An Aerosol Generating Article and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device comprises: an aerosol generating substrate comprising a plurality of aerosol generating strips extending in a first direction and arranged intermittently in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of elongate support elements extending in the first direction along the plurality of aerosol generating strips and arranged alternately in the second direction with the plurality of aerosol generating strips; and a wrapping member surrounding the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the plurality of elongate support elements to form a substantially planar aerosol generating article. A method of manufacturing the aerosol generating article is also described.

1 . An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating article comprising:
 an aerosol generating substrate comprising a plurality of aerosol generating strips extending in a first direction and arranged intermittently in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   a plurality of elongate support elements extending in the first direction along the plurality of aerosol generating strips and arranged alternately in the second direction with the plurality of aerosol generating strips; and   a wrapping member surrounding the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the plurality of elongate support elements to form the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating article has a substantially planar shape.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate support elements are longer than the aerosol generating strips and extend beyond an end of the aerosol generating strips to form a mouth-end portion of the aerosol generating article. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrapping member forms a pair of major surfaces having a substantially flat shape, at least one of the major surfaces is spaced from the aerosol generating strips to form a gap between the major surface and the aerosol generating strips, and the gap extends in the first direction along the aerosol generating strips to form an airflow channel. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the pair of major surfaces contacts the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the plurality of elongate support elements. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the plurality of elongate support elements form a flat rectangular shape having a pair of main surfaces and the wrapping member comprises a pair of rectangular sheets attached, respectively, to the pair of main surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating article comprises a support member forming a mouth-end portion of the article, and the support member has a tubular form to receive a downstream end of the aerosol generating strips and the elongate support elements. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrapping member has a porous inner surface facing towards the aerosol generating substrate for absorbing condensation and an anti-stick outer surface facing away from the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 7 , wherein the wrapping member comprises an anti-stick coating on the outer surface. 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing an aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of aerosol generating strips extending in a first direction and arranging the plurality of aerosol generating strips intermittently in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   providing a plurality of elongate support elements extending in the first direction along the plurality of aerosol generating strips and arranging the plurality of elongate support elements alternately in the second direction with the plurality of aerosol generating strips; and   wrapping the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the plurality of elongate support elements with a wrapping member to form the aerosol generating article such that the aerosol generating article has a substantially planar shape.