Aerosol Generation System, Device

Abstract

An aerosol generation device includes: an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive a consumable having a portion of aerosol generating substrate; and a loading channel extending through the aerosol generation device and intersecting with the aerosol generation chamber. The loading channel includes a loading port at one end through which a consumable can be pushed into the loading channel, and the loading channel is configured to hold a plurality of consumables pushed along the loading channel towards the aerosol generation chamber by addition of a further consumable at the loading port.

An aerosol generation system includes: the aerosol generation device—including a plurality of the consumables in the loading channel, and a heating element configured to heat a portion of aerosol generating substrate in the aerosol generation chamber.

Claims

1. An aerosol generation system comprising: an aerosol generation device comprising: an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive a consumable comprising a portion of aerosol generating substrate; and a loading channel comprising a loading port at one end, and intersecting with the aerosol generation chamber; a plurality of the consumables in the loading channel, wherein each consumable is configured to push an adjacent consumable along the loading channel towards the aerosol generation chamber as successive consumables are pushed into the loading port; and a heating element configured to heat a portion of aerosol generating substrate in the aerosol generation chamber.

2. The aerosol generation system according to claim 1, wherein a length of the loading channel is equal to a length of the plurality of the consumables.

3. The aerosol generation system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of consumables comprises: a support frame configured to hold a portion of aerosol generating substrate, wherein the support frame is substantially rigid or resilient along a loading axis, wherein the consumable is configured to pass through the loading channel along the loading axis.

4. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a sealing member for inhibiting air flow along the loading channel.

5. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3,further comprising an air inlet and air outlet for allowing air to pass through the portion of aerosol generating substrate.

6. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a cleaning member for wiping an internal surface of the loading channel.

7. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a lid for accessing and covering the portion of aerosol generating substrate.

8. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a heating element.

9. The aerosol generation system according to claim 3, wherein the support frame comprises a thermally conductive plate configured to transmit heat from the heating element of the aerosol generating device to the aerosol generating substrate.

10. An aerosol generation device comprising: an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive a consumable comprising a portion of aerosol generating substrate; and a loading channel extending through the aerosol generation device and intersecting with the aerosol generation chamber, wherein the loading channel comprises a loading port at one end through which a consumable is configured to be pushed into the loading channel towards the aerosol generation chamber, and the loading channel is configured to hold a plurality of consumables pushed along the loading channel by addition of a further consumable at the loading port.

11. The aerosol generation device according to claim 10, further comprising a sealing member arranged to inhibit air flow along the loading channel when a consumable is received in the aerosol generation chamber.

12. The An aerosol generation device according to claim 10, wherein the loading channel comprises an unloading port at an end of the loading channel opposed to the loading port, wherein pushing an additional consumable into the loading port pushes a previous consumable out of the unloading port.

13. The aerosol generation device according to claim 12, wherein the loading port and the unloading port are similar such that the consumable can is configured to be pushed into the loading channel via either the loading port or the unloading port.

14. The aerosol generation device according to claim 10, further comprising an elongate body and a mouthpiece arranged at one end of the elongate body, wherein the loading channel is arranged along the elongate body.

15. The aerosol generation device according to claim 10, further comprising a driver for pushing a plurality of consumables in the loading channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically illustrate an aerosol generation device having a loading channel for receiving a plurality of consumables;

[0034] FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically illustrate consumables for an aerosol generation device;

[0035] FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate a first example of a consumable having a support frame;

[0036] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrate optional features of a consumable having a support frame;

[0037] FIGS. 5A to 5C schematically illustrate further optional features of a consumable having a support frame;

[0038] FIGS. 6A and 6B schematically illustrate further optional features of a consumable having a support frame;

[0039] FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative configuration of an aerosol generation device having a loading channel for receiving a plurality of consumables;

[0040] FIG. 8 illustrates a further alternative configuration of an aerosol generation device having a loading channel with only one loading/unloading port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically illustrate a first example of an aerosol generation device 1, in different cross-sections. FIG. 1A shows a cross-section view from a “top” perspective, and FIG. 1B shows a cross-section view from a “side” perspective, with dotted line X1 indicating a plane of FIG. 1B and dotted line X2 indicating a plane of FIG. 1A.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1A, the aerosol generation device 1 comprises a housing 11 enclosing an aerosol generation chamber 12. The aerosol generation chamber 12 is configured to receive a consumable 2 and to heat the consumable 2 to generate an aerosol.

[0043] A loading channel 13 is configured for receiving a plurality of consumables 2 through a loading port 131, and conveying the consumables 2 to an aerosol generation chamber 12. The loading channel 13 extends through the aerosol generation device 1 inside the housing 11 and intersects with the aerosol generation chamber 12.

[0044] In this example, the loading channel 13 is further configured to convey the consumables 2 on to an unloading port 132 at an end of the loading channel opposed to the loading port 131. However, in other examples, the aerosol generation device 1 may be configured to unload the consumables 2 back through the loading port 131.

[0045] Preferably a length of the loading channel 13 is equal to a length of a predetermined plurality of the consumables 2, in this case a length of three consumables as shown in FIG. 1A. However, this need not be the case in some embodiments.

[0046] An air flow channel 14 is connected through the aerosol generation chamber 12.

[0047] By pumping air along the air flow channel 14, the aerosol generated in the aerosol generation chamber 12 is extracted from the aerosol generation device 1. For example, one end of the aerosol generation device 1 may be configured as a mouthpiece 15 including an end of the air flow channel 14.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1B, the loading channel 13 intersects with the aerosol generation chamber 12. As a result, as consumables 2 are conveyed along the loading channel 13, the consumables 2 are positioned for heating in the heating chamber 12. Specifically, in FIG. 1B, consumable 2-C is positioned for heating.

[0049] In this embodiment, the loading channel 13 and the air flow channel 14 each intersect with the aerosol generation chamber 12 in a common plane, with the air flow channel 14 extending through the plane of FIG. 1 B. As a result, air flows along the air flow channel 14 through the consumable 2 that is in the aerosol generation chamber 12. However, this is not required in all embodiments, and the loading channel 13 and air flow channel 14 may each intersect with the aerosol generation chamber 12 without intersecting with each other, such that air only flows past the consumable 2. The heating chamber 12 has a heating element 121 which supplies heat to the consumable 2 to generate the aerosol. Specifically, the heating element 121 is configured to heat a portion of aerosol generating substrate that is contained in the consumable, in the aerosol generation chamber 12. The aerosol is carried by air flowing along the air flow channel 14 to the mouthpiece 15. The heating element 121 is preferably an electric heating element, such as a resistive heating element, but any type of heating element suitable for supplying heat to the heating chamber 12 may be used.

[0050] FIG. 1B illustrates four consumables 2-A to 2-D which have each been inserted in the loading port 131, and which contact each other within the loading channel 13 such that, when a last consumable (2-D) is pushed from the loading port 131 end of the loading channel 13, each of the consumables (2-A, 2-B and 2-C) ahead in the loading channel 13 are pushed along the loading channel 13 towards, through, and then out of the aerosol generation chamber 12. Specifically, the last consumable 2-D may be pushed from the loading port 131 when a further consumable is added to the loading port 131. Thus, the aerosol generation device 1 has a push-loading operation for loading consumables 2.

[0051] In addition, when the last consumable (2-D) is pushed from the loading port 131, a first consumable (2-A) is pushed out of the unloading port 132 (in embodiments where an unloading port 132 is present).

[0052] The loading port 131 and the unloading port 132 are similar, such that the consumable 2 can be pushed into the loading channel 13 via either the loading port 131 or the unloading port 132. This may, for example, help to support both left-handed and right-handed operation of an aerosol generation device 1. However, in order to avoid confusion about which end of the loading channel 13 is the loading port 131, the unloading port 132 may instead be configured such that it is not possible to push a consumable 2 into the unloading port 132.

[0053] The housing 11, aerosol generation chamber 12, loading channel 13, and air flow channel 14 may generally be made from any rigid material such as a thermoplastic ora metal (e.g. aluminium). The device 1 may, for example, be substantially made from a heat-resistant material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or polyamide (PA) in order to prevent thermal deformation or melting. The heat-resistant material may be a super engineering plastic such as polyimide (PI), polyphenylenesulfide (PPS) or polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

[0054] In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the aerosol generation device 1 further comprises a sealing member 133 arranged to inhibit air flow along the loading channel 13 when a consumable 2 is received in the aerosol generation chamber 12. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, the sealing member 133 takes the form of a protrusion from a surface of the loading channel 13. When a consumable 2 is arranged in the heating chamber 12 (in FIG. 1B, consumable 2-C is arranged in the heating chamber 12) the sealing member 133 extends across a gap between a wall of the loading channel 13 and a surface of the consumable 2. One sealing member 133 is arranged in the loading channel 13 on either side of the aerosol generation chamber 12, to inhibit air flow between the aerosol generation chamber 12 and either of the loading port 131 and unloading port 132. In other embodiments, either of the two sealing members 133 may be omitted.

[0055] The sealing member 133 may be made from a different material from the rest of the loading channel. For example, the sealing member 133 may be made from a pliable material, such as an elastomer (e.g. rubber), so that the sealing member 133 can bend while the consumables 2 are being pushed along the loading channel 13, and wear on the sealing member 133 is reduced. Alternatively, the sealing member 133 could be a rigid protrusion arranged to provide a tight fit for the consumable 2 in the loading channel 13.

[0056] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic perspective illustrations of basic types of consumable 2 which may be used in an aerosol generation device 1 as described above.

[0057] In the examples of FIG. 2A and 2B, the consumable 2 comprises simply a portion 21 of an aerosol generating substrate which, when heated, releases the aerosol.

[0058] In FIG. 2A, the portion 21 is a simple cuboid having length L, width W and depth D. To give an example, the substrate may be of the order 18×12×1.2 mm.

[0059] The substrate may for example comprise nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol former. Tobacco may take the form of various materials such as shredded tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf and/or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol formers include: a polyol such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols like propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; a non-polyol such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin or vegetable glycerin. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also comprise at least one of a gelling agent, a binding agent, a stabilizing agent, and a humectant.

[0060] The substrate is porous such that air can flow through the substrate and collect aerosol as it does so. The substrate may for example be a foam, or packed strands or fibres. The substrate may be formed through an extrusion and/or rolling process into a stable shape.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 2B, in addition to being porous, the portion 21 of aerosol generating substrate may be shaped with one or more protrusions and recesses. The loading channel 13 may be similarly adapted with protrusions and recesses to increase grip of the consumable 2 within the loading channel 13 and reduce the chance of the consumable becoming misaligned or stuck as it is pushed along the loading channel 13.

[0062] In each of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the portion 21 has a bare external surface in which the aerosol generating substrate is exposed. Alternatively, the portion 21 may comprise an air permeable wrapper covering at least part of a surface of the aerosol generating substrate. The wrapper may, for example, comprise paper and/or non-woven fabric.

[0063] While the example consumables 2 of FIGS. 2A and 2B are simple to manufacture, it is preferable to use a reinforced consumable to reduce the chance that the consumable becomes stuck in the loading channel 13 and to make the device 1 easier to clean. FIGS. 3A to 6B illustrate different examples of a consumable 2 that has a support frame 22 configured to hold a portion 21 of aerosol generating substrate. The support frame may be omitted (as in FIGS. 2A and 2B) if the portion 21 is rigid enough to sustain itself during the loading/unloading operation.

[0064] Referring first to the example consumable 2 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, FIG. 3A is a schematic perspective illustration, and FIG. 3B is a view of the top surface 222 shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 may be a cuboid structure comprising a recess for holding the portion 21 of aerosol generating substrate.

[0065] The support frame 22 is substantially rigid or resilient along a loading axis, i.e. a direction in which the consumable 2 is configured to move along a loading channel 13. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 comprises ends 23 configured for pushing adjacent consumables 2 along the loading channel 13. By providing this support frame 22, the aerosol substrate (which may be a softer material inclined to deform or crumple) does not directly experience the pushing force for pushing the consumable 2 along the loading channel 13.

[0066] The support frame 22 may be made from a similar material to that used for the structural features of the aerosol generation device 1 (housing 11, aerosol generation chamber 12 etc.), such as a thermoplastic or metal. For example, the support frame 22 may be substantially hollow and formed by bending a sheet material.

[0067] As additionally indicated in FIG. 3A, a surface 221 of the support frame 22 may comprise a gap to allow a heating element 121 of the aerosol generation device 1 to directly contact the portion 21 of aerosol substrate, in order to heat the portion 21 of aerosol substrate. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the surface 221 is a bottom surface of the support frame 22 opposed to a top surface 222.

[0068] As further shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 may comprise an air inlet 24 and air outlet 25 configured to allow air to flow through the portion 21 of aerosol substrate, in order to extract the generated aerosol. In the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the air inlet 24 and air outlet 25 are located in opposing side walls of the support frame 22. The size of the air inlet 24 and air outlet 25 is preferably as large as possible up to the size of the portion 21 of aerosol substrate, although the inlet and outlet may be slightly smaller so that the portion 21 cannot move out of the support frame 22. In some embodiments, the air inlet 24 may be omitted, air may be directed to flow past the consumable rather than through the consumable 2, and the consumable 2 may rely on diffusion to extract the aerosol from the portion 21 of aerosol substrate.

[0069] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrate a second example of a consumable 2 comprising a support frame 22. The second example may be the same as the first example, except as otherwise described below.

[0070] The primary difference from the first example is the inclusion of one or more sealing elements 26 with the consumable. These can be provided in addition or alternative to the sealing elements 133 of the aerosol generation device 1, and have a similar construction to the sealing element 133 described above, except that the sealing elements 26 protrude from a surface of the consumable 2 to seal the loading channel 13 when the consumable 2 is arranged in the aerosol generation chamber 12. As shown in FIG. 4B, in addition to optionally providing multiple sealing elements 26 to seal the loading channel 13 on either side of the aerosol generation chamber 12 (as with the sealing elements 133), sealing elements 26 may also be provided on multiple surfaces of the support frame 22. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, two sealing elements 26 are arranged on either side of the portion 21 of aerosol substrate, on each of the top and bottom sides of the consumable 2.

[0071] Additionally, and separately from the sealing elements 26, FIG. 4A illustrates the optional feature of a hollow buffer region in the support frame 22, between the portion 21 of aerosol substrate and an end 23 of the support frame 22. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4A, the top surface 222 is omitted. This space further protects the portion 21 from any crumpling due to push-loading of the consumable 2.

[0072] FIGS. 5A to 5C are schematic perspective and cross-section illustrations of further optional structural features of consumables 2.

[0073] In each of FIGS. 5A to 5C, the consumable 2 comprises a base 27. The base 27 may be a thicker portion of the support frame 22, and may be configured to increase a strength of the support frame 22 or simply to assist a user in orienting the consumable 2 for insertion into an aerosol generation device 1.

[0074] Additionally, in each of FIGS. 5A to 5C, the consumable 2 comprises a lid 28 for accessing and covering the portion of aerosol generating substrate. The lid 28 may be entirely separable from the support frame 22, or may be moveably attached, for example with a hinge.

[0075] In each of the examples of FIGS. 3A to 6B, the portion 21 of aerosol substrate may be replaced after a consumable 2 has been used, while the support frame 22 may be reused. The lid 28 has the advantage of ensuring that the aerosol substrate does not move out of the consumable 2 and remain in the loading channel 13 or the aerosol generation chamber 12, while still allowing for such replacement of the portion 21 of aerosol substrate.

[0076] Referring specifically to FIG. 5B, the consumable 2 in this example has an alternative configuration of heating elements. Specifically, the base 27 comprises a heating element 271, and the buffer regions of the support frame 22 also each comprise a heating element 222. Any combination of these heating elements mounted on the consumable 2 may be used in addition or alternative to the heating element 121 of the aerosol generation device 1.

[0077] Furthermore, in order to power a heating element mounted on the consumable 2, the consumable 2 may comprise electrical contacts 272. Similarly, the loading channel 13 may comprise electrical rails, or electrical contacts specifically positioned in the aerosol generation chamber 12, in order to supply power to the electrical contacts 272.

[0078] As a further addition or alternative, referring to FIG. 5C, the base 27 may comprise a thermally conductive plate 273 configured to transmit heat from a heating element 121 of the aerosol generating device 1 to the aerosol generating substrate. The thermally conductive plate 273 may, for example, be a thin portion of the support frame 22 or a portion comprising a different material from the rest of the support frame 22. Alternatively, the entire base 27 or the entire support frame 22 may be thermally conductive. This example in FIG. 5C means that heat conduction from an external heating element 121 to the portion 21 of aerosol substrate in the consumable 2 is improved, without requiring the consumable 2 to directly contact the external heating element 121, or requiring a heating element 271 or 222 in the consumable 2. By avoiding direct contact between the portion 21 and an external heating element 121 the aerosol substrate is less likely to leave residue from aerosol generation.

[0079] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic and cross-section illustrations of a consumable 2 having a cleaning member 29 for wiping an internal surface of the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29 can remove any residue left by the aerosol substrate as the consumable 2 moves along the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29 is arranged on an external surface of the consumable 2, similarly to the sealing element 26, and is configured to slide along a surface of the loading channel 13 as the consumable 2 moves along the loading channel, in order to rub off or absorb any residue produced from the aerosol substrate and deposited on the surface of the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29 may, for example, comprise a heat-resistant cloth that can tolerate the temperature used in the aerosol generation chamber 12 for generating the aerosol.

[0080] The consumable 2 may have multiple cleaning members 29. As shown in FIG. 6A, these may for example be arranged such that, when the consumable 2 is in a loading channel 13, one cleaning member 29 is ahead of the portion 21 of aerosol substrate along the loading direction, and one cleaning member 29 is behind the portion 21 of aerosol substrate along the loading direction. Additionally or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, the multiple cleaning members 29 may be arranged to clean different surfaces of the loading channel 13.

[0081] Any of the features of described above with reference to FIGS. 3A to 6B may be combined together to provide their different functions as described above.

[0082] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a second example of an aerosol generation device 1 which can be used with any of the above-described consumables. The second example of an aerosol generation device 1 has many features in common with the first example of FIGS. 1A and 1B, and like figure references indicate like features.

[0083] The second example of an aerosol generation device 1 differs from the first example primarily in that the loading channel 13 is arranged along an elongate axis of the housing 11, where the housing 11 forms an elongate body with the mouthpiece 15 at one end.

[0084] An elongate body is known to be used in aerosol generation devices 1 to make them easier to hold by hand. By aligning the loading channel 13 parallel to an elongate direction of the aerosol generation device 1, this configuration means that a length of the loading channel 13 available for holding consumables 2 is increased.

[0085] Additionally, with the loading channel 13 extending along an elongate axis of the housing 11, the user may push consumables 2 into the loading channel 13 either adjacent to the mouthpiece 15 or at an end of the housing 11 that opposes the mouthpiece 15. Either of these loading port configurations can be operated while the user has one hand extending around the elongate axis to conveniently and intuitively hold the aerosol generation device 1.

[0086] A further optional feature shown in the second example of FIG. 7 is that the aerosol generation chamber 12 and loading channel 13 are arranged such that a consumable 2 pushed out of the aerosol generation chamber 12 is not immediately pushed out of the aerosol generation device 1. This has the advantage that the consumable 2 has time to cool after being used in the aerosol generation chamber 12, before it is potentially handled by a user.

[0087] Additionally, in the second example of FIG. 7, an example air flow channel 14 is shown which is partly parallel to the loading channel 13, but also has a bend to direct air flow through the loading channel 13, so that air can flow through the consumable 2 in a similar way to the arrows illustrated in FIG. 3B.

[0088] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a third example of an aerosol generation device 1 which can be used with any of the above-described consumables. The third example of an aerosol generation device 1 has many features in common with the first example of FIGS. 1A and 1B, and like figure references indicate like features.

[0089] The third example of an aerosol generation device 1 differs from the first example primarily in that the loading port 131 is also used as the unloading port. With this configuration, a user can push-load a plurality of consumables 2, one at a time, and use each consumable 2 for a respective aerosol generating session. However, the aerosol generation device 1 does not need to be emptied after every aerosol generating session, and instead further consumables 2 can be added until the loading channel 13 is full.

[0090] The aerosol generation device 1 may also comprise a driver 134 for pushing a plurality of consumables in the loading channel 13.

[0091] In the third example, the driver 134 is configured for pushing the consumables 2- A, 2-B, 2-C back out of the loading channel 13 in order to empty the loading channel. The driver 134 may be an electronic actuator controlled by a user using a button, or controlled automatically by a control circuit. Alternatively, the driver 134 may be a purely mechanical system such as a telescopic element configured to retract when pushed until the loading channel 13 is full and to extend fully when pushed while the loading channel is full.

[0092] The driver 134 may additionally or alternatively be configured for shifting a next consumable into the aerosol generation chamber 12 after an aerosol generating session has been completed for a current consumable 2 received in the aerosol generation chamber.

[0093] An aerosol generation device 1 according to the first example or second example may similarly comprise a driver 134 for emptying the loading channel through the loading port 131 or unloading port 132, or for shifting a next consumable 2 into the aerosol generation chamber 12.