Adjustable Filter

Abstract

A vapour generating article includes a main body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body arranged to contain a vapour generating material; a filter having a first end arranged as a mouthpiece portion and a second end opposite the first end arranged for attachment to the first end of the main body; an air inlet portion located at the second end of the filter. The air inlet portion includes at least one aperture to allow ambient air to enter the filter. The filter includes an adjuster configured to move relative to air inlet portion to adjust the cross-sectional area of the aperture to alter an airflow through the aperture. The second end of the filter is releasably attachable to the first end of the main body.

Claims

1. A vapour generating article comprising: a main body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body arranged to contain a vapour generating material; a filter having a first end arranged as a mouthpiece portion and a second end opposite the first end arranged for attachment to the first end of the main body; and an air inlet portion located at the second end of the filter, the air inlet portion comprising at least one aperture to allow ambient air to enter the filter; wherein the filter comprises an adjuster configured to move relative to air inlet portion to adjust the cross-sectional area of the aperture to alter an airflow through the aperture; and wherein the second end of the filter is releasably attachable to the first end of the main body.

2. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster comprises at least one aperture and wherein movement of the adjuster aperture relative to the air inlet portion aperture adjusts the cross sectional area of the aperture.

3. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster is configured to adjust the cross-sectional area of the air inlet portion aperture to an open configuration in which ambient air is able to flow into the air inlet via the air inlet portion aperture.

4. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster is configured to adjust the cross-sectional area of the air inlet aperture to a closed configuration in which ambient air is not able to flow into the air inlet portion.

5. The vapour generating article according to claim 3, wherein in the open configuration the air inlet portion aperture is arranged to be substantially coaxially aligned with the adjuster aperture, such that the air inlet portion aperture and the adjuster aperture are substantially overlapping with each other.

6. The vapour generating article according to claim 4, wherein in the closed configuration the air inlet portion aperture is offset from the adjuster aperture, such that the air inlet portion aperture and the adjuster aperture do not overlap with each other.

7. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster is configured to adjust the cross-sectional area of the air inlet aperture to a partially open configuration in which the air inlet portion aperture is arranged partially overlap with the adjuster aperture.

8. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster comprises a rotatable element configured to rotate relative to the air inlet portion, wherein rotation of the rotatable element adjusts the cross-sectional area of the aperture.

9. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster is arranged to receive the filter and surround the air inlet portion and further arranged to rotate relative to the filter.

10. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aperture in the air inlet portion has a size and/or shape that is substantially the same as the size and/or shape of the at least one aperture in the adjuster has a substantially circular shape.

11. The vapour generating article according to claim 2, wherein the adjuster comprises at least one aperture having a size and/or shape that is different than the size and/or shape of the at least one aperture in the air inlet portion.

12. The vapour generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aperture in the air inlet portion is located in a side wall of the filter.

13. The vapour generating article according to claim 2, wherein the air inlet portion comprises a plurality of apertures spaced around a side wall of the filter, and wherein the adjuster comprises a plurality of apertures.

14. The vapour generating article according to claim 13, wherein each air inlet portion aperture has a corresponding adjuster aperture.

15. A vapour generating system comprising: a vapour generating article according to claim 1; and a vapour generating device configured to receive the vapour generating article and generate a vapour from the vapour generating material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will be now described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows an example aerosol generating article;

[0033] FIG. 2A shows a top-down view of an adjustable filter;

[0034] FIG. 2B shows a cross-sectional side view of an aerosol generating article;

[0035] FIG. 3A shows a top-down view of an adjustable filter; and

[0036] FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional side view of an aerosol generating article;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Referring to FIG. 1 an example aerosol generating article 1, in the form of an elongate consumable 1, is shown located within an aerosol generating device 2 in order to generate an aerosol.

[0038] The aerosol generating article 1 comprises a rod-shaped portion 11, and a filter 14.

[0039] The rod-shaped portion 11 comprises aerosol generating substrate 12 that extends over a portion of the length of the rod-shaped portion 11. The aerosol generating substrate 12 is arranged at an end of the aerosol generating article 1 that is within a heating chamber of the aerosol generating device 2 and furthest from an opening of the heating chamber. The aerosol generating substrate 12 is a material which, when heated, generates an aerosol. The aerosol generating substrate 12 may, for example, comprise tobacco or nicotine. The aerosol is drawn out of the aerosol generating article 1 by air flow through the filter 14.

[0040] The aerosol generating device 2 comprises a heating chamber 21 and a heater 22.

[0041] The heating chamber 21 is a tubular structure with an internal hollow in which the aerosol generating article 1, or the rod-shaped portion 11 of the aerosol generating article 1, may be received. Specifically, the heating chamber comprises a side wall extending between a first end 212 and a second end 213. The first end 212 is open, or openable in use, in order to allow the rod-shaped portion 11 to be inserted. The second end 213 may be open as shown in FIG. 1, in order to provide an air inlet for air to flow through the aerosol generating article. Alternatively, the second end 213 may be closed in order to improve heating efficiency of the heating chamber 21.

[0042] The heating chamber 21 may be formed from ceramic or metal. For example, the heating chamber 21 may be formed by bending or stamping sheet metal. The heater 22 may be any heater suitable to deliver heat into the internal hollow of the heating chamber 21 through its side wall. For example, the heater may be in the form of a resistive track driven by electricity. Alternatively, other types of heater may be used such as ones in which heat is provided by a chemical reaction such as fuel combustion. The heating chamber may further be surrounded by a heat insulator such as a vacuum tube, heat insulation fibre and/or aerogel.

[0043] In use, the heater 22 is arranged to heat the heating chamber 21 to a temperature sufficient to cause the aerosol generating substrate 12 to release an aerosol, without burning the aerosol generating article 1. In particular, the heater 22 is configured to heat the aerosol generating substrate 12 to a maximum temperature between 150 C. and 350 C., more preferably to a temperature between 200 C. and 350 C.

[0044] Although the heater 22 is shown outside the heating chamber 21 in FIG. 1, the heater 22 may in some embodiments be arranged inside the heating chamber 21.

[0045] The aerosol generating article 1 further comprises an aerosol cooling region 15. The aerosol cooling region 15 extends over a portion of the length of the aerosol generating article 1 and comprises a hollow tubular portion of the aerosol generating article 1. This hollow tubular portion allows an aerosol (generated by heating the aerosol generating substrate 12) to pass through the aerosol generating article 1 without leaking through the sides of the hollow tubular portion. The aerosol cooling region 15 does not overlap with the part of the aerosol generating article 1 that is being heated by the heater 22, which may be referred to as a heating region, so aerosol will not continue to be heated within the aerosol cooling region 15.

[0046] As mentioned, the aerosol substrate 15 is arranged at the end of the aerosol generating article 1 that is within the heating chamber 21 and furthest from the opening 212. The filter 14 is arranged at the other end that is closest to the opening 212. The aerosol cooling region 15 extends along the length of the aerosol generating article 1 between the aerosol generating substrate 12 and the filter 14. This ensures that, in use, a generated aerosol may be cooled before inhalation by a user.

[0047] Further details of the filter 14 will now be described.

[0048] As can be seen in FIG. 2B, the filter 14 has a first end 32 arranged as a mouthpiece portion and a second end 34 opposite the first end arranged for attachment to rod-shaped portion 11. An air inlet portion 36 is located at the second end of the filter, as shown in FIG. 3B. The air inlet portion 36 allows air to flow from the external environment through the air inlet portion 36 and into the filter 14. Hence, the air inlet portion 36 transports air and ventilates the aerosol vapour within the filter 14 before being inhaled by the user.

[0049] The filter 14 comprises an adjuster 38 (i.e. an adjustable opening member) configured to control the flow of air through the air inlet portion 36 and into the filter 14. This is achieved by the adjuster 38 being moveable relative to the air inlet portion 36 so that the adjuster 38 can adjust the cross-sectional area of the aperture of the air inlet portion 36 in order to alter the air flow through the aperture.

[0050] For example, the size of the air inlet aperture may be increased from a first size to a second size to increase the flow of air into the filter 14, thereby decreasing the pressure drop and decreasing the temperature of the vapour. Conversely, the size of the air inlet aperture may be decreased from the second size to the first size to decrease the flow of air into the filter 14, thereby increasing the pressure drop and increasing the temperature of the vapour. The skilled person will appreciate that the air inlet aperture may be controlled to vary across a continuous range of sizes, such that the pressure drop and temperature may be precisely controlled by varying the size of the air inlet aperture.

[0051] In the example illustrated in FIG. 3B, the air inlet portion 36 is circular and the cross-sectional area of the air inlet portion 36 is varied using the adjuster 38 to alter the amount of air that can enter the air inlet portion 36. It will be appreciated, however, that the aperture 16 may be formed in alternative shapes, such as a triangle, oval, or rectangle.

[0052] The first size of the air inlet aperture (depicted in FIG. 3B) may correspond to a state in which the adjuster 38 is in an open position and the air inlet aperture is substantially fully open. The second size of the air inlet aperture (depicted in FIG. 2B) may correspond to a state in which the adjuster 38 is in a closed position and the air inlet aperture is substantially fully closed. Again, the skilled person will appreciate that the first and second sizes of air inlet aperture are not intended to be limiting, and the size of the air inlet aperture may be configured to continuously vary between the first and second sizes. In other words, the adjuster 38 is configured to adjust the size of the air inlet portion aperture across a continuous range, i.e. the air inlet portion aperture is not limited to switching between just two sizes of aperture. By adjusting the size of the air inlet portion, the volumetric flow rate into the filter 14 may be increased as size of the air inlet portion aperture increases.

[0053] In more detail, the adjuster 38 takes the form of a sleeve or elongate collar which is arranged to receive the filter 14 such that the adjuster surrounds the filter 14, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A. In particular, the adjuster 28 receives substantially the whole length of the filter 14 so that the adjuster 38 surrounds the air inlet portion 36. The adjuster 38 can then rotate relative to the filter 14 and the air inlet portion 36, as well as relative to the rod-shaped portion 11. In this way, the adjuster 38 can be thought of as comprising a rotatable element which is configured to rotate relative to the air inlet portion 36 such that rotation of the rotatable element adjusts the cross-sectional area of the air inlet aperture.

[0054] In order to allow air to enter the filter 14 via the air inlet portion 36, the adjuster comprises at least one aperture. Movement of the adjuster 38 therefore causes movement of the adjuster aperture. In particular, movement of the adjuster aperture relative to the air inlet portion aperture adjusts the cross sectional area of the aperture.

[0055] As discussed above, the adjuster 38 can be moved between an open position (as shown in FIG. 3B), in which ambient air is able to flow into the air inlet 36 via the air inlet portion aperture, and a closed position (as shown in FIG. 2B) in which ambient air is not able to flow into the air inlet portion 36. In the open position, the adjuster aperture is substantially coaxially aligned with the air inlet portion aperture. In this case, the air inlet portion aperture and the adjuster aperture can be thought of as substantially overlapping with each other. In the closed position, the adjuster aperture is offset from the air inlet portion aperture. In this case, the air inlet portion aperture and the adjuster aperture do not overlap with each other.

[0056] When the adjuster is in an intermediate position, between the open and closed positions, the adjuster can be said to be in a partially open configuration. Here, the air inlet portion aperture is arranged partially overlap with the adjuster aperture.

[0057] In the example shown in FIG. 3B, both the adjuster aperture and the air inlet portion aperture are substantially circular. Further, as shown in the example in FIG. 3B, the size of the adjuster aperture and the air inlet portion aperture are substantially the same. However, in other examples not shown, the adjuster may comprise at least one aperture having a size and/or shape that is different to the size and/or shape of the at least one aperture in the air inlet portion.

[0058] For each air inlet portion aperture located in a side wall at the second end of the filter 14, there is a corresponding adjuster aperture located in a side wall of the adjuster 38. Thus, when the adjuster 38 is rotated relative to the filter, the cross-sectional area of all the air inlet portion apertures is adjusted at substantially the same time.

[0059] In summary, using a filter with an air inlet adjuster that can be tuned by the user allows for a variation of air to mix with the generated vapour before reaching the user's mouth. With the adjuster 38 opened wider more external air is mixed with that of the vapour which has the effect of reducing the bulk temperature of the vapour and decreasing the pressure drop, and vice versa when the adjuster 38 is closed. The adjuster 38 functions in a manner similar to that of a valve. The adjuster 38 is opened and closed by twisting a rotatable element the central part of the filter which either covers or uncovers holes in an outer portion of the filter.

[0060] The filter 14 is re-usable filter 14 because it can be detached from one rod-shaped portion 11 of a first aerosol generating article 1, at the second end 104, and then re-attached to another rod-shaped portion 11 of a second aerosol generating article 1 via the second end 104. In particular, the filter 14 may slot into or onto the rod-shaped portion 11 using any suitable temporary attachment mechanism. The filter 14 can therefore be considered as being releasably attachable and able to be used with multiple aerosol generating articles. In other words, the filter 14 can be said to be semi-disposable.

[0061] The filter is made from plastic, which may be the same type of plastic as the rod-shaped portion 11. A benefit of using a plastic filter is that it allows for a rigid structure which can be twisted and reused by the user in multiple aerosol-generating articles 1. As the filter 14 is reusable it is cost-effective to use a plastic body for the filter.

[0062] When the filter 14 is attached to the rod-shaped portion 11, a vapour generating article 1 is formed. In particular, the vapour generating article 1 includes a first end and a second end, and the filter 14 attaches to the second end of the vapour generating article 1. The first end of the vapour generating article 1 may be used to connect with a vapour generating device 2. In this case, a vapour generating system is formed comprising the a vapour generating article 1 and the vapour generating device 2 which receives the vapour generating article 1.

[0063] It should be understood that the aerosol generation device is an electronic cigarette which could equally be referred to as a heated tobacco device, a heat-not-burn tobacco device, a device for vaporising tobacco products, and the like, with this being interpreted as a device suitable for achieving these effects. The features disclosed herein are equally applicable to devices which are designed to vaporise any aerosol generating medium.

[0064] The aerosol generating substrate 12 may include tobacco, for example in dried or cured form, in some cases with additional ingredients for flavouring or producing a smoother or otherwise more pleasurable experience. In some examples, the aerosol generating substrate 12 such as tobacco may be treated with a vaporising agent. The vaporing agent may improve the generation of vapour from the aerosol generating substrate 12. The vaporising agent may include, for example, a polyol such as glycerol, or a glycol such as propylene glycol. In some cases, the aerosol generating substrate 12 may contain no tobacco, or even no nicotine, but instead may contain naturally or artificially derived ingredients for flavouring, volatilisation, improving smoothness, and/or providing other pleasurable effects.

[0065] The aerosol generating substrate 12 may be provided as a solid or paste type material in shredded, pelletised, powdered, granulated, strip or sheet form, optionally a combination of these. Equally, the aerosol generating substrate 12 may be a liquid or gel. Indeed, some examples may include both solid and liquid/gel parts. Indeed, some examples may include both solid and liquid/gel parts. In some examples, the substrate 12 may be a solid block, or may be loose material packed in a wrapper 13. Preferably the substrate comprises randomly oriented tobacco strands containing tobacco powder and an aerosol former. Suitable aerosol formers include: a polyol such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols like propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; a non-polyol such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, and esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin or vegetable glycerin. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0066] Whilst the aerosol generating substrate 12 will typically produce a gas or a solid and/or liquid suspension in gas when heated, it will be appreciated that the terms vapour and aerosol are generally used interchangeably here, and refer generally to the substance which is produced when the aerosol generating substrate 12 is heated, to produce a suspension of particles or droplets of any size.

[0067] As used herein, the term fluid shall be construed as generically describing non-solid materials of the type that are capable of flowing, including, but not limited to, liquids, pastes, gels, powders and the like. Fluidized materials shall be construed accordingly as materials which are inherently, or have been modified to behave as, fluids. Fluidization may include, but is not limited to, powdering, dissolving in a solvent, gelling, thickening, thinning and the like.