WO2025243692A1 - Inorganic filler-containing sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

A tobacco rod comprising: a tobacco filler containing a tobacco material and an inorganic filler-containing sheet containing an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m²/g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler-containing sheet containing the inorganic filler in an amount of 90% by mass or more and containing the binder and the plasticizer in an amount of 10% by mass or less in total; and a cigarette paper for wrapping the tobacco filler.

Description

Inorganic filler-containing sheet

The present invention relates to technology related to inorganic filler-containing sheets.

Tobacco substitute sheets are known as materials that partially replace the tobacco materials in tobacco products without containing any tobacco material. "Tobacco material" refers to a tobacco flavor source that can be blended into tobacco products. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that tobacco substitute sheets contain an inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate, a binder, and an aerosol generating means such as glycerin. In this specification, tobacco substitute sheets that contain an inorganic filler as the primary material are referred to as "inorganic filler-containing sheets."

Tobacco substitute sheets are used as a substitute for tobacco materials, allowing for a reduction in the amount of tobacco materials contained in tobacco products. Therefore, using tobacco substitute sheets in tobacco products can dilute the tobacco flavor, reduce the amount of harmful substances derived from tobacco materials, and reduce the cost of tobacco products.

International Publication No. 2012/110819

The object of the present invention is to provide an inorganic filler-containing sheet with a high inorganic filler content.

According to one aspect,
an inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less;
a tobacco filler material comprising a tobacco material;
A tobacco rod is provided, which includes a cigarette paper wrapping the tobacco filler material.
In another aspect, there is provided the tobacco rod according to the above aspect, wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided a tobacco rod according to any of the above aspects, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided a flavored product item including a tobacco rod according to any of the above aspects and a filter disposed downstream of the tobacco rod.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided an inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less.
In still another aspect, there is provided the inorganic filler-containing sheet according to the above aspect, wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided an inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of the above aspects, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided a tobacco product comprising an inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any of the above aspects and a tobacco material.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided a tobacco substitute product comprising an inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any of the above aspects and a tobacco substitute selected from the group consisting of a source of flavor other than tobacco flavor, and nicotine.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided a flavor rod including the inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any of the above aspects, a flavor filler containing a flavor source, and a wrapping paper wrapping the flavor filler.
According to yet another aspect, there is provided a flavored product comprising the flavor rod described above and a filter positioned downstream of the flavor rod.

The present invention makes it possible to provide an inorganic filler-containing sheet with a high inorganic filler content.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cigarette. FIG. 2A is a schematic front view showing an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 2B is a schematic top view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing an example of a tobacco stick. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 2B taken along line III-III.

The present invention will be described in detail below. However, the following description is for the purpose of explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. The embodiments described below are more specific embodiments of any of the above aspects. The following items can be incorporated into each of the above aspects, either alone or in combination.

<1. Inorganic filler-containing sheet>
The present inventors have focused on the fact that the inorganic filler contained in tobacco substitute sheets is non-flammable, does not produce combustion or heating products, and does not affect the tobacco flavor of tobacco products. Therefore, they investigated the creation of a tobacco substitute sheet with a high inorganic filler content. Increasing the inorganic filler content in a tobacco substitute sheet reduces the content of components other than the inorganic filler. A decrease in the content of binders and glycerin, components other than the inorganic filler, can make it impossible to mold a tobacco substitute sheet, or, even if molded, can result in insufficient strength and flexibility. Under these circumstances, the present inventors have discovered that, depending on the physical properties of the inorganic filler, even when the same amounts of binder and glycerin are used, a tobacco substitute sheet can sometimes be molded and sometimes not. Specifically, the present inventors have discovered that using an inorganic filler with specific physical properties to prepare a tobacco substitute sheet can produce a tobacco substitute sheet with a higher inorganic filler content, leading to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the inorganic filler-containing sheet comprises an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, and the inorganic filler is contained in an amount of 90 mass% or more, and the binder and plasticizer are contained in a total amount of 10 mass% or less. According to a preferred embodiment, the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less. According to another preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as a binder. The inorganic filler-containing sheet can be used in tobacco products or tobacco substitute products as described herein. The inorganic filler-containing sheet has a thickness of, for example, 0.01 to 1 mm, preferably 0.05 to 0.3 mm.

The inorganic filler-containing sheet can be produced by mixing raw materials containing (i) an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, (ii) a binder, and (iii) a plasticizer, spreading the resulting mixture into a sheet on a substrate, and drying it.

The following explains each component of the inorganic filler-containing sheet. Because the inorganic filler-containing sheet is a tobacco substitute sheet, it does not contain tobacco materials.

(i) Inorganic Filler The inorganic filler serves as a main material constituting the sheet. The inorganic filler usually has a particulate shape. The inorganic filler is non-flammable. Examples of the inorganic filler include calcium carbonate, silica, and alumina. The inorganic filler is preferably calcium carbonate. The inorganic filler is more preferably calcium carbonate particles.

The amount of inorganic filler in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is 90% by mass or more. The amount of inorganic filler in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is, for example, 90% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass, preferably 90 to 95% by mass. If the amount of inorganic filler in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is 90% by mass or more, the total content of binder and plasticizer can be reduced.

The inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less. The inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of, for example, 0.1 to 35 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 35 m ² /g. According to a preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 10 m ² /g or less. In a preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of, for example, 0.1 to 10 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 7 m ² /g. The larger the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler, the smaller the contact area between the inorganic filler and the binder, and therefore a larger amount of binder is required to form a sheet.

The BET specific surface area is a value measured according to a constant volume method. The specific measurement conditions are as follows:
Equipment: 4-unit specific surface area/pore distribution measuring device NOVA-TOUCH type (manufactured by Quantachrome)
Measurement content: Adsorption isotherm (horizontal axis: relative pressure, vertical axis: amount of adsorbed gas)
Gas used: Nitrogen gas Refrigerant (temperature): Liquid nitrogen (77.35K)
Pretreatment conditions: vacuum degassing for 6 hours under heating at 110°C Measured relative pressure: 0.005≦P/P ₀ ≦0.995
Analysis method: BET multipoint method. Analyze isotherm data for 0.05≦P/P ₀ ≦0.3.

The inorganic filler has a total pore volume of, for example, 0.3 cm ³ /g or less, preferably 0.1 cm ³ /g or less. The inorganic filler preferably has a total pore volume of 0 to 0.3 cm ³ /g, more preferably 0 to 0.1 cm 3 /g, and even more preferably 0 to 0.03 cm ^{3 /} g. If the inorganic filler has a large total pore volume, the binder tends to easily enter the pores, making it difficult for the binder to function as a binder, and the amount of binder required to form a sheet tends to increase.

The total pore volume refers to a value measured according to the one-point total pore volume method. Specifically, the total pore volume refers to a value calculated from the amount of adsorbed gas when the relative pressure (P/P ₀ ) is maximum, assuming that the pores are filled with liquid nitrogen. The specific measurement conditions are as follows:
Equipment: 4-unit specific surface area/pore distribution measuring device NOVA-TOUCH type (manufactured by Quantachrome)
Gas used: Nitrogen gas Refrigerant (temperature): Liquid nitrogen (77.35K)
Pretreatment conditions: Vacuum degassing under heating at 110°C for 6 hours.

The inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of, for example, 40 nm or less, preferably 20 nm or less. The inorganic filler preferably has an average pore diameter of 0 to 40 nm or less, more preferably 0 to 20 nm. If the inorganic filler has a large average pore diameter, the binder tends to easily enter the pores, making it difficult for the binder to function as a binder, and the amount of binder required to form a sheet tends to increase.

Assuming that the pores have a cylindrical shape, the volume V of a cylinder having a diameter D and a length (height) L is expressed by the following formula 1, and the side surface area S of the cylinder is expressed by the following formula 2. Therefore, the average pore diameter D _ave can be calculated by the following formula 3.
Formula 1: V=πD ² L/4
Formula 2: S=πDL
Formula 3: D _ave = 4V _total /S _BET
V _total : total pore volume S _BET : BET specific surface area.

The inorganic filler has an average particle size D50 of, for example, 1 to 100 μm, preferably 2 to 20 μm. "Average particle size D50" refers to the particle size at which the volume-based cumulative distribution corresponds to 50% when the volume-based cumulative distribution is measured using a laser diffraction/scattering method, with particle size on the horizontal axis and volume-based cumulative distribution (%) on the vertical axis. Measurements can be performed according to the details described in the examples.

The inorganic filler has an aspect ratio (major axis/minor axis) of, for example, 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 2. The aspect ratio can be determined by measuring the shapes of a total of 10,050 particles using a device that analyzes particle shape through image processing (particle shape image analyzer) and calculating the average value. Measurements can be performed according to the details described in the examples.

The inorganic filler has an apparent density of, for example, 0.1 to 5 g/cm ³ , preferably 0.5 to 2 g/cm ³ . The apparent density can be measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry. The measurement can be carried out according to the details described in the examples.

(ii) Binder The binder serves to bind the inorganic fillers together and form them into a sheet shape. As the binder, binders conventionally used in tobacco substitute sheets can be used. Examples of binders include the following:

Celluloses: cellulose, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose ether Gums: gellan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum ghatti, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, locust bean gum, acacia gum, quince seed gum, pullulan gum, mannan gum Gels: agar, agarose, carrageenan, gelatin, starch, fucoidan, furcellaran, pectin Alginates: ammonium alginate, sodium alginate, sodium calcium alginate, calcium ammonium alginate, potassium alginate, magnesium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, propylene glycol alginate Inorganic binders: bentonite One type of binder may be used, or multiple types may be used in combination.

According to a preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as a binder. When the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose, the amount of cellulose in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is, for example, 10% by mass or less, preferably 1 to 5% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 3% by mass. When the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose, the cellulose fibers entangle with each other, holding the sheet components together, which is thought to contribute to maintaining the sheet shape. As mentioned above, in order to form a sheet with a small amount of binder, it is desirable for the inorganic filler to have a small BET specific surface area. Even if the inorganic filler has a relatively large BET specific surface area and it is difficult to form a sheet with a small amount of binder, if the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose, this forming difficulty can be resolved by the cellulose fibers entangling with each other, holding the sheet components together, thereby maintaining the sheet shape. Cellulose may be used in combination with other binders, or it may be used alone without combining with other binders. For example, the inorganic filler-containing sheet may further contain gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as a binder in addition to cellulose.

Of course, the inorganic filler-containing sheet does not have to contain cellulose. For example, when the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less, the inorganic filler-containing sheet preferably contains gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as a binder. For example, when the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less, the binder is more preferably gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose.

The amount of binder in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is, for example, 10% by mass or less. The amount of binder in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is preferably greater than 0% by mass and less than 10% by mass, more preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 5% by mass. When multiple types of binders are used, the amount of binder in the inorganic filler-containing sheet refers to the total amount of binder.

(iii) Plasticizer The plasticizer serves to impart flexibility and elasticity to the sheet. As the plasticizer, any plasticizer conventionally used in tobacco substitute sheets can be used. Examples of plasticizers include the following:

Polyhydric alcohols: glycerin, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, maltitol Esters: triethyl citrate, triacetin High-boiling hydrocarbons Hydroxy acids: lactic acid The plasticizer is preferably glycerin.

The amount of plasticizer in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is, for example, 10% by mass or less. The amount of plasticizer in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is preferably greater than 0% by mass and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 7% by mass.

The inorganic filler-containing sheet contains a binder and a plasticizer in a total amount of 10% by mass or less. The total amount of binder and plasticizer in the inorganic filler-containing sheet is, for example, greater than 0% by mass and 10% by mass or less, preferably 2 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 4 to 10% by mass.

(iv) Other Components The inorganic filler-containing sheet may contain additional components as needed. The inorganic filler-containing sheet may contain, for example, a fragrance, a colorant, a fragrance retainer, a catalyst, a moisturizer, a temperature control agent, a coating agent, etc. The additional components may be incorporated into the sheet by mixing them with other raw materials of the inorganic filler-containing sheet, or may be added to the sheet after it has been formed and adsorbed onto the surface of the sheet.

As mentioned above, the inorganic filler-containing sheet is a tobacco substitute sheet and therefore does not contain tobacco materials. In this specification, the term "tobacco materials" refers to tobacco flavor sources that can be incorporated into tobacco products such as combustion-type or heated flavor inhalers.

For example, the tobacco material may be tobacco shreds that are ready to be incorporated into tobacco products, such as combustion-type or heat-type flavor inhalers. "Tobacco shreds that are ready to be incorporated into tobacco products" refers to tobacco shreds that have undergone various processing steps, such as a drying process on a farm, a long-term aging process of one to several years at a raw material factory, and subsequent blending and cutting at a manufacturing factory, and are ready to be incorporated into tobacco products.

Alternatively, the tobacco material may be reconstituted tobacco obtained by processing tobacco waste, such as leaf waste, shredded waste, midden waste, and fine powder, generated during factory operations, into a reusable form. Examples of reconstituted tobacco include tobacco sheets and tobacco granules.

"Sheet tobacco" refers to a molded product obtained by molding raw materials containing tobacco scraps into a sheet shape. Sheet tobacco can have a thickness of, for example, 0.05 to 0.30 mm. After molding, sheet tobacco may be cut into a size suitable for use as a tobacco filler (for example, a size equivalent to that of regular shredded tobacco), and the resulting cut product is also included in the category of sheet tobacco. In this case, sheet tobacco can be cut into a size of, for example, 1 mm x 10 mm. Sheet tobacco can be molded using known methods such as papermaking, casting, and rolling.

"Tobacco granules" refers to a molded product obtained by molding raw materials containing tobacco shreds into a granular shape. Tobacco granules can be any shape, such as spherical or short cylinder. If spherical, tobacco granules can have an average particle size (D50) of, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and if short cylinder, they can have an equivalent sphere diameter by volume of, for example, 0.2 to 2.0 mm. Tobacco granules can be molded using known methods such as extrusion granulation, fluidized bed granulation, and spray drying.

(effect)
The above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet contains an inorganic filler with specific physical properties, thereby increasing the inorganic filler content and reducing the total content of binder and plasticizer. Because the inorganic filler is non-flammable, no products are generated by combustion or heating. Therefore, when incorporated into a tobacco product, the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet is unlikely to affect the tobacco flavor of the tobacco product. Therefore, the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet is applicable to all types of tobacco products, regardless of the type of tobacco product, and is highly versatile. Furthermore, even when incorporated into a tobacco substitute product containing a flavor source other than tobacco flavor or a tobacco substitute such as nicotine, the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet is unlikely to affect the flavor of the tobacco substitute product. Therefore, the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet is applicable to not only tobacco products but also tobacco substitute products of any type, and is highly versatile.

In addition, inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate are cheaper than binders and plasticizers, so the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheets are also advantageous in terms of manufacturing costs.

<2. Method for producing inorganic filler-containing sheet>
The inorganic filler-containing sheet can be produced by mixing raw materials containing (i) an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, (ii) a binder, and (iii) a plasticizer, spreading the resulting mixture into a sheet on a substrate, and drying it.

Mixing is preferably carried out until the raw materials for the inorganic filler-containing sheet are mixed uniformly. Mixing can be carried out by stirring the raw materials for the inorganic filler-containing sheet at room temperature (e.g., 15-25°C) for 1-60 minutes. Mixing can be carried out using a mixer such as a stand mixer (KSM8WH; manufactured by Kitchen Aid).

The resulting mixture is spread onto the substrate to a thickness of, for example, 0.05 to 0.3 mm. Spreading can be performed using a roller such as a rolling roller (flat type; manufactured by Seaforce Co., Ltd.).

Drying can be carried out by leaving the stretched mixture at room temperature (e.g., 15-25°C) for 16-24 hours. Alternatively, drying can be carried out in a shorter time using a drying oven such as an Electric Drying Oven (DRN20DB; manufactured by ADVANTEC).

<3. Tobacco Rod and Flavor Rod>
The inorganic filler-containing sheet described above can be incorporated into, for example, a tobacco rod.
an inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less;
a tobacco filler material comprising a tobacco material;
and a cigarette paper wrapping the tobacco filler. According to a preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 10 m ² /g or less. According to another preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as a binder.

In this tobacco rod, the inorganic filler-containing sheet, together with the tobacco material, constitutes the tobacco filler. As mentioned above, the tobacco material may be tobacco shreds or reconstituted tobacco.

The inorganic filler-containing sheet can be cut into pieces of the same size as the tobacco material, and the resulting pieces can be incorporated into a tobacco rod. As described above, the inorganic filler-containing sheet has a thickness of, for example, 0.01 to 1 mm, preferably 0.05 to 0.3 mm. For example, the cut pieces of the inorganic filler-containing sheet can have long sides of 5 to 30 mm and short sides of 0.1 to 2 mm.

The proportion of the inorganic filler-containing sheet in the tobacco filler can be, for example, 1 to 99% by mass, and preferably 5 to 40% by mass. The blending ratio of the inorganic filler-containing sheet to the tobacco material is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a mass ratio of 1:99 to 99:1, and preferably 5:95 to 40:60.

In this tobacco rod, the wrapping paper can be the same as that used to wrap tobacco filler in cigarettes or tobacco sticks for heated flavor inhalers.

Although the tobacco rod described above includes a tobacco material (i.e., a source of tobacco flavor), the tobacco material may be replaced with a "flavor source other than tobacco flavor." That is, according to yet another aspect,
an inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less;
a flavor filler comprising a flavor source;
and a wrapping paper around which the flavor filler is wrapped. According to a preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 10 m ² /g or less. According to another preferred embodiment, the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as a binder.

This flavor rod has the same structure as a tobacco rod, except that the tobacco material contained in the tobacco rod has been expanded to any flavor source. That is, in this flavor rod, the flavor source may be tobacco material (i.e., a source of tobacco flavor), or it may be a source of flavor other than tobacco flavor. Examples of flavor sources other than tobacco flavor include plant materials such as tea leaves and medicinal herbs, plant extracts such as tea leaf extract and medicinal herb extract, and various organic substances known as flavor components (for example, organic substances known as components of floral or fruity aromas).

<4. Flavor producing articles>
The tobacco rod and the flavor rod described above can be used as components of flavored product articles. That is, according to one aspect, there is provided a flavored product article including the tobacco rod described above and a filter disposed downstream of the tobacco rod. According to another aspect, there is provided a flavored product article including the flavor rod described above and a filter disposed downstream of the flavor rod.

Flavored product products include, for example, cigarettes and tobacco sticks for heated flavor inhalers. An example of a cigarette is shown in Figure 1, and an example of a tobacco stick is shown in Figure 3.

The cigarette 1 shown in FIG.
a tobacco rod 2 including a tobacco filler 2a and a tobacco paper 2b wrapped around the tobacco filler 2a;
a filter 3 including a filter medium 3a and a plug wrapper 3b wrapped around the filter medium 3a;
The tobacco rod 2 and the filter 3 are connected together by a tipping paper 4 wound around the tobacco rod 2 and the filter 3.

The tobacco rod 2 contains, as the tobacco filler 2a, a tobacco filler containing the above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet and tobacco material.

The filter 3 is a so-called plain filter, consisting of a single filter material 3a. The filter material 3a can be made of acetate tow or other filter material, just like regular cigarettes. The plug wrapper 3b can be 10-100 μm thick and may or may not be breathable, although breathable paper is typically used.

The tipping paper 4 is adhered with an adhesive so as to cover the entire plug wrapper 3b and part of the cigarette paper 2b. The tipping paper 4 may have small ventilation holes drilled in one row, multiple rows, or a large number of holes arranged irregularly around the circumference of the cigarette.

The tobacco stick shown in Figure 3 will be explained in section <5. Tobacco products and tobacco alternative products> below.

5. Tobacco products and tobacco alternatives
Although it has been explained above that the inorganic filler-containing sheet can be incorporated into a tobacco rod or a flavor rod, which are flavored product products, the inorganic filler-containing sheet can be incorporated into any tobacco product without being limited thereto. That is, according to one aspect, there is provided a tobacco product comprising the inorganic filler-containing sheet and a tobacco material.

Tobacco products refer to any product that provides tobacco flavor to the user. Tobacco products include flavor inhalers, which allow the user to enjoy the tobacco flavor by inhaling, and smokeless tobacco, which allows the user to enjoy the tobacco flavor by inhaling the product directly into the nasal or oral cavity.

Specific examples of flavor inhalers include combustion-type flavor inhalers that provide users with tobacco flavor by burning tobacco filler; non-combustion-heating flavor inhalers that provide users with tobacco flavor by heating tobacco filler without burning it; and non-heating flavor inhalers that provide users with tobacco flavor without burning or heating tobacco filler.

Examples of smokeless tobacco include snuff and chewing tobacco.

The above-mentioned inorganic filler-containing sheet may be incorporated as part of the tobacco filler of a flavor inhaler, or as part of the tobacco filler of a smokeless tobacco.

Alternatively, the inorganic filler-containing sheet described above may be incorporated into a tobacco substitute product rather than a tobacco product.
The inorganic filler-containing sheet described above;
A tobacco substitute product is provided that includes a flavor source other than tobacco flavor and a tobacco substitute selected from the group consisting of nicotine.

A tobacco substitute product refers to any product that provides users with a tobacco substitute or components derived therefrom. Tobacco substitutes can be selected from the group consisting of flavor sources other than tobacco flavor, and nicotine. Examples of flavor sources other than tobacco flavor include plant materials such as tea leaves and medicinal herbs, plant extracts such as tea leaf extract and medicinal herb extract, and various organic substances known as flavor components (for example, organic substances known as components of floral or fruity aromas).

Tobacco substitute products have a structure similar to that of tobacco products, except that they contain a tobacco substitute instead of tobacco filler. That is, tobacco substitute products may have the form of a flavor inhaler or a smokeless tobacco product.

In the former case, the tobacco substitute product is a flavor inhaler that contains a tobacco substitute instead of tobacco filler. In this case, the flavor inhaler may be of the combustion type, non-combustion heating type, or non-heating type. Known examples of such flavor inhalers include products known as botanical cigarettes and botanical diffusers.

In the latter case, the tobacco substitute product may have the shape of a tea bag, in which the tobacco substitute is wrapped in a liquid-permeable packaging material (e.g., a nonwoven pouch). An example of such a tobacco substitute product is a nicotine pouch.

[An example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler]
An example of a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler (hereinafter simply referred to as a "heating-type flavor inhaler") will be described below with reference to Figures 2A, 2B, 3, and 4. In this example, the heating-type flavor inhaler is composed of an aerosol generating device 100 and a tobacco stick 200. Figure 2A is a schematic front view of an example of the aerosol generating device. Figure 2B is a schematic top view of the aerosol generating device shown in Figure 2A. Figure 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an example of the tobacco stick. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the aerosol generating device shown in Figure 2B.

For ease of explanation, the drawings may include an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system. In this coordinate system, the Z axis points vertically upward, the X-Y plane is positioned so as to cut the aerosol generation device 100 horizontally, and the Y axis is positioned so as to extend from the front to the back of the aerosol generation device 100. The Z axis can also be referred to as the insertion direction of the tobacco stick contained in the chamber 150 of the atomization unit 130, which will be described later, or the axial direction of the chamber 150. The X axis is a direction perpendicular to the Y and Z axes, and the X and Y axes can also be referred to as the radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the chamber 150, or the radial direction of the chamber 150.

The aerosol generating device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol containing tobacco flavor components by heating a tobacco stick 200 containing the above-mentioned tobacco filler.

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the aerosol generation device 100 has an outer housing 101 (which corresponds to an example of a housing), a slide cover 102, and a switch unit 103. The outer housing 101 constitutes the outermost housing of the aerosol generation device 100 and is sized to fit in the user's hand. When using the flavor inhaler, the user can hold the aerosol generation device 100 in their hand and inhale the aerosol.

The outer housing 101 has an opening (not shown) for receiving a tobacco stick, and the sliding cover 102 is slidably attached to the outer housing 101 to close this opening.

The switch unit 103 is used to switch the operation of the aerosol generation device 100 on and off. For example, by operating the switch unit 103 while a tobacco stick is inserted into the aerosol generation device 100, the user supplies power from the power source (see reference numeral 121 in Figure 4) to the heater (see reference numeral 140 in Figure 4), allowing the tobacco stick to be heated without burning.

The aerosol generating device 100 may further have a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface for connecting the aerosol generating device 100 to, for example, an external power source. If the power source provided in the aerosol generating device 100 is a rechargeable battery, connecting the external power source to the terminal allows the external power source to pass current through the power source and charge the power source. In addition, connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal may allow data related to the operation of the aerosol generating device 100 to be transmitted to an external device.

Next, we will explain the tobacco stick used in the aerosol generating device 100. Figure 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an example of a tobacco stick 200. In this example, the aerosol generating device 100 and the tobacco stick 200 form a flavor inhaler. As shown in Figure 3, the tobacco stick 200 has a smokable article 201, a tubular member 204, a hollow filter portion 206, and a filter portion 205.

The smokable article 201 is wrapped in a first wrapping paper 202. The tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 are wrapped in a second wrapping paper 203 that is different from the first wrapping paper 202. The second wrapping paper 203 also wraps a portion of the first wrapping paper 202 that wraps the smokable article 201. This connects the tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 to the smokable article 201. However, the second wrapping paper 203 may be omitted, and the tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 may be connected to the smokable article 201 using the first wrapping paper 202. A lip release agent 207 is applied to the outer surface of the second wrapping paper 203 near the end on the filter portion 205 side to make it easier for the user to release their lips from the second wrapping paper 203. The portion of the tobacco stick 200 to which the lip release agent 207 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the tobacco stick 200.

The smokable article 201 corresponds to a tobacco filler and includes the inorganic filler-containing sheet and tobacco material described above. The first wrapping paper 202 that wraps the smokable article 201 may be a breathable sheet material. The tubular member 204 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In this example, the tobacco stick 200 comprises the smokable article 201, the tubular member 204, the hollow filter portion 206, and the filter portion 205, but the configuration of the tobacco stick 200 is not limited to this. For example, the hollow filter portion 206 may be omitted, and the tubular member 204 and the filter portion 205 may be disposed adjacent to each other.

Next, the internal structure of the aerosol generation device 100 will be described. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generation device 100 taken along line III-III in Figure 2B. As shown in Figure 4, an inner housing 110 (corresponding to an example of a housing) is provided inside the outer housing 101 of the aerosol generation device 100. A power supply unit 120 and an atomization unit 130 are provided in the internal space of the inner housing 110.

The power supply unit 120 has a power supply 121. The power supply 121 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 121 is electrically connected to the atomization unit 130. This allows the power supply 121 to supply power to the atomization unit 130 so as to appropriately heat the tobacco stick 200.

As shown in FIG. 4, the atomization unit 130 has a metal chamber 150 (corresponding to an example of a cylindrical portion) extending in the insertion direction (Z-axis direction) of the tobacco stick 200, a heater 140 covering part of the chamber 150, a heat insulating unit 132, and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 134 (corresponding to an example of a guide portion) that abuts against the opening of the chamber 150. The chamber 150 is configured to surround the periphery of the tobacco stick 200. The heater 140 is configured to include a heating portion that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 150 and heats the tobacco stick 200 inserted into the chamber 150.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, a bottom member 136 (corresponding to an example of an abutment portion) is provided at the bottom of the chamber 150. The bottom member 136 abuts against the tobacco stick 200 inserted into the chamber 150 in the insertion direction of the tobacco stick 200, and can function as a stopper that positions the tobacco stick 200. Here, the chamber 150 and the bottom member 136 form a storage portion that stores at least a portion of the tobacco stick 200. The bottom member 136 has irregularities on the surface that the tobacco stick 200 abuts against, and can define a first air flow path that can supply air to the air intake port of the tobacco stick 200 (i.e., communicates with the tobacco stick 200 stored in the storage portion).

The heat insulating section 132 is generally cylindrical overall and is arranged to cover the chamber 150. The insertion guide member 134 is provided between the sliding cover 102 in the closed position and the chamber 150. When the sliding cover 102 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 134 communicates with the outside of the aerosol generation device 100, and guides the insertion of the tobacco stick 200 into the chamber 150 by inserting the tobacco stick 200 into the insertion guide member 134.

The aerosol generating device 100 further has a first holding part 137 and a second holding part 138 that hold both ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132. The first holding part 137 is positioned to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132 on the negative Z-axis side. The second holding part 138 is positioned to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132 on the slide cover 102 side (positive Z-axis side).

6. Preferred Embodiments
Preferred embodiments are summarized below.
[A1] An inorganic filler-containing sheet including an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less;
a tobacco filler material comprising a tobacco material;
and a cigarette paper wrapping the tobacco filler.
[A2] The tobacco rod according to [A1], wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less.
[A3] The tobacco rod according to [A1] or [A2], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder.
[A4] The tobacco rod according to [A3], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the cellulose in an amount of 10% by mass or less, preferably 1 to 5% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 3% by mass.
[A5] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A4], wherein the inorganic filler has a particulate shape.

[A6] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A5], wherein the inorganic filler is non-flammable.
[A7] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A6], wherein the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 35 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 35 m ² /g.
[A8] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A7], wherein the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 10 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 7 m ² /g.
[A9] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A8], wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0.3 cm ³ /g or less, preferably 0.1 cm ³ /g or less.
[A10] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A9], wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0 to 0.3 ^{cm 3} /g, preferably 0 to 0.1 cm ³ /g, and more preferably 0 to 0.03 cm 3 /g.

[A11] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A10], wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 40 nm or less, preferably 20 nm or less.
[A12] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A11], wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 0 to 40 nm, preferably 0 to 20 nm.
[A13] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A12], wherein the inorganic filler has an average particle size D50 of 1 to 100 μm, preferably 2 to 20 μm.
[A14] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A13], wherein the inorganic filler has an aspect ratio of 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 2.
[A15] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A14], wherein the inorganic filler has an apparent density of 0.1 to 5 g/cm ³ , preferably 0.5 to 2 g/cm ³ .

[A16] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A15], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate, silica, or alumina.
[A17] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A16], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate.
[A18] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A17], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate particles.
[A19] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A18], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the inorganic filler in an amount of 90% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass, preferably 90 to 95% by mass.
[A20] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A19], wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of celluloses, gums, gels, alginates, and inorganic binders.

[A21] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A20], wherein the binder is a cellulose or a gum.
[A22] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A21], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as the binder.
[A23] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A22], wherein the binder is gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose.
[A24] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A23], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the binder in an amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 5% by mass.
[A25] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A24], wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, esters, high-boiling hydrocarbons, and hydroxy acids.

[A26] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A25], wherein the plasticizer is a polyhydric alcohol.
[A27] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A26], wherein the plasticizer is glycerin.
[A28] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A27], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the plasticizer in an amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 7% by mass.
[A29] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A28], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the binder and the plasticizer in a total amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 2 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 4 to 10% by mass.
[A30] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A29], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet does not contain tobacco material.

[A31] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A30], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm, preferably 0.05 to 0.3 mm.
[A32] The tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A31], wherein the tobacco material is tobacco shreds or reconstituted tobacco.
[B1] A flavored product comprising the tobacco rod according to any one of [A1] to [A32] and a filter disposed downstream of the tobacco rod.

[C1] An inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, wherein the inorganic filler is contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer are contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less.
[C2] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to [C1], wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less.
[C3] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to [C1] or [C2], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder.
[C4] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to [C3], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the cellulose in an amount of 10% by mass or less, preferably 1 to 5% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 3% by mass.
[C5] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C4], wherein the inorganic filler has a particulate shape.

[C6] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C5], wherein the inorganic filler is non-flammable.
[C7] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [A1] to [A6], wherein the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 35 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 35 m ² /g.
[C8] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C7], wherein the inorganic filler has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 10 m ² /g, preferably 1 to 7 m ² /g.
[C9] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C8], wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0.3 cm ³ /g or less, preferably 0.1 cm ³ /g or less.
[C10] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C9], wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0 to 0.3 cm ³ /g, preferably 0 to 0.1 cm ³ /g, more preferably 0 to 0.03 cm ³ /g.

[C11] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C10], wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 40 nm or less, preferably 20 nm or less.
[C12] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C11], wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 0 to 40 nm, preferably 0 to 20 nm.
[C13] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C12], wherein the inorganic filler has an average particle size D50 of 1 to 100 μm, preferably 2 to 20 μm.
[C14] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C13], wherein the inorganic filler has an aspect ratio of 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 2.
[C15] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C14], wherein the inorganic filler has an apparent density of 0.1 to 5 g/cm ³ , preferably 0.5 to 2 g/cm ³ .

[C16] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C15], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate, silica, or alumina.
[C17] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C16], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate.
[C18] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C17], wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate particles.
[C19] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C18], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the inorganic filler in an amount of 90% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass, preferably 90 to 95% by mass.
[C20] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C19], wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of celluloses, gums, gels, alginic acids, and inorganic binders.

[C21] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C20], wherein the binder is a cellulose or a gum.
[A22] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C21], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as the binder.
[C23] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C22], wherein the binder is gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose.
[C24] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C23], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the binder in an amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 5% by mass.
[C25] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C24], wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, esters, high-boiling hydrocarbons, and hydroxy acids.

[C26] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C25], wherein the plasticizer is a polyhydric alcohol.
[C27] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C26], wherein the plasticizer is glycerin.
[C28] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C27], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the plasticizer in an amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 7% by mass.
[C29] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C28], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains the binder and the plasticizer in a total amount of more than 0% by mass and not more than 10% by mass, preferably 2 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 4 to 10% by mass.
[C30] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C29], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet does not contain tobacco material.

[C31] The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C30], wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm, preferably 0.05 to 0.3 mm.
[D1] An inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C31];
Tobacco materials and tobacco products comprising the same.
[E1] An inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C31],
A tobacco substitute product comprising a flavor source other than tobacco flavor, and a tobacco substitute selected from the group consisting of nicotine.
[F1] An inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of [C1] to [C31];
a flavor filler comprising a flavor source;
and a wrapping paper around which the flavor filler is wrapped.
[G1] A flavored product comprising the flavor rod according to [F1] and a filter disposed downstream of the flavor rod.

Experiment 1: Measurement of physical properties of calcium carbonate The following physical properties were measured for five types of calcium carbonate (samples 1 to 5).
(1) Particle size distribution Measurement principle: Laser diffraction/scattering method Measurement equipment: Laser diffraction/scattering particle size distribution analyzer LMS-3000 (manufactured by Malvern Instruments)
Measurement items: concentration, span, uniformity, surface area moment average D[3,2], volume moment average D[4,3], D10, D50, D60, D90, mode diameter Measurement conditions: Measurement range: 0.010 to 3500.00 μm
Dispersion medium: isopropyl alcohol Ultrasonic dispersion time: 1 minute Measurement method: 1. A blank measurement was carried out using only the dispersion medium.
2. The sample, which had been ultrasonically dispersed in advance, was placed in the dispersion tank.
3. Particle size distribution was measured using a circulation system.

(2) Particle shape measurement device: Particle shape image analyzer PITA-04 (manufactured by Seishin Enterprises)
Measurement items: equivalent circle diameter, circularity, area, major axis, minor axis, perimeter, envelope perimeter, aspect ratio, unevenness, Feret horizontal diameter, Feret vertical diameter, envelope area, circumscribed rectangular major axis, circumscribed rectangular minor axis, average density, thinned pixel, thickness Measurement conditions: Measurement range: 4 to 1000 μm
Dispersion medium: isopropyl alcohol Objective lens: 10x External ultrasonic dispersion time: 1 minute Measurement method: 1. An appropriate amount of the sample was placed in a polypropylene tube, and isopropyl alcohol was added to carry out ultrasonic dispersion.
2. The dispersed sample was placed in the equipment unit.
3. Calcium carbonate particles were poured into the device, and the particle size and shape were measured while photographing them with an optical microscope.

(3) Fluidity index and flowability index Measurement device: Multi-function powder property measuring instrument MT-02 (manufactured by Seishin Enterprises)
Measurement items: angle of repose, spatula angle, compressibility, cohesion, fluidity index, dynamic bulk density, collapse angle, difference angle, dispersibility, and flowability index. Measurement conditions: sieve opening: 710 μm for samples 1, 3, 4, and 5
1700 μm for sample 2
Measurement method: Measurement was carried out according to the manual of the measuring device.

(4) Specific surface area and pore distribution measuring device: 4-unit specific surface area/pore distribution measuring device NOVA-TOUCH type (manufactured by Quantachrome)
Measurement items: sample weight, BET specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter Measurement conditions and measurement method: The measurements were carried out as described in the detailed description.

(5) Crushing strength: Microparticle crushing force measuring device NS-A300 (manufactured by Nano Seeds Co., Ltd.)
Measurement items: average crushing force, average particle size, average crushing strength Measurement method: The sample was scattered onto a stage by free fall, and the crushing force was measured using a crushing needle. The measurement was carried out at room temperature.
Analysis method: A waveform chart of the pressing force was recorded, and the difference between the peak value at the time of crushing and the baseline (when no force is applied) was taken as the crushing force F [N]. The crushing strength S [Pa] was calculated using the following formula.
S=2.8F/(π・D ² )
S: Crushing strength [Pa]
F: Crushing force [N]
D: Particle diameter [m]
The particle size used to calculate the average particle size was measured for each particle from the image taken during measurement using image analysis software (WinROOF).
The particle diameter D used in calculating the crushing strength was the length of the part sandwiched between the crushing element and the plane to which the particle was attached.

(6) True Density Measurement principle: Gas phase substitution method Measurement device: Gas pycnometer UltraPyc 1200e (manufactured by Anton Paar)
Measurement item: True density Measurement method: 1. The weight of the sample was measured.
2. The volume of the sample was measured using a volumeter.
3. The true density was calculated from the weight and volume of the sample.
(Using Boyle's law and the gas equation, the volume was read when the pressure was changed under constant temperature conditions, and the density of the sample was calculated.)
Measurement conditions: Cell capacity: 135 ^cm3
Gas used: Helium

(7) Particle Density Measurement principle: Mercury intrusion method Measurement device: Mercury porosimeter AutoPore IV 9500 (manufactured by Micromeritics)
Measurement item: apparent density Measurement method: The measurement was carried out according to the manual of the measuring device.

Some of the results of measuring the physical properties of calcium carbonate are shown in the table below.

Experiment 2: Sheet production and measurement of sheet tensile strength Inorganic filler-containing sheets were produced using the above five types of calcium carbonate (Samples 1 to 5) as the inorganic filler. Specifically, raw materials with the following composition were stirred and mixed uniformly in a mixer (stand mixer KSM8WH; manufactured by Kitchen Aid), and the resulting mixture was spread into a sheet using a rolling roller (flat type; manufactured by Seaforce Co., Ltd.). The sheet was then left to dry at room temperature (approximately 20°C) for 24 hours to produce a sheet.

Any one of five types of calcium carbonate (samples 1 to 5): 90% by mass
Gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose (binder): 5% by mass
Glycerin (plasticizer): 5% by mass.

Depending on the type of calcium carbonate used, it was sometimes possible to form a sheet, and sometimes not. The tensile strength of the sheet was measured only when it was possible to form a sheet.

The tensile strength of the sheet was measured according to the following procedure.
Measuring device: Tensile test measuring instrument Strograph E3 (manufactured by Toyo Seiki)
Measurement method:
1. A sheet piece measuring 2 cm x 10 cm was cut out from the prepared sheet.
2. The cut sheet piece was clamped in the device.
3. The device was operated, the sheet piece was pulled, and the load (N) at the stage when a cut was made was measured.

The table below shows whether the sheet could be formed and the measurement results of the sheet's tensile strength.

When calcium carbonate samples 1, 2, and 3 were used, the sheets produced were able to maintain their shape, but when calcium carbonate samples 4 and 5 were used, the sheets produced were unable to maintain their shape. The sheets produced using calcium carbonate samples 1, 2, and 3 exhibited tensile strengths in the range of 2.6 to 11 N, and all of the sheets had sufficient tensile strength for application to tobacco rods.

When carboxymethyl cellulose was used as the binder, the tensile strength of the sheet was higher than when gellan gum was used. This is thought to be due to the higher viscosity of the raw material solution used to prepare the sheet when carboxymethyl cellulose was used compared to when gellan gum was used.

The results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed that "BET specific surface area," "total pore volume," and "average pore diameter" are physical properties that affect whether or not sheet formation is possible. The reasons for this are thought to be as follows:

BET specific surface area refers to the sum of the surface areas of all particles contained in a unit mass of powder. In order to form a sheet with a small amount of binder, it is more effective if the calcium carbonate particles have a larger contact area with the binder; in other words, it is thought that calcium carbonate particles with a smaller BET specific surface area are more effective.

Total pore volume refers to the sum of the volumes of all pores. If there are a large number of pores or if the volume of each pore is large, the binder will easily enter the pores and will not be able to function as a binder, so it is thought that calcium carbonate with a smaller total pore volume is more effective.

Average pore diameter refers to the average value of pore diameters. If the pore diameter is large, the binder will easily penetrate into the pores and will not function as a binder, so calcium carbonate with a smaller average pore diameter is thought to be more effective.

Table 1 also lists data on particle size distribution, particle shape, and particle density, but these physical properties do not affect whether or not the material can be formed into a sheet. Furthermore, as noted in the Experiment 1 section, in Experiment 1, various physical properties of calcium carbonate other than those listed in Table 1 were measured, but none of these physical properties affected whether or not the material could be formed into a sheet.

Experiment 3: Preparation of sheets using four other types of calcium carbonate In this experiment, four other types of calcium carbonate were used as the inorganic filler to prepare inorganic filler-containing sheets.

First, various physical properties of four types of calcium carbonate (samples 6-9) were measured following the same procedures as in Experiment 1. Some of the measurement results are shown in the table below.

All four types of calcium carbonate (samples 6-9) had smaller BET specific surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter than samples 4 and 5.

Following the same procedure as in Experiment 2, a sheet was produced using raw materials having the following composition.
Any one of four types of calcium carbonate (samples 6 to 9): 90% by mass
Gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose (binder): 5% by mass
Glycerin (plasticizer): 5% by mass.

The results regarding the feasibility of sheet forming are shown in the table below.

In all cases where calcium carbonate samples 6 to 9 were used, the sheets produced were able to maintain their shape as sheets. These results also confirm that "BET specific surface area," "total pore volume," and "average pore diameter" are physical properties that affect whether or not a sheet can be formed, and that small values for "BET specific surface area," "total pore volume," and "average pore diameter" are important for sheet formation.

Table 3 also lists data on particle size distribution, particle shape, and particle density, but these physical properties do not affect whether or not the material can be formed into a sheet. Furthermore, as in Experiment 1, in Experiment 3 various physical properties of calcium carbonate other than those listed in Table 3 were measured, but none of these physical properties affected whether or not the material could be formed into a sheet.

Experiment 4: Preparation of a sheet containing cellulose as a binder In this experiment, an inorganic filler-containing sheet was prepared containing cellulose as a binder.
Using "Calcium carbonate sample 4" shown in Table 1 as the inorganic filler, sheets 4C to 4F were produced with the following compositions.

Furthermore, sheets 5C to 5F were produced with the following compositions using "Calcium Carbonate Sample 5" listed in Table 1 as the inorganic filler.

The tensile strength of the prepared sheets was measured according to the procedure described in Experiment 2. The measurement results are shown in Tables 5 and 6.

Sheets 4C-4F and 5C-5F exhibited tensile strengths in the range of 2.43-7.78 N, and all of the sheets had sufficient tensile strength for application to tobacco rods. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the sheet improved as the cellulose content in the sheet increased. This is thought to be because more cellulose fibers became entangled, holding the sheet's constituent components together.

The above experiments 2 and 3 showed that smaller values for "BET specific surface area," "total pore volume," and "average pore diameter" are effective for forming sheets with a small amount of binder. On the other hand, the calcium carbonates used in these experiments (samples 4 and 5) all had larger "BET specific surface area," "total pore volume," and "average pore diameter" compared to the calcium carbonates of samples 1-3 and 6-9. For this reason, when using such calcium carbonates, it was observed that it tended to be difficult to form sheets with a small amount of binder (gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose). However, this difficulty in forming sheets was thought to be resolved by the cellulose fibers intertwining to hold the sheet components together, thereby maintaining the sheet shape.

1... combustion type flavor inhaler, 2... tobacco rod, 2a... tobacco filler, 2b... tobacco cigarette paper, 3... filter, 3a... filtering material, 3b... plug wrapper, 4... tipping paper
100...aerosol generating device, 101...outer housing, 102...slide cover, 103...switch section, 110...inner housing, 120...power supply section, 121...power supply, 130...atomization section, 132...heat insulation section, 134...insertion guide member, 136...bottom member, 137...first holding section, 138...second holding section, 140...heater, 150...chamber, 200...tobacco stick, 201...smokable article, 202...first cigarette paper, 203...second cigarette paper, 204...cylindrical member, 205...filter section, 206...hollow filter section, 207...lip release agent.

Claims (15)

an inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less;
a tobacco filler material comprising a tobacco material;
and a cigarette paper wrapping the tobacco filler. 2. The tobacco rod according to claim 1, wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ² /g or less. The tobacco rod according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder. 4. The tobacco rod according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0.3 cm ³ /g or less. A tobacco rod according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 40 nm or less. The tobacco rod according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate. The tobacco rod described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as the binder. An inorganic filler-containing sheet comprising an inorganic filler having a BET specific surface area of 35 m ² /g or less, a binder, and a plasticizer, the inorganic filler being contained in an amount of 90% by mass or more, and the binder and the plasticizer being contained in a total amount of 10% by mass or less. 9. The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to claim 8, wherein the BET specific surface area of the inorganic filler is 10 m ^<2> /g or less. The tobacco rod according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains cellulose as the binder. 11. The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to claim 8, wherein the inorganic filler has a total pore volume of 0.3 cm ³ /g or less. An inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the inorganic filler has an average pore diameter of 40 nm or less. The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate. The inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the inorganic filler-containing sheet contains gellan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose as the binder. An inorganic filler-containing sheet according to any one of claims 8 to 14,
Tobacco materials and tobacco products comprising the same.