An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device

Abstract

An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device including a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user; an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment, and a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and being located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows towards the mouth end segment. The tubular cooling segment includes a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment and the ventilation region is configured such that a swirling flow is generated by air entering the tubular cooling segment through the ventilation region.

1 . An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising:
 a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user;   an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment;   a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and being located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows towards the mouth end segment;   wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region being configured such that a swirling flow is generated by air entering the tubular cooling segment through the ventilation region.   
     
     
         2 . An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising:
 a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user;   an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment;   a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and being located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows towards the mouth end segment;   wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region being configured such that the air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment through the ventilation region at an angle other than perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment.   
     
     
         3 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a hole in the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         4 . An article according to  claim 3 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of holes spaced from each other around the circumference of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         5 . An article according to  claim 4 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of rows of holes, each row being spaced from its adjacent row in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         6 . An article according to  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of rows of holes are configured to generate opposing swirling flows within the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         7 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular cooling segment has an inner surface and the at least one hole extends into the tubular cooling segment at a tangent to said inner surface. 
     
     
         8 . An article according to  claim 3 , wherein the tubular cooling segment has an inner surface and the at least one hole extends into the tubular cooling segment in a direction which is parallel to, and offset from, a tangent to said inner surface and to a line intersecting the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment that is parallel to said tangent. 
     
     
         9 . An article according to  claim 3 , when dependent on  claim 2 , wherein the at least one hole is configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in a direction opposite to the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         10 . An article according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one hole is configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in the same direction as the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         11 . An article according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one hole tapers in a direction into the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         12 . An article according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one hole is at least one slot. 
     
     
         13 . An article according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         14 . An article according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         15 . An article according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction that is angled between a position where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment, and where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         16 . An article according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular cooling segment is formed from fibrous material. 
     
     
         17 . An article according to  claim 16 , wherein the fibrous material is filamentary tow. 
     
     
         18 . An article according to  claim 17 , wherein the filamentary tow is cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         19 . An article according to  claim 16 , wherein the fibrous material comprises paper. 
     
     
         20 . An article according to  claim 1 , comprising a filter segment located between the tubular cooling segment and the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         21 . An article according to  claim 20 , wherein the filter segment comprises a filamentary tow, such as cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         22 . An article according to  claim 20 , comprising an elongated filter segment instead of the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         23 . An article for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device, the article comprising:
 a mouth end segment to be received in the mouth of a user;   an aerosol-generating material configured to generate an aerosol when the article is received in the device and a user draws on the mouth end segment;   a tubular cooling segment having a longitudinal axis and located between the aerosol-generating material and the mouth end segment through which the aerosol flows before passing through the mouth end segment;   wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises a ventilation region through which air is drawn into the tubular cooling segment, the ventilation region comprising at least one slot in the tubular cooling segment.   
     
     
         24 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot extends through the tubular cooling segment perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         25 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of ventilation slots equally spaced from each other around the circumference of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         26 . An article according to  claim 24 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of rows of slots, each row being spaced from its adjacent row in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         27 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         28 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         29 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot has a major dimension that extends in a direction that is angled between a position where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment, and where the major dimension of the at least one slot extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         30 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot is configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in a direction opposite to the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         31 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot is configured such that the air entering the tubular cooling segment flows in the same direction as the flow of aerosol from the aerosol generating material towards the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         32 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a flap. 
     
     
         33 . An article according to  claim 32 , wherein the flap extends at an angle into the tubular cooling segment and is configured to deflect the flow of aerosol through the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         34 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one slot is configured such that a swirling flow is generated within the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         35 . An article according to  claim 34 , wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of rows of slots, each row being spaced from its adjacent row in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment, wherein the plurality of rows of slots are configured to generate opposing swirling flows within the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         36 . An article according to  claim 34 , wherein the tubular cooling segment has an inner surface and the at least one slot extends into the tubular cooling segment at a tangent to said inner surface. 
     
     
         37 . An article according to  claim 34 , wherein the tubular cooling segment has an inner surface and the at least one slot extends into the tubular cooling segment along a line which is parallel to, and offset from, a tangent to said inner surface and a line intersecting the longitudinal axis of the tubular cooling segment that is parallel to said tangent. 
     
     
         38 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein the tubular cooling segment is formed from fibrous material. 
     
     
         39 . An article according to  claim 38 , wherein the fibrous material is filamentary tow. 
     
     
         40 . An article according to  claim 39 , wherein the filamentary tow is cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         41 . An article according to  claim 38 , wherein the fibrous material comprises paper. 
     
     
         42 . An article according to  claim 38 , wherein the tubular cooling segment comprises an inner surface and the at least one slot extends partially through the tubular cooling segment towards the inner surface. 
     
     
         43 . An article according to  claim 42 , wherein the at least one slot stops short of the inner surface by a distance of between 0.1 and 1 mm. 
     
     
         44 . An article according to  claim 23 , comprising a filter segment located between the tubular cooling segment and the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         45 . An article according to  claim 44 , wherein the filter segment comprises a filamentary tow, such as cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         46 . An article according to  claim 44 , comprising an elongated filter segment instead of the mouth end segment. 
     
     
         47 . A filter assembly for attachment to a rod of aerosol-generating material to form an article according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         48 . A system comprising a non-combustible aerosol provision device and an article according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         49 . A method of manufacturing an article according to  claim 1 , including configuring the ventilation region such that, when a user draws on the mouth end segment, a swirling flow is generated in the tubular cooling segment. 
     
     
         50 . A method of manufacturing an article according to  claim 23 .