in length in one embodiment, but may have a length of between approximately 5 millimeters to approximately 10 millimeters.

The aerosol-generating article may comprise a separation between the aerosol-forming substrate and the filter plug. The separation may be approximately 18 millimeters, but may be in the range of 5 millimeters to 25 millimeters.

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a plurality of elements, including one or more of a mouthpiece, a spacer, a hollow acetate tube, a sensorial media plug and a front plug. All elements may be connected to each other by an outer wrapper. An aerosol-generating article may have a cylindrical shape.

The aerosol-generating article may be generally flat. The aerosol-generating article may have a thickness defined by a separation between opposing first and second major surfaces of the aerosol-generating article, the opposing major surfaces each being planar.

The aerosol-generating article may define a generally parallelepiped profile.

The aerosol-generating article may be generally rectangular in plan. The aerosol-generating article may comprise one or more portions of sensorial media. At least one of the portions of sensorial media may have a different material composition to the other portions.

In an example in which the aerosol-generating article comprises a plurality of portions of sensorial media, the plurality of portions are successively arranged along a length direction. The length direction may correspond to a length direction of the aerosol-generating article. Each of the portions may be spatially separated from the other portions.

The aerosol-generating article may have a length, a width and a thickness. Preferably, the ratio of the width to the thickness is greater than 5, or greater than 10, or greater than 20, or greater than 40. The thinner the aerosol-generating article, the easier it is likely to be to achieve uniform heating through the thickness of the sensorial media of the aerosol-generating article when applying heat thereto.

The thickness of the aerosol-generating article is preferably 1 millimetre or less, or more preferably 0.75 millimetres or less, or more preferably 0.5 millimetres or less. The thickness of the aerosol-generating article may be greater than 0.05 millimetres, or greater than 0.1 millimetres.

The length of the aerosol-generating article may be greater than 15 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 15 millimetres and 100 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 15 millimetres and 75 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 15 millimetres and 65 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 20 millimetres and 65 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 28 millimetres and 62 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 28 millimetres and 48 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 35 millimetres and 48 millimetres.

The width of the aerosol-generating article may be greater than 5 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 5 millimetres and 40 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 5 millimetres and 31 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 8 millimetres and 31 millimetres, or preferably in a range of between 11 millimetres and 25 millimetres.

The aerosol-generating device may comprise electric circuitry. The electric circuitry may comprise a microprocessor, which may be a programmable microprocessor. The microprocessor may be part of a controller. The electric circuitry may comprise further electronic components. The electric circuitry may be configured to regulate a supply of power to the heating element. Power may be supplied to the heating element continuously following activation of the aerosol-generating device or may be supplied intermittently, such as on a puff- by-puff basis. The power may be supplied to the heating element in the form of pulses of electrical current. The electric circuitry may be configured to monitor the electrical resistance of the heating element, and preferably to control the supply of power to the heating element dependent on the electrical resistance of the heating element. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a power supply, typically a battery, within a main body of the aerosol-generating device. In one embodiment, the power supply is a Lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power supply may be a Nickel-metal hydride battery, a Nickel cadmium battery, or a Lithium based battery, for example a Lithium-Cobalt, a Lithium- Iron-Phosphate, Lithium Titanate or a Lithium-Polymer battery. As an alternative, the power supply may be another form of charge storage device such as a capacitor. The power supply may require recharging and may have a capacity that enables to store enough energy for one or more usage experiences; for example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to continuously generate aerosol for a period of around six minutes or for a period of a multiple of six minutes. In another example, the power supply may have sufficient capacity to provide a predetermined number of puffs or discrete activations of the heating element.

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 1. A flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device, wherein the flavor plug comprises: a housing with at least one aperture and with a connection portion for releasably connecting the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device, a flavor substrate that is arranged within the housing, wherein the flavor plug comprises an adjustment means configured for adjusting the amount of flavor delivered by the flavor plug to an airflow path of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the adjustment means are further configured for adjusting the flavor delivery.

Example 2. The flavor plug in accordance with example 1 , wherein the adjustment means are configured for adjusting the flavor delivery without interfering with the resistance to draw of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device.

Example 3. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the flavor plug comprises one aperture.

Example 4. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the flavor plug is configured such that the aperture can be brought in fluid contact with an air flow channel of the aerosol-generating device.

Example 5. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the adjustment mechanism allows to change the size of the aperture.

Example 6. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a sliding flap.

Example 7. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the flavor plug comprises two or more apertures. Example 8. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the flavor plug is shaped so as to define an air flow channel through the plug.

Example 9. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the housing of the flavor plug has a cylindrical shape with an inner wall separating the inner volume of the plug into at least two compartments.

Example 10. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the inner wall of the housing of the flavor plug extends in a longitudinal direction of the flavor plug to define compartments that are arranged in parallel.

Example 11 . The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein at least one compartment is provided with a flavor substrate.

Example 12. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein each compartment has the same RTD.

Example 13. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the compartments comprise porous material with identical porosity.

Example 14. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the adjustment means comprise a disc-shaped cap with an opening, wherein the discshaped cap is mounted to an end face of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug.

Example 15. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the size of the opening is smaller than the cross-section of the compartments.

Example 16. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the disc-shaped cap is rotatably mounted to an end face of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug.

Example 17. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein by rotating the disc-shaped cap, the opening can be positioned such as to allow airflow to pass completely through one compartment or to allow a partial airflow to pass through two adjacent compartments.

Example 18. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the adjustment means comprise a flavor coated film.

Example 19. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the flavor coated film is wound on a rotatable shaft.

Example 20. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein the rotatable shaft extends along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug.

Example 21 . The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein by rotating the shaft the flavor coated film may be wound to or unwound from the rotatable shaft. Example 22. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples, wherein a spreading element is provided that assists in spreading an unwound portion of the flavor coated film away from the rotatable shaft.

Example 23. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding examples.

Example 24. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with example 23, wherein the flavor plug is configured to be connected at an air inlet, near the mouthpiece or in the air flow channel defined between the air inlet and the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating device.

Example 25. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of examples 23 and 24, wherein the flavor plug is configured as a frame with a lateral aperture.

Example 26. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of examples 23 to 25, wherein the device comprises a slot for receiving the frame-shaped flavor plug.

Example 27. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of examples 23 to 26, wherein the frame can be moved within a slot extending parallelly to the airflow channel of the aerosol-generating device.

Example 28. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of examples 23 to 27, wherein by moving the frame at least a portion to the aperture is exposed to the air flow channel of the device.

Features described in relation to one embodiment may equally be applied to other embodiments of the invention.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows different kinds of aerosol-generating systems;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic embodiment of flavor plug;

Fig. 3 illustrates an aerosol-generating system with a frame-shaped flavor plug;

Fig. 4 shows cross-sectional views of the system of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a flavor plug with two compartments;

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a flavor plug with four compartments;

Fig. 7 shows a flavor plug with rotatable shaft and flavor coated film;

Fig. 8 shows possible positions for connecting a flavor plug to an aerosol-generating device;

Fig. 9 shows further embodiments of aerosol-generating devices with flavor plugs; and

Fig. 10 shows aerosol-generating devices with flavor plugs and ventilation means. In Fig. 1 different kinds of aerosol-generating systems 10 are depicted. In the left hand view, a so-called Heat-Not-Burn aerosol-generating system is depicted. The aerosolgenerating system 10 comprises an aerosol-generating device 12 with a cavity 14 for receiving an aerosol-generating article 16. The aerosol-generating article 16 is provided in the form of a stick-shaped consumable having a plug of a solid aerosol-generating substrate 18. The cavity 14 forms a heating chamber that is heated by an external heating system 20. The heating system 20 heats the inserted consumable. Outside air 22 is drawn via the device air inlet 24 into the airflow path 26 of the aerosol-generating device 12. The outside air 22 goes through the consumable where it entrains heated, volatilized components to form an aerosol 30. The aerosol 30 may be inhaled by a consumer drawing at the inserted consumable.

In the middle view of Fig. 1 , the aerosol-generating device 12 has a reservoir 32 holding an amount of liquid aerosol-generating substrate 18. The liquid substrate 18 is in contact with a wicking material 34 leading to a mesh 36 where the liquid substrate 18 is aerosolized. Mesh 36 may be a heated mesh which is used to vaporize the liquid substrate. Mesh 36 may also be a vibrating mesh that aerosolizes the liquid substrate by mechanical action. A vibrating mesh may be ultrasonically activated. Outside air 22 is drawn via the device air inlet 24 into the airflow path 26 of the aerosol-generating device 12. The outside air 22 is guided across the mesh 36 where it entrains aerosolized components to form an aerosol 30. The aerosol 30 may be inhaled by a consumer drawing at the mouthpiece 38 of the aerosol-generating device 12.

On the right hand side of Fig. 1 , an aerosol-generating device 12 is shown, which includes a cavity 14 into which an aerosol-generating article 16 is inserted. The aerosolgenerating article 16 comprises a tube 40 with a capsule 42 containing aerosol-generating substrate 18 in form of a dry powder. The aerosol-generating device 12 includes a piercing element 44 that can be used to pierce the capsule 42. Outside air 22 is drawn via the device air inlet 24 into the airflow path 26 of the aerosol-generating device 12. The outside air 22 is guided through the consumable where it entrains the dry powder to form an aerosol 30. The aerosol 30 may be inhaled by a consumer drawing at the inserted consumable.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic embodiment of flavor plug 50 comprising a single aperture 52. The flavor plug 50 comprises a cylindrical housing 54 and a flavor substrate 56 provided in the housing 54. The housing 54 comprises connection means (not shown) which allow to connect the flavor plug 50 to an aerosol-generating device. The flavor plug 50 is connected in such way that the aperture 52 is brought in fluid communication with the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device. The bottom side 58 of the housing 54 is closed such that no air flow can pass through the bottom side 58 of the housing 54.

On the right-hand side of Fig. 2 a side cut view of the flavor plug 50 is depicted. This view shows how flavor components 57 are dragged into the airflow 60 passing in the device airflow path. The flavor plug 50 comprises an adjustment mechanism in the form of a sliding flap 62, which allows to change the size of the opening of the aperture 52. In this way the consumer can modify the quantity of the flavor delivered to the passing airflow 60 without interfering with the resistance to draw met by this passing airflow 60.

In Fig. 3 a further embodiment of an aerosol-generating system comprising a flavor plug 50 with only one aperture 52 is schematically depicted.

The flavor plug 50 is provided in the form of a thin frame 51 having one large aperture 52. Frame 51 holds a film of flavor substrate 56. Frame 51 further has a small knob 59 that can be gripped by a consumer’s hand.

As depicted in the left-hand view of Fig. 3 frame 51 is configured to be inserted into a slot 64 of an aerosol-generating device 12. The slot 64 is provided next to an air inlet 24 of the airflow path 26 of the aerosol-generating device 12. The inserted frame 51 can be slid along the wall of the air inlet 24 and in parallel to the airflow path 26.

The more the frame 51 is slid to the right-hand side, the larger the portion of the aperture 52 of the frame 51 that is exposed to the airflow 60 passing in the airflow channel 26. The flavor components are entrained with the airflow 60 and are conveyed to the cavity 14 of the aerosol-generating device 12.

Cross-sectional views along line A-A’ and along line B-B’ of Fig. 3 are depicted in the upper views and the lower views of Fig. 4. The upper views depicted in Fig. 4 show various possibilities as to how the frame can be positioned in the slot 64. In the left-hand view of Fig. 4 the frame 51 is positioned as far as possible to the left side of the slot 64, such that the aperture 52 of the frame 51 is not exposed to the airflow path 26 (left-hand view).

In the middle view of Fig. 4 the frame 51 is positioned in an intermediate position, in which the aperture 52 is partially exposed to the airflow path 26. In this situation the frame is partially exposed to the airflow path 26 such that at least some of the volatile components 57 are entrained with the outside air guided past the frame 51.

In the right-hand view of Fig. 4 the frame 51 is positioned by moving the frame via knob 59 as far as possible to the right-hand side of the slot 64. In this position the complete aperture 52 is exposed to the airflow path 26. The user may position the frame via knob 59 at any desired position to continuously adjust the intensity of flavor delivery to the airflow path 26.

In the two lower views of Fig. 4 cross-sectional views along line B-B’ of the Fig. 3 are depicted. These two views show that the effective cross-section of the airflow path 26 is independent from the actual position of the frame 51 within slot 64. Independent of whether the frame 51 is positioned such that the aperture 52 is exposed to the airflow path 26 or not, the smallest cross-section of the airflow path 26 is provided further downstream from the frame 51. Accordingly, the RTD of the airflow path 26 is defined by the smallest cross-section which remains unchanged independent from the position of the frame 51. In Fig. 5 a further embodiment of a flavor plug 50 is schematically depicted. In this embodiment the intensity of the flavor delivery of the flavor plug 50 can be adjusted while not changing the RTD of the flavor plug 50.

The top illustration in Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the flavor plug 50 with a cylindrical housing 54 having apertures 52, 53 at either end. The cylindrical housing 54 is divided into two compartments 70, 72 by a central wall 74. In compartment 70 a porous, flavored substrate 76 is provided. In the other compartment 72 an unflavored porous substrate 78 is provided. Both porous substrates 76, 78 have the same RTD. The upper end of the flavor plug 50 is sealed by a rotatable disc-shaped cap 80 having an opening 82. The cross-section of the opening 82 is smaller than the open cross-section of each of the compartments 70, 72. By rotating the disc-shaped cap 80, the opening 82 allows incoming air 22 to flow through the flavored porous substrate 76, or through the unflavored porous substrate 78, or through a combination thereof. Since the RTD of both compartments is identical, the air flow distribution between the two compartments may be adjusted without changing the RTD of the flavor plug. In fact, the RTD is mainly defined by the size of the opening 82 and the porosity of the two substrates 76, 78. Since the opening 82 and the substrates 76, 78 remain unchanged, the resulting RTD remains constant.

In the lower two illustrations in Fig. 5 two different angular positions of the disc-shaped cap 80 are depicted. In the left-hand view the disc-shaped cap 80 is rotated such that about 50 percent of the air flow is guided through compartment 70 holding the flavored substrate 76. In the right-hand view the disc-shaped cap 80 is rotated such that no airflow is guided through compartment 70 holding the flavored substrate 76. Accordingly, all incoming air is guided through compartment 72 holding only the unflavored porous substrate 78. Accordingly in this situation no flavor is delivered to the airflow via the flavor plug 50.

In the illustrations of Fig. 6 a flavor plug 50 having four compartments 70, 71 , 72, 73 divided by wall 74 is shown. In each compartment 70, 71 , 72, 73 different porous flavored substrates 76, 77 and an empty porous substrate 78 are disposed. Again, all substrates have the same RTD. The flavor plug 50 is closed on top by a rotatable, disc-shaped cap 80 having an opening 82 for guiding incoming air 22 to the respective compartments.

The illustration on the right-hand side shows how by turning the disc-shaped cap 82 the consumer may direct the airflow 60 through one or more compartments 70, 71 , 72, 73. In this way none, one or two different flavors may be delivered to the airflow 60.

In Fig. 7 a further embodiment of a flavor plug 50 is depicted. The flavor plug 50 again has a cylindrical housing 54 through which an airflow 60 is guided. The flavor plug 50 has a mechanical adjustment means to extend or reduce the surface area of a flavor coated film 90 exposed to the passing airflow 60. In the upper view of Fig.7 a side view of the flavor plug 50 is shown. In the center of the flavor plug 50 a rotatable shaft 92 is provided onto which there is wound up the flavor coated film 90.

The rotatable shaft 92 extends along the longitudinal axis of the flavor plug 50 and is connected to the upper edge of the flavor plug 50 by arms 94. By rotating the shaft 92 in a counter-clockwise direction within the flavor plug 50 the flavor coated film 90 is unwound from the rotatable shaft 92. A spreading element 96 is provided at the bottom of the flavor plug 50 to assist in spreading an unwound portion of the flavor coated film 90 away from the rotatable shaft 92. By rotating the rotatable shaft 92 in the opposite direction, the flavor coated film 90 is wound onto the rotatable shaft 92. The airflow 60 is guided through the flavor plug 50 and past the flavor coated film 90. Volatile components released from the flavor coated film 90 are entrained in the airflow 60.

The bottom illustrations show the principle of operation of this embodiment of the flavor plug 50. In the left-hand view the flavor coated film 90 is fully wound on the rotatable shaft 92. Accordingly, the flavor coated film 90 is densely packed in a central zone 98 of the flavor plug 50. The densely packed flavor film 90 has a comparably high RTD as compared with the rest of the empty inner volume of the flavor plug 50. Accordingly, only a very small portion of the passing airflow 60 is guided along the surface of the flavor coated film 90. Only few or none of the flavor components released from the flavor coated film 90 are dragged into the passing air 60.

In the right-hand view, the flavor coated film 90 has been fully unwound from the rotatable shaft 92. The passing airflow 60 is guided between the spirally arranged layers of the flavor coated film 90. Accordingly, the passing airflow 60 has a more efficient contact with the surface of the flavor coated film 90. The flavor delivery level to the passing airflow 60 is increased. While the flavor delivery level may be adjusted by rotating the rotatable shaft 92 and by winding and unwinding the flavor coated film 90, the overall RTD of the flavor plug 50 remains constant. The RTD is mainly defined by the free cross-section of the inner volume of the flavor plug 50. This cross section is determined by the cross section of the compartment minus the cross-section of the upstream edge of the flavor coated film 90 facing towards the airflow 60. The cross-section of the edge of the flavor coated film 90 facing towards the airflow 60 stays the same, independent from whether the flavor coated film 90 is wound up or wound off from the rotatable shaft 92. Accordingly, by winding and unwinding the flavor coated film 90 from the rotatable shaft 92, flavor delivery of the compartment of the flavor plug 50 may be adjusted while the overall RTD through the inner volume of the flavor plug 50 remains constant.

In Fig. 8 different possible configurations for coupling the flavor plug 50 to an aerosolgenerating device 12 are depicted. In the top left view of Fig. 8 the flavor plug 50 is connected to the outside of the aerosolgenerating device 12. In more detail the flavor plug 50 is connected to an air inlet at the mouthpiece portion 38 of the aerosol-generating device 12. In this embodiment the flavor plug 50 is provided downstream from the heating portion of the aerosol-generating device 12. Rotating a portion of the flavor plug 50 to change the flavor delivery intensity is easy for the user and may even be made during a user experience. However, the flavor plug 50 protrudes slightly from the mouthpiece portion 38 of the aerosol-generating device 12.

In the top right view of Fig. 8, the flavor plug 50 is half inserted into an air inlet 24 of the aerosol-generating device 12. If the device comprises a heating portion, the flavor plug is provided upstream of the heating portion of the aerosol-generating device 12. A part of the flavor plug protrudes from the aerosol-generating device, allowing the user to adjust the flavor intensity during a user experience.

The bottom illustration shows an aerosol-generating device 12, which has to be opened to insert a flavor plug 50 just upstream of the heating cavity 14. In such configuration, the flavor plug 50 is fully inserted within the aerosol-generating device 12, and the level of the flavor plug 50 can be adjusted before or after a user experience.

In Fig. 9 further schematic embodiments of an aerosol-generating device 12 are shown. The device 12 depicted in the upper view of Fig. 9 comprises a main body 13, a mouthpiece 38 and a flavor plug 50 which is integrated in the housing of the main body 13 of the aerosolgenerating device 12. In this embodiment the main body 13 defines two channels 100, 102. Channel 100 is used exclusively to transport an aerosol 104 towards the mouthpiece 38 of the device 12. The second channel 102 is configured to carry flavored air 106 towards the mouthpiece 38 of the device 12. Flavored air 106 is obtained by guiding outside air 108 through the flavor plug 50 into channel 102. The aerosol 104 and the flavored air 106 are combined in the mouthpiece 38 and the mixture of aerosol 104 and flavored air 106 can be inhaled by a user drawing at the mouthpiece 38.

The device 12 depicted in the lower view of Fig. 9 comprises a main body 13, a mouthpiece 38 and a flavor plug 50 which is integrated in the housing of the main body 13 of the aerosol-generating device 12. In this embodiment the main body 13 defines only a single channel 110. Within channel 110 the aerosol 104 is combined with the flavored air 106.

The mixture of aerosol 104 and flavored air 106 is transported via channel 110 towards the mouthpiece 38 and can be inhaled by a user drawing at the mouthpiece 38.

In Fig. 10 schematic embodiments of aerosol-generating devices 12 with ventilation means 112 are shown. Each of the depicted devices 12 comprises a main body 13, with an aerosol-generating unit 114 at its distal end and a mouthpiece 38 at its proximal end. Aerosol 104 generated by the aerosol-generating unit 114 at the distal end of the main body 13 is transported through channel 100 towards the mouthpiece 38 of the device 12. The main body 13 comprises ventilation means 112 in the form of a plurality of peripherally distributed ventilation holes. The ventilation means 112 allow outside air to be ventilated into channel 100. The outside air is used to cool the aerosol 104 and to thereby enhance the aerosol formation.

A flavor plug 50 is integrated in the housing of the main body 13 of the aerosol- generating devices 12. Similar as in Fig. 9, the flavor plug is used to flavorize outside air 108 and to deliver flavorized air 106 to the airflow channel 100 in the device 12. The three embodiments depicted in Fig. 10 differ as regards the position of the flavor plug 50 with respect to the position of the ventilation means 112.

In the upper view of Fig. 10 the flavor plug 50 is located upstream from the ventilation means 112. In more detail, the flavor plug 50 is located between the aerosol-generating unit 114 and the ventilation means 112.

In the middle view of Fig. 10 the flavor plug 50 is located downstream from the ventilation means 112. In more detail, the flavor plug 50 is located between the ventilation means 112 and the mouthpiece 38. In the lower view of Fig. 10 the flavor plug 50 is located at the same longitudinal position as the ventilation means 112. In this embodiment cool outside air and flavored air 106 are simultaneously mixed with the aerosol 104 transported in channel 100.

Claims

1. A flavor plug for an aerosol-generating device, wherein the flavor plug comprises: a housing with at least one aperture and with a connection portion for releasably connecting the flavor plug to the aerosol-generating device, a flavor substrate that is arranged within the housing, wherein the flavor plug comprises an adjustment means configured for adjusting the amount of flavor delivered by the flavor plug to an airflow path of the aerosol-generating device, wherein the adjustment means are further configured for adjusting the flavor delivery without interfering with the resistance to draw of the airflow path of the aerosol-generating device.

2. The flavor plug in accordance withclaim 1 , wherein the flavor plug is configured such that the aperture can be brought in fluid contact with an air flow channel of the aerosolgenerating device.

3. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjustment mechanism allows to change the size of the aperture.

4. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flavor plug is shaped so as to define an air flow channel through the plug.

5. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing of the flavor plug has a cylindrical shape with an inner wall separating the inner volume of the plug into at least two compartments.

6. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one compartment is provided with a flavor substrate.

7. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein each compartment has the same RTD.

8. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjustment means comprise a disc-shaped cap with an opening, wherein the disc-shaped cap is mounted to an end face of the cylindrical housing of the flavor plug.

9. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein by rotating the disc-shaped cap, the opening can be positioned such as to allow airflow to pass completely through one compartment or to allow a partial airflow to pass through two adjacent compartments.

10. The flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjustment means comprise a flavor coated film.

11. The flavor plug in accordance with claim 10, wherein the wherein the flavor coated film is wound on a rotatable shaft, and preferably wherein by rotating the rotatable shaft the flavor coated film may be wound to or unwound from the rotatable shaft.

12. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a flavor plug in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

13. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the flavor plug is configured to be connected at an air inlet, near the mouthpiece or in the air flow channel defined between the air inlet and the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating device.

14. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of claims 12 and 13, wherein the flavor plug is configured as a frame with a lateral aperture.

15. An aerosol-generating system in accordance with any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the device comprises a slot for receiving the frame-shaped flavor plug.