SHISHA DEVICE CONFIGURED TO PERFORATE A CARTRIDGE

Abstract

A shisha device configured to pierce a cartridge comprising aerosol-forming substrate. The shisha device is configured to prevent piercing of the cartridge until the cartridge is inserted into a receptacle of the device. Piercing of the cartridge may require a step separate from insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle of the shisha device. That is, the shisha device may be configured such that insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle of the device, without more, does not cause the cartridge to be pierced.

Claims

1. A shisha device comprising: a vessel comprising an interior volume configured to contain a liquid, the vessel comprising an inlet and a headspace outlet; a receptacle for receiving a cartridge, the cartridge comprising an aerosol forming substrate; a heating element configured to heat the cartridge when the cartridge is received in the receptacle; a conduit through which generated aerosol may flow to the vessel via the inlet; a piercing element configured to pierce the cartridge; an actuator operably coupled to the piercing element, wherein actuation of the actuator causes the piercing element to pierce the cartridge, and a release operatively coupled to the actuator and configured to prevent the actuator from causing the piercing element to pierce the cartridge until the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

2. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the piercing element comprises an elongate element, wherein actuation of the actuator causes the elongate element to move from a retracted position to an extended position and wherein movement of the elongate element from the retracted position to the extended position causes the elongate element to pierce the cartridge.

3. The shisha device according to claim 2, wherein the release prevents the actuator from causing the elongate element to move from the retracted position to the extended position until the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

4. The shisha device according to claim 3, wherein insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle causes the release to move from a first position to a second position, wherein the release in the first position prevents the actuator from causing the elongate element to move from the retracted position to the extended position, and wherein the release in the second position permits the actuator to cause the elongate element to move from the retracted position to the extended position.

5. The shisha device according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the release extends into the receptacle such that insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle causes movement of the release from the first position to the second position.

6. The shisha device according to claim 3, further comprising a sensor configured to detect whether the cartridge is received in the receptacle, wherein the sensor is operably coupled to the release such that the release prevents the actuator from causing the elongate element to move from the retracted position to the extended position until the sensor detects that the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

7. The shisha device according to claim 6, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the sensor and to the release.

8. The shisha device according to claim 7, wherein the release comprises a motor, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the motor to move the piercing element from the first position to the second position when the sensor detects that the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

9. The shisha device according to claim 2, further comprising a spring operably coupled to the actuator to bias the actuator towards a position that causes the elongate element to be in the retracted position.

10. The shisha device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect whether a cartridge is received in the receptacle, wherein the sensor is operably coupled to the actuator such that the actuator is prevented from causing the piercing element to pierce the cartridge until the sensor detects that the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

11. The shisha device according to claim 10, wherein the piercing element comprises an elongate element, wherein the actuator comprises a motor, and wherein the shisha device further comprises a controller operably coupled to the sensor and the motor, wherein the controller is configured to cause the motor to move to cause the elongate element to move from a retracted position to an extended position to pierce the cartridge when the sensor detects that the cartridge is received in the receptacle.

12. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the shisha device comprises a sensor configured to detect whether a cartridge received by the receptacle has been pierced, wherein the shisha device is configured to prevent the actuator from causing the piercing element to pierce the cartridge if the cartridge received in the receptacle has been pierced.

13. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the piercing element comprises a laser.

14. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element forms at least a portion of the receptacle for receiving the cartridge.

15. A method comprising: inserting the cartridge into a receptacle of a shisha device according to any one of claims 1 to 14; and actuating the actuator to cause the piercing element to pierce the cartridge.

Description

[0094] Reference will now be made to the drawings, which depict one or more embodiments described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other embodiments not depicted in the drawings fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components. 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. The figures are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. Schematic drawings presented in the figures are not necessarily to scale.

[0095] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a shisha device.

[0096] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic sectional views of a shisha device showing some components to illustrate an embodiment of a piercing element.

[0097] FIGS. 3-5 are schematic drawings of shisha devices having different piercing elements operably coupled to control electronics.

[0098] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic drawings illustrating an embodiment of a receptacle of a shisha device comprising a release.

[0099] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic drawings illustrating some components of an embodiment of a release, actuator, and piercing element.

[0100] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an example of a shisha device 100. The device 100 includes a vessel 17 defining an interior volume configured to contain liquid 19 and defining a headspace outlet 15 above a fill level for the liquid 19. The liquid 19 preferably includes water, which may optionally be infused with one or more colorants, one or more flavorants, or one or more colorants and one or more flavorants. For example, the water may be infused with one or both of botanical infusions and herbal infusions.

[0101] The device 100 also includes an aerosol-generating element 130. The aerosol-generating element 130 includes a receptacle 140 configured to receive a cartridge 200 comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating element 130 may also include a heating element 160. The heating element 160 may form at least one surface of the receptacle 140. In the depicted embodiment, the heating element 160 defines the side surfaces of the receptacle 140. The aerosol-generating element 130 also includes an air inlet channel 170 that draws air into the device 100. In some embodiments, portion of the air inlet channel 170 is formed by the heating element 160 to heat the air before the air enters the receptacle 140. The pre-heated air then enters the cartridge 200, which is also heated by heating element 160, to carry aerosol generated by the aerosol former and the aerosol-forming substrate. The air exits an outlet of the aerosol-generating element 130 and enters a conduit 190.

[0102] The conduit 190 carries the air and aerosol into the vessel 17 below the level of the liquid 19. The air and aerosol may bubble through the liquid 19 and exit the headspace outlet 15 of the vessel 17. A hose 20 may be attached to the headspace outlet 15 to carry the aerosol to the mouth of a user. A mouthpiece 25 may be attached to, or form a part of, the hose 20.

[0103] An exemplary air flow path of the device, in use, is depicted by thick arrows in FIG. 1.

[0104] The mouthpiece 25 may include an activation element 27. The activation element 27 may be a switch, button or the like, or may be a puff sensor or the like. The activation element 27 may be placed at any other suitable location of the device 100. The activation element 27 may be in wireless communication with the control electronics 30 to place the device 100 in condition for use or to cause control electronics to activate the heating element 160; for example, by causing power supply 35 to energize the heating element 160.

[0105] The control electronics 30 and power supply 35 may be located in any suitable position of the aerosol-generating element 130, including locations other than the bottom portion of the element 130 as depicted in FIG. 1.

[0106] The shisha device 100 includes an actuator 300, such as a depressible button, operably coupled to a piercing element (not shown in FIG. 1) for piercing the cartridge 200 prior to use.

[0107] FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrate an embodiment of a piercing element 400. The piercing element 400 is operably coupled to the actuator 300. The actuator 300 is a button comprising an elongate rod coupled to a platform 330 of the piercing element 400. The actuator 300 extends through an opening in the housing 105 of the shisha device 100.

[0108] The piercing element 400 comprises elongate members 310, 315 having tapered ends for piercing a cartridge in the receptacle 140 formed at least in part by the heating element 160. The piercing element 400 also comprises upper 330 and lower 335 platforms from which the elongate members 310, 315 extend. Apertures 165 are formed through a portion of the upper platform 330 to allow elongate members 310 to extend into the receptacle 140 to pierce the cartridge when the actuator 300 is depressed (FIG. 2B). Springs 320 or other biasing elements are used to bias the elongate members 310 and actuator 300 towards the unactuated position (FIG. 2A).

[0109] The piercing element 400 also includes extensions 340 extending from platform 330 and lever elements 350 connecting platform 335 to extensions 340. The piercing element 400 also includes members 360 about which lever elements 350 pivot. Spring elements 325 or other biasing elements may bias platform 335 and elongate members 315 to the retracted position (FIG. 2A). Depression of the actuator 300 causes the extensions 340 to move downward, which causes the lever elements 350 to pivot and cause the lower platform 335 to move up, which causes the elongate element 315 to enter the receptacle 140 to pierce a cartridge received in the receptacle 140 (FIG. 2B).

[0110] FIGS. 3-5 are schematic drawings of shisha devices 100 having different piercing elements 400 operably coupled to control electronics 30. The control electronics are operably coupled to the power supply 35 and actuator 300. Actuation of the actuator 300 causes the control electronics 35 to active the piercing mechanism 400. In FIG. 3 the piercing element 400 comprises a motor 410 and an elongate element with a tapered end 315. Activation of the motor 410 by the control electronics causes the elongate member 315 to extend into the receptacle 140 to pierce a cartridge in the receptacle 140. In FIG. 4, the piercing element comprises an energy source 420 operably coupled to the control electronics 30 and comprises a column 430 configured to focus energy from the energy source 420 at a location of a cartridge in the receptacle 140. In FIG. 5, the piercing element 400 comprises the heating element 160, which is operably coupled to the control electronics 30. Actuation of the actuator 300 causes the control electronics 30 to activate the heating element 160, which may sufficiently heat a cartridge in the receptacle 140 to form openings in the cartridge at heat labile locations of the cartridge.

[0111] The shisha devices 100 depicted in FIGS. 3-5 comprise a sensor 500 configured to detect whether a cartridge is received in the receptacle 140. The sensor 500 is operably coupled to the control electronics 30. If a cartridge is received in the receptacle 140, the sensor may send a signal to the control electronics 30 such that the control electronics 30 permits activation of the piercing element 400 if the actuator 300 is actuated. If a cartridge is not received in the receptacle 310, the control electronics 30 prevents activation of the piercing element 400 when the actuator 300 is actuated. In this manner, the control electronics and sensor act as a release.

[0112] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a receptacle 140 of a shisha device that includes a release 600 extending into the receptacle 140. Insertion of the cartridge 200 into the receptacle 140 causes the release 600 to move. Movement of the release 600 by placing the cartridge 200 in the receptacle 140 may cause a latch or other suitable stop mechanism (not shown) to permit an elongate element (such as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) to pierce the cartridge 200. When the cartridge 200 is not received in the receptacle 140 (FIG. 6A), the release 600 may be positioned to prevent the elongate element from piercing the cartridge 200 by preventing actuation of the actuator.

[0113] FIGS. 7A and 7B show an embodiment of a release 600 configured to prevent the actuator 300 from causing the piercing element 400 to pierce a cartridge until the cartridge is received in the receptacle. The release 600 comprises a motor 410 and a rod 610 extendable and retractable by the motor 410. When extended (FIG. 6A), the rod 610 interacts with platform 335 of piercing element 400 to prevent actuation of the actuator from advancing elongate element 315, which is operably coupled to platform 335. In the retracted position (FIG. 6B), the rod 610 does not interact with the platform 335, allowing actuation of the actuator 300 to cause the elongate element 315 to advance and pierce a cartridge in the receptacle. The motor 410 may be coupled to control electronics and a sensor, as appropriate.

[0114] Thus, shisha devices comprising mechanisms for piercing a cartridge 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, chemical arts, and aerosol-generating article manufacturing or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.