Aerosol-generating article comprising a hollow tubular support element
An aerosol-generating article having an upstream end and a downstream end is provided, the article defining a longitudinal direction between the upstream end and the downstream end, the article including: an aerosol-forming substrate; a hollow tubular support element disposed downstream of the substrate and extending along the longitudinal direction, defining an opening extending in the longitudinal direction and configured for aerosol to flow towards the downstream end, a filter disposed downstream of the hollow tubular support element in the longitudinal direction, a hardness of the article at the hollow tubular support element is at least about 80%, and the hardness of the article at the hollow tubular support element is determined by the DD60A Test. An aerosol-generating system is also provided.
1 . An aerosol-generating article having an upstream end and a downstream end, the aerosol-generating article defining a longitudinal direction between the upstream end and the downstream end, the aerosol-generating article comprising:
an aerosol-forming substrate;
a hollow tubular support element disposed downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate and extending along the longitudinal direction, wherein the hollow tubular support element defines an opening extending in the longitudinal direction and configured for aerosol to flow towards the downstream end,
a filter disposed downstream of the hollow tubular support element in the longitudinal direction,
wherein a hardness of the aerosol-generating article at the hollow tubular support element is at least about 80%; and
wherein the hardness of the aerosol-generating article at the hollow tubular support element is determined by means of the DD60A Test.
2 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the aerosol-generating article at the hollow tubular support element is equal to or lower than about 90%.
3 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support element is disposed immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate.
4 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the filter is disposed immediately downstream of the hollow tubular support element in the longitudinal direction.
5 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is a tobacco-containing substrate.
6 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-forming substrate has a hollow tubular shape.
7 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support element comprises:
a hollow tubular peripheral portion, which defines an inner volume,
a longitudinal structure extending in the longitudinal direction within the inner volume, and
a radial structure extending radially within the inner volume from the hollow tubular peripheral portion to the longitudinal structure, such that at least two passages are defined by the hollow tubular peripheral portion and the radial structure, the at least two passages extending in the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the opening comprises the at least two passages.
8 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 7 , wherein the hollow tubular peripheral portion is substantially annular shaped.
9 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 7 , wherein the radial structure comprises at least a first flat radial wall and a second flat radial wall extending radially from the longitudinal structure to the hollow tubular peripheral portion.
10 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support element is substantially symmetrical in a cross section thereof.
11 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support element comprises a recess configured to house a heating element.
12 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular support element comprises a polymer.
13 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 12 , wherein the polymer is polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), starch, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), or a combination thereof.
14 . The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the hollow tubular support element is manufactured by additive manufacturing or is injection molded.
15 . An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
the aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 , and
an aerosol-generating device comprising a heating element configured to be inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article.