Shisha device for enhanced aerosol characteristics

Abstract

A shisha device includes a vessel, an aerosol-generating element in fluid communication with the vessel, and a chamber between the vessel and the aerosol-generating element. The chamber is in fluid communication with the vessel and the aerosol-generating element. The chamber comprises an inlet configured to accelerate air containing aerosol that flows through the inlet from the aerosol-generating element.

Claims

1. A shisha device comprising: a vessel defining an interior configured to contain a volume of liquid, the vessel comprising a head space outlet; an aerosol-generating element in fluid connection with the vessel, wherein the aerosol-generating element comprises an electric heating element; a receptacle for receiving a shisha aerosol generating substrate to be heated by the heating element; an inlet in communication with the receptacle; and an outlet in communication with the receptacle; and a chamber between the vessel and the aerosol-generating element and in fluid connection with the vessel and the aerosol-generating element, wherein the chamber comprises a chamber inlet configured to accelerate air containing aerosol that flows through the chamber inlet from the aerosol-generating element, wherein the shisha device is configured to heat the aerosol generating substrate received in the receptacle to an extent sufficient to generate an aerosol without combusting the aerosol generating substrate; wherein the chamber comprises a main chamber in fluid communication with the chamber inlet, wherein the main chamber is sized and shaped to allow deceleration of the air containing the aerosol in the main chamber when the air containing the aerosol exits the chamber inlet and enters the main chamber; wherein the chamber inlet has a first aperture in proximity to the aerosol-generating element and a second aperture in the main chamber, wherein aerosol from the aerosol-generating element flows into the chamber inlet through the first aperture and out of the second aperture into the main chamber; and wherein the second aperture has a diameter in a range from about 0.5 mm to about 4 mm.

2. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the chamber results in an increase in total aerosol mass that exits the head space outlet during use of the shisha device relative to a device that does not include the chamber.

3. The shisha device according to claim 2, wherein the increase in total aerosol mass is 1.5-fold or greater.

4. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the first aperture has a diameter larger than the second aperture.

5. The shisha device according to claim 4, wherein the first aperture has a diameter in a range from about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

6. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the chamber inlet has a length from the first aperture to the second aperture of about 1 mm to about 20 mm.

7. The shisha device according claim 1, wherein the chamber inlet protrudes into the main chamber.

8. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the chamber inlet has a frustroconical shape.

9. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the main chamber has a diameter of at least about 10 mm.

10. The shisha device according to claim 1, wherein the main chamber has a length of at least about 10 mm.

Description

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a shisha device.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a chamber.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a chamber operably connected to an aerosol-generating element and a conduit.

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of an aerosol-generating element.

(5) FIG. 5 is schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a cartridge.

(6) FIGS. 6A and 6B are images of apparatuses used for testing. The apparatus in FIG. 6A does not include a chamber as described herein. The apparatus in FIG. 6B includes a chamber as described herein.

(7) FIG. 7 is a plot of total aerosol mass per puff versus number of puffs.

(8) Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic sectional drawing of an example of a shisha device 100 is shown. 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 comprises 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 or herbal infusions.

(9) The device 100 also includes an aerosol-generating element 130. The aerosol-generating element 130 includes a receptacle 140 configured to receive a cartridge 150 containing an aerosol-generating substrate (or receive aerosol-generating substrate that is not in a cartridge). The aerosol-generating element 130 also includes a heating element 160 that forms at least one surface of the receptacle 140. In the depicted embodiment, the heating element 160 defines the top and side surfaces of the receptacle 140. The aerosol-generating element 130 also includes a fresh air inlet channel 170 that draws fresh air into the device 100. A portion of the fresh 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 150 (or substrate that is not a cartridge), which is also heated by heating element 160, to carry aerosol generated by aerosol generating substrate. The air exits an outlet of the aerosol-generating element 130 and enters a chamber 200.

(10) A conduit 190 carries the air and aerosol from the chamber 200 into the vessel 17 below the level of the liquid 19. The air and aerosol exit an opening 195 of the conduit 190 and 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.

(11) The air flow path of the device, in use, is depicted by thick arrows in FIG. 1.

(12) 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 140.

(13) The control electronics 30 and power supply 35 may be located in any suitable position of the aerosol generating element 130 other than the bottom portion of the element 130 as depicted in FIG. 1.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an example of a chamber 200. The chamber 200 comprises a housing 210 defining a main chamber 230. The chamber 200 includes an inlet 220 extending or protruding into the main chamber 230. The inlet includes a first aperture 223 and a second aperture 227. Air containing aerosol from the aerosol-generating element enters the inlet 220 through the first aperture 223 and enters the main chamber 230 through the second aperture 227. The first aperture 223 has a diameter greater than the second aperture 227 so that air flowing through the inlet 220 from the first aperture 223 to the second aperture 227 is accelerated. The accelerated air may exit the second aperture 227 to enter the main chamber 230. The air is decelerated as it exits the second aperture 227 and enters the main chamber 230. The decelerated air containing the aerosol may then exit the main chamber 230 through an outlet 240, which may be fluidly coupled with a conduit (such as conduit 190 depicted in FIG. 1) to carry the aerosol to the vessel.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of an example of a chamber 200 operably connected to an aerosol-generating element 130 and a conduit 190. Not all components are shown for purposes of brevity and clarity. In the illustrated embodiment, air (arrows) enters in air inlets 171 in an upper part 131 of the aerosol-generating element 130, then passes through a heat shield 165, then follows the outside surface of the heating element 160 and arrives to the top of the heating element 160. The heated air then goes through a top surface of a housing of the cartridge 150, through the aerosol-generating substrate 155, and through a void in a bottom part 133, down to the aerosol outlet 180. The aerosolized air then enters the inlet 220 of the chamber 200, as the aerosolized air travels through the inlet 220, it is accelerated. The accelerated air exits the inlet 220 via the second aperture 227 and enters the main chamber 230, where the accelerated air is expanded. The decelerated air exits the chamber 200 via outlet 240 and enters conduit 190 for travel into the vessel.

(16) In embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the air travels along the outer surface of the heating element 160 and then through the heating element 160. In other embodiments (not depicted), the air may travel along an inner surface of the heating element 160.

(17) In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the upper part 131 of the aerosol-generating element 130 may be removed from the lower part 133 to allow the cartridge 150 (or aerosol generating substrate that is not in a cartridge) to be inserted or removed from the receptacle formed by the heating element 160 and the top surface of the bottom part 131. The bodies of the upper part 131 and the lower part 133 may be formed from thermally insulating material.

(18) In the embodiment, depicted in the schematic sectional view of FIG. 4 the aerosol-generating element 130 includes a thermocouple 199 operably coupled to control electronics (not shown in FIG. 4). In the depicted example, the thermocouple 199 penetrates into the cartridge 150 and aerosol generating substrate 155. The thermocouple 199 may penetrate into the cartridge 150 when the cartridge 150 is positioned on the bottom part 133 and the upper part 131 is placed over the bottom part 131. The thermocouple 199 may be in contact with the heating element 160, in proximity to the outlet 180, or in any other suitable location to provide feedback of a relevant temperature when the shisha device is in use.

(19) Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic perspective view of an example of a cartridge 150 that may be used with a shisha device described herein is shown. The cartridge 150 includes a housing 151 and a plurality of apertures 153 formed in the top surface of the housing to allow air flow through the cartridge 150 and aerosol generating substrate contained in the housing. The bottom of the cartridge 150 may also contain one or more apertures to allow air flow through the cartridge 150.

(20) In some examples, such as in FIG. 3, where air flows through the top of the receptacle, the top of the receptacle may have a similar distribution of apertures as the cartridge shown in FIG. 5.

EXAMPLE

(21) The features described above in relation to one aspect of the invention may also be applicable to another aspect of the invention.

(22) In the following non-limiting example, the ability of a chamber to increase the visible amount of aerosol and to increase the total aerosol mass deliverable to a user is described. A chamber having length of 40 mm and a diameter of 30 mm was constructed by 3D printing using a high temperature resin. The chamber had an inlet nozzle having a first aperture diameter of 7 mm and a second aperture diameter of 1.6 mm. The frustroconical nozzle had a length of 30 mm. The nozzle employed was a laboratory pipette tip.

(23) A shisha device with the chamber was assembled, and a shisha device without the chamber was assembled. The two shisha devices were essentially the same except for the presence or absence of the chamber and associated inlet.

(24) An aerosol-generating element containing a cartridge receptacle and a wound-wire heating element was coupled to the chamber or to a conduit in the device that did not include the chamber. The chamber was coupled to a conduit. In both devices, the conduit extended below a liquid level in a vessel.

(25) A cartridge filled with 10 g of commercially available Al-Fakher tobacco molasses was placed in contact with the wound-wire heating element in both devices. The wound-wire was set at a constant temperature of 230° C.

(26) The created aerosol was collected using a total of 10 Cambridge pads whose weight was recorded before and after the smoking experience. The total duration of the experience corresponds to 105 puffs. To achieve the desired puffing experience, four Programmable Dual Syringe Pumps (PDSP) were used simultaneously to create the following puffing regime: Puff volume: 530 mL Puff duration: 2600 ms Duration between puffs: 17 s

(27) The amount of visible aerosol in the headspace of the vessel was drastically increased in the shisha device having the chamber, as shown in FIGS. 6A-B. FIG. 6A shows the shisha device without the chamber. FIG. 6B show the shisha device with the chamber.

(28) In the device without the chamber, the substrate is electrically heated and the created vapor passes directly from the bottom of the cartridge to the conduit (stem pipe) and then through the water. In the device with the chamber, the air is accelerated upon passage through a nozzle and subsequently decelerated in the chamber. As a result, the amount of generated visible smoke is substantially increased.

(29) In addition, the total amount of collected aerosol increased from 374 mg (without chamber) to 1159 mg (with chamber).

(30) The experimental setup was arranged such that only two of the ten Cambridge pads collect the generated aerosol at a given moment. Every 20 puffs, a check valve ensured that the aerosol was diverted to the correct pair of Cambridge pads. Thus, the production of aerosol could be monitored as a function of time.

(31) In FIG. 7, the average total aerosol mass (TAM) per puff is shown for puffs 20, 40, 60, 80, and 105 for two different configurations. The average TAM per puff obtained by the electric shisha without the chamber is depicted using triangles. The TAM obtained using the same device with the addition of the chamber compromising a nozzle is displayed using circles.

Definitions

(32) All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein.

(33) As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

(34) As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

(35) As used herein, “have”, “having”, “include”, “including”, “comprise”, “comprising” or the like are used in their open-ended sense, and generally mean “including, but not limited to”. It will be understood that “consisting essentially of”, “consisting of”, and the like are subsumed in “comprising,” and the like.

(36) The words “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, including the claims.

(37) Any direction referred to herein, such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” “lower,” and other directions or orientations are described herein for clarity and brevity are not intended to be limiting of an actual device or system. Devices and systems described herein may be used in a number of directions and orientations.

(38) The embodiments exemplified above are not limiting. Other embodiments consistent with the embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art.