WO2025154259A1 - Flavor-generating article, method for producing flavor-generating article, and smoking system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing a flavor-generating article. This production method involves: a step for accommodating a tobacco slurry in a bottomed cylindrical container; and a drying step for drying the tobacco slurry to form a porous body.

Description

Flavor-generating article, method for manufacturing flavor-generating article, and smoking system

The present invention relates to a flavor-generating article, a method for manufacturing a flavor-generating article, and a smoking system.

Conventionally, flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors and the like without burning the material are known. For example, a smoking material heating device that forms an aerosol by heating smoking material made of tobacco containing volatile components is known as such a flavor inhaler (see Patent Document 1). In the aerosol generation system described in Patent Document 1, an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor are housed in a capsule, and the susceptor is inductively heated by an induction coil arranged around the side of the capsule.

International Publication No. 2017/068095

The object of the present invention is to provide a new flavor-generating article, a method for manufacturing a flavor-generating article, or a smoking system.

According to the first aspect, a method for producing a flavor-generating article is provided. This method includes a step of placing tobacco slurry in a bottomed cylindrical container, and a drying step of drying the tobacco slurry to form a porous body.

According to the first aspect, a flavor-generating article having a porous body containing tobacco can be easily manufactured from tobacco slurry. This flavor-generating article has a porous body with a relatively large surface area, and therefore can efficiently generate steam or aerosol. The porous body may be removed from the container and used, or may be used while still contained in the container.

The manufacturing method may include a ventilation step of forming a vent in the bottom of the container.

In this case, air can flow into or out of the container through the vent, so the container for producing the porous body can be used as the container for the flavor-generating product.

The aeration step may be carried out after the drying step.

In this case, it is possible to prevent tobacco slurry from leaking from the ventilation hole.

The manufacturing method may include a closing step of closing the container with a lid.

In this case, the tobacco slurry or porous body can be prevented from escaping from the container. In addition, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the container.

The closing step may be performed after the drying step.

In this case, the drying process is carried out with the container open, so the moisture in the tobacco slurry can be released outside the container, allowing the tobacco slurry to be dried efficiently.

The container may include a first cylindrical body having a first bottom wall and a first side wall, and the lid may include a second cylindrical body having a second bottom wall and a second side wall. The closing step may include inserting the first cylindrical body into the second cylindrical body so that the first side wall abuts against the second bottom wall.

In this case, an air layer can be provided between the first side wall and the second side wall, which can prevent heat from the container from being transferred to the outside of the flavor-generating product.

The manufacturing method may include a step of placing a susceptor in the container.

In this case, the porous body can be heated by inductively heating the susceptor of the flavor generating article using an induction coil provided in the flavor inhaler.

The manufacturing method may include placing a susceptor in the container before the tobacco slurry is placed in the container.

In this case, the susceptor is housed in a container that does not contain tobacco slurry, so that the tobacco slurry can be prevented from scattering or leaking from the container when the susceptor is housed.

The drying step may include drying the tobacco slurry by freeze-drying, vacuum drying, or freeze-vacuum drying to form the porous body.

In this case, changes in the shape and components of the tobacco material can be suppressed compared to natural drying or hot air drying. Also, compared to natural drying or hot air drying, the tobacco slurry can be dried to a lower moisture content. Also, compared to natural drying or hot air drying, the drying speed can be improved.

The container may include a space for containing the tobacco slurry and a chamber for inserting a heating source separated from the space.

In this case, the heat source can be inserted into the heat source insertion chamber to heat the porous body without destroying the container. In addition, since the heat source does not come into direct contact with the porous body, contamination of the heat source by the porous body can be suppressed.

According to a second aspect, a flavor generating article is provided. The flavor generating article has a container and a porous body of a flavor source contained in the container.

According to the second aspect, the flavor generating article has a porous body with a relatively large surface area, so that vapor or aerosol can be generated efficiently.

The porous body may have a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface. The surface roughness of one of the top surface or the bottom surface may be rougher than the surface roughness of the side surface and the other of the top surface or the bottom surface.

When the porous body is produced by drying tobacco slurry, the side and the other of the top or bottom of the porous body are in contact with the inner surface of the container, and one of the top or bottom of the porous body is dried without contacting the inner surface of the container. Therefore, if the inner surface of the container is smooth, the surface roughness of one of the top or bottom of the porous body will be rougher than the side and the other of the top or bottom of the porous body. In this specification, surface roughness refers to the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) (JIS b 0601:2001 ISO 4287-1997 compliant).

The porous body may be configured to allow ventilation between its top surface and bottom surface.

In this case, air flows between the top and bottom surfaces of the porous body, allowing the vapor or aerosol generated in the porous body to be delivered efficiently.

There may be an air flow path between the porous body and the side wall of the container.

In this case, the vapor or aerosol generated in the porous body can be delivered through the air flow path between the porous body and the side wall.

According to a third aspect, a smoking system is provided that includes the flavor-generating article and a flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler may have a microwave antenna and a shielding member configured to reflect or absorb microwaves from the microwave antenna.

In this case, the porous body of the flavor-generating article can be heated by microwaves from the microwave antenna, while the shielding member can prevent the microwaves from leaking from the flavor inhaler.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the smoking system according to the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a flavor generating article according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing a flavor generating article. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a flavor generating article according to another embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor generating article according to another embodiment. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for producing the flavor generating article shown in FIG. 5.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, identical or corresponding components will be given the same reference numerals and duplicated explanations will be omitted. In this specification, the "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction in which air passes through the flavor source of the flavor-generating product or the long axis direction of the flavor-generating product. In addition, in this specification, the "short direction" or "width direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a smoking system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a flavor generating article according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the smoking system 200 has a flavor generating article 10 and a flavor inhaler 100. The flavor inhaler 100 is configured to generate vapor or aerosol containing a flavor by heating a porous body 20 of a flavor source contained in a container 12. The flavor inhaler 100 has a heating source 110 that heats the flavor generating article 10. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the flavor inhaler 100 has an induction coil as the heating source 110. Not limited to this, the flavor inhaler 100 may have, as the heating source 110, a heating body that can be inserted into the flavor generating article 10 or a heating body that heats the flavor generating article 10 from the outside. The heating source 110 is configured to heat the flavor generating article 10 to, for example, 200° C. or higher and 350° C. or lower.

After using the flavor generating article 10, it can be removed from the flavor inhaler 100 and discarded. Then, a new flavor generating article 10 can be used in the flavor inhaler 100. In other words, the flavor generating article 10 is a cartridge used in the flavor inhaler 100.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flavor inhaler 100 has a chamber 120 that houses the flavor generating article 10, and a mouthpiece 130. The flavor inhaler 100 may further have a housing 101, a battery 102, and a control unit 103. The housing 101 houses the battery 102, the control unit 103, and the heating source 110 therein. The housing 101 may be divisible into two or more parts.

The battery 102 is configured to supply power to the heating source 110 and the control unit 103, etc. For example, the battery 102 is a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery, such as a lithium ion battery. The battery 102 may be rechargeable by an external power source. The battery 102 is electrically connected to the heating source 110 via the control unit 103. This allows the battery 102 to supply power to the heating source 110 so as to appropriately heat the porous body 20 of the flavor source contained in the flavor generating article 10.

The control unit 103 is composed of a CPU, a memory, etc., and controls the operation of the flavor inhaler 100. Specifically, the control unit 103 can control the supply of power from the battery 102 to the heating source 110. For example, the control unit 103 starts heating the flavor generating article 10 in response to a user operation on an input device such as a push button or a slide switch (not shown), and ends heating the flavor generating article 10 after a certain period of time has elapsed. If the number of puffing actions by the user exceeds a certain value, the control unit 103 may end heating the flavor generating article 10 even before a certain period of time has elapsed since the start of heating the flavor generating article 10. For example, the puffing action is detected by a sensor (not shown).

Alternatively, the control unit 103 may start heating the flavor generating article 10 in response to the start of the puffing action, and end heating the flavor generating article 10 in response to the end of the puffing action. The control unit 103 may end heating the flavor generating article 10 even before the end of the puffing action, if a certain time has passed since the start of the puffing action. If the heating source 110 is an induction coil, the flavor inhaler 100 may have an electromagnetic shield that prevents electromagnetic waves generated by the induction coil from reaching the control unit 103.

When the heating source 110 is an induction coil, the induction coil may be arranged to surround the periphery of the flavor generating article 10 as shown in FIG. 1. An insulating material (not shown) may be arranged between the induction coil and the flavor generating article 10. In other words, the flavor inhaler may have an insulating material arranged to surround the periphery of the flavor generating article 10. The insulating material may be, for example, a vacuum insulating material, an aerogel insulating material, or an air insulating material.

The housing 101 has a chamber 120 for accommodating the flavor generating article 10 at the mouthpiece end (mouthpiece 130 side). As shown, the mouthpiece 130 is connected to one end of the housing 101 so as to close the chamber 120 of the housing 101. The mouthpiece 130 has an air flow path 130a that communicates with the outside of the mouthpiece 130 and the chamber 120 of the housing 101. More specifically, the air flow path 130a of the mouthpiece 130 communicates with a first air vent 64 (described later) of the flavor generating article 10 placed in the chamber 120.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flavor generating article 10 has a container 12 and a porous body 20 of a flavor source contained in the container 12. Furthermore, the flavor generating article 10 preferably has a susceptor 23 arranged inside the porous body 20. In this case, the porous body 20 can be heated by inductively heating the susceptor 23 of the flavor generating article 10 with an induction coil (heating source 110) provided in the flavor inhaler 100. The susceptor 23 may have any shape that can be arranged in the container 12. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the susceptor 23 is plate-shaped. The susceptor 23 may be formed of any material that can be inductively heated. The thickness of the susceptor 23 is, for example, 10 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. In the illustrated example, the flavor generating article 10 has a single porous body 20 contained in the container 12. The flavor generating article 10 may have multiple porous bodies 20. For example, the susceptor 23 may divide the internal space of the container 12 into two, with the first porous body disposed in one space and the second porous body disposed in the other space. In this case, the first porous body and the second porous body may be the same or different. The container 12 may have a partition wall that divides the internal space of the container 12 into two or more spaces. Instead of either the first porous body or the second porous body, a tobacco material such as tobacco shreds, tobacco sheets, or tobacco granules, or a flavoring material carrier that carries a flavoring material may be disposed in the internal space of the container 12. The susceptor 23 or the partition wall may divide the internal space of the container 12 into a plurality of spaces, and the same or different porous bodies, tobacco materials, flavoring material carriers, etc. may be disposed in each of the divided spaces. When the susceptor 23 or the partition wall divides the internal space of the container 12 into two or more spaces, it is sufficient that a porous body is disposed in at least one of the divided spaces. The container 12 may also have a partitioned space in which no porous body, tobacco material, or flavor carrier is disposed. A through hole may be provided in the susceptor 23 or the partition wall. In this case, adjacent partitioned spaces may be fluidically connected to each other.

The susceptor 23 shown in FIG. 2 is a flat plate-like body, but is not limited thereto, and the susceptor 23 may be a curved plate-like body. Specifically, for example, the susceptor 23 may be a plate-like body having an S-shaped cross section when viewed in the longitudinal direction. By curving the susceptor 23, the size and surface area of the susceptor 23 that can be placed in the container 12 can be increased compared to when the susceptor 23 is flat, and therefore the porous body 20 can be heated efficiently.

The susceptor 23 may be provided in the flavor inhaler 100. In this case, the susceptor 23 may be configured to be insertable into the flavor generating article 10. If the heat source 110 of the flavor inhaler 100 is not an induction coil, but includes a heating element that can be inserted into the flavor generating article 10, such as a microwave generating antenna or a heating blade, or a heating element that heats the flavor generating article 10 from the outside, the susceptor 23 is not necessary for the flavor generating article 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the container 12 may have a substantially cylindrical side wall 12a, a bottom wall 12b provided at an end of the side wall 12a, and an upper wall 12c provided on the side wall 12a opposite the bottom wall 12b. In this embodiment, the side wall 12a is cylindrical. The side wall 12a may be cylindrical having another cross-sectional shape. In this embodiment, the container 12 is preferably formed of a dielectric material. For example, the container 12 may be formed of paper. In this case, the container 12 can be manufactured inexpensively and easily. More specifically, the container 12 may be formed of a pulp mold. The container 12 may be formed of an air-impermeable material. Here, the air-impermeable material refers to a material having an air permeability of 0 CU when measured according to ISO2965-1997. Specifically, the container 12 may be formed of air-impermeable paper. In this case, it is possible to prevent the steam or aerosol generated from the porous body 20 from leaking from an unintended part of the container 12.

The longitudinal length of the container 12 is, for example, 5 mm or more and 25 mm or less, and preferably 8 mm or more and 20 mm or less. In this case, the longitudinal length of the container 12 is the distance from the bottom wall 12b to the top wall 12c, and does not include the length of the nozzle 28 described later. The diameter of the container 12 (i.e., the width of the side wall 12a) is, for example, 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less, preferably 6 mm or more and 12 mm or less, and more preferably 6 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The thickness of the container 12 (the thickness of the side wall 12a, the bottom wall 12b, or the top wall 12c) may be, for example, 0.2 mm or more and 1 mm or less. The thicknesses of the side wall 12a, the bottom wall 12b, and the top wall 12c may be different from each other. The ratio of the longitudinal length of the container 12 to the diameter of the container 12 (the width of the side wall 12a) is preferably 0.5 to 2.5.

2, the container 12 has a first cylindrical body 60 having a first bottom wall 61 and a first side wall 62. The flavor-generating article 10 has a second cylindrical body 70 having a second bottom wall 71 and a second side wall 72, which functions as a lid for the container 12. The first cylindrical body 60 is inserted into the second cylindrical body 70 so that the first side wall 62 abuts against the second bottom wall 71, thereby closing the container 12. In this case, as shown in the figure, an air layer A1 can be easily provided between the first side wall 62 and the second side wall 72, so that the heat of the container 12 can be prevented from being transferred to the outside of the flavor-generating article 10. The first cylindrical body 60 and the second cylindrical body 70 may be bonded to each other, for example, with an adhesive or may be fixed to each other by mechanical means such as a snap fit.

As shown, the first bottom wall 61 of the first cylindrical body 60 is provided at one end of the first side wall 62, and a first opening 63 is formed at the other end of the first cylindrical body 60. Both ends of the first cylindrical body 60 may be closed, so that the first cylindrical body 60 has a closed space. As shown, the second bottom wall 71 of the second cylindrical body 70 is provided at one end of the second side wall 72, and a second opening 73 is formed at the other end of the second cylindrical body 70. Both ends of the second cylindrical body 70 may be closed, but it is preferable to have a second opening 73 for inserting the first cylindrical body 60.

It is preferable that an air flow path is formed between the first side wall 62 and the second side wall 72. In this case, an air layer A1 (air flow path) is formed outside the first side wall 62 of the container 12, which can further prevent the heat of the container 12 from being transferred to the outside of the flavor-generating article 10. In the illustrated example, the second opening 73 of the second cylindrical body 70 functions as the air inlet 13, and the air layer A1 functions as the air flow path.

As shown, the second side wall 72 has at least one rib 72a on its inner surface, and the rib 72a preferably abuts against the outer surface of the first side wall 62. In this case, the rib 72a can form a gap (air layer A1) of a certain width between the first side wall 62 and the second side wall 72. In this embodiment, the rib 72a extends along the longitudinal direction on the inner surface of the second side wall 72. Also, in this embodiment, multiple ribs 72a are arranged circumferentially spaced apart on the inner surface of the second side wall. The multiple ribs 72a are preferably arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the second side wall.

As shown, the first side wall 62 preferably has an opening or notch that connects the air flow path (air layer A1) with the inside of the first cylindrical body 60. In this case, air that has passed through the air flow path can be supplied into the container 12 through the opening or notch. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cylindrical body 60 has an opening or notch 62a and an opening or notch 62b, but may have only one of the opening or notch 62a and the opening or notch 62b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the opening or notch 62a is preferably located upstream of the susceptor 23. In this case, the air flowing into the container 12 from the opening or notch 62a passes through the susceptor 23, so that the steam or aerosol generated near the susceptor 23 can be delivered efficiently. On the other hand, the opening or notch 62b is preferably located downstream of the susceptor 23. In this case, air can be supplied through the opening or notch 62b, so that the steam or aerosol generated in the flavor source can be efficiently cooled by the air from the opening or notch.

The first bottom wall 61 of the first cylindrical body 60 preferably has a first vent 64. In this case, the first vent 64 can function as an air inlet or an air outlet of the container 12. In the example shown in FIG. 2, since the container 12 has an air inlet 13, the first vent 64 can function as an air outlet. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the second bottom wall 71 may be configured so that air does not pass through. As a result, when the first bottom wall 61 has the first vent 64, the first side wall 62 has an opening or notch 62a, and an air flow path (air layer A1) is formed between the first side wall 62 and the second side wall 72, the air that has flowed into the container 12 through the air flow path (air layer A1) and the opening or notch 62a can flow out of the container 12 from the first vent 64. That is, the flavor-generating article 10 can have a so-called counterflow type flow path.

The porous body 20 in this embodiment includes (A) a tobacco extract, (B) a binder, and (C) an aerosol source. The tobacco extract (hereinafter also referred to as "component (A)") is an active ingredient (a component other than the medium used in the extraction) contained in an extract obtained by subjecting tobacco raw materials to extraction. The extraction can be carried out as known in the art, and examples thereof include the following methods: 1) a method in which tobacco raw materials are subjected to extraction using a medium to obtain a tobacco extract, 2) a method in which a medium is added to the tobacco raw materials and heated, the generated steam is collected, and a tobacco extract is obtained, and 3) a method in which a medium that has been vaporized by heating is passed through the tobacco raw materials and the vapor after the passage is collected to obtain a tobacco extract. The medium can be water, a hydrophilic organic solvent such as alcohol, or a combination of these, and it is preferable that the medium is water or contains water.

In method 1), it is preferable to use water as the medium from the viewpoint of workability, etc. In method 2) or 3), it is preferable to use glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, or an alcohol such as ethanol as the medium from the viewpoint of work efficiency. An acid or alkali can also be used for extraction as necessary. The liquid obtained by extraction, which contains the tobacco extract and the medium, is called tobacco extract.

Tobacco raw materials can be, for example, Nicotiana tabacum or Nicotiana rustica. Nicotiana tabacum can be, for example, Burley or flue-cured varieties. In addition, Orient or native Burley varieties of the Nicotiana genus can also be used.

The tobacco raw material may be shredded or powdered tobacco raw material (hereinafter also referred to as "raw material pieces"). In such a case, the particle size of the raw material pieces is preferably 0.5 to 1.18 mm. Such raw material pieces are obtained, for example, by sieving in accordance with JIS Z 8815 using a stainless steel sieve in accordance with JIS Z 8801. For example, 1) sieving the raw material pieces for 20 minutes using a stainless steel sieve with 1.18 mm openings by a dry mechanical shaking method to obtain raw material pieces that pass through the stainless steel sieve. 2) Subsequently, sieving the raw material pieces for 20 minutes using a stainless steel sieve with 0.50 mm openings by a dry mechanical shaking method to remove the raw material pieces that pass through the stainless steel sieve. In this way, raw material pieces can be prepared that pass through the stainless steel sieve (mesh opening = 1.18 mm) that defines the upper limit, but do not pass through the stainless steel sieve (mesh opening = 0.50 mm) that defines the lower limit.

In one embodiment, the tobacco raw material is treated with alkali. This treatment generates flavor components, which are then collected to prepare a tobacco extract and a tobacco extract residue. In this case, the flavor components are extracted as a gas from the alkali-treated tobacco raw material, and the gas can be introduced into water to obtain a tobacco extract in which the flavor components have been transferred to a liquid.

The alkaline substance is preferably an alkaline liquid such as an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate. In this case, the alkaline substance is supplied until the pH of the tobacco raw material falls within a specific range. The pH is preferably 8.0 or higher, and more preferably 8.9 to 9.7. The pH of the tobacco raw material refers to the pH of the water when the tobacco raw material is mixed with 10 times the amount of water.

The moisture content in the tobacco raw material used for extraction is not limited, but from the viewpoint of efficiently extracting flavor components, it is preferable that the moisture content is approximately 5 to 30% by weight. The moisture content in the tobacco raw material is measured by a known method, for example, a 1 g sample is taken, heated at 105°C, and the weight loss amount when heated until the weight change rate is 1 mg/min or less is taken as the moisture content. For example, a halogen heating moisture meter (Ohaus MB45, etc.) can be used for this measurement.

The tobacco extract preferably contains a large amount of nicotine. From this perspective, the amount of nicotine in the extraction residue is preferably 1% by weight or less of the amount of nicotine in the tobacco raw material, and more preferably 0.5% by weight or less.

The tobacco extract content in the porous body 20 is 15 to 50% by weight. If the amount is less than the lower limit, a satisfactory smoking taste cannot be obtained. If the amount exceeds the upper limit, a flavor inhibition occurs. From this perspective, the content of component (A) is preferably 25 to 45% by weight.

The binder (hereinafter also referred to as "component (B)") may be any known binder, but is preferably selected from the group consisting of cellulose derivatives, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, alginic acid, sodium alginate, starch, water-soluble soybean polysaccharides, and combinations thereof. Examples of cellulose derivatives include alkyl cellulose, hydroxyalkyl alkyl cellulose, and carboxyalkyl cellulose. More specifically, examples of cellulose derivatives include methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and salts thereof. Among these, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is preferred. The porous body 20 contains an aerosol source, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) can solidify the aerosol source, making it easier to form the porous body 20.

The amount of component (B) in the porous body 20 is 5 to 40% by weight. If this amount is less than the lower limit, the porous body 20 will not have sufficient strength. Also, if component (B) is less than the lower limit, the volatility of the components in the porous body 20 may decrease.

The aerosol source (hereinafter also referred to as "component (C)") is a substance that forms an aerosol when heated. Examples of aerosol sources include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin or polyethylene glycol. The amount of component (C) in the porous body 20 is 15 to 60% by weight. If the amount is below the lower limit, the amount of smoke produced when smoking is insufficient. If the amount exceeds the upper limit, it may become difficult to mold the porous body 20. From this perspective, the amount is preferably 15 to 50% by weight, and more preferably 20 to 40% by weight.

The porous body 20 may contain fiber (hereinafter also referred to as "component (D)"). For example, wood fiber and non-wood fiber are known as fibers, and the porous body 20 containing non-wood fiber has the advantage of being superior in liquid carrying capacity compared to the porous body 20 containing wood fiber. Therefore, compared to the case of wood fiber, the amount of non-wood fiber added to the porous body 20 can be reduced, and it is possible to increase the components that contribute to the aroma and flavor in the porous body 20. From this viewpoint, the fiber is preferably non-wood fiber. Non-wood fiber is fiber that is not derived from wood, and may be tobacco fiber or fiber other than tobacco fiber. From the viewpoint of imparting strength, dietary fiber is preferable as the non-wood fiber. Dietary fiber is a dietary component that is not digested by human digestive enzymes, and is more preferably insoluble dietary fiber that does not dissolve in water. The dietary fiber may be porous, i.e., spongy. From the viewpoint of availability, etc., the fiber is preferably citrus fiber. Citrus fiber is a fiber whose main raw material is the albedo of citrus fruits. Additionally, the dietary fiber may be short fibers or columnar particles with a small aspect ratio. Citrus fiber is particularly preferred because it can impart strength to the smoking article material with a small amount of use. In one embodiment, the content of component (D) in the porous body 20 is 10 to 30% by weight. If the amount is less than the lower limit, it may be difficult to mold the porous body 20. On the other hand, if the amount exceeds the upper limit, the flavor may become weak and unpleasant flavors may increase.

(5) Other Components The porous body 20 may contain a known flavoring. Examples of the flavoring include menthol, but are not limited thereto and may include the flavorings described below. The amount of the flavoring may be a known amount. These flavorings may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The following are preferred fragrances: acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, star anise oil, apple juice, balsam of Peru oil, beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, cardamom oil, carob absolute, β-carotene, carrot juice, L-carvone, β- Caryophyllene, cassia bark oil, cedarwood oil, celery seed oil, chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, citronella oil, DL-citronellol, clary sage extract, cocoa, coffee, konjac oil, coriander oil, cuminaldehyde, davana oil, delta-decalactone, gamma-decalactone, decanoic acid, dill herb oil, 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-cyclopentanedione, 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, 2,3 -dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl lactate, ethyl laurate, ethyl levulinate, ethyl maltol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl phenylacetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl stearate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin glucoside, 2-ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2 -Ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, fenugreek absolute, gene absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, grape juice, guaiacol, guava extract, gamma-heptalactone, gamma-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, phenylhexyl acetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid lactone, 4-hydroxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4- (para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, inmortelle absolute, beta-ionone, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl butyrate, isoamyl phenylacetate, isobutyl acetate, isobutyl phenylacetate, jasmine absolute, cola nut tincture, labdanum oil, lemon terpeneless oil, licorice extract, linalool, linalyl acetate, lovage root oil, maltol, maple syrup, menthol, menthone, L-menthyl acetate, paramethoxybenzaldehyde, methyl-2-pyrrolyl ketone, an Methyl tranilate, methyl phenylacetate, methyl salicylate, 4'-methylacetophenone, methylcyclopentenolone, 3-methylvaleric acid, mimosa absolute, honeysuckle, myristic acid, nerol, nerolidol, gamma-nonalactone, nutmeg oil, delta-octalactone, octanal, octanoic acid, orange flower oil, orange oil, orris root oil, palmitic acid, omega-pentadecalactone, peppermint oil, petitgrain Paraguay oil, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, plum extract, propenyl glycol Aethol, Propyl Acetate, 3-Propylidenephthalide, Prune Juice, Pyruvic Acid, Raisin Extract, Rose Oil, Rum, Sage Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Spearmint Oil, Styrax Absolute, Marigold Oil, Tea Distillate, α-Terpineol, Terpinyl Acetate, 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-Tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine, Thyme Oil, Tomato Extract, 2-Tridecanone, Triethyl Citrate , 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl) 2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadienyl) 2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, gamma-undecalactone, gamma-valerolactone, vanilla extract, vanillin, veratraldehyde, violet leaf absolute, N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide (WS-3), ethyl-2-(p-menthane-3-carboxamide) acetate (WS-5).

The packing rate of the porous body 20 contained in the container 12 is, for example, 0.15 to 0.7, preferably 0.2 to 0.6, and more preferably 0.25 to 0.5. In this case, the packing rate of the porous body 20 is the volume ratio of the porous body 20 to the void volume inside the container 12. The weight of the porous body 20 contained in the container 12 is, for example, 100 mg to 500 mg, preferably 150 mg to 400 mg, and more preferably 200 mg to 360 mg. The apparent density of the porous body 20 is preferably 0.25 g/cm ³ to 0.76 g/cm ³ .

As shown in FIG. 2, the porous body 20 may have a top surface 20a, a side surface 20b, and a bottom surface 20c. In this case, the surface roughness of one of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c may be rougher than the surface roughness of the side surface 20b and the other of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c. As described below, when the porous body 20 is manufactured by drying tobacco slurry, the side surface 20b and the other of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 are in contact with the inner surface of the container 12, and one of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 is dried without contacting the inner surface of the container 12. Therefore, when the inner surface of the container 12 is smooth, the surface roughness of one of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 is rougher than the surface roughness of the side surface 20b and the other of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20. The upper surface 20a and the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 can be said to be the downstream end surface and the upstream end surface of the air flow path, respectively. If the surface roughness of the upper surface 20a of the porous body 20 is rougher than the surface roughness of the side surface 20b and the bottom surface 20c, the surface area of the upper surface 20a of the porous body 20 increases, and components from the porous body 20 are more likely to volatilize. Also, if the surface roughness of the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 is rougher than the surface roughness of the side surface 20b and the upper surface 20a, a gap is formed between the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 and the second bottom wall 71, so that air entering from the opening or notch 62a is more likely to be supplied to the entire bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20.

When the surface roughness of one of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c is rougher than that of the side surface 20b, the surface roughness of one of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c may be 10 μm or more and 60 μm or less. In this case, the surface roughness of the other of the top surface 20a or the bottom surface 20c or the surface roughness of the side surface 20b may be 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less. The surface roughness (arithmetic surface roughness Sa) is measured by a known method. Specifically, for example, using a microscope (for example, VK-X100 manufactured by KEYENCE), 1) the focal position of the lowest part of the sheet is set, 2) the focal position of the highest part of the sheet is set, 3) the sections obtained in 1) and 2) are divided, and images are taken while shifting the focus little by little, 4) the height is measured from the difference between the focal position of each part and the focal position of the lowest part, and 5) the roughness is calculated from the height data of each position (automatic calculation by the measuring instrument software), and the arithmetic surface roughness Sa is calculated.

The porous body 20 may be configured to allow air to pass between its top surface 20a and bottom surface 20c. In this case, air flows between the top surface 20a and bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20, allowing the steam or aerosol generated in the porous body 20 to be delivered efficiently. An air flow path may also be provided between the porous body 20 and the side wall 12a of the container 12 (specifically, the first side wall 62 shown in FIG. 2). In this case, the steam or aerosol generated in the porous body 20 can be delivered through the air flow path between the porous body 20 and the side wall 12a.

In the use state, the downstream end of the susceptor 23 (i.e., the end on the nozzle 28 side) may protrude downstream from the downstream end (upper surface 20a) of the porous body 20. In this case, the aerosol generated from the porous body 20 is suppressed from coagulating inside the container 12. On the other hand, in the use state, the downstream end (upper surface 20a) of the porous body 20 may protrude downstream from the downstream end of the susceptor 23. In other words, the downstream end of the susceptor 23 may be embedded in the porous body 20. In this case, the aerosol generated from the porous body 20 is easily cooled inside the container 12, so that a sufficiently cooled aerosol can be supplied to the user. In addition, in the use state, the upstream end of the susceptor 23 (i.e., the end on the second bottom wall 71 side) may protrude upstream from the upstream end (bottom surface 20c) of the porous body 20. In this case, the air flowing in from the opening or notch 62a is more likely to flow into the space between the bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20 formed by the protruding portion of the susceptor 23 and the second bottom wall 71, and the air is more likely to be supplied to the entire bottom surface 20c of the porous body 20. In addition, in a use state, the upstream end (bottom surface 20c) of the porous body 20 may protrude upstream from the upstream end of the susceptor 23. That is, the upstream end of the susceptor 23 may be embedded in the porous body 20. In this case, the portion of the porous body 20 existing upstream of the susceptor 23 can suppress the leakage of smoke from the opening or notch 62a. In addition, the positions of the downstream end of the susceptor 23 and the downstream end of the porous body 20 may be substantially aligned in the longitudinal direction of the flavor-generating article 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flavor inhaler 100 has an intake port 101a that communicates with the chamber 120. The flavor inhaler 100 may have an air flow path F1 that communicates with the air inlet 13 of the container 12 of the flavor generating article 10. Specifically, the air flow path F1 communicates between the intake port 101a and the air inlet 13 of the container 12. That is, the intake port 101a communicates with the air inlet 13 of the flavor generating article 10. The flavor inhaler 100 also has an exhaust port 130b that communicates with the first air vent 64 (see FIG. 2) of the flavor generating article 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flavor generating article 10 may further have a nozzle 28 communicating with the first vent 64 of the container 12. As shown in FIG. 1, this can prevent the vapor or aerosol flowing out from the flavor generating article 10 from colliding with the flow path wall surface of the flavor inhaler 100 (the wall surface of the mouthpiece 130 that defines the air flow path 130a shown in FIG. 1) and coagulating or condensing. The flavor generating article 10 may have a mesh or filter that covers the first vent 64 of the container 12. In this case, it is possible to prevent pieces of the porous body 20 from being ejected from the nozzle 28.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the intake port 101a may be formed at the boundary between the mouthpiece 130 and the housing 101. That is, the intake port 101a may be provided between the surface of the mouthpiece 130 facing the container 12 and the surface of the container 12 facing the mouthpiece 130. Here, a groove portion that defines at least a part of the intake port 101a may be formed on at least one of the surface of the mouthpiece 130 facing the container 12 and the surface of the container 12 facing the mouthpiece 130. In this case, the intake port 101a can be provided upstream of the gap G1, so that the steam or aerosol flowing out of the nozzle 28 can be efficiently prevented from entering the gap G1.

Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the flavor-generating article 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 will be described. Figures 3A to 3F are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing the flavor-generating article 10. The method for manufacturing the flavor-generating article 10 of this embodiment may include preparing a bottomed cylindrical container 12 as shown in Figure 3A. Specifically, the container 12 may be, for example, the first cylindrical body 60 shown in Figure 2.

The manufacturing method may also include a step of preparing tobacco slurry 51. In this embodiment, the step of preparing tobacco slurry 51 may include stirring the components (A), (B), and (C) to prepare tobacco slurry 51 containing air bubbles. Here, first, the tobacco raw material described above is subjected to extraction to prepare a tobacco extract liquid containing the tobacco extract, which is an active ingredient, and a medium (step 1). It is preferable to use water as the medium. The extraction temperature is not limited, but is preferably 60 to 100°C, and more preferably 70 to 90°C from the viewpoint of smoking taste. The extraction time is preferably 20 to 40 minutes.

Next, the tobacco extract is stirred and the components are mixed to prepare the tobacco slurry 51 (step 2). Stirring can be performed using stirring equipment such as a food processor, homogenizer, mixer, kneader, kneader, extruder, ball mill, refiner, etc. Stirring conditions can be determined appropriately depending on the state of the tobacco slurry 51, the type of stirring equipment, etc. For example, the rotation speed is preferably 1000 to 25000 rpm, more preferably 2000 to 20000 rpm, and even more preferably 5000 to 15000 rpm when no load is applied.

When the tobacco extract is stirred, it is preferable to mix a medium with the tobacco extract. Water is preferable as the medium. The solid-liquid ratio (weight ratio) of the tobacco slurry 51 is preferably 1:1 to 1:8. The solid-liquid ratio is the weight ratio of the total of components other than the medium to the medium. Although some components other than the medium are liquid at room temperature (e.g., glycerin, etc.), in this disclosure, for convenience, the weight ratio of the total of components other than the medium to the medium is called the "solid-liquid ratio". The weight of the components other than the medium is the dry weight (dry basis). If the solid-liquid ratio is less than the above range, the water content is low, so the mixture dries early in the drying process, making it difficult to form the porous body 20. From this perspective, the solid-liquid ratio (weight ratio) is more preferably 1:2 to 1:6. The viscosity of the tobacco slurry 51 is preferably 10,000 to 100,000 mPa·s. By setting the viscosity within the above range, stirring can be performed appropriately.

The manufacturing method also includes a step of storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 as shown in FIG. 3C. Tobacco slurry 51 may be injected into container 12 by, for example, a slurry supply device 50. The step of storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 may include providing a waiting time after storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 and before proceeding to a drying step described later. In this case, time for relatively high-viscosity tobacco slurry 51 to sufficiently spread inside container 12 can be ensured. The waiting time may be, for example, 1 second or more and 1 minute or less. The step of storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 may also include vibrating container 12 containing tobacco slurry 51 in conjunction with storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 or after storing tobacco slurry 51 in container 12 and before proceeding to a drying step described later. In this case, time for tobacco slurry 51 to sufficiently spread inside container 12 can be shortened.

The manufacturing method also includes a drying step in which the tobacco slurry 51 contained in the container 12 is dried to form the porous body 20, as shown in FIG. 3D. This makes it possible to easily manufacture the flavor-generating article 10 having the porous body 20 containing tobacco from the tobacco slurry 51. This flavor-generating article 10 has a porous body 20 with a relatively large surface area, and therefore can efficiently generate steam or aerosol. The porous body 20 may be removed from the container 12 for use, or may be used while still contained in the container 12.

The drying step preferably includes drying the tobacco slurry 51 by freeze-drying, vacuum drying, or freeze-vacuum drying to form the porous body 20. The tobacco slurry 51 that has been stirred to contain air bubbles may be dried to form the porous body 20. In this case, changes in the shape and components of the tobacco material can be suppressed compared to natural drying or hot air drying. Furthermore, compared to natural drying or hot air drying, the tobacco slurry 51 can be dried to a low moisture content. Furthermore, compared to natural drying or hot air drying, the drying speed can be improved. In particular, when the tobacco slurry 51 is dried by freeze-vacuum drying, the moisture frozen inside the tobacco slurry 51 evaporates under reduced pressure, making it easier for gaps to be formed inside the porous body 20. Note that in the drying step, the tobacco slurry 51 may be dried by natural drying or hot air drying. Furthermore, in the drying step, the volume of the tobacco slurry 51 is reduced to form the porous body 20, and gaps may be formed between the porous body 20 and the container 12.

The manufacturing method may also include a step of housing the susceptor 23 in the container 12, as shown in FIG. 3B. In this case, the porous body 20 can be heated by inductively heating the susceptor 23 of the flavor generating article 10 with an induction coil provided in the flavor inhaler 100. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 3C, it is preferable to house the susceptor 23 in the container 12 before the tobacco slurry 51 is housed in the container 12. In this case, since the susceptor 23 is housed in the container 12 in which the tobacco slurry 51 is not housed, it is possible to prevent the tobacco slurry 51 from scattering or leaking from the container 12 when the susceptor 23 is housed.

The manufacturing method may also include a ventilation step of forming a first ventilation hole 64 (corresponding to an example of a ventilation hole) in the container 12, as shown in FIG. 3E. In this embodiment, the method may also include forming the first ventilation hole 64 in the bottom of the container 12. In this case, air can flow into or out of the container 12 through the first ventilation hole 64, so that the container 12 for manufacturing the porous body 20 can be used as the container 12 for the flavor-generating article 10. This ventilation step is preferably performed after the drying step (FIG. 3D). In this case, the tobacco slurry 51 can be prevented from leaking from the first ventilation hole 64. Note that this ventilation step is not limited to being performed after the drying step, and may be performed before the drying step. If the tobacco slurry 51 has a relatively high viscosity and is unlikely to leak from the first ventilation hole 64, the ventilation step may be performed before the drying step. In addition, in this embodiment, the ventilation process may include forming the opening or notch 62a and the opening or notch 62b. When the ventilation process is performed after the drying process, the tobacco slurry 51 can be prevented from leaking from the opening or notch 62a and the opening or notch 62b.

The manufacturing method may also include a closing step of closing the container 12 as shown in FIG. 2F. In this case, the tobacco slurry 51 or the porous body 20 can be prevented from coming out of the container. Also, the container 12 can be prevented from being contaminated with foreign matter. For example, the closing step may include closing the first opening 63 of the first cylindrical body 60 containing the tobacco slurry 51 with the second cylindrical body 70. More specifically, the closing step may include inserting the first cylindrical body 60 into the second cylindrical body 70 so that the first side wall 62 abuts against the second bottom wall 71. This closing step is preferably performed after the drying step (FIG. 3D). In this case, since the drying step is performed with the container 12 open, the moisture in the tobacco slurry 51 can be released outside the container 12, and the tobacco slurry 51 can be dried efficiently. The manufacturing method in this embodiment may also include a step of turning the flavor-generating article 10 upside down after the closing step.

Next, a flavor generating article 10 according to another embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a flavor generating article 10 according to another embodiment. The flavor generating article 10 shown in FIG. 4 differs from the flavor generating article 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that the container 12 has a heat source insertion chamber 82 that is isolated from the space that contains the porous body 20. In this case, the heat source 110 can be inserted into the heat source insertion chamber 82 to heat the porous body 20 without destroying the container of the porous body 20.

When using the flavor generating article 10 shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 described later, it is preferable that the flavor inhaler 100 shown in FIG. 1 has a microwave antenna and a shielding member 125 configured to reflect or absorb microwaves from the microwave antenna. In this case, while the porous body 20 of the flavor generating article 10 is heated by microwaves from the microwave antenna, the shielding member 125 can prevent the microwaves from leaking from the flavor inhaler 100. For ease of explanation, FIG. 4 illustrates the heating source 110, which is a microwave antenna, and the shielding member 125.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the first cylindrical body 60 has a cylindrical portion 66 extending longitudinally from the first bottom wall 61 inside the first side wall 62. The cylindrical portion 66 has an opening 66a at an end close to the second bottom wall 71 and an end wall 66b at an end far from the second bottom wall 71. As shown, the end wall 66b may form part of the first bottom wall 61. Thus, the cylindrical portion 66 and the first bottom wall 61 can define a chamber 82 for inserting a heat source. The cylindrical portion 66 divides the inside of the container 12 so that the porous body 20 in the container 12 does not enter the chamber 82 for inserting a heat source. In addition, the cylindrical portion 66 is preferably not breathable so that steam or aerosol generated in the porous body 20 does not enter the chamber 82 for inserting a heat source. The cylindrical portion 66 penetrates the second bottom wall 71 of the second cylindrical body 70. Specifically, the second bottom wall 71 of the second cylindrical body 70 has an opening 71a through which the cylindrical portion 66 passes, and the cylindrical portion 66 fits into the opening 71a with virtually no gap.

The heating source 110 may be, for example, an antenna for generating microwaves. Specifically, the heating source 110 may be configured to radiate microwaves to the porous body 20 while inserted into the heating source insertion chamber 82. In this case, the cylindrical portion 66 is preferably formed of a material with a low dielectric constant that does not easily absorb microwaves. The heating source 110 may be a resistive heating type pin or blade type heating element. In this case, the cylindrical portion 66 is preferably formed of a material with a good thermal conductivity, such as a metal, in order to efficiently transfer heat from the heating source 110 to the porous body 20.

5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor generating article 10 according to another embodiment. The flavor generating article 10 shown in FIG. 5 has a container 12 and a porous body 20. The container 12 has a side wall 12a and a bottom wall 12b. In the illustrated example, the container 12 has an opening 12d at the end opposite the bottom wall 12b and a lid 15 that closes the opening 12d. The container 12 has a heat source insertion chamber 82 that is isolated from the space that contains the porous body 20 (tobacco slurry 51). In this case, the heat source 110 can be inserted into the heat source insertion chamber 82 to heat the porous body 20 without destroying the container 12. In addition, since the heat source 110 does not come into direct contact with the porous body 20, it is possible to prevent the heat source 110 from being contaminated by the porous body 20.

Specifically, the container 12 has a cylindrical portion 66 extending longitudinally from the bottom wall 12b inside the side wall 12a. The cylindrical portion 66 has an opening 66a at an end close to the bottom wall 12b and an end wall 66b at an end far from the bottom wall 12b. The cylindrical portion 66 and the end wall 66b define a chamber 82 for inserting a heating source. The bottom wall 12b of the container 12 may be provided with an air vent 12e communicating with the porous body 20. When the flavor-generating article 10 is in use, the opening 12d may function as an air vent by forming a hole in the lid 15, for example. This allows the air vent 12e and the opening 12d to function as an air inlet or an air outlet, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 4, two air vents 12e are formed in the bottom wall 12b, but any number of air vents 12e greater than or equal to one may be formed in the bottom wall 12b.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing the flavor generating article 10 shown in FIG. 5. The method for manufacturing the flavor generating article 10 of this embodiment may include preparing a bottomed cylindrical container 12 as shown in FIG. 6(a). Specifically, the container 12 may be, for example, the container 12 shown in FIG. 5. The manufacturing method may also include a step of preparing a tobacco slurry 51. The manufacturing method may also include a step of placing the tobacco slurry 51 in the container 12 as shown in FIG. 6(b). The tobacco slurry may be injected into the container 12 by, for example, a slurry supply device 50.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the manufacturing method includes a drying step in which the tobacco slurry 51 contained in the container 12 is dried to form the porous body 20. This drying step can be performed in the same manner as the drying step shown in FIG. 3D.

The manufacturing method may also include a ventilation step of forming a vent hole at the bottom of the container 12, as shown in FIG. 6(d). Specifically, in the ventilation step, the vent hole 12e shown in FIG. 5 may be formed. This ventilation step may be performed in the same manner as the vent hole 12e shown in FIG. 3E. FIG. 6(d) shows an example in which the vent hole 12e shown in FIG. 5 is formed.

The manufacturing method may also include a closing step of putting a lid on the container 12. For example, the closing step may include closing the opening 12d of the container 12 containing the tobacco slurry 51 shown in FIG. 5 with the lid 15. This closing step is preferably carried out after the drying step (FIG. 6(c)). In this case, since the drying step is carried out with the container 12 open, the moisture in the tobacco slurry 51 can be released outside the container 12, and the tobacco slurry 51 can be dried efficiently.

In the flavor generating article 10 manufactured by the manufacturing method shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(d), as shown in Figure 6(e), a heating source 110 such as a microwave generating antenna or a resistive heating type heating element is inserted into a heating source insertion chamber 82, and the porous body 20 is heated. Also, as shown in Figure 6e, it is preferable that the flavor generating article 10 is at least partially surrounded by a shielding member 125. The flavor generating article 10 shown in Figure 4 can also be manufactured by a manufacturing method similar to the manufacturing method shown in Figure 6.

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

Some aspects disclosed in the present specification are described below.
(1)
placing the tobacco slurry in a bottomed cylindrical container;
and a drying step of drying the tobacco slurry to form a porous body.
(2)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to (1),
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising the step of forming a vent in the container.
(3)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article described in (2),
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the aeration step is carried out after the drying step.
(4)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of (1) to (3),
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising a closing step of placing a lid on the container.
(5)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to (4),
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the closing step is carried out after the drying step.
(6)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to (4) or (5),
the container includes a first cylindrical body having a first bottom wall and a first side wall, and the lid includes a second cylindrical body having a second bottom wall and a second side wall;
A method for manufacturing a flavor-generating article, wherein the closing step includes inserting the first cylindrical body into the second cylindrical body so that the first side wall abuts the second bottom wall.
(7)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of (1) to (6),
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising the step of housing a susceptor in the container.
(8)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to (7),
A method of making a flavor generating article comprising: placing a susceptor in the container before the tobacco slurry is placed in the container.
(9)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of (1) to (8),
The method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the drying step includes drying the tobacco slurry by freeze-drying, vacuum drying, or freeze-vacuum drying to form the porous body.
(10)
In the method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of (1) to (9),
The method for producing a flavor generating article, wherein the container includes a space for containing the tobacco slurry and a chamber for inserting a heat source separated from the space.
(11)
A container;
A flavor generating article comprising: a porous body of a flavor source contained in the container.
(12)
In the flavor generating article according to (11),
The porous body has a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface,
A flavor-generating article, wherein the surface roughness of one of the top surface and the bottom surface is rougher than the surface roughness of the other of the side surface and the top surface or the bottom surface.
(13)
In the flavor generating article according to (11) or (12),
The flavor-generating article is configured so that the porous body is breathable between its top surface and bottom surface.
(14)
In the flavor generating article according to any one of (11) to (13),
A flavor generating article having an air flow path between the porous body and a side wall of the container.
(15)
In the flavor generating article according to any one of (11) to (14),
A flavor generating article having a plurality of the porous bodies.
(16)
A smoking system comprising a flavor generating article according to any one of (11) to (15) and a flavor inhaler,
A smoking system, wherein the flavor inhaler has a microwave antenna and a shielding member configured to reflect or absorb microwaves from the microwave antenna.

10: Flavor generating article 12: Container 12a: Side wall 12b: Bottom wall 12e: Vent 13: Air inlet 14: Air outlet 15: Lid 20: Porous body 20a: Top surface 20b: Side surface 20c: Bottom surface 23: Susceptor 51: Tobacco slurry 60: First cylindrical body 61: First bottom wall 62: First side wall 64: First ventilation port 70: Second cylindrical body 71: Second bottom wall 72: Second side wall 82: Chamber for inserting heat source 100: Flavor inhaler 110: Heat source 120: Chamber 125: Shield member 130a: Air flow path 200: Smoking system F1: Air flow path

Claims (15)

placing the tobacco slurry in a bottomed cylindrical container;
and a drying step of drying the tobacco slurry to form a porous body. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to claim 1,
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising the step of forming a vent in the container. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to claim 2,
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the aeration step is carried out after the drying step. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising a closing step of placing a lid on the container. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to claim 4,
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the closing step is carried out after the drying step. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to claim 4 or 5,
the container includes a first cylindrical body having a first bottom wall and a first side wall, and the lid includes a second cylindrical body having a second bottom wall and a second side wall;
A method for manufacturing a flavor-generating article, wherein the closing step includes inserting the first cylindrical body into the second cylindrical body so that the first side wall abuts the second bottom wall. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A method for producing a flavor-generating article, comprising the step of housing a susceptor in the container. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to claim 7,
A method of making a flavor generating article comprising: placing a susceptor in the container before the tobacco slurry is placed in the container. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The method for producing a flavor-generating article, wherein the drying step includes drying the tobacco slurry by freeze-drying, vacuum drying, or freeze-vacuum drying to form the porous body. The method for producing a flavor-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The method for producing a flavor generating article, wherein the container includes a space for containing the tobacco slurry and a chamber for inserting a heat source separated from the space. A container;
A flavor generating article comprising: a porous body of a flavor source contained in the container. The flavor generating article according to claim 11,
The porous body has a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface,
A flavor-generating article, wherein the surface roughness of one of the top surface and the bottom surface is rougher than the surface roughness of the other of the side surface and the top surface or the bottom surface. The flavor generating article according to claim 11 or 12,
The flavor-generating article is configured so that the porous body is breathable between its top surface and bottom surface. The flavor generating article according to any one of claims 11 to 13,
A flavor generating article having an air flow path between the porous body and a side wall of the container. A smoking system comprising the flavor generating article according to any one of claims 11 to 14 and a flavor inhaler,
A smoking system, wherein the flavor inhaler has a microwave antenna and a shielding member configured to reflect or absorb microwaves from the microwave antenna.