Patent Description:
Recently, the demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of traditional cigarettes has increased. For example, there is growing demand for an aerosol generating device which generates aerosol by heating an aerosol generating material, rather than by combusting cigarettes.

A wrapper used for a combustion-type-cigarette has a low basis weight and high porosity, and includes a combustion improver and a filler for combustion, thus being unsuitable for a non-combustion-type cigarette used in an aerosol generating device. <CIT> relates to smoking articles, such as cigarettes, which include a short, i.e., about <NUM> long carbonaceous fuel element positioned in a heat exchange relationship with a physically separate aerosol generating means. Surrounding the fuel element is a tobacco/glass insulating wrapper, preferably comprising at least four layers, defined from the periphery of the fuel element as: a first layer of glass fibers; a first tobacco-containing sheet; a second layer of glass fibers, and a second tobacco-containing sheet. <CIT> relates to a wrapper. The wrapper has a short fuel element, a physically separate aerosol generating means including an aerosol forming material, an insulating material around the fuel element, a relatively long mouthend piece, and a combination of sheet materials as the wrapper comprising an innerwrap which after lighting of the fuel element burns away to a high permeability non-coherent ash and an outerwrap which upon lighting fuses to form a coherent ash. <CIT> relates to a rod formed from a first sheet including an aerosol-forming material and a second sheet including a non-tobacco material, the first and second sheets being gathered together and circumscribed by a wrapper. The rod may be used as a component part of an aerosol-generating article. The second sheet may include a material configured to modify an aerosol evolved from the aerosol-forming material or to modify other properties of the rod. <CIT> relates to smoking articles which employ a substantially non-burnable paper used as an innerwrap and/or outerwrap which encircles at least a portion of the fuel element of such smoking articles. <CIT> relates to a heated aerosol-generating article including an aerosol-generating substrate including a rod, the rod including a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material circumscribed by a wrapper. The gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material includes one or more plasticisers and at least about <NUM> percent by weight triethyl citrate on a dry weight basis. The one or more plasticisers may be selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, sugars, and polyhydric alcohols. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material may be crimped or otherwise textured.

Provided are a wrapper for a non-combustion type cigarette used in an aerosol generating device and a method of manufacturing the same.

The technical problems are not limited thereto, and other technical problems may be derived from the following examples.

A method of manufacturing a wrapper for a non-combustion type cigarette used in an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment includes: manufacturing a reconstituted tobacco sheet by mixing a tobacco material and first pulp; and manufacturing a wrapper by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and second pulp.

As a tobacco material forms a pattern on a wrapper, a cigarette with visual distinctiveness may be provided.

By manufacturing the wrapper by using non-washed pulp, a cigarette with visual distinctiveness may be provided, and a high tensile strength of the wrapper may be achieved.

Advantageous effects of the disclosure are not limited thereto, and various other effects are included in the present specification.

A method of manufacturing a wrapper for a non-combustion type cigarette used in an aerosol generating device includes: manufacturing a reconstituted tobacco sheet by mixing a tobacco material and first pulp; and manufacturing a wrapper by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and second pulp.

The manufacturing of the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes: preparing the reconstituted tobacco sheet by mixing at least any one of cigar leaf powder, cigar leaf pieces, cigar leaves, and tobacco leaves, as the tobacco material, and the first pulp.

The manufacturing of the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes manufacturing the reconstituted tobacco sheet by mixing the tobacco material and at least one of unbleached kraft pulp and bleached kraft pulp as the first pulp.

The manufacturing of the wrapper includes manufacturing the wrapper by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and at least any one of the unbleached kraft pulp and the bleached kraft pulp as the second pulp.

The manufacturing of the wrapper includes: manufacturing a uncoated wrapper by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the second pulp; and manufacturing a coated wrapper by coating the uncoated wrapper.

The wrapper for a non-combustion type cigarette used in an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment has a tensile strength of <NUM> kgf/<NUM> or greater, and includes at least any one of cigar leaf powder, cigar leaf pieces, cigar leaves, and tobacco leaves.

The wrapper includes the unbleached kraft pulp.

With respect to the terms used to describe in the various embodiments, the general terms which are currently and widely used are selected in consideration of functions of structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, meanings of the terms can be changed according to intention, a judicial precedence, the appearance of a new technology, and the like.

<FIG> is a diagram of a cigarette according to an embodiment.

A cigarette <NUM> is a non-combustion type cigarette to be used in an aerosol generating device. The cigarette <NUM> includes a tobacco rod <NUM> and a filter rod <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates that the filter rod <NUM> includes a single segment. However, the filter rod <NUM> is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod <NUM> may include a plurality of segments. For example, the filter rod <NUM> may include a first segment configured to cool an aerosol and a second segment configured to filter a certain component included in the aerosol. Also, as necessity, the filter rod <NUM> may further include at least one segment configured to perform other functions.

The cigarette <NUM> may be packaged by at least one wrapper <NUM>. The wrapper <NUM> may have at least one hole through which external air may be introduced or internal air may be discharged. For example, the cigarette <NUM> may be packaged by the wrapper <NUM>. As another example, the cigarette <NUM> may be doubly packaged by two or more wrappers <NUM>. For example, the tobacco rod <NUM> may be packaged by a first wrapper, and the filter rod <NUM> may be packaged by a second wrapper. Also, the tobacco rod <NUM> and the filter rod <NUM>, which are respectively packaged by separate wrappers, may be coupled to each other, and the cigarette <NUM> may be packaged by a third wrapper. When each of the tobacco rod <NUM> and the filter rod <NUM> includes a plurality of segments, each segment may be packaged by a separate wrapper. Also, the cigarette <NUM> including the plurality of segments, which are respectively packaged by the separate wrappers and which are coupled to each other, may be re-packaged by another wrapper.

The tobacco rod <NUM> may include an aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but it is not limited thereto. Also, the tobacco rod <NUM> may include a flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a moisturizer, which is injected to the tobacco rod <NUM>.

For example, the heat conductive material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil. For example, the heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod <NUM> may uniformly distribute heat transmitted to the tobacco rod <NUM>, and thus, the heat conductivity applied to the tobacco rod may be increased and taste of a tobacco may be improved. Also, the heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod <NUM> may function as a susceptor heated by an induction heater.

When the filter rod <NUM> includes a segment configured to cool the aerosol, the cooling segment may include a polymer material or a biodegradable polymer material. For example, the cooling segment may include pure polylactic acid alone, but the material for forming the cooling segment is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the cooling segment may include a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes. However, the cooling segment is not limited to the above-described example and is not limited as long as the cooling segment cools the aerosol.

Although not shown in <FIG>, the cigarette <NUM> according to an embodiment may further include a front-end filter. The front-end filter may be located on a side of the tobacco rod <NUM> which is opposite to the filter rod <NUM>. The front-end filter may prevent the tobacco rod <NUM> from being detached outwards and prevent a liquefied aerosol from flowing into the aerosol generating device from the tobacco rod <NUM>, during smoking.

<FIG> is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a wrapper according to an embodiment.

<FIG> shows a manufacturing method of a wrapper for packaging a non-combustion type cigarette used in the aerosol generating device.

In an embodiment, a wrapper may include a wrapper to be used as a last outer cover of the cigarette. On the contrary, the wrapper may also include a wrapper to be used as an inner cover of the cigarette.

In operation <NUM>, a reconstituted tobacco sheet is manufactured by mixing a tobacco material and first pulp.

In an embodiment, the reconstituted tobacco sheet may be manufactured by performing mixed refining on the tobacco material and the first pulp. In an embodiment, a drafting paper process may be used to manufacture the reconstituted tobacco sheet. For example, a drafting paper process using a fourdrinier wire may be used to manufacture the reconstituted tobacco sheet. In addition, a cylinder-type drafting paper process may be used to manufacture the reconstitute sheet.

The tobacco material includes at least one of cigar leaf powder, cigar leaf pieces, cigar leaves, and tobacco leaves.

In an embodiment, the tobacco material includes cigar leaf powder. Cigar leaves are tobacco leaves used for manufacturing a cigarette. The tobacco leaves may include flue-cured, burley, native, cigar, or orient, but is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the tobacco material may include cigar leaf pieces or cigar leaf powder. Cigar leaf pieces or cigar leaf powder may be obtained by segmenting or grinding the cigar leaf. Alternatively, the cigar leaf pieces and the cigar leaf powder may be obtained from a by-product that is generated while the tobacco leaves are processed.

First pulp includes at least one of unbleached kraft pulp (UKP) and bleached kraft pulp (BKP).

In an embodiment, the first pulp includes UKP. By using the UKP, a tensile strength of a finally produced wrapper may be improved. In addition, the finally produced wrapper is colored due to the UKP, and therefore, a cigarette with visual distinctiveness may be provided. In another embodiment, the first pulp may include the BKP.

The reconstituted tobacco sheet may be manufactured by mixing and drying the tobacco material and the first pulp. A weight ratio between the tobacco material and the first pulp may be set in consideration of a color, a pattern, a tensile strength and the like of the finally produced wrapper. For example, the reconstituted tobacco sheet may be manufactured by mixing the cigar leaf powder and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>. As another example, the reconstituted tobacco sheet may be manufactured by mixing the cigar leaf powder and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>.

Table <NUM> shows a result of analyzing the quality of the cigar leaf powder, Table <NUM> shows a result of analyzing the quality of the reconstituted tobacco sheet, and Table <NUM> shows decrease ratios of components in Table <NUM> compared to components in Table <NUM>.

Referring to Tables <NUM> through <NUM>, in the cigar leaf powder, a hot water soluble (HWS) occupies an average of about <NUM> wt%, and nicotine occupies an average of about <NUM> wt%. Therefore, when the cigar leaf powder is directly used in a process of manufacturing the wrapper, biological wastewater treatment is substantially unavailable. Here, the biological wastewater treatment is an operation of continuously culturing a mixed group of microorganisms under the existence of dissolved oxygen by using various organisms included in wastewater as a medium, and removing the organisms by actions such as condensation, absorption, oxidation, degradation, and precipitation. Active sludge, which is a culture body including a mixed group of heterogeneous solid group microorganisms such as bacteriomycota, protozoa, and metazoa, may be used for the biological wastewater treatment. On the other hand, in the reconstituted tobacco sheet, HWS occupies an average of <NUM> wt% and nicotine occupies an average of <NUM> wt%. When the reconstituted tobacco sheet is manufactured, compared to the cigar leaf powder, HWS decreases by <NUM> %, and nicotine decreases by <NUM> %. Therefore, by manufacturing the wrapper after manufacturing the reconstituted tobacco sheet according to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the biological wastewater treatment may be performed on pollutants in a process of manufacturing the wrapper. In operation S22, the wrapper is manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the second pulp.

In an embodiment, a drafting paper process may be used to manufacture the wrapper.

The second pulp may include at least any one of the BKP and UKP.

For example, the wrapper may be manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP. When the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes the tobacco material and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM> and the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP are mixed in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>, a wrapper including <NUM> % of the tobacco material, <NUM> % of the UKP, and <NUM> % of the BKP may be manufactured.

<FIG> shows wrappers manufactured in a manufacturing method according to an embodiment.

The wrappers shown in <FIG> are wrappers manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the second pulp in different ratios. In detail, a first wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; a second wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; a third wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; a fourth wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the UKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; a fifth wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the UKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; and a sixth wrapper was manufactured by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the UKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>.

The fourth through sixth wrappers have colors different from those of the first through third wrappers due to UKP. The first through third wrappers respectively have different patterns due to mixing ratios of the reconstituted tobacco sheets. Also, the fourth through sixth wrappers respectively have different patterns due to mixing ratios of the reconstituted tobacco sheets.

According to <FIG>, it may be seen that wrappers having various colors and patterns may be manufactured according to the mixing ratios of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the second pulp. When the UKP is used as the second pulp, brownish wrappers may be manufactured, and as a ratio of the reconstituted tobacco sheet increases, a pattern due to the reconstituted tobacco sheet becomes finer. Accordingly, a weight ratio between the tobacco material and the second pulp may be set in consideration of the color, the pattern, and the like of the finally produced wrapper.

Table <NUM> is a table indicating physical properties of the wrappers shown in <FIG>.

From Table <NUM>, it may be seen that the physical properties of the wrappers may be adjusted by adjusting the mixing ratios between the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the second pulp. Accordingly, the weight ratio between the tobacco material and the second pulp may be set in consideration of the physical properties of the finally produced wrapper.

<FIG> shows cigarettes packaged by wrappers manufactured in a manufacturing method according to an embodiment. <FIG> shows cigarettes packaged by wrappers having patterns. By packaging the cigarette by the wrapper manufactured in a manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a cigarette with visual distinctiveness compared to the existing cigarettes used in aerosol generating devices.

Table <NUM> shows physical properties of the wrappers according to an embodiment.

Table <NUM> shows differences in physical properties between the following: an uncoated wrapper that is manufactured by mixing a reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>, wherein the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes the tobacco material and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; and a coated wrapper that is manufactured by coating the uncoated wrapper with <NUM> wt% of polyvinyl acetate (PVA). Referring to Table <NUM>, a tensile strength of the uncoated wrapper is <NUM> kgf/<NUM> in a machine direction (MD) and <NUM> kgf/<NUM> in a cross direction (CD). A tensile strength of the coated wrapper is <NUM> kgf/<NUM> in MD and <NUM> kgf/<NUM> in CD. Therefore, it may be seen that a wrapper having a tensile strength of <NUM> kgf/<NUM> or greater may be manufactured. As the tensile strength of the wrapper is <NUM> kgf/<NUM> or greater, breaking of the wrapper during a manufacturing process of the wrapper may be prevented. Therefore, splicing (a connection process in automatic replacement of the wrapper) may be used in processes of manufacturing a coated wrapper and an uncoated wrapper. Furthermore, as a tensile strength of the coated wrapper is <NUM> kgf/<NUM> or greater, splicing may be smoothly performed. Although Table <NUM> shows that PVA used as a coating material, in other embodiments, other coating materials such as gum and starch may be used. In addition, although <NUM> wt% of PVA is used as a coating material in Table <NUM>, the weight of PVA may be different in other embodiments.

Table <NUM> shows a result of thermal degradation analysis obtained from samples.

The samples include: an uncoated wrapper generated by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>, wherein the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes the tobacco material and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; a coated wrapper that is manufactured by coating the uncoated wrapper with <NUM> wt% of PVA; and PVA. Referring to Table <NUM>, it may be seen, as no component is detected from the samples, it is safe to use a cigarette packaged by a PVA-coated wrapper in the aerosol generating device. Table <NUM> shows an analysis result of smoke components obtained from the samples.

The samples include: a cigarette packaged by an existing wrapper that is manufactured in an existing method; a cigarette packaged by an uncoated wrapper that is formed by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the BKP in a ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>, wherein the reconstituted tobacco sheet includes the tobacco material and the UKP in a weight ratio of <NUM>: <NUM>; and a cigarette packaged by the coated wrapper that is manufactured by coating the uncoated wrapper with <NUM> wt% of PVA. Referring to Table <NUM>, smoke components of the cigarette packaged by the uncoated wrapper and the cigarette packaged by the coated wrapper are similar to the smoke components of the cigarette packaged by the existing wrapper. Accordingly, it may be seen that smoke components at a level that is the same as the cigarette packaged by the existing wrapper may be obtained from the cigarette packaged by the wrapper that is manufactured in the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment. Table <NUM> shows a result of sensory evaluation on the samples.

Claim 1:
A method of manufacturing a wrapper (<NUM>) for a non-combustion-type cigarette (<NUM>) used in an aerosol generating device, the method comprising:
manufacturing a reconstituted tobacco sheet by mixing and drying a tobacco material and first pulp; and
manufacturing a wrapper by mixing the reconstituted tobacco sheet and second pulp.