Aerosol-Generating Article Embedded Aversive Agent

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate and adapted to produce an inhalable aerosol upon heating. In particular, the present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising an aversive agent.

Aerosol-generating articles in which an aerosol-generating substrate, such as a tobacco-containing substrate, is heated rather than combusted, are known in the art. Typically, in such heated smoking articles an aerosol is generated by the transfer of heat from a heat source to a physically separate aerosol-generating substrate or material, which may be located in contact with, within, around, or downstream of the heat source. During use of the aerosol-generating article, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-generating substrate by heat transfer from the heat source and are entrained in air drawn through the aerosol-generating article. As the released compounds cool, they condense to form an aerosol.

A number of prior art documents disclose aerosol-generating devices for consuming aerosol-generating articles. Such devices include, for example, electrically heated aerosol-generating devices in which an aerosol is generated by the transfer of heat from one or more electrical heater elements of the aerosol-generating device to the aerosol-generating substrate of a heated aerosol-generating article. For example, electrically heated aerosol-generating devices have been proposed that comprise an internal heater blade which is adapted to be inserted into the aerosol-generating substrate. As an alternative, inductively heatable aerosol-generating articles comprising an aerosol-generating substrate and a susceptor arranged within the aerosol-generating substrate have been proposed by WO 2015/176898.

A need is generally felt to deter and prevent dangerous behaviours, such as for example accidental ingestion of objects, including aerosol-generating articles and their components, particularly by children. Risks associated with one such behaviour may be increased for an aerosol-generating article comprising hard parts, as may be the case of a susceptor element embedded within the aerosol-generating substrate.

Use of compounds having an unpleasant, for example bitter, taste as aversive agents is known. By way of example, denatonium benzoate has been proposed as a deterrent to the accidental ingestion of toxic substances, such as liquid detergents, by children. For use in that context, denatonium benzoate has been chosen among other candidate compounds based on its existing uses in alcohol as a denaturant and in thumb-sucking and nail-biting deterrent products.

It has also been proposed to exploit the unpleasant, bitter flavour associated with certain aversive agents to encourage consumers to quit smoking. For example, WO 2019/056029 A1 discloses a smoking cessation attachment which may be fitted onto a circumferential surface of a cigarette and brought into contact with a consumer's lips during use of the cigarette. The attachment contains a bitter substance, which may be absorbed through the consumer's lips or oral mucosa or both. This causes a change in taste during the normal use of the cigarette.

The smoke cessation attachment disclosed by WO 2019/056029 A1 aims at making the intended use of a cigarette highly unpleasant for the consumer. In contrast to that, in the context of the present disclosure a need is felt to deter and prevent incorrect uses of an aerosol-generating article (such as, for example, ingesting or chewing on the aerosol-generating article), whilst at the same time aiming to ensure that the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article is substantially unaffected.

In practice, the technical solution disclosed by WO 2019/056029 A1 effectively relies on direct contact between the attachment and the consumer's lips to intentionally deliver to the consumer the bitter substance during normal use of the cigarette and trigger an unpleasant sensorial response. In diametrically opposite fashion, in the present context it is desirable that contact between the aerosol-generating article and the consumer's lips and oral mucosa during normal use of the aerosol-generating article is not associated with any kind of strong, unpleasant taste response, which certain compounds used as aversive agents may elicit even at high dilutions.

An additional challenge is represented by the fact that the consumer's fingers may become contaminated by an aversive agent when handling the aerosol-generating article, which is also undesirable, as it may subsequently cause an unpleasant sensorial experience. Therefore, in the present context a need is felt to ensure that contact between the consumer's fingers and the aerosol-generating article during the normal handling and use of the aerosol-generating article does not result in transfer of the aversive agent onto the consumer's fingers.

Further, it must be borne in mind that an aversive agent may have a less than desirable impact on the quality of the aerosol delivered to the consumer, particularly if even trace amounts of the aversive agent may be volatilised into the aerosol upon heating the aerosol-generating substrate and be thus delivered to the consumer.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a new and improved aerosol-generating article adapted to deter ingestion of the aerosol-generating article or of components of the aerosol-generating article while at the same time generally limiting or preventing at least one of the undesirable effects referred to above.

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol-generating article, particularly for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating.

The aerosol-generating article may comprise an aerosol-generating substrate.

The aerosol-generating article may comprise a downstream section extending from a downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article.

The aerosol-generating article may comprise an airflow pathway through which air may enter the aerosol-generating article, pass through the aerosol-generating substrate, and exit the aerosol-generating article. For example, air may exit the aerosol-generating article through a downstream section of the aerosol-generating article, if one such downstream section is present. The aerosol-generating article may further comprise an aversive agent.

The aversive agent may be provided at a location within the aerosol-generating article such that direct contact between the aversive agent and the consumer's lips or oral mucosa during the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article may be substantially prevented.

The aversive agent may be provided at a location within the aerosol-generating article such that direct contact between the aversive agent and the consumer's fingers during the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article may be substantially prevented.

Further, the aversive agent may be provided at a location within the aerosol-generating article such that the aversive agent is not directly exposed to the airflow pathway, such that the aversive agent may be substantially prevented from directly entering the airflow pathway.

For example, the aerosol-generating article may comprise an upstream section extending from an upstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to an upstream end of the aerosol-generating article.

The upstream section may comprise an aversive agent.

According to the present invention, there is provided an aerosol-generating article, particularly for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating, the aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-generating article further comprises a downstream section extending from a downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article, and an upstream section extending from an upstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to an upstream end of the aerosol-generating article. The upstream section comprises an aversive agent.

In contrast to existing aerosol-generating articles, in aerosol-generating articles in accordance with the present invention an aversive agent is provided in an upstream section of the aerosol-generating article positioned upstream of the aerosol-generating substrate.

As will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of aerosol-generating articles in accordance with the present invention, by providing the aversive agent in the upstream section it is advantageously possible to substantially prevent contact between the aversive agent and the consumer's lips and oral mucosa during the normal, intended use of the aerosol-generating article. This is because the aversive agent being provided at the end of the aerosol-generating article opposite the mouth end, it is highly unlikely that the aversive agent may inadvertently come into contact with the consumer's lips or oral mucosa during normal use of the aerosol-generating article.

Additionally, by providing the aversive agent at locations within the upstream section away from an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article, contact between the consumer's fingers and the aversive agent during normal handling and use of the aerosol-generating article may desirably be excluded.

Since the aversive agent is not on an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article, migration of aversive agent to other aerosol-generating articles—such as other aerosol-generating articles provided within a same package during transportation or storage—may also advantageously be avoided.

In certain embodiments, it may be possible to exclude direct exposure of the aversive agent to the flow of aerosol being generated, and in certain preferred embodiments it may be possible to prevent even trace amounts of the aversive agent from being released into the aerosol.

This is because the aversive agent is not directly exposed to the mainstream airflow pathway, and because the aversive agent is not provided at a location within the aerosol-generating article to which heat should be supplied during normal use.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the present invention effectively provides an aerosol-generating article comprising: an aerosol-generating substrate, a downstream section extending from a downstream end of the aerosol-generating substrate to a downstream end of the aerosol-generating article, and an airflow pathway through which air may enter the aerosol-generating article, pass through the aerosol-generating substrate, and exit the aerosol-generating article-such as through the downstream section. The aerosol-generating article further comprises an aversive agent, the aversive agent being provided at a location within the aerosol-generating article such that the aversive agent is not directly exposed to the airflow pathway.

In the context of the present invention, the expression “not directly exposed to the airflow pathway” means that that there is at least a layer of another material separating the aversive agent at its intended location from the airflow pathway. For example, the aversive agent may be embedded in a component of the aerosol-generating article far from any surface of the component that may be directly contacted by the aerosol during use.

At the same time, by arranging the aversive agent at one end of the aerosol-generating article, and particularly in a section of the aerosol-generating article adjacent the aerosol-generating substrate, accidental ingestion of the aerosol-generating substrate can be efficiently prevented. This is because the aversive agent will be released rapidly if the upstream section is chewed upon. Such deterrent effect is particularly beneficial in those embodiments wherein a susceptor element is embedded within the aerosol-generating substrate.

Providing the aversive agent at a location within the aerosol-generating article such that the aversive agent is not directly exposed to the airflow pathway may have the desirable effect that direct release of the aversive agent into the aerosol at said location is substantially prevented. However, migration of the aversive agent from its intended location to other portions or components of the aerosol-generating article may not be entirely preventable, and so trace amounts of the aversive agent may be detected at other locations within the aerosol-generating article. Nevertheless, the inventors have found that, with aerosol-generating articles in accordance with the present invention, the aversive agent is not detected in the aerosol delivered to the consumer at the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesised that, if trace amounts of the aversive agent migrate from the intended location as far as into the aerosol-generating substrate, the heat supplied to the aerosol-generating substrate during use raises its temperature above the decomposition temperature of the aversive agent. As a result, only trace amounts of the decomposition products may actually be delivered to the consumer.

As described briefly above, the present invention provides an aerosol-generating article for generating an inhalable aerosol upon heating.

The term “aerosol-generating article” is used herein to denote an article wherein an aerosol-generating substrate is heated to produce and deliver an inhalable aerosol to a consumer. As used herein, the term “aerosol-generating substrate” denotes a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds upon heating to generate an aerosol.

A conventional cigarette is lit when a user applies a flame to one end of the cigarette and draws air through the other end. The localised heat provided by the flame and the oxygen in the air drawn through the cigarette causes the end of the cigarette to ignite, and the resulting combustion generates an inhalable smoke. By contrast, in heated aerosol generating articles, an aerosol is generated by heating a flavour generating substrate, such as tobacco, without combustion of the flavour generating substrate. Known heated aerosol generating articles include, for example, electrically heated aerosol generating articles and aerosol generating articles in which an aerosol is generated by the transfer of heat from a heat source to a physically separate aerosol forming material.

Aerosol-generating articles according to the invention find particular application in aerosol-generating systems comprising an aerosol-generating device having a heating chamber into which the aerosol-generating article is received such that heat can be supplied to the aerosol-generating substrate. This may be achieved by providing one or more heating elements arranged about the periphery of the heating chamber, the one or more heating elements being heated resistively or inductively. Alternatively, this may also be achieved by way of a resistively heated blade-shaped component of the aerosol-generating device, which is inserted into the aerosol-generating substrate when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the heating chamber.

According to yet another alternative, a susceptor element may be provided within the aerosol-generating substrate, and the aerosol-generating device may have an inductor for producing an alternating or fluctuating electromagnetic field. When the aerosol-generating article engages with the aerosol-generating device, the fluctuating electromagnetic field produced by the inductor induces a current in the susceptor element, causing the susceptor element to heat up. The electrically-operated aerosol-generating device may be capable of generating a fluctuating electromagnetic field having a magnetic field strength (H-field strength) of between 1 and 5 kilo amperes per metre (kA m), preferably between 2 and 3 kA/m, for example about 2.5 kA/m.

The aerosol-generating article may be in the form of a rod. As used herein with reference to the present invention, the term “rod” is used to denote a generally cylindrical element of substantially circular, oval or elliptical cross-section.

As used herein, the term “longitudinal” refers to the direction corresponding to the main longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article, which extends between the upstream and downstream ends of the aerosol-generating article. As used herein, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” describe the relative positions of elements, or portions of elements, of the aerosol-generating article in relation to the direction in which the aerosol is transported through the aerosol-generating article during use.

During use, air is drawn through the aerosol-generating article in the longitudinal direction. The term “transverse” refers to the direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Any reference to the “cross-section” of the aerosol-generating article or a component of the aerosol-generating article refers to the transverse cross-section unless stated otherwise.

The term “length” denotes the dimension of a component of the aerosol-generating article in the longitudinal direction. For example, it may be used to denote the dimension of the aerosol-generating substrate or of the upstream section in the longitudinal direction.

The term “aerosol former” is used herein to describe a compound which, upon volatilisation, can help convey other vaporised compounds released upon heating an aerosol-generating substrate, such as nicotine and flavourants, in an aerosol. Suitable aerosol formers for inclusion in an aerosol-generating substrate are known in the art and include, but are not limited to: polyhydric alcohols, such as triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerol; esters of polyhydric alcohols, such as glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids, such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.

The term “aversive agent” is used herein to describe a compound which may be added to a product with the intent of deterring or limiting its ingestion. The chemical properties of an aversive agent determine the types of products the aversive agent can be added to. For example, chemical stability and solubility may have an impact on the compatibility of an aversive agent with a given type of product. Examples of aversive agents include pungent agents (also referred to as irritants) and bittering agents.

The term “pungent agents” is used herein to describe a group of compounds that produce a sharp biting taste and a burning sensation when topically applied to mucosal and skin surfaces. Common pungent agents include, but are not limited to, capsaicin (red chile peppers), piperine (black pepper), allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil), resinferatoxin.

The term “bittering agents” is used herein to describe a group of chemically dissimilar compounds that have a common trait of imparting a bitter taste to substances. Compounds considered to be bittering agents include, but are not limited to, denatonium benzoate, columbin, amarogentin, quassin, absinthin, quinine hydrochloride.

The “bitterness value” of a given substance, such as a bittering agent, can be determined in accordance with a standardised procedure described in the European Pharmacopoeia (. Volume 15th edition, basic work. Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-7692-3638-6, 2.8.15 Bitterwert, p. 278). In more detail, the “bitterness value” can be determined as the reciprocal of the dilution of a compound, a liquid or an extract that still has a bitter taste. The bitterness value of a given substance is effectively determined by comparing the threshold bitter concentration of an extract of the substance with that of a dilute solution of quinine hydrochloride.

The bitterness value of quinine hydrochloride is set at 200,000. This means that 1 gram of quinine hydrochloride makes 200,000 grams of water taste bitter.

In order to assess the bitterness value of a given test compound, stock and diluted quinine hydrochloride solutions at increasing concentrations of quinine hydrochloride are prepared as reference solutions. In parallel, stock and diluted solutions of the test compound at increasing concentrations of the given compound are also prepared.

A test panel is assembled. To correct for individual differences in tasting bitterness among members of the test panel, a correction factor may be determined for each panel member based on their response to tasting the quinine hydrochloride reference solutions.

Before each tasting, a test panel member rinses their mouth with drinking water. The highest dilution still having a bitter taste is determined by taking 10 millilitres of the most diluted solution into the mouth and passing it from side to side over the back of the tongue for 30 seconds. If the solution is found not to be bitter, the test panel member spits it out and waits for one minute before rinsing their mouth again with drinking water. After 10 minutes, the next dilution in order of increasing concentration is tasted.

For each test panel member, the highest dilution at which the test compound continues to cause a bitter taste sensation after 30 seconds is taken as their individual threshold bitter concentration. The bitterness value of the test compound results from calculating an average of the individual threshold bitter concentrations of all the test panel members.