AN AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE COMPRISING A COVER ELEMENT

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a housing including an end wall; a cavity configured to removably receive an aerosol-generating article; an aperture at least partially defined by the housing and extending through a first portion of the end wall, the aperture being disposed at an end of the cavity and configured for insertion of the article into the cavity through the aperture; and a cover configured for rotational movement with respect to the housing and being rotatable between a closed position entirely covering the aperture and an open position in which the aperture is entirely uncovered and the cover overlies a second portion of the end wall, the cover including a cover portion and a shaft portion extending orthogonally from the cover portion, the cover portion entirely covering the aperture when the cover is in the closed position, and the shaft portion being received within the housing.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. An aerosol-generating device, comprising: a housing comprising an end wall; a cavity configured to removably receive an aerosol-generating article; an aperture at least partially defined by the housing, wherein the aperture extends through a first portion of the end wall and wherein the aperture is disposed at an end of the cavity and configured for insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity through the aperture; and a cover element configured for rotational movement with respect to the housing, and being rotatable between a closed position in which the cover element entirely covers the aperture and an open position in which the aperture is entirely uncovered and the cover element overlies a second portion of the end wall, wherein the cover element comprises a cover portion and a shaft portion extending orthogonally from the cover portion, wherein the cover portion is configured to entirely cover the aperture when the cover element is in the closed position, and wherein the shaft portion is received within the housing.

23. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the cover element away from the open position and towards the closed position.

24. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 23, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a torsion spring.

25. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 24, wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises a first gear connected to the shaft portion of the cover element and a second gear connected to the torsion spring, and wherein the first gear is engaged with the second gear and is configured to translate torque from the torsion spring to the shaft portion.

26. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a first detent configured to retain the cover element in the open position.

27. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a second detent configured to retain the cover element in the closed position.

28. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a first mechanical stop configured to prevent rotation of the cover element beyond the closed position when the cover element is rotated from the open position to the closed position.

29. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a second mechanical stop configured to prevent rotation of the cover element beyond the open position when the cover element is rotated from the closed position to the open position.

30. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, further comprising a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received within the cavity.

31. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 30, wherein the heater comprises an electrical heater disposed within the cavity.

32. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 31, wherein the electrical heater is configured to extend around an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article received within the cavity.

33. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 32, wherein the electrical heater further comprises an electrically insulating substrate and at least one resistive heating track on the electrically insulating substrate.

34. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 33, wherein the electrically insulating substrate comprises a flexible sheet.

35. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 31, wherein the electrical heater is an elongate electrical heater.

36. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 35, wherein the elongate electrical heater is blade-shaped, pin-shaped, or cone-shaped.

37. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 35, wherein the elongate electrical heater comprises: at least one resistive heating track; an electrically insulating substrate surrounding the at least one resistive heating track; and a tubular shell, wherein the electrically insulating substrate is received within the tubular shell.

38. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 22, wherein the aperture defines a first end of the cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the cavity has a maximum length between the first end of the cavity and the second end of the cavity of between 20 mm and 70 mm.

39. An aerosol-generating system, comprising an aerosol-generating device according to claim 22 and an aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises an aerosol-forming substrate.

40. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 39, wherein the aerosol-generating article is sized such that, when the aerosol-generating article is fully inserted into the cavity of the aerosol-generating device, a portion of the aerosol-generating article extends out of the aerosol-generating device.

41. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 39, wherein the aerosol-generating article has a total length of between 40 mm and 50 mm.

Description

[0092] The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0093] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0094] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the aerosol-generating device of FIG. 1 with the second housing moved relative to the first housing;

[0095] FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the rotational movement of the cover element of the aerosol-generating device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0096] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the mechanical linkage of the aerosol-generating device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0097] FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the mechanical linkage of FIG. 6; and

[0098] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article for use with the aerosol-generating device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0099] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The aerosol-generating device 10 comprises a housing 12 comprising a first housing 14 and a second housing 16. The second housing 16 is slidable with respect to the first housing 14 between a compressed position shown in FIG. 2 and an expanded position shown in FIG. 1. The second housing 16 may also be detached from the first housing 14.

[0100] The aerosol-generating device 10 also comprises a controller 18 and a power supply 20 positioned within the first housing 14, and a heater 22 extending from an end of the first housing 14. The power supply 20 is an electrical power supply comprising a rechargeable battery. The heater 22 is an electrical heater comprising a resistive heating element 24. During use, the controller 18 supplies power from the power supply 20 to the resistive heating element 24 to resistively heat the heater 22.

[0101] Positioned on the first housing 14 next to the heater 22 are a sensor 26 and a first magnet 28. The sensor 26 is an optical sensor comprising a light transmitter and a light receiver. The light transmitter is an infrared light emitting diode and the light receiver is a photodiode. The photodiode is sensitive to infrared light transmitted from the infrared light emitting diode. An optical window 30 overlies the sensor 26, wherein the optical window is transparent to the infrared light transmitted from the infrared light emitting diode.

[0102] The second housing 16 defines a cavity 32 for receiving an aerosol-generating article and an aperture 34 positioned at an end of the cavity 32. When the second housing 16 is attached to the first housing 14, the heater 22 extends into the cavity 32 via a heater opening 36 defined by the second housing 16. An air inlet 38 is formed by a gap between the first housing 14 and the second housing 16. The air inlet 38 is in fluid communication with the cavity 32 via an airflow opening 40 defined by the second housing 16.

[0103] When an aerosol-generating article is received within the cavity 32, the aerosol-generating article and the aerosol-generating device 10 together form an aerosol-generating system. During use, the heater 22 heats the aerosol-generating article received within the cavity 32 to generate an aerosol. When a user draws on the aerosol-generating article, air is drawn into the aerosol-generating device 10 via the air inlet 38 and into the cavity 32 through the airflow opening 40. The air then flows through the aerosol-generating article to deliver the generated aerosol to the user.

[0104] The aerosol-generating device 10 also comprises a cover element 42 comprising a cover portion 44 overlying an end wall 46 of the second housing 16 and a shaft portion 48 extending through the end wall 46. The cover element 42 is rotatable between a closed position in which the cover portion 44 covers the aperture 34 and an open position in which the cover portion 44 does not cover the aperture 34. The closed position is shown in FIG. 2 and the open position is shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the rotation of the cover element 42 from the closed position (FIG. 3) to the open position (FIG. 5).

[0105] Positioned within the second housing 16 is a mechanical linkage 50 arranged to interact with the shaft portion 48 of the cover element 42. A perspective view of the mechanical linkage 50 is shown in FIG. 6 and an exploded view of the mechanical linkage 50 is shown in FIG. 7.

[0106] The mechanical linkage 50 comprises a chassis 52 attached to the second housing 16 by a screw 54. Mounted onto the chassis 52 is second magnet 56 arranged to interact with the first magnet 28 on the first housing 14. In particular, the first and second magnets 28, 56 are magnetically attracted to each other to facilitate attachment of the second housing 16 to the first housing 14.

[0107] Also mounted on the chassis 52 is a biasing mechanism 58 comprising a washer 60, a first gear 62, a spring holder 64, a torsion spring 66, a spindle 68 and a cap 70.

[0108] The washer 60 is formed from a low friction material to facilitate rotation of the first gear 62 on the chassis 52. The first gear 62 is connected to an end of the shaft portion 48 of the cover element 42 by an interference fit. Therefore, when the cover element 42 is rotated between the closed and open positions, the first gear 62 is also rotated.

[0109] An outer surface of the spring holder 64 forms a second gear 72 that is engaged with the first gear 62. The spring holder 64 is rotatably received within the chassis 52 and engages a cam surface formed on the chassis 52. Therefore, when the spring holder 64 rotates with respect to the cam surface, the spring holder 64 functions as a cam follower and moves up and down along the spindle 68. An indicator element 74 comprising an optically reflective aluminium layer is positioned on a bottom surface of the spring holder 64. When the spring holder 64 moves up and down along the spindle 68, the sensor 26 senses a change in distance between the sensor 26 and the indicator element 74. Based on the sensed distance between the sensor 26 and the indicator element 74, the sensor 26 provides a signal to the controller 18 indicative of whether the cover element 42 is in the closed position or the open position.

[0110] If the signal from the sensor 26 is indicative of the cover element 42 being in the closed position, it is assumed that an aerosol-generating article is not received within the cavity 32 and the controller 18 will not supply power from the power supply 20 to the heater 22 for heating an aerosol-generating article.

[0111] If the signal from the sensor 26 is indicative of the cover element 42 being in the open position, an aerosol-generating article may be received within the cavity 32 and the controller 18 may supply power from the power supply 20 to the heater 22 for heating an aerosol-generating article.

[0112] If the sensor 26 cannot detect the indicator element 74 it is assumed that the second housing 16 has been detached from the first housing 14. In this case, the sensor 26 provides a signal to the controller 18 indicative of the second housing 16 being detached from the first housing 14 and the controller 18 will prevent the supply of power to the heater 22.

[0113] A first end of the torsion spring 66 is engaged with the spring holder 64 and a second end of the torsion spring 66 is engaged with the cap 70. When a user rotates the cover element 42 from the closed position to the open position, the spring holder 64 rotates and loads the tension spring 66. When a user releases the cover element 42, the load on the tension spring 66 exerts a rotational force on the spring holder 64, which biases the cover element 42 from the open position towards the closed position.

[0114] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article 80 for use with the aerosol-generating device 10. The aerosol-generating article 80 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate 82 in the form of a tobacco plug, a hollow acetate tube 84, a polymeric filter 86, a mouthpiece 88 and an outer wrapper 90. When the aerosol-generating article 80 is received within the cavity 32 of the aerosol-generating device 10, the heater 22 is received within the tobacco plug. During use, the heater 22 heats the tobacco plug to generate an aerosol.