KR102330287B1 - Aerosol-generating articles and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The aerosol-generating article may comprise a heat transfer portion that transfers heat to a portion of the aerosol-generating medium, and the method of making the aerosol-generating article comprises: preparing a heat transfer portion that transfers heat to the aerosol-generating medium portion may include.

Description

Aerosol-generating articles and methods of making aerosol-generating articles

The present disclosure relates to articles that generate aerosols and methods of making the articles that generate aerosols.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for an alternative method that overcomes the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating an aerosol as the aerosol-generating material in a cigarette is heated rather than a method of burning a cigarette to produce an aerosol. Accordingly, research into a heated cigarette or a heated aerosol generating device is being actively conducted.

Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0077711

In an aerosol-generating article, there is provided a segment that transfers heat to an aerosol-generating material and a method of making the segment.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present embodiment is not limited to the technical problems as described above, and other technical problems may be inferred from the following embodiments.

An aerosol-generating article according to an aspect includes: a heat transfer unit including a binder for supporting the structure particles by being adhered to the surface of the structure particles so that pores are formed between the structure particles and the structure particles including carbon; and a medium including solid particles generating an aerosol and a heat transfer material mixed with the solid particles to transfer heat to the solid particles.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the medium portion further comprises a binder adhered to the surface of the solid particles to support the solid particles so that pores are formed between the solid particles.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the binder includes any one of carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, pullulan, and starch.

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the structure particles are activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polymer substrate having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or more, and a metal material having a thermal conductivity of 10.0 W/mK or more. include any one

In the aerosol-generating article described above, the heat transfer material is activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polymer substrate having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or more, and a metal material having a thermal conductivity of 10.0 W/mK or more includes any one of

In the aerosol-generating article described above, one side of the medium part is connected to the heat transfer part, and a mouthpiece part connected to the other side of the medium part; further comprising, at the end of the heat transfer part at a temperature of 250 °C to 350 °C When heat in the range is applied, the temperature range of the portion in contact with the heat transfer unit and the medium portion is 220°C to 320°C, and the temperature range of the portion in contact with the medium portion and the mouthpiece portion is 70°C to 100°C, and the The temperature range of the end of the mouthpiece portion is 40°C to 70°C.

The method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article according to another aspect comprises the steps of: forming a heat transfer unit by mixing the structure particles and the binder so that the binder is adhered to the surface of the structure particles containing carbon to form pores between the structure particles ; forming a medium by mixing solid particles that generate an aerosol and a heat transfer material that transfers heat to the solid particles; and connecting the heat transfer part and the medium part and enclosing the heat transfer part with an outer packaging material.

In the above-described manufacturing method, in the forming of the medium, the binder is mixed together so that the binder is adhered to the surface of the solid particles to form pores between the solid particles.

In the above-described manufacturing method, the suction resistance of the mixture of the structured particles and the binder is 50mmH2O/30mm or less.

1 is a diagram illustrating an article that generates an aerosol in accordance with some embodiments.
2 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol-generating article including a heat transfer unit in accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a process of forming pores between structural particles through point adhesion between structural particles including carbon and a binder, according to some embodiments.
4 is a graph illustrating temperature versus location in an aerosol-generating article in accordance with some embodiments.
5 is a flow diagram of a method of making an aerosol-generating article having a heat transfer portion in accordance with some embodiments.

The terms used in the present embodiments have been selected as currently widely used general terms as possible while considering the functions in the present embodiments, which may vary depending on the intention or precedent of a person skilled in the art, the emergence of new technology, etc. have. In addition, in a specific case, there is a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning will be described in detail in the relevant part. Therefore, the terms used in the present embodiments should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the contents throughout the present embodiments, rather than the simple name of the term.

Throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is connected to another part, it includes not only a case in which it is directly connected, but also a case in which it is electrically connected with another element interposed therebetween. Also, when it is said that a part includes a certain component, this means that other components may be further included, rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise stated.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In the present embodiments, “aerosol-generating material” refers to a material capable of generating an aerosol, and may also refer to an aerosol-forming substrate. Aerosols may contain volatile compounds. The aerosol generating material may be a solid or a liquid.

For example, the solid aerosol-generating material may include a solid material based on tobacco raw materials such as leaf tobacco, cut filler, reconstituted tobacco, etc., and the liquid aerosol-generating material is based on nicotine, tobacco extract and various flavoring agents. It may contain a liquid substance. Of course, it is not limited to the above example.

In the present embodiments, the “aerosol-generating device” may be a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. For example, the aerosol generating device may be a holder that the user can hold in the hand.

Hereinafter, the present embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a diagram illustrating an article that generates an aerosol in accordance with some embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an aerosol-generating article 100 may include an aerosol-generating material 110 , an intermediate structure 120 , a cooling structure 130 , a filter segment 140 , and a packaging material 150 .

The aerosol generating material 110 may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol.

The aerosol generating material 110 may have an elongated rod shape, and the length may vary. For example, the length of the aerosol generating material 110 may be 7 to 15 millimeters, but is not limited thereto. In some examples, the length of the aerosol generating material 110 may be about 12 millimeters. In addition, the diameter of the aerosol generating material 110 may be 7 to 9 millimeters, but is not limited thereto. In some examples, the diameter of the aerosol generating material 110 may be about 7.9 millimeters.

Optionally, the aerosol generating material 110 may contain flavoring agents, wetting agents and/or other additive materials such as acetate compounds. For example, flavoring agents include licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, cinnamon, ylang-ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander or coffee and the like. In addition, the wetting agent may include glycerin or propylene glycol, and the like.

For example, after pulverizing the tobacco raw material and mixing a solvent and various additives to form a slurry, the slurry may be dried to form a sheet. Thereafter, the sheet may be processed to form a plurality of strands of tobacco material.

For example, the aerosol-generating material 110 may comprise a plurality of strands of tobacco material, one strand 10 to 14 millimeters in length (eg 12 millimeters) and 0.8 to 1.2 millimeters in width (eg, 1 millimeter) and a thickness of 0.08 to 0.12 millimeters (eg 0.1 millimeters). However, the length, width and thickness of the tobacco material strands are not limited to the above-described examples.

Since the aerosol-generating material 110 includes a plurality of strand materials processed in the form of a wide tobacco sheet, the density of the tobacco material filled in the aerosol-generating material 110 may be increased. Accordingly, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material 110 may be increased, and the manufacturing characteristics of the aerosol-generating material 110 may be improved.

The filter segment 140 may be disposed side by side with the aerosol-generating material 110 , and the aerosol material generated from the aerosol-generating material 110 passes through the filter segment 140 immediately before being inhaled by the user.

The filter segment 140 may be formed of various materials, and may include, for example, cellulose acetate. The filter segment 140 may be manufactured as a cylindrical filter, a hollow tubular filter, or a recessed filter, but is not limited thereto. For example, the length of the filter segment 140 may be 5 millimeters to 15 millimeters, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, the filter segment 140 may include at least one capsule (not shown). The capsule (not shown) provided in the filter segment 140 may have a structure in which the liquid containing the fragrance is wrapped with a film, for example, may have a spherical or cylindrical shape.

In addition, the material forming the film of the capsule (not shown) provided in the filter segment 140 may be starch and/or a gelling agent. For example, gellan gum or gelatin may be used as the gelling agent. In addition, a gelling aid may be further used as a material for forming the film of the capsule (not shown). Here, as the gelling aid, for example, calcium chloride can be used. In addition, a plasticizer may be further used as a material for forming the film of the capsule (not shown). Here, as the plasticizer, glycerin and/or sorbitol may be used. In addition, a colorant may be further used as a material for forming the film of the capsule (not shown).

For example, menthol, essential oil of a plant, etc. may be used as a fragrance|flavor contained in the liquid content of a capsule. In addition, as a solvent for the fragrance contained in the internal solution, for example, medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) may be used. In addition, the internal solution may contain other additives such as a colorant, an emulsifier, and a thickener.

The intermediate structure 120 may be disposed between the filter segment 140 and the aerosol-generating material 110 , for example, adjacent to the aerosol-generating material 110 . The intermediate structure 120 may be formed of various materials, for example, may include cellulose acetate. In addition, the intermediate structure 820 may be in the form of a tube including a hollow therein, but is not limited thereto.

The length of the intermediate structure 120 may be between about 7 millimeters and 15 millimeters, and optionally, about 7 millimeters. In addition, the length of the intermediate structure 120 may be variously set, and the entire length of the aerosol generating material 110 may be changed according to the length of the intermediate structure 120 .

The cooling structure 130 may be disposed between the aerosol generating material 110 and the filter segment 140 , and specifically may be disposed between the intermediate structure 120 and the filter segment 140 . For example, the cooling structure 130 may abut the intermediate structure 120 and the filter segment 140 .

The cooling structure 130 may cool the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material 110 . For example, when the aerosol-generating article 100 is inserted into an aerosol-generating device and used by a user, the heater may cool the aerosol generated from the heated aerosol-generating material 110 . Accordingly, the user can inhale an aerosol with a suitable and safe temperature that is not too high.

The length of the cooling structure 130 may be between 10 millimeters and 20 millimeters, and may optionally be 14 millimeters, but is not limited thereto.

The cooling structure 130 may be formed of various materials, and may contain, for example, polylactic acid (PLA).

The cooling structure 130 may be manufactured in various ways, for example, it may be manufactured (eg, woven) using fibers containing polylactic acid. In this case, the risk that the cooling structure 130 will be deformed or lose its function due to an external impact may be reduced. In addition, the cooling structure 130 having various shapes may be manufactured as the method of combining fibers is changed.

In addition, by fabricating the cooling structure 130 using the fibers, the surface area in contact with the aerosol may be increased. Accordingly, the aerosol cooling effect of the cooling structure 130 may be further improved.

The packaging material 150 may be formed to surround the aforementioned aerosol generating material 110 , the intermediate structure 120 , the cooling structure 130 , and the filter segment 140 . The packaging material 150 may be composed of a plurality of distinct packaging materials. For example, each of the plurality of distinct packaging materials may be formed to surround each of the aforementioned aerosol generating material 110 , intermediate structure 120 , cooling structure 130 , and filter segment 140 . However, this is only an example, and is not limited thereto. The packaging material 150 may be made of a paper-type packaging material having oil resistance, or may be manufactured using a general paper-type packaging material.

2 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol-generating article including a heat transfer unit in accordance with some embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the aerosol-generating article 200 may include a heat transfer unit 210 , a medium unit 220 , a mouthpiece unit 230 , and a packaging material 240 . One side of the medium 220 may be connected to the heat transfer unit 210 , and the other side may be connected to the mouthpiece unit 230 .

The heat transfer unit 210 may receive heat from an external heating device and transfer heat to the medium unit 220 . The heat transfer unit 210 may include structure particles including carbon and a binder. The structure particles and the binder may form a point adhesion, and the binder may adhere to the surface of the structure particles to support bonding between the structure particles.

Pores may be formed between the structure particles by the point adhesion of the structure particles and the binder, and the adhesion made in the form of dots may form more pores between the structure particles than the adhesion formed in the form of a line. According to an embodiment, when the structure particles and the binder are point-adhered, the porosity of the heat transfer unit 210 may be improved. When the porosity is improved, the suction resistance of the heat transfer unit 210 may be reduced.

The medium 220 may include solid particles and a heat transfer material. The solid particles may include volatile compounds. Volatile compounds may be released from solid particles upon heating to form an aerosol. The heat transfer material may be mixed between the solid particles to transfer heat received from the heat transfer unit 210 to the solid particles.

For example, heat transfer may be performed between solid particles as well. The heat transfer material may improve heat transfer efficiency of the medium 220 .

The mouthpiece unit 230 may include a region through which the aerosol generated in the medium unit 220 passes immediately before being inhaled by the user. The mouthpiece part 230 may be formed of various materials, and may include, for example, cellulose acetate. In addition, the mouthpiece part 230 may be made of a recessed filter including a hollow, but is not limited thereto.

The packaging material 240 may be formed to surround the heat transfer unit 210 , the medium unit 220 , and the mouthpiece unit 230 . The packaging material 240 may be composed of a plurality of distinct packaging materials. For example, each of the plurality of distinct packaging materials may be formed to surround each of the heat transfer unit 210 , the medium unit 220 , and the mouthpiece unit 230 . However, this is only an example, and is not limited thereto. The packaging material 240 may be made of a paper-type packaging material having oil resistance, or may be manufactured using a general paper-type packaging material.

1 and 2 , the aerosol-generating article 200 of FIG. 2 does not include a cooling structure, unlike the aerosol-generating article 100 of FIG. 1 . The aerosol-generating article 200 of FIG. 2 includes a heat transfer unit 210, and the temperature is controlled while the heat is transferred to the medium 220 by the heat transfer unit 210, and accordingly, separate cooling. You may not need a structure.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a process of forming pores between structural particles through point adhesion between structural particles including carbon and a binder, according to some embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the aerosol generating structure may include the structure particles 300 including the carbon component 330 and the binder 310 . The carbon component 330 may include a material that is released from the structure particles 300 upon heating to form an aerosol.

As an example, the structure particle 300 may be a strand-type reconstituted tobacco particle. Alternatively, a plurality of structure particles 300 are prepared in the form of a slurry by mixing a solvent and various additives after pulverizing the tobacco raw material, and dried to form a sheet, and then processed the sheet to reconstituted tobacco having a piece such as a rod material may be included.

According to some embodiments, pores 320 may be formed between the solid particles 300 by the binder 310 point-adhering to the surface of the structure particles 300 .

The porosity formed with respect to the binder 310 of the same weight part may vary according to various shapes of the structure particles 300 . As an example, the structure particles 300 of the strand-type reconstituted tobacco material of FIG. 3 may have a higher porosity than the solid particles 200 of the granular reconstituted tobacco material of FIG. 2 .

Based on 100 parts by weight of the structure particles 300, the binder 310 may preferably form a point adhesion in a ratio having 10 to 35 parts by weight.

When the weight part of the binder 310 with respect to 100 parts by weight of the structure particles 300 is 35 parts by weight or more, even if the amount of the binder 310 is increased, the adhesiveness may hardly be improved. In addition, when the weight part of the binder 310 with respect to 100 parts by weight of the structure particles 300 is 35 parts by weight or more, the total volume may be increased by the binder 310, and the ratio of the pores 320 may be reduced. have. Accordingly, the suction resistance of the aerosol generating structure may be increased. In addition, since the surface of the structure particle 300 is covered with the binder 310 , the adsorption rate between the binder 310 and the structure particle 300 may be rapidly reduced.

On the other hand, when the weight portion of the binder 310 is 10 parts by weight or less with respect to 100 parts by weight of the structure particles 300, the strength of the adhesion formed between the structure particles 300 and the binder 310 is lowered, and the structure particles 300) may not be properly bound to the binder 310 .

The point adhesion between the structure particles 300 and the binder 310 may have an advantage of forming a high porosity in a volume with a small volume. In addition, by using a small amount of the binder 310 , the porosity of the structure particles 300 may be increased, and the hardness of the structure particles 300 may be improved.

For example, based on 100 parts by weight of the structure particle 300, when maintaining the ratio by weight between the binder 310 and the structure particle 300 at a ratio such that the binder 310 has 10 to 35 parts by weight, aerosol generation The suction resistance of the structure _{may be 50 mmH 2} O/30 mm or less. In addition, since the binder 310 forms a point adhesion with the solid particles, the hardness of the aerosol generating structure may be improved by 90% or more.

The binder 310 may include at least one of carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, pullulan, and starch.

In addition, although not shown in the drawings, a heat transfer material may be included in the pores 320 between the structure particles 300 .

The heat transfer material may transfer heat to the solid particles during heating of the aerosol-generating structure, thereby increasing the heat transfer efficiency of the aerosol-generating structure. As an example, the heat transfer efficiency of an aerosol-generating structure including a heat transfer material may be increased by 2% compared to an aerosol-generating structure that does not include a heat transfer material.

The heat transfer material may include at least one of activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and a polymer substrate having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or more. Alternatively, it may include any one of a metal material having a thermal conductivity of 10.0 W/mK or more, such as iron, nickel, aluminum, copper, and stainless steel.

4 is a graph illustrating temperature versus location in an aerosol-generating article in accordance with some embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the location in the aerosol-generating article may include an end of the heat transfer unit, one side of the medium in contact with the medium and the heat transfer unit, the other side of the medium in contact with the medium and the mouthpiece, and an end of the mouthpiece.

The end of the heat transfer unit that receives heat from the external heating device may be heated from 250°C to 350°C. As heat is transferred from the heat transfer part to the medium part, one side of the medium part in contact with the heat transfer part and the medium part may have a temperature range of about 220°C to 320°C. As the user inhales the aerosol-generating article, heat may be transferred from the medium to the mouthpiece, and the temperature may drop as the distance from the heat transfer unit increases and approaches the mouthpiece. Accordingly, the other side of the medium portion in contact with the medium portion and the mouthpiece portion may have a temperature range of about 70 ℃ to 100 ℃. In addition, passing through the mouthpiece, the temperature may further decrease, and thus the end of the mouthpiece may have a temperature range of 40°C to 70°C.

Since the heat transfer portion is composed of a carbon component, it can be heated to a high temperature in a short time from an external heating device. The temperature of the heat generated from the heated heat transfer unit may be reduced as it travels through the aerosol generating article, and upon reaching the mouthpiece portion may be reduced to a temperature suitable for inhalation by the user.

An aerosol-generating article comprising a heat transfer unit that receives heat from an external heating device may not require a cooling structure.

5 is a flow diagram of a method of making an aerosol-generating article having a heat transfer portion in accordance with some embodiments. A method of making an aerosol-generating article may be performed by a device for making the aerosol-generating article. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the device for making an aerosol-generating article may be any device commonly used in the art for making an aerosol-generating article.

Referring to FIG. 5 , in step S500, the apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article may form a heat transfer unit by mixing a binder with the structure particles.

When the device for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article mixes the structure particles and the first binder, pores may be formed between the structure particles as the first binder is point-adhered to the surface of the structure particles. Since the structure included in the heat transfer unit includes a carbon component, it can be quickly heated to a high temperature in a short time. In addition, the porosity between the structure particles may be increased by the point adhesion between the first binder and the structure particles, and accordingly, the suction resistance of the heat transfer unit may be reduced.

In step S510, the device for manufacturing the aerosol-generating article may mix the solid particles and the heat transfer material to form a medium portion. The medium portion may further include a second binder for supporting the solid particles by point-adhering to the surface of the solid particles so that pores are formed between the solid particles. As the second binder supports the solid particles, a relative position between the solid particles or a ratio of pores formed between the solid particles may be maintained.

In step S520, the device for manufacturing the aerosol-generating article may be packaged in an outer packaging material by connecting the heat transfer part, the medium part, and the mouthpiece part.

A device for making an aerosol-generating article may generate a mouthpiece portion. The mouthpiece may include a region through which the aerosol generated in the medium passes immediately before being inhaled by the user. The mouthpiece portion may be produced by an appropriate method that may be selected by a person skilled in the art.

An apparatus for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article may manufacture an aerosol-generating article by connecting one side of the medium part with the heat transfer part, connecting the other side of the medium part with the mouthpiece part, and packaging these connection structures using an outer packaging material. .

An aerosol-generating article comprising a heat transfer unit according to the present disclosure may not include a separate cooling structure. In addition, as the particles of the heat transfer part and the medium part form point adhesion with the binder, the porosity may be improved, and accordingly, the suction resistance of the heat transfer part may be reduced.

Those of ordinary skill in the art related to the present embodiment will understand that it can be implemented in a modified form within a range that does not deviate from the essential characteristics of the above description. Therefore, the disclosed methods are to be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is indicated in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims (9)

a heat transfer unit including a binder for supporting the structure particles by being adhered to the surface of the structure particles such that pores are formed between the structure particles and the structure particles containing carbon; and
An aerosol-generating article comprising a; solid particles for generating an aerosol and a medium portion comprising a heat transfer material mixed with the solid particles to transfer heat to the solid particles. The method of claim 1,
The medium part
The aerosol-generating article further comprising a binder adhered to the surface of the solid particles to support the solid particles so that pores are formed between the solid particles. The method of claim 1,
The binder is an aerosol-generating article comprising any one of carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, pullulan, and starch. The method of claim 1,
The structure particle is an aerosol-generating article comprising any one of activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, a polymer substrate having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or more, and a metal material having a thermal conductivity of 10.0 W/mK or more . The method of claim 1,
The heat transfer material is activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene (graphene), a polymer substrate having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W / mK or more, and a metal material having a thermal conductivity of 10.0 W / mK or more. article. The method of claim 1,
One side of the medium part is connected to the heat transfer part, and a mouthpiece part connected to the other side of the medium part; further comprising,
When heat in a temperature range of 250 ° C to 350 ° C is applied to the end of the heat transfer unit, the temperature range of the portion in contact with the heat transfer unit and the medium is 220 ° C to 320 ° C, and the medium and the mouthpiece are in contact The temperature range of the portion is from 70°C to 100°C, and the temperature range of the end of the mouthpiece portion is from 40°C to 70°C. Forming a heat transfer unit by mixing the structure particles and the binder so that the binder is adhered to the surface of the structure particles containing carbon to form pores between the structure particles;
forming a medium by mixing solid particles that generate an aerosol and a heat transfer material that transfers heat to the solid particles; and
A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article comprising a; connecting the heat transfer part and the medium part to surround it with an outer packaging material. 8. The method of claim 7,
The step of forming the medium portion,
A method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article, wherein the binder is mixed together such that the binder is adhered to the surface of the solid particles to form pores between the solid particles. 8. The method of claim 7,
The suction resistance of the mixture of the structural particles and the binder is 50mmH2O/30mm or less of the manufacturing method of an aerosol-generating article.

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