An improved process for preparing smoking products of the type to be heated and not burnt

Abstract

An improved process is provided for the preparation of smoking products of the type to be heated and not burnt, in particular cigarette-shaped. The method includes adding propylene glycol to an already cut material, based on tobacco and/or cannabis in percent not less than 6% by weight on anhydrous basis of the cut material.

1 . A process for the preparation of cigarette-shaped smoking products of the type to be heated and not burnt, the process comprising:
 adding propylene glycol to an already cut material, based on tobacco and/or cannabis in percent not less than 6% by weight on anhydrous basis of the cut material.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein propylene glycol is added to the material already cut, based on tobacco and/or cannabis, in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut material. 
     
     
         3 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding glycerol to said cut material, based on tobacco and/or cannabis. 
     
     
         8 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the propylene glycol is applied directly and only to tobacco already cut. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said tobacco material to be cut and/or already cut does not contain any binder and is not added or combined with any binder. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein as a substance/agent for the formation of an aerosol, only and exclusively propylene glycol is added to said already cut material in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut material, 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein as a substance/agent for the formation of an aerosol, the following are added to said material already cut:
 propylene glycol in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut material, and likewise   glycerol in a percentage, defined by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut material, which is lower than that of propylene glycol.   
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing tobacco leaves of at least one type,   humidifying, by wetting with/in water, the tobacco leaves previously mixed,   mixing, mechanically, the provided tobacco leaves   cutting the moistened tobacco leaves are cut to obtain cut tobacco,   adding, to the so obtained cut tobacco, propylene glycol in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut tobacco.   
     
     
         16 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising a phase in which the cut tobacco is dried and a step in which the cut and dried tobacco is packaged with a coating/packaging material, so as to obtain a solid smoke product of the type to be heated and not smoked. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein propylene glycol is added to the cut tobacco and/or cannabis in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut material, immediately after cutting. 
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein propylene glycol is added to the cut tobacco and/or cannabis in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut tobacco, immediately before and/or during and/or immediately after drying the cut tobacco. 
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein propylene glycol is added to the cut tobacco and/or cannabis in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut tobacco, immediately before, during, or immediately after said step of packaging said cut tobacco to form a solid smoke product of the type to be heated and not burned. 
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein propylene glycol is added to the cut tobacco and/or cannabis in a percentage equal to about 6-30% by weight on an anhydrous basis of the cut tobacco, immediately before and/or during and/or immediately after the packaging step of a plurality of smoke products, of the type to be heated and not burned and obtained by packaging said cut tobacco. 
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said cut material, based on tobacco and/or cannabis, is of the type used for the production of smoke products in which the cut material is intended to be burned. 
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of: the propylene glycol, the glycerol or other additives are added, in a liquid state, in at least one of the following steps:
 immediately after the cutting phase of a mixture of tobacco and/or cannabis, and/or   after a drying phase and/or after a perfuming phase of the cut material, and/or   during the packaging phase of the cigarette containing the cut material, and/or   after the step of packaging the cigarette containing the cut material, and/or   during the packing phase of the cigarettes containing the cut material.   
     
     
         26 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising introducing capsules into the product to smoke during packaging, in correspondence with the cut tobacco-based material and/or cannabis, the capsules containing, in the liquid state, propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives, said capsules being intended to be opened and/or broken following being compressed to thus impregnate the cut material of said cigarette with the propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives. 
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein to add propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives to the product already cut, at least once the following steps are performed:
 depositing said material already cut on at least one conveyor belt,   spraying one or more liquid substances containing propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives onto the material deposited on the conveyor belt.   
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 34 , wherein:
 said substance or substances in the liquid state which are sprayed onto the material deposited on the conveyor belt also contain water, and   at the end of the spraying phase, the material thus obtained is subjected to a drying step.   
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein to add a liquid containing propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives during and/or after the packaging step of the smoke product containing the cut tobacco material, a liquid dispensing apparatus is used which comprises a plurality of application means ( 4 ,  11 ) for applying said liquid and which is configured so as to bring each of said application means ( 4 ,  11 ) into a position in which is axially facing a smoke product ( 7 ,  14 ) positioned in a drum ( 5 ,  13 ) of a packaging machine, so as to allow said application means ( 4 ,  11 ) to apply said liquid on the contained cut material in the facing smoke product. 
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein to add a liquid containing propylene glycol and/or glycerol and/or other additives during and/or after the packaging step of a plurality of smoke products containing the cut material, a liquid dosing equipment is used which comprises a plurality of application means ( 4 ,  11 ) for the application of said liquid and which is configured so as to bring each of said application means ( 4 ,  11 ) into a position in which it is axially facing a smoke product ( 7 ,  14 ) positioned in a drum ( 5 ,  13 ) of a cigarette packing machine, so as to allow said application means ( 4 ,  11 ) to apply said liquid on the cut material contained in the facing smoke product. 
     
     
         38 .- 46 . (canceled)