Smoking substitute consumable
Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a consumable for use in a smoking substitute system and particularly, although not exclusively, to a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable, wherein the consumable comprises a substrate comprising a gathered web of plant material. The present disclosure also relates to a method of forming the web of plant material and a method for forming the article.
Background
The smoking of tobacco is generally considered to expose a smoker to potentially harmful substances. It is generally thought that a significant amount of the potentially harmful substances are generated through the heat caused by the burning and/or combustion of the tobacco and the constituents of the burnt tobacco in the tobacco smoke itself.
Conventional combustible smoking articles, such as cigarettes, typically comprise a cylindrical rod of tobacco comprising shreds of tobacco which is surrounded by a wrapper, and usually also a cylindrical filter axially aligned in an abutting relationship with the wrapped tobacco rod. The filter typically comprises a filtration material which is circumscribed by a plug wrap. The wrapped tobacco rod and the filter are joined together by a wrapped band of tipping paper that circumscribes the entire length of the filter and an adjacent portion of the wrapped tobacco rod. A conventional cigarette of this type is used by lighting the end opposite to the filter, and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker receives mainstream smoke into their mouth by drawing on the mouth end or filter end of the cigarette.
Combustion of organic material such as tobacco is known to produce tar and other potentially harmful byproducts. There have been proposed various smoking substitute systems (or“substitute smoking systems”) in order to avoid the smoking of tobacco.
Such smoking substitute systems can form part of nicotine replacement therapies aimed at people who wish to stop smoking and overcome a dependence on nicotine.
Smoking substitute systems include electronic systems that permit a user to simulate the act of smoking by producing an aerosol (also referred to as a“vapour”) that is drawn into the lungs through the mouth (inhaled) and then exhaled. The inhaled aerosol typically bears nicotine and/or flavourings without, or with fewer of, the odour and health risks associated with traditional smoking.
In general, smoking substitute systems are intended to provide a substitute for the rituals of smoking, whilst providing the user with a similar experience and satisfaction to those experienced with traditional smoking and with combustible tobacco products. Some smoking substitute systems use smoking substitute articles that are designed to resemble a traditional cigarette and are cylindrical in form with a mouthpiece at one end.
The popularity and use of smoking substitute systems has grown rapidly in the past few years. Although originally marketed as an aid to assist habitual smokers wishing to quit tobacco smoking, consumers are increasingly viewing smoking substitute systems as desirable lifestyle accessories.
There are a number of different categories of smoking substitute systems, each utilising a different smoking substitute approach.
One approach for a smoking substitute system is the so-called "heat not burn" (“HNB”) approach in which tobacco (rather than an“e-liquid”) is heated or warmed to release vapour. The tobacco may be leaf tobacco or reconstituted tobacco. The vapour may contain nicotine and/or flavourings. In the HNB approach the intention is that the tobacco is heated but not burned, i.e. the tobacco does not undergo combustion.
A typical HNB smoking substitute system may include a device and a consumable. The consumable may include the tobacco material. The device and consumable may be configured to be physically coupled together. In use, heat may be imparted to the tobacco material by a heating element of the device, wherein airflow through the tobacco material causes moisture in the tobacco material to be released as vapour. A vapour may also be formed from a carrier in the tobacco material (this carrier may for example include propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine) and additionally volatile compounds released from the tobacco. The released vapour may be entrained in the airflow drawn through the tobacco.
In general, the heating element may only come into contact with a portion of the tobacco material in a consumable. Those portions of the tobacco material that are close to, or in contact with, the heating element may heat up more quickly, and may have a higher temperature, than other portions of the tobacco. In some cases, it may be desirable to control the distribution of heat throughout the tobacco material.
As the vapour passes through the consumable (entrained in the airflow) from an inlet to a mouthpiece (outlet), the vapour cools and condenses to form an aerosol for inhalation by the user. The aerosol will normally contain the volatile compounds.
In HNB smoking substitute systems, heating as opposed to burning the tobacco material is believed to cause fewer, or smaller quantities, of the more harmful compounds ordinarily produced during smoking. Consequently, the HNB approach may reduce the odour and/or health risks that can arise through the burning, combustion and pyrolytic degradation of tobacco. There is a need for improved design of HNB consumables to enhance the user experience and improve the function of the HNB smoking substitute system.
The present disclosure has been devised in the light of the above considerations.
Summary of the Disclosure
At its most general, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol-forming article e.g. a consumable for use in a smoking substitute system and particularly, although not exclusively, to a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable, wherein the article/consumable comprises substrate having a gathered web of plant material. The present disclosure also relates to a web of plant material, a method for forming the web of plant material, and a method for forming the article.
Accordingly, in a first aspect, there is provided an aerosol-forming substrate comprising a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.
Providing an aerosol-forming substrate with shreds of different widths may allow characteristics of the substrate to be altered by changing the distribution of the shreds within the substrate. For example an even distribution of the first and second shreds within a substrate may result in different heat transfer characteristics than if the first and second shreds are unevenly distributed throughout the substrate.
Optional features will now be set out. These are applicable singly or in any combination with any aspect.
The first shreds may be interspersed with the second shreds in a way that the first and second shreds are distributed generally evenly throughout the substrate. That is, the number (and/or weight and/or volume) of first shreds may be substantially equal to the number (and/or weight and/or volume) of second shreds throughout the aerosol-forming substrate.
The first and second shreds may be unevenly distributed throughout the substrate. In preferred embodiments, a first region of the substrate comprises a greater proportion (e.g. by number) of first shreds than of the second shreds. The first region of the substrate may comprise a greater proportion, by weight, volume and/or by number, of first shreds of the second shreds. The first region may predominantly, or solely, comprise first shred (i.e. the first region may not comprise any second shreds). The first region may be at, or proximate to, a periphery of the substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may further comprise a second region comprising a greater proportion of second shreds than of the first shreds. The second region of the substrate may comprise a greater proportion, by weight, volume and/or number, of second shreds than of the first shreds. The second region may predominantly, or solely, comprise second shreds (i.e. the second region may not comprise any first shreds). The second region may be disposed at a central, axial portion of the substrate, which is spaced from a periphery of the substrate.
The differences in the composition of the first and second regions may result in different (e.g. heat transfer) characteristics at those regions. Thus, the regions may be positioned so as to provide a desired effect in regards to e.g. transfer of heat. For example, it may be desirable to have a consistent temperature across the substrate when heated. In this case, regions that are proximate to a heating element (when positioned in the substrate) may be formed in such a way that they transfer heat more rapidly (e.g. to regions that are distal from the heating element).
In preferred embodiments the substrate is cylindrical. In this respect, the first region may extend circumferentially and proximate to a circumferential surface of the cylinder (i.e. such that the first region has a generally tubular shape). The second region may extend along a substantially central axis of the cylinder, (i.e. so as to define a core of a generally cylindrical shape). In this respect, the proportion of first shreds relative to the second shreds may vary in a radial direction of the substrate. In some cases, wider shreds may result in wider air paths (i.e. formed between the shreds) in the substrate, which may lead to a cooler portion of the substrate where the wider shreds are located. Where the wider shreds are located at the outer (peripheral) portion of the substrate, the outer portion (and outer surface) of the substrate may be cooler.
Alternatively or additionally, the proportion of first shreds relative to the second shreds may vary in an axial direction with respect to the substrate. In these embodiment, the first region of the substrate (having a greater proportion of first shreds) and the second region of the substrate (having greater proportion of second shreds) will be axially adjacent one another. For example, the first region may be at the axial upstream end of the substrate and the second region may be at the axial downstream end of the substrate.
The variation of the proportion of the first and second shreds (e.g. radially or axially) may vary gradually, or may vary abruptly.
There may be an intermediate region containing an equal proportion, by weight, volume and/or number of first and second shreds. This may be radially interposed between the radially segregated first and second regions or axially interposed between the axially segregated first and second regions. In some embodiments, the first transverse width is greater than the second transverse width. In other embodiments, the second transverse width is greater than the first transverse width.
The ratio of the greater of the first and second transverse width to the lesser of the first and second transverse width may be between 1.5: 1 and 3:1. The ratio may be between 1.5: 1 and 2.5: 1. Preferably, the ratio is 2: 1.
The lesser of the first and second transverse width may be between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, preferably between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm, e.g. around 1 mm. The greater of the first and second transverse width may be between 1.5 mm and 3 mm, preferably, between 1.8 mm and 2.2 mm, e.g. around 2 mm.
In preferred embodiments the first shreds are aligned substantially parallel to one another. In preferred embodiments the second shreds are aligned substantially parallel to one another. The first shreds may be aligned substantially parallel to the second shreds. The first and/or second shreds may be oriented so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the substrate. In other embodiments, the shreds may be e.g. crimped across their transverse width and may not be parallel to one another. In some embodiments the shreds may have a random (or generally random) orientation in the substrate.
The aerosol-forming substrate may further comprise any number of pluralities of further shreds having a further transverse width different to both the first and second transverse widths. In this respect, the aerosol forming substrate may comprise any number of further regions, each further region have a greater proportion of further shreds.
The aerosol-forming substrate is capable of being heated to release at least one volatile compound that can form an aerosol.
In order to generate an aerosol, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises at least one volatile compound that is intended to be vaporised/aerosolised and that may provide the user with a recreational and/or medicinal effect when inhaled. Suitable chemical and/or physiologically active volatile compounds include the group consisting of: nicotine, cocaine, caffeine, opiates and opoids, cathine and cathinone, kavalactones, mysticin, beta-carboline alkaloids, salvinorin A together with any combinations, functional equivalents to, and/or synthetic alternatives of the foregoing.
The first, second and further shreds may each comprise at least one plant material selected from the list including Amaranthus dubius, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry), Argemone mexicana, Arnica, Artemisia vulgaris, Yellow Tees, Galea zacatechichi, Canavalia maritima (Baybean), Cecropia mexicana (Guamura), Oestrum noctumum, Cynoglossum virginianum (wild comfrey), Cytisus scoparius, Damiana, Entada rheedii, Eschscholzia califomica (California Poppy), Fittonia albivenis, Hippobroma longi flora, Humulus japonica (Japanese Hops), Humulus lupulus (Hops), Lactuca virosa (Lettuce Opium), Laggera alata, Leonotis leonurus, Leonurus cardiaca (Motherwort), Leonurus sibiricus (Honeyweed), Lobelia cardinalis, Lobelia inflata (Indian-tobacco), Lobelia siphilitica, Nepeta cataria (Catnip), Nicotiana species (Tobacco), Nymphaea alba (White Lily), Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lily), Opium poppy, Passiflora incamata (Passionflower), Pedicularis densiflora (Indian Warrior), Pedicularis groenlandica (Elephant's Head), Salvia divi norum, Salvia dorrii (Tobacco Sage), Salvia species (Sage), Scutellaria galericulata, Scutellaria lateriflora, Scutellaria nana, Scutellaria species (Skullcap), Sida acuta (Wireweed), Sida rhombi folia, Silene capensis, Syzygium aromaticum (Clove), Tagetes lucida (Mexican Tarragon), Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Tumera diffusa (Damiana), Verbascum (Mullein), Zamia latifolia (Maconha Brava) together with any combinations, functional equivalents to, and/or synthetic alternatives of the foregoing.
Preferably, the plant material is tobacco. Any type of tobacco may be used. This includes, but is not limited to, flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Maryland Tobacco, dark-air cured tobacco, oriental tobacco, dark- fired tobacco, perique tobacco and rustica tobacco. This also includes blends of the above mentioned tobaccos.
Any suitable parts of the tobacco plant may be used. This includes leaves, stems, roots, bark, seeds and flowers.
The tobacco may comprise one or more of leaf tobacco, stem tobacco, tobacco powder, tobacco dust, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, homogenised tobacco, shredded tobacco, extruded tobacco, cut rag tobacco and/or reconstituted tobacco (e.g. slurry recon or paper recon).
The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise at least 50 wt% plant material, e.g. at least 60 wt% plant material e.g. around 65 wt% plant material. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise 80 wt% or less plant material e.g. 75 or 70 wt% or less plant material.
The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise one or more additives selected from humectants, flavou rants, fillers, aqueous/ non-aq u eous solvents and binders.
Humectants are provided as vapour generators - the resulting vapour helps carry the volatile active compounds and increases visible vapour. Suitable humectants include polyhydric alcohols (e.g. propylene glycol (PG), triethylene glycol, 1 ,2-butane diol and vegetable glycerine (VG)) and their esters (e.g. glycerol mono-, di- or tri-acetate). They may be present in the aerosol-forming substrate in an amount between 1 and 50 wt%. The humectant content of the aerosol-forming substrate may have a lower limit of at least 1 % by weight of the plant material, such as at least 2 wt %, such as at least 5 wt %, such as at least 10 wt %, such as at least 20 wt %, such as at least 30 wt %, or such as least 40 wt %.
The humectant content of the aerosol-forming substrate may have an upper limit of at most 50 % by weight of the plant material, such as at most 40 wt %, such as at most 30 wt %, or such as at most 20 wt %.
Preferably, the humectant content is 1 to 40 wt % of the aerosol-forming substrate, such as 1 to 20 wt %
Suitable binders are known in the art and may act to bind together the components forming the aerosolforming substrate. Binders may comprise starches and/or cellulosic binders such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and methyl cellulose, gums such as xanthan, guar, arabic and/or locust bean gum, organic acids and their salts such as alginic acid/ sodium alginate, agar and pectins.
Preferably the binder content is 5 to 10 wt% of the aerosol-forming substrate e.g. around 6 to 8 wt%.
Suitable fillers are known in the art and may act to strengthen the aerosol-forming substrate. Fillers may comprise fibrous (non-tobacco) fillers such as cellulose fibres, lignocellulose fibres (e.g. wood fibres), jute fibres and combinations thereof.
Preferably, the filler content is 5 to 10 wt% of the aerosol-forming substrate e.g. around 6 to 9 wt%.
The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise an aqueous and/or non-aqueous solvent. In some embodiments, the aerosol forming substrate has a water content of between 5 and 10 wt% e.g. between 6-9 wt% such as between 7-9 wt%.
The flavourant may be provided in solid or liquid form. It may include menthol, liquorice, chocolate, fruit flavour (including e.g. citrus, cherry etc.), vanilla, spice (e.g. ginger, cinnamon) and tobacco flavour. The flavourant may be evenly dispersed throughout the aerosol-forming substrate or may be provided in isolated locations and/or varying concentrations throughout the aerosol-forming substrate.
The aerosol-forming substrate may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the article/consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It may have a diameter of between 5 and 10mm e.g. between 6 and 9mm or 6 and 8mm e.g. around 7 mm. It may have an axial length of between 10 and 15mm e.g. between 1 1 and 14mm such as around 12 or 13mm. The aerosol-forming substrate may be at least partly circumscribed by a wrapping layer e.g. a paper wrapping layer. The wrapping layer may overlie an inner foil layer or may comprise a paper/foil laminate (with the foil innermost).
In a second aspect, there is provided an aerosol-forming article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate according to the first aspect.
The aerosol-forming article is preferably a heat-not-burn (HNB) consumable.
The aerosol-forming substrate may be located at an upstream axial end of the article/consumable.
As used herein, the terms’’upstream” and“downstream” are intended to refer to the flow direction of the vapour/aerosol i.e. with the downstream end of the article/consumable being the mouth end or outlet where the aerosol exits the article/consumable for inhalation by the user. The upstream end of the article/consumable is the opposing end to the downstream end.
The article/consumable may comprise at least one filter element. There may be a terminal filter element at the downstream/mouth end of the article/consumable.
There may be a plurality of e.g. two filter elements which may be adjacent one another or which may be spaced apart. Any filter element(s) upstream of the terminal filter element may be at least partly (e.g. entirely) circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
The or at least one of the filter element(s) (e.g. the terminal filter element/upstream filter element) may be comprised of cellulose acetate or polypropylene tow. The at least one filter element (e.g. the terminal filter element/upstream filter element) may be comprised of activated charcoal. The at least one filter element (e.g. the terminal element/upstream filter element) may be comprised of paper. The at least one filter element (e.g. the terminal element/upstream filter element) may be comprised of extruded plant material. The or each filter element may be circumscribed with a plug wrap e.g. a paper plug wrap.
The or each filter element may have a substantially cylindrical shape with a diameter substantially matching the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate (with or without its associated wrapping layer). The axial length of the or each filter element may be less than 20mm, e.g. between 8 and 15mm, for example between 9 and 13 mm e.g. between 10 and 12mm.
The or at least one of the filter element(s) (e.g. the terminal filter element/upstream filter element) may be a solid filter element. The or at least one of the filter element(s) (e.g. the terminal filter element/upstream filter element) may be a hollow bore filter element. The or each hollow bore filter may have a bore diameter of between 1 and 5 mm, e.g. between 2 and 4 mm or between 2 and 3 mm. The terminal filter element (at the downstream end of the article/consumable) may be joined to the upstream elements forming the article/consumable by a circumscribing tipping layer e.g. a tipping paper layer. The tipping paper may have an axial length longer than the axial length of the terminal filter element such that the tipping paper completely circumscribes the terminal filter element plus the wrapping layer surrounding any adjacent upstream element.
The or at least one of the filter elements e.g. the terminal filter element may include a capsule e.g. a crushable capsule (crush-ball) containing a liquid flavourant e.g. any of the flavourants listed above. The capsule can be crushed by the user during smoking of the article/consumable to release the flavourant. The capsule may be located at the axial centre of the terminal filter element.
In some embodiments, the article/consumable may comprise an aerosol-cooling element which is adapted to cool the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate (by heat exchange) before being inhaled by the user.
The aerosol-cooling element will be downstream from the aerosol-forming substrate. For example, it may be between the aerosol-forming substrate and a/the filter element and/or between two filter elements. The aerosol cooling element may be at least partly (e.g. completely) circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
The aerosol-cooling element may be formed of a plastics material selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The aerosol-cooling element may be formed of a crimped/gathered sheet of material to form a structure having a high surface area with a plurality of longitudinal channels to maximise heat exchange and cooling of the aerosol.
The article/consumable may comprise a spacer element that defines a space or cavity or chamber between the aerosol-forming substrate and the downstream end of the article/consumable. The spacer acts to allow both cooling and mixing of the aerosol. It may be provided between the aerosol-forming substrate and a/the filter element and/or between two filter elements. The spacer element may comprise a tubular element e.g. a cardboard tube. The spacer element may be at least partly (e.g. entirely) circumscribed by the (paper) wrapping layer.
The spacer element may have an external diameter of between 5 and 10mm e.g. between 6 and 9mm or 6 and 8mm e.g. around 7 mm. It may have an axial length of between 10 and 15mm e.g. between 12 and 14 mm or 13 and 14mm e.g. around 14mm. In a third aspect, there is provided a smoking substitute system comprising an aerosol-forming article according to the second aspect and a device comprising a heating element.
The device may be a HNB device i.e. a device adapted to heat but not combust the aerosol-forming substrate.
The device may comprise a main body for housing the heating element. The heating element may comprise an elongated e.g. rod, tube-shaped or blade heating element. The heating element may project into or surround a cavity within the main body for receiving the article/consumable described above.
The device (e.g. the main body) may further comprise an electrical power supply e.g. a (rechargeable) battery for powering the heating element. It may further comprise a control unit to control the supply of power to the heating element.
In a fourth aspect, there is provided a web of plant material comprising a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.
As will be described further below, the web of plant material of the fourth aspect may be used to form the aerosol-forming substrate of the first aspect (and consequently, the article of the second aspect).
The plant material may comprise at least one plant material selected from the list provided above with respect to the aerosol-forming substrate of the first aspect.
In preferred embodiments the second shreds are interspersed with the first shreds. The distribution of first and second shreds across the transverse width of the web of plant material may be substantially even. For example, the first and second shreds may be arranged in an alternating pattern (e.g. one first shred followed by one second shred etc.). Similarly, a plurality (e.g. two, three, four, etc.) of first shreds may be followed by one or more (e.g. two, three, four, etc.) second shreds, and this pattern may repeat itself across the transverse width of the web.
The shreds may alternatively be distributed in a non-even manner. The first and second shreds may also be segregated from one another (i.e. non-interspersed). For example, the first shreds may be grouped together at a first side of the web, and the second shreds may be grouped together at a second, opposing, side of the web. Alternatively, the first shreds may be split into two groups sandwiching the second shreds at the transverse centre of the web. Thus, in some embodiments, the web of plant material may comprise one or more of said first shreds at opposing longitudinal edges of the web, and a plurality of said second shreds located at a central portion of the web between the longitudinal edges of the web. As is set forth above, the first transverse width may be greater than the second transverse width. Thus, the first shreds at the longitudinal edges of the web may be wider than the second shreds at the central portion of the web. During manufacture of the web, the web may be passed over a plurality of rollers and, in some cases, there may be some (minor) difference in the transverse position of the web on those rollers. As a result, the web may bend slightly (in the transverse direction) from one roller to the next. This can put extra tension on the outer portions of the web, at the longitudinal edges of the web. Hence, the provision of wider (i.e. first) shreds at the longitudinal edges of the web may help to prevent breakage of the shreds when under this extra tension.
The different arrangements of shreds may result in differences in the structure of an aerosol-forming substrate when formed from the web of plant material (e.g. by gathering of the web of plant material). For example, a substrate formed from the web of plant material may have regions in which the proportion of first shreds is greater than the proportion of second shreds (and vice-versa). Similarly, a substrate formed from the web may have regions that only include first shreds, and regions that only include second shreds. In this way, the arrangement of the first and second shreds in the web can be selected so as to provide a substrate with a particular structure and thus particular (e.g. heat transfer) characteristics.
In some embodiments, the web of material may have a transverse dimension equal to or less than 200mm, e.g. equal to or less than 150mm such as equal or less than 140mm.
In some embodiments, the web of material may have a transverse dimension equal to or greater than 100mm, e.g. greater than 1 10mm such as greater than 120mm.
The web material may have a transverse dimension of around 130mm. The web material may be formed of 50 shreds of 1 mm transverse width and 50 shreds of 2 mm transverse width.
The web material may have a sheet weight greater than or equal to 100 g/m2, e.g. greater than or equal to 1 10 g/m2 such as greater than or equal to 120 g/m2.
The web material may have a sheet weight less than or equal to 300 g/m2 e.g. less than or equal to 250 g/m2 or less than or equal to 200 g/m2.
The web material may have a sheet weight of between 120 and 190 g/m2.
In a fifth aspect there is provided a method for forming a web of plant material, the method comprising: providing a sheet of plant material; and
dividing the plant material using a plurality of longitudinally-extending slits to form a plurality of first elongate shreds of plant material and a plurality of second elongate shreds of plant material, each first shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a first transverse width and each second shred having longitudinal edges spaced by a second transverse width, wherein the first transverse width is different to the second transverse width.
In some embodiments the longitudinally extending slits are formed by passing the sheet of plant material through a pair of interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades. The rotary cutting blades are unevenly spaced so as to form the first and second shreds of respective different first and second transverse widths.
In some embodiments the plant material may be divided such that the (e.g. wider) first shreds are located and opposing longitudinal edges of the web and the (e.g. narrower) second shreds are located at a central portion of the web. The method may comprise passing the web over a plurality of rollers. Where this is the case, the wider first shreds at the longitudinal edges of the web may help the web to withstand extra tension imparted on the web by way of transverse movement of the web between rollers.
The method of the fifth aspect may be used to form a web of plant material according to the fourth aspect.
In a sixth aspect there is disclosed a method for forming an aerosol-forming, the method comprising: forming a web of plant material using the method according to the fifth aspect;
gathering the web of plant material to form a cylindrical rod;
cutting the cylindrical rod to form a cylindrical aerosol-forming substrate; and
circumscribing the aerosol-forming substrate using a wrapping layer.
In preferred embodiments the gathering of the web of plant material is performed so as to form a first region of the aerosol-forming article comprising a greater proportion of first shreds than second shreds.
In preferred embodiments gathering of the web of plant material is performed such that the first region is at, or proximate to, the circumferential peripheral surface of the cylindrical aerosol-forming substrate when formed. For example, the web of plant material may be arranged such that it has a greater proportion of first shreds (i.e. having a first transverse width) than second shreds (i.e. having a second transverse width) proximate to its longitudinal surface. The gathering may be such that the longitudinal surface (and regions proximate to this surface) form the circumferential peripheral surface of the cylindrical rod (and subsequently form the circumferential surface of the substrate). The method may comprise forming a plurality of webs of plant material (e.g. two webs) and may further comprise combining the webs of plant material to form a cylindrical rod. In this respect, the plurality of webs of plant material may be gathered together so as to combine them. Each web of plant material may comprise shreds of single width (i.e. such that the web is formed differently to the method described in the fifth aspect), but that width may be differentfor each of the plurality of webs of plant material. In that respect, when the plurality of webs of plant material are combined to form the cylindrical rod, the rod may comprise a plurality of shreds having different widths.
In a seventh aspect, there is provided a method of using a smoking substitute system according to the third aspect, the method comprising inserting the article/consumable into the device, and heating the article/consumable using the heating element.
In some embodiments, the method comprises inserting the article/consumable into a cavity within the main body and penetrating the article/consumable with the heating element upon insertion of the article/consumable. For example, the heating element may penetrate the aerosol-forming substrate in the article/consumable.
The skilled person will appreciate that except where mutually exclusive, a feature or parameter described in relation to any one of the above aspects may be applied to any other aspect. Furthermore, except where mutually exclusive, any feature or parameter described herein may be applied to any aspect and/or combined with any other feature or parameter described herein.
Summary of the Figures
So that the invention may be understood, and so that further aspects and features thereof may be appreciated, embodiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an HNB consumable;
Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of an HNB consumable
Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of an HNB consumable;
Figure 4 shows the first embodiment within a device forming an HNB system;
Figure 5 shows a first embodiment of a substrate that may form part of a HNB consumable;
Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of a substrate that may form part of a HNB consumable; Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a shred of plant material;
Figures 8A and 8B show first and second embodiments of a web of plant material that may be used together to form a substrate;
Figure 9 shows a third embodiment of a web of plant material that may be used to form a substrate; and Figure 10 shows a fourth embodiment of a web of plant material that may be used to form a substrate;
Detailed Description of the Figures
As shown in Figure 1 , the HNB consumable 1 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 2 at the upstream end of the consumable 1.
The aerosol-forming substrate comprises reconstituted tobacco which includes nicotine as a volatile compound.
The aerosol-forming substrate 2 comprises 65 wt% tobacco which is provided in the form of gathered shreds produced from a sheet of slurry/paper recon tobacco. The tobacco is dosed with 20wt% of a humectant such as propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine (VG) and has a moisture content of between 7-9 wt%. The aerosol-forming substrate further comprises cellulose pulp filler and guar gum binder.
Although not apparent from the figure, the substrate is formed of a plurality of shreds of plant material. An exemplary portion of a shred of plant material 24 is shown (not to scale) in Figure 7. The shred of plant material 24 comprises spaced longitudinal edges 25a, 25b and a transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is defined between the longitudinal edges 25a, 25b. The transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is generally consistent for the entire length of the shred 24.
The aerosol-forming substrate comprises a plurality of first shreds have a first transverse width W1 and a plurality of second shreds have a second transverse width W2 that is different from the first transverse width W1. The first and second shreds are distributed evenly throughout the substrate 2.
The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape such that the consumable resembles a conventional cigarette. It has diameter of around 7mm and an axial length of around 12 mm.
The aerosol-forming substrate 2 is circumscribed by a paper wrapping layer 3.
The consumable 1 comprises an upstream filter element 4 and a downstream (terminal) filter element 5. The two filter elements 4, 5 and spaced by a cardboard spacer tube 6. Both filter elements 4, 5 are formed of cellulose acetate tow and wrapped with a respective paper plug layer (not shown). Both filter elements have a substantially cylindrical shape. The diameter of the upstream filter 4 matches the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2. The diameter of the terminal filter element 5 is slightly larger and matches the combined diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate 2 and the wrapping layer 3. The upstream filter element is slightly shorter in axial length than the terminal filter element at an axial length of 10mm compared to 12mm for the terminal filter element.
The cardboard tube spacer is longer than each of the two filter portions having an axial length of around 14mm.
Each filter element 4, 5 is a hollow bore filter element with a hollow, longitudinally extending bore. The diameter of the bore in the upstream filter is slightly larger than the diameter of the bore in the terminal filter having a diameter of 3mm compared to 2 mm for the terminal filter element.
The cardboard spacer tube 6 and the upstream filter portion 4 are circumscribed by the wrapping layer 3.
The terminal filter element 5 is joined to the upstream elements forming the consumable by a circumscribing paper tipping layer 7. The tipping layer 7 encircles the terminal filter portion and has an axial length of around 20mm such that it overlays a portion of the cardboard tube spacer 6.
Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a consumable T which is the same as that shown in Figure 1 except that the terminal filter element 5 is a solid filter element and comprises a crushable capsule 8 (crush- ball) having a shell wall containing a liquid menthol or cherry or vanilla flavourant. The capsule 8 is spherical and has a diameter of 3.5mm. It is positioned within the axial centre of the terminal filter portion 5.
Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a consumable 1” which is the same as the first embodiment except that the wrapping layer 3 does not completely circumscribe the cardboard spacer tube 6 such that there is an annular gap 9 between the tipping layer 7 and the cardboard spacer tube 6 downstream of the end of the wrapping layer 3.
Figure 4 shows the first embodiment inserted into an HNB device 10 comprising a rod-shaped heating element 20 (shown in dashed lines). The heating element 20 projects into a cavity 1 1 within the main body 12 of the device.
The consumable 1 is inserted into the cavity 1 1 of the main body 12 of the device 10 such that the heating rod penetrates the aerosol-forming substrate 2. Heating of the reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate 2 is effected by powering the heating element 20 (e.g. with a rechargeable battery (not shown)). As the tobacco is heated, moisture and volatile compound (e.g. nicotine) within the tobacco and the humectant are released as a vapour and entrained within an airflow generated by inhalation by the user at the terminal filter portion 5. As the vapour cools within the upstream filter element 4 and the cardboard spacer tube 6, it condenses to form an aerosol containing the volatile compounds for inhalation by the user.
Figure 5 depicts an embodiment of an aerosol-forming substrate 2’. As may be apparent, the substrate 2’ may form a part of any one of the consumables described above and shown in figures 1 to 4. The consumable 2’ comprises a generally cylindrical form having a circumferential surface 21 extending between first (upstream) 22 and second (downstream) 23 ends. Although not apparent from the figure, the substrate is formed of a plurality of shreds of plant material. An exemplary portion of a shred of plant material 24 is shown (not to scale) in Figure 7. The shred of plant material 24 comprises spaced longitudinal edges 25a, 25b and a transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is defined between the longitudinal edges 25a, 25b. The transverse width W of the shred of plant material 24 is generally consistent for the entire length of the shred 24.
Returning to Figure 5, the plurality of longitudinally aligned shreds of plant material (that form the substrate 2’) comprises first shreds and second shreds. The first shreds have a first transverse width W1 and the second shreds have a second transverse width W2 that is different from the first transverse width W1. In the presently illustrated embodiment, the first and second shreds are not distributed evenly throughout the substrate. Rather, the substrate comprises first region 26 and second region 27 that differ with respect to their distribution of first and second shreds.
The first region 26 extends circumferentially at a periphery of the substrate 2’ (i.e. at the circumferential surface 21 ), so as to have a donut shaped transverse cross-sectional profile. This first region 26 has a greater proportion (e.g. by volume, number, and/or weight) of first shreds than of the second shreds. The first region 26 may, for example, only include first shreds of the first shreds. Where the first transverse width W1 is larger than the second transverse width W2, the first region 26 is predominantly formed of larger-width shreds.
The second region 27 extends along a central longitudinal axis of the substrate 2’ so as to define a central core of the substrate 2’ (surrounded by the first region). In contrast to the first region, the second region comprises a greater proportion (e.g. by volume, number and/or weight) of second shreds than of the first shreds. The second region 27 may only include second shreds. Assuming again that first transverse width W1 is larger than the second transverse width W2, the second region 27 is predominantly made up of smaller-width shreds.
By having larger width shreds at its periphery, and smaller width shreds at its centre, the substrate 2’ may have different heat transfer characteristics than a substrate containing a single shred type. For example the second region may have a higher rate of heat transfer than the first region.
Figure 6 depicts a further embodiment of a substrate 2” that again comprises a first region 26 having a greater proportion of first shreds (comprising a first transverse width W1 ) and a second region 27 having a greater proportion of second shreds. However, in this case, the regions 26, 27 are arranged so as to be axially adjacent to one another. Thus, the proportion of first and second shreds varies axially rather than radially (as is the case with the embodiment shown in Figure 5).
Figures 8A and 8B depict webs of plant material 28, 28’ for forming an aerosol forming substrate. Each of the webs 28, 28’ comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending shreds. Each web 28, 28’ is formed of a sheet of homogenised tobacco e.g. a sheet of paper recon or slurry recon tobacco which is slit by passing it longitudinally between a pair of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades. The blades cut a plurality of longitudinally-extending slits 29a, 29b, 29c, etc. in the sheet, thus forming the web 28, 28’. As is indicated by the dashed lines, each web 28, 28’ may extend indefinitely in the longitudinal direction.
The web 28 shown Figure 8A comprises first shreds 30a, 30b, 30c, etc. that each have a transverse width W1 of 1 mm. Such shreds 30a, 30b, 30c may be formed by interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades (as discussed above) spaced apart by 1 mm. On the other hand, the web 28’ shown in Figure 8B comprises second shreds 31a, 31 b, 31 c, etc. that each have a transverse width W2 of 2 mm. Again, such shreds 24a, 24b, 24c may be formed by interdigitated transverse stacks of rotary cutting blades (as discussed above) spaced apart by 2 mm.
As will be discussed in more detail below, the shreds of the webs 28, 28’ may gathered to form an aerosol forming substrate. In this respect, the aerosol-forming substrate would comprise a plurality of first shreds of 1 mm transverse width W1 (from the web of Figure 8A) and a plurality of second shreds of 2 mm transverse width W2 (from the web of Figure 8B).
Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of a web of plant material 28” comprising first and second shreds. The first shreds 30a, 30b, 30c, etc. have a transverse width W1 of 1 mm and the second shreds 31 a, 31 b, 31 c, etc. have a transverse width W2 of 2 mm. As is apparent from the figure, the first shreds 30a, 30b, 30c are interspersed with the second shreds 30a, 30b, 30c. In particular, the pattern of shreds (progressing transversely across the web) alternates between a single second shred 31a and two first shreds 30a, 30b. This web 28” may also be formed by way of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades (as discussed above), but in this case the cutting blades are not evenly spaced. Rather, the cutting blades are arranged in groups of three 1 mm spaced cutting blades, with the groups of cutting blades spaced from one another by 2 mm.
Like the previously described webs 28, 28’, this web 28” can be gathered to form an aerosol-forming substrate. However, rather than forming this substrate from two separate webs, only a single web 28” of the present embodiment is required to form the aerosol-forming substrate comprising first shreds 30a, 30b, 30c and second shreds 31a, 31 b, 31 c of two different transverse widths W1 , W2. As may be apparent from the figure, an aerosol-forming substrate formed from the present web 28” would have (approximately) an even distribution (e.g. by weight or volume) of shreds 30a, 30b, 30c of 1 mm transverse width and shreds 31a, 31 b, 31 c of 2 mm transverse width.
Figure 10 shows a further embodiment of a web 28’” of plant material. Like the embodiment shown in Figure 9, this embodiment comprises first and second shreds of 1 mm transverse width and 2 mm transverse width respectively. However, the distribution of the first and second shreds is different to that previously described. In the present embodiment the second shreds 31a, 31 b, 31 c are distributed at the longitudinal edges 32 of the web 28’” and the first shreds 30a, 30b, 30c are sandwiches between the second shreds at a central region of the web 28”’. Again, this web 28”’ may also be formed by way of interdigitated transverse stacks of spaced apart rotary cutting blades. In this case, there are two groups of two 2 mm spaced cutting blades (for forming the second shreds) and a single group of 1 mm spaced cutting blades (for forming the first shreds) disposed intermediate the two 2 mm groups and spaced from those groups by 2 mm. When this web 28”’ is gathered the first shreds will be bundled together in a core region at the axial centre of the substrate 2”.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.
Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.
Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words“have”,“comprise”, and“include”, and variations such as“having”,“comprises”,“comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms“a,”“an,” and“the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from“about” one particular value, and/or to“about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent“about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term“about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means, for example, +/- 10%.
The words "preferred" and "preferably" are used herein refer to embodiments of the invention that may provide certain benefits under some circumstances. It is to be appreciated, however, that other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or different circumstances. The recitation of one or more preferred embodiments therefore does not mean or imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, or from the scope of the claims.