Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/44—Wicks
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/46—Shape or structure of electric heating means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/10—Devices using liquid inhalable precursors

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating apparatus and a consumable, and in particular to a heating system for the aerosol generating apparatus or the consumable.
• a typical aerosol generating apparatus may comprise a power supply, an aerosol generating unit with a heating system that is driven by the power supply, an aerosol precursor, which in use is aerosolised by the aerosol generating unit to generate an aerosol, and a delivery system with a flow path for delivery of the aerosol to a user.
• a drawback with known aerosol generating apparatuses is that the heating system is often disposed within the flow path. For example, an elongate wick with a heating filament coiled around the wick may be disposed across the flow path.
• the heating system therefore obstructs flow in the flow path and reduces the total particulate matter (TPM) in the aerosol delivered to the user.
• TPM total particulate matter
• the heating element may induce a transition to turbulent flow when it obstructs the flow. This may increase the cooling rate of the vapour and reduce the particle size in the aerosol delivered to the user.
• the present disclosure provides an aerosol generating apparatus that comprises:
• the present disclosure provides a consumable for an aerosol generating apparatus that comprises:
• the heating system comprises:
• the heating system defines a portion of the flow path that extends through the heating system.
• the bore of the wick defines the portion of the flow path through the heating system.
• the heating filament is affixed to the inner surface of the wick so that the centre of the bore may be substantially or completely unobstructed.
• the air flow may therefore pass through the aerosol generating apparatus e.g. through the consumable, without being obstructed by the heating system/heating filament, which provides an increase of particle size and total particulate matter (TPM) in the aerosol delivered to the user.
• TPM total particulate matter
• the wick of the heating system provides a wicking action for drawing liquid precursor from the fluid-holding reservoir towards the at least one elongate heating filament.
• the wick may therefore be a porous body. It may be made, for example, of woven fibres or sintered material. Suitable woven fibres include but are not limited to any one or a combination of ceramic, cotton and hemp. Suitable sintered materials include but are not limited to ceramics.
• the wick e.g. the porous body may be a unitary wick/body.
• the bore through the wick defines the portion of the flow path through the heating system.
• the bore may extend along a bore axis from a downstream end to an upstream end of the wick/heating system.
• a transverse cross-section of the bore (transverse to the bore axis) may be substantially stadium-shaped, elliptic or circular.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the bore (transverse to the bore axis) may be constant along a length of the bore.
• the bore may therefore be a cylindrical bore.
• the diameter of the bore (or the major diameter where the bore has an elliptic or stadium-shaped profile) is greater than the length of the bore.
• the diameter or major diameter of the bore may be 1.5 or more times, 1.7 or more times, 2 or more times, 3 or more times, or 5 or more times, the length of the bore.
• the wick may be generally tubular e.g. a cylindrical tube and may have a radially outer surface opposing the (radially) inner surface defining the bore.
• a transverse cross-section of the wick (transverse to the bore axis) may be an annulus e.g. with a substantially stadium-shaped, elliptic or circular inner and/or outer perimeter. The inner perimeter of the annulus defines the profile of the bore transverse to the bore axis.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the wick (transverse to the bore axis) may be constant along its length i.e. in the direction of the bore axis.
• the wick has a transverse thickness defined between the radially outer surface of the wick and the radially inner surface that defines the bore (i.e. a thickness perpendicular to the axis of the bore).
• the thickness is 0.2 or more times the length of the bore.
• the thickness may be 0.3 or more times, 0.5 or more times, or 2 or more times, or 4.5 or more times, the length of the bore.
• the diameter or major diameter of the bore is X
• the diameter of the outer perimeter or the major diameter where the outer perimeter is elliptic or stadium-shaped
• the diameter of the radially outer surface of the wick is (X+0.4) or more times the length of the bore.
• the diameter or major diameter of the outer perimeter may be (X+0.6) or more times, (X+1) or more times, (X+4) or more times, or (X+9) or more times, the length of the bore.
• At least a portion of the radially outer surface of the wick may be in fluidic contact with the fluid-holding reservoir. Additionally, or alternatively, a downstream axial end of the wick (i.e. the axial end proximal the air outlet) may be in fluidic contact with the fluid-holding reservoir.
• the at least one elongate heating filament is affixed along at least part of its length to the inner surface of the wick. It may be affixed along a major portion (i.e. 50% or more) of its length. For example, it may be affixed along substantially its entire length to the inner surface of the wick. It may be affixed continuously or at discrete points along its length (e.g. along a major portion of or along its entire length).
• the heating filament is in abutment with the inner surface along at least part, e.g. along a major portion such as along the entirety of its length. Such abutment produces intimate thermal contact between the heating filament and the inner surface of the wick. In this way, the heating filament may not extend across a centre of the flow path (i.e. across the bore axis).
• the at least one elongate heating filament extend over the inner surface of the bore for greater than or equal to 50% of the length of the bore.
• it may extend over the inner surface for 60% or more, 75% or more, such as 80% or more, 90% or more, or substantially the entire length of the bore. In this way, 50% or more of the inner surface along the length of the bore is in thermal contact with the elongate heating filament for efficiently vaporising liquid precursor at the inner surface.
• the at least one elongate heating filament may extend over the inner surface for greater than or equal to 25% of a perimeter of the bore. For example, it may be in thermal contact/abutment with the inner surface along 40 or more, 50% or more, 75% or more, 85% or more, or substantially the entire perimeter of the bore. In this way, 25% or more of the inner surface along the perimeter of the bore is in thermal contact with the elongate heating filament for efficiently vaporising liquid precursor at the inner surface.
• the at least one elongate heating filament may be serpentine. That is, it may lie in a winding path over the inner surface of the wick. In this way, the inner surface may be efficiently heated for vapourised liquid precursor to be entrained in the flow through the heating system.
• the at least one elongate heating filament may comprises pairs of straight segments joined by a respective intermediate bend segment. Each straight segment and/or each bend segment may be affixed to the inner surface of the wick.
• the bend segments may be positioned at or proximal the downstream axial end and upstream axial end of the wick.
• Adjacent straight segments may be parallel to one another (e.g. in a direction generally aligned with a direction extending between the upstream and downstream ends of the wick) or may be angularly offset from each other.
• the angular offset may be between 10 and 90 degrees, when viewed in a projection on the inner surface.
• the angular offset may be between 15 and 80 degrees, between 20 and 60 degrees, or between 21 and 50 degrees such as between 22 and 40, for example between 23 and 30.
• the angular offset may be around 24 degrees.
• the straight segments may be positioned at an angle ⁇ to the vertical direction extending between the upstream and downstream ends of the wick.
• the vertical direction is parallel to the bore axis.
• the angle ⁇ may be between 5 and 45 degrees.
• the angle ⁇ may be between 7.5 and 40 degrees, between 10 and 30 degrees, or between 10.5 and 25 degrees such as between 11 and 20 degrees, for example between 11.5 and 15.
• the angle ⁇ may be around 12 degrees.
• the at least one elongate heating filament may therefore lie in a generally sinusoidal path, with the angular offset between adjacent straight segments being 20, i.e. twice angle ⁇ .
• the at least one elongate heating filament is electrically resistive to produce heat from the flow of electrical current therethrough. It may therefore be formed of a conductive material (e.g., a wire, ribbon or track) affixed to the inner surface of the wick. The conductive material may be deposited (e.g., printed) on the inner surface of the wick.
• the at least one elongate heating filament may be electrically connected to a power supply. It may be connected to a power source via an electrical interface of the consumable.
• the electrical interface may include a pair of electrodes that connect the elongate heating filament to respective conductive pads for connection to corresponding pads of a body of the aerosol generating apparatus.
• the consumable may therefore be electrically connected to a power supply in the body of the aerosol generating apparatus by connection of the electrical interface of the consumable to a corresponding electrical interface of the body.
• the axis of the bore that defines the flow path through the system may be parallel to a centreline of the aerosol generating apparatus and/or the consumable.
• the bore may be coaxial with the centreline of the aerosol generating apparatus and/or the centreline of the consumable.
• the flow path may therefore be linear, i.e. extend in a straight line.
• An uptream portion (proximal the air inlet) and a downstream portion (proximal the air outlet) of the flow path, relative to the portion that extends through the heating system, may be defined by a housing of the aerosol generating apparatus and/or consumable.
• the upstream and/or downstream portion of the airflow path may each have an axis substantailly aligned with the bore axis.
• the transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path may vary along a length of the flow path, i.e. along the vertical direction.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the upstream portion may be substantially constant along a length of the portion and may be substantially equal to the transverse cross-sectional area of the bore.
• the transverse cross-sectional area of the bore may be largerthan a transverse cross-sectional area of the downstream portion, e.g. at the air outlet.
• the housing may include a chimney that defines the downstream portion of the flow path, or a portion thereof.
• the chimney and thus the downstream portion of the flow path, may extend through the fluid-holding reservior.
• the chimney may in part define the fluid-holding reservoir.
• the chimney may be a funnel.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the chimney (transverse to the bore axis) may generally taper from from an upstream end to a downstream end. In this way, the transverse cross-sectional area of the bore may be greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of the air outlet.
• the housing may further define the fluid-holding reservoir.
• the fluid-holding reservoir may in part be defined by the chimney.
• the fluid-holding reservoir is an annular tank.
• the annular tank may be formed around the chimney, with the chimney in part defining the tank.
• the housing may include one or more sealing elements that engage with the heating system, and specifically the wick, to seal the fluid-holding reservoir.
• the one or more sealing elements may engage a portion of the radially outer surface of the wick that is not in fluidic contact with the fluid-holding reservoir.
• the one or more sealing element may engage with the aixal upstream end and/or axial downtream end of the wick.
• a sealing element positioned upstream of the heating system may accomodate the electrodes of the consumable.
• the housing may provide means for physical coupling the consumable to the body of the aerosol generating apparatus, e.g. a snap-fit feature or a push-fit feature for a snap/push engagment mechanism.
• the electrical interface for connecting the heating system of the consumable to the electrical interface of the aerosol generating apparatus may be provided at the upstream end of the consumable.
• the housing of the consumable may therefore accomodate the electodes for electrically connecting the at least one elongate heating filament to a power supply in the body.
• the housing may provide a mouthpiece with an opening that defines the air outlet.
• the mouthpiece may be detachably fixed to the housing, e.g. using a snap/push fit mechanism.
• the housing may therefore include a snap/push fit feature for physically coupling with a snap/push fit feature of the mouthpiece.
• an "aerosol generating apparatus” may be an apparatus configured to deliver an aerosol to a user for inhalation by the user.
• the apparatus may additionally/alternatively be referred to as a “smoking substitute apparatus", if it is intended to be used instead of a conventional combustible smoking article.
• a combustible “smoking article” may refer to a cigarette, cigar, pipe or other article, that produces smoke (an aerosol comprising solid particulates and gas) via heating above the thermal decomposition temperature (typically by combustion and/or pyrolysis).
• An aerosol generated by the apparatus may comprise an aerosol with particle sizes of 0.2 - 7 microns, or less than 10 microns, or less than 7 microns. This particle size may be achieved by control of one or more of: heater temperature; cooling rate as the vapour condenses to an aerosol; flow properties including turbulence and velocity.
• the generation of aerosol by the aerosol generating apparatus may be controlled by an input device.
• the input device may be configured to be user-activated, and may for example include or take the form of an actuator (e.g. actuation button) and/or an airflow sensor.
• Each occurrence of the aerosol generating apparatus being caused to generate aerosol for a period of time may be referred to as an "activation" of the aerosol generating apparatus.
• the aerosol generating apparatus may be arranged to allow an amount of aerosol delivered to a user to be varied per activation (as opposed to delivering a fixed dose of aerosol), e.g. by activating an aerosol generating unit of the apparatus for a variable amount of time, e.g. based on the strength/duration of a draw of a user through a flow path of the apparatus (to replicate an effect of smoking a conventional combustible smoking article).
• the aerosol generating apparatus may be portable.
• the term "portable” may refer to the apparatus being for use when held by a user.
• an “aerosol generating system” may be a system that includes an aerosol generating apparatus and optionally other circuitry/components associated with the function of the apparatus, e.g. one or more external devices and/or one or more external components (here “external” is intended to mean external to the aerosol generating apparatus).
• an “external device” and “external component” may include one or more of a: a charging device, a mobile device (which may be connected to the aerosol generating apparatus, e.g. via a wireless or wired connection); a networked-based computer (e.g. a remote server); a cloud-based computer; any other server system.
• An example aerosol generating system may be a system for managing an aerosol generating apparatus. Such a system may include, for example, a mobile device, a network server, as well as the aerosol generating apparatus.
• an "aerosol” may include a suspension of precursor, including as one or more of: solid particles; liquid droplets; gas. Said suspension may be in a gas including air.
• An aerosol herein may generally refer to/include a vapour.
• An aerosol may include one or more components of the precursor.
• a "precursor” may include one or more of a: liquid; solid; gel; loose leaf material; other substance.
• the precursor may be processed by an aerosol generating unit of an aerosol generating apparatus to generate an aerosol.
• the precursor may include one or more of: an active component; a carrier; a flavouring.
• the active component may include one or more of nicotine; caffeine; a cannabidiol oil; a non-pharmaceutical formulation, e.g. a formulation which is not for treatment of a disease or physiological malfunction of the human body.
• the active component may be carried by the carrier, which may be a liquid, including propylene glycol and/or glycerine.
• flavouring may refer to a component that provides a taste and/or a smell to the user.
• the flavouring may include one or more of: Ethylvanillin (vanilla); menthol, Isoamyl acetate (banana oil); or other.
• the precursor may include a substrate, e.g. reconstituted tobacco to carry one or more of the active component; a carrier; a flavouring.
• a "storage portion” may be a portion of the apparatus adapted to store the precursor. It may be implemented as fluid-holding reservoir or carrier for solid material depending on the implementation of the precursor as defined above.
• a "flow path" may refer to a path or enclosed passageway through an aerosol generating apparatus, e.g. for delivery of an aerosol to a user.
• the flow path may be arranged to receive aerosol from an aerosol generating unit.
• upstream and downstream may be defined in respect of a direction of flow in the flow path, e.g. with an outlet being downstream of an inlet.
• a "delivery system” may be a system operative to deliver an aerosol to a user.
• the delivery system may include a mouthpiece and a flow path.
• a "flow" may refer to a flow in a flow path.
• a flow may include aerosol generated from the precursor.
• the flow may include air, which may be induced into the flow path via a puff by a user.
• a "puff” (or “inhale” or “draw” ) by a user may refer to expansion of lungs and/or oral cavity of a user to create a pressure reduction that induces flow through the flow path.
• an "aerosol generating unit” may refer to a device configured to generate an aerosol from a precursor.
• the aerosol generating unit may include a unit to generate a vapour directly from the precursor (e.g. a heating system or other system) or an aerosol directly from the precursor (e.g. an atomiser including an ultrasonic system, a flow expansion system operative to carry droplets of the precursor in the flow without using electrical energy or other system).
• a plurality of aerosol generating units to generate a plurality of aerosols may be present in an aerosol generating apparatus.
• a "heating system” may refer to an arrangement of at least one heating element, which is operable to aerosolise a precursor once heated.
• the at least one heating element may be electrically resistive to produce heat from the flow of electrical current therethrough.
• the at least one heating element may be arranged as a susceptor to produce heat when penetrated by an alternating magnetic field.
• the heating system may be configured to heat a precursor to below 300 or 350 degrees C, including without combustion.
• a "consumable” may refer to a unit that includes a precursor.
• the consumable may include an aerosol generating unit, e.g. it may be arranged as a cartomizer.
• the consumable may include a mouthpiece.
• liquid or gel implementations of the precursor e.g. an e-liquid
• the consumable may be referred to as a "capsule” or a “pod” or an "e-liquid consumable”.
• the capsule/pod may include a storage portion, e.g. a reservoir or tank, for storage of the precursor.
• an example aerosol generating apparatus 1 includes a power supply 2, for supply of electrical energy.
• the apparatus 1 includes an aerosol generating unit 4 that is driven by the power supply 2.
• the power supply 2 may include an electric power supply in the form of a battery and/or an electrical connection to an external power source.
• the apparatus 1 includes a precursor 6, which in use is aerosolised by the aerosol generating unit 4 to generate an aerosol.
• the apparatus 2 includes a delivery system 8 for delivery of the aerosol to a user.
• Electrical circuitry (not shown in figure 1 ) may be implemented to control the interoperability of the power supply 4 and aerosol generating unit 6.
• Fig. 2 shows an implementation of the apparatus 1 of Fig. 1 , where the aerosol generating apparatus 1 is configured to generate aerosol from a liquid precursor.
• the apparatus 1 includes a device body 10 and a consumable 30.
• the body 10 includes the power supply 4.
• the body 10 may additionally include any one or more of electrical circuitry 12, a memory 14, a wireless interface 16, one or more other components 18.
• the electrical circuitry 12 may include a processing resource for controlling one or more operations of the body 10 and consumable 30, e.g. based on instructions stored in the memory 14.
• the wireless interface 16 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with an external (e.g. mobile) device, e.g. via Bluetooth.
• the other component(s) 18 may include one or more user interface devices configured to convey information to a user and/or a charging port, for example (see e.g. Fig. 3 ).
• the consumable 30 includes a storage portion implemented here as a tank 32 (i.e. a fluid-holding reservoir) which stores the liquid precursor 6 (e.g. e-liquid).
• the consumable 30 also includes a heating system 34, an air inlet 36, and a mouthpiece 38.
• the consumable 30 may include one or more other components 40.
• the body 10 and consumable 30 may each include a respective electrical interface (not shown) to provide an electrical connection between one or more components of the body 10 with one or more components of the consumable 30. In this way, electrical power can be supplied to components (e.g. the heating system 34) of the consumable 30, without the consumable 30 needing to have its own power supply.
• a respective electrical interface not shown
• a user may activate the aerosol generating apparatus 1 when inhaling through the mouthpiece 38, i.e. when performing a puff.
• the puff performed by the user, may initiate a flow through a flow path in the consumable 30 which extends from the air inlet 36 to the mouthpiece 38 via a region in proximity to the heating system 34.
• Activation of the aerosol generating apparatus 1 may be initiated, for example, by an airflow sensor in the body 10 which detects airflow in the aerosol generating apparatus 1 (e.g. caused by a user inhaling through the mouthpiece), or by actuation of an actuator included in the body 10.
• the electrical circuitry 12 e.g. under control of the processing resource
• the heating system 34 may supply electrical energy from the power supply 2 to the heating system 34 which may cause the heating system 34 to heat liquid precursor 6 drawn from the tank to produce an aerosol which is carried by the flow out of the mouthpiece 38.
• the heating system 34 may include a heating filament and a wick, wherein a first portion of the wick extends into the tank 32 in order to draw liquid precursor 6 out from the tank 32, and wherein the heating filament is affixed to a second portion of the wick located outside the tank 32.
• the heating filament may be configured to heat up liquid precursor 6 drawn out of the tank 32 by the wick to produce the aerosol.
• the aerosol generating unit 4 is provided by the above-described heating system 34 and the delivery system 8 is provided by the above-described flow path and mouthpiece 38.
• any one or more of the precursor 6, heating system 34, air inlet 36 and mouthpiece 38, may be included in the body 10.
• the mouthpiece 36 may be included in the body 10 with the precursor 6 and heating system 34 arranged as a separable cartomizer.
• Figs. 3A and 3B show an example implementation of the aerosol generating device 1 of Fig. 2 .
• the consumable 30 is implemented as a capsule/pod, which is shown in Fig. 3A as being physically coupled to the body 10, and is shown in Fig. 3B as being decoupled from the body 10.
• the body 10 and the consumable 30 are configured to be physically coupled together by pushing the consumable 30 into an aperture in a top end 11 the body 10, with the consumable 30 being retained in the aperture via an interference fit.
• the body 10 and the consumable 30 could be physically coupled together in other ways, e.g. by screwing one onto the other, through a bayonet fitting, or through a snap engagement mechanism, for example.
• the body 10 also includes a charging port (not shown) at a bottom end 13 of the body 10.
• the body 10 also includes a user interface device configured to convey information to a user.
• the user interface device is implemented as a light (not shown), which may e.g. be configured to illuminate when the apparatus 1 is activated.
• Other user interface devices are possible, e.g. to convey information haptically or audibly to a user.
• the consumable 30 has an opaque cap 31, a translucent tank 32 and a translucent window 33.
• the consumable 30 is physically coupled to the body 10 as shown in Fig. 3A , only the cap 31 and window 33 can be seen, with the tank 32 being obscured from view by the body 10.
• the body 10 includes a slot 15 to accommodate the window 33.
• the window 33 is configured to allow the amount of liquid precursor 6 in the tank 32 to be visually assessed, even when the consumable 30 is physically coupled to the body 10.
• Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the flow F through the flow path of the consumable 30.
• the flow path (of the delivery system) is linear and extends along a vertical direction V between an upstream end 59 of the consumable proximal the air inlet and a downstream end 60 of the consumable proximal the air outlet.
• the flow path comprises an upstream portion 91 proximal the air inlet, a portion 92 through the heating system 34, and a downstream portion 93 proximal the air outlet 42.
• the upstream portion 91 and the downstream portion 93 are defined by a housing 90 of the consumable 30, and the intermediate portion 91 is defined by the heating system 34. In this way, the flow F is substantially or completely unobstructed by the heating system 34. This provides an increase of particle size and total particular matter (TPM) in the aerosol delivered to the user.
• TPM total particular matter
• Figs. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing a cross-section of the heating system 34 of Fig. 4 , showing the wick 44 and the heating filament 52 affixed thereto.
• the wick 44 is a unitary porous body, e.g. made of sintered ceramic, that provides a wicking action for drawing precursor from the tank towards the heating filament 52. Precursor at the inner surface 50 may therefore be vaporised by the heating filament 52 and entrained in the flow through the heating system 34.
• the wick 44 has an inner surface 50 that defines a bore 49 through the wick 44. It is the bore 49 that defines the portion 92 of the flow path through the heating system.
• the bore extends along a bore axis A from a downstream end to an upstream end of the wick and has a length L. It is a cylindrical bore with a constant transverse cross-sectional area of the bore (transverse to the bore axis A) along its length L.
• a transverse cross-section of the bore (transverse to the bore axis A) is substantially stadium-shaped (see Fig. 7 ) with a diameter that varies between a major diameter D and a minor diameter D2 (as seen in Fig. 7 ) smaller than the major diameter D.
• the stadium-shape is defined by a rectangle with semicircles at a pair of opposite sides with two semicircles spaced by straight lengths.
• the minor diameter of the bore is approximately the diameter of the semi-circles
• the major diameter is approximately the length of the straight sides extending between the semi-circles plus the minor diameter.
• the major diameter D is greater than the length L of the bore.
• the wick 44 is generally a cylindrical tube with a radially outer surface 47 opposing the (radially) inner surface 50 defining the bore, an upstream axial end 46 (i.e., the axial end proximal the air inlet), and a downstream axial end 48 (i.e., the axial end proximal the air outlet).
• a transverse cross-section of the wick (transverse to the bore axis A) is therefore an annulus with a substantially stadium-shaped inner and outer perimeter (see Fig. 7 ), where the inner perimeter defines the profile of the bore.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the wick (transverse to the bore axis A) is constant along its length.
• the wick 44 has a transverse thickness T defined between the radially outer surface 47 of the wick and the radially inner surface 50 that defines the bore 49. The thickness varies along a perimeter of the wick 44, as seen in Fig. 7 .
• the heating filament is an elongate heating filament 52 affixed to the inner surface 50 of the wick 44. It is formed of a conductive material that is printed on the inner surface 50 of the wick 44 and is therefore affixed to the inner surface 50, continuously, along its entire length. Thus, the heating filament is in abutment (i.e., in thermal contact) with the inner surface 50 along the entirety of its length. In this way, the elongate heating filament 52 does not extend across a centre of the flow path. It can be seen, in Fig. 5A , that the elongate heating filament 52 is in abutment (i.e., thermal contact) with the inner surface 50 for a length L2 that is substantially the entire length L of the bore.
• the elongate heating filament 52 is further in abutment (i.e., thermal contact) with the inner surface 50 along substantially the entire perimeter of the bore (i.e., it forms a ring which extends circumferentially around the inner perimeter of the wick / the perimeter of the bore). In this way, the inner surface of the wick is efficiently heated for vaporisation of liquid precursor.
• the elongate heating filament 52 is viewed in a projection on the inner surface 50 of the wick 44 in Fig. 5B . It can be seen that the elongate heating filament 52 is serpentine. In other words, it lies in a winding path over the inner surface 50 of the wick 44. In this way, the length of heating filament 52 required to efficiently heat the liquid precursor at the entire inner surface 50 of the wick is minimised. It is formed of straight segments 54 that are joined by intermediate bend segments 56, each of which are affixed to the inner surface 50 along its length. The bend segments 56 are positioned proximal the downstream axial end 46 and the upstream axial end 48 of the wick.
• Adjacent straight segments are angularly offset from each other by an angle 2 ⁇ , which is approximately 24 degrees, and each straight segment generally extends along between the downstream and upstream ends of the heating system, at an angle ⁇ to the vertical direction V (which is parallel to the bore axis A). Angle ⁇ is approximately 12 degrees.
• the elongate heating filament 52 therefore lies in a generally sinusoidal path when viewed in a projection on the inner surface 50, as seen in Figure 5B .
• Figs. 6 and 7 show cross-sectional views of the consumable 30 with the heating system 34 of Figs. 5a and 5B .
• the consumable 30 is shown disengaged from the body of the aerosol generating apparatus.
• the flow path is illustrated by the large arrows. It extends along the bore axis A that is coaxial with a centreline of the consumable.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path (transverse to the bore axis A) varies along the length of the flow path.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the upstream portion of the flow path (transverse to the bore axis A) is substantially constant along a length of the portion and is substantially equal to the transverse cross-sectional area of the bore.
• the housing defines the upstream portion of the flow path.
• the housing may be cast from plastic, as can any other component of the consumable, except where other materials and manufacturing techniques are specified, e.g. the wick 44 and the elongate heating filament 52 of the heating system 34.
• the housing 90 includes a chimney 190 that defines the downstream portion of the flow path and in part defines the tank 32, as discussed below.
• the chimney 190 is a funnel that extends through the tank 32 and is positioned about the axis A.
• a transverse cross-sectional area of the chimney (transverse to the bore axis A) generally tapers from an upstream end to a downstream end. In this way, the transverse cross-sectional area of the bore which defines the flow path through the heating system is greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of the air outlet 42.
• a generally cup-shaped sealing element 170 is disposed upstream of the wick 44. It engages with the radially outer surface of the wick, the upstream axial end of the wick, and the housing (part 160) to connect the upstream portion of the flow path with the portion of the flow path extending through the heating system and to seal the tank 32.
• the generally cup-shaped sealing element 170 is further shaped to accommodate electrodes 150 of the electrical interface of the consumable.
• a generally ring-shaped sealing element 180 is disposed downstream of the wick 44. It engages with the downstream axial end of the wick and the chimney 190 of the housing to further connect the portion of the flow path extending through the heating system with the downstream portion of the flow path, and to seal the tank 32.
• the housing 90 defines the tank 32 along with the wick 44, the generally cup-shaped sealing element 170, and the generally ring-shaped sealing element 180.
• the tank 32 is formed around the chimney 190. It is annular and in fluidic communication with a portion of the radially outer surface and the downstream axial end of the wick 44. In this way, the wick is disposed in fluidic contact with the tank for drawing liquid precursor towards the inner surface of the wick 44 at which precursor may be vaporised and entrained in the air flow.
• a snap-fit feature 120 is provided by the housing at the downstream end 60 of the consumable 30. It forms a snap engagement mechanism with a corresponding snap-fit feature 39 of the mouthpiece 38.
• the mouthpiece 38 is cup-shaped and fits over the housing. It has an opening that defines the air outlet 42 of the consumable 30.
• the mouthpiece 38 holds a hollow bore element 110 against the housing when attached to the device. It forms a cavity 43 around the hollow bore element 110 within which vapour can be stored and/or circulated before inhalation by the user.
• a similar snap-fit feature 130 is provided by the housing at the upstream end 59 of the consumable. It forms a snap engagement mechanism with a corresponding snap-fit feature of the body.
• the upstream end 59 of the consumable 30 is received within the body 10 and the air inlet 36 of the consumable is connected with the air inlet(s) of the device (not shown).
• the electrical interface of the consumable is provided at the upstream end 59 of the consumable, within the housing (see part 160).
• the electrical interface comprises two conductive pads 140, each of which are connected to one of the electrodes 150 that extends along the consumable, parallel to the bore axis A and which is electrically connected to the elongate heating filament 52.
• the electrical interface engages with the electrical interface of the body to electrically connect the heating system (i.e., the elongate heating filament 52) of the consumable 30 to the power supply in the body.
• Fig. 7 it can be seen that the flow path is unobstructed between a horizontal portion 162 of the housing and the generally ring-shaped sealing element 180 (a slither of which is seen in Fig. 7 ) that is downstream of the heating system 34.
• the flow is therefore unobstructed by the heating system 34 which results in an increase of particle size and total particular matter (TPM) in the aerosol delivered to the user.
• TPM total particular matter

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• 2024
  • 2024-03-14 EP EP24163634.9A patent/EP4616734A1/fr active Pending
• 2025
  • 2025-03-10 WO PCT/EP2025/056463 patent/WO2025190866A1/fr active Pending

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