JP7573048B2 - Tobacco composition, tobacco-containing segment, non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, and non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tobacco composition, a tobacco-containing segment, a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, and a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system.

In a combustion-type flavor inhalation device (cigarette), a tobacco-containing segment having a tobacco filler containing tobacco leaves is burned to taste the flavor. As an alternative to the combustion-type flavor inhalation device, a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device has been proposed, which heats the tobacco-containing segment instead of burning it to taste the flavor. The heating temperature of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device is lower than the combustion temperature of the combustion-type flavor inhalation device, for example, about 400°C or less. Since the heating temperature of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device is thus low, in order to increase the amount of smoke, an aerosol generating agent such as glycerin is added to the tobacco filler in the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. The aerosol generating agent is vaporized by heating to generate an aerosol. The aerosol is supplied to the user together with the tobacco components, so the user can taste the flavor sufficiently.

In the tobacco-containing segment of non-combustion heating flavor inhalation devices, in order to enable the tobacco filler to contain a sufficient amount of aerosol generating agent, a tobacco filler filled with a tobacco sheet instead of tobacco leaves is usually used as the tobacco filler (e.g., Patent Document 1). A tobacco sheet is obtained by forming a tobacco-containing composition into a sheet shape, and contains fibers such as pulp as a filler for forming. The fibers can absorb the aerosol generating agent, so the tobacco sheet can hold more aerosol generating agent than tobacco leaves.

On the other hand, Patent Documents 2 to 6 disclose tobacco compositions containing tobacco leaves and tobacco sheets, primarily for use in combustion-type flavor inhalation devices.

Special Publication No. 2014-515274 Special table 2019-503659 publication Special Publication No. 2013-502232 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-184624 Special table 2018-516075 publication International Publication No. 2011/013478

As mentioned above, the tobacco filling in the tobacco-containing segment of a non-combustion heating flavor inhalation device is usually composed of only a tobacco sheet containing both tobacco components and an aerosol generating agent. Here, with regard to the expression of tobacco flavor, it is necessary to control the amount of heat to reach a temperature that takes into account the saturated vapor pressure of the flavor components. On the other hand, with regard to aerosol generation, it is necessary to control the amount of heat to reach an evaporation temperature that takes into account the specific heat (heat capacity) of the aerosol generating agent. It is believed that the amount of heat and temperature required for both the phenomenon of tobacco flavor expression and the aerosol generation are different. Therefore, when both tobacco components and an aerosol generating agent are present in a single material, it is difficult to improve both of the phenomena simultaneously.

The present invention aims to provide a tobacco composition that fully expresses tobacco flavor and is capable of generating aerosol sufficiently, a tobacco-containing segment that includes the tobacco composition, a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, and a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system.

The present invention includes the following embodiments:

The tobacco composition according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises:
a first material comprising a tobacco component;
A second material containing 25% by mass or more of an aerosol generating agent;
A tobacco composition comprising:
The content of the aerosol generating agent in the first material is less than 25% by mass,
A ratio of the mass of the second material to a total mass of the first material and the second material is 15 mass% or more;
The first material is made of tobacco leaves or a tobacco sheet and tobacco leaves,
The mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves is tobacco sheet:tobacco leaves=0-70:30-100.

The tobacco-containing segment according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises:
The tobacco composition according to the present invention is a tobacco composition having a tubular wrapper and a tobacco filling article in which the tobacco composition according to the present invention is filled within the wrapper.

The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the embodiment of the present invention is
A tobacco-containing segment according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and a heating device for heating the tobacco-containing segment.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a tobacco composition that fully expresses tobacco flavor and is capable of generating aerosol sufficiently, a tobacco-containing segment that includes the tobacco composition, a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device, and a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment, in which (a) a state before a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation instrument is inserted into a heating device, and (b) a state in which the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation instrument is inserted into the heating device and heated.

[Tobacco composition]
The tobacco composition according to the present embodiment includes a first material containing a tobacco component and a second material containing 25% by mass or more of an aerosol generating agent. Here, the content of the aerosol generating agent in the first material is less than 25% by mass. Moreover, the ratio of the mass of the second material to the total mass of the first material and the second material (hereinafter also referred to as the mass ratio of the second material) is 15% by mass or more. The tobacco composition according to the present embodiment may be composed of a first material and a second material. Moreover, the first material is composed of tobacco leaves, or a tobacco sheet and tobacco leaves, and the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves is tobacco sheet:tobacco leaves=0-70:30-100.

The inventors have found that by blending and using two kinds of materials specialized for the expression of the tobacco flavor and the aerosol generation phenomena, each material uses only the required amount of heat when heated, and both phenomena can occur simultaneously. That is, the first material contains tobacco components and has an aerosol generating agent content of less than 25% by mass, which is a material specialized for the expression of tobacco flavor, and has a low specific heat (heat capacity) and can easily reach the evaporation temperature of the flavor components by heating. On the other hand, the second material contains 25% or more by mass, which is a material specialized for aerosol generation, and has a high specific heat (heat capacity) but can vaporize the aerosol generating agent by heating without inhibiting the vaporization of the flavor components of the first material. Therefore, the tobacco composition according to this embodiment, which contains the first material and the second material, can generate a sufficient aerosol while fully expressing the tobacco flavor by heating. In addition, a sufficient amount of aerosol is ensured by the mass ratio of the second material being 15% or more by mass. The tobacco composition according to this embodiment is particularly useful as a tobacco composition for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device.

The content of the aerosol generating agent contained in the tobacco composition according to this embodiment is preferably 10 to 40% by mass. When the content is 10% by mass or more, more aerosol can be generated. Furthermore, when the content is 40% by mass or less, more tobacco flavor can be expressed. The content is more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 20% by mass. Examples of aerosol generating agents include glycerin, propylene glycol, and 1,3-butanediol. These aerosol generating agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[First material]
The first material contains a tobacco component. Examples of the tobacco component include nicotine, cembratrienediol (CBT), 3-oxoionol, megastigmatrienone, and the like. These components are volatile flavor components and contribute to the expression of tobacco flavor. The first material may contain one or more of these tobacco components. Regarding the content of the tobacco component in the first material, when the first material contains CBT as a tobacco component, the content of CBT contained in the first material is preferably 0.01% by mass or more. By the content being 0.01% by mass or more, the tobacco flavor is more expressed. The content is more preferably 0.01 to 0.80% by mass, and even more preferably 0.01 to 0.50% by mass. The content of CBT contained in the first material is measured by the following method. 5 g of the first material is weighed out into a 100 ml screw tube, 50 ml of ethyl acetate is added, mixed thoroughly, and then left to stand at room temperature for a day and night. The mixed liquid is filtered using filter paper, and a small amount of anhydrous sodium sulfate is added to the filtrate (extract) to dehydrate it, and then filtered again using filter paper, and the ethyl acetate in the liquid after dehydration is removed under reduced pressure. Ethyl acetate is added to the obtained dried product to dissolve it, and the solution is subjected to GC/MS analysis.

The first material may contain an aerosol generating agent, but the content of the aerosol generating agent contained in the first material is less than 25% by mass. By having the content of less than 25% by mass, the vaporization of the flavor component is not inhibited and the tobacco flavor is expressed. The content is preferably 22% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0% by mass, i.e., the first material does not contain an aerosol generating agent.

The first material is made of tobacco leaves, or tobacco sheets and tobacco leaves. That is, the first material may be made of only tobacco leaves, or may be made of tobacco sheets and tobacco leaves. The mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves is tobacco sheet:tobacco leaves = 0-70:30-100. By making the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet 70% by mass or less (the mass ratio of the tobacco leaves 30% by mass or more), the tobacco flavor is more strongly expressed. The mass ratio is preferably 0-50:50-100, and more preferably 0-30:70-100. Note that, when an aerosol generating agent or other component is added to the tobacco leaves, the mass of the tobacco leaves is the mass including the component.

The tobacco sheet may contain tobacco components and reinforcing materials. Examples of reinforcing materials include fibers such as pulp, binders, and the like. The tobacco sheet may contain an aerosol generating agent, and the content of the aerosol generating agent contained in the tobacco sheet is preferably 15% by mass or less. By having the content of 15% by mass or less, the vaporization of flavor components is not inhibited, and the flavor of the tobacco is more fully expressed. The content is more preferably 10% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 3% by mass or less.

Although the leaf tobacco may contain an aerosol generating agent, the content of the aerosol generating agent contained in the leaf tobacco is preferably 10% by mass or less. By having the content of 10% by mass or less, the vaporization of flavor components is not inhibited, and the flavor of the tobacco is more fully expressed. The content is more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less. The content of the aerosol generating agent in the first material (tobacco sheet, leaf tobacco), second material, and tobacco composition is measured by the following method. 0.2 g of the measurement sample is weighed out into a 30 ml screw tube, 20 ml of isopropanol is added, and the mixture is shaken and mixed at room temperature for a day and night. The mixture is filtered using filter paper to obtain the filtrate, and the solution is then subjected to GC analysis.

(Composition of tobacco leaves)
<Definition>
In this specification, "leaf tobacco" includes harvested tobacco leaves, harvested tobacco leaves that have been deboned and separated to produce lamina and midribs, aged leaf tobacco that has been aged (including curing), and shredded aged leaf tobacco, etc., into a predetermined size. In another embodiment, undried leaves immediately after harvest, tobacco stems, roots, etc. can also be added as raw materials and are preferably used.

<Tobacco varieties>
Various tobacco varieties can be used. Representative examples include flue-cured, burley, orient, native, other Nicotiana tabacum varieties, and Nicotiana rustica varieties. These Nicotiana varieties can be used alone, but can also be blended in the process from the harvesting of tobacco leaves to the shredding of aged tobacco leaves to obtain the desired flavor. Details of the tobacco varieties are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009."

<Tobacco variety blends>
As mentioned above, blending of tobacco varieties can be carried out in the process from the harvesting of tobacco leaves to the processing of aged tobacco leaves into tobacco shreds. Generally, a "blend" refers to a mixture of tobacco belonging to the same or different varieties, but in this specification, the combination of different aged tobacco leaves or different tobacco shreds is also referred to as a "blend." Blending tobacco of the same variety but with different grades is also specifically referred to as a "cross blend."

Within each tobacco variety, the leaves are graded according to characteristics such as place of origin, location within the plant, color, surface condition, size, and shape. It is believed that tobacco leaves contain over 300 chemical components, and different tobacco varieties will have different chemical properties. Different grades of the same tobacco variety may also have different chemical properties. Thus, blending or cross-blending as described above is performed to obtain tobacco raw materials with desired characteristics and chemical properties.

<Tobacco leaf processing>
Examples of treatments that harvested tobacco leaves undergo in the early stages include curing, processing at raw material factories, and aging.

<Curing>
Tobacco leaves are generally subjected to a process called curing at an early stage after harvesting. Curing is one of the processes for aging tobacco leaves, and usually includes processes such as drying and humidity adjustment, and also includes activating the activity of various enzymes contained in tobacco leaves. The cured tobacco leaves are packed in cases and stored in a warehouse for a certain period of time, and then transported to a raw material factory. In order to obtain tobacco leaves that have a low content of benzo[a]pyrene and low molecular weight carboxylic acids and a high content of specific flavor components, the harvested tobacco leaves may be subjected to a process described in International Publication No. 2018/139068 instead of the above-mentioned curing.

<Processing and maturation at raw material factories>
The cured tobacco leaves transported to the raw material factory are unwrapped and then typically undergo processing such as humidity control, deboning, and separation to produce lamina, backbone, etc. The re-dried lamina, backbone, etc. are then packed into cases and stored for long periods in a warehouse. This process of long-term storage in a warehouse is sometimes called aging. The aging period varies depending on the tobacco variety used, the flavor desired for the tobacco product, and the aging temperature, but is generally one year or more and two years or less. Leaf tobacco that has undergone curing, which is one form of aging, or a process that is an alternative to curing as described above, and that has further undergone aging is called "aged leaf tobacco".

Note that processing tobacco leaves into laminae and ribs, then packing them into cases and aging them is sometimes referred to as "aging after deboning." On the other hand, packing tobacco leaves transported to a raw material factory into cases and aging them without deboning or separating them, and then deboning and separating them after aging is sometimes referred to as "deboning after aging."

<Flavoring agents>
A flavoring may be added to the leaf tobacco. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a flavoring or a taste-imparting agent from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor. In addition, coloring agents, humectants, and preservatives may be optionally included. The flavoring and optional materials may be in any form, such as liquid or solid. In addition, they may be a single component or a combination of multiple components.

Suitable flavors for the fragrance include those selected from tobacco extracts and tobacco components, sugar and sugar-based flavors, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, fruit juice and fruits, spices, liquor, herbs, vanilla, and flower-based flavors, as well as plant powders, either alone or in combination.

The flavoring may be a wide variety of flavoring ingredients such as those described in "Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Technology (Fragrances)" (March 14, 2007, published by the Japan Patent Office), "Latest Encyclopedia of Flavors (Popular Edition)" (February 25, 2012, edited by Soichi Arai, Akio Kobayashi, Izumi Yajima, and Michiaki Kawasaki, Asakura Publishing), and "Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products" (June 1972, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company).

The fragrance may be, for example, a fragrance selected from isothiocyanates, indole and its derivatives, ethers, esters, ketones, fatty acids, higher aliphatic alcohols, higher aliphatic aldehydes, higher aliphatic hydrocarbons, thioethers, thiols, terpene hydrocarbons, phenol ethers, phenols, furfural and its derivatives, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, lactones, etc., used alone or in combination. Materials that provide a cooling/warming sensation may also be used.

More specifically, the fragrances in question are acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, star anise oil, apple juice, balsam of Peru oil, beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, cardamom oil, carob absolute, β-carotene, carrot juice, L-carvone, β-caryophyllene, cassia bark oil, cedarwood oil, celery seed oil, chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, citronella oil, DL-citronella ethanol, clary sage extract, coffee, konjac oil, coriander oil, cumin aldehyde, davana oil, delta-decalactone, gamma-decalactone, decanoic acid, dill herb oil, 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-cyclopentanedione, 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl lactate, ethyl laurate, ethyl levulinate, ethyl maltol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl phenylacetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl stearate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin glucoside, 2-Ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, fenugreek absolute, gene absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, grape juice, guaiacol, guava extract, gamma-heptalactone, gamma-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, phenylhexyl acetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid lactone, 4-hydroxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, immortalte Absolute, β-Ionone, Isoamyl acetate, Isoamyl butyrate, Isoamyl phenylacetate, Isobutyl acetate, Isobutyl phenylacetate, Jasmine absolute, Cola nut tincture, Labdanum oil, Lemon terpeneless oil, Licorice extract, Linalool, Linalyl acetate, Lovage root oil, Maple syrup, Menthol, Menthone, L-Menthyl acetate, Paramethoxybenzaldehyde, Methyl 2-pyrrolyl ketone, Methyl anthranilate, Methyl phenylacetate, Methyl salicylate, 4'-Methylacetophenone, Methylcyclopentenolone, 3-Methylvaleric acid, Mimosa absolute, Honey beet, Myristic acid, Nerol, Nerolidol, γ-Nonalactone, Nutmeg oil, δ-Octalactone, Octanal, Octanoic acid, Orange flower oil, Orange oil, Oligosaccharides Root oil, palmitic acid, ω-pentadecalactone, peppermint oil, petitgrain Paraguay oil, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, plum extract, propenyl guaethol, propyl acetate, 3-propylidenephthalide, prune juice, pyruvic acid, raisin extract, rose oil, rum, sage oil, sandalwood oil, spearmint oil, styrax absolute, marigold oil, tea distillate, α-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,9-tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, thyme oil, tomato extract, 2-tridecanone, triethyl citrate, 4-(2 ,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadienyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, gamma-undecalactone, gamma-valerolactone, vanilla extract, vanillin, veratraldehyde, violet leaf absolute, citral, mandarin oil, 4-(acetoxymethyl)toluene, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 10-undecenoic acid ethyl, hexanoic acid isoamyl, 1-phenylethyl acetate, lauric acid, 8-mercaptomenthone, sinensal, butyric acid hexyl, plant powder (herb powder, flower powder, spice powder, tea powder: cocoa powder, carob powder, coriander powder, licorice powder, oleic acid Peel powder, rose pip powder, chamomile flower powder, lemon verbena powder, peppermint powder, leaf powder, spearmint powder, black tea powder, etc.), camphor, isopulegol, cineole, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, 2-l-menthoxyethanol (COOLACT® 5), 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol (COOLACT® 10), l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate (COOLACT® 20), p-menthane-3,8-diol (COOLACT® 38D), N-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-2-isopropyl-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1-carboxamide (COOLACT® 370), N-(4-(cyanomethyl)phenyl)-2-isopropyl-5,5 -dimethylcyclohexanecarboxamide (COOLACT® 400), N-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-isopropyl-5,5-dimethylcyclohexanecarboxamide, N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide (WS-3), ethyl-2-(p-menthane-3-carboxamide)acetate (WS-5), N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-p-menthanecarboxamide (WS-12), 2-isopropyl-N,2,3-trimethylbutyramide (WS-23), 3-l-menthoxy-2-methylpropane-1,2-diol, 2-l-menthoxyethan-1-ol, 3-l-menthoxypropan-1-ol, 4-l-menthoxybutan-1-ol, menthyl lactate (FEMA 3748), menthone glycerin acetal (Frescolat MGA, FEMA3807, FEMA3808), 2-(2-l-menthyloxyethyl)ethanol, menthyl glyoxylate, menthyl 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate, menthyl succinate (FEMA3810), N-(2-(pyridin-2-yl)-ethyl)-3-p-menthanecarboxamide (FEMA4549), N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-p-menthane-3-carboxamide, N-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)-p-menthanecarboxamide, and N-(4-aminocarbonylphenyl)-p-menthane.

Examples of the flavoring agent include materials that exhibit sweetness, sourness, saltiness, umami, bitterness, astringency, richness, spiciness, harshness, and astringency. Examples of materials that exhibit sweetness include sugars, sugar alcohols, and sweeteners. Examples of sugars include monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Examples of sweeteners include natural sweeteners and synthetic sweeteners. Examples of materials that exhibit sourness include organic acids (and their sodium salts). Examples of organic acids include acetic acid, adipic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid. Examples of materials that exhibit bitterness include caffeine (extract), naringin, and wormwood extract. Examples of materials that exhibit saltiness include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium acetate, and potassium acetate. Examples of materials that provide umami include sodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, sodium guanylate, etc. Examples of materials that provide astringency include tannin, shibuol, etc.

Examples of the coloring agent include natural dyes and synthetic dyes. Examples of natural dyes include caramel, turmeric, red knotweed, gardenia, safflower, carotene, marigold, and annatto. Examples of synthetic dyes include tar dyes and titanium oxide.

Examples of such humectants include lipids (waxes, waxes, glycerin, medium-chain triglycerides, fatty acids (short-chain, medium-chain, and long-chain fatty acids)), polyols (glycerol, polyethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, etc.), and sugar alcohols (erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, etc.).

Examples of such preservatives include acetic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, sorbic acid, tartaric acid (and their salts), nisin, and other common preservatives used in food.

When flavoring is added to tobacco leaves, the content of flavoring in the tobacco leaves is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, for example, it is usually 10 ppm or more, preferably 10,000 ppm or more, more preferably 50,000 ppm or more, and usually 250,000 ppm or less, preferably 200,000 ppm or less, more preferably 150,000 ppm or less, and even more preferably 100,000 ppm or less.

<Cutting tobacco leaves>
The leaf tobacco may be shredded leaf tobacco (hereinafter, also referred to as leaf tobacco shreds). Leaf tobacco shreds are aged leaf tobacco or the like shredded to a predetermined size. The aged leaf tobacco used for leaf tobacco shreds is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include tobacco that has been deboned and separated into lamina and midrib.

<Method of preparing tobacco shreds>
There are no particular limitations on the size or preparation method of the leaf tobacco shreds. One example is shredding aged leaf tobacco to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less and a length of 3 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Leaf tobacco shreds of such a size are preferable for filling a wrapper, which will be described later.

(Structure of tobacco sheet)
A tobacco sheet is obtained by forming a composition containing aged leaf tobacco into a sheet shape. The aged leaf tobacco used for the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, one that has been deboned and separated into lamina and midrib. In this specification, the term "sheet" refers to a shape having a pair of approximately parallel main surfaces and side surfaces. The tobacco sheet may contain fibers such as pulp.

<Method of forming tobacco sheet>
Tobacco sheets can be formed by known methods such as papermaking, casting, rolling, etc. Details of various tobacco sheets formed by such methods are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009." In this specification, tobacco sheets formed by the papermaking method are referred to as "papermaking tobacco sheets," tobacco sheets formed by the casting method (slurry method) are referred to as "slurry tobacco sheets," and tobacco sheets formed by the rolling method are referred to as "rolled tobacco sheets."

<Tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method)>
An example of a method for forming a tobacco sheet by a papermaking method includes the following steps.
(1) A process for extracting water-soluble components from aged tobacco leaves by roughly crushing aged tobacco leaves and mixing and stirring the crushed leaves with a solvent such as water.
(2) A step of separating the extract into a water extract containing water-soluble components and a residue.
(3) A step of concentrating the aqueous extract by drying under reduced pressure.
(4) A process in which pulp is added to the residue and the mixture is fiberized in a refiner to obtain a mixture (homogenization process).
(5) A process for making paper from the mixture of fiberized residue and pulp.
(6) A process of adding a concentrated solution of the water extract to the paper-made sheet and drying it to obtain a tobacco sheet.
When forming a tobacco sheet using this method, a step of removing some of the components such as nitrosamines may be added (see JP-A-2004-510422).

<Tobacco sheet molding method (casting method)>
An example of a method for forming a tobacco sheet by a casting method (slurry method) includes a method including the following steps.
(1) A step of mixing water, pulp, a binder, and ground aged tobacco leaves to obtain a mixture (homogenization step).
(2) The mixture is spread (cast) into a thin sheet and dried to form a tobacco sheet.
When forming a tobacco sheet by this method, a step may be added in which a slurry of water, pulp, binder, and crushed tobacco leaves is mixed with ultraviolet light or X-rays to remove some of the components such as nitrosamines.

<Tobacco sheet molding method (rolling method)>
An example of a method for forming a tobacco sheet by rolling includes the following steps.
(1) A step of mixing water, pulp, a binder, and ground aged tobacco leaves to obtain a mixture (homogenization step).
(2) A step of feeding the mixture between a plurality of rollers and rolling it.
(3) A process in which the rolled product on the rolling rollers is peeled off with a doctor knife, transferred to a net conveyor, and dried in a dryer.
When forming a tobacco sheet by this method, the surface of each roller may be heated or cooled, and the rotation speed of each roller may be adjusted, depending on the purpose. In addition, by adjusting the distance between each roller, a tobacco sheet of a desired basis weight can be obtained.

<Average fiber length of tobacco fibers and freeness of mixture during homogenization process>
In the homogenization process described in each of the above methods, from the viewpoint of obtaining a tobacco sheet having a certain strength, it is preferable that the average fiber length of the tobacco fibers contained in each mixture is 200 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and the freeness of each mixture is 20° SR or more and 50° SR or less. The average fiber length of the tobacco fibers is measured by optical automatic analysis (JIS P8226-2) using non-polarized light with a fiber count of 20,000 or more. The freeness is measured by the Schopper-Riegler method (JIS P8121).

<Tobacco sheet dimensions>
The length and width of the tobacco sheet are not particularly limited and can be appropriately adjusted according to the manner in which the tobacco sheet is filled into a wrapper, which will be described later. The thickness of the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and more preferably 200 μm or more and 600 μm or less, in consideration of the balance between heat transfer efficiency and strength.

<Composition of tobacco sheet>
The composition of the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, aged tobacco leaves, a binder, fibers such as pulp, an aerosol generating agent, flavorings, etc. The content of aged tobacco leaves is preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less based on the total mass of the tobacco sheet. Examples of binders include polysaccharides, proteins, and synthetic polymers. Examples of polysaccharides include cellulose derivatives and naturally occurring polysaccharides.

Examples of cellulose derivatives include cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethylethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, benzyl cellulose, trityl cellulose, cyanoethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, and aminoethyl cellulose; organic acid esters such as cellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose benzoate, cellulose phthalate, and tosyl cellulose; and inorganic acid esters such as cellulose nitrate, cellulose sulfate, cellulose phosphate, and cellulose xanthogenate.

Naturally derived polysaccharides include, for example, polysaccharides derived from plants such as guar gum, tara gum, roasted bean gum, tamarind seed gum, pectin, gum arabic, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, ghatti gum, arabinogalactan, amas seed gum, cassia gum, psyllium seed gum, and desert mugwort seed gum; polysaccharides derived from algae such as carrageenan, agar, alginic acid, propylene glycol alginate, furcellaran, and velvet extract; polysaccharides derived from microorganisms such as xanthan gum, gellan gum, curdlan, pullulan, Agrobacterium succinoglycan, welan gum, macrophomopsis gum, and rhamsan gum; polysaccharides derived from crustaceans such as chitin, chitosan, and glucosamine; and starches such as starch, sodium starch glycolate, pregelatinized starch, and dextrin.

Examples of proteins include cereal proteins such as wheat gluten and rye gluten. Examples of synthetic polymers include polyphosphoric acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, etc. These binders may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The total content of one or more binders is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the tobacco sheet. The content of fibers such as pulp is not particularly limited, but the total content of one or more fibers such as pulp is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, based on the total mass of the tobacco sheet. Examples of flavorings include the flavorings described above. When a flavoring is included in the tobacco sheet, the content of the flavoring is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, for example, it is usually 10 ppm or more, preferably 10,000 ppm or more, more preferably 50,000 ppm or more, and also usually 250,000 ppm or less, preferably 200,000 ppm, more preferably 150,000 ppm or less, and even more preferably 100,000 ppm or less.

<Tobacco shredding on tobacco sheets>
The tobacco sheet may be tobacco shreds of a tobacco sheet (hereinafter, also referred to as tobacco sheet shreds). Tobacco sheet shreds are tobacco sheets shredded to a predetermined size. There are no particular limitations on the size or preparation method of the tobacco sheet shreds. One example is a tobacco sheet shredded to a width of 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less and a length of 3 mm or more and 30 mm or less. Tobacco sheet shreds of such a size are preferable for filling a wrapper, which will be described later.

[Second ingredient]
The second material contains 25% by mass or more of the aerosol generating agent. By containing 25% by mass or more of the aerosol generating agent in the second material, aerosol can be generated sufficiently. The content of the aerosol generating agent contained in the second material is preferably 30% by mass or more. The upper limit of the range of the content is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 60% by mass or less.

It is preferable that the second material contains as little of the above-mentioned tobacco leaves as possible. By making the second material contain as little of the above-mentioned tobacco leaves as possible, it is possible to prevent the components contained in the above-mentioned tobacco leaves from interfering with the vaporization of the aerosol generating agent. The second material may contain no tobacco components. The second material may also contain an aerosol generating agent and a reinforcing material. Examples of the reinforcing material include the reinforcing materials described above. For example, the second material may be a tobacco sheet as described above that is formed without adding aged tobacco leaves or the like. The sheet may contain an aerosol generating agent and a reinforcing material, and may not contain aged tobacco leaves or the like.

[Mixing ratio of first material and second material]
In the tobacco composition according to the present embodiment, the mass ratio of the first material to the second material is preferably first material:second material=40-80:20-60. When the mass ratio of the first material is 40% by mass or more (the mass ratio of the second material is 60% by mass or less), the tobacco flavor is more expressed. Furthermore, when the mass ratio of the first material is 80% by mass or less (the mass ratio of the second material is 20% by mass or more), more aerosol is generated. The mass ratio is more preferably first material:second material=45-75:25-55, even more preferably first material:second material=50-70:30-50, and particularly preferably first material:second material=55-65:35-45.

[Moisture content of tobacco composition]
The moisture content of the tobacco composition according to the present embodiment is, relative to the total mass of the tobacco composition, for example, 10% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and preferably 11% by mass or more and 13% by mass or less. Such a moisture content can suppress the occurrence of rolling stains after the tobacco composition is filled into a wrapper.

[Method for producing tobacco composition]
The method for producing the tobacco composition according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited, and the tobacco composition can be produced by mixing the first material, the second material, and optionally the other components in a predetermined mixing ratio. As an example, all materials can be mixed in a rotating cylinder known to those skilled in the art.

[Tobacco-containing segment]
The tobacco-containing segment according to the present embodiment includes a cylindrical wrapper and a tobacco filler in which the tobacco composition according to the present embodiment is filled in the wrapper. Since the tobacco-containing segment according to the present embodiment includes the tobacco composition according to the present embodiment, the tobacco flavor can be fully expressed and aerosol can be fully generated.

The tobacco filling refers to a tobacco composition according to this embodiment filled in a predetermined manner in a cylindrical wrapper. Examples of wrappers include, but are not limited to, cigarette paper shaped into a cylindrical shape. The tobacco-containing segment is formed, for example, by wrapping a wrapper such as cigarette paper with the tobacco composition on the inside.

The tobacco-containing segment preferably has a columnar shape. In this case, the aspect ratio represented by the height of the tobacco-containing segment in the long axis direction relative to the width of the base of the tobacco-containing segment is preferably 1 or more, but is not limited thereto. The shape of the base is not limited, and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, etc., and the width is the diameter when the base is circular, the major axis when the base is elliptical, and the diameter of the circumscribed circle or the major axis of the circumscribed ellipse when the base is polygonal or rounded polygonal. For example, when the base is a circle, the diameter can be identified, and the diameter is the width, and the length perpendicular to this is the height. The dimensions of the tobacco-containing segment are not particularly limited, but examples include a length of 10 mm or more and 70 mm or less, and a width of 4 mm or more and 9 mm or less. In addition, the tobacco filler in the tobacco-containing segment may have a fitting portion with a heater that heats the tobacco filler.

The filling density of the tobacco composition in the tobacco filler is preferably 0.026 to 0.041 g/cm ^3. When the filling density is 0.026 g/cm ³ or more, sufficient tobacco flavor, vapor volume (vapor feeling) described below, and lasting can be ensured. Furthermore, when the filling density is 0.041 g/cm ³ or less, the filling amount of the tobacco composition can be reduced, thereby reducing production costs. The filling density is more preferably 0.028 to 0.039 g/cm ³ , and even more preferably 0.031 to 0.036 g/cm ³ .

[Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device]
The non-combustion heat type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment includes the tobacco-containing segment according to the present embodiment. Since the non-combustion heat type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment includes the tobacco-containing segment according to the present embodiment, the tobacco flavor can be fully expressed and aerosol can be fully generated.

An example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment is shown in Figure 1. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a tobacco-containing segment 2 according to this embodiment, a cylindrical cooling segment 3 having perforations 8 on its circumference, a center hole segment 4, and a filter segment 5. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to this embodiment may have other segments in addition to the tobacco-containing segment, the cooling segment, the center hole segment, and the filter segment.

The axial length of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 mm or more and 90 mm or less, more preferably 50 mm or more and 75 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or more and 60 mm or less. The circumferential length of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device is preferably 16 mm or more and 25 mm or less, more preferably 20 mm or more and 24 mm or less, and even more preferably 21 mm or more and 23 mm or less. For example, the length of the tobacco-containing segment is 20 mm, the length of the cooling segment is 20 mm, the length of the center hole segment is 8 mm, and the length of the filter segment is 7 mm. The length of the filter segment can be selected within a range of 4 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The airflow resistance of the filter segment at that time is selected to be 15 mmH ₂ O/seg or more and 60 mmH ₂ O/seg or less per segment. These individual segment lengths can be appropriately changed according to manufacturing suitability, required quality, etc. Furthermore, even if a center hole segment is not used and only a filter segment is disposed downstream of the cooling segment, it can still function as a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device.

[Tobacco-containing segment]
The tobacco-containing segment 2 is a tobacco-containing segment according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the tobacco-containing segment 2 is heated, and thus the tobacco components (flavor components), the aerosol generating agent, and the water contained in the tobacco filling are vaporized, and are transferred to the mouthpiece segment 6 by inhalation.

[Cooling segment]
1, the cooling segment 3 may be formed of a cylindrical member 7. The cylindrical member 7 may be, for example, a cardboard tube formed into a cylindrical shape.

The total surface area of the cooling segment may be 300 ^mm2 /mm or more and 1000 ^mm2 /mm or less. This surface area is the surface area per mm of the length (mm) of the cooling segment in the air flow direction. The total surface area of the cooling segment is preferably 400 ^mm2 /mm or more, more preferably 450 ^mm2 /mm or more, while it is preferably 600 ^mm2 /mm or less, more preferably 550 ^mm2 /mm or less.

It is desirable for the cooling segment to have a large total surface area for its internal structure. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the cooling segment may be formed by a thin sheet of material that is wrinkled to form channels, and then pleated, gathered, and folded. The more folds or pleats within a given volume of the element, the greater the total surface area of the cooling segment.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the constituent material of the cooling segment may be greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than or equal to 500 μm, for example greater than or equal to 10 μm and less than or equal to 250 μm.

The aerosol cooling element can be made of a material with a specific surface area of 10 ^mm2 /mg or more and 100 ^mm2 /mg or less. In one embodiment, the specific surface area of the material of construction can be about 35 ^mm2 /mg. The specific surface area can be determined by considering a material with a known width and thickness. For example, the material can be polylactic acid with an average thickness of 50 μm and a variation of ±2 μm. If the material has a known width, again for example between 200 mm or more and 250 mm or less, the specific surface area and density can be calculated.

The tubular member 7 and the mouthpiece lining paper 12 described later are provided with perforations 8 penetrating both. Due to the presence of the perforations 8, outside air is introduced into the cooling segment 3 during inhalation. As a result, the vaporized aerosol components generated by heating the tobacco-containing segment 2 come into contact with the outside air, and as their temperature drops, they are liquefied to form an aerosol. The diameter (distance across) of the perforations 8 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less. The number of perforations 8 is not particularly limited, and may be one or two or more. For example, multiple perforations 8 may be provided around the circumference of the cooling segment 3.

The amount of outside air introduced through the perforations 8 is preferably 85% by volume or less, more preferably 80% by volume or less, of the total volume of gas inhaled by the user. By setting the ratio of the amount of outside air to 85% by volume or less, it is possible to sufficiently suppress the reduction in flavor due to dilution by outside air. This is also called the ventilation ratio. From the viewpoint of cooling performance, the lower limit of the ventilation ratio range is preferably 55% by volume or more, more preferably 60% by volume or more.

The cooling segment preferably offers a small resistance to air passing through the tobacco-containing segment. Preferably, the cooling segment does not substantially affect the resistance to draw of the non-combustion heating flavor inhalation device. The resistance to draw (RTD) is the pressure required to force air through the entire length of the object under a test of 17.5 ml/sec flow rate at 22°C and 101 kPa (760 Torr). RTD is typically expressed in _mmH2O and is measured according to ISO 6565:2011. Thus, the pressure drop from the upstream end of the cooling segment to the downstream end of the cooling segment is preferably small. To achieve this, the longitudinal porosity is preferably greater than 50% and the air flow path through the cooling segment is relatively unrestricted. The longitudinal porosity of the cooling segment can be determined by the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the material forming the cooling segment to the internal cross-sectional area of the cooling segment.

In some embodiments, the generated aerosol may experience a temperature drop of 10° C. or more as it passes through the cooling segment and is drawn by the user. In another embodiment, the temperature may drop by 15° C. or more, and in yet another embodiment, by 20° C. or more.

The cooling segment may be constructed from a sheet material selected from the group consisting of metal foil, polymer sheet, and substantially non-perforated paper or cardboard. In one embodiment, the cooling segment may include a sheet material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, cellulose acetate, and aluminum foil. The construction material of the cooling segment may be made from a biodegradable material, such as non-perforated paper, or a biodegradable polymer such as polylactic acid, or a starch-based copolymer.

Preferably, the airflow through the cooling segments does not substantially deflect between adjacent segments. In other words, the airflow through the cooling segments preferably flows along the longitudinal segments without substantial radial deflection. In some embodiments, the cooling segments are formed from a material that has low porosity or is substantially free of pores, except for the longitudinally extending channels. The material used to define or form the longitudinally extending channels, e.g., a creped or gathered sheet, has low porosity or is substantially free of pores.

As discussed above, the cooling segment may comprise a sheet of suitable construction material that is crinkled, pleated, gathered, or folded. The cross-sectional profile of such an element may exhibit randomly oriented channels. The cooling segment may be formed by other means. For example, the cooling segment may be formed from a bundle of longitudinally extending tubes. The cooling segment may be formed by extrusion, molding, lamination, injection, or chopping of a suitable material.

The cooling segment can be formed, for example, by wrapping a pleated, gathered, or folded sheet material with a paper wrapper. In some embodiments, the cooling segment can include a sheet of crinkled material gathered into a rod shape and bound by a wrapper, e.g., a filter paper wrapper.

The cooling segment may be formed in a rod shape having an axial length of, for example, 7 mm or more and 28 mm or less. For example, the axial length of the cooling segment may be 18 mm.

In some embodiments, the cooling segment may have a substantially circular axial cross-sectional shape and a diameter of at least 5 mm and not more than 10 mm. For example, the diameter of the cooling segment may be about 7 mm.

[Center hole segment]
The center hole segment is composed of a filling layer having one or more hollow parts and an inner plug wrapper (inner wrapping paper) covering the filling layer. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the center hole segment 4 is composed of a second filling layer 9 having a hollow part and a second inner plug wrapper 10 covering the second filling layer 9. The center hole segment 4 has a function of increasing the strength of the mouthpiece segment 6. The second filling layer 9 can be, for example, a rod with an inner diameter of φ5.0 mm or more and φ1.0 mm or less, which is filled with cellulose acetate fibers at a high density and hardened by adding a plasticizer containing triacetin at 6% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less relative to the mass of cellulose acetate. Since the second filling layer 9 has a high fiber filling density, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow part during inhalation, and hardly flow inside the second filling layer 9. Since the second filling layer 9 inside the center hole segment 4 is a fiber filling layer, the touch from the outside during use is less likely to cause discomfort to the user. It is also possible that the center hole segment 4 does not have the second inner plug wrapper 10 and its shape is maintained by thermoforming.

[Filter segment]
The configuration of the filter segment is not particularly limited, and may be composed of one or more packed layers. The outside of the packed layer may be wrapped with one or more wrapping papers. The airflow resistance per filter segment can be appropriately changed depending on the amount and material of the packing filled in the filter segment. For example, when the packing is cellulose acetate fiber, the airflow resistance can be increased by increasing the amount of cellulose acetate fiber filled in the filter segment. When the packing is cellulose acetate fiber, the packing density of the cellulose acetate fiber can be 0.13 to 0.18 g/cm ^3. The airflow resistance is a value measured by an airflow resistance measuring device (product name: SODIMAX, manufactured by SODIM).

The circumferential length of the filter segment is not particularly limited, but is preferably 16 to 25 mm, more preferably 20 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 21 to 23 mm. The axial length of the filter segment can be selected from 4 to 10 mm, and is selected so that the airflow resistance is 15 to 60 mmH ₂ O/seg. The axial length of the filter segment is preferably 5 to 9 mm, and more preferably 6 to 8 mm. The cross-sectional shape of the filter segment is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, or the like. In addition, a destructible capsule containing a flavor, flavor beads, or a flavor may be directly added to the filter segment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the center hole segment 4 and the filter segment 5 can be connected by an outer plug wrapper (outer wrapping paper) 11. The outer plug wrapper 11 can be, for example, a cylindrical paper. The tobacco-containing segment 2, the cooling segment 3, and the connected center hole segment 4 and filter segment 5 can be connected by a mouthpiece lining paper 12. These connections can be made, for example, by applying a vinyl acetate glue or other adhesive to the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper 12, inserting the three segments, and rolling them up. These segments may be connected in multiple separate instances using multiple lining papers.

[Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system]
The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment may include a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment and a heating device for heating a tobacco-containing segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to the present embodiment may have other configurations in addition to the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to the present embodiment and the heating device.

An example of a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system according to this embodiment is shown in Figure 2. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system shown in Figure 2 includes a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 according to this embodiment, and a heating device 13 that heats the tobacco-containing segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 from the outside.

2(a) shows the state before the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 1 is inserted into the heating device 13, and FIG. 2(b) shows the state after the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 1 is inserted into the heating device 13 and heated. The heating device 13 shown in FIG. 2 includes a body 14, a heater 15, a metal tube 16, a battery unit 17, and a control unit 18. The body 14 has a cylindrical recess 19, and the heater 15 and the metal tube 16 are arranged on the inner side of the recess 19 at a position corresponding to the tobacco-containing segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 1 inserted into the recess 19. The heater 15 can be a heater using electrical resistance, and is heated by being supplied with power from the battery unit 17 in response to an instruction from the control unit 18 that controls the temperature. The heat generated by the heater 15 is transmitted to the tobacco-containing segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation tool 1 through the metal tube 16, which has high thermal conductivity.

2(b) is a schematic illustration, and therefore there is a gap between the outer periphery of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 and the inner periphery of the metal tube 16, but in reality, for the purpose of efficient heat transfer, it is preferable that there is no gap between the outer periphery of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 and the inner periphery of the metal tube 16. Note that although the heating device 13 heats the tobacco-containing segment of the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 1 from the outside, it may also heat from the inside.

The heating temperature by the heating device is not particularly limited, but is preferably 400°C or less, more preferably 150°C to 400°C, and even more preferably 200°C to 350°C. The heating temperature refers to the temperature of the heater of the heating device.

Specific examples of this embodiment are described below, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[Example 1]
(1) Preparation of the first material As the first material, leaf tobacco shreds were prepared by cutting flue-cured leaf tobacco into pieces having a width of 1.0 mm. Note that no aerosol-generating agent was added to the leaf tobacco shreds. The CBT content of the first material was 0.08% by mass.

(2) Preparation of the second material As the second material, a sheet containing 33% by mass of glycerin as an aerosol generating agent and not containing tobacco components was prepared. Specifically, citrus fiber (manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical, product name: Helbacell AQ Plus) and glycerin were blended using a mixer to obtain a mixture. Meanwhile, carboxymethylcellulose (manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd., product name: Sunrose F30MC) as a binder and water were mixed and swelled using a mixer to prepare a binder liquid. Next, the mixture and the binder liquid were mixed in a mixer to prepare a wet powder. The blending amounts of each component in the wet powder are as shown in Table 1.

The wet powder was kneaded six times at room temperature using a kneader (DG-1, Dalton). The screw rotation speed was 38.5 rpm. The wet powder after kneading was sandwiched between two Teflon (registered trademark) films (NITOFLON No. 900UL, Nitto Denko Corporation) and rolled in four stages to the specified thickness (more than 100 μm) using a calendar device (Yuri Roll Machinery Co., Ltd.). This produced a 105 μm thick laminate with a layer structure of film/wet sheet/film. The roll gaps for the first to fourth stages were 650 μm, 330 μm, 180 μm, and 5 μm, respectively. The roll gap for the fourth stage was thicker than the thickness of the final sheet, because the sheet released from the pressure between the rollers expanded to near the final thickness. One Teflon film was peeled off from the laminate and dried at 80°C for 1-2 minutes using a forced air dryer. The other film was then peeled off and the wet sheet was dried under the same conditions. The dried sheet was cut into pieces with a width of 0.8 mm and a length of 9.5 mm. The second material was produced by the above process.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 13.2% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient in the tobacco composition and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content are shown in Table 2.

(4) Preparation of a non-combustion heat type flavor inhalation device A non-combustion heat type flavor inhalation device for evaluation was prepared by removing the tobacco sheet filled in the tobacco-containing segment of a commercially available non-combustion heat type flavor inhalation device (product name: Ploom S Mevius, manufactured by Japan Tobacco Co., Ltd.) and filling it with the tobacco composition instead. The filling density of the tobacco composition was 0.033 g/ ^cm3 .

(5) Evaluation The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was heated using PloomS (trade name, manufactured by Japan Tobacco Co., Ltd.), and seven panelists (a to g) evaluated the tobacco flavor, vapor volume, and lasting (lasting). "Tobacco flavor" indicates the degree of tobacco taste and aroma. "Vapor volume" indicates the vapor sensation based on the aerosol. "Lasting" indicates that the vapor sensation continues until the latter half of use. The evaluation was performed based on a rating scale of 1 to 5 for the three items, 1: very little, 2: little, 3: normal, 4: much, and 5: very much, using a commercially available non-combustion type cigarette (trade name: Ploom S Mevius, manufactured by Japan Tobacco Co., Ltd.) consisting of one type of cigarette as the standard. The test for the difference in the average scores was performed using a two-sided test. The seven panelists (a to g) were thoroughly trained using several samples of different concentrations, and it was confirmed that the thresholds for the ratings of "tobacco flavor,""vaporvolume," and "persistence" were equal and standardized among the panelists. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

In Table 3, "mean" indicates the average value of the ratings of each panelist. "variance" indicates the variance of the ratings of each panelist. Since the variance values are sufficiently small for all evaluation items, including the comparative example, it is considered that the differences in evaluations between subjects are small and the characteristics are sufficiently expressed. "p-value (two-sided)" is the probability of observing a value that is extremely different from the actually observed value, and is generally used in statistics to determine whether there is a significant difference between two results. In the results of this time, when the results of the same evaluation items of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, Examples 1 and 2 were calculated, all results showed a 5% significant difference. In Table 3, the results showing a 5% significant difference are indicated by "*". From the results of this "p-value" calculation, it is shown that the results of each evaluation item of all Examples in the sensory evaluation results this time have a statistically significant difference from the Comparative Example.

[Example 2]
(1) Preparation of the first material A composition was prepared by mixing 42 parts by mass of tobacco sheet and 18 parts by mass of tobacco leaves as the first material. The tobacco sheet was produced by the tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method) described above. The glycerin content in the tobacco sheet was 3% by mass. As the tobacco leaves, leaf tobacco shreds to which no aerosol generating agent was added were used, which were obtained by cutting leaf tobacco (flue-type) to a width of 1.0 mm. The CBT content of the first material was 0.074% by mass.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A second material was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 14.5% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 2.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[Comparative Example 1]
(1) Preparation of tobacco composition (first material) As the first material, a tobacco sheet containing 15.0% by mass of glycerin as an aerosol generating agent was prepared. Specifically, the tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method) was applied. The CBT content of the first material was 0.044% by mass. The first material was used as a tobacco composition. The blending ratios of each component of the tobacco composition and the content of the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) are shown in Table 2.

(2) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[Comparative Example 2]
(1) Preparation of First Material and Second Material The first material and the second material were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

(2) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=90:10 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 3.3% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient in the tobacco composition and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content are shown in Table 2.

(3) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

[Example 3]
(1) Preparation of the first material As the first material, a composition was prepared by mixing 36 parts by mass of tobacco sheet and 24 parts by mass of tobacco leaves. The tobacco sheet was produced by the tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method) described above. The glycerin content in the tobacco sheet was 15% by mass. As the tobacco leaves, leaf tobacco shreds were used, which were obtained by cutting tobacco leaves (flue-type) to a width of 1.0 mm and adding 7% by mass of glycerin. The CBT content of the first material was 1 to 1000 ppm by mass.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A sheet containing 25% by mass of glycerin and no tobacco components was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 17.1% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 4.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

[Example 4]
(1) Preparation of First Material A first material was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A sheet containing 33% by mass of glycerin and no tobacco components was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 20.3 mass%. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 4.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

[Example 5]
(1) Preparation of First Material A first material was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A sheet containing 40% by mass of glycerin and no tobacco components was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 23.1% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 4.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

[Example 6]
(1) Preparation of the first material A composition was prepared by mixing 18 parts by mass of tobacco sheet and 42 parts by mass of tobacco leaves as the first material. The tobacco sheet was produced by the tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method) described above. The glycerin content in the tobacco sheet was 15% by mass. As the tobacco leaves, tobacco leaves (flue-type) were cut into pieces with a width of 1.0 mm, and shredded tobacco leaves to which 7% by mass of glycerin had been added were used. The CBT content of the first material was 1 to 1000 ppm by mass.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A sheet containing 33% by mass of glycerin and no tobacco components was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was first material:second material=60:40 to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 18.8% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 4.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

[Example 7]
(1) Preparation of the first material As the first material, a composition was prepared by mixing 48 parts by mass of tobacco sheet and 32 parts by mass of leaf tobacco. The tobacco sheet was produced by the tobacco sheet molding method (papermaking method) described above. The glycerin content in the tobacco sheet was 15% by mass. As the leaf tobacco, leaf tobacco shreds were used, which were obtained by cutting leaf tobacco (flue-type) into a width of 1.0 mm and adding 7% by mass of glycerin. The CBT content of the first material was 1 to 1000 ppm by mass.

(2) Preparation of Second Material A sheet containing 33% by mass of glycerin and no tobacco components was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was 80:20, to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 16.0% by mass. The blending ratios of each ingredient and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin) content of the tobacco composition are shown in Table 6.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 7.

[Example 8]
(1) Preparation of First Material A first material was prepared in the same manner as in Example 7.

(2) Preparation of Second Material Using the same method as in Example 1, a sheet containing 16.5% by mass of glycerin and 16.5% by mass of propylene glycol but not containing tobacco components was prepared and used as the second material.

(3) Preparation of tobacco composition The first material and the second material were mixed so that the mass ratio of the first material to the second material was 80:20, to prepare a tobacco composition. The glycerin content in the tobacco composition was 16.0% by mass. The blending ratios of each component in the tobacco composition and the aerosol generating agent (glycerin, propylene glycol) content are shown in Table 6.

(4) Preparation and Evaluation of Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhalation Device A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device was prepared using the tobacco composition and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 7.

The present invention includes the following embodiments.
[1] A first material containing a tobacco component;
A second material containing 25% by mass or more of an aerosol generating agent;
A tobacco composition comprising:
The content of the aerosol generating agent in the first material is less than 25% by mass,
A ratio of the mass of the second material to a total mass of the first material and the second material is 15 mass% or more;
The first material is made of tobacco leaves or a tobacco sheet and tobacco leaves,
The tobacco composition has a mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves of 0 to 70:30 to 100.
[2] The tobacco composition according to [1], wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves is tobacco sheet:tobacco leaves = 0-50:50-100.
[3] The tobacco composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco leaves is tobacco sheet:tobacco leaves = 0-30:70-100.
[4] The tobacco composition according to any one of [1] to [3], which is a tobacco composition for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device.
[5] A tobacco-containing segment comprising a tubular wrapper and a tobacco filler in which the tobacco composition according to any one of [1] to [4] is filled within the wrapper.
[6] The packing density of the tobacco composition is 0.026 to 0.041 g / cm ³ The tobacco-containing segment according to claim 5, wherein
[7] The packing density of the tobacco composition is 0.028 to 0.039 g / cm ³ The tobacco-containing segment according to [5] or [6],
[8] The packing density of the tobacco composition is 0.031 to 0.036 g / cm ³ The tobacco-containing segment according to any one of [5] to [7],
[9] A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device comprising a tobacco-containing segment according to any one of [5] to [8].
[10] A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to [9],
a heating device for heating the tobacco-containing segment;
A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system comprising:

Reference Signs List 1 Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device 2 Tobacco-containing segment 3 Cooling segment 4 Center hole segment 5 Filter segment 6 Mouthpiece segment 7 Cylindrical member 8 Perforation 9 Second filling layer 10 Second inner plug wrapper 11 Outer plug wrapper 12 Mouthpiece lining paper 13 Heating device 14 Body 15 Heater 16 Metal tube 17 Battery unit 18 Control unit 19 Recess

Claims (10)

a first material comprising a tobacco component;
a second material that is a sheet that does not contain tobacco components and contains 25% by mass or more of an aerosol generating agent;
A tobacco composition comprising a blend of
The content of the aerosol generating agent in the first material is less than 25% by mass,
A ratio of the mass of the second material to a total mass of the first material and the second material is 15 mass% or more;
The first material is made of tobacco shreds or a tobacco sheet and tobacco shreds,
The tobacco composition has a mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the leaf tobacco shreds of 0 to 70:30 to 100. The tobacco composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the tobacco shreds is tobacco sheet:tobacco shreds=0-50:50-100. The tobacco composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco sheet to the leaf tobacco shreds is tobacco sheet: leaf tobacco shreds = 0-30:70-100. The tobacco composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a tobacco composition for a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device. A tobacco-containing segment comprising a tubular wrapper and a tobacco filler in which the tobacco composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is filled within the wrapper. 6. The tobacco-containing segment of claim 5, wherein the tobacco composition has a packing density of 0.026 to 0.041 g/ ^cm3 . 7. The tobacco-containing segment according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the tobacco composition has a packing density of 0.028 to 0.039 g/ ^cm3 . 8. The tobacco-containing segment according to claim 5, wherein the tobacco composition has a packing density of 0.031 to 0.036 g/ ^cm3 . A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device comprising a tobacco-containing segment according to any one of claims 5 to 8. The non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation device according to claim 9 ,
a heating device for heating the tobacco-containing segment;
A non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system comprising: