CARTRIDGE INSERTION SYSTEMS FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICES

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device comprises a drawer receivable in a drawer receptacle. The drawer may define a cartridge receptacle to removably receive a cartridge. The cartridge may comprise an aerosol-forming substrate. The drawer may be movable between an open position and a closed position in a first direction. The device may also comprise a heating element configured for heating the aerosol-forming substrate in a cartridge when a cartridge is received in the cartridge receptacle and the drawer is in the closed position. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a shisha device.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating device comprising: a housing comprising a drawer receptacle; a drawer moveably coupled to the housing and receivable in the drawer receptacle, the drawer defining a cartridge receptacle to removably receive a cartridge comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the drawer is movable between an open position and a closed position in a first direction; and a heating element configured for heating the aerosol-forming substrate in a cartridge when a cartridge is received in the cartridge receptacle and the drawer is in the closed position.

2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating device is configured to move at least one of the heating element and the cartridge received in the cartridge receptacle in a repositioning direction to approximate the heating element and the cartridge, in response to moving the drawer from the open position to the closed position, wherein the repositioning direction is different to the first direction.

3. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge receptacle of the drawer is configured to receive the cartridge in a second direction when the drawer is in the open position, wherein the second direction is different to the first direction.

4. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device is defined to extend between the housing and a vessel defining a headspace, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

5. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 any preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating device is configured to permit the cartridge to be released from the cartridge receptacle of the drawer in response to moving the drawer from the closed position to the open position.

6. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1-any preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a motor configured to move the drawer from the open position to the closed position or from the closed position to the open position.

7. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 any preceding claim, further comprising a repositioning assembly coupled to the heating element, the repositioning assembly configured to move the heating element into a heating position in response to the drawer moving from the open position to the closed position.

8. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the repositioning assembly is configured to: rotate the heating element into contact with or in proximity to the cartridge; or linearly translate the heating element into contact with or in proximity to the cartridge; or both rotate the heating element and linearly translate the heating element, to bring the heating element into contact with or in proximity to the cartridge.

9. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the repositioning assembly uses mechanical motion of the drawer to power movement of the heating element or uses sensor data to initiate movement of the heating element.

10. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the repositioning assembly comprises one or more gears.

11. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a flexible material and the heating element is configured to move into a heating position in response to the drawer moving from the open position to the closed position.

12. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 11, wherein the drawer comprises a selective spacing element configured to allow the heating element to move into the heating position when the drawer is in the closed position and to move the heating element away from the cartridge when the drawer is in the open position.

13. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 11, wherein the heating element comprises a multi-layer heating strip comprising at least a heating layer and a thermally insulating layer.

14. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein one or more air flow apertures are formed in at least one of the drawer and the heating element.

15. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating device is a shisha device, further comprising: a vessel having a liquid fill level and defining a headspace above the liquid fill level; an aerosol conduit for conveying aerosol from the cartridge receptacle to below the liquid fill level in the vessel; and an outlet in communication with the headspace.

Description

[0111] 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.

[0112] FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic front and side sectional views of a shisha device comprising a drawer.

[0113] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of the body of a shisha cartridge for use in the shisha device of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment.

[0114] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of a first example of a shisha device having a first repositioning assembly.

[0115] FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic views of a second example of a shisha device having a second repositioning assembly.

[0116] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a third example of a shisha device having a third repositioning assembly.

[0117] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic views of a fourth example of a shisha device having a fourth repositioning assembly.

[0118] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of one example of a heating element used in the shisha device of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

[0119] FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic views of a fifth example of a shisha device having a fifth repositioning assembly configured to move the cartridge.

[0120] FIGS. 1A and 1B show schematic sectional views of an example of an aerosol-generating device 100, such as a shisha device, comprising a drawer 110. FIG. 1A shows a front view, and FIG. 1B shows a side view. 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.

[0121] The device 100 also includes an aerosol-generating element 130 and a housing 120. A longitudinal axis 102 may be defined extending between the housing 120 of the aerosol-generating element 130 and the vessel 17. The aerosol-generating element 130 including the housing 120 has a drawer receptacle 122. The drawer receptacle 122 is configured to receive the drawer 110.

[0122] The drawer 110 may include one or more lateral walls, a bottom wall, and an optional top wall (see FIGS. 3A and 3B). The drawer 110 includes a cartridge receptacle 140 configured to receive a cartridge 200 comprising an aerosol-forming substrate 202. The cartridge 200 is receivable in a second direction 118 into the cartridge receptacle 140 of the drawer 110. The drawer 110 may be movable from an open position 112 to a closed position 114 in a first direction 116 illustrated by an arrow. The cartridge 200 may be released from the cartridge receptacle 140 in response to the drawer 110 being moved from the closed position 114 to the open position 112.

[0123] The exterior of the body of the cartridge 200 has an asymmetrical shape. As illustrated, the cartridge 200 has a frustoconical shape. The interior of the cartridge receptacle 140 has a complementary asymmetrical shape, such as a frustoconical shape, to facilitate a particular position or orientation of the cartridge 200 when received in the cartridge receptacle.

[0124] The aerosol-generating element 130 may also include a heating element 160. The aerosol-generating element 130 also includes an air inlet channel 170 that draws air into the device 100. The heating element 160 may be activated in response to user input or in response to sensor data. The heating element 160 may be moved from a non-heating position to a heating position by a repositioning assembly (see FIGS. 3A-8B). The repositioning assembly may use the mechanical motion of the drawer 110 to power movement of the heating element 160 or may use sensor data to initiate movement of the heating element.

[0125] 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 cartridge 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.

[0126] 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. An exemplary air flow path of the device, in use, is depicted by thick arrows in FIG. 1A.

[0127] 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.

[0128] 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. 1A. The control electronics 30 may include a motor operably coupled to the drawer 110 to move the drawer relative to the housing 120. The control electronics 30 may include a cooling system configured to cool the drawer.

[0129] Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, various embodiments of the body 210 of the cartridge 200 are shown. The body 210 may include a lateral wall 212, a top wall 215, and a bottom wall 213 defining a cavity 218. The lateral wall 212 may be cylindrical or frustoconical, as shown. FIG. 2A shows the body 210 without a top wall 215, showing the cavity 218 inside the body. The body 210 may define a center axis A extending through the body 210. As shown in FIG. 2B, the top may comprise a flange 219 that extends from the lateral wall 212. The flange 219 may rest on shoulder of the cartridge receptacle of the aerosol-generating device so that cartridge 200 may be readily removed from the receptacle after use by grasping the flange.

[0130] FIGS. 3A and 3B show schematic sectional side views of an example of an aerosol-generating device 300 including an aerosol-generating element 302. The aerosol-generating element 302 includes a housing 304, a drawer 310, and a repositioning assembly 350. The repositioning assembly 350 is coupled to the heating element 160 and the housing 304. The cartridge 200 is receivable into the drawer 310.

[0131] The drawer 310 includes one or more lateral walls 280, a bottom wall 282, and an optional top wall 284. The lateral walls 280 may include one or more side walls, a front wall, and a back wall. As illustrated, the drawer 310 includes one or more lateral walls 280 and a bottom wall 282.

[0132] The repositioning assembly 350 moves the heating element 160 in a repositioning direction 360, which is different than a first direction 116 used to move the drawer 310 from an open position to a closed position. The repositioning assembly 350 rotates the heating element 160 into contact with or in proximity to the cartridge 200. The repositioning assembly 350 is configured to use the mechanical motion of the drawer 310 to power movement of the heating element 160.

[0133] The repositioning assembly 350 includes a first arm 352 positioned in the path of the drawer 310, a second arm 354 coupled to the heating element, and a pivot joint 356 coupled to the housing 304 between the first arm and the second arm. When moving from the open position (see FIG. 3A) to the closed position (see FIG. 3B), the drawer may push the first arm 352 to rotate the second arm 354 about the pivot joint 356, which may move the heating element 160 toward the cartridge 200 and into the heating position as seen in FIG. 3B. The pivot joint 356 may maintain the same or substantially the same angle between the first arm 352 and the second arm 354. The repositioning assembly 350 may be biased, for example, using a spring, such that when the drawer 310 is moved from the closed position to the open position, the second arm 354 rotates about the pivot joint 356 to move the heating element 160 away from the cartridge 200 and into the non-heating position shown in FIG. 3A.

[0134] FIGS. 4A and 4B show schematic sectional side views of an example of an aerosol-generating device 400 including an aerosol-generating element 402. The aerosol-generating device 400 is like aerosol-generating device 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B except that aerosol-generating device 400 includes a different repositioning assembly 450.

[0135] The repositioning assembly 450 includes a piston 452 and a presence sensor 454 configured to reposition the heating element 160. The presence sensor 454 may include any suitable sensor, such as a laser sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, or a Hall effect sensor. The repositioning assembly 450 moves the heating element 160 in a repositioning direction 460, which is different than a first direction 116 used to move the drawer 410 from an open position to a closed position. As illustrated, the repositioning direction 460 is orthogonal to the first direction 116. The repositioning direction 460 along the piston 452 may be described as longitudinal movement. The repositioning assembly 450 linearly translates the heating element 160 into contact with or in proximity to the cartridge 200.

[0136] The presence sensor 454 is positioned to detect when the drawer 410 is in the closed position (see FIG. 4B). Activation of the presence sensor 454 triggers the piston 452 to push the heating element 160 toward the cartridge 200 into a heating position in contact with or in proximity to the cartridge 200. A pressure sensor may be operably coupled to the piston 452 to detect pressure being placed on the cartridge 200 by the piston. Activation of the pressure sensor may stop the movement of the piston 452.

[0137] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional side view of an example of an aerosol-generating device 500 including an aerosol-generating element 502. The aerosol-generating device 500 is like aerosol-generating device 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B except that aerosol-generating device 500 includes a different repositioning assembly 550.

[0138] The repositioning assembly 550 includes one or more gears configured to reposition the heating element 160. The repositioning assembly 550 moves the heating element 160 in a repositioning direction 560, which is different than the first direction 116 used to move the drawer 510 from an open position to a closed position. As illustrated, the repositioning direction 560 is orthogonal to the first direction 116.

[0139] The drawer 510 includes a gear-like surface 552, which may engage or connect to, a rotating axle 554 of mating female gears. Movement of the drawer 510 along the first direction 116 rotates the axle 554 around an axis. The axle 554 includes a threaded connection 556 with a cantilever 558. The cantilever 558 is connected to the heating element 160. The cantilever 558 is prevented from rotating by being connected to a fixed tube 562, which may extend through the cantilever. The rotation of the axle 554 from movement of the drawer 510 in the first direction 116 causes the cantilever 558 to move closer to the cartridge 200 in the repositioning direction 560. Conversely, rotation of the axle 554 from movement of the drawer 510 in the opposite direction from the closed position to the open position causes the cantilever 558 to move away from the cartridge 200.

[0140] FIGS. 6A and 6B show schematic sectional top views of an example of an aerosol-generating device 600 including an aerosol-generating element 602. The aerosol-generating element 602 includes a heating element 620. The heating element 620 is a flexible heating element. As illustrated, the heating element 620 includes two heating strips. The heating strips are biased toward the cartridge 200 to be in contact with or in proximity with the cartridge in the heating position.

[0141] The drawer 610 includes two side walls 612. The repositioning assembly 650 includes two selective spacing elements 652 configured to move the heating element 620 away from the cartridge 200 when the drawer 610 moved from the closed position to the open position (see FIG. 6A). The selective spacing elements 652 may at least partially form the side walls 612 or may be coupled to the side walls. When the drawer 610 is moved from the open position to the closed position in the first direction 116, the heating element 620 is allowed to pass through open areas 654 in the side walls 612 and contact or be proximate to the cartridge 200 (see FIG. 6B). The heating element 620 moves inwardly in the repositioning direction 660, for example, due to a spring-like bias of the heating strips. The selective spacing elements 652 have tapered ends to facilitate moving the heating strips away from or allowing the heating strips to move toward the cartridge 200.

[0142] FIG. 7 shows a schematic exploded view of one example of one heating strip 622 of the heating element 620. The heating element 620 comprises three layers of material. As illustrated, the heating element 620 includes a first high heat resistance layer 624, a heating layer 626, and a second high heat resistance layer 628. The heating layer 626 may be positioned between the first and second high heat resistance layers 624, 628.

[0143] The first high heat resistance layer 624 is positioned on the side of the heating layer 626 that is closer to the cartridge. The material used to form the first high heat resistance layer 624 has a high thermal conductivity. The high heat resistance layer includes a rigid or deflectable, or spring-like, part to help bias, or position, the heating layer 626 in direct contact with or proximate to the cartridge in the heating position of the heating element.

[0144] The heating layer 626 may be formed of a thin line of resistance heating material, such as a stainless steel wire. In some embodiments, the heating layer may comprise woven metal wires. The heating layer 626 is operably couplable to an electrical circuit and converts electrical power into heat.

[0145] The second high heat resistance layer 628 is positioned on the side of the heating layer 626 that is opposite to the first high heat resistance layer 624. The material used to form the second high heat resistance layer 628 has a low thermal conductivity or a lower than the thermal conductivity than the material of the first high heat resistance layer 624.

[0146] FIGS. 8A and 8B show schematic sectional side views of one example of an aerosol-generating device 700 including an aerosol-generating element 702. The aerosol-generating device 700 is like aerosol-generating device 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B except that aerosol-generating device 700 includes a different repositioning assembly 750.

[0147] The aerosol-generating element 702 includes a heating chamber 720 and a repositioning assembly 750. The repositioning assembly 750 includes a platform extendable into the cartridge receptacle of the drawer 710 to move the cartridge 200 into a heating position at least partially into the heating chamber 720 in response to the drawer moving from the open position to the closed position in the first direction 116.

[0148] The repositioning assembly 750 also includes a fixed cam 754, a rail 756 coupled to the platform 752, a pivot joint 758 coupled to the housing of the aerosol-generating element 702, and a slidable connection 760 between the fixed cam and the rail. Moving the drawer 710 in the first direction 116 causes the slidable connection 760 to slide along the fixed cam 754. As the end of the rail 756 connected to the slidable connection 760 lowers, the opposite end connected to the platform 752 rises in a repositioning direction 762. The platform 752 raises the cartridge 200 at least partially into the heating chamber 720 (see FIG. 8B). The heating element 160 is positioned in the heating chamber 720.

[0149] Thus, cartridge insertion systems for aerosol-generating devices 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.