End piece for aerosol generating article

Abstract

An end piece (200) for positioning over a heat source (102) of an aerosol generating article (100) includes a body (210) defining a bore configured to receive the aerosol generating article and includes a cage (220) configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and to allow air to access the heat source. The end piece also includes a stop (240) arranged to engage a distal end (105) of the heat source as the aerosol generating article is slid through the bore. The stop is configured to prevent the distal end of the heat source from being advanced beyond the cage. The end piece may optionally include a seal (230) extending from an inner surface of the cage downstream of the stop. The seal is arranged to surround and contact the aerosol article to limit volatile compounds released from the heat source during combustion from entering air drawn through the aerosol generating article.

Claims

1. An end piece for positioning over a heat source of an aerosol generating article, the end piece comprising: a body defining a bore configured to receive the aerosol generating article; a cage configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and to allow air to access the heat source, the cage comprising a wall and one or more openings through the wall; a stop arranged to engage a distal end of the heat source as the aerosol generating article is slid through the bore, wherein the stop is configured to prevent the distal end of the heat source from being advanced beyond the cage; and a seal extending from an inner surface of the cage downstream of the stop and upstream of the one or more openings through the cage wall, wherein the seal is arranged to surround and contact the aerosol generating article and is configured to prevent or limit combustion products released from the heat source from entering air drawn through the aerosol generating article, wherein the end piece is configured such that air drawn through the one or more holes through the wall flows through aerosol generating substrate of the aerosol generating article, wherein the stop is configured to prevent a proximal end of the aerosol generating article from being received in the bore such that the proximal end of the aerosol generating article extends proximally from the body, and wherein the aerosol generating article has a length from 65 mm to 100 mm.

2. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the cage defines a bore having a longitudinal axis and an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the heat source, and wherein at least a portion of the stop is positioned a distance from the longitudinal axis of the bore less than a radius of the bore.

3. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the stop is coupled to a distal end of the cage.

4. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the stop is integrally formed with at least a portion the cage.

5. The end piece according to claim 4, wherein the wall of the cage further defines one or more upstream holes through the wall, wherein the upstream holes are upstream of the seal.

6. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the seal is positioned to engage the aerosol generating article downstream of the heat source when the distal end of the heat source is engaged with the stop.

7. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the cage is slidably disposed about the body.

8. The end piece according to claim 7, wherein the body comprises a flange and the cage comprises a proximal stop configured to engage the flange as the cage is distally advanced over the body.

9. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the body is configured to engage the aerosol generating article via an interference fit.

10. An assembly comprising the end piece according to claim 1 and the aerosol generating article having the heat source, wherein the aerosol generating article is received in the end piece.

11. The assembly comprising the end piece according to claim 1 and the aerosol generating article having the heat source, wherein the aerosol generating article is received in the end piece, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises an aerosol generating substrate, and wherein the one or more holes downstream of the seal are positioned adjacent the aerosol generating substrate.

12. A kit comprising the end piece according to claim 1 and one or more aerosol generating articles having a heat source, wherein the aerosol generating articles are configured to be received by the end piece.

13. The kit according to claim 12, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises an aerosol generating substrate and wherein the aerosol generating article is configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the aerosol generating substrate without combusting the aerosol generating substrate.

14. The kit according to claim 13, wherein the aerosol generating substrate comprises tobacco.

15. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein the aerosol generating article comprises an aerosol generating substrate and wherein the aerosol generating article is configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the aerosol generating substrate without combusting the aerosol generating substrate.

16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the aerosol generating substrate comprises tobacco.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the aerosol generating article is configured such that the heat source heats the aerosol generating substrate primarily by conduction.

18. The kit according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol generating article is configured such that the heat source heats the aerosol generating substrate primarily by conduction.

19. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the end piece has a maximum length less than a length of the aerosol generating article.

20. An end piece for positioning over a heat source of an aerosol generating article, the end piece comprising: a body defining a bore configured to receive the aerosol generating article; a cage configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and to allow air to access the heat source, the cage comprising a wall and one or more openings through the wall; a stop arranged to engage a distal end of the heat source as the aerosol generating article is slid through the bore, wherein the stop is configured to prevent the distal end of the heat source from being advanced beyond the cage, wherein the stop is configured to prevent a proximal end of the aerosol generating article from being received in the bore such that the proximal end of the aerosol generating article extends proximally from the body; and a seal extending from an inner surface of the cage downstream of the stop and upstream of the one or more openings through the cage wall, wherein the seal is arranged to surround and contact the aerosol generating article and is configured to prevent or limit combustion products released from the heat source from entering air drawn through the aerosol generating article, wherein the end piece is configured such that air drawn through the one or more holes through the wall flows through aerosol generating substrate of the aerosol generating, wherein the end piece has a maximum length less than a length of the aerosol generating article.

21. The end piece according to claim 1, wherein the seal is configured to sealingly engage the aerosol generating article downstream of the heat source.

22. An end piece for positioning over a heat source of an aerosol generating article, the end piece comprising: a body defining a bore configured to receive the aerosol generating article; a cage configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and to allow air to access the heat source, the cage comprising a wall and one or more openings through the wall; a stop arranged to engage a distal end of the heat source as the aerosol generating article is slid through the bore, wherein the stop is configured to prevent the distal end of the heat source from being advanced beyond the cage; and a seal extending from an inner surface of the cage downstream of the stop and upstream of the one or more openings through the cage wall, wherein the seal is arranged to surround and contact the aerosol generating article and is configured to prevent or limit combustion products released from the heat source from entering air drawn through the aerosol generating article, wherein the seal is deflectable to allow passage of the aerosol generating article through the seal, and wherein the end piece is configured such that air drawn through the one or more holes through the wall flows through aerosol generating substrate of the aerosol generating article.

Description

(1) Reference will now be made to the drawings, which depict one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other aspects not depicted in the drawing fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components, steps and the like. However, it will be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number. In addition, the use of different numbers to refer to components in different figures is not intended to indicate that the different numbered components cannot be the same or similar to other numbered components.

(2) FIG. 1 is schematic perspective view of an illustrative aerosol generating article 100 with the wrapper 110 partially opened to view the internal contents.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an illustrative aerosol generating article 100 disposed in an illustrative end piece 200.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an illustrative aerosol generating article 100 partially received by an illustrative end piece 200.

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an illustrative aerosol generating article 100 fully received by an illustrative end piece 200.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an illustrative end piece 200.

(7) The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

(8) Referring now to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating article 100 extends between a proximal end 103 and a distal end 105. The aerosol generating article 100 includes a combustible heat source 102 positioned at the distal end 105 of the aerosol generating article 100, an aerosol generating substrate 104 downstream of the combustible heat source 102 and a mouthpiece 106 downstream of the aerosol generating substrate 104 and positioned at the proximal end 103 of the aerosol generating article 100.

(9) The aerosol generating article 100 comprises a combustible heat source 102, an aerosol generating substrate 104, an aerosol cooling element 107, an elongate expansion chamber or transfer element 108 and a mouthpiece 106, are in sequential, abutting coaxial alignment, which are overwrapped in an outer wrapper 110 of, for example, cigarette paper. The combustible heat source 102 is cylindrical.

(10) The aerosol generating substrate 104 is located immediately downstream of the combustible heat source 102 and comprises a cylindrical plug of homogenized tobacco material comprising, for example, glycerin as aerosol former and circumscribed by filter plug wrap. A heat conducting element 112, consisting of a tube of aluminum foil, surrounds and is in contact with a rear portion of the combustible heat source 102 and an abutting front portion of the aerosol generating substrate 104. The elongate expansion chamber 108 is located downstream of the aerosol generating substrate 104 and comprises a cylindrical open-ended tube of cardboard. The mouthpiece 106 is located downstream of the expansion chamber 108 and comprises a cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate tow 109 circumscribed by filter plug wrap.

(11) In use, the user ignites the combustible heat source which heats the aerosol generating substrate to produce an aerosol. When the user inhales on the mouthpiece 106 air is drawn through the aerosol generating substrate 104 through air inlet holes 113 in the cigarette paper 110 and adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate 104, through the expansion chamber 108, through the mouthpiece 106 and into the user's mouth.

(12) Referring now to FIG. 2, an aerosol generating article 100 is disposed in an end piece 200. The end piece 200 includes a body 210, a cage 220, a seal 230, and a stop 240. The body 210 defines a bore in which the aerosol generating article 100 is slidably received. In FIG. 2, the cage 220 is an extension of the body 210. The cage 210 surrounds a portion of the heat source 102 of the aerosol generating article 100. Air may access the heat source through the proximal face and due to the clearance between the cage 220 and the heat source 102. A portion of the cage 220 distal to the seal 230 may include openings (not shown) extending through the wall of the cage for additional ventilation. A proximal portion of the cage 220 includes one or more ventilation holes 222 through the wall of the cage to allow cool air to be drawn in downstream of the seal 230. The seal 230 extends from an inner surface of the cage 220 downstream of the stop 240. The seal is arranged to surround and contact the aerosol generating article 100 downstream of the heat source 102. The stop 240 is arranged to engage the distal end of the heat source 102 as the aerosol generating article 100 is slid through the bore of the body 210 and is configured to prevent the distal end of the heat source 102 from being advanced beyond the cage 220. The stop 220 is positioned at the distal end portion of the cage 220 and extends a sufficient distance towards the longitudinal axis of the cage to engage the heat source 102 as the aerosol generating article is advanced through the end piece 200. The stop 240 may be coupled to, or integrally formed with, the cage 220.

(13) Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, an aerosol generating article 100 is shown partially inserted into an end piece (FIG. 3) and fully inserted into an end piece (FIG. 4). The depicted cage 220 is slidably disposed about the body 210. The depicted body 210 has a distal flange 212 and a proximal flange 214, and the cage has a proximal stop 228 configured to interact with the proximal 214 and distal 212 flanges of the body 210 to prevent the cage 220 from sliding off of the body 210. As the aerosol generating article 100 is slid into and advanced through the bore defined by the body 210, the heat source 102 engages distal stop 240 and causes the cage 220 to slide distally over the body 210 until the proximal stop 228 engages the distal flange 212. As with the end piece depicted in FIG. 2, the end piece depicted in FIGS. 3-4 also includes a seal 230 that extends from an inner surface of the cage 220 and sealingly engages the aerosol generating article 100 downstream of the heat source 102. The cage 220 depicted in FIGS. 3-4 include one or more ventilation holes 222 to allow cool air to be drawn in downstream of the seal 230. The cool air may be drawn through air inlet holes 113, through the aerosol generating substrate (not shown), through the aerosol generating article 110, and into a users mouth.

(14) Referring now to FIG. 5 a schematic perspective view of an illustrative end piece 200 is shown. The end piece 200 includes a cage 220 slidable about a body 210 that has a bore (not shown) configured to slidably receive an aerosol generating article. A seal 230 extends from an inner surface of the cage 220 and is configured and arranged to sealing engage the aerosol generating article downstream of a heat source. The end piece includes a stop 240 configured and arranged to prevent the heat source from extending beyond the distal end of the cage 220. The cage 220 comprises a plurality of ventilation holes 222 downstream of the seal 230 and a plurality of ventilation holes upstream of the seal 230.

(15) Thus, methods, systems, apparatuses, assemblies and articles for an end piece for aerosol generating articles are described. Various modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are apparent to those skilled in the mechanical arts and aerosol generating article manufacturing or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.