Abstract
An extractor for extracting an aerosol-forming substrate from an aerosol-generating device is provided, the extractor including: a first component configured to connect to the aerosol-generating device, the first component including a base and one or more side walls extending from the base to define a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate; and a second component configured to connect to the first component, the second component defining a cylindrical cavity or a circular aperture configured to receive a mouthpiece article for the aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device comprising the extractor, and a system comprising the extractor, are also provided.
Claims
1.-15. (canceled)
16. An extractor for extracting an aerosol-forming substrate from an aerosol-generating device, the extractor comprising: a first component configured to connect to the aerosol-generating device, the first component comprising a base and one or more side walls extending from the base to define a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate; and a second component configured to connect to the first component, the second component defining a cylindrical cavity or a circular aperture configured to receive a mouthpiece article for the aerosol-generating device.
17. The extractor according to claim 16, wherein the second component comprises a base and one or more side walls extending from the base to define the cylindrical cavity, wherein each side wall of the one or more side walls of the first component has a first end proximate to the base of the first component, and a second end distal from the base of the first component, and wherein, when the second component is connected to the first component, the base of the second component is disposed adjacent to the second end of the one or more side walls of the first component.
18. The extractor according to claim 16, wherein each side wall of the one or more side walls of the first component has a first end proximate to the base of the first component, and a second end distal from the base of the first component defining an open end of the cavity of the first component, wherein the second component comprises a cap configured to cover the open end of the cavity of the first component, the cap comprising a cap top wall having the aperture, and wherein, when the second component is connected to the first component, the cap top wall of the second component is disposed adjacent to the second end of the one or more side walls of the first component.
19. The extractor according to claim 16, wherein the base of the first component comprises at least one aperture configured to allow a heating element of the aerosol-generating device to extend into the cavity of the first component when the extractor is connected to the aerosol-generating device.
20. The extractor according to claim 19, wherein the base of the first component further comprises at least one sheath extending into the cavity of the first component, the at least one sheath extending from a respective one of the at least one aperture.
21. The extractor according to claim 16, wherein the base of the first component of the extractor comprises a heating element.
22. The extractor according to claim 21, wherein the heating element comprises a portion having a generally serpentine shape.
23. The extractor according to claim 16, wherein the first component and the second component each comprise a cooperating screw thread configured to connect the first component to the second component.
24. An extractor for extracting an aerosol-forming substrate from an aerosol-generating device, the extractor being configured to connect to the aerosol-generating device and comprising: a base and one or more side walls extending from the base, wherein each side wall of the one or more side walls has an inner surface defining a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein said each side wall is provided with a marking.
25. The extractor according to claim 24, wherein said each side wall of the one or more side walls of the first component has a first end proximate to the base, and a second end distal from the base, and wherein the marking is provided between the first and the second ends of the respective said each side wall.
26. The extractor according to claim 25, wherein said each side wall having the marking has a height defined by a distance between the first end and the second end, and wherein the marking is spaced from the base by a distance of between about 50 percent and 90 percent of a height of said each side wall.
27. The extractor according to claim 24, wherein the marking extends around an entire perimeter of the cavity.
28. The extractor according to claim 24, wherein the marking comprises a dotted line.
29. An aerosol-generating device, comprising: a body having a first end and a second end, the first end defining a device cavity configured to receive an aerosol-generating article; a heater component disposed in the device cavity; and an extractor according to claim 16, wherein the extractor is configured to connect to the first end of the body of the aerosol-generating device.
30. A system, comprising: an extractor according to claim 16; and a mouthpiece article for the extractor, the mouthpiece article comprising a rod comprising a filter segment and an aerosol-cooling element, wherein the rod has a first end having an end face and an opposed second end having an end face, and wherein the end face of the first end of the rod is defined by the filter segment and the end face of the second end of the rod is defined by the aerosol-cooling element.
Description
[0086] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0087] FIGS. 1 to 4 show schematic representations of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor and a mouthpiece article in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;
[0088] FIGS. 5 to 8 show schematic representations of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor and a mouthpiece article in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
[0089] FIG. 9 shows a schematic representation of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor and an aerosol-forming substrate in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention;
[0090] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the extractor of FIG. 9;
[0091] FIG. 11 shows a schematic representation of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor, an aerosol-forming substrate and a mouthpiece article in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; and
[0092] FIG. 12 shows a plan view of a portion of the extractor of FIG. 11.
[0093] FIG. 1 shows an elongate aerosol-generating device 30 having a cavity 31 at a first end. The cavity contains an elongate heating element in the form of a heating blade 32. Although not visible in FIG. 1, the heating element is an electrically resistive heating element 32, which is electrically connected to an electrical power supply within the device 30.
[0094] Adjacent to the first end of the device 30 is an extractor 20. The extractor 20 consists of two components; a first component 21 and a second component 22. The first component 21 is arranged to connect to the first end of the device, and comprises a base 27 and a single cylindrical side wall 28 extending from the base 27. The base 27 and the side wall 28 define an internal cavity within the first component. As shown in FIG. 1, this cavity is filled with a charge of aerosol-forming substrate 13 in the form of loose shredded tobacco material.
[0095] The second component 22 is arranged to connect to the first component 21, and comprises a base 23 and a cylindrical side wall 24 extending from the base. These define a cavity 22a in the second component. This cavity 22a is arranged to receive a mouthpiece article 10, which is shown in FIG. 1 adjacent to the second component 22. The base 23 of the second component 22 is formed of an air permeable mesh.
[0096] The side walls 28 of the first component also extend beyond the base 27 of the first component 21 to assist with attaching the first component 21 to the device 30.
[0097] In FIG. 1, the system is in a fully unassembled condition. In FIG. 2, the first component 21 and second component 22 of the extractor 20 have been connected to one another. In FIG. 3, the extractor 20 has been connected to the aerosol-generating device 30. In this position, the heating element 32 has been inserted into through a hole 29 in the base 27 of the first component 21 so that the heating element may extend into the cavity of the first component 21 and transfer heat to the aerosol-forming substrate 13 contained therein. Finally, in FIG. 4, the mouthpiece article 10 has been inserted into the cavity 22a of the second component. In use, a user draws on the mouth end filter 12 of the mouthpiece article 10. This causes air to enter the assembly through an air inlet (not shown) in the aerosol-generating device 30. The air then passes through the aperture 29 in the base of the first component and into the cavity of the first component 21. The heating element 32 heats the aerosol-forming substrate 13 in the cavity of the first component 21 to form an aerosol, which is drawn by the incoming air towards the air permeable base 23 of the second component 22. The aerosol then passes into the cavity 22a of the second component, in which the aerosol-cooling element 11 is located. The aerosol is cooled as it passes through the aerosol-cooling element, and then subsequently passes through mouth end filter element 12 before being inhaled by the user.
[0098] When the user has finished using the assembly, they can remove the mouthpiece article 10 from the cavity 22a of the second component 22 of the extractor 20. The mouthpiece article 10 can be discarded or kept for reuse. The user then pulls the extractor away from the device 30 to the position shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that: although FIG. 2 shows the extractor 20 as having been fully detached from the device 30, this need not be the case. Instead, the extractor 20 may remain attached to the device 30, but in an extended position, whereby the heating element 32 has been pulled out of the cavity of the first component 21. This process can help to pull away any aerosol-forming substrate 13, which has become stuck to the heating element, and thus help to keep the heating element 32 clean. Once the extractor has been detached from the device 30 or moved to its extended position, the first component 21 can be detached from the second component 22 and the consumed aerosol-forming substrate 13 can be removed from the cavity of the first component 21. The extractor is then ready for further use with a new charge of aerosol-forming substrate 13.
[0099] FIGS. 5 to 8 show schematic representations of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor and a mouthpiece article in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, through various stages of use. The extractor of the second embodiment functions in a similar manner to the extractor of the first embodiment. However, as can be seen from FIG. 5, the extractor 20 of the second embodiment does not have first and second components, but instead is formed as a single component 20. The single component 20 has a base 23 and a single cylindrical side wall 28 extending from the base, which together define a cavity for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate 13. The base 23 of the extractor 20 has an aperture 29 so that the heating element 32 may extend into the cavity 21a of the extractor 20. The inner surface of the cylindrical side wall 28 is provided with a marking 26 in the form of a dotted line which extends around the entire periphery of the cavity. The dotted line 26 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the extractor 20. The dotted line 26 can provide a user with a visual indication of a fill level that they should seek to achieve.
[0100] In FIG. 5, the cavity 21a is empty with a charge of tobacco 13 being ready for insertion into the cavity 21a. In FIG. 6, the cavity 21a has been filled with the charge of tobacco 13, and has a fill level corresponding to the dotted line 26. In FIG. 7, the extractor 20 has been attached to the device 30 and the heating element 32 extends through the aperture 29 in the base 27 of the extractor 20. In FIG. 8, a mouthpiece article 10 has been inserted into the portion of the cavity 21a that is not filled by the tobacco 13. In this configuration, the assembly is ready for a consumer to use.
[0101] FIG. 9 shows a schematic representation of an aerosol-generating device, an extractor and an aerosol-forming substrate in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. The arrangement of FIG. 9 corresponds to that of the second embodiment in FIG. 5, with the exception of the extractor 20 now comprising a sheath 25 extending into the cavity 21a. The sheath 25 extends from the aperture 29 in the base 27 of the extractor 20. The sheath 25 is configured to enclose the heating element 32 when the heating element 32 is inserted into the cavity 21a of the extractor 20. The sheath 25 can serve to protect the heating element 32. The sheath 25 can also prevent the heating element 32 from coming into direct contact with any aerosol-forming substrate in the cavity 21a. This may help to improve the cleanliness of the heating element 32. A perspective view of the extractor of the third embodiment can be seen in FIG. 10.
[0102] FIG. 11 shows a schematic representation of an aerosol-generating device 30, an extractor 20, an aerosol-forming substrate 13 and a mouthpiece article 10 in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention. The arrangement of FIG. 11 corresponds to that of the first embodiment in FIG. 1. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 11, the second component 22 of the extractor 20 now comprises a circular aperture 220 instead of a cavity 22a. In particular, the second component 22 of the extractor 20 is now in the form of a cap, which forms a snap-fit engagement with the first component 21 and covers the open end of the cavity of the first component 21. The cap 22 comprises a cap top wall 221 comprising the circular aperture 220. The cap also comprises a cylindrical cap side wall 222, which is configured to overlie the cylindrical side wall of the first component 21.
[0103] The mouthpiece article 10 in FIG. 11 only consists of a mouth end filter 12 and a cooling element 11. The circular aperture 220 of the extractor 20 is configured to receive the mouthpiece article 10 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 11.
[0104] The extractor of the fourth embodiment in FIG. 11 also differs from the extractor of the first, second and third embodiments, in that the base 27 of the first component 21 comprises a heating element 332. As best seen from the plan view in FIG. 12, the heating element 332 has a generally serpentine shape, extending across the surface of the base 27. In particular, the heating element comprises a strip 332, which meanders between a first point 333 and a second point 334 across the base 27 of the first component 21.
