Granted Patent B2

US 12,458,066 · App. 17/412,738 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Inventor: Michel Thorens (Moudon, CH)

Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC

A24F40/42A24D1/20A24F40/00A24F40/30A24F40/40A61M11/003A61M11/042A61M15/003A61M15/06H05B6/108A24D1/02A24D3/17A24F40/10A24F40/20A61M15/0003A61M15/0021A61M15/0035A61M15/0066A61M2205/0211A61M2205/3606A61M2205/3646A61M2205/368A61M2205/7545A61M2205/8206B05B7/2402

Abstract

Claims (42)

1 . A method of forming an aerosol-generating article, comprising:

first providing a retention medium in a first element, the retention medium defining a lumen, the lumen having an opening that traverses through a side surface of the retention medium;

coaxially aligning a plurality of elements, the plurality of elements including the first element and a second element directly abutting the first element, the second element including a mouthpiece filter;

wrapping the coaxially aligned plurality of elements within a wrapper to form a portion of the aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article having a first end and a second end, the second end being upstream from the first end based on an expected direction of airflow through the aerosol-generating article during normal operational use;

second providing at least one frangible capsule, the at least one frangible capsule releasably containing a substrate, the at least one frangible capsule being configured to rupture by an application of an external force; and

inserting the at least one frangible capsule through the opening and into the lumen of the retention medium, the retention medium being configured to absorb and retain the substrate after a release of the substrate once the at least one frangible capsule is ruptured, the retention medium being devoid of the substrate prior to the release of the substrate from the at least one frangible capsule.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first providing provides the retention medium such that at least part of the retention medium includes an absorbent polymeric material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second providing provides the at least one frangible capsule configured to be pierced by a piercing element to release the substrate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapping wraps the plurality of elements with the wrapper including a sheet of liquid-impervious material.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapping wraps the coaxially aligned plurality of elements with the wrapper that is at least one of a sheet of polymeric material, a sheet of treated paper, and a sheet of metallic foil.

6 . A method of forming an aerosol-generating article, comprising:

first providing a retention medium in a first element, the retention medium defining a lumen, the lumen having an opening that traverses through a side surface of the retention medium;

coaxially aligning a plurality of elements, the plurality of elements including the first element;

wrapping the coaxially aligned plurality of elements within a wrapper to form a portion of the aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article having a first end and a second end, the second end being upstream from the first end based on an expected direction of airflow through the aerosol-generating article during normal operational use, the retention medium at least partially forming the second end;

second providing at least one frangible capsule, the at least one frangible capsule releasably containing a substrate, the at least one frangible capsule being configured to rupture by an application of an external force; and

inserting the at least one frangible capsule through the opening and into the lumen of the retention medium, the retention medium being configured to absorb and retain the substrate after a release of the substrate once the at least one frangible capsule is ruptured, the retention medium being devoid of the substrate prior to the release of the substrate from the at least one frangible capsule,

wherein the wrapping wraps the coaxially aligned plurality of elements to include a second element, of the plurality of elements, that directly abuts the first element, the second element including a cooling section.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the wrapping wraps the coaxially aligned plurality of elements so that the second element is downstream of the first element, based on the expected direction of airflow.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the wrapping wraps the coaxially aligned plurality of elements so that the second element abuts the first element.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second providing provides the at least one frangible capsule so that the substrate has an aerosol former, at least one flavorant, and water between 10 weight percent and 25 weight percent.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapping wraps the coaxially aligned plurality of elements so that a portion of the mouthpiece filter at least partially forms the first end.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

connecting a plug to a free end of the first element, the free end of the first element at least partially forming the second end of the aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article being configured so that the expected direction of airflow is drawn through the aerosol-generating article, from the second end to the first end, when a negative pressure is applied at the first end.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inserting inserts a first frangible capsule and a second frangible capsule, of the at least one frangible capsule, into the first element,

the first frangible capsule including at least one first volatile compound that includes at least one first constituent of the substrate,

the second frangible capsule including at least one second volatile compound that includes at least one second constituent of the substrate.

13 . A method of forming an aerosol-generating system, comprising:

first providing a retention medium in a first element, the retention medium defining a lumen, the lumen having an opening that traverses through a side surface of the retention medium;

coaxially aligning a plurality of elements, the plurality of elements including the first element and a second element directly abutting the first element, the second element including a mouthpiece filter;

wrapping the coaxially aligned plurality of elements within a wrapper to form a portion of an aerosol-generating article, the aerosol-generating article having a first end and a second end, the second end being upstream from the first end based on an expected direction of airflow through the aerosol-generating article during normal operational use;

second providing at least one frangible capsule, the at least one frangible capsule releasably containing a substrate, the at least one frangible capsule being configured to rupture by an application of an external force;

inserting the at least one frangible capsule through the opening and into the lumen of the retention medium, the retention medium being configured to absorb and retain the substrate after a release of the substrate once the at least one frangible capsule is ruptured, the retention medium being devoid of the substrate prior to the release of the substrate from the at least one frangible capsule; and

connecting an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device to the aerosol-generating article, the electrically-operated aerosol-generating device including a heating element for heating the substrate to form an aerosol.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first providing provides the retention medium such that at least part of the retention medium includes an absorbent polymeric material.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coaxially aligning aligns such that the retention medium at least partially forms the second end of the aerosol-generating article.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the coaxially aligning aligns such that the retention medium at least partially forms the second end of the aerosol-generating article.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying the external force, in a first direction, to rupture the at least one frangible capsule, the first direction being collinear with a longitudinal length of the lumen.

18 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

applying the external force, in a first direction, to rupture the at least one frangible capsule, the first direction being collinear with a longitudinal length of the lumen.

19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

applying the external force, in a first direction, to rupture the at least one frangible capsule, the first direction being collinear with a longitudinal length of the lumen.

Priority Claims (4)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (247)