Tool for cleaning an aerosol-generating device

Abstract

A cleaning tool for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the cleaning tool including an elongate body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion defining a recess configured to receive a heating element of an aerosol-generating device, the recess extending from an opening in a distal end face of the elongate body towards the proximal end portion of the elongate body, the distal end portion of the elongate body being provided with at least one protrusion inwardly projecting into the recess, and the elongate body further including a scraping surface at the distal end face of the elongate body.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool for an aerosol-generating device, the cleaning tool comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, wherein the distal end portion of the elongate body defines a recess configured to receive a heating element of an aerosol-generating device, the recess extending from an opening in a distal end face of the elongate body towards the proximal end portion of the elongate body, wherein the distal end portion of the elongate body is provided with at least one protrusion inwardly projecting into the recess, wherein the elongate body further comprises a scraping surface at the distal end face of the elongate body, and wherein the at least one protrusion is substantially planar, with a major dimension of the substantially planar protrusion extending along at least a portion of a length of the elongate body.

2. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is elastically deformable.

3. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the elongate body is substantially cylindrical.

4. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one protrusion is disposed at the distal end face of the elongate body.

5. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion extends from a peripheral region of the elongate body towards a radial center of the elongate body.

6. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion consists of a plurality of protrusions, each of which inwardly projects into the recess.

7. The cleaning tool according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of protrusions are uniformly disposed around the recess.

8. The cleaning tool according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of protrusions consist of between 2 protrusions and 4 protrusions.

9. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the recess extends from the distal end face of the elongate body to a base in the elongate body.

10. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the recess extends from the distal end face of the elongate body to one or more openings along a side wall of the elongate body.

11. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the scraping surface is defined by a second set of protrusions at the distal end face of the elongate body.

12. The cleaning tool according to claim 11, wherein each protrusion in the second set of protrusions has a curved edge defining the scraping surface.

13. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the scraping surface is disposed around a peripheral region of the distal end face of the elongate body.

Description

(1) The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a tool according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of a portion of the tool of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view of the distal end face of the elongate body of the tool of FIGS. 2 and 3, as viewed along the longitudinal axis of the tool; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a container comprising a bundle of aerosol-generating articles and a tool according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a tool 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The tool 1 comprises an elongate body 2 having a generally cylindrical shape, with a proximal end portion 3 and a distal end portion 4. The distal end portion 4 of the elongate body defines a recess 5 for receiving a heating element of an aerosol-generating device. The recess 5 extends from an opening in a distal end face 6 of the elongate body 2 towards the proximal end portion 3 of the elongate body 2.

(8) At the distal end face 6 are a first set of protrusions 10. Each of these protrusions 10 extends into a central region of the recess 5 from a point on the periphery of the distal end face 6, as viewed along the longitudinal axis of the elongate body 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, three such protrusions 10 are provided, with said protrusions 10 being uniformly spaced around the recess. This provides a symmetrical profile for the first set of protrusions 10. The ends of each of these protrusions are spaced adjacent to the radial centre of the cross-section of the elongate body 2. This defines a central portion within the recess 5 into which a heating element may be inserted without obstruction.

(9) Each of these protrusions 10 is in the form of a substantially planar fin 10, with the major dimension of the substantially planar fin 10 extending along at least a portion of the length of the elongate body 2. In other words, the protrusion 10 extends from the distal end face 6 along the length of the elongate body 2. This can help the protrusions 10 to clean more of a heating element when in use.

(10) In particular, when the device of FIG. 1 is in use, a heating element can be inserted into the recess 5 such that at least a portion of the length of the heating element extends along at least a portion of the length of the recess. The tool 1 can then be moved relative to the heating element, for example by rotating the tool 1 relative to the heating element. Such rotational movement can cause the fins 10 to come into contact with the heating element. As the tool 1 is further rotated, the fins 10 may engage and slide along the surface of the heating element to impart a cleaning action. This can result in debris being removed from the surface of the heating element.

(11) The distal end face 6 of the tool of FIG. 1 is also provided with a second set of protrusions 20. These are disposed around the peripheral region of the distal end face 6, with each of said protrusions 20 extending towards the central region of the distal end face 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, twelve such protrusions 20 are provided, with said protrusions 20 being uniformly spaced around the recess. This provides a symmetrical profile for the second set of protrusions 20.

(12) The protrusions 20 of the second set are smaller than the protrusions of the first set 10. That is, second protrusions 20 do not extend as far across the distal end face 6, as the first protrusions 10. Instead, the second protrusions 20 remain in the peripheral region of the distal end face 6. Furthermore, the length of the second protrusions 20 longitudinal axis of the elongate body 2 is smaller than that of the first protrusions 10. Consequently, the second protrusions 20 do not extend far into the recess 5.

(13) The second protrusions 20 are preferably formed of a rigid material, such as a polyimide. The first protrusions 10 are preferably formed of a flexible material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the second protrusions 20 are formed integrally with the elongate body 2.

(14) The second protrusions 20 can together form a scraping surface at the distal end face 6 of the elongate body 2, which can be used to provide a different cleaning function from that of the first protrusions 10. In particular, the second protrusions 20 can be used to clean the base of a cavity which contains a heating element of an aerosol-generating article. The cleaning function of the second protrusions 20 can be initiated by movement of the tool 1 relative to the cavity and heating element. Such movement may be a rotational movement.

(15) FIGS. 2 to 4 show various view of a tool 201 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The tool 201 comprises an elongate body 202, which is substantially cylindrical in shape and has a proximal end portion 203 and a distal end portion 204. The elongate body 202 is formed of two parts; a first part 202a formed of plastic, and a second part 202b formed of a thermoplastic elastomer. The distal end portion 204 of the elongate body 202 is formed by three support arms 207 of the first part 202a, and by the second part 202b. In particular, the second part 202b comprises a tubular portion 212b, which extends around and is secured to the distal ends of the support arms 207. The distal ends of each support arms 207 is provided with a trench in which the tubular portion 212b of the second part 202b sits.

(16) The tubular portion 212b may be secured to the distal ends of the support arms 207 by any suitable means, such as an adhesive. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 the tubular portion 212b is secured to the distal ends of the support arms 207 by elastic tension. That is, during assembly of the elongate body 202, the tubular portion 212b is stretched over the distal ends of the support arms 207. The inherent elasticity in the second part 202b can then result in the tubular portion 212b gripping the support arms 207, so that the second part 202b is held in place relative to the first part 202a.

(17) The support arms 207 and the second part 202b together define a recess at the distal end portion of the elongate body 202. The recess 205 extends from an opening in the distal end face 206 of the elongate body 202 to a base 230 in the elongate body 202. The support arms 207 and base 230 of the first part 202a, as well as the tubular portion 212b of the second part 202b together define three side openings 217 along the side wall of the elongate body. Such side openings 217 expose portions of the recess 205.

(18) The tool 201 of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 4 also comprises a plurality of fins 210 which extend from the tubular portion 212b of the second part 202b into the recess 205. The fins 210 are integrally formed with the tubular portion 212b, and thus also formed from thermoplastic elastomer. This enables the fins 210 to be deflected by an object, such as a heating element, when the object is inserted into the recess 205. As with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the fins 210 of the tool in FIGS. 2 to 4 are uniformly spaced around the recess 205, providing a symmetrical profile for the fins 205.

(19) A protrusion in the form of a tooth 220 is provided on the end of each support arm 207 to define a scraping surface for the tool 201 of FIGS. 2 to 4. Each tooth comprises three connected ridges 221, 222, 223, which partially surround a recessed portion 224. The middle ridge 222 of each tooth has a convex leading edge 226, and the ridges 221, 223 either side of the middle ridge 222 each have a concave leading edge 227, 228.

(20) FIG. 5 shows a container 500 containing a bundle of aerosol-generating articles 570 and a cleaning tool 501. The container 500 comprises a box portion 550 and a lid portion 560 hingedly connected to the box portion 550. Within the box portion 550 are a plurality, in this case eleven, aerosol-generating articles 570. The aerosol-generating articles 570 are substantially cylindrical and arranged with their longitudinal axes extending from the base of the box portion 550 to the top of the box portion 550. The lid is shown in an open position in FIG. 5, but can be hingedly moved to a closed position, whereby the lid covers the top of the box portion 550. Disposed in the box portion 550 amongst the aerosol-generating articles 570 is a cleaning tool 501. The cleaning tool has an elongate body, which is substantially cylindrical and which is sized and shaped to be similar to the size and shape of each aerosol-generating article 570 within the container 500. Consequently, the cleaning tool 501 can occupy the same amount of space as any one of the aerosol-generating articles 570.