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WO2025224188A1 - Système de fourniture d'aérosol - Google Patents

Système de fourniture d'aérosol

Info

Publication number
WO2025224188A1
WO2025224188A1 PCT/EP2025/061104 EP2025061104W WO2025224188A1 WO 2025224188 A1 WO2025224188 A1 WO 2025224188A1 EP 2025061104 W EP2025061104 W EP 2025061104W WO 2025224188 A1 WO2025224188 A1 WO 2025224188A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
aerosol
heater
generating material
supercapacitor
consumable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/EP2025/061104
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Yu Hu
Chaou Tan
Connor BRUTON
Simon Poynton
Martin MULLIN
Charanjit Nandra
Jeremy Campbell
Paul Gibson
Christos Kora
Jorge Xelhuantzi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Original Assignee
Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nicoventures Trading Ltd filed Critical Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Publication of WO2025224188A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025224188A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • 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
    • 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
    • A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for providing an aerosol.
  • Electronic aerosol provision systems such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) generally contain an aerosol-generating material, such as a reservoir of a source liquid containing a formulation, typically including nicotine, or a solid material such as a tobacco-based product, from which an aerosol is generated for inhalation by a user, for example through heat vaporisation.
  • an aerosol provision system will typically comprise an aerosol generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to aerosolise a portion of aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol in an aerosol generation region of an air channel through the aerosol provision system.
  • air is drawn into the device through one or more inlet holes and along the air channel to the aerosol generation region, where the air mixes with the vaporised aerosol generator and forms a condensation aerosol.
  • the air drawn through the aerosol generation region continues along the air channel to a mouthpiece, carrying some of the aerosol with it, and out through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.
  • a rechargeable power source for example a battery such as a lithium-ion battery, which can supply power to the aerosol generator to generate the aerosol.
  • the rechargeable power source can be charged from an external power source, for example the mains power supply.
  • the rechargeable power source can allow the device to be recharged and re-used many times over, in contrast with so-called 'disposable' devices which can only be used once and must be disposed of and replaced once the energy in their internal battery has been depleted.
  • rechargeable power sources are hampered by drawbacks of existing battery technologies, such as relative slow charging times, low instantaneous charging/discharging current and a limited lifespan (i.e. in terms of the total number of charge/discharge cycles that can be achieved). It would therefore be desirable to provide an aerosol provision system with an improved rechargeable power source.
  • a system for providing an aerosol comprising an aerosol provision device, a consumable comprising an aerosol-generating material in an amount that provides between 5 and 50, between 5 and 40 or between 5 and 25 puffs, in use, when used with the aerosol provision device, wherein said puffs have a puff volume of 55ml and flow rate of 18.5 ml/s and are produced according to ISO 3308:2012, and an aerosol generator located in either the aerosol provision device or in the consumable, for generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material contained in the consumable, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a power source configured to supply power to the aerosol generator, and wherein the power source comprises a supercapacitor.
  • the consumable can comprise between 50mg and 600mg, or between 50mg and 400mg, or between 50mg and 250mg of the aerosol-generating material, and/or a volume of less than about 0.3ml, less than about 0.25ml or less than about 0.2ml of the aerosol-generating material, prior to use of the consumable to generate an aerosol.
  • the system can be arranged such that between 4mg and 8mg, or between 5mg and 7mg of aerosol-generating material is consumed in each puff, when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device.
  • the system can be arranged such that between 0.004ml and 0.008ml, or between 0.005ml and 0.007ml of aerosol-generating material is consumed in each puff, when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device.
  • the aerosol-generating material can comprise an aerosol-generating film comprising a binder and an aerosol former, and optionally at least one of an active substance and a flavour.
  • the aerosol-generating film can comprise a gelling agent.
  • the aerosol-generating material can comprise at least one of an encapsulated aerosol former, an encapsulated active substance and an encapsulated flavour.
  • the aerosol-generating material can comprise a substrate, which can be in the form of a fibrous material.
  • the substrate can be arranged to provide a wicking action to liquid located within the substrate.
  • the fibrous material can comprise at least one of regenerated cellulose and cellulose.
  • the aerosol-generating material can comprise any one of the following: a solid, a liquid, a thin film, a foam, and a non-fibrous solid.
  • the aerosol-generating material is provided within a sealed portion of the consumable and wherein the seal is configured to be broken when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device.
  • the supercapacitor can be a hybrid supercapacitor.
  • the hybrid supercapacitor can be a lithium-ion capacitor, LIC.
  • the aerosol generator can comprise a heater and optionally the heater can be any one of the following: an induction heater, an electromagnetic radiation heater, a plasma heater, a microfluidic heater, a convection heater, a conduction heater, a resistive heater, a halogen heater, and a dielectric heater, optionally wherein the resistive heater comprises a graphene heater or a ceramic heater or optionally wherein the electromagnetic radiation heater comprises any one of the following: a laser heater, a non-laser optical heater, an infra-red heater, a radio-frequency heater, and a microwave frequency heater.
  • the aerosol generator can be configured to generate the aerosol from the aerosolgenerating material without substantially heating the aerosol-generating material.
  • the aerosol generator can be a vaporiser configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to the at least one of the following: vibration, pressure, electrostatic energy, optionally wherein the vaporiser comprises an ultrasonic vaporiser or a surface acoustic wave vaporiser.
  • a total energy storage capacity of the supercapacitor can be less than or equal to 550 milliampere-hour, mAh, or less than or equal to 500 mAh or less than or equal to 450 mAh.
  • the total energy storage capacity of the supercapacitor can be between 50 and 400 mAh, between 50 and 350 mAh, between 150 and 350 mAh, or between 180 and 320 mAh.
  • the total volume of the supercapacitor can be between 2cm 3 and 10 cm 3 or between 2cm 3 and 6cm 3 .
  • the at least one supercapacitor can be in the form of a cell having any one of the following cell shapes: a cylindrical cell shape, a pouch cell shape, a rectangular cell shape, and a prismatic cell shape.
  • the at least one supercapacitor can be configured to be removeable and/or replaceable from the aerosol provision device.
  • the aerosol provision device can have a generally cylindrical shape with a diameter between about 7mm and about 20mm, or between about 8mm and about 16mm, and/or a length of between about 70mm and about 300mm, between about 70mm and about 150mm or between about 80mm and about 140mm.
  • the aerosol generator can be arranged to consume between 5 and 30 joules of energy in generating each said puff.
  • the consumable can comprise the aerosol-generating material in an amount that provides between 5 and 25 puffs, in use, when used with the aerosol provision device.
  • the supercapacitor can be configured to supply a peak current of greater than about 1 Ampere (A) to the aerosol generator, optionally a peak current of greater than about 2 or 3 Amperes (A).
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of a rechargeable non-combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable in use with the device;
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system comprising the rechargeable non-combustible aerosol provision device of Fig. 1 and an apparatus for recharging the aerosol provision device;
  • Figure 3a is an exploded view of a rechargeable non-combustible aerosol provision device comprising a Li-ion capacitor power source and a removable consumable;
  • Figure 3b is an exploded view of the removable consumable of Figure 3;
  • Figure 4 schematically illustrates an electrode structure of a hybrid supercapacitor power source
  • Figure 5 is a table illustrating cell properties and test results for six different types of cells, including LIC hybrid supercapacitor cells according to example embodiments;
  • Figure 6 is a graph plotting the charging time versus the number of charging cycles for the six cells listed in Fig. 5;
  • Figure 7 is a graph plotting the charge capacity versus the number of charging cycles for the six cells listed in Fig. 5;
  • Figure 8 is a graph plotting the total puff count achieved from a full charge versus the number of charging cycles for the six cells listed in Fig. 5;
  • Figure 9 is a table listing charging rates (C-rates) that have been demonstrated for each of the six cells listed in Fig. 5.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 comprises at least one power source 101, in the present case a supercapacitor, circuitry 102, at least one aerosol generator 103, a housing 104 and a charging interface 105.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 of the present embodiment is configured to receive a consumable 110 comprising aerosol-generating material 111 (e.g. a tobacco consumable 110, for example in the form of a tobacco stick).
  • a consumable 110 comprising aerosol-generating material 111 (e.g. a tobacco consumable 110, for example in the form of a tobacco stick).
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 and consumable 110 form a system for providing an aerosol.
  • the consumable 110 includes the aerosolgenerating material 111 in an amount that provides between 5 and 50, between 5 and 40 or between 5 and 25 puffs, in use, when used with the aerosol provision device 100, for instance after which the total particulate matter (TPM) measured in an individual puff has reduced to less than 30% of the average TPM of the first 5 puffs.
  • the puffs can be produced according to ISO 3308:2012 and can therefore have a puff volume of 55ml and flow rate of 18.5 ml/s.
  • the consumable 110 can contain or otherwise include between 50mg and 600mg, or between 50mg and 400mg, or between 50mg and 250mg of the aerosol-generating material 111, prior to use of the consumable 110 to generate an aerosol.
  • the consumable 110 can contain a volume of less than about 0.3ml, less than about 0.25ml or less than about 0.2ml of the aerosol-generating material, prior to use of the consumable 110 to generate an aerosol.
  • the system can be arranged such that between 4mg and 8mg, or between 5mg and 7mg of aerosolgenerating material is consumed in each puff, when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device.
  • the system can be arranged such that between 0.004ml and 0.008ml, or between 0.005ml and 0.007ml of aerosolgenerating material is consumed in each puff, when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device. For instance, in some examples, between 5.5mg and 6.5mg of aerosol-generating material is consumed per puff, and/or between 0.0055ml and 0.0065ml of aerosol-generating material is consumed per puff.
  • the aerosolgenerating material 111 can include any of the materials described herein, including one or more active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.
  • At least part of the aerosolgenerating material 111 can be provided in the form of an aerosol-generating film, for instance comprising a binder and an aerosol former, and optionally at least one of an active substance and a flavour.
  • the binder can, for instance, be a gelling agent such as a polysaccharide or the aerosol-generating film can include a gelling agent separate from the binder.
  • the active substance can, for instance, include nicotine and/or another active substance described herein.
  • the aerosol-generating material can include at least one of an encapsulated aerosol former, an encapsulated active substance and an encapsulated flavour.
  • an encapsulated aerosol former, active substance or flavour in the consumable can reduce loss of such components prior to use of the consumable.
  • the encapsulation can be such that a barrier material forming the encapsulation, for instance forming a capsule shell, is broken or otherwise eroded as part of the formation of the aerosol, for instance by heat, to thereby allow the release of the encapsulated component(s).
  • the aerosol-generating material 111 can include a substrate, which can be in the form of a fibrous material, for instance a fibrous material including at least one of regenerated cellulose and cellulose.
  • a fibrous material including at least one of regenerated cellulose and cellulose.
  • the advantage of the use of a fibrous material is that it can provide a relatively high surface area on which components of the aerosol- generating material 111 such as active substances, flavours and aerosol-former materials can be provided, thereby reducing the energy required to release such components to form the aerosol.
  • the substrate can be arranged to provide a wicking action to liquid located within the substrate.
  • the substrate may be a fibrous material which provides a wicking action.
  • the substrate can be formed from paper.
  • the regenerated cellulose fibres provided in the fibrous material may comprise at least one of viscose, lyocell, rayon, viscose rayon, cupro, and modal.
  • the regenerated cellulose fibres consist of lyocell fibres.
  • lyocell fibres may be the only fibres included within the material.
  • the regenerated cellulose fibres consist of viscose rayon fibres.
  • viscose fibres are the only fibres included within the material.
  • Regenerated cellulose may be considered to be a class of materials that is manufactured by the conversion of natural cellulose to a soluble cellulosic derivative or direct dissolution of cellulosic pulp and subsequent regeneration via wet-spinning process. Therefore, regenerated cellulose fibres may be considered to be a class of materials that is manufactured by the conversion of natural cellulose to a soluble cellulosic derivative or direct dissolution of cellulosic pulp and subsequent regeneration in fibre form.
  • regenerated cellulose fibres are a pure form of cellulose whilst the cellulose acetate fibres are a modified form of cellulose that is modified by the addition of acetyl groups to the cellulose polymer.
  • the aerosol generator 103 can be arranged to consume between 5 and 30 Joules (J) of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above, for instance between 15 and 30 Joules or between 20 and 25 Joules of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above.
  • the aerosol generator 103 can be arranged to consume between 5 and 8 milliWatt hours (mWh) or between 6 and 7 milliWatt hours of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above.
  • the aerosol generator 103 consumes about 6.5 milliWatt hours (mWh), or about 23.4 Joules (J), per puff.
  • the aerosol-generating material 111 can include any of a solid, a liquid, a thin film, a foam, and a non-fibrous solid.
  • the aerosol-generating material 111 is provided within a sealed portion of the consumable 110.
  • Such a seal can be arranged or configured to be broken when the consumable is used with the aerosol provision device 100.
  • the seal can, for instance comprise a membrane or film applied to one or both respective longitudinal end faces of the consumable 110.
  • the aerosol provision device 100 can have a generally cylindrical shape with a diameter between about 7mm and about 20mm, or between about 8mm and about 16mm. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol provision device 100 can have a length of between about 70mm and about 300mm, between about 70mm and about 150mm or between about 80mm and about 140mm. Such dimensions provide a form factor which is closer to what consumers would be used to in connection with smoking articles, and in particular a device 100 and consumable 110 which provide only between 5 and 25 puffs prior to consumption of the consumable 110.
  • the circuitry 102 may be configured to control a supply of electrical power to the at least one power source 101 during a charging operation, to charge the at least one power source 101 from a discharged state to a charged state (e.g. 80%, 90% or 100% charge).
  • the discharged state may vary according to usage of the device 100, depending on how far the power source 101 has been discharged when a user connects the charging interface 105 to an external power source to begin charging the device 100.
  • the discharged state may be any state in which the output voltage of the power source 101 is greater than or equal to a minimum operating voltage threshold Vt required by a controller (e.g. a master control unit, MCU) in the device 100, since as soon as the output voltage of the power source 101 falls below that level (i.e.
  • a controller e.g. a master control unit, MCU
  • the circuitry 102 may be configured to control the supply of electrical power to the at least one power source 101 according to a charging profile in which one or more of a charging voltage, a charging current, and a charging C-rate varies over time during the charging operation. Accordingly, the circuitry 102 may also be referred to as “charging circuitry” or “charging control circuitry”. In some example embodiments, the charging current may be selected according to the cell's capacity and a charging C-rate that is known to be supported by the cell.
  • the charging profile may be configured specifically for the particular type of power source 101 used in the device 100.
  • the at least one power source 101 may be configured to be removable and replaceable.
  • the circuitry 102 may be configured to store a plurality of charging profiles, each associated with a different type of power source 101.
  • the circuitry 102 may be configured to identify a type of the replacement power source (e.g. by communicating with the replacement power source to receive an identifier indicative of the power source type, or by communicating with a separate power source identification mechanism either local or remote to the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100). The circuitry 102 may then select one of the plurality of charging profiles associated with the identified type of the replacement power source during a subsequent charging operation, for more effective charging (e.g. faster and/or more reliable charging).
  • identify a type of the replacement power source e.g. by communicating with the replacement power source to receive an identifier indicative of the power source type, or by communicating with a separate power source identification mechanism either local or remote to the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the circuitry 102 may then select one of the plurality of charging profiles associated with the identified type of the replacement power source during a subsequent charging operation, for more effective charging (e.g. faster and/or more reliable charging).
  • the at least one power source 101 is rechargeable, and can be recharged using electrical energy received via the charging interface 105.
  • the at least one power source 101 provides power to the aerosol generator 103 to generate the aerosol, and may also provide power to other components of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 (e.g. active components within circuitry 102) during operation of the device 100.
  • the charging interface 105 may comprise a wired interface or a wireless interface.
  • the charging interface 105 may comprise a resonant receiver, for example in the form of an antenna. The antenna of the resonant receiver may be used to receive magnetic field energy for use in charging the at least one power source 101 (e.g. under the control of the circuitry 102).
  • the housing 104 can be configured to contain, hold, or otherwise support some or all of the other components of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the housing 104 may be formed of any suitable material, including but not limited to paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material (e.g. carbon fibre), glass, a metal, or a metal alloy.
  • the housing 104 can be configured so as to allow one or more components of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 to be removed and replaced.
  • the housing 104 may comprise a moveable or removable portion (e.g.
  • the housing 104 is configured to enable the at least one power source 101 to be removed and replaced.
  • the consumable 110 is inserted into a receiving portion of the housing 104, such that the consumable 110 may be heated by the aerosol generator 103 to generate an aerosol (and tobacco flavour, in the case of a tobacco consumable) for the user.
  • the consumable 110 may be heated by the aerosol generator 103 to generate an aerosol (and tobacco flavour, in the case of a tobacco consumable) for the user.
  • a user inhales at the end of the consumable 110, which may be referred to as a "puff”
  • air is drawn into the device 100 through one or more air inlets and passes through the consumable 110, delivering the aerosol (and tobacco flavour, in the case of a tobacco consumable) to the user.
  • the aerosol generator 103 is an induction heater comprising an induction coil 103a and a susceptor 103b.
  • the circuitry 102 directs electrical energy from the power source 101 to the induction coil 103a, so as to cause a varying electrical current to flow through the induction coil 103a. This in turn creates a varying magnetic field which penetrates an electrically-conductive material of the susceptor 103b, causing magnetic hysteresis heating of the susceptor 103b.
  • the consumable 110, and the aerosol-generating material 111 contained therein, is arranged to be heated by the susceptor 103b.
  • the susceptor 103b is provided in the device 100, for example within the housing 104. However, in other embodiments the susceptor 103b may be provided in the consumable 110.
  • induction heating is used to generate an aerosol
  • a different mechanism may be used to generate the aerosol.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may still be configured to receive a consumable comprising tobacco (e.g. in the form of a tobacco stick) as shown in Fig. 1, but instead of an induction coil 103a and susceptor 103b the aerosol generator 103 may comprise a resistive heater.
  • the aerosol generator 103 i.e. the resistive heater
  • the resistive heater may be arranged so as to be in physical contact with at least some of the tobacco material contained in the consumable 110, when the consumable is received in the device 100.
  • this may be achieved by providing a resistive heater in the form of a protruding element, such as a spike or blade, that is pushed into the tobacco 111 in the process of inserting the consumable 110 into the device 100.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 is described by way of example only. Many alternative aerosol provision devices may be used in example implementations of the principles described here. For example, instead of a tobacco heating system such as the device 100 illustrated in Fig. 1, in other embodiments a non-combustible aerosol provision device may be a vaping device in which an aerosol generating material (e.g. a liquid) is heated to generate the aerosol.
  • an aerosol generating material e.g. a liquid
  • the principles of the present disclosure are not limited to a particular type of aerosol provision device 100.
  • the aerosol provision device 100 may be arranged to aerosolise a solid, liquid or other aerosol-generating material via any suitable electrically powered or controller aerosol generator, such as a heater, a vibrating mesh, a source of irradiation, an electrically controller pressurised cannister which may include an electrically operated release valve, and so on.
  • any suitable electrically powered or controller aerosol generator such as a heater, a vibrating mesh, a source of irradiation, an electrically controller pressurised cannister which may include an electrically operated release valve, and so on.
  • the at least one aerosol generator 103 may be configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating, for example by using one or more of the following: vibration, pressure, or electrostatic energy.
  • non-heating aerosol generators include an ultrasonic vaporiser, and a surface acoustic wave vaporiser.
  • the aerosol generator 103 may comprise any one of the following: an induction heater, an electromagnetic (EM) radiation heater (e.g.
  • a laser heater e.g. a laser heater, a non-laser optical heater, an infra-red heater, a radio-frequency heater, or a microwave frequency heater
  • a plasma heater e.g. a plasma heater, a microfluidic heater, a convection heater, a conduction heater, an electro-resistive heater (e.g. a graphene heater or ceramic heater), a halogen heater, a dielectric heater.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may form part of an aerosol provision system comprising a modular assembly, often having two main functional parts, namely the aerosol provision device 100 and an article 110.
  • the article 110 may comprise the consumable aerosol-generating material 111 and the aerosol generator 103 (e.g. a resistive or inductive heating element), while the aerosol provision device 100 part may comprise longer-life items, such as the rechargeable power source 101, circuitry 102, and other components such as user interface features.
  • the aerosol provision device 100 may also be referred to as a reusable part or battery section, and the article 110 may also be referred to as a consumable, disposable/replaceable part, cartridge or cartomiser.
  • the aerosol provision device 100 and article 110 may be mechanically coupled together at an interface for use, for example using a screw thread, bayonet, latched or friction fit fixing.
  • the article 110 may be removed from the aerosol provision device 100 and a replacement article may be attached to the device 100 in its place.
  • an article 110 is configured such that, after the aerosol-generating material 111 in the article 110 has been exhausted, the article 110 can be refilled with more aerosol-generating material 111 (e.g.
  • the user is able to refill the article 110 using a separate reservoir of aerosol-generating material 111.
  • the aerosol-generating material used to refill the article may be the same or different to the previous aerosol-generating material in the article, thereby allowing the user to change to a different aerosol-generating material 111 without purchasing a new article 110.
  • the at least one power source 101 is rechargeable.
  • a system comprising the rechargeable non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 of Fig. 1 and an apparatus 200 for recharging the aerosol provision device will 100 now be described with reference to Fig. 2, according to an example embodiment.
  • the apparatus 200 for recharging the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may be referred to as a "charging apparatus", “charger”, or a “charging case” or “charging pack”, depending on its physical form.
  • the apparatus 200 is shown in the form of a charging case or charging pack, comprising a housing 210 having a space in which the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may be received during charging.
  • the apparatus 200 may perform a dual function, by acting as a case or pack for protecting the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 (e.g. while it is being carried by a user) whilst simultaneously charging the power source 101 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the charging apparatus may have a different form, for example, as a mains adapter or power pack connectable to the charging interface 105 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 via a suitable charging cable or via an induction charging interface.
  • the charging apparatus 200 of the present example embodiment comprises a charging power source 201, charging control circuitry 202, user interface 203, external power interface 204, and a device interface 205.
  • the user interface 203 may, for example, be used to convey information to a user about a status of the charging apparatus 200 and/or the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100. In some embodiments the user interface 203 may be omitted.
  • the charging control circuitry 202 is configured to control the flow of electrical power from the charging power source 201 and/or from the external power interface 204 to the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 via the device interface 205, to recharge the power source 101 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the charging power source 201 is configured to store energy that can be used to charge the power source 101 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the charging power source 201 may comprise a battery, capacitor, supercapacitor or any other suitable power source capable of storing and providing electrical energy.
  • the charging power source 201 may be omitted, for example when the charging apparatus 200 is embodied as a mains adapter configured to direct power from a mains electrical supply to the non- combustible aerosol provision device 100.
  • the external power interface 204 is configured to receive power from an external power source, for example the mains electrical supply or another electrical device such as a tablet, laptop or desktop computer, smartphone, and so on.
  • an external power source for example the mains electrical supply or another electrical device such as a tablet, laptop or desktop computer, smartphone, and so on.
  • the external power interface 204 may be omitted, for example when the charging apparatus 200 is embodied as a charging case or charging pack.
  • the charging power source 201 may for instance be removable to allow the charging power source 201 to be replenished once depleted, either by replacing the charging power source 201 with another charging power source 201 that is partly or fully charged, or by recharging the charging power source 201 outside of the charging apparatus 200.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 is recharged using the charging apparatus 200
  • a non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may be recharged from any suitable source of electrical energy.
  • the charging interface 105 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may be a standardised interface such as a Universal Serial Bus-C (USB-C) type connector via which the non- combustible aerosol provision device 100 can be connected to and recharged from any device capable of providing power via a USB-C interface.
  • USB-C interface is described here purely by way of an illustrative example, and should not be construed as limiting.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 may comprise a different type of charging interface other than USB-C.
  • a non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 is illustrated according to another example embodiment.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 described above with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 is shown in the form of a tobacco heating system, configured to receive a consumable comprising a tobacco stick
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 is configured to generate aerosol from aerosol-generating material in the form of a liquid substrate.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 shown in Fig. 3a may be referred to as a 'vaping device' or 'e- cigarette'.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 comprises electrical contacts 302 (e.g. in the form of contact springs, contact pads or pogo pins) and an article interface 303.
  • the article interface 303 is configured to engage with a consumable, also referred to as an article 301, so as to physically connect the article 301 to the non- combustible aerosol provision device 300.
  • the article 301 includes a number of components arranged within a wrapper 310, in the present case a paper wrap.
  • the wrapper 310 can include a coating, such as a coating of a moisture barrier material, to reduce the unwanted migration of components from within the article 301.
  • a filter 311, for instance a paper or regenerated cellulose filter, can be provided at the mouth end of the article 301.
  • a cooling segment 312 can be provided adjacent to the filter 311, for instance in the form of a tubular element, such as a paper or regenerated cellulose material tube, which surrounds and defines a hollow cavity within the cooling segment 312.
  • Ventilation apertures can be provided through the wrapper 310 and the wall of the cooling segment 312, as appropriate, to allow external air to enter the article 301.
  • aerosol-generating material 313 is provided in the form of a substrate onto which aerosol-former material and an active substance have been applied, for example glycerol and nicotine.
  • the substrate is formed from a sheet material, in the present case a sheet formed from regenerated cellulose fibres, although other forms of substrate can be used, such as a paper substrate.
  • the substrate is formed from a fibrous material, enhancing the surface area of the substrate, although non-fibrous materials can also be used.
  • An aerosol generator 314 is provided extending through the aerosol-generating material 313 and configured to generate an aerosol from the components, such as liquid, gel and solid components, held in the aerosol-generating material 313.
  • the aerosol generator 314 is provided in the form of a resistively heated rod extending through the aerosol-generating material 313.
  • the rod has first and second electrical contacts 302a, 302b at the upstream end of the rod which extend through an end cap 315 at the insertion end of the article 301.
  • the rod extends through the full length of the aerosol-generating material 313 although in other examples it can extend at least partially through the aerosol-generating material 313 or otherwise contact the aerosol-generating material 313.
  • the electrical contacts 302 of the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 form an electrical connection to corresponding contacts on the article 301, thereby to supply power from the noncombustible aerosol provision device 300 to the aerosol generator in the article 301 to generate an aerosol.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 may be configured to supply electrical power wirelessly to the aerosol generator, in which case the electrical contacts 302 may be omitted.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 may comprise an induction coil, and the aerosol generator 314 in the article may comprise a susceptor configured to generate heat when subjected to a varying magnetic field generated by the induction coil, as described above.
  • the article 300 may not comprise an aerosol generator.
  • both an induction coil and a susceptor may be included in the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300, removing the need for a separate aerosol generator in the article 300.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 comprises article interface circuitry 304, which in the present embodiment is in the form of a flexible printed circuit board (flexi-PCB), a power source 305, charging circuitry 306, connector 307, charging contacts 308 and housing 309.
  • the article interface circuitry 304 and the charging circuitry 306 may perform similar functions to the circuitry 102 of the device 100 described above with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
  • the power source 305 may perform similar functions to the power source 101 of the device 100 of Figs. 1 and 2, such as providing power to the aerosol generator to generate the aerosol, and providing power to other components of the non- combustible aerosol provision device 300 during operation of the device 300.
  • the connector 307 and charging contacts 308 may perform similar functions to the charging interface 105 of the device 100 of Figs. 1 and 2.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 is elongate and substantially tubular in shape. Depending on the dimensions and proportions of the housing 309, in some example embodiments the non-combustible aerosol provision device 300 may have an appearance similar to that of a conventional cigarette, for example a king-size (KS) factory-made cigarette (FMC).
  • KS king-size factory-made cigarette
  • a non-combustible aerosol provision device 100, 300 for providing an aerosol during a puff comprises a power source 101, 305 configured to supply electrical power to at least one aerosol generator.
  • the power source 101, 305 is a supercapacitor, for example a hybrid supercapacitor such as a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC).
  • LIC lithium-ion capacitor
  • hybrid supercapacitor is used to refer to a cell in which one electrode (e.g. an electrode comprising activated carbon) primarily stores energy through an adsorption process via the electric double layer formed on a surface of the electrode, whilst the other electrode (e.g. an electrode comprising graphite pre-doped with lithium) primarily stores energy via intercalation of lithium ions.
  • one electrode e.g. an electrode comprising activated carbon
  • the other electrode e.g. an electrode comprising graphite pre-doped with lithium
  • the electrode that primarily stores energy through adsorption via the electric double layer will release energy via a desorption process
  • the electrode that primarily stores energy via intercalation of lithium ions will release energy via a deintercalation process.
  • the electrode that primarily stores charge as an electric double layer is referred to herein as the cathode, whilst the electrode that primarily stores charge via intercalation of lithium ions is referred to herein as the anode.
  • the term "primarily stores” means that the mechanism in question is the dominant mechanism by which charge is stored on or in that electrode during operation of the cell, but does not exclude the possibility that a certain amount of charge may also be stored by one or more other mechanisms.
  • the cathode i.e. the electrode that primarily stores energy through adsorption via the electric double layer
  • the cathode may also store and release energy via intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ions.
  • the cathode may comprise a transition metal oxide (TMO) material capable of absorbing and releasing lithium ions via intercalation/deintercalation.
  • the cathode may comprise a combination of activated carbon and TMO material.
  • the cathode may, for example, comprise or consist of one or more of the following materials: activated carbon, heteroatom-doped carbon (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus doped) or graphene, with dopants including but not limited to lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium iron manganese phosphate (LMFP), lithium nickel aluminium oxide (NCA), and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC).
  • the anode may, for example, comprise or consist of one or more of the following materials: lithium pre-doped graphitic carbon, hard carbon and or soft carbon, lithium titanium oxide (LTO), or iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ).
  • a hybrid supercapacitor such as an LIC, also contains a liquid electrolyte and a separator film.
  • the separator film is disposed between the anode and the cathode so as to separate the anode and the cathode. In other words, the separator film prevents the anode from coming into contact with the cathode, which would result in a short-circuit.
  • the separator film permits the flow of electric charges through the electrolyte and through the separator film, such that the electric charges that are transported in the electrolyte may flow from the anode to the cathode and vice versa.
  • the liquid electrolyte may contain one or more of the following: a lithium salt, including but not limited to lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPFe), lithium hexagluoroarsenate (LiAsFe), lithium bis (fluorosulfonyl) imide (LiFSI), lithium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI), lithium tetrafluoroborate (UBF4), lithium perchlorate (UCIO4), and lithium bis(oxalato) borate (LiBOB); a carbonate- based organic solvent, including but not limited to ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), and dimethyl carbonate (DMC), propyl acetate (PA), methyl formate (MF), methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate (EA), methyl pyrrol
  • the separator film comprises one or more of the following: cellulose or a cellulose-derived material; a monolayer or multilayer polyolefin-based microporous film, including but not limited to polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and/or poly(tetrafluoroethylene); nonwoven fibres; naturally occurring substances; and ceramic.
  • a supercapacitor that is used as a power source in a noncombustible aerosol provision device may be in the form of a cell having any one of the following cell shapes: a cylindrical cell shape, a pouch cell shape, a rectangular cell shape, and a prismatic cell shape.
  • the hybrid supercapacitor is a LIC.
  • the power sources 101, 305 of the non-combustible aerosol provision devices 100, 300 described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 may comprise a hybrid supercapacitor such as the one illustrated in Fig. 4.
  • the LIC hybrid supercapacitor power sources 101, 305 may be configured to be removeable and/or replaceable from the aerosol provision device, as has been described above with reference to Fig. 1.
  • the LIC power source 101, 305 of Fig. 4 comprises a cathode 401, an anode 402, a liquid electrolyte 403, and a separator film 404.
  • the arrows in Fig. 4 illustrate the direction of movement of electric charges (e.g. cations, anions, electrons etc.) during a process of charging the LIC.
  • the cathode 401 comprises activated carbon doped with a TMO, for example NMC, LCO, LFP and/or LTO, whilst the anode 402 comprises lithium pre-doped graphite.
  • Figure 5 is a table illustrating cell properties and test results for six different types of power sources (cells), including LIC hybrid supercapacitor cells according to example embodiments. The table lists the following properties for each cell:
  • the discharge capacity of the cell which is the total energy discharged from the cell (measured in mAh) during a discharge operation in which the cell voltage drops from a first voltage to a second voltage, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage;
  • vapour puff counts which is the total number of puffs that can be achieved based on the discharge capacity and a simulated power consumption profile for an example vaping device
  • the 5 Ampere (A) charge time for the example vaping device comprising the cell measured in minutes (min), which is the time taken to charge the cell from a discharged state to a charged state (in this case, charging from a discharged state in which the output voltage of the cell is too low for a controller in the device to operate up to a fully charged state, i.e. 100% state of charge, SOC);
  • the THP session counts which is the total number of sessions that can be achieved based on the discharge capacity and a simulated power consumption profile for an example THP (tobacco heated product) device.
  • the 5A charge time for the example THP device comprising the cell measured in minutes (min) , which is the time taken to charge the cell from a discharged state to a charged state (in this case, charging from a discharged state in which the output voltage of the cell is too low for a controller in the device to operate up to a fully charged state, i.e. 100% state of charge, SOC).
  • the cell in question was either charged or discharged between a certain discharged state and a certain charged state.
  • discharged state refers to the state of charge of the cell at the start of the test (for tests involving charging) or at the end of the test (for tests involving discharging).
  • discharged state refers to the state of charge of the cell at the end of the test (for tests involving charging) or at the start of the test (for tests involving discharging). The charged state in all of the tests for which results are given in Fig.
  • a fully charged state meaning a state of charge in which the cell is considered to no longer capable of storing any further electrical charge (which may also be referred to as a 100% SOC).
  • the cell may be considered to be in the fully charged state once the level of current flowing to the cell (in the case of charging) falls below a minimum threshold, e.g. 0.5A.
  • the discharged state in all of the tests for which results are given in Fig. 5 was a state of charge in which the output voltage of the cell is below (e.g. marginally below) a minimum operating voltage threshold Vt required by a controller (e.g. a master control unit, MCU) in the device.
  • a controller e.g. a master control unit, MCU
  • the discharged state in all tests was defined as being a state of charge in which output voltage of the cell had fallen to a level at which the controller in the device was no longer able to operate, meaning that the device was rendered inoperable with the cell in the discharged state.
  • the measured charge time at a charging current of 5A for each cell is longer when used in the example THP device, compared to the measured charge time at the same charging current (5A) for the same cell in the example vaping device.
  • the controller in the example THP device has a minimum operating voltage of 3.0 V, whereas the controller in the example vaping device has a minimum operating voltage of 3.3 V.
  • the starting point in the 5A charge time tests for the example THP device was a discharged state in which the output voltage of the cell was at (or marginally below) 3.0 V
  • the starting point in the 5A charge time tests for the example THP device was a discharged state in which the output voltage of the cell was at (or marginally below) 3.3 V.
  • the end point of the 5A charge time tests was when the cell reaches its maximum output voltage (i.e. at a 100% state of charge). For this reason, the measured 5A charge times are longer for the example THP device compared to the measured 5A charge times for the example vaping device.
  • Cells #1 to #4 in the table shown in Fig. 5 comprise LIC power sources according to example embodiments.
  • cells #1, #2, #3 and #4 are LIC cells comprising an activated carbon cathode and a lithium pre-doped graphite anode.
  • Cells #3 and #4 comprise cathodes having a lower level of TMO dopants compared to cells #1 and #2.
  • Cell #5 is a comparative example of a commercially available vaping device comprising a conventional lithium-ion battery
  • cell #6 is a comparative example of a commercially available vaping device comprising an LIC power source.
  • Cell #1 is an LIC cell manufactured by CDA (RTM), identified by the product code LIB1340Q4R0507.
  • Cell #2 is an LIC cell manufactured by CDA, identified by the product code LIB1840Q4R0118.
  • Cell #3 is an LIC cell manufactured by CDA, identified by the product code LIC1840Q3R8507.
  • Cell #4 is an LIC cell manufactured by CDA, identified by the product code LIC1840Q3R8757. Based on the test results presented herein, the present inventors have recognised that such cells are particularly suited for use as the power source in an aerosol provision system, as will be explained below.
  • the values given for the vapour puff counts and THP session counts in Fig. 5 were obtained based on simulated power consumption profiles for an example vaping device.
  • the power consumption profile was determined by repeatedly subjecting the device to puffs of 3-second duration with a 30-second pause between puffs, under the control of a smoke engine to ensure repeatability.
  • power was supplied to the aerosol generator by the power source using pulse width modulation (PWM), with a 50% duty cycle and a switching frequency of 50 Hertz (Hz).
  • PWM pulse width modulation
  • Hz Hertz
  • the example vaping device consumes approximately 6.5 milliWatt hours (mWh), or 23.4 Joules (J), per puff.
  • the example vaping device can consume between 5 and 30 Joules (J) of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above, for instance between 15 and 30 Joules or between 20 and 25 Joules of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above.
  • the example vaping device can consume between 5 and 8 milliWatt hours (mWh) or between 6 and 7 milliWatt hours of energy in generating each of the puffs referred to above.
  • the power consumption profile was then translated to a battery test script and applied to each of the cells under test (cells #1 to #6) using a Maccor battery tester, starting with the cell in the fully-charged state. The number of simulated puffs was then counted until the cell was fully depleted, to determine the total number of puffs that can be supplied by the cell when fully-charged (i.e. the "vapour puff counts" value).
  • the aerosol generator in the tobacco heating system is activated for a longer period of time (referred to as a "session") in comparison to the aerosol generator in the vaping device, which is activated at the start of each puff and deactivated at the end of each puff.
  • a user will typically take several puffs on a tobacco heating system during the session.
  • the power consumption profile for the example tobacco heating system was obtained based on an average session duration of approximately 4 minutes and 45 seconds (4.75 min), during which the tobacco heating system consumes approximately 220 mWh, or 792 J, of power from the cell.
  • the power consumption profile was then translated to a battery test script and applied to each of the cells under test (cells #1 to #6) using a Maccor battery tester, starting with the cell in the fully-charged state.
  • the number of simulated THP sessions was then counted until the cell was fully depleted, to determine the total number of sessions that can be supplied by the cell when fully-charged (i.e. the "THP session counts" value).
  • THP session counts When determining the THP session counts, if the cell became depleted part-way through a simulated session (i.e. giving a non-integer value of the THP session count), then the number of sessions is rounded down to the nearest integer so as to give the total number of complete sessions that can be provided by a fully-charged cell.
  • the present inventors have recognised that since supercapacitors can be charged much more rapidly than conventional batteries (e.g. lithium-ion batteries), when using a supercapacitor as a power source in an aerosol provision system the total capacity becomes less significant from the user's perspective. This is because when the cell is depleted, the much faster charge time means that the device can be quickly recharged and be ready to use once more, with minimal inconvenience for the user. In other words, the act of recharging the device is much less of an inconvenience for a user when a supercapacitor power source is used, compared to devices comprising conventional power sources.
  • batteries e.g. lithium-ion batteries
  • the present inventors have recognised that using a supercapacitor as the power source in an aerosol provision device gives an opportunity to reduce the capacity (and hence the vapour puff count or THP session count) without causing any significant inconvenience for the user, since the charge time for a lower-capacity supercapacitor (e.g. cells #1, #3 and #4 in Fig. 5) can be much lower than the charge time for a conventional battery (e.g. cell #5), or even for a larger-capacity supercapacitor (e.g. cell #6).
  • a lower-capacity supercapacitor e.g. cells #1, #3 and #4 in Fig. 5
  • a conventional battery e.g. cell #5
  • a larger-capacity supercapacitor e.g. cell #6
  • using a supercapacitor as the power source in an aerosol provision system offers an opportunity to reduce the charging time yet further (i.e. the time taken to fully charge the cell, from 0% to 100%), by prioritising a reduction in charging time versus prioritising the number of puffs/sessions between charges.
  • an aerosol provision system may comprise a power source comprising at least one supercapacitor (e.g. a hybrid supercapacitor, such as an LIC) having a charging time of less than or equal to 12 minutes.
  • a supercapacitor e.g. a hybrid supercapacitor, such as an LIC
  • the term “charging time” should be understood as meaning the time taken to fully charge the cell, from 0% to 100%.
  • the reduction in charging time compared to prior art devices is achieved in part by using a supercapacitor as opposed to e.g. a conventional lithium-ion battery, and in part by selecting a supercapacitor cell of lower capacity to reduce the charging time still further.
  • the supercapacitor may also have a capacity such that in the fully-charged state (i.e. when 100% charged) the supercapacitor is configured to store sufficient electrical charge to supply electrical power to the at least one aerosol generator for no more than 80 puffs.
  • Fig. 6 which plots the 5A charge time in minutes against the cycle number (number of charge/discharge cycles) for cells #1 to #6.
  • the charge time can be understood as the time taken for a cell to be charged from one state to another state.
  • the starting point of the cell when measuring the charge time may be referred to as a "discharged state", and the end point (i.e. after charging has been completed) may be referred to as a "charged state”.
  • the discharged state and charged state may be defined differently depending on the test criteria used to measure a charging time.
  • the charge time was measured when starting with the cell in a state of charge (SOC) in which its output voltage was at (or marginally below) the minimum voltage required by a controller in the device to operate.
  • SOC state of charge
  • the discharged state or even the “fully discharged state”
  • the charged state may be understood as being one in which the cell is unable to store any more electrical charge, and may therefore be referred to as a "fully charged state” or 100% SOC.
  • the 5A charge time for cells #1 to #4 and #6 was measured by charging the cell at a constant current of 5A until the output voltage of the cell reached the corresponding upper limit specified in the "Voltage Range" column in Fig. 5, and then continuing charging at constant voltage (i.e. whilst holding the voltage at the upper limit) until the current reduced to 0.5A.
  • the charge time was measured by charging the cell at a constant current of 1.11A (equal to a C rate of 3C for cell #5) until the output voltage of the cell reached 4.4V, and then continuing charging at a constant voltage of 4.4V until the current reduced to 0.11A (0.1C rate).
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 all have a significantly shorter charge time than cells #5 and #6, and therefore offer greater convenience for a user by reducing the length of time that the user must wait before the device is fully charged.
  • each of cells #1, #3 and #4 has a vapour puff count of 80 puffs or less, meaning that when fully charged the cell is configured to store sufficient electrical charge to supply electrical power to the at least one aerosol generator for no more than 80 puffs.
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 each have a 5A charge time of less than or equal to 12 minutes.
  • the supercapacitor may have a charge time of less than or equal to 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 or 4 minutes (e.g.
  • the supercapacitor may have a vapour puff count of 50 puffs or less (e.g. cells #1 and #3 have vapour puff counts of 48 and 50 puffs respectively).
  • an aerosol provision device may therefore comprise a power source comprising at least one supercapacitor (e.g. a hybrid supercapacitor such as an LIC) having a total energy storage capacity of less than or equal to 550 mAh, or less than or equal to 500 mAh or less than or equal to 450 mAh, as is the case for each of cells #1 to #4 in Fig. 5.
  • the total energy storage capacity may be between 50 and 400 mAh, between 50 and 350 mAh, between 150 and 350 mAh, or between 180 and 320 mAh, or between 200 and 300 mAh, as is the case for cells #1, #3 and #4.
  • an aerosol provision device may comprise a power source comprising at least one supercapacitor (e.g. a hybrid supercapacitor such as an LIC) having a mass less than or equal to 20 grams (e.g. cell #1 has a mass of 9.39 g, whilst cell #3 has a mass of 19.51 g).
  • an aerosol provision device may comprise a power source comprising at least one supercapacitor (e.g.
  • a hybrid supercapacitor such as an LIC having a volume less than or equal to 10 cm 3 , for instance less than or equal to 9, 8, 7, or 6 cm 3 (e.g. cell #1 has a volume of 5.31 cm 3 ).
  • the total volume of the supercapacitor e.g. a hybrid supercapacitor such as an LIC
  • an aerosol provision system can be reduced by using a supercapacitor of relatively low capacity as the power source for the aerosol generator.
  • a supercapacitor cell can be selected based on its discharge capacity or charge capacity, and based on the vapour puff count that can be achieved by that cell in the intended aerosol provision system.
  • an aerosol provision system comprises at least one power source comprising a supercapacitor, wherein the supercapacitor has a discharge capacity between a first output voltage limit and a second output voltage limit of no more than 180 mAh, and in the charged state the supercapacitor is configured to store sufficient electrical charge to supply electrical power to the at least one aerosol generator for no more than 80 puffs.
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 all have discharge capacities of less than 180 mAh when measured at a C-rate of 0.2C (equivalent to a current ⁇ 1A for each of cells #1, #3 and #4).
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 all have charge capacities of less than 150 mAh (as measured at a charging current of 5A).
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 each provide a vapour puff count of no more than 80 puffs when tested under the conditions specified above in relation to Fig. 5 (i.e. puffs of 3-second duration with a 30-second pause between puffs).
  • the cell may provide a higher vapour puff count than 80 puffs when tested under these conditions, for example no more than 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 or 200 puffs (e.g. cell #2 provides a vapour puff count of 176 puffs).
  • the cell may provide a lower vapour puff count than 80 puffs, for example no more than 50, 60, or 70 puffs (e.g. both cells #1 and #3 provide vapour puff counts of no more than 50 puffs).
  • a supercapacitor can be used which has a relatively high discharge current compared to other power sources.
  • Supercapacitors are generally capable of being discharged more quickly (in other words, capable of supplying energy at a higher power) compared to other types of power source, such as conventional lithium-ion batteries.
  • supercapacitors with relatively small capacities e.g. around 36 mAh
  • a typical lithium-ion battery (LIB) of similar capacity may only be capable of providing a peak current of around 200 milliamperes (mA).
  • the supercapacitors described herein can be capable of supplying a peak current of greater than about 1 Ampere (A) to the aerosol generator, for instance a peak current of greater than about 2 or 3 Amperes (A).
  • the supercapacitors described herein can be capable of supplying a peak current of between about 1 Ampere (A) and about 6 Amperes (A), or between about 2 Amperes (A) and about 6 Amperes (A) to the aerosol generator.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a table which lists charging rates (C-rates) that have been demonstrated for each of the six cells listed in Fig. 5, i.e. cells #1 to #6.
  • C-rates charging rates
  • cells #1, #3 and #4 in particular can support much higher C-rates compared to other cells, notably cells #5 and #6, partly by virtue of their lower capacities compared to cells #5 and #6 (i.e. since the equivalent C-rate for a given current depends on the capacity of the cell).
  • a higher C-rate equates to a lower charge time, hence, cells #1, #3 and #4 can be charged to their capacities more quickly compared to cells #5 and #6 since they can be charged at higher C-rates.
  • the charge time of the aerosol provision system can be further reduced.
  • an aerosol provision system comprises at least one power source comprising at a supercapacitor, for example as described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and cells #1 to #4 in Figs. 5 to 9.
  • Supercapacitors are highly durable compared to alternative technologies, and can operate for in excess of 10,000 cycles.
  • the at least one supercapacitor is configured to be operable for a number of charge and discharge cycles greater than or equal to 10,000 cycles, and in some embodiments greater than or equal to 20,000 cycles. The maximum number of charge and discharge cycles to which a cell can be subjected before the cell's performance degrades beyond a defined limit (e.g.
  • the at least one supercapacitor is still capable of storing sufficient electrical charge to supply electrical power to the at least one aerosol generator for at least 80 puffs.
  • delivery system is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, and includes non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials.
  • a "combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is combusted or burned during use in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
  • a "noncombustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
  • the noncombustible aerosol provision system, or a non-combustible aerosol provision device thereof may comprise a power source and a controller.
  • the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol generating material is not a requirement.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated.
  • Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine.
  • the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material.
  • the solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non- combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non- combustible aerosol provision device.
  • a non-combustible aerosol provision device may also be referred to as a non-combustible aerosol generation device.
  • the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol generating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.
  • a consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
  • the consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device may comprise aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
  • a consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use.
  • the heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.
  • the aerosol-generating material may be provided in the noncombustible aerosol provision device itself rather than being provided in a physically separate consumable.
  • the non-combustible aerosol provision device may comprise an aerosol-generating material storage area for storing the aerosol-generating material.
  • the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material that is not intended to be aerosolised.
  • either material may comprise one or more active constituents, one or more flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and/or one or more other functional materials.
  • the substance to be delivered comprises an active substance.
  • the active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response.
  • the active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives.
  • the active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained.
  • the active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof.
  • the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.
  • the active substance is a legally permissible recreational drug.
  • the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.
  • the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof.
  • botanical includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibres, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like.
  • the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically.
  • the material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like.
  • Example botanicals are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, Wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon
  • the mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Memtha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens
  • the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is tobacco.
  • the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp.
  • the active substance comprises or derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is selected from rooibos and fennel.
  • the substance to be delivered comprises a flavour.
  • flavour and “flavourant” refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (liquorice), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, Wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch,
  • the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint.
  • the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry.
  • the flavour comprises eugenol.
  • the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco.
  • the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.
  • the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect.
  • a suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not alimited to eucolyptol, WS-3.
  • Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid, gel, thin film, foam, or non-fibrous solid, any of which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavourants.
  • the aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.
  • the aerosol-generating material may comprise a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol former.
  • a substance to be delivered and/or filler may also be present.
  • a solvent such as water, is also present and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent.
  • the aerosol-generating material is substantially free from botanical material.
  • the aerosol-generating material is substantially tobacco free.
  • the aerosol-generating material may comprise or be in the form of an aerosolgenerating film.
  • the aerosol-generating film may comprise a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol former.
  • a substance to be delivered and/or filler may also be present.
  • the aerosol-generating film may be substantially free from botanical material.
  • the aerosol-generating material is substantially tobacco free.
  • the aerosol-generating film may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1 mm.
  • the thickness may be in the range of about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm.
  • the aerosol-generating film may be continuous.
  • the film may comprise or be a continuous sheet of material.
  • the sheet may be in the form of a wrapper, it may be gathered to form a gathered sheet or it may be shredded to form a shredded sheet.
  • the shredded sheet may comprise one or more strands or strips of aerosolgenerating material.
  • the aerosol-generating film may be discontinuous.
  • the aerosolgenerating film may comprise one or more discrete portions or regions of aerosolgenerating material, such as dots, stripes or lines, which may be supported on a support.
  • the support may be planar or non-planar.
  • the aerosol-generating film may be formed by combining a binder, such as a gelling agent, with a solvent, such as water, an aerosol-former and one or more other components, such as one or more substances to be delivered, to form a slurry and then heating the slurry to volatilise at least some of the solvent to form the aerosolgenerating film.
  • the slurry may be heated to remove at least about 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt% or 90 wt% of the solvent.
  • the aerosol-generating material may comprise or be an "amorphous solid".
  • the aerosol-generating materiel comprises an aerosol-generating film that is an amorphous solid.
  • the amorphous solid may be a "monolithic solid".
  • the amorphous solid may be substantially non-fibrous.
  • the amorphous solid may be a dried gel.
  • the amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it.
  • the amorphous solid may, for example, comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.
  • the amorphous solid may be substantially free from botanical material.
  • the amorphous solid may be substantially tobacco free.
  • the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol.
  • the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.
  • the one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of apH regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.
  • the material may be present on or in a support, to form a substrate.
  • the support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material, glass, a metal, or a metal alloy.
  • the support comprises a susceptor.
  • the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.
  • a consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user.
  • a consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosolmodifying agent.
  • a consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use.
  • the heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

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  • Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système de fourniture d'un aérosol qui comprend un dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol, un consommable comprenant un matériau de production d'aérosol en une quantité qui fournit entre 5 et 25 bouffées, lors de l'utilisation, lorsqu'il est utilisé avec le dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol, lesdites bouffées ayant un volume de bouffée de 55 ml et un débit de 18,5 ml/s et étant produites selon la norme ISO 3308:2012, et un producteur d'aérosol situé soit dans le dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol soit dans le consommable, pour produire un aérosol à partir du matériau de production d'aérosol contenu dans le consommable, le dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol comprenant une source d'alimentation conçue pour fournir de l'énergie au producteur d'aérosol, et la source d'alimentation comprenant un supercondensateur, tel qu'un supercondensateur hybride.
PCT/EP2025/061104 2024-04-23 2025-04-23 Système de fourniture d'aérosol Pending WO2025224188A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP24172004.4 2024-04-23
EP24172004.4A EP4640090A1 (fr) 2024-04-23 2024-04-23 Système de fourniture d'aérosol

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025224188A1 true WO2025224188A1 (fr) 2025-10-30

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Country Link
EP (1) EP4640090A1 (fr)
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Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140014125A1 (en) * 2010-11-19 2014-01-16 Philip Morris Products S.A. Electrically Heated Smoking System Comprising At Least Two Units
WO2017207584A1 (fr) * 2016-05-31 2017-12-07 Philip Morris Products S.A. Diffuseur de chaleur pour système de génération d'aérosol
US20190098938A1 (en) * 2012-03-28 2019-04-04 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Smoking article incorporating a conductive substrate
WO2019180593A1 (fr) * 2018-03-20 2019-09-26 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Dispositif de distribution d'aérosol pourvu d'un mouvement d'indexation
US20200305513A1 (en) * 2016-06-29 2020-10-01 Philip Morris Products S.A. Electrically operated aerosol-generating system with a rechargeable power supply
US20220095686A1 (en) * 2020-09-28 2022-03-31 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Aerosol delivery device
WO2023071219A1 (fr) * 2021-10-26 2023-05-04 云南中烟工业有限责任公司 Cigarette chauffante à double couche, son procédé de préparation et son utilisation
WO2023203164A1 (fr) * 2022-04-22 2023-10-26 Nicoventures Trading Limited Dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol ou dispositif de fourniture de vapeur

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140014125A1 (en) * 2010-11-19 2014-01-16 Philip Morris Products S.A. Electrically Heated Smoking System Comprising At Least Two Units
US20190098938A1 (en) * 2012-03-28 2019-04-04 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Smoking article incorporating a conductive substrate
WO2017207584A1 (fr) * 2016-05-31 2017-12-07 Philip Morris Products S.A. Diffuseur de chaleur pour système de génération d'aérosol
US20200305513A1 (en) * 2016-06-29 2020-10-01 Philip Morris Products S.A. Electrically operated aerosol-generating system with a rechargeable power supply
WO2019180593A1 (fr) * 2018-03-20 2019-09-26 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Dispositif de distribution d'aérosol pourvu d'un mouvement d'indexation
US20220095686A1 (en) * 2020-09-28 2022-03-31 Rai Strategic Holdings, Inc. Aerosol delivery device
WO2023071219A1 (fr) * 2021-10-26 2023-05-04 云南中烟工业有限责任公司 Cigarette chauffante à double couche, son procédé de préparation et son utilisation
WO2023203164A1 (fr) * 2022-04-22 2023-10-26 Nicoventures Trading Limited Dispositif de fourniture d'aérosol ou dispositif de fourniture de vapeur

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