WO2025186900A1 - Flavor inhalation article - Google Patents

Abstract

This flavor inhalation article comprises: a base material part that generates an aerosol by heating; and an upstream part that is positioned on an upstream side of the base material part. The upstream part has a center part and a peripheral part that surrounds at least a part of the center part. The center part includes a material that contracts when heat is applied, and a gap is generated between the center part and the peripheral part when the center part is contracted.

Description

Flavor suction article

This disclosure relates to a flavor inhalation article.

Patent Document 1 describes a heated aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate rod and a wrapper at least partially surrounding the aerosol-generating substrate rod, the wrapper comprising a heating control element on at least one surface of the wrapper, the heating control element comprising one or more circumferential bands of heat-shrinkable material, and when the heat-shrinkable material is heated to a temperature higher than its shrinkage temperature, the inner diameter of each of the one or more circumferential bands of heat-shrinkable material is reduced by at least 20 percent compared to the inner diameter of each circumferential band before heating, thereby causing the portion of the aerosol-generating substrate below the heating control element to deform so as to reduce the resistance to draw (RTD) of the aerosol-generating article.

Special Table 2021-520791

In a peripheral heating flavor inhalation article in which the portion that generates the aerosol is heated from the radially outer side, heat is conducted from the radially outer side to the radially inner side. Since the aerosol is generated in accordance with the heat conduction, the aerosol is initially generated mainly from the radially outer side, and the temperature gradually rises in the center, causing the aerosol to be generated mainly from the center. From the viewpoint of aerosol delivery efficiency, it is desirable that the main air flow path change according to the amount of aerosol generated.
An object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of aerosol delivery compared to a constant volume of air passing through the radially inner portion.

To this end, the present disclosure provides a flavor inhalation article comprising a substrate portion that generates an aerosol when heated, and an upstream portion located upstream of the substrate portion, the upstream portion having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion, the central portion including a material that shrinks when heated, and when the central portion shrinks, a gap is generated between the central portion and the peripheral portion.
Here, the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the center portion may be greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the center portion.
In addition, the ratio of the part of the substrate part with the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center part in the early part of the smoking session to the part of the substrate part with the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center part in the later part of the smoking session may be 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less.
Furthermore, a sheet member may be provided between the central portion and the peripheral portion, and the gap may be formed between the central portion and the sheet member.
The sheet member may not be breathable.
Furthermore, in the early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member may be greater than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member, and in the later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member may be less than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member.
The periphery may also comprise crimped paper.
The core may also include cellulose acetate.
The substrate portion may also include a first aerosol source radially outward, a second aerosol source radially inward, and a sheet positioned between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source.
Furthermore, the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate portion in the early stage of a smoking session may be greater than the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate portion in the later stage of a smoking session.
The air conditioner may further include a downstream portion located downstream of the base portion, the downstream portion having an air vent for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.
The downstream portion may also have a filter portion through which the aerosol generated from the base portion passes, and a cylindrical member formed in a cylindrical shape between the base portion and the filter portion, and the air vent may be located in the cylindrical member.
In addition, the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during the early stage of a smoking session of the base material may be different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during the later stage of a smoking session of the base material.
Furthermore, the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the latter part of a smoking session of the substrate may be less than the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the earlier part of a smoking session of the substrate.
The upstream portion may have a vent hole on a side surface thereof for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.

According to the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery efficiency can be improved compared to when the amount of air passing through the radially inner portion is constant.

1 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a suction device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of a tip portion according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of the flavor inhalation article according to the embodiment at a later stage of a smoking session. FIG. 1 illustrates the air flow path at the tip of a smoking session. FIG. 10 shows the air flow path at the tip of the smoking session. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article according to a first modified example. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a cross section of a base member according to a first modified example. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article according to a second modified example.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an inhalation device 100 according to this embodiment.
The flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment includes a substrate portion 10 that generates an aerosol when heated, a filter portion 30 that reduces nicotine and tar, and a tip portion 70 disposed at the upstream end of the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 1 may also include a cooling portion 20. The mouthpiece segment 50 may be held in the user's mouth during inhalation, and in the example of FIG. 1 , includes the cooling portion 20 and the filter portion 30. The substrate portion 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Hereinafter, the direction of the center line CL of the substrate portion 10 may be referred to as the "center line direction." The flavor inhalation article 1 further includes tipping paper 40 that integrates the tip portion 70, substrate portion 10, cooling portion 20, and filter portion 30 by winding them in this order in the center line direction. Hereinafter, one end side in the center line direction (the left side in FIG. 1 ) may be referred to as the first side, and the other end side in the center line direction (the right side in FIG. 1 ) may be referred to as the second side. The first side is the end inserted into the inhalation device 100 and is the upstream side in the flow of aerosol during inhalation. The second side is the opposite side to the first side and is the end held by the user for inhalation and is the downstream side in the flow of aerosol during inhalation. A cross section along the centerline direction is referred to as a "longitudinal cross section," and a cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the centerline direction is defined as a "transverse cross section." A direction intersecting the centerline direction (e.g., the perpendicular direction) is referred to as a "radial direction." In the radial direction, the side toward the centerline CL may be simply referred to as the "inner side," and the side away from the centerline CL may be simply referred to as the "outer side."
The mouthpiece segment 50 is an example of a downstream portion.

[Usage of flavor inhalation article 1]
The flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment is used in a non-combustion heating type inhalation device 100. As shown in Fig. 2, the inhalation device 100 includes a power supply unit 111 that stores power and supplies power to each component of the inhalation device 100, a sensor unit 112 that detects various information related to the inhalation device 100, and a notification unit 113 that notifies the user of the information. The inhalation device 100 also includes a memory unit 114 that stores various information for the operation of the inhalation device 100, a communication unit 115 that transmits and receives information between the inhalation device 100 and other devices, and a control unit 116 that controls the overall operation of the inhalation device 100. The inhalation device 100 also includes a heating unit 121 that heats the flavor inhalation article 1, a holding unit 140 that holds the flavor inhalation article 1, an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and a heat insulating unit 144 that prevents heat transfer from the heating unit 121 to other components of the inhalation device 100. In the inhalation device 100, the flavor inhalation article 1 is held in the holding portion 140, and the user inhales.

The heating unit 121 heats the substrate 10 of the flavor inhalation article 1. The heating unit 121 is made of any material, such as metal or polyimide. For example, the heating unit 121 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the aerosol source 11 included in the flavor inhalation article 1 is heated from the outer periphery of the flavor inhalation article 1. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been made. When the temperature of the flavor inhalation article 1 heated by the heating unit 121 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been made, power supply may be stopped. As another example, power may be supplied and aerosol may be generated during a period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has inhaled.
2, the heating section 121 is configured to be at the same position and have the same length as the base section 10 of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the center line direction when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held by the holding section 140, but is not limited to this. For example, the heating section 121 may be configured to have a length that reaches the tip section 70, and the position and length at which the heating section 121 is disposed may be selected as appropriate as long as the base section 10 is configured to be heated.

The insulating section 144 is arranged to cover at least the outer periphery of the heating section 121. For example, the insulating section 144 is made of vacuum insulation material, aerogel insulation material, or the like. Note that vacuum insulation material is an insulating material in which, for example, glass wool and silica (silicon powder) are wrapped in a resin film and placed in a high vacuum state, thereby reducing the thermal conduction of gases to as close to zero as possible.

[Flavor suction article 1]
The flavor inhalation article 1 is a non-combustion heating type, peripheral heating type flavor inhalation article. In the peripheral heating type flavor inhalation article 1, the aerosol source 11 of the base material 10 is disposed at a position closer to the heating unit as it is radially outward, and heat is conducted from the radially outward toward the radially inward.
The cross section of the flavor inhalation article 1 is substantially circular, and its circumference can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 16 mm to 27 mm, and preferably 21 mm to 23 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is applied.
The size of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the center line direction can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 40 mm or more and 100 mm or less, and preferably 50 mm or more and 70 mm or less.

[Base material part 10]
The substrate 10 includes an aerosol source 11 that generates vapor that generates an aerosol when heated, and a cigarette paper 12 that covers the outer periphery of the aerosol source 11. The substrate 10 is formed into a cylindrical shape by wrapping the aerosol source 11 around the cigarette paper 12. The aerosol source 11 may be derived from tobacco, such as a processed product obtained by molding tobacco shreds or tobacco raw materials into granules, sheets, or powder. The aerosol source 11 may also include a non-tobacco-derived material made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs). As an example, the aerosol source 11 may contain a flavoring. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, and an example is menthol, from the viewpoint of imparting a favorable flavor. These flavorings may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source 11 may contain a medication to be inhaled by the patient. At least a portion of the substrate portion 10 is accommodated in the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held by the holding portion 140 .

The substrate 10, which is formed by wrapping the aerosol source 11 in wrapping paper 12, preferably has a cylindrical shape that satisfies the aspect ratio defined by Equation 1 of 1 or greater.

(Equation 1)
Aspect ratio = h/w

In Formula 1, w is the width of the cross section of the substrate 10, h is the size of the substrate 10 in the centerline direction, and it is preferable that h≧w. The shape of the cross section is not limited and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, etc., and the width w is the diameter if the cross section is circular, the major axis if the cross section is elliptical, or the diameter of the circumscribed circle or the major axis of the circumscribed ellipse if the cross section is polygonal or rounded polygonal. The width of the cross section of the aerosol source 11 that constitutes the substrate 10 is preferably 4 mm or more and 9 mm or less.

The size h of the substrate 10 in the center line direction can be changed as appropriate depending on the size of the product, but is usually 8 mm or more, preferably 10 mm or more, and is usually 70 mm or less, preferably 30 mm or less.
In addition, the ratio of the size h of the substrate portion 10 to the size of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the center line direction is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the balance between the delivery amount and the aerosol temperature, it is usually 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more. In addition, the ratio of the size h of the substrate portion 10 to the size of the flavor inhalation article 1 is usually 80% or less, preferably 70% or less, more preferably 60% or less, even more preferably 50% or less, particularly preferably 45% or less, and most preferably 40% or less.

The amount of aerosol source 11 contained in the substrate 10 is not particularly limited, but can be 200 mg or more and 800 mg or less, and preferably 250 mg or more and 600 mg or less. This range is particularly suitable for a substrate 10 having a circumference of 22 mm and a size of 20 mm in the centerline direction.

Here, the aerosol source 11 containing tobacco shreds will be described. The material of the tobacco shreds contained in the aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, and known materials such as lamina or ribs can be used. Alternatively, the aerosol source 11 may be a shredded tobacco product obtained by pulverizing dried tobacco leaves to an average particle size of 20 μm to 200 μm, homogenizing the shredded tobacco, and processing it into a sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a homogenized sheet). Furthermore, the aerosol source 11 may be a so-called strand type, in which a homogenized sheet having a size approximately the same as the size of the substrate 10 in the center line direction is shredded approximately parallel to the center line direction of the substrate 10 and filled with the shredded sheet.
Furthermore, the width of the tobacco shreds is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less in order to fill the aerosol source 11 .

Various types of tobacco can be used for the tobacco leaves used to make shredded tobacco and homogenized sheets. Examples include flue-cured tobacco, burley, oriental, native tobacco, other Nicotiana tabacum varieties, Nicotiana rustica varieties, and mixtures of these. Mixtures can be made by blending varieties appropriately to achieve the desired flavor. Details of tobacco varieties are disclosed in the "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009. There are several conventional methods for manufacturing homogenized sheets, i.e., grinding tobacco leaves and processing them into homogenized sheets. The first is a method of producing a paper-making sheet using a papermaking process. The second method involves mixing a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, then casting a thin layer of the homogenized material onto a metal plate or metal belt and drying it to produce a cast sheet. The third method involves mixing a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, and extruding the mixture into a sheet to produce a rolled sheet. Details of the types of homogenizing sheets are disclosed in the "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009.

The moisture content of the aerosol source 11 can be 10% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and is preferably 11% by mass or more and 13% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the aerosol source 11. A moisture content of this magnitude suppresses the occurrence of stains on the roll and improves the suitability of the base material 10 for rolling during production.

The aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited and may contain extracts from various natural products and/or their constituents depending on the intended use. Examples of the extracts and/or their constituents include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof.
The content of the extract and/or its constituent components in aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of generating a sufficient aerosol and imparting a good flavor, it is usually 5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or more, relative to the total amount of aerosol source 11. Furthermore, the content of the extract and/or its constituent components in aerosol source 11 is usually 50% by mass or less, and preferably 15% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less.

The packing density of the aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, but is usually 250 mg/cm ^or more, preferably 300 mg/cm or ^more , from the viewpoint of ensuring the performance of the flavor inhalation article 1 and imparting a good flavor. The packing density of the aerosol source 11 is usually 400 mg/cm ^or less, preferably 350 mg/cm ^{or less} .

The aerosol source 11 may also be composed of a tobacco sheet. The number of tobacco sheets may be one, or two or more.

When the aerosol source 11 is composed of a single tobacco sheet, for example, the tobacco sheet may be filled with a side of the tobacco sheet having a size similar to the size of the centerline of the filled product, folded multiple times horizontally in the centerline of the filled product (a so-called gathered sheet). Another example is a tobacco sheet filled with a side of the tobacco sheet having a size similar to the size of the centerline of the filled product, wound in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the filled product.

In the case where the aerosol source 11 is composed of two or more tobacco sheets, for example, a plurality of tobacco sheets, each having a side approximately the same size as the centerline of the filling material, are wound in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the filling material so as to be concentrically arranged. "Concentrically arranged" means that the centers of all the tobacco sheets are arranged in approximately the same position.
Two or more tobacco sheets may all have the same composition or physical properties, or some or all of the tobacco sheets may have different compositions or physical properties. Furthermore, the thicknesses of the tobacco sheets may be the same or different.
There are no limitations on the thickness of each tobacco sheet, but in terms of the balance between heat transfer efficiency and strength, it is preferably 150 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 200 μm or more and 600 μm or less.

The aerosol source 11 can be manufactured by preparing a plurality of tobacco sheets of different widths, stacking them so that the width decreases from the first side to the second side to prepare a laminate, and passing this through a winding tube to roll up and form it.
According to this manufacturing method, a plurality of tobacco sheets extend in the centerline direction and are arranged concentrically around the centerline CL.
In this manufacturing method, the laminate is preferably prepared so that non-contact portions are formed between adjacent tobacco sheets after rolling. The presence of non-contact portions (gaps) between multiple tobacco sheets where the tobacco sheets do not come into contact can ensure flavor flow paths and improve the delivery efficiency of flavor components. On the other hand, heat from the heating unit 121 can be transferred to the outer tobacco sheets via the contact portions between the multiple tobacco sheets, ensuring high heat transfer efficiency.
In order to provide non-contact portions between multiple tobacco sheets where the tobacco sheets do not come into contact, examples of methods for preparing a laminate include using embossed tobacco sheets, laminating adjacent tobacco sheets without bonding the entire surfaces of the sheets together, laminating adjacent tobacco sheets with only a portion of the sheets bonded together, or laminating adjacent tobacco sheets with only a light bonding of the entire surfaces or a portion of the sheets together so that they can be peeled off after rolling and molding.
When preparing the substrate 10 including the wrapping paper 12, the wrapping paper 12 may be disposed on the end surface of the first side of the laminate.

The tobacco sheet can be appropriately produced by known methods such as paper making, slurry, rolling, etc. The above-mentioned homogenized sheet can also be used.
In the case of papermaking, tobacco can be produced by a method including the following steps: 1) Dried tobacco leaves are roughly crushed and extracted with water to separate the water extract and residue; 2) The water extract is dried and concentrated under reduced pressure; 3) Pulp is added to the residue, which is then fiberized in a refiner and made into paper; 4) A concentrated solution of the water extract is added to the paper-made sheet and dried to produce a tobacco sheet. In this case, a step of removing some components such as nitrosamines may be added (see JP-A-2004-510422).
In the case of the slurry method, tobacco can be produced by a method including the following steps: 1) mixing water, pulp, a binder, and crushed tobacco leaves; 2) spreading (casting) the mixture thinly and drying it; in this case, a step of irradiating the slurry of water, pulp, a binder, and crushed tobacco leaves with ultraviolet light or X-rays to remove some of the components such as nitrosamines may be added.

Alternatively, as described in WO 2014/104078, a nonwoven tobacco sheet can be used, which is produced by a method including the following steps: 1) mixing powdered tobacco leaves with a binder; 2) sandwiching the mixture between nonwoven fabrics; and 3) molding the laminate into a fixed shape by heat welding to obtain a nonwoven tobacco sheet.
The type of tobacco leaf material used in each of the above methods can be the same as that described for the aerosol source 11 containing shredded tobacco.
The composition of the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but for example, the content of tobacco raw material (tobacco leaves) is preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less relative to the total mass of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheet may also contain a binder, and examples of such binders include guar gum, xanthan gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, and sodium salts of carboxymethyl cellulose. The amount of binder is preferably 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less relative to the total mass of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheet may further contain other additives. Examples of additives include fillers such as pulp.

The configuration of the cigarette paper 12 used in the substrate 10 is not particularly limited and can be any common configuration, for example, one containing pulp as the main component. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by mixing non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette papers 12 for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto.
Usable types of pulp include chemical pulp produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc.

The cigarette paper 12 is produced using pulp in a papermaking process using a Fourdrinier paper machine, a cylinder paper machine, a combined cylinder/short-cylinder paper machine, or the like, whereby the texture is adjusted and made uniform. If necessary, a wet strength agent can be added to impart water resistance to the cigarette paper 12, or a sizing agent can be added to adjust the printing quality of the cigarette paper 12. Furthermore, internal papermaking aids such as aluminum sulfate, various anionic, cationic, nonionic, or amphoteric retention aids, drainage aids, and paper strength agents, as well as papermaking additives such as dyes, pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, pitch control agents, and slime control agents, can be added.

The basis weight of the base paper of the wrapper paper 12 is, for example, usually 20 gsm or more, preferably 25 gsm or more, while the basis weight is usually 65 gsm or less, preferably 50 gsm or less, and more preferably 45 gsm or less.
The thickness of the cigarette paper 12 is not particularly limited, and is usually 10 μm or more, preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 30 μm or more, from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking. The thickness of the cigarette paper 12 is usually 100 μm or less, preferably 75 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less.

The shape of the wrapping paper 12 may be square or rectangular.
When the aerosol source 11 is wrapped in the wrapping paper 12 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 12 and an end of the wrapping paper 12 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape filled with the aerosol source 11. The size of the rectangular wrapping paper 12 can be determined depending on the size of the base material 10.

In addition to the above-mentioned pulp, a filler may be contained in the cigarette paper 12. The content of the filler relative to the total mass of the cigarette paper 12 can be 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, and preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less.
In the cigarette paper 12, the filler content is preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less within the preferred range of basis weight (25 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less).
Furthermore, when the basis weight is 25 gsm or more and 35 gsm or less, the filler content is preferably 15 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less, and when the basis weight is 35 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less, the filler content is preferably 25 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less.
As the filler, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, kaolin, etc. can be used, but calcium carbonate is preferably used from the viewpoint of enhancing flavor and whiteness.

Various auxiliary agents other than the base paper and fillers may be added to the cigarette paper 12. 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 resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins, polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE), etc. 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 agent may be added as an auxiliary, and examples thereof include polyacrylamide, cationic starch, oxidized starch, CMC, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, polyvinyl alcohol, etc. In particular, it is known that the use of a very small amount of oxidized starch improves air permeability (JP 2017-218699 A).

A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back, of the wrapping paper 12. There are no particular restrictions on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. Examples include alginic acid and its salts (e.g., sodium salts), polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitrocellulose, starch and its derivatives (e.g., ether derivatives such as carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl starch, and cationic starch, and ester derivatives such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenyl succinate).

[Tipping Paper 40]
The tip paper 40 is wound around the outer peripheral surfaces of the tip portion 70 , the base portion 10 , the cooling portion 20 and the filter portion 30 .
The shape of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited and can be, for example, square or rectangular.
The basis weight of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited, but is usually 32 gsm or more and 60 gsm or less, preferably 33 gsm or more and 55 gsm or less, and more preferably 34 gsm or more and 53 gsm or less.
The air permeability of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited, but is usually from 0 to 30,000 Coresta units, and preferably from 0 to 10,000 Coresta units. Here, "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. 1 Coresta unit (1 Coresta unit, 1 C.U.) is cm ³ /(min·cm ² ) under 1 kPa.

The composition of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited and can be a common embodiment, for example, one containing pulp as the main component. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by mixing non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette papers for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. These pulps may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types in any ratio.
The type of pulp that can be used includes chemical pulp produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc. The tipping paper 40 may be produced by the above-mentioned production method or may be a commercially available product.

In addition to the materials mentioned above, the tipping paper 40 may contain fillers, such as metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, metal oxides such as titanium oxide, titanium dioxide and aluminum oxide, metal sulfates such as barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, metal sulfides such as zinc sulfide, quartz, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, gypsum, etc., and it is particularly preferable that the tipping paper 40 contain calcium carbonate in order to improve whiteness and opacity and increase the heating rate. Furthermore, these fillers may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

In addition to the materials and fillers mentioned above, the tipping paper 40 may contain various auxiliary agents. For example, it may contain a water resistance improver 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 coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the tipping paper 40. There are no particular limitations on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface and reduce liquid permeability is preferred.
A portion of the outer surface of the tipping paper 40 may be coated with a lip release material. The lip release material refers to a material configured to help the lip and the tipping paper 40 to easily separate without causing substantial adhesion when the user holds the filter portion 30 of the flavor inhalation article 1 between their mouths. The lip release material may include, for example, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, etc. For example, the outer surface of the tipping paper 40 may be coated with the lip release material by applying an ethyl cellulose-based or methyl cellulose-based ink to the outer surface of the tipping paper 40.

[Cooling section 20]
The cooling unit 20 is disposed adjacent to the substrate unit 10 and the filter unit 30, and is formed so that the cross section of a cylinder or the like is hollow (hollow) by wrapping the sheet 21 around it. The cooling unit 20 cools the vapor generated by heating the substrate unit 10 to generate an aerosol. The cooling unit 20 is an example of a cylindrical member.
The cross section of the cooling section 20 is substantially circular, and its circumference can be changed as appropriate to suit the size of the product, but it is preferable that it is approximately the same as the circumference of the filter 31 described below. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is applied.
The size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 5 mm or more, preferably 10 mm or more, and more preferably 15 mm or more. The size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction is usually 35 mm or less, preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 25 mm or less. The size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction preferably satisfies any combination of the above-mentioned lower and upper limits. By setting the size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction to be equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured to obtain a good flavor, while by setting it to be equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, loss due to adhesion of the generated steam and aerosol to the sheet 21 can be suppressed.

For example, the cooling unit 20 is a paper tube formed by winding a sheet 21 made of paper.
Specifically, the cooling unit 20 is a paper tube formed by bonding together a plurality of sheets 21 including at least paper and spirally winding them, a so-called spiral paper tube. The spiral paper tube manufacturing method makes it possible to easily form a paper tube with a circular cross section. By employing a spiral paper tube for the cooling unit 20, the strength of the cooling unit 20 can be improved while reducing the area of the cooling unit 20. Furthermore, by combining and bonding a sheet member containing a fragrance component, a flavor component, tobacco powder, etc. with paper, it is possible to impart a new flavor and taste to the aerosol.
Alternatively, the cooling unit 20 may be a paper tube formed by winding paper multiple times into a cylindrical shape, a so-called straight paper tube. In the manufacturing method of a straight paper tube, the amount of glue used to attach the paper can be reduced compared to the manufacturing method of a spiral paper tube.
The cooling unit 20 may also be a paper tube formed by stacking a plurality of sheets 21 including at least paper. By stacking a plurality of sheets 21, the strength of the cooling unit 20 can be maintained even when the basis weight of each of the sheets 21 is small.

The thickness of the sheet 21 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 50 μm to 500 μm, or 100 μm to 250 μm. The material of the sheet 21 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a material whose main component is pulp, or a material whose main component is any of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, cellulose acetate, and aluminum foil, or any combination thereof.
The cooling section 20 is formed by winding the sheet 21, but this is an example of a cylindrical member formed into a cylindrical shape, and the cooling section 20 is not limited to this configuration as long as the cross section is hollow. For example, the cooling section 20 may be formed from a tube made of synthetic resin or the like that already has a hollow cross section.

The cooling section 20 has a plurality of through-holes 60 (also referred to as "ventilation filters (Vf)" in the present technical field) arranged circumferentially and concentrically. The through-holes 60 are holes that penetrate the sheet 21. Examples of the hole shapes include polygons, rounded polygons, circles, and ellipses. The through-holes 60 are located in areas that allow air to flow in from outside the flavor inhalation article 1; in other words, in areas that protrude from the opening 142 when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held in the holding section 140 of the inhalation device 100.

The presence of the through-holes 60 makes it possible to adjust the concentration of the inhaled flavor components and aerosol. Furthermore, the presence of multiple through-holes 60 allows air to flow into the cooling section 20 from the outside during inhalation, thereby lowering the temperature of the steam and air flowing in from the substrate section 10. Furthermore, by providing the through-holes 60 in the cooling section 20 within a region 4 mm or more toward the cooling section 20 from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30, not only is the cooling capacity improved, but the retention of the substance (product) generated by heating within the cooling section 20 is suppressed, thereby improving the delivery amount of the product.
In addition, when the base material 10 is heated, the vapor generated using the aerosol as a condensation nucleus comes into contact with air from the outside, lowering its temperature and liquefying, thereby accelerating the generation of the aerosol.

When a plurality of concentric through holes 60 in the cooling section 20 are treated as one through hole group, the number of through hole groups may be one or may be two or more. When two or more through hole groups are present, from the viewpoint of improving the delivery amount of components generated by heating, it is preferable that no through hole group be provided in a region less than 4 mm from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30 toward the cooling section 20.
Furthermore, when the flavor inhalation article 1 is configured such that the tip portion 70, the substrate portion 10, the cooling portion 20, and the filter portion 30 are wrapped with tipping paper 40, the tipping paper 40 preferably has an air hole formed in a position directly above the through-hole 60 formed in the cooling portion 20. When producing such a flavor inhalation article 1, tipping paper 40 having an air hole that overlaps with the through-hole 60 may be prepared and wound, but from the viewpoint of ease of production, it is preferable to produce a flavor inhalation article 1 without a through-hole 60, and then drill holes that pass through both the cooling portion 20 and the tipping paper 40 at the same time.

From the perspective of improving product delivery by heating, the region where the through holes 60 exist is not particularly limited as long as it is an area 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30 toward the cooling section 20, but from the perspective of further improving product delivery, it is preferably an area 4.5 mm or more, more preferably an area 5 mm or more, and even more preferably an area 5.5 mm or more. Furthermore, from the perspective of ensuring cooling function, the region where the through holes 60 exist is preferably an area 15 mm or less from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30, more preferably an area 10 mm or less, and even more preferably an area 7 mm or less.

Furthermore, when the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate section 10 is considered as the reference point, if the size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction is 20 mm or more, from the viewpoint of ensuring cooling function, the region where the through holes 60 exist is preferably a region of 5 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate section 10 toward the cooling section 20, more preferably a region of 10 mm or more, and even more preferably a region of 13 mm or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the delivery of the product by heating, the region where the through holes 60 exist is preferably a region of 16 mm or less from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate section 10, more preferably a region of 15.5 mm or less, even more preferably a region of 15 mm or less, and especially preferably a region of 14.5 mm or less.

The through holes 60 are arranged so that the air inflow rate through the through holes 60 is 10% by volume or more and 90% by volume or less when an automatic smoking machine is used to inhale at 17.5 ml/sec. This "air inflow rate" refers to the volumetric rate of air inflowing through the through holes 60 when the rate of air inhaled from the mouth end is taken as 100% by volume. The air inflow rate is preferably 50% by volume or more and 80% by volume or less, and more preferably 55% by volume or more and 75% by volume or less. These air inflow rates can be achieved, for example, by selecting the number of through holes 60 per through hole group from the range of 5 to 50, selecting the diameter of the through holes 60 from the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and combining these selections.
The air inflow ratio can be measured using a winding quality measuring device (SODIMAX D74/SODIM manufactured by S.A.S.) by a method in accordance with ISO9512.

[Filter section 30]
The filter unit 30 is formed in a columnar shape whose size in the centerline direction is greater than the width of the cross section, and is therefore arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the filter unit 30 is the same as the centerline direction.
The filter unit 30 has a filter 31 through which the aerosol passes, and a wrapper paper 35 that is located between the filter 31 and the tipping paper 40 and is wrapped around the outer peripheral surface of the filter 31. The filter unit 30 is connected to the cooling unit 20 by winding the cooling unit 20 and the filter unit 30 together using the tipping paper 40. The wrapper paper 35 may not be provided.

The filter 31 is not particularly limited as long as it contains a filter material and has the general functions of a filter. Examples of the general functions of a filter include reducing nicotine and tar, as well as reducing unpleasant sensations such as irritation. The filter 31 may be a plain filter including a single filter segment, or a multi-segment filter including multiple filter segments, such as a dual filter or triple filter. Furthermore, the filter 31 may contain additives such as known flavors, adsorbents, granular activated carbon, and flavor retention agents, as appropriate.
The filter material constituting the filter 31 is, for example, a cylindrically shaped filler made of acetate, charcoal, cellulose fiber, nonwoven fabric, pulp paper, etc. Alternatively, a paper filter filled with sheet-like pulp paper may be used.

The form of the wrapping paper 35 is not particularly limited, and may include one or more rows of seams containing adhesive. The adhesive may include a hot melt adhesive, and the hot melt adhesive may further include polyvinyl alcohol. The adhesive may also include a vinyl acetate adhesive. Furthermore, when the filter unit 30 is made up of two or more components, the wrapping paper 35 is preferably formed by wrapping each of these two or more components and then wrapping them together with another wrapping paper.
The material of the wrapper 35 is not particularly limited, and known materials can be used, and may contain fillers such as calcium carbonate.
Furthermore, the wrapper 35 may be coated or uncoated, but from the viewpoint of imparting functions other than strength and structural rigidity, it is preferable to coat it with a desired material.

The shape of the wrapper 35 for producing the filter portion 30 can be, for example, a square or a rectangle.
When the filter 31 is wound in the wrapping paper 35 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 35 and an end of the wrapping paper 35 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape in which the filter 31 is packed. The size of the wrapping paper 35 can be determined depending on the size of the filter part 30.

[Tip 70]
3 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of the distal end portion 70 according to this embodiment. The cross section shown in FIG. 3 is taken along the line III-III in FIG.
The tip portion 70 has a central portion 71 that is disposed inside and shrinks due to heat, and a peripheral portion 72 that surrounds the outer periphery of the central portion 71. The tip portion 70 also has a sheet member 73 between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. The tip portion 70 may also have an outer wrapping paper 74 between the peripheral portion 72 and the tipping paper 40. The peripheral portion 72 is configured to surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the central portion 71. The tipping paper 40 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral portion 72, and the base portion 10 and the tip portion 70 are wound together, thereby connecting the tipping paper 40 to the base portion 10. The tipping paper 40 may be wound so that the base portion 10 and the tip portion 70 are wound together, and the length of the tipping paper 40 in the center line direction does not matter.
The tip portion 70 is an example of an upstream portion.

The cross section of the tip 70 is substantially circular, and the circumference thereof can be changed as appropriate according to the size of the product, but can be 22 mm or more and 25 mm or less. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is applied.
The size of the tip portion 70 in the centerline direction can be changed appropriately depending on the size of the product, but may be 1 mm or more, preferably 3 mm or more, and more preferably 5 mm or more. The size of the tip portion 70 in the centerline direction may be 10 mm or less, preferably 8 mm or less. The tip portion 70 can be manufactured to a predetermined length and then cut to any desired length. If the tip portion 70 is less than 1 mm long, it may not maintain its shape when cut, and deformation such as crushing may occur. If the length of the tip portion 70 in the longitudinal direction is 1 mm or more, manufacturing of the tip portion 70 can be relatively easy.

In the tip portion 70, the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are portions through which air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 passes.
The central portion 71 is made of a material that shrinks when heated. The material that shrinks when heated is, for example, a material that begins to shrink at temperatures between 130°C and 220°C. The central portion 71 shrinks when heated by the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100. The central portion 71 is molded, for example, from acetate, and air passes through the central portion 71 in the centerline direction when the user inhales. The central portion 71 molded from acetate can be manufactured by a known method. For example, when synthetic fibers such as cellulose acetate are used as the material, the central portion 71 can be manufactured by spinning a polymer solution containing a polymer and a solvent and crimping the resulting fiber. For example, the method described in International Publication No. WO 2013/067511 can be used as the method.
The central portion 71 may be configured to contain cellulose acetate, which may or may not contain a plasticizer.

The peripheral portion 72 is formed by filling with a sheet member 72a, for example, as shown in Figure 3, and a void 72b is formed. The material of the sheet member 72a is not particularly limited, but is preferably paper or nonwoven fabric, such as pulp paper, whose main component is pulp, and more preferably paper. Furthermore, the sheet member 72a is preferably made of a material that is less likely to shrink when heated than the material constituting the central portion 71, and is preferably a material that does not shrink when heated. The sheet member 72a may be crimped, and is filled to ensure an air passage extending in the direction of the center line.
It is preferable that the airflow resistance between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 is higher in the central portion 71. As a result, the main flow path of air passing through the tip portion 70 is the peripheral portion 72. The airflow resistance of the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 before heating of the base portion 10 or in the early stage of a smoking session may be 50 _mmH2O or less.

The form of the sheet member 73 is not particularly limited, and may include one or more rows of seams containing adhesive. The adhesive is preferably one whose bonding strength does not decrease when heated, but may include a hot melt adhesive, which may include polyvinyl alcohol. The adhesive may also include a vinyl acetate adhesive. The material of the sheet member 73 is not particularly limited, and known materials may be used, and may also include fillers such as calcium carbonate. It is preferable that the sheet member 73 is not breathable. The low breathability of the sheet member 73 allows the flow path of air passing through the tip portion 70 to be separated between the inside and outside of the sheet member 73. The breathability of the sheet member 73 may be 100 CU or less.

The shape of the sheet member 73 may be square or rectangular.
When wrapping the central portion 71 with the sheet member 73 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the sheet member 73 and an end of the sheet member 73 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical shape in which the central portion 71 is filled. The size of the rectangular sheet member 73 can be determined depending on the size of the tip portion 70.
The sheet member 73 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the central portion 71, and the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 are bonded together, for example, with an adhesive. The adhesive may include a hot melt adhesive. Here, it is preferable that the bond between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 be separated in accordance with the shrinkage of the central portion 71 when the central portion 71 shrinks due to heat.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a vertical cross section of the flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment in the latter stage of a smoking session, whereas Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross section in the early stage of a smoking session.
The smoking session may refer to a period from the start to the end of a process for generating an aerosol, or may refer to a period from the start to the end of a process for heating the flavor inhalation article 1.
The early stage of a smoking session may be 50% of the total duration of the smoking session from the start of the smoking session, or 30% of the total duration of the smoking session from the start of the smoking session, or the period when heating begins to commence.
The latter part of the smoking session may be 50% of the total duration of the smoking session until the end of the smoking session, 30% of the total duration of the smoking session until the end of the smoking session, or the period until heating ends.

Before heating by the heating unit 121 begins, the flavor inhalation article 1 is in a state in which the outer surface of the center portion 71 and the sheet member 73 are in contact, as shown in FIG. 1. When the substrate portion 10 is heated by the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100, heat is transmitted to the tip portion 70 located next to the substrate portion 10, causing the temperature of the tip portion 70 to rise. In the early part of the smoking session, the temperature of the tip portion 70 is low, so the center portion 71 hardly shrinks, and as the temperature of the tip portion 70 rises towards the later part of the smoking session, the center portion 71 shrinks. At this time, the bond between the center portion 71 and the sheet member 73 peels off in accordance with the shrinkage of the center portion 71, and a gap appears between the center portion 71 and the sheet member 73. In the later part of the smoking session, the center portion 71 shrinks, as shown in FIG. 4, and a gap appears between the center portion 71 and the sheet member 73.

Here, because the temperature of the tip portion 70 rises more quickly the closer it is to the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100, the amount of shrinkage of the center portion 71 becomes greater on the downstream side closer to the base portion 10 than on the upstream side. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, the outer periphery of the center portion 71 shrinks obliquely relative to the center line direction during the latter part of the smoking session. It is also preferable that the first side end of the center portion 71 does not shrink even during the latter part of the smoking session. This prevents the first side end of the center portion 71 from peeling off from the sheet member 73 and remaining bonded thereto, preventing the center portion 71 from falling off. It also prevents deformation of the tip portion 70.

FIG. 5 illustrates the air flow path at tip 70 during the early stages of a smoking session.
In the early stage of a smoking session, the temperature of the tip portion 70 is low, and the central portion 71 hardly contracts, resulting in little deformation of the central portion 71. Before heating and in the early stage of a smoking session, the central portion 71 has a higher airflow resistance than the peripheral portion 72, and therefore, as shown by arrows 75, the air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article flows into the base portion 10 mainly through the peripheral portion 72.

FIG. 6 shows the air flow path at the end of a smoking session.
From the early stage of the smoking session to the later stage of the smoking session, the central part 71 shrinks and deforms as the temperature rises, and the gap formed between the central part 71 and the sheet member 73 becomes larger. Since the gap formed between the central part 71 and the sheet member 73 becomes an air flow path, the main flow path of the air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article shifts from the outside to the inside of the sheet member 73.
Due to the formation of the gap, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member 73 in the later stage of a smoking session is preferably smaller than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member 73. This allows the main flow path of the air passing through the tip portion 70 to shift from the outside to the inside of the sheet member 73, and as shown by arrow 76, the main flow path of the air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 becomes radially inward.
The arrows 75 and 76 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 indicate the main flow paths of the air, and do not indicate that the air does not flow to other parts.

In the peripheral heating type flavor inhalation article 1, the aerosol source 11 of the base material 10 is disposed at a position closer to the heating unit as it is radially outward, and heat is conducted from the radially outward to the radially inward. Since aerosol is generated in accordance with the conduction of heat, aerosol is initially generated mainly from the radially outward, and the temperature gradually rises in the center, causing aerosol to be generated mainly from the center.
As described above, from the early stage of a smoking session to the later stage of a smoking session, the main flow path of the air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 shifts from the radially outer side to the radially inner side, so that air can be caused to flow into the base member 10 in accordance with the radial position where aerosol is generated in the base member 10 and the amount of aerosol generated. This allows more air to flow into areas where a larger amount of aerosol is generated, thereby improving the aerosol delivery efficiency.

The ratio (hereinafter also referred to as the shrinkage ratio) of the portion of the center 71 with the smallest size in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (centerline direction) of the center 71 in the early part of the smoking session to the portion with the smallest size in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center 71 in the later part of the smoking session is preferably 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less. If the degree of shrinkage is small, it is difficult to obtain the effect of reducing the airflow resistance caused by shrinkage, while if the degree of shrinkage is large, the rigidity of the tip 70 decreases, which may cause the flavor inhalation article 1 to deform. By setting the shrinkage ratio in the range of 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less, it is possible to obtain the effect of reducing the airflow resistance while maintaining a level of rigidity that prevents the flavor inhalation article 1 from deforming.

As described above, in the latter part of a smoking session, a gap is formed between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73, forming an air flow path. This reduces the overall airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 compared to the early part of the smoking session, and air may more easily flow into the tip portion 70. Therefore, the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 gradually increases from the early part of the smoking session to the later part of the smoking session. Because the user's inhalation force on the flavor inhalation article 1 is constant, as the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 increases, the amount of air flowing into the flavor inhalation article 1 through the through-holes 60 of the cooling section 20 decreases. In this way, the ratio between the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 and the amount of air flowing in from the through-holes 60 differs between the early part of the smoking session and the later part of the smoking session. From the early part of the smoking session to the later part of the smoking session, the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 increases, and the amount of air flowing in from the through-holes 60 decreases.
The reduction in the amount of air flowing in through the through-holes 60 results in a lower aerosol dilution rate in the latter part of a smoking session than in the earlier part of the smoking session. The amount of aerosol generated from the substrate 10 gradually decreases from the earlier part of the smoking session to the later part of the smoking session, and the lower dilution rate can suppress fluctuations in the amount of aerosol delivered.

The central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 do not have to be bonded over their entire surfaces. For example, the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 may be bonded at their first end and not at their second end. With this configuration, shrinkage of the central portion 71 creates a gap between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73, and it is possible to prevent the central portion 71 from falling off. The material of the central portion 71 is not limited to acetate, and any heat-shrinkable material can be selected as appropriate.
1, the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are configured to have the same length in the center line direction, but this is not limited to this. The peripheral portion 72 may be configured to surround at least a part of the central portion 71, and for example, the central portion 71 may be configured to be longer.
Also, different flavorings may be added to the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. This allows the smoking taste to be changed between the early and later stages of a smoking session.
The amount of flavoring added to the central portion 71 may be different from that added to the peripheral portion 72. This allows the intensity of the flavor to be changed between the early and late stages of a smoking session.

<First Modification>
FIG. 7 is a view showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article 2 according to a first modified example.
8 is a diagram showing a cross section of the substrate 10 according to the first modified example, taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.
The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modified example has the same basic configuration as the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modified example includes a substrate portion 10, a cooling portion 20, a filter portion 30, and a tip portion 70, similar to the flavor inhalation article 1 shown in FIG.
The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification is different from the flavor inhalation article 1 in that the aerosol source of the base member 10 is separated into a first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and a second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side by a sheet 15. In the first modification, the aerosol source of the base member 10 as well as the tip portion 70 is separated into the radially outer side and the radially inner side, so that the air flow path can be more controlled than in the flavor inhalation article 1.

The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification has a sheet 15 that separates the aerosol source of the base material 10 into a first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and a second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side. The sheet 15 separates the flow path of air passing through the base material 10 into a radially outer side and a radially inner side, and preferably has low air permeability. The air permeability of the sheet 15 is preferably 100 C.U. or less. The first aerosol source 16 and the second aerosol source 17 are configured in the same manner as the aerosol source 11 of the flavor inhalation article 1.
In the flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification, the air that has passed through the peripheral portion 72 of the tip portion 70 flows into the first aerosol source 16 of the substrate portion 10, and the air that has passed through the central portion 71 of the tip portion 70 flows into the second aerosol source 17 of the substrate portion 10. The radial positions of the sheet member 73 of the tip portion 70 and the sheet 15 of the substrate portion 10 do not necessarily have to coincide.
In this way, even in the base material portion 10, the air flow path is separated into a radially outer side and a radially inner side by the sheet 15, which prevents the air flow path in the base material portion 10 from becoming turbulent and achieves optimal delivery efficiency.

Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 2, similarly to the flavor inhalation article 1, the central portion 71 of the tip portion 70 contracts from the early stage of a smoking session to the later stage of a smoking session, creating a gap between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73. As a result, the main flow path of the air flowing in from the tip portion 70 shifts from the outer side to the inner side in the radial direction, but the airflow resistance of the entire tip portion 70 may change significantly between the early stage of a smoking session and the later stage of a smoking session. Even in such a case, it is preferable that the airflow resistance of the entire flavor inhalation article 2 is constant between the early stage of a smoking session and the later stage of a smoking session.
For example, consider a case where the airflow resistances of the central portion 71, peripheral portion 72, first aerosol source 16, and second aerosol source 17 are the first airflow resistance, the second airflow resistance, the third airflow resistance, and the fourth airflow resistance, respectively. However, before heating or in the early stage of a smoking session, the first airflow resistance is greater than the second airflow resistance, and the third airflow resistance is greater than the fourth airflow resistance. In this case, since air mainly flows radially outward in the early stage of a smoking session, the combined airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 and the base portion 10 is the sum of the second airflow resistance and the third airflow resistance. On the other hand, since air mainly flows through the central portion in the later stage of a smoking session, the combined airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 and the base portion 10 is the sum of the first airflow resistance and the fourth airflow resistance. In this case, in the flavor inhalation article 2, it is preferable that the first, second, third, and fourth airflow resistances are set so that the sum of the second and third airflow resistances and the sum of the first and fourth airflow resistances are substantially equal. Here, "substantially equal" means that the airflow resistance in the latter part of a smoking session is included within an error range of ±10% of the airflow resistance in the early part of the smoking session. In this way, by separating the aerosol source of the base material 10 into the first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and the second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side and differentiating the airflow resistances, the airflow resistance can be kept constant throughout one session, from the start to the end of inhalation by the user. In this case, the airflow resistance throughout the entire flavor inhalation article 2 is constant between the early and late parts of the smoking session, making it less likely that the user will feel uncomfortable throughout the session.

<Second Modification>
FIG. 9 is a view showing a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article 3 according to a second modified example.
The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modified example has the same basic configuration as the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modified example includes a substrate portion 10, a cooling portion 20, a filter portion 30, and a tip portion 70, similar to the flavor inhalation article 1 shown in FIG.
The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modification is different from the flavor inhalation article 1 in that a plurality of through holes 61 are provided circumferentially and concentrically on the side surface of the tip portion 70. The through holes 61 are vent holes that allow air to flow from the outside to the inside of the tip portion 70. In the second modification, air flows in from the upstream end side (first side) of the tip portion 70, and also from the through holes 61 into the inside of the tip portion 70.

The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modified example has through holes 61 that are holes that penetrate the tipping paper 40. When a plurality of concentric through holes 61 are treated as one through hole group, the number of through hole groups may be one or may be two or more.
Furthermore, when the flavor inhalation article 3 has an outer wrapping paper 74 between the peripheral portion 72 and the tipping paper 40, the through-hole 61 is provided so as to penetrate the tipping paper 40 and the outer wrapping paper 74. In such an embodiment, the tipping paper 40 preferably has an air hole provided in a position directly above the through-hole 61 provided in the tip portion 70. When producing such a flavor inhalation article 3, it is possible to prepare and wrap tipping paper 40 having an air hole that overlaps with the through-hole 61, but from the viewpoint of ease of production, it is preferable to produce a flavor inhalation article 1 that does not have a through-hole 61, and then open holes that penetrate the tip portion 70 and the tipping paper 40 simultaneously.

In the second variant, air also flows into the tip portion 70 through the through holes 61, making it easy to adjust the balance of airflow resistance between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. When the through holes 61 are not provided, for example, if the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are formed to have the same length in the centerline direction, it is necessary to adjust the balance of airflow resistance between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 by adjusting the materials that make up the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. In contrast, when the through holes 61 are provided, the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the number, diameter, and centerline position of the through holes 61. By providing the through holes 61 in the tip portion 70 in this way, it is possible to easily set a state in which the airflow resistance of the central portion 71 is higher than the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72.

When through holes 61 are provided in the tip portion 70, it is thought that even after a gap forms between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 later in the smoking session, air will flow in through the through holes 61, so that the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72 will not become greater than the airflow resistance inside the sheet member 73. For this reason, it is preferable to configure the through holes 61 so that they are closed later in the smoking session, for example by applying glue around the through holes 61 and then closing the through holes 61 as the temperature rises later in the smoking session. This makes it possible to prevent the balance of airflow resistance between the inside and outside of the sheet member 73 from being disrupted due to air flowing in through the through holes 61 when a gap forms between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 later in the smoking session.

<Summary>
The present disclosure includes the following configurations.
(1)
a substrate that generates an aerosol when heated;
an upstream portion located upstream of the base portion,
The upstream portion is
The center and
a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion,
the core comprises a material that shrinks when heated;
When the central portion shrinks, a gap is generated between the central portion and the peripheral portion.
Flavor suction article.
(2)
The flavor inhalation article according to (1), wherein the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the center is greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the center.
(3)
A flavor inhalation article according to (1) or (2), wherein the ratio of the portion of the base material having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the early stage of the smoking session to the portion of the base material having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the later stage of the smoking session is 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less.
(4)
a sheet member between the central portion and the peripheral portion;
The gap is formed between the center portion and the sheet member.
A flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (3).
(5)
The flavor inhalation article according to (4), wherein the sheet member is not breathable.
(6)
The flavor inhalation article according to (4) or (5), wherein in an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member is greater than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member, and in a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member is smaller than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member.
(7)
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the peripheral portion includes crimped paper.
(8)
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the central portion contains cellulose acetate.
(9)
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the base material portion includes a first aerosol source on the radially outer side, a second aerosol source on the radially inner side, and a sheet positioned between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source.
(10)
A flavor inhalation article described in any one of (1) to (9), wherein the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the base material in the early stage of a smoking session is greater than the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the base material in the later stage of a smoking session.
(11)
a downstream portion located downstream of the base portion,
The downstream portion has a vent hole through which air flows from the outside to the inside.
A flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (10).
(12)
The downstream portion is
a filter portion through which the aerosol generated from the substrate portion passes;
a cylindrical member formed between the base material portion and the filter portion,
The vent is located in the tubular member.
(11) A flavor inhalation article according to (11).
(13)
The flavor inhalation article according to (11) or (12), wherein the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole in the early stage of a smoking session of the base material is different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole in the later stage of a smoking session of the base material.
(14)
The flavor inhalation article according to (13), wherein the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the latter part of a smoking session of the base material is smaller than the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the earlier part of a smoking session of the base material.
(15)
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the upstream portion has a vent hole on a side surface thereof through which air flows from the outside to the inside.

1, 2, 3... flavor inhalation article, 10... substrate portion, 11... aerosol source, 20... cooling portion, 30... filter portion, 31... filter, 35... wrapper paper, 40... tipping paper, 50... mouthpiece segment, 60, 61... through-hole, 70... tip portion, 71... center portion, 72... peripheral portion, 73... sheet member

Claims (15)

a substrate that generates an aerosol when heated;
an upstream portion located upstream of the base portion,
The upstream portion is
The center and
a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion,
the core comprises a material that shrinks when heated;
When the central portion shrinks, a gap is generated between the central portion and the peripheral portion.
Flavor suction article. The flavor inhalation article of claim 1, wherein the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the center is greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the center. A flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ratio of the portion of the base member having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the early part of a smoking session to the portion of the base member having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the later part of a smoking session is 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less. a sheet member between the central portion and the peripheral portion;
The gap is formed between the center portion and the sheet member.
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 4, wherein the sheet member is not breathable. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 4 or 5, wherein in the early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member is greater than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member, and in the later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member is less than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member. The flavor inhalation article described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the peripheral portion includes crimped paper. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the central portion contains cellulose acetate. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base member includes a first aerosol source radially outward, a second aerosol source radially inward, and a sheet positioned between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate in the early stage of a smoking session is greater than the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate in the later stage of a smoking session. a downstream portion located downstream of the base portion,
The downstream portion has a vent hole through which air flows from the outside to the inside.
The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The downstream portion is
a filter portion through which the aerosol generated from the substrate portion passes;
a cylindrical member formed between the base material portion and the filter portion,
The vent is located in the tubular member.
The flavor inhalation article according to claim 11. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during an early stage of a smoking session of the base member is different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during a later stage of a smoking session of the base member. The flavor inhalation article of claim 13, wherein the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the latter part of a smoking session of the base member is less than the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the earlier part of a smoking session of the base member. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the upstream portion has a vent hole on its side for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.