Rupturing system for an aerosol-generating system

Abstract

A rupturing system for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the rupturing system including a first tube and a second tube being movable relative to each other along a first motion path from a first position to a second position, such that the defined volume is larger in the first position than in the second position; a rupturing member connected to one of the first tube and the second tube, the rupturing member being arranged such that in the first position the rupturing member is contained completely in the defined volume of the first tube and the second tube, and in the second position the rupturing member at least partially protrudes from the defined volume and is configured to rupture a container; and a first wrapper overlying at least a portion of the first tube and being attached to the first tube.

Claims

1. A rupturing system for an aerosol-generating system, the rupturing system comprising: a first tube and a second tube together defining a volume and being movable relative to each other along a first motion path from a first position to a second position, such that the defined volume is larger in the first position than in the second position; a rupturing member connected to one of the first tube and the second tube, the rupturing member being arranged such that in the first position the rupturing member is contained completely in the defined volume of the first tube and the second tube, and in the second position the rupturing member at least partially protrudes from the defined volume and is configured to rupture a container; and a first wrapper overlying at least a portion of the first tube and being attached to the first tube, wherein the first wrapper substantially overlies an entire outer surface of the first tube, wherein the first tube comprises an engagement surface configured to slide adjacent an engagement surface of the second tube, and wherein the engagement surface of the first tube and the engagement surface of the second tube each comprise one or more resilient protrusions configured to retain the rupturing system in the first position until a compressive force is applied to the rupturing system along the first motion path.

2. The rupturing system according to claim 1, wherein the first tube and the second tube are slidable relative to each other along the first motion path from the first position to the second position.

3. The rupturing system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second tubes comprises a shoulder configured to engage a first end of the other of the first and second tubes when the rupturing system is in the second position, and wherein the shoulder and the first end are spaced apart in the first position so as to define an intermediate portion of the rupturing system between the shoulder and the first end.

4. The rupturing system according to claim 3, wherein the first wrapper does not overlap the intermediate portion.

5. The rupturing system according to claim 4, further comprising a second wrapper overlying at least a portion of the second tube, the second wrapper being attached to the second tube and not overlapping the intermediate portion.

6. The rupturing system according to claim 5, wherein the second wrapper substantially overlies an entire outer surface of the second tube.

7. The rupturing system according to claim 3, wherein the first wrapper at least partially overlaps the intermediate portion, and wherein the first wrapper is not attached to any part of the intermediate portion.

8. The rupturing system according to claim 7, wherein the first wrapper at least partially overlaps the second tube, and wherein the first wrapper is not attached to any part of the second tube.

9. The rupturing system according to claim 8, further comprising a second wrapper overlying at least a portion of the second tube, the second wrapper being attached to the second tube, wherein a portion of the second wrapper underlies a portion of the first wrapper that at least partially overlaps the second tube so that the first wrapper and the second wrapper are movable relative to each other when the rupturing system is moved from the first position to the second position.

10. The rupturing system according to claim 9, wherein the second wrapper substantially overlies an entire outer surface of the second tube.

11. An aerosol-generating article, comprising: a rupturing system comprising: a first tube and a second tube together defining a volume and being movable relative to each other along a first motion path from a first position to a second position, such that the defined volume is larger in the first position than in the second position, a rupturing member connected to one of the first tube and the second tube, the rupturing member being arranged such that in the first position the rupturing member is contained completely in the defined volume of the first tube and the second tube, and in the second position the rupturing member at least partially protrudes from the defined volume and is configured to rupture a container, and a first wrapper overlying at least a portion of the first tube and being attached to the first tube, wherein the first wrapper substantially overlies an entire outer surface of the first tube, wherein the first tube comprises an engagement surface configured to slide adjacent an engagement surface of the second tube, and wherein the engagement surface of the first tube and the engagement surface of the second tube each comprise one or more resilient protrusions configured to retain the rupturing system in the first position until a compressive force is applied to the rupturing system along the first motion path; a mouthpiece connected to the first tube; and a container containing a volatile liquid connected to the second tube.

12. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the first wrapper at least partially overlies the mouthpiece and is attached to the mouthpiece.

13. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 11, wherein the container containing the volatile liquid is a blister capsule, and wherein the rupturing member is arranged such that in the second position the rupturing member at least partially protrudes from the defined volume to rupture the blister capsule.

14. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 13, wherein the blister capsule comprises: a blister shell; a tubular porous element disposed in the blister shell; a volatile liquid sorbed on the tubular porous element; and a film configured to seal the blister shell, wherein the film and the blister shell are frangible such that, in the second position, the rupturing member at least partially protrudes from the defined volume to rupture the film and the blister shell of the blister capsule.

Description

(1) The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a rupturing system in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative rupturing system in accordance with the present invention;

(4) FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show the rupturing system of FIG. 2 combined with first and second blister capsules and moving from a first position to a second position;

(5) FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show a first arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system of FIG. 2;

(6) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show a second arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system of FIG. 2;

(7) FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show a third arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system of FIG. 2; and

(8) FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show a fourth arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system of FIG. 2.

(9) FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a rupturing system 100 comprising a first tube 104 and a second tube 102. The first tube 104 comprises a hollow cylindrical portion 112 having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and a rupturing member 114 resiliently coupled to the hollow portion 112 by the resilient member 116. The rupturing member comprises a rupturing portion 117. The second tube 102 comprises a hollow cylindrical portion 106 having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and a guide member 108 resiliently coupled to the hollow portion 106 by the resilient member 110. The first tube 104 further comprises resilient protrusions 124, 126 and 128 and the second tube 102 further comprises resilient protrusions 118, 120 and 122.

(10) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the second tube 102 is configured to partially slide within the first tube 104, such that they are in operational engagement, as described in detail below. The first tube and the second tube are configured to move along a first motion path. Such relative sliding of the first tube 104 and the second tube 102 engages a cam surface 130 of the guide member 108 with a cam follower surface 132 of the rupturing member 114, as described in detail below.

(11) FIG. 2 shows an alternative rupturing system 200. As can be seen, the system 200 is similar to the system 100, and like reference numerals have been used to refer to like components. The second tube 102 of the system 200 comprises a guide member 202 having a rupturing portion 204. In this example, the guide member 202 is known as a second rupturing member.

(12) FIGS. 3 to 5 show the rupturing system 200 moving from a first position, FIG. 3, to an intermediate position, FIG. 4, to a second position FIG. 5, along the first motion path. As will be appreciated, the operation of the rupturing system 100 is substantially similar to that of system 200.

(13) In FIG. 3 it can be seen that the protrusions 118, 120 and 122 of the second tube 102 cooperate with the protrusions 124, 126 and 128 of the first tube 104 to retain the first and second tubes in this first position until a longitudinal compressive force is applied to the system 200. Once sufficient force is applied, the second tube and the protrusions deform to allow the second tube to slide within the first tube, as shown in FIG. 4. As can also be seen in FIG. 4, the respective rupturing portions of the first tube and second tube begin to rupture first and second blister capsules 210, 212 connected to ends of the second and first tubes respectively. At the same time, the cam surface 130 begins to engage with the cam follower surface 132. As the first tube and second tube are moved to the second position as shown in FIG. 5 the cam surfaces force the cam member 202 and the rupturing members to rotate about their respective resilient members 110 and 116. In doing so, the rupturing portions move in the transverse direction, and therefore the rupturing portions move along second and third motion paths that are not parallel to the first motion path.

(14) Finally, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the resilient protrusions 118 and 128 cooperate to retain the system 200 in the second position. In addition, the first tube comprises a shoulder 300 which engages with an end face 302 of the second tube to prevent further relative sliding movement between the first and second tubes. The rupturing members have pierced entirely through the respective blister capsules 210, 212 to form an aperture 304 through each blister capsule. The lateral motion of the rupturing portions in the transverse direction widens each aperture 304 to form an airflow path through the rupturing system 200 and between the apertures 304 in the blister capsules 210, 212.

(15) FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show a first arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system 200 in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a mouthpiece 400 is provided at a downstream end of the first tube 104 and a first wrapper 402 is wrapped around the first tube 104. The first wrapper 402 covers substantially the entire outer surface of the first tube 104 and is attached to the first tube using an adhesive 404 applied to an inner surface of the first wrapper 402. The first wrapper 402 simulates a tipping wrapper of a conventional filter cigarette.

(16) A space between the shoulder 300 of the first tube 104 and the end face 302 of the second tube 102 defines an intermediate portion 406 of the rupturing system 200. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the first wrapper 402 does not overlap any part of the intermediate portion 406.

(17) In FIG. 6, the first wrapper 402 is shown as partially unwrapped for illustration of the embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the first wrapper 402 fully wrapped around the first tube 104. FIG. 8 shows the rupturing system 200 after the first and second tubes have been moved into the second position, therefore closing the gap between the shoulder 300 and the end face 302 so that the intermediate portion 406 is eliminated.

(18) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show a second arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system 200 in accordance with the present invention. The arrangement shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 is substantially the same as the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, and like reference numerals are used to designate like parts. The arrangement shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 differs by the addition of a second wrapper 408 wrapped around and attached to the second tube 102. The second wrapper 408 simulates a cigarette paper of a conventional filter cigarette.

(19) The second wrapper 408 does not overlap any part of the intermediate portion 406 so that the second wrapper 408 does not interfere with the movement of the first and second tubes into the second position.

(20) In FIG. 9, the first wrapper 402 and the second wrapper 408 are shown as partially unwrapped for illustration of the embodiment. FIG. 10 shows the first and second wrappers 402, 408 fully wrapped around the first tube 104 and the second tube 102 respectively. FIG. 11 shows the rupturing system 200 after the first and second tubes have been moved into the second position, therefore closing the gap between the shoulder 300 and the end face 302 so that the intermediate portion 406 is eliminated.

(21) FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show a third arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system 200 in accordance with the present invention. The arrangement shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 is also substantially the same as the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, and like reference numerals are used to designate like parts. The arrangement shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 differs in that the first wrapper, designated in FIG. 12 with reference numeral 502, is longer so that it overlaps the intermediate portion 406 and part of the second tube 102.

(22) The first wrapper 502 comprises an adhesive free zone 504 so that the first wrapper 502 is not attached to any part of the intermediate portion 406 or the second tube 102. The adhesive free zone 504 allows the first and second tubes to move freely from the first position into the second position without damaging the first wrapper 502.

(23) In FIG. 12, the first wrapper 502 is shown as partially unwrapped for illustration of the embodiment. FIG. 13 shows the first wrapper 502 fully wrapped around the first tube 104. FIG. 14 shows the rupturing system 200 after the first and second tubes have been moved into the second position.

(24) Finally, FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show a fourth arrangement for wrapping the rupturing system 200 in accordance with the present invention. The arrangement shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 is a combination of the second and third arrangements shown in FIGS. 9 and 12. That is, in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, a first wrapper 502 is wrapped around the first tube 104 and overlaps the intermediate portion 406 and part of the second tube 102, wherein the first wrapper 502 comprises an adhesive free zone 504. A second wrapper 408 is wrapped around the second tube 102, the second wrapper 408 underlying the portion of the first wrapper 502 that overlaps the second tube 102. The system is free from adhesive between the first and second wrappers 502, 408 so that the second wrapper 408 is free to move underneath the first wrapper 502 when the first and second tubes move into the second position.