Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
Description
Title: HIGH-DENSITY RECONSTITUTED PLANT SHEET
Technical field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of devices for heating
tobacco
5 without burning it and the subject thereof is a reconstituted plant sheet
obtained by
means of a high-density papermaking process.
Context of the invention
[0002] A large number of devices for heating tobacco without burning it have
been
developed in order to avoid the formation of the harmful constituents during
tobacco combustion. By way of example, mention may be made of the
applications published under numbers WO 2016/026810 and WO 2016/207407
which describe such devices. In these devices, the tobacco is heated at a
temperature below the combustion temperature without being burnt, which leads
to the formation of an aerosol. The aerosol generated during the heating of
the
tobacco replaces the cigarette smoke, and has advantageous organoleptic
properties when it is inhaled by the user. This thus allows the user to inhale
nicotine and the tobacco aromas while at the same time very significantly
reducing
said user's exposure to the harmful constituents.
[0003] In order for the user to adopt these heating devices, it is important
for the
20 experience obtained with said devices to be as close as possible to the
experience
obtained with a conventional cigarette, that is to say an amount of nicotine
equivalent to a conventional cigarette and satisfactory organoleptic
properties for
each puff.
[0004] Conventional tobacco is not suitable for such devices since it does not
make it possible for the user to obtain a satisfactory experience, in
particular it
does not make it possible to easily generate a sufficient amount of aerosol
having
advantageous organoleptic properties.
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[0005] Reconstituted tobacco is more suitable for these heating devices, since
it
makes it possible to generate a large amount of aerosol having advantageous
organoleptic properties.
[0006] However, the reconstituted tobacco must comprise a minimal amount of
aerosol-generating agent to generate a satisfactory amount of aerosol. For
instance the reconstituted tobacco disclosed in US 3,145 ,717 comprises only
3%
by weight of solids of aerosol-generating agent. The amount of aerosol
generated
by this reconstituted tobacco and the nicotine transfer rate of this
reconstituted
tobacco in a heating device are too low to be satisfactory.
[0007] Therefore, it is advisable to improve the organoleptic properties of
the
aerosols formed at each puff and to further increase the nicotine transfer
rate so
that the experience obtained with the heating devices is even closer to the
experience obtained with a conventional cigarette.
Sum Mary
[0008] It is thus to the credit of the inventors to have found that it is
possible to
meet these needs by means of a reconstituted plant sheet comprising:
- a fibrous support comprising refined plant fibers,
- an aerosol-generating agent, and
- a plant extract,
characterized in that
the density of the reconstituted plant sheet is greater than or equal to 0.6
g/cm3,
and
the total content by weight of solids of the aerosol-generating agent is
between
10% and 29%.
[0009] Advantageously, the reconstituted plant sheet according to the
invention
has a nicotine transfer rate greater than a reconstituted plant sheet of lower
density.
[0010] Furthermore, at each puff, the reconstituted plant sheet according to
the
invention advantageously forms an aerosol, the organoleptic properties of
which
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are improved compared with an aerosol formed by a reconstituted plant sheet of
lower density.
[0011] A second subject of the invention is a process for producing a
reconstituted
plant sheet according to the invention, comprising the following steps:
a) passing the fibers through a papermaking machine so as to constitute a
fibrous
support,
b) bringing an aerosol-generating agent and a plant extract into contact with
the
fibrous support so as to obtain a wet reconstituted plant sheet, and
c) drying the wet reconstituted plant sheet.
[0012] A third subject of the invention is a use of a reconstituted plant
sheet
according to the invention in a heating device, in particular a device for
heating
tobacco without burning it.
Description of the embodiments
[0013] According to a first subject, the invention relates to a reconstituted
plant
sheet comprising:
- a fibrous support comprising refined plant fibers,
- an aerosol-generating agent, and
- a plant extract,
wherein the density of the reconstituted plant sheet is greater than or equal
to
0.6 g/cm3, and
the total content by weight of solids of aerosol-generating agent is between
100/c,
and 29%.
[0014] Typically, the density of the reconstituted plant sheet may be between
0.62 g/cm3 and 1.50 g/cm3, in particular between 0.65 g/cm3 and 1 g/cm3, more
particularly between 0.66 g/cm3 and 0.70 g/cm3.
[0015] Typically, the density of the reconstituted plant sheet is calculated
by
dividing its basis weight by its thickness.
[0016] To determine the basis weight of the plant sheet, the following method
may
be used:
a sample of 0.25 m2 is cut out with a template (dimensions: 57.5 X 43.5 cm) at
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approximately 15 cm from the edge of the reconstituted plant sheet to be
analyzed.
The sample is then folded in four and placed on a hot plate so as to be dried
thereon in order to remove the water without removing the aerosol-generating
agent.
The dried sample is then weighed to determine the basis weight of the plant
sheet.
[0017] To determine the thickness of the plant sheet, the method described in
standard NF EN ISO 534 (December 2011) suitable for the reconstituted plant
sheets may be used:
- the average thickness of the control parchment paper used to measure the
thickness of the reconstituted plant sheet is measured (minimum of 6
measurements on a layer, on sites pinpointed on the paper),
- the reconstituted plant sheet sample is placed between 2 thicknesses of
parchment paper,
- as soon as the probe of the micrometer has been put in place, there is a
waiting
period of 30 seconds before taking measurement (stabilization of the sample
for
thickness measurement),
- a minimum of 6 measurements are taken at the sites pinpointed on the sheet
of
parchment paper,
- the calculated thickness of the reconstituted plant sheet is the average of
the
overall thickness measured (reconstituted plant sheets + 2 sheets of parchment
paper) from which is subtracted 2 times the average thickness of the parchment
paper.
[0018] Typically, the reconstituted plant sheet can have a basis weight of
between
60 g/m2 and 300 g/m2, in particular between 80 g/m2 and 250 g/m2, most
particularly between 90 g/m2 and 200 g/m2, even more particularly between
140 g/m2 and 190 g/m2.
[0019] Typically, the reconstituted plant sheet can have a thickness of
between
100 pm and 450 pm, in particular between 120 rn and 375 pm, most particularly
between 140 pm and 325 pm.
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[0020] According to one particular embodiment, the reconstituted plant sheet
can
have a density of between 0.65 g/cm3 and 1 g/cm3, a basis weight of between
90 g/m2 and 200 g/m2 and a thickness of between 140 pm and 325 pm.
[0021] Those skilled in the art will know how to adjust the basis weight and
the
5 thickness of the reconstituted plant sheet to achieve the desired high
density.
[0022] For the purposes of the present application, the term "fibrous support"
denotes a base web comprising refined fibers of the plant, the base web
typically
being obtained by means of a papermaking process.
[0023] For the purposes of the present application, the term "refined fibers
of the
plant" denotes fibers of the plant which have undergone a refining step
enabling
fibrillation and/or cutting of the fibers of the plant. The refining step is
conventionally carried out in a papermaking process, such as the papermaking
process producing reconstituted papermaking tobacco. On the other hand, the
refining step is not carried out in a process producing cast leaf
reconstituted
15 tobacco such as the one disclosed in EP 0 565 360 and WO 2012/164009.
[0024] For example, the refined fibers of the plant may have a degree Schopper-
Riegler ( SR) of from 15 SR to 75 SR, in particular of from 20 SR to 65 SR,
more
particularly of from 25 SR to 55 SR.
[0025] Typically, the fibrous support may comprise refined fibers of one same
20 plant or of several plants.
[0026] For the purpose of the present application, the term "aerosol-
generating
agent" denotes a compound which allows the formation of an aerosol when it is
heated, for example in contact with hot air.
[0027] Let SAG be the total content by weight of solids of the aerosol-
generating
25 agent included in the reconstituted plant sheet of the present invention.
Typically,
SAG may be between 14% and 27%, more particularly between 16% and 25%.
[0028] The aerosol generated by a reconstituted plant sheet having a SAG
greater
than the ranges mentioned above causes unwanted burning of the mouth and/or
the throat (phenomenon known as "hot puff").
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[0029] Typically, the aerosol-generating agent may be a polyol, a non-polyol
or a
mixture thereof. Typically, a generating agent that is a polyol may be
sorbitol,
glycerol, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol or a mixture thereof.
Typically, a
generating agent that is a non-polyol may be lactic acid, glyceryl diacetate,
5 glyceryl triacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate or a mixture
thereof.
[0030] According to one embodiment, the aerosol-generating agent is glycerol,
propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol, glycerol
being
preferred.
[0031] An aerosol is generated during heating of the reconstituted plant sheet
of
the invention. Advantageously, the plant extract which comprises aromatic
compounds confers aromas from the plant on this aerosol. By simply changing
reconstituted plant sheet, the user can easily vary the aromas of the aerosol
generated by heating said reconstituted plant sheet.
[0032] For the purposes of the present application, the term "plant extract"
denotes all of the water-soluble products of the plant. Advantageously, the
plant
extract comprises nicotine, and the compounds conferring organoleptic
properties
and/or therapeutic properties on the aerosol.
[0033] The organoleptic properties and the therapeutic properties of the
aerosol
formed by heating said reconstituted plant sheet may depend on the content by
weight of solids of the plant extract included in the reconstituted plant
sheet of the
present invention.
[0034] The total content by weight of solids of the plant extract depends on
the
plant used and, more particularly, on the content of aromatic compounds or of
compounds having therapeutic properties of the plant used.
[0035] Let Sp be the total content by weight of solids of the plant extract
included
in the reconstituted plant sheet of the present invention. Typically, Sp may
be
between 20% and 45%, in particular between 25% and 40%, more particularly
between 27% and 36%.
[0036] To determine Sp, use may be made of the following method:
30 the reconstituted plant sheet to be analyzed is ground in order to
achieve a particle
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size of less than or equal to 1 mm. The reconstituted plant sheet is then
mixed
with boiling water for 45 minutes in order to extract all of the plant
extract. Sp is
calculated by the difference between the dry weight of the sample of
reconstituted
plant sheet to be analyzed and the dry weight of the fibrous residue after
extraction.
[0037] According to one embodiment, the sum of the total content by weight of
the
solids of plant extract and of the total content by weight of solids of
aerosol-
generating agent, Sp + SAG, may be between 40% and 70%, in particular between
45% and 65%, more particularly between 50% and 60%.
[0038] According to one embodiment, the ratio between the total content by
weight
of solids of plant extract and the total content by weight of solids of
aerosol-
generating agent. Sp/SAG, is between 1.0 and 2.0, in particular between 1.10
and
1.80, more particularly between 1.15 and 1.70.
[0039] Advantageously, the nicotine transfer rate is improved and the
organoleptic
properties of the aerosols formed are even more satisfactory when the
reconstituted plant sheet according to the invention has an Sp/SAG ratio in
the
ranges mentioned above.
[0040] According to one particular embodiment, the reconstituted plant sheet
can
have an SAG of between 16% and 25%, an Sp of between 27% and 35%, and an
Sp + SAG of between 50% and 60%.
[0041] According to one particular embodiment, the reconstituted plant sheet
can
have a density of between 0.65 g/cm3 and 1 9/cm3, a basis weight of between
90 g/m2 and 200 g/m2 and a thickness of between 140 rim and 325 pm, an SAG of
between 16% and 25%, an Sp of between 27% and 35%, and an Sp + SAG of
between 50% and 60%.
[0042] The plant fibers and the plant extract can be independently obtained
from a
plant chosen from spore-producing plants, seed-producing plants or a mixture
thereof. In particular, the plant may be a plant chosen from the tobacco
plant, food
plants, aromatic plants, fragrant plants, medicinal plants, plants of the
family
Cannabaceae, or a mixture thereof.
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[0043] According to one particular embodiment, the plant is the tobacco plant.
[0044] If the plant is a medicinal plant, the aerosol generated by heating the
reconstituted plant sheet may also have therapeutic properties so that the
reconstituted plant sheet can be used for a therapeutic treatment.
[0045] Advantageously, a plant extract obtained from a plant mixture makes it
possible to offer a broad panel of organoleptic properties and/or therapeutic
properties. A plant mixture also makes it possible to counteract the
unpleasant
organoleptic properties of a plant of the mixture, for example a medicinal
plant,
with the pleasant organoleptic properties of another plant of the mixture, for
example the tobacco plant, an aromatic plant or a fragrant plant.
[0046] Typically, the plant fibers can be obtained from a first plant and the
plant
extract can be obtained from a second plant. Indeed this is because the fibers
of a
plant may not have mechanical properties which allow the formation of a
fibrous
support, but the extract of this plant may confer desired organoleptic
properties
and/or therapeutic properties on the aerosol. Conversely, the fibers of a
plant may
have mechanical properties which allow the formation of a fibrous support, but
the
extract of this plant may not confer desired organoleptic properties and/or
therapeutic properties on the aerosol.
[0047] Advantageously, mixing plants to obtain the plant fibers makes it
possible
to adjust the mechanical properties of the reconstituted plant sheet and/or
the
organoleptic or chemical properties of the aerosol.
[0048] When the plant is the tobacco plant, then the tobacco fibers and the
tobacco extract can be obtained from any tobacco plant or tobacco type plant,
for
example Virginia tobacco, Burley tobacco, air-cured tobacco, dark air-cured
tobacco, Orient tobacco, sun-cured tobacco, fire-cured tobacco, or a mixture
thereof.
[0049] Typically, the food plants are garlic, coffee, ginger, licorice,
rooibos, Stevia
rebaudiana, tea, cacao tree, chamomile, mate, star anise, fennel, citronella.
[0050] Typically, the aromatic plants are basil, turmeric, clove, laurel,
oregano,
mint, rosemary, sage, thyme.
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[0051] Typically, the fragrant plants are lavender, rose, eucalyptus.
[0052] Typically, the medicinal plants are those indicated in the document,
list A of
traditionally used medicinal plants (French pharmacopeia January 2016,
published
by the Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament (ANSM) [French National
Agency for Drug and Health Product Safety] or plants known to comprise
compounds which have therapeutic properties. Typically, the medicinal plants
listed are ginkgo, ginseng, sour cherry, peppermint, willow and red vine.
[0053] Typically, eucalyptus is among the medicinal plants known to comprise
compounds which have therapeutic properties.
[0054] Typically, the plant fibers and the plant extract of the reconstituted
plant
sheet of the present invention may be derived from various plant parts, the
plant
parts being parts of the plant itself or the result of the processing of
various plant
parts. Typically, the plant parts may be whole parts of the plant or debris
originating from threshing or mixing and shredding the plant parts.
[0055] Typically, the plant parts may be selected from the plant parts richest
in
aromatic compounds conferring on the aerosol its organoleptic properties.
Typically, these parts may be the whole plant, the aerial plant parts, such as
the
flower bud, the branch bark, the stem bark, the leaves, the flower, the fruit
and its
peduncle, the seed, the petal, the flower head, or the underground parts, for
example the bulb, the roots, the root bark, the rhizome, or a mixture thereof.
The
plant part may also be the result of the mechanical, chemical or mechanical-
chemical processing of one or more plant parts, such as for example the shell
protecting the cacao bean resulting from the bean dehulling process.
[0056] Typically, the tobacco plant parts may be the parts richest in aromatic
compounds conferring on the aerosol its organoleptic properties. Typically,
the
tobacco plant parts may be the parenchyma (lamina) optionally with added stems
of the tobacco plant. Typically, the tobacco plant parts may be the leaves of
the
tobacco plant or the debris originating from threshing or mixing and shredding
the
leaves and veins of the tobacco plant into scaferlati (cut tobacco).
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[0057] Among the food plants, the garlic bulb, the coffee cherry, the star
anise fruit,
the rhizome of ginger, the licorice root and the leaves of rooibos, Stevia
rebaudiana or tea may for example be selected as parts.
[0058] Among the aromatic plants, clove flower buds (the cloves), basil,
laurel and
5 sage leaves, mint, oregano, rosemary and thyme leaves and flower head, or
the
turmeric rhizome may for example be selected as parts.
[0059] Typically, among the fragrant plants, the lavender flower and flower
head,
or the rose flower bud and petals may be selected.
[0060] Among the medicinal plants listed in the French pharmacopeia, gingko
leaf,
10 the underground part of ginseng, the peduncle of the sour
cherry fruit (cherry stalk),
the leaves and flower head of peppermint, the stem bark and the leaves of
willow,
or the leaves of red vine may for example be selected.
[0061] According to one particular embodiment, the reconstituted plant sheet
can
have a density of between 0.65 g/cm3 and 1 g/cms, a basis weight of between
90 g/m2 and 200 g/m2 and a thickness of between 140 pm and 325 pm, an SAG of
between 16% and 25%, an Sp of between 27% and 35%, and an Sp + SAG of
between 50% and 60% and the plant is the tobacco plant.
[0062] Typically, the content by weight of solids of the refined plant fibers
included
in the reconstituted plant sheet may be between 15% and 70%, in particular
between 30% and 61%, more particularly between 40% and 57%.
[0063] Typically, the fibrous support of the reconstituted plant sheet may
also
comprise cellulose-based plant fibers.
[0064] Cellulose-based plant fibers are fibers obtained by means of a chemical
or
mechanical or thermomechanical cooking process, such as wood pulp, hemp, or
annual plants such as flax for example. A mixture of these cellulose-based
plant
fibers may also be used.
[0065] Advantageously, these cellulose-based plant fibers can improve the
mechanical strength properties of the reconstituted plant sheet.
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[0066] Typically, the cellulose-based plant fibers can represent between 0.5%
and
20%, in particular between 3% and 17.5%, more particularly between 5% and
150/0
by weight of solids of the reconstituted plant sheet.
[0067] According to a second subject, the invention relates to a process for
producing a reconstituted plant sheet as defined above, comprising the
following
steps:
a) passing the refined plant fibers through a papermaking machine so as to
constitute a fibrous support,
b) bringing an aerosol-generating agent and a plant extract into contact with
the
fibrous support so as to obtain a wet reconstituted plant sheet, and
c) drying the wet reconstituted plant sheet.
[0068] According to the invention, the fibrous support is produced using a
papermaking process. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a
reconstituted plant sheet according to the invention is a reconstituted plant
sheet
that can be obtained by means of a papermaking process.
[0069] Typically, the fibrous support constituted during step a) may have a
basis
weight of between 25 g/m2 and 150 g/m2; in particular, the minimum value of
the
basis weight may be 55 g/m2, 60 g/m2, 65 g/m2, 70 g/m2, 75 g/m2.
[0070] Advantageously, a fibrous support, the basis weight of which is
included in
the ranges above, makes it possible to obtain the desired high density.
[0071] Typically, the fibrous support constituted during step a) may have a
thickness of between 70 pm and 430 pm, in particular of between 100 pm and
350 pm, most particularly of between 120 pm and 300 pm.
[0072] The basis weight and the thickness of the fibrous support are typically
measured by the same methods as the basis weight and the thickness of the
reconstituted plant sheet described above.
[0073] According to one embodiment, the plant fibers of the fibrous support
and
the plant extract are obtained in accordance with the following steps:
d) mixing one or more plant parts with a solvent in order to extract the plant
extract
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from the plant fibers,
e) separating the plant extract from the plant fibers.
[0074] The plant extract and the plant fibers are therefore typically obtained
by
means of a dissociation process. During step d), one or more plant parts are
5 mixed with a solvent, for example in a digester, in order to extract the
plant extract
from the plant fibers. During step e), the plant extract is separated from the
plant
fibers, for example by passing through a screw press, in order to isolate and
obtain,
on the one hand, the plant fibers and, on the other hand, the plant extract.
[0075] Typically, the solvent may be an apolar solvent, an aprotic polar
solvent, a
10 protic polar solvent, or a mixture thereof, in particular the solvent
may be methanol,
dichloromethane, ethanol, acetone, butanol, water or a mixture thereof, more
particularly the solvent is ethanol, acetone, water or a mixture thereof.
[0076] According to one particular embodiment, the solvent is an aqueous
solvent,
most particularly the solvent is water_
15 [0077] Those skilled in the art will know how to adapt the temperature of
the
solvent during step d) to the plant, to the plant part and to the plant parts
to be
treated. Typically, the temperature of the solvent during the treatment of a
root or
of a bark will be higher than the temperature of the solvent during the
treatment of
a leaf or a petal.
20 [0078] Typically, the temperature of the solvent during step d) may be
between
C and 100 C, in particular between 30 C and 90 C, more particularly between
50 C and 80 C.
[0079] According to the embodiment wherein the solvent is water and the plant
is
tobacco, the temperature of the water may typically be between 30 C and 80 C.
25 Typically, for the treatment of the stems of a tobacco plant, the
temperature of the
water may be between 50 C and 80 C. Typically, for the treatment of the
parenchyma of a tobacco plant, the temperature of the water may be between
30 C and 70 C.
[0080] Typically, the plant fibers may be refined in a refiner and then passed
30 through the papermaking machine so as to constitute the fibrous support.
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[0081] Typically, the refined plant fibers may originate from various plants.
[0082] The fibers of each plant can be obtained separately according to the
dissociation process described above. They can subsequently be mixed such that
this mixture of fibers from various plants passes through the papenaking
machine
so as to constitute the fibrous support. It is also possible to obtain fibers
from
various plants together by bringing together one or more parts of the various
plants and then subjecting them to the dissociation process described above.
The
temperature of the water will then be adapted to the plants to be treated and,
in
particular, to the plant requiring the highest temperature of the water for
extracting
the extract of this plant. This alternative embodiment is very advantageous
since it
makes it possible to obtain the fibers of the various plants without carrying
out
several dissociation processes in parallel.
[0083] Typically, the plant extract may be an extract of various plants.
[0084] The extract of various plants can be obtained by mixing various plant
extracts obtained separately according to the dissociation process described
above. It is also possible to obtain the extract of various plants by bringing
together one or more parts of the various plants and then subjecting them to
the
dissociation process described above. The temperature of the water will then
be
adapted to the plants to be treated and, in particular, to the plant requiring
the
highest temperature of the water for extracting the extract of this water-
soluble
plant. This alternative embodiment is very advantageous since it makes it
possible
to obtain the extract of various plants without carrying out several processes
in
parallel. In these two situations, the extract of various plants is brought
into contact
with the fibrous support during step b).
[0085] Typically, various plant extracts, obtained according to the
dissociation
process described above, can also be brought into contact with the fibrous
support
separately during step b).
[0086] Typically, the plant extract can be concentrated before being brought
into
contact with the fibrous support during step b). A device such as a vacuum
evaporation device can be used to concentrate the plant extract.
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[0087] Typically, during step b), the plant extract and the aerosol-generating
agent
can be brought into contact with the fibrous support one after the other, or
can be
mixed so as to be brought into contact with the fibrous support together.
[0088] Typically, step b) of bringing the plant extract into contact can be
carried
out by impregnation or by spraying, in particular by impregnation. Typically,
the
impregnation can be carried out by means of a size press.
[0089] For example, in order to obtain the desired high density, it is
possible to
reduce the line pressure applied by the size press during step b). Typically,
this
line pressure during step b) is much lower than the line pressure applied by a
size
press used in conventional papermaking processes for producing reconstituted
plant sheets, such as those described in applications FR 15 59081 and
FR 17 57991.
[0090] In order to obtain the desired high density, it is advisable to also
adapt the
total amount of plant extract and of aerosol-generating agent used in step b)
to the
basis weight of the fibrous support.
[0091] Contrary to conventional papermaking processes for producing
reconstituted plant sheets, which produce reconstituted plant sheets having a
density of less than 0.6 g/cms, and without wishing to be bound to any theory,
the
inventors are of the opinion that step b) of the process of the invention
makes it
possible to obtain the desired high density by allowing impregnation of the
plant
extract and of the aerosol-generating agent into the fibrous support. This
specific
impregnation makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous distribution of the
plant
extract and of the aerosol-generating agent in the fibrous support and to
increase
the nicotine transfer rate.
[0092] Typically, those skilled in the art will know how to adapt the
operating
conditions for carrying out the drying step c).
[0093] Typically, the drying step c) can be carried out by infrared ramp,
American
battery drying drums, hot-air drying in a tunnel drier, a vertical drier, a
fluidized-bed
drier, a pneumatic drier, in particular in a tunnel drier.
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[0094] The reconstituted plant sheet of the invention may then be cut into
sheets,
leaves similar to strips of tobacco or rolled into a roll. Several sheets may
be
assembled in order to form a mixture of sheets.
[0095] The reconstituted plant sheet of the invention may be used in a device
for
5 heating tobacco without burning it.
[0096] Thus, according to a third subject, the invention relates to a use of a
reconstituted plant sheet as defined above, in a heating device, in particular
a
device for heating tobacco without burning it.
[0097] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "device for heating
10 tobacco without burning it" denotes any device which allows the formation
of an
aerosol intended to be inhaled by a consumer. The aerosol replaces the smoke,
thus allowing the user to inhale the plant aromas while at the same time very
significantly reducing his or her exposure to the harmful constituents.
[0098] Typically, a heating device comprises, in the direction of the air
flow, an air
15 inlet, a heating body, a lodging intended to put in place and hold the
reconstituted
plant sheet of the invention comprising the generating agent, and an air
outlet
intended to be introduced into the mouth of the user. The air inlet, the
heating
body, the lodging and the air outlet are typically connected at least
fluidically to
one another.
[0099] Typically, when the heating device is used, air is sucked into the
heating
device via the air inlet by the user; the air sucked in then passes through
the
heated portion so as to obtain heated air; on contact with the reconstituted
plant
sheet of the invention comprising the generating agent, held in the lodging,
an
aerosol is formed by the heated air and is then inhaled by the user. If the
plant is a
medicinal plant, then the aerosol formed has therapeutic properties.
[0100] Furthermore, by virtue of the heating device, there is no combustion of
the
sheet. The user can therefore take advantage of the organoleptic properties of
the
plant, and optionally of the tobacco, while at the same time very
significantly
reducing their exposure to the harmful constituents.
Examples
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[0101] Reconstituted tobacco sheet 1 in accordance with the invention
[0102] A mixture of scraps and stems of tobacco of Virginia type is brought
into
contact with water at 65 C with stirring for 45 minutes. The tobacco extract
is
separated from the fibrous portion by mechanical pressing. The tobacco extract
is
5 concentrated under vacuum to a solids concentration of 54%. Glycerol, as
aerosol-
generating agent, is added to the concentrated tobacco extract.
The tobacco fibers are refined to have a degree Schopper-Riegler of 55 SR and
then passed to a laboratory papermaking machine so as to constitute a fibrous
support which has a basis weight of approximately 77 g/m2.
The concentrated tobacco extract comprising glycerol is brought into contact
with
the fibrous support by impregnation in a size press to produce the
reconstituted
tobacco sheet in order to obtain an Sp of 27.3%, an SAG of 23.7% and a sum
SAG + Sp of 51% in the reconstituted tobacco sheet produced.
[0103] This sheet has a density of 0.68 g/cms, a basis weight of 145 g/m2 and
a
15 thickness of 212 pm.
[0104] Reconstituted tobacco sheet 2 in accordance with the invention
[0105] Another reconstituted tobacco sheet is produced according to the method
described above, the differences being that: it is a mixture of strips and
stems of
tobacco of Virginia type that is used, the degree Schopper-Riegler is 25*SR,
the
basis weight of the fibrous support is approximately 78 g/m2, SAG is 20.7%, Sp
is
30.8% and the sum SAG + Sp is equal to 51.5%.
[0106] This sheet has a density of 0.69 g/ce, a basis weight of 156 g/m2 and a
thickness of 226 pm.
[0107] Reconstituted tobacco sheet 3 in accordance with the invention
[0108] Another reconstituted tobacco sheet is produced according to the method
described above, the differences being that: it is a mixture of strips and
stems of
tobacco of Virginia type that is used, the degree Schopper-Riegler is 25 SR,
the
basis weight of the fibrous support is approximately 63 g/m2, SAG is 21.1%, Sp
is
35.4% and the sum SAG + Sp is equal to 56.5%.
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[0109] This sheet has a density of 0.61 g/cm3, a basis weight of 129 g/m2 and
a
thickness of 186 pm.
[0110] Reconstituted tobacco sheet not in accordance with the invention
[0111] A reconstituted tobacco sheet not in accordance with the invention is
5 produced according to a procedure similar to that described above, the
differences
being that the basis weight of the fibrous support is 57 g/m2, that Sp is
34.1%, SAG
is 14.9% and the sum SAG Sp is 43%.
[0112] This reconstituted tobacco sheet has a density of less than 0.6 g/cm3,
a
basis weight of 95 g/m2 and a thickness of 166 pm.
10 [0113] Nicotine transfer rate
[0114] The nicotine transfer rate of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 1 in
accordance with the invention and of the reconstituted tobacco sheet not in
accordance with the invention is determined with a heating system of glom"
type
and according to the following protocol.
15 [0115] The nicotine transfer rate in a reconstituted tobacco sheet is
calculated by
dividing the nicotine content in the aerosol, generated by heating said
reconstituted tobacco sheet, by the nicotine content in said reconstituted
tobacco
sheet.
[0116] The nicotine content in the aerosol generated by heating the
reconstituted
20 tobacco sheet is determined in the following way:
the tobacco is emptied out of commercial Dunhill stick bought in Italy in
August
2018 tubes for g10TM and said tubes are filled with scaferlati (cut tobacco)
of the
sheet tested, with a weight of tobacco of 260 mg/stick and a drawing
resistance of
70 +/- 3 mm of water column,
25 an aerosol is generated via a Borgwaldt RM04 smoking machine on which the
filled sticks have been installed (by applying the procedure for use supplied
with
the g10TM heating system),
the material of the aerosol is collected on a 40 mm Cambridge filter. It is
then
dissolved in methanol,
30 the nicotine content in the aerosol is assayed after separation by gas
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chromatography and assaying by FID relative to n-heptadecane (used as
standard). The nicotine content of the aerosol is measured according to
standard
18010315:2013, using methanol in place of the isopropanol mentioned in the
standard. The chromatography material used is the same as that used for the
5 analysis of nicotine of the tested sheet. 6 Replicates are performed for
determining
the nicotine content in the aerosol.
[0117] The nicotine content in the reconstituted tobacco sheet is determined
in the
following way:
the nicotine content in the sheet tested is determined by gas chromatography-
FID
detection analysis, with an Innowax gas chromatography column (column
dimensions: length 30 m; internal diameter 0.53 mm; film thickness 1 pm).
[0118] The results for the sheets tested are indicated in [Table 1] below.
[0119] These results demonstrate that the nicotine transfer rate of the
reconstituted tobacco sheet 1 in accordance with the invention is
significantly
15 higher than the nicotine transfer rate of the tobacco sheets having a
density of less
than 0.6 g/crn3.
[0120] [Table 1]
Reconstituted tobacco sheet 1 in accordance with the
38 k
invention
Reconstituted tobacco sheet not in accordance with the
/
invention
<300
[0121] Organoleptic properties
[0122] The tobacco sheet in accordance with the invention and a tobacco sheet
not in accordance with the invention are cut into scaferlati (cut tobacco) and
then
smoked, one after the other, by an independent expert in a g10TM heating
system.
[0123] According to the independent expert, all the aerosols formed during the
smoking of the tobacco sheet in accordance with the invention have very
satisfactory organoleptic properties, in particular the aerosol is not very
bitter, not
very irritant, not very aggressive and has a good round and balanced taste
which
is superior to the aerosols formed during the smoking of the tobacco sheet not
in
accordance with the invention.
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