An Inhalation System And A Vapour Generating Article

Abstract

An inhalation system for generating a vapour for inhalation by a user includes an inhalation device including a controller and a vapour generating article including a vapour generating material and a heating element. The vapour generating article has first and second regions. The second region contains one or more of a higher density of the vapour generating material than the first region, vapour generating material with a higher moisture content than the first region, or vapour generating material with a higher aerosol-former content than the first region, and the heating element is arranged to generate more heat in the second region than in the first region.

Claims

1. An inhalation system for generating a vapour for inhalation by a user, the inhalation system comprising: an inhalation device including a controller; and a vapour generating article comprising a vapour generating material and a heating element; wherein the vapour generating article has first and second regions, the second region contains one or more of a higher density of the vapour generating material than the first region, vapour generating material with a higher moisture content than the first region, or vapour generating material with a higher aerosol-former content than the first region, and the heating element is arranged to generate more heat in the second region than in the first region

2. The inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the vapour generating article comprises a wrapper surrounding the vapour generating material and is generally rod-shaped with first and second ends, and wherein a filter is positioned at the first end and the second region is positioned at the second end.

3. The inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises an inductively heatable susceptor.

4. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a plurality of susceptor elements of the same type and the second region contains a higher density of the susceptor elements than the first region.

5. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a first type of susceptor element in the first region and a second type of susceptor element in the second region which generates more heat per unit time than the first type of susceptor element when the first and second types of susceptor element are exposed, in use, to the same electromagnetic field.

6. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a first type of susceptor element in the first region and a second type of susceptor element in the second region which generates heat for a longer period of time than the first type of susceptor element when the first and second types of susceptor element are exposed, in use, to the same electromagnetic field.

7. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a first type of susceptor element in the first region and a second type of susceptor element in the second region and the first type of susceptor element is arranged to be broken to thereby break its electrical path before the second type of susceptor element when the first and second types of susceptor element are exposed, in use, to the same electromagnetic field.

8. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein: the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a first type of susceptor element in the first region and a second type of susceptor element in the second region; the first type of susceptor element has a weakened part having a higher electrical resistance than the other parts of the first type of susceptor element; and either: the second type of susceptor element has a weakened part having a higher electrical resistance than the other parts of the second type of susceptor element and the weakened part of the second type of susceptor element is stronger than the weakened part of the first type of susceptor element; or the second type of susceptor element does not have a weakened part.

9. The inhalation system according to claim 8, wherein the weakened part has a smaller cross-sectional area than other parts of the susceptor element(s).

10. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises a ring-shaped susceptor.

11. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor includes a non-concentric aperture.

12. The inhalation system according to claim 3, wherein the inductively heatable susceptor includes a slit.

13. The inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the vapour generating article has a longitudinal direction and the first and second regions are arranged along the longitudinal direction.

14. The inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the vapour generating article has an axis and the first and second regions are arranged along a radial direction with respect to the axis.

15. A vapour generating article comprising a vapour generating material and a heating element, wherein the vapour generating article has first and second regions, the second region contains one or more of a higher density of the vapour generating material than the first region, vapour generating material with a higher moisture content than the first region, or vapour generating material with a higher aerosol-former content than the first region, and the heating element is arranged to generate more heat in the second region than in the first region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 is diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an inhalation system comprising a first example of a vapour generating article;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a second example of a vapour generating article;

[0041] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a third example of a vapour generating article;

[0042] FIGS. 4a to 4c are diagrammatic views along the line A-A in FIG. 3 of examples of a first type of susceptor element;

[0043] FIGS. 5a and 5b are diagrammatic views along the line B-B in FIG. 3 of examples of a second type of susceptor element;

[0044] FIGS. 6a is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a fourth example of a vapour generating article; and

[0045] FIG. 6b is a diagrammatic view along the line C-C in FIG. 6a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown diagrammatically an example of an inhalation system 1. The inhalation system 1 comprises an inhalation device 10 and a first example of a vapour generating article 24. The inhalation device 10 has a proximal end 12 and a distal end 14 and comprises a device body 16 which includes a power source (not shown) and a controller 20 which may be configured to operate at high frequency. The power source typically comprises one or more batteries which could, for example, be inductively rechargeable.

[0048] The inhalation device 10 is generally cylindrical and comprises a generally cylindrical vapour generating space 22, for example in the form of a heating compartment. The cylindrical vapour generating space 22 is arranged to receive a correspondingly shaped generally cylindrical or rod-shaped vapour generating article 24 containing a vapour generating material 26 and a heating element in the form of a particulate induction heatable susceptor material 28. The inhalation device 10 comprises a helical induction coil 36 which has a circular cross-section and which extends around the cylindrical vapour generating space 22. The induction coil 36 can be energised by the power source and controller 20. The controller 20 includes, amongst other electronic components, an inverter which is arranged to convert a direct current from the power source into an alternating high-frequency current for the induction coil 36.

[0049] The vapour generating article 24 is a disposable article which may, for example, contain tobacco as the vapour generating material 26. The vapour generating article 24 comprises a paper wrapper 30 surrounding the vapour generating material 26 and the particulate susceptor material 28 and has first and second ends 40, 42. The vapour generating article 24 comprises a filter 32 at the first end 40 which is in abutting coaxial alignment with the paper wrapper 30. The filter 32 acts as a mouthpiece and comprises an air-permeable plug, for example comprising cellulose acetate fibres. Both the paper wrapper 30 and the filter 32 are overwrapped by an outer wrapper 34 typically comprising tipping paper.

[0050] The vapour generating article 24 has first and second regions 44, 46 which are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the vapour generating article 24. The first and second regions 44, 46 contain different densities of the vapour generating material 26, with the second region 46 containing a higher density of the vapour generating material 26 than the first region 44 as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. Alternatively or in addition, the vapour generating material 26 in the second region 46 can have a higher moisture content and/or a higher aerosol-former content than the vapour generating material 26 in the first region 44. In the illustrated first example of the vapour generating article 24, the second region 46 containing the higher density of the vapour generating material 26 is positioned at the second end 42, with the first region 40 containing the lower density of the vapour generating material 26 being positioned between the filter 32 and the second region 46. Such an arrangement is advantageous because the higher density of the vapour generating material 26 in the second region 46 at the second end 42 prevents fall-out of the lower density of the vapour generating material 26 from the first region 44.

[0051] In the illustrated first example of the vapour generating article 24, a higher density of the particulate susceptor material 28 is provided in the second region 46 than in the first region 44. With this arrangement, the same type of particulate susceptor material 28 can be used in the first and second regions 44, 46, whilst the higher density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the second region 46 generates more heat in the second region 46 than the lower density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the first region 44.

[0052] As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, when the induction coil 36 is energised during use of the inhalation system 1, an alternating and time-varying electromagnetic field is produced. This couples with the particulate susceptor material 28 in both the first and second regions 44, 46 and generates eddy currents and/or magnetic hysteresis losses in the particulate susceptor material 28 causing it to heat up.

[0053] The heat is transferred from the particulate susceptor material 28 to the vapour generating material 26 in the first and second regions 44, 46, for example by conduction, radiation and convection. As noted above, more heat is generated in the second region 46 than in the first region 44 due to the higher density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the second region 46.

[0054] The particulate susceptor material 28 can be in direct or indirect contact with the vapour generating material 26, such that when the particulate susceptor material 28 in the first and second regions 44, 46 is inductively heated by the induction coil 36, heat is transferred from the particulate susceptor material 28 to the vapour generating material 26 in the first and second regions 44, 46, to heat the vapour generating material 26 and thereby produce a vapour or aerosol. The vaporisation of the vapour generating material 26 is facilitated by the addition of air from the surrounding environment. The vapour generated by heating the vapour generating material 26 exits the vapour generating article 24 through the filter 32 where it can be inhaled by a user of the device 10.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a second example of a vapour generating article 50 which is similar to the first example of the vapour generating article 24 described above with reference to FIG. 1 and in which corresponding components are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0056] The vapour generating article 50 comprises a first type of induction heatable susceptor element 52 in the first region 44 and a second type of induction heatable susceptor element 54 in the second region 46. More specifically, the first type of susceptor element 52 comprises an elongate susceptor element in the form of a bar or rod which extends in the longitudinal direction through the first region 44. In contrast, the second type of susceptor element 54 comprises a tubular susceptor with the vapour generating material 26 positioned both inside and around the tubular susceptor. With this arrangement, the tubular susceptor (i.e. the second type of susceptor element 54) generates more heat per unit time and/or generates heat for a longer period of time in the second region 46 than the elongate susceptor (i.e. the first type of susceptor element 52) in the first region 44 when the first and second types of susceptor element 52, 54 are exposed to the same electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil 36 of the inhalation device 10. Thus, more heat is generated in the second region 46 than in the first region 44.

[0057] Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 5, there is shown a third example of a vapour generating article 60 which is similar to the first and second examples of the vapour generating article 24, 50 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and in which corresponding components are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0058] The vapour generating article 60 comprises a plurality of a first type of induction heatable susceptor element 62 in the first region 44 and a second type of induction heatable susceptor element 64 in the second region 46.

[0059] In more detail and referring to FIGS. 4a to 4c which are diagrammatic views along the line A-A in FIG. 3 of different examples of the first type of susceptor element 62, it will be seen that the first type of susceptor element 62 has at least one weakened part 66 which has a higher electrical resistance than other parts of the first type of susceptor element 62. The weakened part 66 is created by providing a part of the first type of susceptor element 62 with a smaller cross-sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the current flow direction than other parts of the first type of susceptor element 62. The higher electrical resistance of the weakened part 66 can be exploited to cause breakage of the first type of susceptor element 62, and hence breakage of its electrical path, before any breakage of the second type of susceptor element 64 occurs thereby ensuring that more heat is generated in the second region 46 than in the first region 44.

[0060] In the example shown in FIG. 4a, the first type of susceptor element 62 is a ring-shaped susceptor and includes a non-concentric aperture 68 thereby creating the weakened part 66 of smaller cross-sectional area. In the example shown in FIG. 4b, the first type of susceptor element 62 is a ring-shaped susceptor with a concentric aperture 70 and includes a pair of slits 72 at diametrically opposite positions creating two weakened parts 66 of smaller cross-sectional area. In a variation of this example, a single slit 72 or more than two slits 72 could be provided. In the example shown in FIG. 4c, the first type of susceptor element 62 is a ring-shaped susceptor with a concentric aperture 70 and includes a pair of openings 74 at diametrically opposite positions creating two weakened parts 66 of smaller cross-sectional area. In a variation of this example, a single opening 74 or more than two openings 74 could be provided.

[0061] In order to ensure that breakage of the first type of susceptor element 62 occurs before breakage of the second type of susceptor element 64, the second type of susceptor element 64 can have a weakened part 76 which is stronger than the weakened part 66 of the first type of susceptor element 62. An example of a second type of susceptor element 64 with a weakened part 76 is shown in FIG. 5a. The second type of susceptor element 64 is a ring-shaped susceptor and includes a non-concentric aperture 78 thereby creating the weakened part 76 of smaller cross-sectional area. It will be understood that the second type of susceptor element 64 shown in FIG. 5a is similar to the first type of susceptor element 62 shown in FIG. 4a, except that the weakened part 76 is stronger than the weakened part 66 because the weakened part 76 has a greater cross-sectional area than the weakened part 66 with the other dimensions of the first and second types of susceptor element 62, 64 being the same.

[0062] As an alternative, and in order to ensure that breakage of the first type of susceptor element 62 occurs before breakage of the second type of susceptor element 64, the second type of susceptor element 64 can be as shown in FIG. 5b. In this example, the second type of susceptor element 64 is a ring-shaped susceptor with a concentric aperture 80 and does not have a weakened part.

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a fourth example of a vapour generating article 90 which is similar to the first example of the vapour generating article 24 described above with reference to FIG. 1 and in which corresponding components are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0064] The vapour generating article 90 has an axis extending between the first and second ends 40, 42 of the article 90 and the first and second regions 44, 46 are arranged along a radial direction with respect to the axis. In the illustrated example, the first region 44 containing the lower density of the vapour generating material 26 is arranged radially outwardly of the second region 46 containing the higher density of the vapour generating material 26. Thus, the first region 44 is an annular region which surrounds the second region 46. In an alternative example (not shown), the second region 46 containing the higher density of the vapour generating material 26 could be arranged radially outwardly of the first region 44 containing the lower density of the vapour generating material 26. In this alternative example, the second region 46 would be an annular region which surrounds the first region 44.

[0065] Like the first example of the vapour generating article 24 described above with reference to FIG. 1, the fourth example of the vapour generating article 90 employs a particulate susceptor material 28 as the heating element and contains a higher density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the second region 46 than in the first region 44. With this arrangement, the same type of particulate susceptor material 28 can be used in the first and second regions 44, 46 whilst the higher density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the second region 46 generates more heat in the second region 46 than the lower density of the particulate susceptor material 28 in the first region 44. It will, of course, be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the same type of particulate susceptor material 28 does not necessarily need to be employed in the first and second regions 44, 46 and that a first type of susceptor element (e.g. a first type of particulate susceptor) could be provided in the first region 44 and a second type of susceptor element (e.g. a second type of particulate susceptor) could be provided in the second region 46.

[0066] Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the preceding paragraphs, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to those embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claims should not be limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

[0067] Any combination of the above-described features in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the present disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

[0068] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.