An Aerosol Generating Article and Method of Manufacturing the Same, and an Aerosol Generating System

Abstract

An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device includes a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate, at least one channel-forming strip extending along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate, and a wrapping member surrounding the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one channel-forming strip. The aerosol generating substrate includes an aerosol generating material that generates an aerosol when heated by the aerosol generating device. The at least one channel-forming strip comprises a meltable material which is configured to melt to form an airflow channel when heated by the aerosol generating device. The meltable material does not include any active agents capable of releasing volatile components into the generated aerosol when the meltable material is heated by the aerosol generating device, and may include a non-toxic material such as wax.

1 . An aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating article comprising:
 a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate comprising an aerosol generating material for generating an aerosol when heated by the aerosol generating device;   at least one channel-forming strip extending along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate; and   a wrapping member surrounding the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one channel-forming strip;   wherein the at least one channel-forming strip comprises a meltable material configured to melt to form an airflow channel when heated by the aerosol generating device and wherein the meltable material does not comprise any active agents capable of releasing volatile components into the generated aerosol when the meltable material is heated by the aerosol generating device.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating article includes a distal end, a mouth end, a longitudinal axis extending between the mouth end and the distal end, and the at least one channel-forming strip extends in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel-forming strip is positioned in a groove formed in a surface of the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 3 , wherein the groove comprises a plurality of grooves arranged side by side to form a fluted surface and one of the at least one channel-forming strip is positioned in each of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel-forming strip is positioned in a passage formed internally within the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the aerosol generating substrate comprises a plurality of aerosol generating strips extending in a first direction and arranged intermittently in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   the at least one channel-forming strip comprises a plurality of channel-forming strips and one of said channel-forming strips is positioned between each pair of intermittently arranged aerosol generating strips.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate has 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. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 , further comprising 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 substrate and the at least one channel-forming strip. 
     
     
         9 . 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. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating article according to  claim 9 , wherein the wrapping member comprises an anti-stick coating on the outer surface. 
     
     
         11 . An aerosol generating system comprising:
 an aerosol generating article according to  claim 1 ; and   an aerosol generating device adapted to receive the aerosol generating article, the aerosol generating device comprising a heating element configured to heat the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one channel-forming strip, wherein the heating element is configured to be controlled during use to heat the at least one channel-forming strip to a temperature at or above a threshold temperature to melt the at least one channel-forming strip and thereby form an airflow channel.   
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing an aerosol generating article for use with an aerosol generating device, the method comprising:
 providing a substantially planar aerosol generating substrate comprising an aerosol generating material for generating an aerosol when heated by the aerosol generating device;   providing at least one channel-forming strip to extend along the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate; and   wrapping the substantially planar aerosol generating substrate and the at least one channel-forming strip with a wrapping member;   wherein the at least one channel-forming strip comprises a meltable material configured to melt to form an airflow channel when heated by the aerosol generating device and wherein the meltable material does not comprise any active agents capable of releasing volatile components into the generated aerosol when the meltable material is heated by the aerosol generating device.