WO2025229902A1 - Aerosol-generating segment and aerosol-generating article - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol-generating segment including a sheet material and an aerosol base material, wherein the sheet material includes a pulp, and the pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment is 2.0 mL/g or greater.

Description

Aerosol Generation Segment and Aerosol Products

The present invention relates to an aerosol generation segment and an aerosol product.

Aerosol products are known that have tobacco rods formed by filling the inside of cigarette paper with tobacco filler material containing tobacco raw materials (e.g., tobacco shreds, tobacco granules, molded tobacco sheets, etc.) and an aerosol base material (glycerin, propylene glycol, etc.) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of aerosol product is a non-combustion aerosol product that heats the tobacco filler material without burning it using an electric heater in a heating device, and delivers the aerosol generated in the tobacco filler material to the user.

There are also embodiments in which tobacco raw materials and aerosol base materials are filled into different segments, and the segments are then connected to form an aerosol product. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses an aerosol product in which a segment containing an aerosol base material, a segment containing tobacco components, a segment containing a cooling element, and a segment containing a filter element are all connected together.

By connecting segments that each fulfill different roles in this way, various studies have been conducted on their configuration depending on the role of each segment. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a technical concept in which, in an aerosol generation segment containing an aerosol base material, a sheet-like base material is gathered and packed to create multiple channels through which air flows vertically (in the air flow direction), thereby efficiently delivering the aerosol to the user.

Special Publication No. 2015-503335 Special Publication No. 2023-512897 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-086935

However, there is still room for improvement in aerosol products and the detailed composition of each segment, as users desire to enjoy a larger aerosol delivery for a more satisfying draw.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol-generating segment and an aerosol product that can more effectively deliver aerosol to a user.

As a result of extensive research into resolving the above-mentioned issues, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned issues could be resolved by configuring the aerosol-generating segment in an aerosol product in a specific manner, leading to the present invention.

The gist of the present invention is as follows.
[1] An aerosol-generating segment,
the aerosol-generation segment includes a sheet material and an aerosol substrate;
the sheet material comprises pulp;
the pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment is 2.0 mL/g or more;
Aerosol generation segment.
[2] The aerosol-generation segment according to [1], wherein the density of the sheet material is 0.6 g/cm ³ or less.
[3] The aerosol-generation segment according to [1] or [2], wherein the air permeability of the sheet material is 1,300 Coresta units or more.
[4] The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the sheet material has a freeness of 700 mL or more.
[5] The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the sheet material has a basis weight of 50 gsm or less.
[6] The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the aerosol base is in a gel state at 25°C.
[7] The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the viscosity of the aerosol base at 25°C is 4000 mPa·s or more.
[8] The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the aerosol-generation segment includes a wrapper having an inner surface that contacts the sheet material, the wrapper having a coating on the inner surface.
[9] The aerosol-generating segment of [8], wherein the coating agent comprises a polysaccharide.
[10] The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein one or more of the sheet materials are folded in an overlapping manner with the folds approximately parallel to the air passage direction and packed.
[11] The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [10], wherein the end face porosity of the aerosol-generation segment is 80% or less.
[12] The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein the aerosol-generation segment does not contain tobacco material.
[13] The aerosol generation segment according to any one of [1] to [12], wherein the aerosol generation segment has a plurality of channels penetrating in the airflow direction, and the average cross-sectional area of each of the plurality of channels at the end face of the aerosol generation segment is 0.15 ^mm2 or less.
[14] An aerosol product comprising the aerosol-generation segment according to any one of [1] to [13].
[15] The aerosol product according to [14], further comprising a tip segment located upstream of the aerosol-generating segment in the airflow direction.

The present invention provides an aerosol generating segment, an aerosol product, and an electrically heated aerosol generating system that are excellent at delivering aerosol to users.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of an aerosol product according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an electrically heated aerosol generating system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the segments. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the segments. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the segments. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the segments. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the segments. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the log differential pore volume distribution of the aerosol-generating segments 1 to 4 prepared in the examples and comparative examples. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the cumulative pore volume distribution of the aerosol-generating segments 1 to 4 prepared in the examples and comparative examples. FIG. 11 is a graph showing the results of aerosol delivery evaluation of aerosol products 1 to 4 prepared in the examples and comparative examples. FIG. 12 is a graph showing the log differential pore volume distribution of aerosol-generating segments 5 and 16 prepared in the examples. FIG. 13 is a graph showing the cumulative pore volume distribution of aerosol-generating segments 5 and 16 prepared in the examples.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention, but these descriptions are merely examples (typical examples) of the embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as it does not deviate from the gist of the invention.
In this specification, a numerical range expressed using "to" means a range that includes the numerical values written before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits, and "A to B" means A or more and B or less.
In addition, in this specification, the expression "A or B" may be read as "at least one selected from the group consisting of A and B."
Furthermore, although a number of embodiments are described in this specification, various conditions in each embodiment may be applied to each other to the extent that they are applicable.
In addition, although the X, Y, and Z directions are shown in the drawings, the left-right direction of the aerosol product or the electrically heated aerosol generating device into which the aerosol product is inserted is shown as the X direction, the up-down direction is shown as the Y direction, and the depth direction is shown as the Z direction. These directions are merely examples for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the elements in the drawings. For example, the elements of the electrically heated aerosol generating system are not limited to being arranged in the directions shown in the drawings.

Hereinafter, the aerosol product according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings, but this embodiment is not limited to this aspect.
Although this specification may use drawings to explain each embodiment, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the drawings and explanations of each embodiment are merely examples.

<Aerosol products>
An aerosol product according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "aerosol product") is an aerosol product comprising a specific aerosol-generating segment as described in detail below.
The aerosol-producing article may include components other than the aerosol-generating segment.
The manner of use of the aerosol product according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, and the aerosol product may be an electrically heated aerosol product or a non-combustion aerosol product.

An example of the aerosol product 100 according to this embodiment has a substantially cylindrical rod shape. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the aerosol product 100 includes an aerosol-generation segment 110, a cooling section 120, a filter section 130, and tipping paper 140 that connects these together. The cooling section 120 and the filter section 130 are connected coaxially to the aerosol-generation segment 110 by being wrapped around the aerosol-generation segment 110 by the tipping paper 140.

Reference numeral 101 denotes the mouth end of the aerosol production product 100 (filter portion 130). Reference numeral 102 denotes the tip of the aerosol production product 100 opposite the mouth end 101. The aerosol generation segment 110 is disposed on the tip 102 side of the aerosol production product 100. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the aerosol production product 100 has a substantially constant diameter over its entire length in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter also referred to as the axial direction or Z direction) from the mouth end 101 along the tip 102.

The configuration of the aerosol production product 100 is not particularly limited and can be any general configuration. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generation segment 110, cooling section 120, and filter section 130 are each illustrated as a single segment, but each section may be composed of a single segment or multiple segments.

The airflow resistance in the longitudinal direction of each aerosol product 100 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ease of inhalation, it is typically 10 mmH2O _or more, preferably 20 _mmH2O or more, and more preferably 30 _mmH2O or more, and typically 100 _mmH2O or less, preferably 80 _mmH2O or less, and more preferably 60 _mmH2O or less. Airflow resistance is measured in accordance with the ISO standard method (ISO 6565:2015), for example, using a filter airflow resistance meter manufactured by Cerulean. Airflow resistance refers to the difference in air pressure between the first end face and the second end face of the aerosol product 100 when a predetermined air flow rate (17.5 cc/min) is allowed to flow from one end face (first end face) to the other end face (second end face) without air permeation through the side faces. The unit is generally expressed in _mmH2O . It is known that the relationship between the airflow resistance and the aerosol product 100 is proportional within the commonly used length range (5 mm to 200 mm), and if the length of the aerosol product 100 is doubled, the airflow resistance also doubles. The same is true for the airflow resistance described below.

The cross-sectional shape of the aerosol product 100 is not particularly limited and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, or the like. The axial length of the aerosol product 100 is not particularly limited and is, for example, typically 40 mm or more, preferably 45 mm or more, and more preferably 50 mm or more. It is also typically 100 mm or less, preferably 90 mm or less, and more preferably 80 mm or less. The width of the tip 102 of the aerosol product 100 (diameter if the cross-sectional shape is circular) is not particularly limited and is, for example, typically 5 mm or more, and preferably 5.5 mm or more. It is also typically 10 mm or less, preferably 9 mm or less, and more preferably 8 mm or less.

<Aerosol Generation Segment>
The aerosol-generation segment 110 according to one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it comprises a sheet material and an aerosol substrate, the sheet material comprises pulp, and the pore volume of the aerosol-generation segment is 2.0 mL/g or more.

The pore volume here is the cumulative volume of pores between 0.004 and 200 μm when measuring the aerosol-generating segment using mercury intrusion porosimetry, divided by the mass of the aerosol-generating segment. Specific measurement methods are described later in the Examples section.

The pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment is preferably at least 2.5 mL/g, more preferably at least 3.5 mL/g, even more preferably at least 3.9 mL/g, and especially preferably at least 4.5 mL/g.
The upper limit of the pore volume is not particularly limited, but is usually 15.0 mL/g or less, preferably 10.0 mL/g or less, more preferably 8.0 mL/g or less, and particularly preferably 5.0 mL/g or less.
Preferred ranges include, for example, 2.0 to 15.0 mL/g, 2.5 to 15.0 mL/g, 2.0 to 10.0 mL/g, 2.5 to 10.0 mL/g, 2.0 to 8.0 mL/g, 2.5 to 8.0 mL/g, 2.0 to 5.0 mL/g, 2.5 to 5.0 mL/g, 3.0 to 15.0 mL/g, 3.5 to 10.0 mL/g, 3.9 to 8.0 mL/g, and 4.5 to 5.0 mL/g.

The present inventors have found that aerosol delivery can be improved by increasing the pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment to a predetermined value or greater.
The reason for this is unclear, but the inventors speculate that a pore volume equal to or greater than a predetermined value optimizes the balance between the generation of aerosol by thermal conduction and the vertical flow of the generated aerosol (in the direction of air flow).

The pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment can be adjusted, for example, by appropriately adjusting the type, density, and filling amount of the sheet material used.

As an example, the aerosol-generating segment may be a sheet material wrapped in a wrapping paper (wrapper) 112.

The aerosol-generating segment 110 may also have a mating portion with a heater element or the like for heating the aerosol-producing article 100 .
The shape of the bottom of the aerosol-generation segment 110 is not limited and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, or the like, and the width is the diameter if the bottom is circular, the major axis if the bottom is elliptical, or the diameter of the circumscribing circle or the major axis of the circumscribing ellipse if the bottom is polygonal or rounded polygonal. The height of the aerosol-generation segment 110 is preferably about 10 to 70 mm, and the width is preferably about 4 to 9 mm.

The length of the aerosol generation segment 110 in the longitudinal direction can be adjusted to suit the size of the product, but is typically 5 mm or more, preferably 7 mm or more, and more preferably 10 mm or more. It is typically 50 mm or less, preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 20 mm or less. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the balance between the aerosol delivery amount and the aerosol temperature, the ratio of the length of the aerosol generation segment 110 to the length of the aerosol product 100 in the longitudinal direction is typically 5% or more, preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more. It is typically 50% or less, preferably 40% or less, and more preferably 35% or less.

The airflow resistance of the aerosol _- generation segment 110 in the airflow direction is usually 10 _to 50 mmH ₂ O/mm, preferably 15 to 40 mmH ₂ O/mm, and more preferably 20 to 35 mmH ₂ O/mm _.
The end face porosity of the aerosol-generation segment 110 is preferably 80% or less. There is no particular lower limit, but it is usually 30% or more. It is more preferably 35% to 70%, and particularly preferably 45% to 60%.
If the airflow resistance of the aerosol-generating segment 110 is within the above range, the user can be provided with an appropriate inhalation response.
Furthermore, when the end face porosity of the aerosol-generating segment 110 is within the above range, sufficient aerosol can be generated.

The airflow resistance of each segment is measured in the same manner as the airflow resistance of the aerosol product 100 described above.
The end surface porosity can be determined as follows.
In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the end of the segment,
(Cross-sectional area of segment) - (area of sheet material at the cross section) = (area of space)
(area of space) / (cross-sectional area of segment) = (end surface porosity)
The area of the sheet material in the cross section can also be calculated from the width of the sheet material multiplied by the thickness of the sheet material.

<Sheet material>
The sheet material is a sheet-like material containing pulp, and examples thereof include paper and nonwoven fabric. The sheet material may further contain an aerosol base material, which will be described later. The density of the sheet material is not particularly limited, but the density is preferably 0.6 g/cm ³ or less. The lower limit of the density of the sheet material is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.01 g/cm ³ or more, and preferably 0.1 g/cm ³ or more.
The density of the sheet material is preferably 0.01 to 0.4 g/cm ³ , and more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 g/cm ³ .

The aerosol-generation segment may contain tobacco material, but from the perspective of making it easier to control the components delivered in each segment, it is preferable that the aerosol-generation segment does not contain tobacco material. In other words, it is preferable that the sheet material filled in the aerosol-generation segment does not contain tobacco material.

The inventors have discovered that aerosol delivery can be improved by deliberately setting the density of the sheet material low. The reason for this is unclear, but the inventors speculate as follows: By reducing the cross-sectional area per channel, the amount of air flowing in the vertical direction decreases, but by improving thermal conductivity in the horizontal direction, the aerosol generation segment is efficiently heated all the way to the inside. This increases the amount of aerosol generated, resulting in improved aerosol delivery to the user.

The air permeability of the sheet material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1,300 Coresta units or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 40,000 Coresta units or less. When the air permeability of the sheet material is 1,300 Coresta units or more, the amount of air flowing through the aerosol-generating segment can be ensured while ensuring thermal conductivity, thereby improving delivery.
The air permeability of the sheet material is more preferably 2,000 to 30,000 Coresta units, and even more preferably 10,000 to 25,000 Coresta units.

Air permeability is a value measured in accordance with ISO 2965:2009, and is expressed as the flow rate (cm ³ ) of gas passing through an area of 1 cm ² per minute when the differential pressure between both sides of the paper is 1 kPa. One Coresta unit (1 Coresta unit, 1 C.U.) is cm ³ /(min·cm ² ) under 1 kPa.

The freeness of the sheet material is preferably 700 mL or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 1000 mL or less. A freeness of the sheet material of 700 mL or more improves aerosol delivery.

Here, the freeness of the sheet material is a value measured after the paper of the sheet material is disintegrated and returned to a fibrous state, and specifically, is a value measured by the following procedure.
First, the sheet material is defibrated in accordance with JIS P 8220-1, and then the freeness of the resulting pulp suspension is measured in accordance with JIS P 8121-2.
If the sheet material is difficult to disintegrate using normal water, it may be disintegrated using a 4% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, followed by washing with water. This process may be repeated multiple times (e.g., three times) until the sheet material is disintegrated.

The basis weight of the sheet material is preferably 50 gsm or less. There is no particular lower limit, but it is usually 15 gsm or more. Having a basis weight of 50 gsm or less improves aerosol delivery. In addition, the sheet material can be densely packed in the aerosol-generating segment, thereby ensuring the strength of the sheet material. The basis weight of the sheet material is more preferably 15 to 35 gsm, and even more preferably 20 to 25 gsm.
From the same viewpoint, the thickness of the sheet material is preferably 40 μm to 100 μm, and more preferably 60 μm to 90 μm.

The density, air permeability, freeness, and basis weight of the sheet material can be adjusted to fall within the above ranges by appropriately selecting the raw materials for the sheet material and adjusting the manufacturing method. For example, the type of pulp used as the raw material for the sheet material, the length and amount of fibers, and the type and amount of filler can be adjusted, as well as the degree of beating during manufacturing, the papermaking method, and the pressing pressure. Specific examples include the papers listed in the examples of this specification.

The method for filling the aerosol-generation segments 110 with the sheet material is not particularly limited. For example, the sheet material may be wrapped in cigarette paper 112, or the sheet material may be filled into a cylindrical cigarette paper 112. When the aerosol-generation segments 110 are shaped like a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with a longitudinal direction, the aerosol-generation segments 110 may be filled so that their longitudinal directions are in an unspecified direction within the cigarette paper 112, or the sheet material may be filled so that its longitudinal direction is in the axial direction of the aerosol-generation segments 110 or perpendicular to the axial direction. Alternatively, for example, the sheet material may be cut into widths of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm (lengths, for example, 5 mm to 40 mm) and filled in a random orientation. Alternatively, the sheet material may be cut into widths of 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm (lengths, for example, 5 mm to 40 mm) and filled so that the longitudinal direction of the sheet material is aligned parallel to the air passage direction. Preferably, the sheet material is crimped (a process for forming vertical grains) before being gathered and filled. When the aerosol-generation segment 110 is heated, the tobacco components contained in the aerosol-generation segment 110 are vaporized, and these are transported to the cooling section 120 and the filter section 130 by suction.
The crimp depth is preferably between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm.
The crimp depth may be, for example, 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm, or 0.7 mm to 1.0 mm.
The sheet material may also be packed in a spiral shape so that the central axis of the vortex is approximately coaxial with the axial direction of the aerosol-generation segment 110 .

From the viewpoint of the balance between the amount of ventilation and the thermal conductivity, it is preferable that one or more sheet materials are filled by being folded in an overlapping manner so that the folds are approximately parallel to the ventilation direction.
The aerosol-generation segment 110 preferably has multiple channels penetrating in the airflow direction by being filled with folded sheet material as described above. The average cross-sectional area per channel at the end face of the aerosol-generation segment 110 is preferably 0.15 ^mm² or less. There is no particular lower limit, but it is usually 0 ^mm² or more. The average cross-sectional area per channel is preferably 0.01 ^mm² to 0.15 ^mm² , more preferably 0.01 ^mm² to 0.1 ^mm² .
By ensuring that the average cross-sectional area per channel is within the above range, it is believed that a balance is maintained between air flow in the ventilation direction (vertical direction) and thermal conductivity in the horizontal direction, thereby improving aerosol delivery.
The average cross-sectional area per channel can be adjusted to fall within the above range by adjusting the filling pattern of the sheet material to the filling pattern described above, or by using paper that meets the above density, basis weight, etc. as the sheet material.

The average cross-sectional area per channel is measured by photographing the end face of the aerosol generation segment with a camera and analyzing the acquired end face image. For image analysis, a Keyence Corporation high-performance 16x speed 470,000 pixel black and white camera, CA-H048MX, is used. Other equipment is as shown in Table 1 below.

The image analysis is based on techniques commonly used by those skilled in the art. Specifically, the analysis follows the following processing flow: (1) an image of the end surface of the aerosol generation segment is taken perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, (2) shading correction and binarization are performed as preprocessing, and (3) blob processing is performed to extract the area of the black mass (corresponding to the channel).

The width of the sheet material depends on the size and shape of the aerosol-generating segment 110. For example, if the aerosol-generating segment 110 is rod-shaped with a major axis length of 7 mm and a diameter of 7 mm, or if the aerosol-generating segment 110 is rod-shaped with a major axis length of 20 mm and a diameter of 7 mm, the width is typically 50 mm to 300 mm, more preferably 100 mm to 270 mm, and even more preferably 150 mm to 250 mm. If the width of the sheet material is within the above range, sufficient aerosol can be generated.

The amount of sheet material filled into the aerosol-generation segment 110 depends on the size and shape of the aerosol-generation segment 110. For example, if the aerosol-generation segment 110 is rod-shaped with a major axis length of 7 mm and a diameter of 7 mm, or if the aerosol-generation segment 110 is rod-shaped with a major axis length of 20 mm and a diameter of 7 mm, the amount is typically 15 mg to 100 mg, preferably 25 mg to 70 mg, and more preferably 30 mg to 50 mg.
The packing density of the sheet material in the aerosol-generation segment 110 is preferably 0.1 g/ ^cm to 0.3 g/ ^cm , more preferably 0.13 g/ ^cm to 0.17 g/ ^cm . When the packing density of the sheet material is within the above range, a good balance between ventilation and thermal conductivity can be achieved, resulting in improved delivery.

<Aerosol base material>
The aerosol-generation segment according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an aerosol base material, which is preferably contained in a sheet material that is packed into the aerosol-generation segment, although the aerosol base material may also be packed separately from the sheet material.
The aerosol base is a base material that generates an aerosol when heated. Examples of the aerosol base include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. Among these, from the viewpoint of the influence on smoking taste, the aerosol base preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol, and more preferably contains glycerin.

The sheet material according to the present embodiment preferably has a relatively low density. In this case, it is more difficult to retain the aerosol base than high-density paper. Therefore, in order to enhance the retention of the aerosol base, it is preferable that the aerosol base be in a gel state at 25°C.
In the present invention, the term "gel-like" refers to a state in which the composition has high viscosity and loses fluidity, thereby exhibiting solid-like properties as a whole system. Specifically, when the composition is placed in a container such as a vial and the container is turned on its side, the composition does not spread over the entire side of the container that is on the bottom after the container is turned on its side, and this state can be confirmed visually.

The method for incorporating a gel-like aerosol base into a sheet material is not particularly limited. For example, a composition that becomes a gel at room temperature (25°C) can be heated to increase fluidity, applied to the surface of a sheet material, and then cooled to form a gel-like aerosol base. For example, an aerosol base that becomes a gel at room temperature can be prepared by incorporating a thickening stabilizer into the aerosol base.
Examples of thickening stabilizers include xanthan gum, gellan gum, psyllium seed gum, pectin, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, agarose, pullulan, alginic acid, polyacrylic acid, urethane compounds, and alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, carrageenan, agar, xanthan gum, gellan gum, psyllium seed gum, konjac glucomannan, locust bean gum, guar gum, tamarind gum, tara gum, starch, cassia gum, psyllium seed gum, etc. Among these, from the viewpoint of the influence on smoking taste, at least one selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, agarose, agar, gellan gum, tamarind gum, and guar gum is preferred. Among the above thickening stabilizers, those capable of forming a three-dimensional network structure (gelling) are preferred, and at least one selected from the group consisting of agar, gellan gum, tamarind gum, and guar gum is more preferred, with agar being particularly preferred.
The ratio of the content of the liquid to be turned into the aerosol to the content of the thickening stabilizer is, for example, 99/1 to 90/10.

There are no particular restrictions on the amount of aerosol base added to the sheet material, but the aerosol base content in the aerosol-generating segment is preferably 5 to 100 mg, more preferably 10 to 70 mg, and particularly preferably 20 to 50 mg. By keeping the aerosol base content in the aerosol-generating segment within the above range, sufficient aerosol can be generated.

The aerosol base material may be applied to only a portion of the surface of the sheet material, but it is preferable to apply it to the entire surface of the sheet material.

The viscosity of the aerosol base at 25°C is preferably 4000 mPa·s or more, more preferably 5000 mPa·s or more, and even more preferably 10000 mPa·s or more. A viscosity of 4000 mPa·s or more at 25°C allows a sufficient amount of aerosol base to be retained on the sheet material in the aerosol-generating segment.

From the viewpoint of production, the viscosity of the aerosol base at 70°C is usually 400 mPa·s to 10,000 mPa·s, preferably 1,000 mPa·s to 5,000 mPa·s, and more preferably 1,500 mPa·s to 3,000 mPa·s.
The viscosity of the aerosol base can be adjusted appropriately by the composition of the aerosol base, for example, the amount of thickening stabilizer used.

The viscosity of the aerosol base is measured by the following test.
<Test conditions>
Measuring device: Tuning fork type vibration viscometer SV-10 (AND Co., Ltd.)
Natural frequency: 30Hz
Sample volume: 10 mL
Measurement temperature range: 80℃ to 25℃
(Measurement Procedure)
After heating the sample to 80°C, 10 mL of the sample is poured into a dedicated disposable container, the sensor unit is lowered, and measurement is started. The sample temperature and viscosity are measured over time.

<Rolling paper>
The cigarette paper 112 is a sheet material for wrapping the filler 111 of the aerosol-generating segment. There are no particular limitations on its configuration, and a common one can be used. For example, the base paper used for the cigarette paper 112 can be cellulose fiber paper, and more specifically, hemp, wood, or a mixture thereof. The basis weight of the base paper in the cigarette paper 112 is, for example, typically 25 gsm or more, and preferably 35 gsm or more. On the other hand, the basis weight is typically 70 gsm or less, preferably 60 gsm or less, and more preferably 55 gsm or less. The thickness of the cigarette paper 112 having the above properties is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking, it is typically 20 μm or more, preferably 30 μm or more, and more preferably 40 μm or more, and typically 100 μm or less, preferably 80 μm or less, and more preferably 75 μm or less.

The wrapping paper 112 for the aerosol-generation segment 110 (filler 111) may be square or rectangular in shape. When used as wrapping paper 112 for wrapping the filler 111 (for producing the aerosol-generation segment 110), the length of one side may be approximately 6 to 70 mm, and the length of the other side may be 15 to 28 mm. The preferred length of the other side is 22 to 24 mm, with approximately 23 mm being even more preferred.

In addition to the above-mentioned pulp, the cigarette paper 112 may contain a filler. The filler content may be 5% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, and preferably 10% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, relative to the total mass of the cigarette paper 112. In the cigarette paper 112, within the preferred basis weight range (35 gsm or more and 55 gsm or less), the filler content is preferably 15% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less. Furthermore, when the basis weight is 40 gsm or more and 55 gsm or less, the filler content is preferably 15% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. Calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, kaolin, etc. can be used as the filler, but calcium carbonate is preferably used from the perspective of enhancing flavor and whiteness, etc.

Various auxiliary agents other than base paper and fillers may be added to the wrapping paper 112. For example, a water resistance improver may be added to improve water resistance. Water resistance improvers include wet strength agents (WS agents) and sizing agents. Examples of wet strength agents include urea formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, and polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE). Examples of sizing agents include rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 90% or more. A paper strength enhancer may also be added as an auxiliary agent, and examples include polyacrylamide, cationic starch, oxidized starch, CMC, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In particular, it is known that using a very small amount of oxidized starch can improve breathability (for example, JP 2017-218699 A). The wrapping paper 112 may also be coated as appropriate.

A coating agent may be applied to at least one of the two surfaces of the wrapping paper 112, the front and back surfaces. While there are no particular limitations on the coating agent, a coating agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. Examples include polysaccharides such as alginic acid and its salts (e.g., sodium salts), pectin, and gum arabic; cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitrocellulose; starch; or derivatives thereof (e.g., ether derivatives such as carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl starch, and cationic starch; or ester derivatives such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenyl succinate). In particular, the wrapping paper 112 that wraps the aerosol-generating segments preferably has a coating agent on the inner surface that comes into contact with the sheet material. Furthermore, the coating agent preferably contains a polysaccharide. The amount of coating can be set as needed, but from the perspective of liquid resistance, a range of 1 to 15 gsm is preferred, and a range of 5 to 10 gsm is even more preferred.

<Cooling section>
The aerosol product may have a cooling section 120. The configuration of the cooling section 120 is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of cooling the vapor generated by heating the aerosol-generating segment, and an example of the cooling section 120 is a cylindrical cardboard. In this case, the inside of the cylinder is hollow, and the vapor containing the aerosol base material, tobacco flavor components, etc. is cooled by contact with the air in the hollow.

One embodiment of the cooling section 120 may be a paper tube formed by processing a single sheet of paper or multiple sheets of paper into a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, in order to increase the cooling effect by bringing room-temperature external air into contact with high-temperature steam, it is preferable that the paper tube have openings around the periphery for introducing external air. The cooling section 120 has openings 103 for introducing air from the outside. The number of openings 103 in the cooling section 120 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, multiple openings 103 are arranged at regular intervals around the circumferential direction of the cooling section 120. Furthermore, the group of openings 103 arranged around the circumferential direction of the cooling section 120 may be formed in multiple stages along the axial direction of the cooling section 120. By providing the openings 103 in the cooling section 120, when the aerosol product 100 is sucked, low-temperature air flows into the cooling section 120 from the outside, thereby lowering the temperature of the volatile components and air flowing in from the aerosol generation segment 110. Furthermore, the vapor containing the aerosol base material, tobacco flavor components, etc. is cooled by the low-temperature air introduced into the cooling section 120 through the openings 103, causing it to condense. This promotes the generation of aerosol and also makes it possible to control the size of the aerosol particles. Furthermore, by applying a polymer coating such as polyvinyl alcohol or a polysaccharide coating such as pectin to the inner surface of the paper tube, the cooling effect can be enhanced by utilizing the heat of dissolution associated with the heat absorption and phase change of the coating. The airflow resistance of this cylindrical cooling section is zero _mmH2O .

When the cooling section 120 is filled with a sheet or the like for cooling the volatile components and air flowing into the cooling section 120 from the aerosol-generation segment 110, the total surface area of the cooling section 120 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 300 mm ² /mm or more and 1000 mm ² /mm or less. This surface area is the surface area per mm of the length (mm) in the airflow direction of the cooling section 120. The total surface area of the cooling section 120 is preferably 400 mm ² /mm or more, and more preferably 450 mm ² /mm or more, and is preferably 600 mm ² /mm or less, and more preferably 550 mm ² /mm or less.

It is desirable for the cooling portion 120 to have a large total surface area due to its internal structure. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the cooling portion 120 may be formed from a thin sheet of material that is wrinkled to form channels, and then pleated, gathered, and folded. The more folds or pleats within a given volume of the element, the greater the total surface area of the cooling portion 120. The thickness of the constituent material of the cooling portion 120 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, from 5 μm to 500 μm, or from 10 μm to 250 μm.

The use of paper as a material for the cooling sheet member is also desirable from the viewpoint of reducing the environmental impact. The paper used as a material for the cooling sheet desirably has a basis weight of 30 to 100 g/m ² and a thickness of 20 to 100 μm. From the viewpoint of minimizing the removal of flavor source components and aerosol base components in the cooling section, it is desirable for the paper used as a material for the cooling sheet to have low air permeability, preferably 10 Coresta or less. By applying a polymer porting such as polyvinyl alcohol or a coating of a polysaccharide such as pectin to the paper used as a material for the cooling sheet, the cooling effect can be enhanced by utilizing the heat of solution associated with the endothermic heat of the coating or the phase change.

The opening 103 in the cooling section 120 is preferably positioned at a distance of 1 mm or more, more preferably 2 mm or more, from the boundary between the cooling section 120 and the filter section 130. This not only improves the cooling capacity of the cooling section 120, but also suppresses the retention of components generated by heating within the cooling section 120, thereby improving the delivery amount of the components. It is preferable that the tipping paper 140 has an opening directly above (a vertically overlapping position with) the opening 103 in the cooling section 120. Therefore, after the aerosol generation segment 110, cooling section 120, and filter section 130 are wrapped and connected with the tipping paper 140, laser light may be irradiated from above the tipping paper 140, penetrating the tipping paper 140 and the cooling section 120, to form an opening. The openings in the cooling section 120 are preferably arranged so that when an automatic smoking machine inhales at 17.5 mL/sec, the air inflow rate through the openings (the volumetric rate of air inflowing through the openings when the volumetric rate of air inhaled from the mouth end is taken as 100 volumetric%) is 10 to 90 volume%, preferably 50 to 80 volume%, and more preferably 55 to 75 volume%. This can be achieved, for example, by selecting the number of openings 103 per opening group from a range of 5 to 50, selecting the diameter of the openings 103 from a range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm, or by combining these selections. The above air inflow rate can be measured using an automatic smoking machine (e.g., a single-cigarette automatic smoking machine manufactured by Borgwaldt) using a method conforming to ISO 9512. The length of the cooling section 120 in the axial direction (airflow direction) is not particularly limited, but is typically 10 mm or more, preferably 15 mm or more, and typically 40 mm or less, preferably 35 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or less. It is particularly preferable that the axial length of the cooling section 120 be 20 mm. By setting the axial length of the cooling section 120 to be equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured, resulting in a good flavor. Furthermore, by setting the axial length of the cooling section 120 to be equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, loss caused by vapor and aerosols generated during use adhering to the inner wall of the cooling section 120 can be suppressed.

<Filter section>
The configuration of the filter section 130 is not particularly limited as long as it functions as a general filter. For example, an acetate filter may be used in which cellulose acetate tow is used as the filter medium 150 and the filter medium 150 is wrapped in a filter wrapper (winding paper) 160 in a cylindrical shape. The single filament fineness and total fineness of the cellulose acetate tow are not particularly limited, but when the filter section 130 has a circumference of 22 mm, the single filament fineness is preferably 5 to 20 g/9000 m and the total fineness is preferably 12,000 to 30,000 g/9000 m. The cross-sectional shape of the cellulose acetate tow fibers may be either a Y-shaped cross section or an R-shaped cross section. When the filter section 130 is formed by filling cellulose acetate tow, triacetin may be added in an amount of 5 to 10% by mass relative to the mass of the cellulose acetate tow to improve filter hardness. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the filter unit 130 is composed of a single segment, but the filter unit 130 may also be composed of multiple segments. When the filter unit 130 is composed of multiple segments, for example, a hollow filter such as a center hole may be disposed on the upstream side (the aerosol-generating segment 110 side) as the upstream segment, and an acetate filter with a mouthpiece cross section filled with cellulose acetate tow may be disposed on the downstream side (the mouthpiece end 101 side). This configuration prevents unnecessary loss of the generated aerosol and improves the appearance of the aerosol product 100. Furthermore, from the perspective of changes in the sensation of draw and comfort in the mouth, an acetate filter may be disposed on the upstream side (the aerosol-generating segment 110 side) and a hollow filter such as a center hole may be disposed on the downstream side (the mouthpiece end 101 side). Furthermore, the filter section 130 may be configured in such a way that, instead of the cellulose acetate tow as the filter material 150, another alternative filter is used, such as a paper filter filled with sheet-shaped pulp paper as the filter material 150.

General functions of the filter in the filter section 130 include, for example, adjusting the amount of air mixed in when inhaling aerosols, reducing flavor, and reducing nicotine and tar, but it is not necessary for the filter to have all of these functions. Furthermore, in electrically heated tobacco products, which tend to produce fewer components and have a lower tobacco filler filling rate than cigarette products, another important function is to prevent the tobacco filler from falling out while suppressing the filtering function.

The cross-sectional shape of the filter portion 130 is substantially circular, and the diameter of the circle can be adjusted to suit the size of the product. However, it is typically 4.0 mm to 9.0 mm, preferably 4.5 mm to 8.5 mm, and more preferably 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the above diameter applies to a circle with the same area as the cross section. The circumferential length of the filter portion 130 can be adjusted to suit the size of the product. However, it is typically 14.0 mm to 27.0 mm, preferably 15.0 mm to 26.0 mm, and more preferably 16.0 mm to 25.0 mm. The axial length of the filter portion 130 can be adjusted to suit the size of the product. However, it is typically 5 mm to 35 mm, and preferably 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm. The shape and dimensions of the filter material can be adjusted so that the shape and dimensions of the filter portion 130 fall within the above ranges.

The airflow resistance per 120 mm of axial length of the filter part 130 is not particularly limited, but is usually 40 _mmH2O or more and ₃₀₀ mmH2O or less, preferably 70 _mmH2O or more and 280 mmH2O _or less, and more preferably 90 _mmH2O or more and ₂₆₀ mmH2O or less.

The density of the filter medium 150 in the filter unit 130 is not particularly limited, but is typically 0.10 g/ ^cm³ or more and 0.25 g/cm³ or ^less , preferably 0.11 g/cm³ or ^more and 0.24 g/cm³ ^or less, and more preferably 0.12 g/cm³ or ^more and 0.23 g/cm³ or ^less . From the viewpoint of improving strength and structural rigidity, the filter unit 130 may be provided with a filter wrapper around which the filter medium or the like is wrapped. The form of the filter wrapper is not particularly limited, and it may include one or more rows of adhesive-containing seams. The adhesive may include a hot-melt adhesive, and the hot-melt adhesive may further include polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, when the filter unit 130 is composed of two or more segments, it is preferable to wrap these two or more segments together in a connecting filter wrapper (outer filter wrapper) to connect the segments. It is preferable to wrap these two or more segments together in the filter wrapper. The material of the filter wrapper in the filter section 130 is not particularly limited, and any known material can be used, and may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate.

The thickness of the filter wrapper 160 is not particularly limited, but is typically 20 μm or more and 140 μm or less, preferably 30 μm or more and 130 μm or less, and more preferably 30 μm or more and 120 μm or less. The basis weight of the filter wrapper 160 is not particularly limited, but is typically 20 gsm or more and 100 gsm or less, preferably 22 gsm or more and 95 gsm or less, and more preferably 23 gsm or more and 90 gsm or less. The filter wrapper may or may not be coated, but is preferably coated with a desired material from the perspective of imparting functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

When the filter unit 130 includes a centerhole filter and an acetate filter, the centerhole filter and the acetate filter may be connected, for example, by an outer filter wrapper. The outer filter wrapper may be, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper. The aerosol-generation segment 110, the cooling unit 120, and the filter unit 130 to which the centerhole filter and acetate filter are connected may also be connected, for example, by tipping paper 140. These connections can be made, for example, by applying glue such as vinyl acetate glue to the inner surface of the tipping paper 140, and then inserting and rolling up the aerosol-generation segment 110, the cooling unit 120, and the filter unit 130 to which the centerhole filter and acetate filter are connected. These may also be connected in multiple places using multiple pieces of connecting paper. For example, the aerosol-generation segment 110 and the cooling unit 120 may be connected in advance with a first connecting paper (first tipping paper), and then these may be connected to the filter unit 130 with a second connecting paper (second tipping paper).

The filter section 130 may contain a crushable additive release container 170 (e.g., a capsule) containing a crushable outer shell such as gelatin. The form of the capsule (also referred to in the art as an "additive release container") is not particularly limited and may be any known form, for example, a crushable additive release container 170 containing a crushable outer shell such as gelatin. The form of the capsule is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a frangible capsule, preferably spherical in shape. The additive contained in the capsule may include any of the additives described above, but preferably includes flavorings and activated carbon. One or more materials that help filter smoke may also be added as additives. The form of the additive is not particularly limited, but is typically a liquid or solid. The use of capsules containing additives is well known in the art. Frangible capsules and methods for manufacturing them are well known in the art.

Flavors may be, for example, menthol, spearmint, peppermint, fenugreek, clove, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), etc., or combinations thereof.

<Method of manufacturing the aerosol product>
The method for producing the aerosol product according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, and a combination of known methods can be applied. For example, a sheet material is first crimped while being extruded from a roller. An aerosol base material is applied to the crimped sheet material in a heated state to enhance its fluidity. The aerosol base material is then rolled up in wrapping paper to produce a rod-shaped aerosol-generating segment 110. The aerosol-generating segment 110, cooling section 120, and filter section 130 are then rolled up in tipping paper 140 to produce the aerosol-generating product.
The cooling section 120 and the filter section 130 are preferably arranged downstream of the aerosol-generation segment 110 in the airflow direction.

The temperature at which the aerosol base material is applied to the sheet material is not particularly limited as long as the aerosol base material has sufficient fluidity to be applicable, but is, for example, 50°C to 80°C.
In this application step, application by a multiple nozzle or roller transfer is preferred, as it allows for uniform application even when the aerosol base material has a high viscosity.

The aerosol product 100 may include components other than those described above. For example, it may further include a tip segment (not shown) upstream of the aerosol-generating segment 110 (opposite the mouth end). The tip segment may have a filler therein and be wrapped with a tip segment wrapper. The filler may include cellulose acetate fiber, natural pulp fiber, etc. Preferably, the filler includes paper. The tip segment may further include a flavoring. The tip segment may include an aerosol base, but preferably does not include an aerosol base.
It may also have tobacco segments containing tobacco material.
The shape of each segment is not particularly limited, but is usually rod-shaped.

<Aerosol Product Segment Composition>
By appropriately controlling the arrangement of each of the above-described segments, the aerosol product 100 can achieve a favorable balance between the heating of the aerosol base material contained in each segment and the airflow resistance, thereby improving delivery. Preferred arrangements of each segment are described in detail below, but are not limited thereto.

(Variation 1)
4 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product 100 according to Modification 1. In the following description of each modification, the same reference numerals are used to designate corresponding components, and their description will be omitted. Wrapping paper or tipping paper may be present around the outer periphery of each segment, but this is not shown in the figure.
In Variation 1, as shown in FIG. 4 , the tip segment 401, tobacco segment 402, aerosol-generating segment 110, cooling section 120, and filter section 130 are configured in this order from the upstream side in the airflow direction (left side in the figure). In other words, in this embodiment, a tobacco segment containing tobacco material is located upstream of the aerosol-generating segment 110 in the airflow direction. This configuration prevents leakage of the aerosol base material from the aerosol-generating segment. Furthermore, the heater 32 heats at least a portion of the outer periphery of the aerosol-generating segment 110, and preferably heats the entire outer periphery of the aerosol-generating segment 110. This allows aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating segment during the first half of smoking, thereby increasing the amount of aerosol delivered during the initial period of smoking. Furthermore, aerosol is generated from the tobacco segment during the second half of smoking, ensuring sufficient aerosol delivery even during the second half of smoking.

(Variation 2)
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product 100 according to the second modification.
In Variation 2, the aerosol product 100 does not have a tobacco segment 402, and instead consists of, in order from upstream in the airflow direction, a tip segment 401, an aerosol-generation segment 110, a cooling section 120, and a filter section 130. This configuration prevents leakage of the aerosol base material from the aerosol-generation segment. The heater 32 also heats at least a portion of, or the entire, outer periphery of the aerosol-generation segment 110. In the configuration of Variation 2, the heater 32 preferably heats a portion of the outer periphery of the aerosol-generation segment 110, and more preferably heats only a portion downstream in the airflow direction. This allows aerosol to be generated downstream of the aerosol-generation segment during the first half of smoking, and upstream of the aerosol-generation segment during the second half of smoking, ensuring sufficient aerosol delivery.

(Variation 3)
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product 100 according to the third modification.
In Variation 3, the aerosol product 100 does not have a tobacco segment 402, and is composed of, in order from the upstream side in the airflow direction, a tip segment 401, a first aerosol-generation segment 411, a second aerosol-generation segment 412, a cooling section 120, and a filter section 130. Here, the first aerosol-generation segment 411 and the second aerosol-generation segment 412 are the aerosol-generation segments according to one aspect of the present invention described above. The first aerosol-generation segment and the second aerosol-generation segment may have the same configuration, or may have different configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the number of aerosol-generation segments is not limited to two, and multiple aerosol-generation segments may be provided.
This configuration prevents leakage of the aerosol base material from the aerosol generation segment. Furthermore, by varying the amount of aerosol base material in the first aerosol generation segment and the second aerosol generation segment, the aerosol delivery can be controlled. It is preferable that the amount of aerosol base material in the second aerosol generation segment be greater than the amount of aerosol base material in the first aerosol generation segment. Furthermore, the heater 32 heats at least a portion or the entire outer periphery of the aerosol generation segment 110. In the configuration of Variation 2, the heater 32 preferably heats the entire outer periphery of the aerosol generation segment located furthest downstream in the airflow direction. This allows aerosol to be generated from the second aerosol generation segment during the first half of smoking, and from the first aerosol generation segment during the second half of smoking, ensuring sufficient aerosol delivery.

(Variation 4)
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product 100 according to the fourth modification.
In Variation 4, the tip segment 401, the aerosol-generating segment 110, the tobacco segment 402, the cooling section 120, and the filter section 130 are configured in this order from the upstream side in the airflow direction. That is, in this embodiment, the tobacco segment containing the tobacco material is located downstream of the aerosol-generating segment 110 in the airflow direction. This configuration prevents leakage of the aerosol base material from the aerosol-generating segment. Furthermore, the heater 32 heats at least a portion of the outer periphery of the tobacco segment 402, and preferably heats the entire outer periphery of the tobacco segment 402.

(Variation 5)
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol product 100 according to the fifth modification.
In the same manner as in the first modification, the fifth modification is configured in the following order from the upstream side in the airflow direction: tip segment 401, tobacco segment 402, aerosol-generation segment 110, cooling section 120, and filter section 130. The heater 32 heats the entire outer periphery of the aerosol-generation segment 110 and at least a portion of the outer periphery of the tobacco segment 402. Preferably, the heater 32 heats the entire outer periphery of the aerosol-generation segment 110 and the entire outer periphery of the tobacco segment 402. Arranging the heater 32 in this manner increases the amount of aerosol delivered at the beginning of smoking.

When the aerosol product 100 has a tobacco segment 402, in either variant, it is preferable that both the aerosol-generating segment 110 and the tobacco segment 402 have a rod shape, and the ratio of the longitudinal length of the aerosol-generating segment to the longitudinal length of the tobacco segment (longitudinal length of the aerosol-generating segment/longitudinal length of the tobacco segment) is 3/1 to 1/3.
Within the above range, the balance between heating and inhalation of the components contained in each segment is favorable, improving delivery.
The ratio is more preferably 2/1 to 1/2, and even more preferably 3/2 to 2/3. When there are multiple aerosol-generation segments, the sum of the lengths of all the aerosol-generation segments in the major axis direction is regarded as the length in the major axis direction.

Furthermore, in any variant where the aerosol product item 100 has a tobacco segment 402, the tobacco segment 402 may contain an aerosol substrate, and it is preferred that the mass ratio of the aerosol substrate content of the aerosol-generating segment to the aerosol substrate content of the tobacco segment is between 3/1 and 1/3.
Within the above range, the balance between heating and inhalation of the components contained in each segment is favorable, improving delivery.
The ratio is more preferably 2/1 to 1/2, and even more preferably 3/2 to 2/3. The aerosol substrate content of the aerosol-generating segment may be greater than the aerosol substrate content of the tobacco segment.
When there are multiple aerosol-generation segments, the sum of the aerosol base material contents of all the aerosol-generation segments is treated as the above content.

A tobacco segment is a segment filled with a tobacco filler. The tobacco filler includes tobacco shreds and tobacco sheets. The tobacco segment may also contain an aerosol base material. The amount of aerosol base material in the tobacco segment is set appropriately, but is 5 to 40% by mass, preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 25% by mass. The tobacco segment may have the tobacco filler wrapped in the aforementioned cigarette paper.

<Electrically heated aerosol generation system>
The above-described aerosol product article 100 can be used together with an electrically heated device that heats the aerosol product article 100. That is, an electrically heated aerosol generation system that is another embodiment of the present invention is an electrically heated aerosol generation system that includes the above-described aerosol product article and an electrically heated device that heats the aerosol product article.
The configuration of the electrically heated aerosol generation system is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a configuration as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the internal structure of an electrically heated aerosol generation system 200. Note that the aerosol product 100 in Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the aerosol product 100 in Fig. 1.

The electrically heated aerosol generation system 200 comprises an aerosol product 100 and an electrically heated aerosol generation device 30 that heats the aerosol generation segment 110 of the aerosol product 100. The aerosol product 100 is housed in the housing 310 through an insertion port 3A of the electrically heated aerosol generation device 30 so as to be freely insertable and removable from the housing 310.

When the electrically heated aerosol generating device 30 is used by a user, the aerosol product 100 is inserted into the storage section 310, and in this state, the heater provided in the storage section 310 is made to generate heat, heating the aerosol base material in the aerosol product 100, thereby generating an aerosol that the user can inhale.
In addition, the heater may directly heat the aerosol generation segment 110, or it may heat other aerosol sources within the aerosol product 100, thereby supplying the heated aerosol to the aerosol generation segment 110, and the heated aerosol may then further heat tobacco components, etc. within the other segments, thereby making it available for inhalation by the user.

The electrically heated aerosol generating device 30 has a housing 31, which is a case for accommodating various components. The housing 31 contains a heater 32, a temperature sensor 35, a suction sensor 36, a control unit 37, a power supply 38, etc.

[Storage section]
The housing 31 has a storage section 310 that stores the aerosol product 100 removably from the front end toward the rear end.
The opening end of the storage section 310 is open toward the outside of the housing 31 and serves as an insertion opening 3A for inserting the aerosol product 100.
A heater 32 is provided around the housing portion 310. The housing portion 310 may be made of a metal such as stainless steel or a heat-resistant resin. The heater 32 may be disposed inside the housing portion 310.

[Heater]
The heater 32 generates heat upon receiving power from the control unit 37 and heats the aerosol product 100 contained in the container 310. The heating temperature is not particularly limited, but is preferably 400°C or less, more preferably 150 to 400°C, and even more preferably 200 to 350°C. The heating temperature may be controlled by the control unit 37 upon receiving signals from the temperature sensor 35 and the suction sensor 36.

The opening 103 that may be provided in the cooling section 120 is preferably located closer to the suction end than the end of the area of the cooling section 120 that comes into contact with the electrically heated aerosol generation device 30, from the standpoint of promoting the inflow of air from the outside and preventing components generated by heating and air from stagnating within the cooling section 120. Furthermore, the insertion port 3A for the aerosol product 100 of the electrically heated aerosol generation device 30 may be tapered to make it easier to insert the aerosol product 100.

The above description has been given of an embodiment in which a heater is used as a means for heating the aerosol product 100, specifically, an embodiment in which the aerosol product 100 is heated from the outside when inserted into an electrically heated aerosol generation device. However, the means for heating the aerosol product 100 is not limited to this. For example, a rod-shaped or spindle-shaped heater may be used, and when the aerosol product 100 is inserted into the electrically heated aerosol generation device, the heater may be inserted into the aerosol generation segment 110 of the aerosol product 100, thereby heating the aerosol product 100 from the inside. It is also possible to adopt an embodiment in which an inductor is provided as the heater and a susceptor for heating a flavor source, etc. is introduced into the aerosol generation segment 110 of the aerosol product 100. In this embodiment, the flavor source, etc. can be heated by supplying power to the inductor via the output control unit 713 and heating the susceptor via induction heating. It is also possible to adopt an embodiment in which a microwave generator is provided as the heater. In this embodiment, power can be supplied to the microwave generator by the output control unit 713, and the flavor source and the like in the aerosol generation segment 110 can be heated by microwave heating.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples.
<Manufacture of aerosol-generating segment>
(Aerosol Generation Segment 1)
Sample 1 was used as the sheet material, and 21 mg of a mixture of glycerin and agar in a mass ratio of 99:1 was applied to the sheet material as an aerosol base material that gels at 25° C. This sheet material was crimped while being extruded from a roller, and then gathered and wrapped in wrapping paper to produce a cylindrical aerosol-generating segment 1 with a length of 7 mm and a diameter of 7 mm.
Sample 1 was a paper with a basis weight of 21.5 gsm, a thickness of 70 μm, an air permeability of 24,000 CU, and a freeness of 739 mL. The width was 240 mm and the crimp depth was 0.5 mm. The packing density of the sheet material was 0.14 g/ ^cm3 . The wrapping paper used had a basis weight of 35 gsm, a thickness of 40 μm, an air permeability of 0 CU, and a width of 23.7 mm.

(Aerosol Generation Segment 2)
Aerosol-generation segment 2 was produced in the same manner as aerosol-generation segment 1, except that the paper used as the sheet material was changed to sample 2.
Sample 2 was a paper with a basis weight of 23 gsm, a thickness of 65 μm, an air permeability of 10,000 CU, and a freeness of 730 mL. The width was 240 mm and the crimp depth was 0.5 mm. The packing density of the sheet material was 0.15 g/ ^cm3 .

(Aerosol Generation Segment 3)
Aerosol-generation segment 3 was produced in the same manner as aerosol-generation segment 1, except that the paper used as the sheet material was changed to sample 3.
Sample 3 was a paper with a basis weight of 35 gsm, a thickness of 88 μm, an air permeability of 3000 CU, and a freeness of 726 mL. The width was 180 mm and the crimp depth was 0.3 mm. The packing density of the sheet material was 0.17 g/ ^cm3 .

(Aerosol Generation Segment 4)
Aerosol-generation segment 4 was produced in the same manner as aerosol-generation segment 1, except that the paper used as the sheet material was changed to glassine paper.
The glassine paper had a basis weight of 35 gsm, a thickness of 40 μm, an air permeability of 0 CU, and a freeness of 234 mL. The width was 200 mm and the crimp depth was 0.2 mm. The packing density of the sheet material was 0.19 g/ ^cm .

(Tobacco segment)
A tobacco sheet used as a tobacco filler was crimped while being extruded from a roller, and then gathered and wrapped in cigarette paper to produce a cylindrical tobacco segment measuring 7 mm in length and 7 mm in diameter. The tobacco sheet had a basis weight of 200 gsm, a thickness of 249 μm, an air permeability of 11 CU, a width of 95 mm, and a crimp depth of 0.2 mm. The tobacco sheet contained 13 mg of glycerin as an aerosol base material.
The physical properties of the sheet materials used in each aerosol-generating segment are shown in Table 2.

<Measurement of Pore Volume>
The pore volumes of aerosol-generating segments 1-4 were measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry.
In mercury intrusion porosimetry, the pressure applied to mercury is varied and the amount of mercury that penetrates into the pores of the sample is measured. The conditions under which mercury can penetrate into the pores can be expressed as D = -4σ cos θ/P, where P is the pressure, D is the pore diameter, θ is the contact angle of mercury, and σ is the surface tension. If the contact angle and surface tension are constants, then the pressure P is inversely proportional to the pore diameter D through which mercury can penetrate. For this reason, the pressure P and the amount of intrusion V at that time can be measured by varying the pressure, and the horizontal axis P of the P-V curve can be substituted for the pore diameter in this equation to determine the pore distribution.

A mercury intrusion pore volume measurement device (MicroActive AutoPore V 9600, manufactured by Micromeritics) was used for the measurements, with mercury pressures ranging from 1.07 to 423.15 psia. The mercury contact angle θ was set to 140° and the surface tension σ to 480 dynes/cm, and the pore distribution was calculated from the measurement results using the accompanying software. Figure 9 shows the log differential pore volume distribution obtained by dividing the pore volume by the mass of each aerosol-generating segment for the measured pore distribution.

From this figure, it can be seen that the number of pores with larger pore diameters increases in the order of aerosol generation segment 4, aerosol generation segment 3, aerosol generation segment 2, and aerosol generation segment 1.

Figure 10 shows the cumulative pore distribution, calculated by dividing the pore volume by the mass of each aerosol-generating segment. Note that this cumulative pore distribution is calculated starting from the larger particle size side.

<Production of aerosol products>
Example 1
The aerosol-generation segment 1, tobacco segment, tip segment, cooling section, and filter section were arranged in a row in the order of tip segment, tobacco segment, aerosol-generation segment 1, cooling section, and filter section from the farthest end, and then wrapped in tipping paper to produce aerosol product 1. The aerosol-generation segment 1 was arranged so that the heating position of the heater when inserted into the electric heating device would cover the entire outer periphery.
The tobacco segments used were the tobacco segments described above.
The tip segment was 6 mm long and 7 mm in diameter and filled with Sample 3. The cooling section was a hollow tube 20 mm long. The filter section was 20 mm long and filled with a paper filter.

Example 2
Aerosol product 2 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that aerosol-generation segment 1 was changed to aerosol-generation segment 2.

Example 3
Aerosol product 3 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that aerosol-generation segment 1 was changed to aerosol-generation segment 3.

(Comparative Example 1)
Aerosol product 4 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that aerosol-generation segment 1 was changed to aerosol-generation segment 4.

<Evaluation method>
The aerosol delivery of the aerosol products prepared in each of the Examples and Comparative Examples was evaluated by the following method, and the results are shown in Table 3.
The aerosol product prepared in each Example and Comparative Example was inserted into an electric heating device (PloomX, manufactured by Japan Tobacco Inc.), and the device was then turned on. Once smoking was possible, the smoking test was started.
The smoking test was carried out using a Borgwald single-puff automatic smoking machine, with 1 puff consisting of 55 mL/2 seconds every 30 seconds, for a total of 11 puffs, and aerosol was collected with a Cambridge filter after each puff.
After the smoking test, each Cambridge filter, aerosol-generating segment, and tobacco segment were extracted with 10 mL of ethanol, and the amount of aerosol base (glycerin) was measured by GC-MS. The sum of the amounts of aerosol base measured from each Cambridge filter for 1 to 4 puffs was defined as the initial aerosol base delivery amount, and the sum of the amounts of aerosol base measured for 1 to 11 puffs was defined as the total aerosol base delivery amount.
FIG. 11 shows a graph of the amount of aerosol base delivered for each puff.

The above results show that even when the same amount of aerosol base material is filled, the aerosol products of the Examples have less aerosol base material remaining in the aerosol-generation segment and tobacco segment than the aerosol products of the Comparative Examples, and more aerosol base material is delivered to the user. The total amount of aerosol base delivered was greater in Examples 1 to 3 than in Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, the initial aerosol base material delivered in Examples 1 to 3 was particularly greater than in Comparative Example 1. It is believed that the initial aerosol base material delivered increases when the pore volume of the aerosol-generation segment is equal to or greater than a certain size. Furthermore, the total aerosol base material delivered increased in the order Comparative Example 1, Example 3, Example 2, and Example 1, while the residual aerosol base in the aerosol-generation segment decreased in the order Comparative Example 1, Example 3, Example 2, and Example 1. It is believed that the larger the pore volume of the aerosol-generation segment, the greater the total aerosol base material delivered and the lower the residual aerosol base in the aerosol-generation segment. Furthermore, the residual aerosol base in the tobacco segment also decreased in Examples 1 to 3 compared to Comparative Example 1. This indicates that differences in the aerosol-generating segment also affected the delivery efficiency of the aerosol base from the adjacent tobacco segment. Examples 1 to 3 improved the delivery efficiency of the aerosol base from the tobacco segment.

<Production of aerosol-generating segments 5 to 16>
(Aerosol Generation Segment 5)
The paper shown in Table 4 was used as the sheet material, and 60 mg of glycerin was applied to the sheet material as the aerosol base material. The sheet material was crimped while being extruded from a roller, and then gathered and wrapped with wrapping paper to prepare a cylindrical aerosol-generating segment 5 having a length of 20 mm and a diameter of 7 mm.

(Aerosol Generation Segments 6-16)
Aerosol-generation segments 6 to 15 were prepared in the same manner as aerosol-generation segment 5, except that the sheet material was changed as shown in Table 4 and the aerosol base material to be applied to the sheet material was changed as shown in Table 4.
In addition, aerosol generation segment 16 was prepared in the same manner as aerosol generation segment 5, except that the aerosol base material to be applied to the sheet material was changed to 100 mg of a mixture of glycerin and agar in a mass ratio of 99:1.

The pore volumes of aerosol-generating segments 5 and 16 were measured in the same manner as aerosol-generating segments 1 to 4. The results are shown in Table 6.
9 and 10, the log differential pore volume distribution and cumulative pore volume distribution of aerosol-generation segments 5 and 16 are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, respectively.

Example 4
The aerosol-generation segment 5, cooling section, and filter section were arranged in a line in that order from the farthest from the mouth end, and then wrapped up in tipping paper to produce the aerosol product 5. The heater was positioned so that when inserted into the electric heating device, it heated a portion of the outer periphery of the aerosol-generation segment 5 downstream in the direction of airflow.

(Examples 5 to 14)
Aerosol products 6 to 15 were produced in the same manner as in Example 4, except that aerosol-generation segment 5 was replaced with aerosol-generation segments 6 to 15, respectively, as shown in Table 5.

Aerosol product samples 5-15 were evaluated for aerosol delivery using the following methods, and the results are shown in Table 5.
Aerosol product samples 5 to 15 were inserted into an electric heating device (PloomX, manufactured by Japan Tobacco Inc.), and the device was turned on. Once the device was ready for smoking, the smoking test was started.
The smoking test was carried out using a Borgwald single-puff automatic smoking machine, with 1 puff consisting of 55 mL/2 seconds every 30 seconds, for a total of 11 puffs, and aerosol was collected with a Cambridge filter after each puff.
After the smoking test, each Cambridge filter was extracted with 10 mL of ethanol, and the amount of aerosol base (glycerin and propylene glycol) was measured by GC-MS. The amount of aerosol base measured from each Cambridge filter was calculated by adding up the amounts of aerosol base from 1 to 4 puffs, which was defined as the initial aerosol base delivery amount, and the amount of aerosol base from 1 to 11 puffs, which was defined as the total aerosol base delivery amount.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention include the following configurations.
(Configuration 1)
an aerosol-generating segment,
the aerosol-generation segment includes a sheet material and an aerosol substrate;
the sheet material comprises pulp;
the pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment is 2.0 mL/g or more;
Aerosol generation segment.
(Configuration 2)
2. The aerosol-generation segment of claim 1, wherein the density of the sheet material is 0.6 g/cm3 or ^less .
(Configuration 3)
3. The aerosol-generation segment of claim 1, wherein the sheet material has an air permeability of at least 1300 Coresta units.
(Configuration 4)
4. The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sheet material has a freeness of 700 mL or more.
(Configuration 5)
5. The aerosol-generation segment of any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the sheet material has a basis weight of 50 gsm or less.
(Configuration 6)
6. The aerosol-generation segment of any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol base is in a gel state at 25°C.
(Configuration 7)
7. The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aerosol base has a viscosity of 4000 mPa·s or more at 25°C.
(Configuration 8)
8. The aerosol-generation segment of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aerosol-generation segment includes a wrapper having an inner surface in contact with the sheet material, the wrapper having a coating on the inner surface.
(Configuration 9)
9. The aerosol-generation segment of claim 8, wherein the coating agent comprises a polysaccharide.
(Configuration 10)
10. The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or more of the sheets are folded and packed together in an overlapping manner with the folds aligned generally parallel to the direction of airflow.
(Configuration 11)
11. The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the end surface porosity of the aerosol-generation segment is 80% or less.
(Configuration 12)
12. The aerosol-generation segment of any of configurations 1-11, wherein the aerosol-generation segment does not contain tobacco material.
(Configuration 13)
13. The aerosol generation segment according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, wherein the aerosol generation segment has a plurality of channels penetrating in the airflow direction, and the average cross-sectional area of each of the plurality of channels at the end face of the aerosol generation segment is 0.15 ^mm2 or less.
(Configuration 14)
14. The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the aerosol-generation segment has a resistance to airflow in the airflow direction of 10 to 50 mmH ₂ O.
(Configuration 15)
15. The aerosol-generation segment of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness of the sheet material is between 40 and 100 μm.
(Configuration 16)
16. The aerosol-generation segment of any of the preceding configurations, wherein the aerosol-generation segment has an aerosol substrate content of 5 to 100 mg.
(Configuration 17)
17. The aerosol-generation segment of any one of the preceding configurations, wherein the sheet material has a packing density of 0.1 to 0.3 g/ ^cm .
(Configuration 18)
19. An aerosol-producing article comprising an aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 17.
19. The aerosol-producing article of claim 18, further comprising a tip segment upstream of the aerosol-generation segment in the direction of airflow.
(Configuration 20)
20. The aerosol product of claim 19, wherein the tip segment does not include an aerosol substrate.
(Configuration 21)
21. The aerosol-producing article according to any one of configurations 18 to 20, further comprising a tobacco segment containing tobacco material downstream of the aerosol-generating segment in the airflow direction.
(Configuration 22)
22. The aerosol-producing article according to any one of claims 18 to 21, further comprising a tobacco segment containing tobacco material, located upstream of the aerosol-generating segment in the direction of airflow.
(Configuration 23)
23. The aerosol product article of claim 21 or 22, wherein the aerosol-generation segment and the tobacco segment are both rod-shaped, and the ratio of the longitudinal length of the aerosol-generation segment to the longitudinal length of the tobacco segment is between 3/1 and 1/3.
(Configuration 24)
24. The aerosol product article of any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the tobacco segment comprises an aerosol substrate, and the mass ratio of the aerosol substrate content of the aerosol-generating segment to the aerosol substrate content of the tobacco segment is from 3/1 to 1/3.
(Configuration 25)
18. An aerosol-producing article comprising a plurality of aerosol-generation segments according to any one of claims 1 to 17.
(Configuration 26)
26. The aerosol product according to any one of claims 18 to 25, further comprising a cooling section and a filter section downstream of the aerosol-generation segment in the direction of airflow.
(Configuration 27)
27. The aerosol product of any one of claims 18 to 26, wherein the aerosol product is a non-combustion type aerosol product.
(Configuration 28)
28. An electrically heated aerosol generating system comprising the aerosol product article of any one of aspects 18 to 27 and an electrically heated device for heating the aerosol product article.
(Configuration 29)
28. An aerosol product according to any one of claims 18 to 27, and an electrically heated device having a heater for heating the aerosol product,
An electrically heated aerosol generation system, wherein the heater is positioned to heat the entire periphery of the aerosol generation segment.
(Configuration 30)
26. An aerosol product according to claim 25, and an electrically heated device having a heater for heating the aerosol product;
An electrically heated aerosol generation system, wherein the heater is positioned to heat the entire outer periphery of the aerosol generation segment that is located furthest downstream in the air flow direction among the plurality of aerosol generation segments.
(Configuration 31)
25. An aerosol product according to any one of claims 21 to 24, and an electrically heated device having a heater for heating the aerosol product,
An electrically heated aerosol generating system, wherein the heater is positioned to heat the entire periphery of the tobacco segment.

100 Aerosol-producing product 101 Mouth end 102 Tip 103 Aperture 110 Aerosol-generating segment 111 Filler 112 Wrapping paper 120 Cooling section 130 Filter section 140 Tipping paper 150 Filter medium 160 Filter wrapper 170 Additive release container R1 Lip release material placement area 200 Electrically heated aerosol-generating system 30 Electrically heated aerosol-generating device 31 Housing 310 Receptacle 32 Heater 35 Temperature sensor 36 Suction sensor 37 Control unit 38 Power source 401 Tip segment 402 Tobacco segment 411 First aerosol-generating segment 412 Second aerosol-generating segment

Claims (15)

an aerosol-generating segment,
the aerosol-generation segment includes a sheet material and an aerosol substrate;
the sheet material comprises pulp;
the pore volume of the aerosol-generating segment is 2.0 mL/g or more;
Aerosol generation segment. 2. The aerosol-generation segment of claim 1, wherein the density of the sheet material is 0.6 g/ ^cm3 or less. The aerosol-generating segment of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheet material has an air permeability of 1,300 Coresta units or more. The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sheet material has a freeness of 700 mL or more. The aerosol-generation segment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sheet material has a basis weight of 50 gsm or less. The aerosol-generating segment described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol base material is in a gel state at 25°C. The aerosol-generating segment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the viscosity of the aerosol base at 25°C is 4000 mPa·s or more. The aerosol-generation segment described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aerosol-generation segment includes a wrapper having an inner surface that contacts the sheet material, and the wrapper has a coating agent on the inner surface. The aerosol-generating segment of claim 8, wherein the coating agent comprises a polysaccharide. The aerosol-generation segment described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or more of the sheet materials are folded and packed in an overlapping manner with the folds aligned approximately parallel to the airflow direction. The aerosol-generation segment described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the end surface porosity of the aerosol-generation segment is 80% or less. The aerosol-generation segment described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the aerosol-generation segment does not contain tobacco material. 13. The aerosol generation segment according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generation segment has a plurality of channels penetrating in the air flow direction, and the average cross-sectional area of each of the plurality of channels at the end face of the aerosol generation segment is 0.15 ^mm2 or less. An aerosol product comprising an aerosol-generating segment according to any one of claims 1 to 13. The aerosol production product described in claim 14, further comprising a tip segment upstream of the aerosol generation segment in the airflow direction.