AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE COMPRISING TWO ATOMISER ASSEMBLIES

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided, including a first atomiser assembly including a first mesh element defining a plurality of first nozzles each having a minimum diameter of equal to or less than 2.5 micrometres; a second atomiser assembly including a second mesh element defining a plurality of second nozzles each having a minimum diameter of between 3 micrometres and 10 micrometres; a first device connector configured to receive a first liquid reservoir and to supply a first liquid from the first liquid reservoir to the first atomiser assembly; and a second device connector configured to receive a second liquid reservoir and to supply a second liquid from the second liquid reservoir to the second atomiser assembly.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An aerosol-generating device, comprising: a first atomiser assembly comprising a first mesh element, the first mesh element defining a plurality of first nozzles each having a minimum diameter of equal to or less than 2.5 micrometres; a second atomiser assembly comprising a second mesh element, the second mesh element defining a plurality of second nozzles each having a minimum diameter of between 3 micrometres and 10 micrometres; a first device connector configured to receive a first liquid reservoir and to supply a first liquid from the first liquid reservoir to the first atomiser assembly; and a second device connector configured to receive a second liquid reservoir and to supply a second liquid from the second liquid reservoir to the second atomiser assembly.

17. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 16, wherein each of the first nozzles has a minimum diameter of 2 micrometres.

18. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 16, further comprising at least one electrical heating element configured to heat at least one of a first liquid supplied by the first device connector from a first liquid reservoir and a second liquid supplied by the second device connector from a second liquid reservoir.

19. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 18, further comprising a power supply and a controller configured to control a supply of power from the power supply to the at least one electrical heating element to heat the at least one electrical heating element to a temperature of between 70 degrees Celsius and 90 degrees Celsius.

20. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 18, wherein the at least one electrical heating element comprises a first electrical heating element configured to heat a first liquid supplied by the first device connector from a first liquid reservoir and second electrical heating element configured to heat a second liquid supplied by the second device connector from a second liquid reservoir.

21. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 20, wherein the first electrical heating element is disposed on a surface of the first mesh element, and wherein the second electrical heating element is disposed on a surface of the second mesh element.

22. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 21, wherein each of the first electrical heating element and the second electrical heating element comprises a microelectromechanical systems heating element.

23. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 16, wherein the first atomiser assembly comprises: a first elastically deformable element, a first cavity disposed between the first mesh element and the first elastically deformable element, a first liquid inlet configured to provide a supply of a first liquid to be atomized to the first cavity, and a first actuator configured to oscillate the first elastically deformable element; and wherein the second atomiser comprises: a second elastically deformable element, a second cavity disposed between the second mesh element and the second elastically deformable element, a second liquid inlet configured to provide a supply of a second liquid to be atomized to the second cavity, and a second actuator configured to oscillate the second elastically deformable element.

24. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 23, wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator comprises a piezoelectric element.

25. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 23, further comprising a power supply and a controller configured to control a supply of power from the power supply to each of the first actuator and the second actuator.

26. An aerosol-generating system, comprising: an aerosol-generating device according to claim 16; a first liquid reservoir containing a first liquid aerosol-forming substrate; and a second liquid reservoir containing a second liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

27. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 26, wherein the first liquid aerosol-forming substrate comprises water in an amount of at least 40 percent by weight of the first liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

28. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 27, wherein the first liquid aerosol-forming substrate further comprises at least one of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, and a flavourant.

29. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 26, wherein the second liquid aerosol-forming substrate comprises water in an amount of less than 40 percent by weight of the second liquid aerosol-forming substrate.

30. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 29, wherein the second liquid aerosol-forming substrate comprises a flavourant and at least one of propylene glycol and glycerin.

Description

[0054] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a mesh element for use in an aerosol-generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the mesh element of FIG. 1;

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the mesh element of FIG. 1;

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a single nozzle of the mesh element of FIG. 1;

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of an atomiser assembly comprising the mesh element of FIG. 1; and

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a partially exploded cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mesh element 10 for use in an aerosol-generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mesh element 10 comprises a first layer 12 defining a plurality of cylindrical channels 14 and a second layer 16 defining a plurality of nozzles 18. The nozzles 18 are arranged into groups, wherein each group of nozzles 18 overlies one of the channels 14.

[0062] The mesh element 10 also comprises an electrical heating element 19 positioned on the second layer 16. During use, the electrical heating element 19 heats the mesh element 10, which heats liquid being ejected through the nozzles 18.

[0063] FIGS. 3 and 4 show enlarged cross-sectional views of one of the channels 14 and one of the nozzles 18. The first layer 12 comprises a first surface 20 and a second surface 22. The second layer 16 comprises an inner surface 24 facing the second surface 22 of the first layer 12. The second layer 16 also comprises an outer surface 26 on which a hydrophobic coating 28 is provided. The first and second layers 12, 16 are formed from silicon wafers. A buried oxide layer 30 is formed by oxidation of the second surface 22 of the first layer 12 before the first and second layers 12, 16 are bonded together during the manufacture of the mesh element 10.

[0064] Each nozzle 18 has a triangular cross-sectional shape such that each nozzle 18 has a maximum diameter 34 at the inner surface 24 of the second layer 16 and a minimum diameter 36 at the outer surface 26 of the second layer 16. The minimum diameter 36 of each nozzle 18 is selected according to the desired size of liquid droplets to be ejected through the nozzle 18 during use.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of an atomiser assembly 50 comprising the mesh element 10 of FIG. 1. The mesh element 10 is received within a mesh element housing 52. The atomiser assembly 50 also comprises an elastically deformable element 54 and an actuator 56 arranged to oscillate the elastically deformable element 54. The actuator 56 is a piezoelectric actuator.

[0066] The atomiser assembly 50 also comprises a pre-loading element 58 arranged to compress the actuator 56 between the pre-loading element 58 and the elastically deformable element 54. The pre-loading element 58, the actuator 56 and the elastically deformable element 54 are arranged within an actuator housing 60. The actuator housing 60 is attached to the mesh element housing 52 to define a cavity 62 between the mesh element 10 and the elastically deformable element 54. The actuator housing 60 defines a liquid inlet 64 for providing a supply of liquid to be atomised to the cavity 62.

[0067] During use, liquid to be atomised is supplied to the cavity 62 through the liquid inlet 64. The actuator 56 oscillates the elastically deformable element 54 to force at least some of the liquid within the cavity 62 through the channels 14 and the nozzles 18 of the mesh element 10. The liquid forced through the nozzles 18 of the mesh element 10 form droplets. The momentum of the liquid forced through the nozzles 18 to form the droplets carries the droplets away from the mesh element 10. Therefore, during use, the atomiser assembly 50 generates an aerosol comprising liquid droplets ejected through the mesh element 10.

[0068] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating system 70 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The aerosol-generating system 70 comprises an aerosol-generating device 72, a first liquid reservoir 74 and a second liquid reservoir 74′.

[0069] The aerosol-generating device 72 comprises a housing 76 comprising a first housing portion 78 and a second housing portion 80. A controller 82 and a power supply 84 comprising a battery are positioned within the first housing portion 78. A mouthpiece 85 defining a mouthpiece channel 87 is connectable to the second housing portion 80.

[0070] The second housing portion 80 defines a liquid reservoir chamber 86 for receiving the first liquid reservoir 74 and the second liquid reservoir 74′. The first housing portion 78 is detachable from the second housing portion 80 to allow replacement of the first and second liquid reservoirs 74, 74′.

[0071] The aerosol-generating device 72 comprises a first device connector 88 positioned within the liquid reservoir chamber 86 for engagement with a first reservoir connector 90 that forms part of the first liquid reservoir 74. The aerosol-generating device 72 also comprises a second device connector 88′ positioned within the liquid reservoir chamber 86 for engagement with a second reservoir connector 90′ that forms part of the second liquid reservoir 74′.

[0072] The aerosol-generating device 72 comprises a first atomiser assembly 50 and a second atomiser assembly 50′ each positioned within the second housing portion 80. Each of the first and second atomiser assemblies 50, 50′ has the same features as the atomiser assembly 50 of FIG. 5. The nozzles 18 of the mesh element 10 of the first atomiser assembly 50 each have a minimum diameter of equal to or less than about 2.5 micrometres. The nozzles 18′ of the mesh element 10′ of the second atomiser assembly 50′ each have a minimum diameter of between about 3 micrometres and about 10 micrometres.

[0073] The liquid inlet 64 of the first atomiser assembly 50 is in fluid communication with the first device connector 88. The liquid inlet 64′ of the second atomiser assembly 50′ is in fluid communication with the second device connector 88′. The mesh elements 10, 10′ of the first and second atomiser assemblies 50, 50′ are positioned within an aerosol chamber 92 defined by the second housing portion 80.

[0074] The first liquid reservoir 74 comprises a first container 94 and a first liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96 positioned within the first container 94. The first liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96 comprises 1.7 weight percent nicotine, 1.25 weight percent flavourant, 20 weight percent glycerin, 37.9 weight percent propylene glycol, and 39.15 weight percent water. When the first reservoir connector 90 is engaged with the first device connector 88, first liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96 from the first liquid reservoir 74 is supplied to the cavity 62 of the first atomiser assembly 50 through the first reservoir connector 90, the first device connector 88, and the liquid inlet 64 of the first atomiser assembly 50.

[0075] The second liquid reservoir 74′ comprises a second container 94′ and a second liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96′ positioned within the second container 94′. The second liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96′ comprises 40 weight percent glycerin, 40 weight percent propylene glycol, and 20 weight percent water. When the second reservoir connector 90′ is engaged with the second device connector 88′, second liquid aerosol-forming substrate 96′ from the second liquid reservoir 74′ is supplied to the cavity 62′ of the second atomiser assembly 50′ through the second reservoir connector 90′, the second device connector 88′, and the liquid inlet 64′ of the second atomiser assembly 50′.

[0076] When the first housing portion 78 is connected to the second housing portion 80, the controller 82 controls a supply of power from the power supply 84 to the actuators 56, 56′ of the first and second atomiser assemblies 50, 50′ to eject droplets of the first and second liquid aerosol-forming substrates 96, 96′ into the aerosol chamber 92 from the mesh elements 10, 10′.

[0077] The second housing portion 80 defines an air inlet 98 and an air outlet 100 each in fluid communication with the aerosol chamber 92. During use, a user draws on the mouthpiece 85 to draw air into the aerosol chamber 92 through the air inlet 98. The air flows through the aerosol chamber 92 where droplets of the first and second liquid aerosol-forming substrates 96, 96′ ejected from the mesh elements 10, 10′ are entrained within the airflow to form an aerosol. The aerosol flows out of the aerosol chamber 92 through the air outlet 100 and is delivered to the user through the mouthpiece channel 87.

[0078] The aerosol-generating device 72 also comprises an airflow sensor 102 positioned within the aerosol chamber 92. The airflow sensor 102 is arranged to provide a signal to the controller 82 indicative of a user drawing on the mouthpiece 85. The controller 82 is arranged to supply power from the power supply 84 to the actuators 56, 56′ of the first and second atomiser assemblies 50, 50′ only when the controller receives a signal from the airflow sensor 102 indicative of a user drawing on the mouthpiece 85.