Heat generation segment for an aerosol-generation system of a smoking article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10154689-B2
Application number	US-201514755205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article is provided, the fuel element including a combustible carbonaceous material in an amount of at least 25% by dry weight, based on the weight of the fuel element, and a particulate ignition aid dispersed throughout the fuel element and selected from ceramic particles, cellulose particles, fullerenes, impregnated activated carbon particles, inorganic salts, and combinations thereof, wherein the average particle size of the ignition aid is less than about 1,000 microns. Also provided are elongate smoking articles having a lighting end and an opposed mouth end, and including the above-noted fuel element configured for ignition of the lighting end.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A fuel element adapted for use in a smoking article, comprising:
(a) a combustible carbonaceous material in an amount of at least 25% by dry weight, based on the weight of the fuel element; and
(b) a non-catalytic particulate ignition aid in an amount of about 0.1% and about 20% by dry weight dispersed throughout the fuel element and selected from the group consisting of ceramic particles, cellulose particles, fullerenes, impregnated activated carbon particles, inorganic salts, and combinations thereof, wherein the average particle size of the ignition aid is less than about 1,000 microns and with the proviso that when the ignition aid is an inorganic salt, the inorganic salt is present in an amount of no more than about 0.5 dry weight percent based on the total dry weight of the fuel element.

2. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the ignition aid comprises ceramic particles or cellulose particles having an average particle size of less than about 500 microns, the ceramic particles being glass bubbles or cenospheres.

3. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the ignition aid comprises glass bubbles having an average particle size of about 10 to about 300 microns.

4. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the ignition aid comprises cellulose particles having an average particle size of about 10 to about 300 microns.

5. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles are metal-coated ceramic particles.

6. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the presence of the ignition aid reduces the time required to ignite the fuel element by at least 20% as compared to a control fuel element devoid of the ignition aid.

7. The fuel element of claim 1 , further comprising a binding agent, a catalytic metal material, graphite, an inorganic filler, and combinations thereof.

8. The fuel element of claim 1 , wherein the impregnating agent present in the activated carbon particles is selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, inorganic salts, and mineral acids.

9. The fuel element of claim 1 , comprising:
(a) at least about 30% by dry weight of the combustible carbonaceous material, based on the dry weight of the fuel element;
(b) at least about 5% by dry weight of a binding agent;
(c) at least about 5% by dry weight of graphite; and
(d) at least about 25% by dry weight of an inorganic filler.

10. The fuel element of claim 9 , wherein the inorganic filler is calcium carbonate.

11. The fuel element of claim 9 , wherein the binding agent is a natural gum.

12. An elongate smoking article having a lighting end and an opposed mouth end, said smoking article comprising:
a mouth end portion disposed at the mouth end;
a tobacco portion disposed between the lighting end and the mouth end portion; and
an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting end and the tobacco portion, the aerosol-generation system including a heat generation portion disposed at the lighting end, the heat generation portion comprising a fuel element according to claim 1 configured for ignition of the lighting end.

13. The smoking article of claim 12 , wherein the ignition aid comprises ceramic particles or cellulose particles having an average particle size of less than about 500 microns, the ceramic particles being glass bubbles or cenospheres.

14. The smoking article of claim 12 , wherein the ignition aid comprises glass bubbles having an average particle size of about 10 to about 300 microns.

15. The smoking article of claim 12 , wherein the ignition aid comprises cellulose particles having an average particle size of about 10 to about 300 microns.

16. The smoking article of claim 12 , wherein the ceramic particles are metal-coated ceramic particles.

17. The smoking article of claim 12 , wherein the presence of the ignition aid reduces the time required to ignite the fuel element by at least 20% as compared to a control fuel element devoid of the ignition aid.

18. The smoking article of claim 12 , further comprising a binding agent, a catalytic metal material, graphite, an inorganic filler, and combinations thereof.

19. An elongate smoking article having a lighting end and an opposed mouth end, said smoking article comprising:
a mouth end portion disposed at the mouth end;
a tobacco portion disposed between the lighting end and the mouth end portion; and
an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting end and the tobacco portion, the aerosol-generation system including a heat generation portion disposed at the lighting end, the heat generation portion comprising a fuel element configured for ignition of the lighting end, the fuel element comprising:
(a) at least about 30% by dry weight of the combustible carbonaceous material, based on the dry weight of the fuel element;
(b) about 0.1% to about 20% by dry weight of a non-catalytic ignition aid comprising ceramic particles or cellulose particles having an average particle size of less than about 500 microns, the ceramic particles being glass bubbles or cenospheres;
(c) at least about 5% by dry weight of a binding agent;
(d) at least about 5% by dry weight of graphite; and
(e) at least about 25% by dry weight of an inorganic filler.

20. An elongate smoking article having a lighting end and an opposed mouth end, said smoking article comprising:
a mouth end portion disposed at the mouth end; and
an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting end and the mouth end portion, the aerosol-generation system including a heat generation portion disposed at the lighting end, the heat generation portion comprising a fuel element configured for ignition of the lighting end, the fuel element comprising a combustible carbonaceous material in an amount of at least 25% by dry weight, based on the weight of the fuel element and a non-catalytic ignition aid in an amount of about 0.1% and about 20% by dry weight; and the aerosol-generation system including an aerosol-generating portion comprising a plurality of aerosol-generating elements in the form of beads or pellets comprising at least one aerosol forming material, wherein the aerosol-generating elements in the form of beads or pellets are smoke-treated with wood smoke selected from the group consisting of hickory, maple, oak, apply, cherry, mesquite, and combinations thereof.

21. The smoking article of claim 20 , wherein the aerosol-generating elements further comprise one or more of particulate tobacco, a tobacco extract, and nicotine, wherein the nicotine in free base form, salt form, as a complex, or as a solvate.

22. The smoking article of claim 20 , wherein the aerosol-generating elements further comprise one or more fillers, binders, flavorants, and combinations thereof.

23. The smoking article of claim 20 , wherein the aerosol forming material selected from the group consisting of glycerin, propylene glycol, water, saline, nicotine, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R
• Reynolds Tobacco Co R

Inventors

• Nordskog Brian Keith
• Jackson Thaddeus J
• Duggins Donna Walker
• Gerardi Anthony Richard

Classifications

• A24B15/18

  Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes · CPC title

• A24B15/16 Primary

  of tobacco substitutes · CPC title

• C10L2200/0218

  Group III metals: Sc, Y, Al, Ga, In, Tl · CPC title

• C10L11/04

  consisting of combustible material (matches C06F) · CPC title

• C10L2250/06

  Particle, bubble or droplet size · CPC title