Tobacco constituent releasing components, methods of making the components and articles comprising the components

Abstract

Tobacco constituent releasing components comprising an agglomerated structure formed from a precursor composition comprising tobacco particles and one or more aerosol forming agents, processes for preparing tobacco constituent releasing components, and various tobacco industry products including the tobacco constituent releasing components.

1 . A tobacco constituent releasing component comprising:
 an agglomerated structure formed from a precursor composition comprising tobacco particles and optionally one or more aerosol forming agents;   wherein the tobacco particles comprising one or more tobacco constituents; and   wherein the release of the one or more tobacco constituents upon heating the component without combustion being controlled by adjusting one or more of: (i) a ratio of the surface area to volume of the component, and (ii) an amount of the optional one or more aerosol forming agents included.   
     
     
         2 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more aerosol forming agents is included in an amount of from about 3% to about 30% by weight of the component. 
     
     
         3 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more aerosol forming agents is included in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the component, wherein the tobacco constituent releasing component having one or more undulating or irregular surfaces and/or channels within the component, and wherein the tobacco within the component does not have a basic pH. 
     
     
         4 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more inner channels extending through the component. 
     
     
         5 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component has a cross-sectional shape of a spoked wheel or a star. 
     
     
         6 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the agglomerated structure is formed by extrusion. 
     
     
         7 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more aerosol forming agents is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol and glyceryl triacetate. 
     
     
         8 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component is impregnated with the one or more aerosol forming agents, and/or the tobacco particles are impregnated with the one or more aerosol forming agents. 
     
     
         9 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising at least 50% by weight tobacco particles. 
     
     
         10 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising at least 80% by weight a combination of tobacco particles and one or more aerosol forming agents. 
     
     
         11 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco particles have an average diameter no greater than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component having a generally rod-shaped external form. 
     
     
         13 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component having a diameter of from about 4 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         14 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component having a length of from about 5 mm to about 80 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component does not have a basic pH and/or the precursor composition does not have a basic pH. 
     
     
         16 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the precursor composition does not include a basic pH adjusting agent. 
     
     
         17 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more binders selected from the group consisting of starches, polysaccharides, pectins, celluloses, cellulose derivatives, carboxymethylcellulose, and alginates. 
     
     
         18 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the component does not comprise a binder to assist agglomeration of the tobacco particles. 
     
     
         19 . A tobacco constituent releasing component as claimed in  claim 1 , the tobacco constituent releasing component further comprising one or more flavor-modifying additives. 
     
     
         20 . A process for preparing a tobacco constituent releasing component, comprising:
 forming an agglomerated structure from a precursor composition comprising tobacco particles and optionally at least one aerosol forming agent, wherein the tobacco particles comprising one or more tobacco constituents;   wherein a desired release of the one or more tobacco constituents is provided upon heating the component without combustion by adjusting one or more of: (i) a ratio of the surface area to volume of the component, and (ii) an amount of the optional at least one aerosol forming agent included.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A process as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the precursor composition is extruded to form the agglomerated structure, wherein the precursor composition comprises at least 10% by weight of the at least one aerosol forming agent, wherein the extruded tobacco constituent releasing component having one or more undulating or irregular surfaces and/or channels within the component, and wherein the process does not include adjusting the pH of the tobacco within the component to a basic pH. 
     
     
         23 . A process as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the precursor composition is extruded to form the agglomerated structure. 
     
     
         24 . A process as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the precursor composition is extruded through a die to provide one or more inner channels extending through the component. 
     
     
         25 . A process as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the precursor composition is extruded through a die to provide the component with a cross-sectional shape of a spoked wheel or a star. 
     
     
         26 . A process as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the precursor composition is heated to a temperature of from about 40° C. to about 120° C. 
     
     
         27 . A process as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the precursor composition is cooled during or after extrusion by exposure to a surface having a temperature of from about 5° C. to about 15° C. 
     
     
         28 . A process as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the pH of the component and/or of the precursor composition is not adjusted to a basic pH. 
     
     
         29 . A process as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the precursor composition does not include a basic pH adjusting agent. 
     
     
         30 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A filter or filter element for a combustible smoking article comprising a tobacco constituent releasing component of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco constituent releasing component delivering flavor to mainstream smoke upon use of the smoking article, and wherein the pH of the component and/or of the precursor composition is not adjusted to a basic pH. 
     
     
         38 - 42 . (canceled)