WO2025216602A1 - Flavored non-heating aerosol generating article for preventing reduction in nicotine delivery amount and aerosol generating system including same - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided according to one embodiment of the present invention are an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system including same, the aerosol-generating article comprising a medium part and at least one filter part, wherein the filter part is flavored, and the flavored filter part is located at the distal end (tobacco end) of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

A flavored, non-heated aerosol-generating article for preventing nicotine transfer and an aerosol-generating system comprising the same

The following examples relate to a flavored, non-heated aerosol-generating article for preventing a decrease in nicotine transfer and an aerosol-generating system including the same.

Recently, demand for alternatives to traditional cigarettes has been increasing. For example, demand is growing for devices that generate aerosol by electrically heating a cigarette stick (e.g., heat-not-burn electronic cigarettes). Accordingly, research is being conducted on electrically heated aerosol generating devices and the cigarette sticks (or aerosol-generating products) used in them.

Furthermore, research is being conducted not only on electrically heated aerosol generators but also on non-heated aerosol generators, in which an aerosol-generating article containing pH-treated granules that generate free nicotine is used, and the free nicotine is transferred as the vapor generated from the liquid cartridge of the aerosol generator passes through the cigarette stick.

However, when the aerosol-generating article includes a flavored filter, the free nicotine, due to its volatility and solubility, is transferred and dissolved into the flavored filter, which causes problems in non-heat-type electronic cigarettes.

Non-heat-not-burn e-cigarettes have little or no heat transfer to the stick, making it difficult to transfer free nicotine dissolved in the filtered flavored liquid. Therefore, even when using the same medium, the amount of nicotine transferred is lower than that of unflavored cigarette sticks, ultimately reducing the user's satisfaction with smoking.

The present disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned and other problems.

An object of one embodiment is to provide a flavored non-heated aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system including the same, which can prevent nicotine transfer by varying the position at which the flavoring filter of the aerosol-generating article is applied or by controlling the type and content of solvent used in flavoring the filter.

However, technical challenges are not limited to the technical challenges described above, and other technical challenges may exist.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol-generating article comprising a medium portion and one or more filter portions,

The above filter part is scented,

An aerosol-generating article is provided, wherein the flavored filter portion is located at a distal end (Tobacco End) of the aerosol-generating article.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating device comprising a battery, a control unit and a vaporizer, and

An aerosol-generating article comprising a medium portion and one or more filter portions,

The above filter part is scented,

An aerosol generating system is provided, wherein a flavored filter portion is located at a distal end (Tobacco End) of an aerosol generating article.

A non-heated aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment of the present invention, even when including a flavored filter, can effectively prevent a reduction in nicotine release compared to an article including an unflavored filter. Furthermore, the flavoring allows smokers to experience a pleasant aroma, thereby providing a satisfying experience while smoking.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an aerosol-generating article including a distal end (Tobacco End; TE portion) and a proximal end (Mouth End; ME portion) and an aerosol-generating device to which the aerosol-generating article can be applied, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing showing the structure of an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating system in which an aerosol generating article is combined with an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments may be modified in various ways, and the scope of the invention is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives to the embodiments are included within the scope of the invention.

The terms used in the examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood to not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

In addition, when describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. When describing embodiments, if a detailed description of a related known technology is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment, the detailed description will be omitted.

Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of the embodiments. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by the terms. When a component is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component may also be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

Components included in one embodiment and components with common functions will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the descriptions given in one embodiment can be applied to other embodiments, and detailed descriptions will be omitted to the extent of overlap.

In the following examples, "humectant" may refer to a substance that facilitates the formation of visible smoke and/or aerosol. Examples of humectants include, but are not limited to, glycerin (GLY), propylene glycol (PG), ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. In the art, the term "humectant" may be used interchangeably with terms such as aerosol former, humectant, etc.

In the following examples, the term "aerosol-forming substrate" may refer to a material capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol may include volatile compounds. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid or liquid. For example, a solid aerosol-forming substrate may include a solid material based on tobacco raw materials such as tobacco cut filler, tobacco granules, or reconstituted tobacco. Reconstituted tobacco may be classified into slurry-type sheet tobacco and paper-type sheet tobacco depending on the manufacturing method. A liquid aerosol-forming substrate may include a liquid composition based on nicotine, tobacco extract, and/or various flavoring agents. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.

In the following examples, the term "aerosol-generating article" may refer to an aerosol-forming substrate, i.e., an article containing a medium through which an aerosol passes and nicotine contained in the medium is transferred. A representative example of an aerosol-generating article may be a cigarette, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the following embodiments, an "aerosol generating device" may mean a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol forming substrate to generate an aerosol that is directly inhalable into the user's lungs through the user's mouth.

In the following examples, "upstream" or "upstream direction" may refer to a direction away from the user's (smoker's) mouth, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" may refer to a direction toward the user's mouth. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" may be used to describe the relative positions of elements constituting an aerosol-generating article.

In the following examples, "puff" means inhalation by the user, and inhalation means drawing into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs through the user's mouth or nose.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment and an aerosol-generating device to which the aerosol-generating article can be applied.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol-generating article may include a filter located at a distal end (Tobacco End; TE portion), a filter located at a proximal end (Mouth End; ME portion), and a medium portion located between the filters.

Here, the TE section may refer to a position 12 mm from one end of the aerosol-generating article, and the ME section may refer to a position 12 mm from the other end of the aerosol-generating article, but is not limited thereto.

In Fig. 1, filter sections are positioned in both the TE section and the ME section, and only two filter sections are included. However, Fig. 1 only shows one example of the present invention, and unlike what is shown in Fig. 1, one or more filter sections may be included.

Meanwhile, the filter unit may include a filter unit flavored using a flavoring solution, and the flavored filter unit is preferably located in the TE unit. When the flavored filter unit is located in the TE unit, a reduction in the amount of nicotine transferred can be effectively prevented compared to when it is located in the ME unit or in another part of the aerosol-generating article. This is a chronic problem in non-heat-type electronic cigarettes in which the amount of nicotine transferred is reduced because, when the flavored filter unit is not included in the TE unit but in the ME unit, etc., the volatility and solubility of free nicotine generated from at least one of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules in the medium unit causes transfer and dissolution into the flavored filter.

The present invention aims to solve the problems of such non-heating electronic cigarettes by positioning a flavored filter in the TE section.

Meanwhile, in an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment of the present invention, as long as any one of the one or more filter sections is a fragrance-treated filter located in the TE section, it may be included in the scope of the present invention. That is, as an example, a case including a TE section (a fragrance-treated filter) and an ME section (a fragrance-treated filter), as well as a case including a TE section (a fragrance-treated filter) and an ME section (a non-fragrance-treated filter), may be included in the scope of the present invention.

Meanwhile, the flavoring solution used in the above-mentioned flavoring treatment may include a flavoring agent and a solvent.

Specific types of the above flavoring agents may include, but are not limited to, one or more of rosemary, eucalyptol, licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, iso-sweetener, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, mandarin oil, catechin, grapefruit, caraway, cognac, jasmine, menthol, cinnamon, ylang-ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander, and coffee, and may be appropriately set according to the flavor and preference desired by the smoker.

In addition, the specific type of the solvent is not particularly limited as long as it is a solvent capable of dissolving the flavoring agent, but may include, for example, propylene glycol (PG) and/or medium-chain triglyceride (MCTG).

The above MCTG may refer to, for example, a fatty acid having 8 to 10 carbon atoms, and in particular, when MCTG is used as a solvent for a flavoring solution, as will be discussed below, there is an effect of preventing a decrease in the amount of nicotine transferred by controlling the amount of MCTG added, so it is preferable to use MCTG as a solvent for the flavoring solution.

The appropriate amount of MCTG used at this time may be, for example, less than 1.8 mg, preferably 1.2 mg or less, and more preferably 0.6 mg or less when flavoring the ME filter. If the amount of MCTG included in the filter exceeds the above range, the amount of nicotine and TPM (Total Particulate Matter) among the smoke transfer components is significantly reduced, which may reduce the user's satisfaction with smoking.

Accordingly, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol-generating article may include a flavored filter portion at both the distal end (TE) and the proximal end (ME), wherein the proximal end (ME) filter portion may contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTG) in an amount of up to 0.6 mg. This may effectively prevent a reduction in nicotine transfer while providing a flavoring effect due to the flavoring treatment.

Meanwhile, the filter part may be formed by including cellulose acetate (CA) and a plasticizer prior to the fragrance treatment.

In addition, since the present invention is an aerosol-generating article used in a non-heated or low-temperature heated electronic cigarette, the medium may include one or more of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco filler, and tobacco granules so that nicotine is transferred in a form similar to free nicotine even in a non-heated or low-temperature heated form.

At this time, one or more of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules may be alkaline-treated to make nicotine more readily transferred through conversion to free nicotine, and a pH adjuster may be used at this time. The pH adjuster may include, for example, at least one of potassium carbonate (K ₂ CO ₃ ), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO ₃ ), and calcium oxide (CaO), but is not limited to the examples described above.

The above-mentioned base treatment method can be carried out by adding a pH adjusting agent during the manufacture of one or more of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules, or by spraying it on the surface of one or more of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules.

The content of the pH adjuster used can be added so that the pH of at least one of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules being manufactured becomes 7.0 or more and 9.5 or less, and by performing the pH treatment as described above, free nicotine can be transferred from the medium base even under non-heating conditions or relatively low temperature conditions. That is, by adjusting at least one of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules of the medium part included in the aerosol-generating article to a pH range of 7.0 or more and 9.5 or less, volatile free nicotine can be transferred under non-heating conditions, and a sufficient level of smoky flavor intensity can be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a drawing schematically showing the structure of an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment of the present invention.

One or more of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco filler and tobacco granules manufactured according to one embodiment of the present invention may be included in a medium portion, and may ultimately be included in an aerosol-generating article comprising the medium portion and one or more filter portions.

Referring to FIG. 2, an aerosol generating article (12) according to one embodiment may include a medium portion (122), a first filter portion (121), a second filter portion (123), and a wrapper (125).

In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article (12) may be wrapped by at least one wrapper (125). The wrapper may have at least one hole formed therein to allow external air to enter or internal gas to escape. The wrapper (125) may comprise a material having high thermal conductivity.

For example, the first filter unit (121) may be wrapped by the first wrapper (1251), the medium unit (122) may be wrapped by the second wrapper (1252), and the second filter unit (123) may be wrapped by the third wrapper (1253). In addition, the entire aerosol-generating article (12) may be repackaged by the fourth wrapper (1255).

In one embodiment, the first wrapper (1251), the second wrapper (1252), and the third wrapper (1253) may be manufactured from porous paper. For example, the porosity of each of the first wrapper (1251), the second wrapper (1252), and the third wrapper (1253) may be 35000 CU, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the thickness of each of the first wrapper (1251), the second wrapper (1252), and the third wrapper (1253) may be within a range of 70 μm to 80 μm. In addition, the basis weight of each of the first wrapper (1251), the second wrapper (1252), and the third wrapper (1253) may be within a range of 20 g/m ² to 25 g/m ² .

For example, the second wrapper (1252) may include an aluminum component. For example, the second wrapper (1252) may be a combination of a general filter paper and a metal foil, such as aluminum foil. Additionally, the second wrapper (1252) may be made of sterile filter paper (MFW).

In one embodiment, the third wrapper (1253) may be made of PLA paper. Here, the PLA paper refers to three layers of paper including a paper layer, a PLA layer, and a paper layer. For example, the thickness of the third wrapper (1253) may be within a range of 100 μm to 120 μm. In addition, the basis weight of the third wrapper (1253) may be within a range of 80 g/m ² to 100 g/m ² .

In one embodiment, the fourth wrapper (1254) may be made of sterile paper (MFW). For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper (1254) may be within a range of 57 g/m ² to 63 g/m ² . Additionally, the thickness of the fourth wrapper (1254) may be within a range of 64 μm to 70 μm.

In one embodiment, the first filter unit (121) may be composed of a cellulose acetate filter. Furthermore, the first filter unit (121) may be composed of a paper filter, a porous molding, or the like. For example, the length of the first filter unit (121) may be 4 to 15 mm, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the first filter unit (121) may be colored or flavored.

In one embodiment, the medium portion (122) may include a cavity, and the cavity may be filled with a medium. For example, the medium substrate filled in the medium portion (122) may include one or more of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules. In addition, the length of the medium portion (122) may be adopted as an appropriate length within the range of 6 mm to 18 mm, but is not limited thereto.

Additionally, the medium (122) may include an aerosol-generating substance such as glycerin. Additionally, the medium (122) may contain other additives such as a flavoring agent, a humectant, and/or an organic acid. Additionally, a flavoring agent such as menthol or a moisturizer may be added to the medium (122) by spraying it onto the medium (122).

In one embodiment, the medium within the medium portion (122) may include one or more of pH-treated reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules. For example, one or more of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules may be pH-treated to have an alkaline property (e.g., pH 7.0 to 9.5) with a pH adjusting agent, such as at least one of potassium carbonate (K ₂ CO ₃ ), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO ₃ ), and calcium oxide (CaO). However, the material included in the pH adjusting agent is not limited to the examples described above, and any material that produces less negative odor during smoking may be used. The pH adjusting agent may increase the pH of the medium substrate included in the medium portion (122). Compared to a medium substrate that is not treated with a pH adjusting agent, a medium substrate including one or more of the reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules that has been alkaline pH-treated increases the amount of nicotine released when heated. That is, in the case of a medium substrate treated with a basic pH, a sufficient nicotine yield can be achieved even if the medium portion (122) is heated at a low temperature.

In one embodiment, the first filter portion and/or the second filter portion may be manufactured from a cellulose acetate filter portion and may further include a plasticizer such as triacetin (TA) or triethyl citrate (TEC). This allows free nicotine in the medium portion to be adsorbed to at least one of the first filter portion and the second filter portion.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating system in which an aerosol generating article is combined with an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, an aerosol generating system (1) according to one embodiment may include an aerosol generating device (11) and an aerosol generating article (12).

Referring to FIG. 3, an aerosol generating device (11) according to one embodiment may include a battery (111), a control unit (112), a vaporizer (113), and a long cavity (114).

The aerosol generating device (11) illustrated in FIG. 3 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 3, the aerosol generating device (11) may further include other general-purpose components. Furthermore, the aerosol generating device (11) may be in the form of a stick or a holder.

In one embodiment, the battery (111) may supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device (11). For example, the battery (111) may supply current to the vaporizer (113) so that the vaporizer (113) may heat the liquid composition. Additionally, the battery (111) may supply power necessary for the operation of a display, sensor, motor, etc. installed in the aerosol generating device (11).

In one embodiment, the battery (111) may be a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO ₄ ) battery, but is not limited to the above-described examples. For example, the battery (111) may be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO ₂ ) battery, a lithium titanate battery, or a lithium ion battery.

For example, the battery (111) may have a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 10 mm and a length of 37 mm, but is not limited thereto. For example, the capacity of the battery (111) may range from 120 mAh to 250 mAh, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the battery (111) may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, when the battery (111) is rechargeable, the charge rate (C-rate) of the battery (111) may be 10 C, and the discharge rate (C-rate) may be 10 C to 20 C, but is not limited thereto. In addition, for static use, the battery (111) may be manufactured so that 80% or more of the total capacity can be secured even when charging/discharging is performed 2000 times.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device (11). Specifically, the control unit (112) controls the operation of the battery (111), the vaporizer (113), as well as other components included in the aerosol generating device (11). In addition, the control unit (112) can also check the status of each component of the aerosol generating device (11) to determine whether the aerosol generating device (11) is operable.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable on the microprocessor. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processor may be implemented using other types of hardware.

In one embodiment, the vaporizer (113) can heat a liquid composition to generate an aerosol and can emit the generated aerosol toward an aerosol-generating article (12) inserted into an elongated cavity (114) such that the generated aerosol passes through the aerosol-generating article (12). Accordingly, a tobacco flavor can be added to the aerosol passing through the aerosol-generating article (12), and a user can inhale the aerosol with the tobacco flavor by inhaling one end of the aerosol-generating article (12) with the mouth. In one embodiment, the vaporizer (113) can be referred to as a cartomizer or an atomizer. In one embodiment, the vaporizer (113) can be coupled to the aerosol-generating device (11) so as to be replaceable.

In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device (11) may further include a heater. The aerosol generating article (12) according to one embodiment can transfer nicotine even under non-heated conditions. Furthermore, in a low-temperature heating mode using the heater, the transfer of nicotine can be promoted, thereby increasing the amount of nicotine transferred. The low-temperature heating mode using the heater can realize a higher nicotine taste intensity than the non-heating mode, and the amount of nicotine transferred can be easily controlled through the non-heating mode and the low-temperature heating mode.

The heater can be heated by power supplied from the battery (111). For example, when the aerosol-generating article (12) is inserted into the aerosol-generating device (11), the heater can be located outside the aerosol-generating article (12). Accordingly, the heated heater can increase the temperature of the aerosol-generating material within the aerosol-generating article (12).

For example, the heater may be an electrical resistance heater. For example, the heater may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater may be heated as current flows through the electrically conductive track. However, the heater is not limited to the above-described examples, and any heater capable of heating to a desired temperature may be used without limitation. Here, the desired temperature may be preset in the aerosol generating device (11), or may be set to a desired temperature by the user.

Meanwhile, as another example, the heater may be an induction heater. Specifically, the heater may include an electrically conductive coil for inductively heating the aerosol-generating article (12), and the aerosol-generating article (12) may include a susceptor that can be heated by the induction heater.

For example, the heater may include a tubular heat transfer element, a plate-shaped heat transfer element, a needle-shaped heat transfer element, or a rod-shaped heat transfer element, and may heat the inside or outside of the aerosol-generating article (12) depending on the shape of the heat transfer element.

In addition, a plurality of heaters may be arranged in the aerosol generating device (11). At this time, the plurality of heaters may be arranged to be inserted into the interior of the aerosol generating article (12) or may be arranged on the exterior of the aerosol generating article (12). In addition, some of the plurality of heaters may be arranged to be inserted into the interior of the aerosol generating article (12), and the remainder may be arranged on the exterior of the aerosol generating article (12).

In one embodiment, the elongated cavity (114) can accommodate an aerosol-generating article (12). In one embodiment, a heater can be disposed surrounding an outer surface of the elongated cavity (114) to heat the aerosol-generating article accommodated in the elongated cavity (114). In one embodiment, the heater can be disposed surrounding at least a portion of the outer surface of the elongated cavity (114).

Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device (11) may further include general-purpose components in addition to the battery (111), control unit (112), vaporizer (113), and elongated cavity (114). For example, the aerosol generating device (11) may include a sensing unit, an output unit, a user input unit, a memory, and a communication unit.

According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating device (11) may include vaporizers (113) and elongated cavities (114) arranged in series or parallel.

Referring to FIG. 3, the aerosol generated by the vaporizer (113) can flow into the elongated cavity (114) through the airflow passage in the aerosol generating device (11) and pass through the aerosol generating article (12). Accordingly, tobacco flavor or nicotine can be added to the aerosol that has passed through the aerosol generating article (12), and the user can inhale the aerosol added with tobacco flavor or nicotine by inhaling one end of the aerosol generating article (12) with the mouth.

A vaporizer (113) according to one embodiment may include a liquid storage unit, a liquid delivery means, a heating element, and an airflow passage. Each component of the vaporizer (113) may be made of a polycarbonate material, but is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, the liquid reservoir can store a liquid composition capable of generating an aerosol upon heating. In one embodiment, the liquid composition can be a liquid comprising a tobacco-containing material including a volatile tobacco flavoring component, and in another embodiment, the liquid composition can be a liquid comprising a non-tobacco material. Furthermore, the liquid composition can store a volume of liquid ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 mL, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the liquid reservoir can be exchangeably coupled within the vaporizer (113).

For example, the liquid composition may include water, ethanol, plant extracts, fragrances, flavoring agents, or a vitamin mixture. The flavoring agents may include, but are not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, and various fruit-flavored ingredients. The flavoring agents may include ingredients that can provide a variety of flavors or tastes to the user. The vitamin mixture may include, but is not limited to, a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Additionally, the liquid composition may include an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

In one embodiment, the liquid delivery means can transfer the liquid composition from the liquid reservoir to the heating element. In one embodiment, the liquid delivery means can be a wick, such as cotton fibers, ceramic fibers, glass fibers, or porous ceramics, that can transfer the liquid composition from the liquid reservoir to the heating element using capillary action.

In one embodiment, the heating element is an element for heating a liquid composition delivered by a liquid delivery means, and may be a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate, a ceramic heater, or the like. Furthermore, the heating element may be composed of a conductive filament, such as a nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure that is wound around the liquid delivery means. The heating element may be heated by a current supply and may transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element, thereby heating the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol may be generated.

In one embodiment, the airflow passage may be arranged such that the generated aerosol is emitted toward the inserted aerosol-generating article (12). That is, the aerosol generated by the heating element may be emitted through the airflow passage.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) can control the temperature of the heating element by controlling the current supplied to the heating element. Accordingly, the control unit (112) can control the amount of aerosol generated from the liquid composition by controlling the current supplied to the heating element. In addition, the control unit (112) can control to supply current to the heating element for a preset period of time when the user's puff is detected. For example, the control unit (112) can control to supply current to the heating element for 1 to 5 seconds from the time the user's puff is detected.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) can control the opening/closing state of the airflow passage to control the amount of aerosol emitted from the vaporizer (113). Specifically, the control unit (112) can increase the size of the gap in the airflow passage to increase the amount of aerosol emitted from the vaporizer (113), and can decrease the size of the gap in the airflow passage to decrease the amount of aerosol emitted from the vaporizer (113). For example, the control unit (112) can control the gap in the airflow passage using a dial method.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) can notify the user of a shortage of liquid composition through a vibration motor or a display when the liquid composition in the liquid storage unit is less than a preset amount.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) can control the temperature at which the heater heats the aerosol-generating article (12). For example, the control unit (112) can regulate the temperature at which the heater heats the medium.

In one embodiment, the control unit (112) can control the heater between a non-heating mode and a low-temperature heating mode. In the non-heating mode, the heater may not heat the aerosol-generating article (12), and the medium portion may not be heated at this time. In the low-temperature heating mode, the heater may low-temperature heat the aerosol-generating article (12) to a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius or higher and 150 degrees Celsius or lower. In this case, the medium portion may be low-temperature heated to a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius or higher and 150 degrees Celsius or lower.

As the aerosol-generating article (12) switches between non-heating mode and low-temperature heating mode, the taste intensity can be adjusted. In non-heating mode, the amount of nicotine transferred from the medium portion is relatively low, so the taste intensity can be relatively low. In low-temperature heating mode, compared to the non-heating mode, the amount of nicotine transferred from the medium portion is relatively high, so the taste intensity can be relatively high. Therefore, in low-temperature heating mode, sufficient taste intensity can be secured even without increasing the pH of the medium portion.

- Example

1. Experimental Example 1: Evaluation of the Effect of Flavoring Filter Location on Nicotine Transfer

As shown in Table 1 below, an aerosol-generating article was manufactured by setting the scented filter to be positioned in the TE section and/or the ME section.

No. apply note TE department Medium ME Department Comparative Example 1-1 4% 4% 4% * Apply scent filter;
The figure (%) is the content of plasticizer relative to the weight of the filter tow. Example 1-1 * 4% 4% Comparative Example 1-2 4% * 4% Example 1-2 * 4% * 4% Comparative Example 1-3 4% 4% 11% * Apply scent filter;
The figure (%) is the content of plasticizer relative to the weight of the filter tow. Example 1-3 * 4% 11% Comparative Example 1-4 4% * 11% Example 1-4 * 4% * 11% Comparative Example 1-5 11% 4% 4% * Apply scent filter;
The figure (%) is the content of plasticizer relative to the weight of the filter tow. Example 1-5 * 11% 4% Comparative Example 1-6 11% * 4% Example 1-6 * 11% * 4% Comparative Example 1-7 11% 4% 11% * Apply scent filter;
The figure (%) is the content of plasticizer relative to the weight of the filter tow. Example 1-7 * 11% 11% Comparative Example 1-8 11% * 11% Example 1-8 * 11% * 11%

For each of the aerosol-generating products manufactured as shown in Table 1 above, Comparative Examples 1-1 to 1-8 and Examples 1-1 to 1-8, the smoke transfer components were evaluated, and the results are shown in Table 2 below.

No. Smoke transition component Aerosol-generating product transfer ingredient (nicotine) (before smoking)
(mg) Aerosol-generating product transfer ingredient (nicotine) (after smoking)
(mg) TPM
(mg/14puff) Nic.
(mg/14puff) TE department Medium ME Department coat Total amount TE department Medium ME Department coat Total amount Comparative Example 1-1 38 0.40 0.25 1.76 0.22 0.05 2.29 0.05 1.59 0.22 0.04 1.89 Example 1-1 38 0.39 0.24 1.74 0.21 0.06 2.25 0.06 1.51 0.22 0.04 1.83 Comparative Example 1-2 30 0.32 0.23 1.62 0.22 0.06 2.13 0.04 1.60 0.29 0.04 1.97 Example 1-2 30 0.32 0.26 1.86 0.22 0.07 2.41 0.05 1.47 0.27 0.04 1.84 Comparative Example 1-3 35 0.38 0.25 1.72 0.31 0.05 2.33 0.04 1.31 0.32 0.03 1.70 Example 1-3 35 0.36 0.26 1.61 0.31 0.06 2.24 0.05 1.30 0.32 0.04 1.71 Comparative Example 1-4 35 0.32 0.24 1.71 0.28 0.06 2.28 0.03 1.35 0.33 0.03 1.75 Example 1-4 35 0.31 0.23 1.73 0.27 0.07 2:30 0.04 1.41 0.31 0.04 1.80 Comparative Example 1-5 42 0.42 0.34 1.66 0.22 0.05 2.27 0.10 1.40 0.21 0.03 1.75 Example 1-5 42 0.42 0.33 1.94 0.22 0.06 2.55 0.08 1.44 0.20 0.03 1.76 Comparative Example 1-6 32 0.34 0.35 1.87 0.23 0.06 2.51 0.09 1.53 0.27 0.04 1.93 Example 1-6 32 0.35 0.34 1.97 0.23 0.07 2.61 0.09 1.39 0.26 0.05 1.79 Comparative Example 1-7 40 0.37 0.36 1.60 0.31 0.05 2.33 0.09 1.12 0.33 0.03 1.57 Example 1-7 40 0.36 0.31 1.74 0.30 0.05 2.41 0.07 1.20 0.31 0.04 1.63 Comparative Example 1-8 30 0.31 0.33 1.75 0.27 0.05 2.41 0.09 1.28 0.33 0.03 1.73 Example 1-8 30 0.29 0.30 1.74 0.26 0.06 2.36 0.08 1.20 0.31 0.04 1.62

As shown in Table 2 above, when comparing Comparative Example 1-1 vs. Example 1-1, Comparative Example 1-3 vs. Example 1-3, Comparative Example 1-5 vs. Example 1-5, and Comparative Example 1-7 vs. Example 1-7, it can be seen that when the flavoring filter is positioned in the TE section, the TPM in the smoke transfer component does not decrease, and the nicotine transfer amount is also at the same/similar level.

Furthermore, when comparing Comparative Example 1-2 vs. Example 1-2, Comparative Example 1-4 vs. Example 1-4, Comparative Example 1-6 vs. Example 1-6, and Comparative Example 1-8 vs. Example 1-8, it can be confirmed that in the case where the same flavoring filter is applied to the ME section, even if a flavoring filter is additionally applied to the TE section, TPM does not decrease and the amount of nicotine transferred is also at the same/similar level.

Accordingly, it can be seen that in non-heat-type electronic cigarettes, the problem of nicotine transfer caused by the application of a flavored filter can be solved by applying a flavored filter to a specific location (TE section) of an aerosol-generating article, thereby contributing to solving the problem of reducing the amount of nicotine transferred.

2. Experimental Example 2: Confirmation of the amount of transition according to the amount of MCTG input

A flavoring solution was prepared using MCTG as a solvent, and the above-mentioned flavoring solution was subjected to flavoring treatment on ME and TE filters, respectively. At this time, 5.4 mg of MCTG was added to the ME filter, and MCTG was added to the TE filter in different amounts, as shown in Table 3 below. Using the ME and TE filters prepared as described above, aerosol-generating articles of Example 2-1 and Comparative Examples 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4 were prepared, and smoke transfer components were evaluated.

No. MCTG input amount
(mg) Smoke transition component
(mg/14puff) Materials (ME Department)
(Before → After Smoking (mg)) TE department ME Department nicotine TPM
(Total Particulate Matter) nicotine VG Comparative Example 2-1 5.4 0 0.37 41.0 0.22→0.21 0→6.1 Example 2-1 0.6 0.38 35.1 0.27→0.27 0→9.2 Comparative Example 2-2 1.8 0.34 26.3 0.27→0.29 0→9.2 Comparative Example 2-3 3.6 0.32 27.5 0.25→0.31 0→9.6 Comparative Example 2-4 5.4 0.31 28.3 0.25→0.31 0→11.1

As shown in Table 3 above, when MCTG is used as a solvent for the flavoring solution, it can be seen that there is a difference in the smoke transfer components depending on the amount of MCTG introduced. In particular, when flavoring the ME filter with a flavoring solution containing MCTG, it can be seen that the nicotine and TPM transfer amounts generally decrease as the amount of MCTG introduced increases compared to Comparative Example 2-1, which was not flavored. However, when the amount of MCTG introduced into the TE filter subjected to flavoring is 0.6 mg, it can be seen that there is no decrease in the nicotine transfer amount, but rather a slight increase from 0.37 to 0.38.

Therefore, it can be seen that when the amount of MCTG added during flavoring treatment is 0.6 mg or less, there is an effect of preventing a decrease in the amount of nicotine transferred.

The description of the above-described embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection for the invention should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the claims should be construed as being included within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

The features and aspects of any of the above-described embodiments may be combined with the features and aspects of any other embodiment(s) without resulting in an obvious technical conflict.

Claims (14)

In an aerosol-generating article comprising a medium portion and one or more filter portions, The above filter part is scented, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the flavored filter portion is located at the distal end (Tobacco End) of the aerosol-generating article. In the first paragraph, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the flavored filter portion is located at both the distal end (Tobacco End) and the proximal end (Mouth End). In the first paragraph, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the filter portion comprises cellulose acetate (CA) and a plasticizer. In the first paragraph, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the filter portion is flavored with a flavoring solution containing a flavoring agent and a solvent. In paragraph 4, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the flavoring agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rosemary, eucalyptol, licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweetener, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, mandarin oil, catechin, grapefruit, caraway, cognac, jasmine, menthol, ylang-ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander, and coffee. In paragraph 4, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the solvent comprises at least one of propylene glycol (PG) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTG) having 8 to 10 carbon atoms. In paragraph 6, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the above medium-chain triglyceride (MCTG) is contained in a flavored filter portion in an amount of up to 0.6 mg. In the first paragraph, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the medium comprises at least one of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco ash, and tobacco granules. In paragraph 8, An aerosol-generating article, wherein at least one of the above-mentioned reconstituted tobacco, tobacco curd and tobacco granules is pH-treated to have a pH of 7.0 to 9.5 or less. In paragraph 9, An aerosol-generating article wherein pH treatment is performed by spraying a pH adjusting agent comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate (K ₂ CO ₃ ), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO ₃ ), and calcium oxide (CaO) onto the surface of at least one of reconstituted tobacco, tobacco cut filler, and tobacco granules. In paragraph 8, An aerosol-generating article, wherein at least one of the above-mentioned reconstituted tobacco, tobacco curd and tobacco granules produces volatile free nicotine under non-heated conditions or under low-temperature heating conditions of 0°C to 150°C. In the first paragraph, The scented filter portion is located at both the distal and proximal ends, An aerosol-generating article, wherein the flavored filter portion located at the proximal end contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTG) in an amount of up to 0.6 mg. An aerosol generating device comprising a battery, a control unit and a vaporizer, and An aerosol-generating article comprising a medium portion and one or more filter portions, The above filter part is scented, An aerosol generating system, wherein the flavored filter portion is located at the distal end (Tobacco End) of the aerosol generating article. In Article 13, The aerosol generating device includes a heater, An aerosol-generating system, wherein the heater does not heat the aerosol-generating article or heats the aerosol-generating article to a temperature of 0°C to 150°C.