Abstract
An aerosol-generating article is provided for an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating article including: a liquid reservoir including a reservoir outlet and being configured to store an aerosol-forming liquid; a sealing member reversibly transferrable between an open configuration and a closed configuration so as to open or sealingly close the reservoir outlet, respectively; and an actuator member operatively coupled to the sealing member and being configured to transfer the sealing member at least from the closed configuration into the open configuration, in which the actuator member is a thermally driven actuator member comprising a bi-metal, and in which the sealing member is displaceable or deformable between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
Claims
1.-22. (canceled)
23. An aerosol-generating article for an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating article comprising: a liquid reservoir configured to store an aerosol-forming liquid, wherein the liquid reservoir comprises a reservoir outlet; a sealing member reversibly transferrable between an open configuration and a closed configuration so as to open or sealingly close the reservoir outlet, respectively; and an actuator member operatively coupled to the sealing member and being configured to transfer the sealing member at least from the closed configuration into the open configuration, wherein the actuator member is a thermally driven actuator member comprising a bi-metal, and wherein the sealing member is displaceable or deformable between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
24. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the actuator member instead comprises a shape-memory material, wherein the sealing member is deformable between a flat shape in the open configuration or in the closed configuration, respectively, and a curved shape in the closed configuration or in the open configuration, respectively, and wherein the thermally driven actuator member, when heated, bends so as to transfer the sealing member from a closed configuration into an open configuration.
25. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the thermally driven actuator member further comprises at least one temperature actuated spring.
26. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the thermally driven actuator member is inductively heatable and comprises a susceptor material.
27. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the actuator member is instead a magnetically driven actuator member comprising a permanent magnet being movable at least from the first position into the second position by interaction with a magnetic coil, a permanent magnet, or a magnetic material of the aerosol-generating device, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, or wherein the actuator member is instead a magnetically driven actuator member comprising a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic member being movable at least from the first position into the second position by interaction with a magnetic coil or a permanent magnet of the aerosol-generating device, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, or wherein the actuator member is instead a mechanical-contact driven actuator member configured and arranged to mechanically interact with the aerosol-generating device when being inserted into the aerosol-generating device so as to be transferred from the first configuration into the second configuration, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and wherein the mechanical-contact driven actuator member is a flexible wall member of the aerosol-generating article.
28. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the actuator member is further configured to transfer the sealing member from the open configuration into the closed configuration.
29. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the actuator member and the sealing member are integrally formed with each other.
30. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the sealing member comprises a flexible tube made of an elastic membrane material.
31. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 30, wherein the flexible tube comprises a plurality of slits through a wall of the flexible tube extending along a length axis of the flexible tube.
32. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, further comprising a return mechanism arranged and configured to transfer the sealing member from the open configuration into the closed configuration.
33. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, further comprising a liquid conduit configured to deliver aerosol-forming liquid from the liquid reservoir through the reservoir outlet into a region outside the liquid reservoir, when the sealing member is in the open configuration.
34. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 33, wherein the liquid conduit is attached to the sealing member so as to be transferrable between a first position and a second position together with the sealing member.
35. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 33, wherein the liquid conduit is an inductively heatable liquid conduit.
36. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 33, wherein the liquid conduit is a wick element comprising a filament bundle including a plurality of filaments.
37. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article according to claim 23 for the aerosol-generating device.
38. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating article according to claim 23 for the aerosol-generating device, wherein the actuator member is instead a magnetically driven actuator member comprising a permanent magnet being movable at least from the first position into the second position by interaction with a magnetic coil, a permanent magnet, or a magnetic material of the aerosol-generating device, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a magnetic coil, a permanent magnet, or a magnetic material for interaction with the permanent magnet of the magnetically driven actuator member of the article.
39. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating article according to claim 23 for the aerosol-generating device, wherein the actuator member is instead a magnetically driven actuator member comprising a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic member being movable at least from the first position into the second position by interaction with a magnetic coil or a permanent magnet of the aerosol-generating device, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a magnetic coil or a permanent magnet for interaction with the ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic member of the magnetically driven actuator member of the article.
40. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating article according to claim 23 for the aerosol-generating device, wherein the actuator member is instead a mechanical-contact driven actuator member configured and arranged to mechanically interact with the aerosol-generating device when being inserted into the aerosol-generating device so as to be transferred from the first configuration into the second configuration, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and wherein the mechanical-contact driven actuator member is a flexible wall member of the aerosol-generating article, and wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a pusher or a catch arranged and configured to transfer the actuator member of the aerosol-generating article from a first configuration into a second configuration when the article is inserted into the aerosol-generating device, thereby transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration.
41. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 40, wherein the pusher or the catch is a movable pusher or a moveable catch, or wherein the pusher or the catch is a stationary pusher or a stationary catch.
42. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 41, wherein movement of the movable pusher or the moveable catch is caused manually by a user actuating the movable pusher or the moveable catch, or by an electrically or a magnetically driven actuator.
43. An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article according to claim 23, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a heating arrangement configured to heat the thermally driven actuator member, when the article is inserted into the aerosol-generating device, in order to transfer the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration.
44. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 43, wherein the heating arrangement is a common heating arrangement configured to actuate the thermally driven actuator member and to evaporate the aerosol-forming liquid.
Description
[0138] Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:
[0139] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention in an open configuration;
[0140] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the aerosol-generating article according to FIG. 1 along line A-A;
[0141] FIG. 3 shows the aerosol-generating article according to FIGS. 1-2 in a closed configuration;
[0142] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating system according to the present invention, comprising the article according to FIGS. 1-3 and an aerosol-generating device for use with the article;
[0143] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an alternative of the aerosol-generating article according to FIGS. 1-3 in an open configuration;
[0144] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of an aerosol-generating article according to the present invention in a closed configuration;
[0145] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the aerosol-generating article according to FIG. 6 in an open configuration;
[0146] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating system, comprising an aerosol-generating article according to a third embodiment and an aerosol-generating device for use with the article;
[0147] FIG. 9 shows the aerosol-generating article according to FIG. 8 in a closed configuration, without the aerosol-generating device;
[0148] FIG. 10 schematically illustrates yet another exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating system, comprising an aerosol-generating article according to a fourth embodiment and an aerosol-generating device for use with the article; and
[0149] FIG. 11 shows the aerosol-generating article according to FIG. 10 in a closed configuration, without the aerosol-generating device.
[0150] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an aerosol-generating article 40 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As will be described in more detail further below with regard to FIG. 4, the aerosol-generating article 40 is configured for use with an inductively heating aerosol-generating device in order to vaporize an aerosol-forming liquid 50 provided by the aerosol-generating article 40. The article 40 comprises a substantially cylindrical article housing made of a liquid impermeable rigid material, for example, one of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene). The article housing comprises a hollow-cylindrical outer tubular wall 42, a first end cap 44 and a second end cap 43. The first end cap 44 sealingly closes the inner void of the tubular wall 42 at a first end 57 of the tubular wall 42, whereas the second end cap 43 sealingly closes the inner void of the tubular wall 42 at the opposite second end 56. The article 40 further comprises a cylindrical partition wall 41 as part of article housing which is arranged coaxially in the cylindrical tubular outer wall 42 such as to partition the inner void of the cylindrical tubular outer wall 42 into a hollow-cylindrical first compartment 58 and a cylindrical second compartment coaxially surrounded by the first compartment 58. At the bottom of the second compartment, the article 40 comprises a substantially disc-shaped bushing 45 which separates the inner void of the second compartment from a recess that is formed in the second end cap 43. The first compartment 58 forms a hollow-cylindrical main reservoir 51 for storing aerosol-forming liquid 50, while that part of the recess, which is falls in line with the second compartment, serves a capillary buffer reservoir 52. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the recess is formed such that the main reservoir 51 directly opens out into the capillary buffer reservoir 52 allowing aerosol-forming liquid 50 to freely flow from the main reservoir 51 into the capillary buffer reservoir 52. That is, the main reservoir 51 and the capillary buffer reservoir 52 are in fluid communication with each other. Together, the main reservoir and the capillary buffer reservoir 52 form the reservoir 58 of the aerosol-generating article 40 according to the invention and as defined herein. In contrast, the second compartment is not part of the reservoir 58, but in in a region outside the reservoir 58. In the present embodiment, the second compartment forms a cylindrical vaporization zone 53, in particular a vaporization cavity for vaporizing aerosol-forming liquid stored in the reservoir 58. In order to provide a fluid communication between the reservoir 58 and the vaporization zone 53, the bushing comprises an aperture which forms a reservoir outlet 59 of the reservoir 58. As described further above, the buffer reservoir 52 is configured storing aerosol-forming liquid due to capillary action in order to provide a certain amount of aerosol-forming liquid close to the reservoir outlet 59 independent of the article position. For this, the volume of the capillary buffer reservoir is chosen small enough so that capillary effects dominate over gravity. In particular, it is sufficient that only one dimension of the buffer reservoir is smaller than the effective capillary length. As a consequence, once aerosol-forming liquid 50 filled in the buffer reservoir 52, it is prevented from flowing back into the main reservoir 51, in particular when the orientation of the article 40 is changed, for example, from a substantially upright position as shown in FIG. 1 into a substantially horizontal position or even into an upside down position. Basically the capillary buffer 51 reservoir acts like a buffer reservoir of a fountain pen.
[0151] For conveying aerosol-forming liquid 50 from the capillary buffer reservoir 52 into the vaporization zone 53, the article 40 comprises a liquid conduit 70, details of which are also shown in FIG. 2. In the present embodiment, the liquid conduit 70 is an unstranded filament bundle having a substantially circular cross-section which is particularly easy to manufacture. The filament bundle comprises a plurality of filaments 71, 72 arranged parallel to each other. Due to the arrangement of the filaments 71, 72 in the filament bundle and due to the small diameter of the filaments 71, 72, the liquid conduit 70 comprises capillary channels formed between the filaments 71, 72. These channels provide capillary action along the length extension of the liquid conduit 70, thus allowing for conveying aerosol-forming liquid 50 from the capillary buffer reservoir 52 into the vaporization cavity 53.
[0152] In addition to the liquid conveying property, the liquid conduit 70 of the present embodiment is also configured for inductive heating. For that purpose, the liquid conduit 70 comprises at least a plurality of first filaments 71 including a first susceptor material that is optimized with regard to heat generation. The liquid conduit 70 may also comprises a plurality of second filaments 72 including a second susceptor material which serves as temperature marker, as described further above. Due to the susceptive nature of the filament materials, the liquid conduit 70 is capable to be inductively heated in an alternating magnetic field and thus to vaporize aerosol-forming liquid in thermal contact with the filaments 71, 72. The liquid conduit 70 thus is capable to perform two functions: conveying and heating aerosol-forming liquid. For this reason, the liquid conduit may also be denoted as a liquid-conveying susceptor assembly.
[0153] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the liquid conduit 70 passes through the reservoir outlet 59 of the reservoir 58 in the bushing 45 such that a first portion of the liquid conduit 70 is arranged in the buffer reservoir 52 and a second portion is arranged in the vaporization cavity 53. As in FIG. 1, the first portion of the liquid conduit 70 is arranged in the buffer reservoir 52 and thus immersed in aerosol-forming liquid 50, it acts as a soaking section 75 for conveying aerosol-forming liquid 50 from the buffer reservoir 52 to the second portion of the liquid conduit 70. In the vaporization cavity 53, the second portion acts at least partially as a heating section 76 for vaporizing aerosol-forming liquid 50 when being exposed to an alternating magnetic field in order to inductively heat the filaments 71, 72. This will be described in more detail below with regard to FIG. 4.
[0154] In order to prevent aerosol-forming liquid from leaking from the reservoir 58 until first consumption of the article 40 or when the article 40 is temporarily unused during consumption, the article 40 comprises a sealing member 90 that is transferrable between an open configuration and a closed configuration such as to open or sealingly close the reservoir outlet 59. While FIG. 1 shows the aerosol-generating article in the open configuration of the sealing member 90, FIG. 3 shows the aerosol-generating article 40 in the closed configuration of the sealing member 90. Thus, the reversibly closing and opening sealing increases the shelf life of the article as well as the useful life after beginning of consumption.
[0155] In the present embodiment, the sealing member 90 is a plate made of rubber which in the closed configuration abuts against the bushing 45, thereby sealingly covering the reservoir outlet 59. For transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and preferably also back, the aerosol-generating article 40 further comprises an actuator member 91 which is operatively coupled to the sealing member 90. In the present embodiment, the actuator member 91 is a helical spring made of a shape-memory material, in particular a two-way shape-memory material. Due to this, the spring remembers two different shapes: one at low temperatures, and one at higher temperatures at or above a predefined switching temperature. In the present embodiment, the spring is configured such that the spring is in an expanded state at low temperatures, as shown in FIG. 3. In contrast, the spring is in a contracted state at or above the predefined switching temperature, as shown in FIG. 1. In the present embodiment, the helical spring is arranged between the inner surface of the second end cap 43 and that side of the sealing member 90 which faces the second end cap 43. Even more, the helical spring is attached to both, the second end cap 43 and the sealing member 90. Accordingly, in the expanded state, the helical spring presses the sealing member 90 against the bushing 45 such as to sealingly close the reservoir outlet 59 from inside the reservoir. Vice versa, in the contract state, the helical spring lifts off the sealing member 90 form the bushing 45 such as to free the reservoir outlet 59. Advantageously, due to the two-way shape-memory material, the helical spring allows to actively transfer the sealing ember 90 in both directions, that is, from the closed configuration into the open configuration as well from the open configuration into the closed configuration.
[0156] In order to provide guidance for the movement of the sealing member 90, the aerosol-generating article 40 further comprises a piston 92 that is attached to the sealing member 90 and slidingly supported in a guide hole 93 in the second end cap 43.
[0157] As described further above, the shape-memory material should be chosen such that it has a switching temperature well above the temperatures at which the article is typically transported or stored, but well below the boiling temperature of the aerosol-forming liquid 50 stored in the article 40. For example, the switching temperature may be in a range between 80 degree Celsius and 180 degree Celsius, in particular 80 degree Celsius and 120 degree Celsius. For example, the shape-memory material may be an austenitic titanium alloy, in particular an austenitic nickel-titanium alloy or a nickel-titanium-hafnium alloy.
[0158] As will be described in more detail with regard to FIG. 4, the thermal energy that is required for driving the phase transformation of the shape-memory material and thus for transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration origins from a heating arrangement in the aerosol-generating device the article 40 is configured to be used with.
[0159] As can be further seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the liquid conduit 70 is slidingly arranged in the article 40 and attached to the sealing member 90, to that side which faces the reservoir outlet 59. Hence, the liquid conduit 70 may follow the movement of the sealing member 90. Accordingly, in the open configuration, the liquid conduit 70 is arranged partially in the reservoir 58. Vice versa, in the open configuration, the liquid conduit 70 is not arranged in the reservoir 58, but only in the vaporization zone 53 and partially in the passage of the reservoir outlet 59.
[0160] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the article 40 according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Here, the liquid conduit 70 is not attached to the sealing member 90. Instead, the liquid conduit 70 is fixedly arranged in the article 40, in particular only in the vaporization zone 53 and the reservoir outlet 59. That is, the liquid conduit 70 terminates in the passage of the reservoir outlet 59, but does not pass into the reservoir 58, neither in the closed configuration nor in the open configuration. However, in the open configuration, the part of the liquid conduit, which terminates in the reservoir outlet 59, faces the reservoir and thus may still be denoted as soaking section 75. In this configuration, the aperture of the bushing 45 forming the reservoir outlet 59 may also serve for bundling the filaments 71, 72 of the liquid conduit 70, that is, for keeping the filaments 71, 72 together. Furthermore, the aperture may serve to fix the position of the liquid conduit 70 relative to the article housing.
[0161] Again with reference to FIG. 1, the article 40 comprises a tapered shape mouthpiece 47 which is attached to the first end cap 44 and configured to be taken into a user's mouth for puffing. The mouthpiece 47 includes a filter 55 and an air outlet 48. The mouthpiece 47 is in fluid communication with the vaporization cavity 45 through an outlet 49 in the first end cap 44. The first end cap 44 comprises at least one air inlet 46 which enables air to enter the article 40. The air inlet 46 may be configured to provide airflow at or around the heating section 76 of the liquid conduit 70. The air inlet 46 may be a hole. Likewise, the air inlet 46 may be a nozzle that is configured to direct airflow to a specific target location at the liquid conduit 70. In addition, Hence, when a user takes a puff at the mouthpiece 47, air is drawn into the vaporization cavity 53 of the article 40. Aerosol-forming liquid that is vaporized from the heating section 76 of the liquid conduit 70 is exposed to the air passing through the vaporization cavity 45 such as to form an aerosol which may leave the vaporization cavity 45 through the outlet 49 into the mouthpiece where it which may then be drawn out through the filter 55 and the air outlet 48 into a users' mouth. The filter 55 may be used to filter out undesired components of the aerosol. The filter 55 may also comprise an add-on material, for example, a flavor material to be added to the aerosol.
[0162] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an aerosol-generating system 80 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system 80 comprises an aerosol-generating article 40 as shown in FIG. 1-3 as well as an electrically operated aerosol-generating device 60 that is capable of interacting with the article 40 in order to generate an aerosol. For this, the aerosol-generating device 60 comprises a receiving cavity 62 formed within the device housing 61 at a proximal end of the device 60. The receiving cavity 62 is configured to removably receive at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article 40. In particular, the aerosol-generating device 60 is configured to inductively heat the heating section 76 of the liquid conduit 70 in order to vaporize aerosol-forming liquid 50 that is conveyed from the capillary buffer reservoir 52 via the soaking section 75 to the heating section 76 in the vaporization cavity 53. For this, the device 60 comprises an induction source including an induction coil 32. In the present embodiment, the induction coil 32 is a single helical coil which is arranged and configured to generate a substantially homogeneous alternating magnetic field within the receiving cavity 62. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the induction coil 32 is arranged around the proximal end portion of the receiving cavity 62 such as to only surround the heating section 76 of the liquid conduit 70, when the aerosol-generating article 40 is received in the receiving cavity 62. Accordingly, in use of the device 60, the induction coil 32 generates an alternating magnetic field that only penetrates the heating section 76 of the liquid conduit 70 in the vaporization cavity 53 of the article 40. In contrast, due to the local heating, the soaking section 75 of the liquid conduit 70 stays at temperatures below the vaporization temperature. Thus, boiling of aerosol-forming liquid 50 within the capillary buffer reservoir 52 and the main reservoir 51 is prevented. Hence, in use the liquid conduit 70 comprises a temperature profile along its length extension with sections of higher and lower temperatures. More specifically, the temperature profile shows a temperature increase from temperatures below a vaporization temperature T_vap of the aerosol-forming liquid 50 in the soaking section 75 to temperatures above the respective vaporization temperature in the heating section 76.
[0163] The actual temperature profile forming up in use of the susceptor assembly 10 depends on the thermal conductivity and the length of the liquid conduit 70. Accordingly, in order to have sufficient temperature gradient between the soaking sections 75 and the heating section 76, the liquid conduit 70 requires a certain total length. With regard to the present embodiment, the total length of the liquid conduit 70 may be in a range between 5 millimeter and 50 millimeter, in particular between 10 millimeter and 40 millimeter, preferably between 10 millimeter and 30 millimeter, more preferably between 10 millimeter and 20 millimeter.
[0164] In order to provide the thermal energy that is required for driving the phase transformation of the actuator member 91 and thus for transferring the sealing member 90 from the closed configuration into the open configuration, the aerosol-generating device comprises an inductive heating arrangement. The inductive heating arrangement comprise an induction source including an induction coil 94 for generating an alternating magnetic field at the place of the thermally driven actuator member 91, when the article 40 is received in the aerosol-generating device 60 in order to inductively heat the actuator member 91. Inductive heating of the actuator member 91 works as its shape-memory material is at electrically conductive and thus capable to convert electromagnetic energy into heat when subjected to an alternating magnetic field. In the present embodiment, the induction coil 94 is a flat spiral coil, in particular a pancake coil. Use of a flat spiral coil allows a compact design that is robust and inexpensive to manufacture. For driving the phase transformation of the shape-memory material, the actuator member 91 is heated up to or above the switching temperature of the shape-memory material. However, the heating temperature should be still well below the vaporization temperature T_vap of the aerosol-forming liquid 50. Heating of the actuator member 91 may be started in response to a user input or a start of the heating operation for heating the aerosol-forming liquid or the insertion of the article into the aerosol-generating device.
[0165] The aerosol-generating device 60 further comprises a controller 64 for controlling operation of the aerosol-generating system 80, in particular for controlling the heating operation of the liquid conduit 70 and the thermally driven actuator member 91. Furthermore, the aerosol-generating device 60 comprises a power supply 63 providing electrical power for generating the alternating magnetic field. Preferably, the power supply 63 is a battery such as a lithium iron phosphate battery. The power supply 63 may have a capacity that allows for the storage of enough energy for one or more user experiences. Both, the controller 64 and the power supply 63 arranged in a distal portion of the aerosol-generating device 60.
[0166] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 schematically illustrate a second exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating 140 article according to the present invention. In general, the aerosol-generating article 140 according to FIGS. 6-7 is very similar to the aerosol-generating article 40 shown in FIGS. 1-3. Therefore, identical or similar features are denoted with the same reference signs, yet incremented by 100. In contrast to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the article 140 according to FIGS. 6-7 comprises a thermally driven actuator member 191 which is a star spring of a two-way shape-memory material. The actuator member 191 is attached to the second end cap 143. In a first phase at temperatures below the switching temperature of the shape-memory material, the star spring is in a bend configuration in which the arms of the star spring are bended out of plane, as shown in FIG. 6. In a second phase at temperatures at or above the switching temperature of the shape-memory material, the star spring is in flat configuration, as shown in FIG. 7. Like in the first embodiment, the article 140 comprises a sealing member 190 made of rubber. The disc-like sealing member 190 is fixedly attached to the star spring and laterally protrudes beyond the dimensions of the star spring. Due its flexible nature, the sealing member 190 may be deformed and thus follows the shape transformation of the star spring between the first phase and the second phase. Hence, at temperatures at or above the switching temperature, the sealing member 191 is in flat configuration in which it clears the reservoir outlet 159. In contrast, at temperatures below the switching temperature of the shape-memory material, the sealing member 191 is deformed into a cup-like shape such as to sealingly cover the reservoir outlet 159 and the soaking section 175 of the liquid conduit. Instead of a shape-memory material, the thermally driven actuator member 191 may be made of a bi-metal which is in a bend configuration at temperatures below the operating temperature of the article during use and in a flat configuration at temperatures close to or at the operating temperature of the article during use.
[0167] While FIGS. 6-7 show an exemplary embodiment of a sealing member that is deformable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, FIGS. 1-3 show an exemplary embodiment of a sealing member that is displaceable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. Both embodiments fall within the term of a sealing member that is “transferrable” between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
[0168] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating system 280 according to the present invention. The system 280 comprises an aerosol-generating article 240 and an aerosol-generating device 260 for use with the article 240, both of which are similar to the aerosol-generating article 80 and the aerosol-generating device 60 of the aerosol-generating system 80 shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, identical or similar features are denoted with the same reference signs, yet incremented by 200. In contrast to the system 80 shown in FIG. 4, the article 240 according to FIG. 8 comprises a magnetically driven actuator member 295. In the present embodiment, the magnetically driven actuator member comprise a piston 295 made of a ferromagnetic material which is movable at least from a first position into a second position by interaction with a magnetic coil 297 of the aerosol-generating device 260. Together, the magnetic coil 297 and the ferromagnetic piston 295 form a moving iron actuator. The magnetic coil 297 is arranged close to the bottom portion of the cavity 262 of the device 260 such that the ferromagnetic piston 295 may experience the magnetic field of the magnetic coil 297, when the article is received in the cavity 262. Hence, when the magnetic coil 297 is switched on, as shown in FIG. 8, the ferromagnetic piston 295 is attracted by the coil 297 and thus moves in a direction opposite the reservoir outlet 259. As the sealing member 290 is fixedly attached to the piston 295, the latter lifts off the sealing member 290 from the bushing 245 such as to free the reservoir outlet 259. When the magnetic coil 297 is switched off, the ferromagnetic piston 295 is not attracted anymore. In order to transfer the piston 295 back into the first position and thus the sealing member into the closing configuration, the article 240 further comprises a return mechanism. In the present embodiment, the return mechanism comprises a helical return spring 296 which is arranged around the piston and abuts against the inner surface of the second end cap 243 at one side and against the sealing member 290 at the other side. Hence, when the piston 295 is attracted by the magnetic coil 297 into the second position, the return spring 296 is loaded as being compressed. Vice versa, when the magnetic coil 297 is switched off, the return spring 296 may release its load which causes the piston 295 to move back into the first position and the sealing member 290 to be pressed against the bushing 245 such as to sealingly close the reservoir outlet 259. This situation is shown in FIG. 9. In order to provide guidance, the piston 295 is slidingly supported in a guide hole 293 in the second end cap 243.
[0169] Alternatively, the piston may comprise a permanent magnet. Advantageously, usage of a permanent magnet enables to use the magnetic coil for transferring the sealing member from the closed configuration into the open configuration as well from the open configuration into the closed configuration by reversing the polarity of the magnetic coil. In this configuration, the article does not necessarily require a return mechanism, such as a return spring.
[0170] In any case, usage of a magnetic coil enables to open and close the reservoir outlet in a controlled manner. The aerosol-generating device may be configured such as to activate the magnetic coil in response to at least one of a user input or a start of the heating operation for heating the aerosol-forming liquid or the insertion of the article into the aerosol-generating device. Likewise, the aerosol-generating device may be configured such as to de-activate the magnetic coil in response to at least one of a user input or a stop of the heating operation for heating the aerosol-forming liquid or the removal of the article from the aerosol-generating device.
[0171] FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a third exemplary embodiment of an aerosol-generating system 380 according to the present invention. The system 380 comprises an aerosol-generating article 340 and an aerosol-generating device 360 for use with the article 340, both of which are similar to the aerosol-generating article 80 and the aerosol-generating device 60 of the aerosol-generating system 80 shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, identical or similar features are denoted with the same reference signs, yet incremented by 300. In contrast to the system 80 shown in FIG. 4, the article 240 according to FIG. 10 comprises a mechanical-contact driven actuator member 393 configured and arranged to mechanically interact with the aerosol-generating device 360 when being inserted into the aerosol-generating device 360 such as to be transferred from a first configuration into a second configuration, thereby transferring the sealing member 390 from the closed configuration into the open configuration. In the present embodiment, the mechanical-contact driven actuator member 393 is a flexible wall member made of an elastic material, such as silicone, which forms the bottom portion of the second end cap 343. The sealing member 390 is a flexible tube made of elastic membrane material which comprises a plurality of slits 395 through the tube wall extending along the tube axis. The slitted tube-like sealing member 390 is attached at its one end at the flexible actuator member 393, and at its other end at the bushing 345. When the article 340 is inserted into the cavity 362 of the device 360, the flexible actuator member 393 gets in contact with a pusher, which in the present embodiment is a piston-like protrusion 397 at the bottom of the cavity 362. This causes the flexible actuator member 393 to be deformed towards the interior of the article 340. Due to this deformation of the actuator member 393, the slitted tube-like sealing member 390 is compressed such as to bulge outwardly. As a consequence, the slits 395 through the tube wall of the sealing member 390 open up, thereby allowing aerosol-forming liquid to enter the interior of the tube-like sealing member 390 and thus to get into fluid communication with the liquid conduit 370 in the reservoir outlet 359. When the article 340 is removed from the cavity 362, the flexible actuator member 393 returns back into its flat (non-deformed) configuration due to its elastic nature. Likewise, the tube-like sealing member 390 returns back into its extended (non-bulged) configuration, due to its elastic nature and due to the flexible actuator member 393 straightening it when the actuator member 393 returns back into its flat configuration. In the extended (non-bulged) configuration of the sealing member 390, as shown in FIG. 11, the slits 395 through the tube wall of the sealing member 390 are sealingly closed such the tube-like sealing member 390 sealingly close the reservoir outlet 259. Hence, like the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-7, the sealing member 390 according to FIGS. 10-11 is another example of a sealing member that is deformable between a closed configuration, as shown in FIG. 11, and an open configuration, as shown in FIG. 10.
[0172] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A ±5% of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.
