WO2025224466A1

WO2025224466A1 - Aerosol provision system

Info

Publication number: WO2025224466A1
Application number: PCT/GB2025/050897
Authority: WO
Inventors: ZhiMeng HE; Ke XIE; Bingquan Li; Kai Xiao
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2024-04-26
Filing date: 2025-04-25
Publication date: 2025-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-26
Also published as: CN120836807A

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol provision system (10), which comprises an accommodating chamber (1011) capable of accommodating an inhalation unit (200), a dial (102) that rotates between a first position and a second position within a first rotation angle range, and a first transmission assembly for converting the rotational movement of the dial within the first rotation angle range into a lifting movement of the support portion (103) along the height direction. The user can rotate the dial to completely hide the mouthpiece of the inhalation unit within the aerosol provision device or protrude it outside the opening (1012) of the upper housing. This keeps the mouthpiece free from contamination after the user has finished using it, and is convenient for carrying and using. The structure is concise, and the user experience is improved.

Description

AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of aerosol provision technology, and particularly relates to an aerosol provision system.

Technical Background

Currently, none of the e - cigarette products on the market provide a protective cover or any protective measures for the mouthpiece (the part that comes into contact with the user's mouth when inhaling). As a result, the mouthpiece is always exposed to the environment and is vulnerable to contamination by dust, oil stains, etc., which may even pose problems to the user's health. After use, a small number of e - cigarette products can be placed entirely in a storage bag or a container. Although this can, to some extent, help solve the hygiene problem of the mouthpiece, they are also prone to contamination or getting dirty during transportation and storage. Moreover, the user needs to open the box and then take out the device by hand, which, to some extent, is not a very good user experience and affects the user experience. On the other hand, the e - cigarette industry also hopes to create more innovative and technologically - advanced products to provide users with different usage experiences.

Summary

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol provision system.

In accordance with a first aspect, there is provided an aerosol provision system. It comprises a housing, having an accommodating chamber capable of accommodating an inhalation unit, the accommodating chamber being provided with a support portion therein for supporting the inhalation unit and being slidable along a height direction of the aerosol provision system, the housing being provide with an opening at the top of the height direction for the inhalation unit to extend at least partially; a dial, arranged on the housing, the dial being rotatable between a first position and a second position within a first rotation angle range; and a first transmission assembly for converting the rotation motion of the dial within the first rotation angle range into a lifting motion of the support portion along the height direction. When the dial is located in the first position, the support portion is located in the lowest position to cause the inhalation unit to hide within the housing, and when the dial is located in the second position, the support portion is located in the highest position to cause the inhalation unit to extend partially out of the opening.

Further, the first transmission assembly comprises a first pin body, a first pin hole provided on the dial, and a first sliding groove arranged at the support portion. An end of the first pin body is inserted into the first pin hole, and the other end is inserted into the first sliding groove, and there is an angle between a length direction of the first sliding groove and the height direction of the aerosol provision system. When the dial is rotated between the first position and the second position within the first rotation angle range, the first pin body follows the rotation of the dial, and pushes the support portion up and down through the first sliding groove.

Further, the length direction of the first sliding groove is perpendicular to the height direction of the aerosol provision system.

Further, the dial is arranged outside one side wall of the housing, and the side wall is provided with a first arc-shaped groove for the first pin body to pass through and the center of the first arc-shaped groove is the rotation axis of the dial.

Further, it further comprises a cover body movable between a closed position closing the opening and an open position exposing the opening.

The aerosol provision system further comprises a second transmission assembly. The dial is rotatable between a third position and a fourth position within a second rotation angle range. The second transmission assembly is used to convert the rotation motion within the second rotation angle range into the open-closing motion of the cover body. When the dial is located in the third position, the cover body is located in the closed position; when the dial is located in the fourth position, the cover body is located in the open position.

Further, along the rotation direction of the dial, the first position and the fourth position coincide, or the first position is located between the second position and the fourth position, so that when the cover body is located in the open position, the support portion begins to go up.

Further, along the rotation direction of the dial, the first position is located between the third position and the fourth position, so that during the opening process of the cover body. The support portion begins to go up.

Further, the second transmission assembly comprises a second pin body. A second pin hole provided on the dial, and a second sliding groove connected to the cover body. The side wall is provided with a second arc-shaped groove for the second pin body to pass through. An end of the second pin body is inserted into the second pin hole, and the other end is inserted into the second sliding groove, and there is an angle between a length direction of the second sliding groove and the height direction. When the dial is rotated between the third position and the fourth position within the second rotation angle range, the second pin body follows the rotation of the dial, and pushes the cover body to open and close through the second sliding groove.

Further, the dial is provided with a first pin groove and a second pin groove, and the first pin groove and the second pin groove are respectively in arc shape and take the rotation center of the dial as the center of the circle. The first pin groove is connected to and in fluid communication with the first pin hole, and the second pin groove is connected to and in fluid communication with the second pin hole. When the dial is rotated along a direction in which the cover body is driven to open and/or the support portion is driven to go up, the first pin groove is located downstream of the first pin hole, and the second pin groove is located upstream of the second pin hole.

Further, the closest distance between the first pin hole and the first pin groove to the rotation center of the dial is different, and the closest distance between the second pin hole and the second pin groove to the rotation center of the dial is different.

Further, the first transmission assembly comprises a first driving part connected to the dial, and a first driven part connected to the support portion; the rotation motion of the dial within the first rotation angle range is transmitted and converted into the lifting motion of the support portion through the first driving part and the first driven part successively.

Further, the first driving part is a first meshing part rotating synchronously with the dial, and the first driven part is a first rack meshed and matched with the first meshing part.

Further, the first rack extends along the height direction of the aerosol provision system.

Further, the first meshing part is located within the housing, the dial is located outside one side wall of the housing, the side wall is provided with a through hole, the dial is provided with a first protrusion inserted into the through hole, and the first protrusion is fixedly connected to the first meshing part to transmit the rotation of the dial to the first meshing part.

Further, the first meshing part is a gear segment of a gear or an incomplete gear, and the rotation center of the gear or the incomplete gear is the rotation center of the dial.

Further, it further comprises a cover body movable between a closed position closing the opening and an open position exposing the opening, and a second transmission assembly. The dial is rotatable between a third position and a fourth position within a second rotation angle range. The second transmission assembly is used to convert the rotation motion within the second rotation angle range into the open-closing motion of the cover body. When the dial is located in the third position, the cover body is located in the closed position; when the dial is located in the fourth position, the cover body is located in the open position.

Further, the second transmission assembly comprises a second driving part and a second driven part. The second driving part is a second meshing part rotating synchronously with the dial, the second driven part is a second rack meshed and matched with the second meshing part, and the rotation centers of the second meshing part and the first meshing part are the same.

Further, the second rack extends along a direction perpendicular to the height direction.

Further, the second meshing part is located within the housing. In the rotation direction of the dial, the first meshing part and the second meshing part have circumferential spacing. Further, the first meshing part is a first incomplete gear, and the second meshing part is a second incomplete gear. The first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are stacked. The dial is provided with a second protrusion inserted into the through hole, and the second protrusion is fixedly connected to the second meshing part to transmit the rotation of the dial to the second meshing part.

Further, the first meshing part is a first gear segment of an incomplete gear, and the second meshing part is a second gear segment of the incomplete gear.

Further, the transmission ratio of the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly is the same or different.

In one or more technical solutions of the above aerosol provision system of the present invention, the user can rotate the dial to completely hide the mouthpiece of the inhalation unit within the aerosol provision device or protrude it outside the opening of the upper housing. This keeps the mouthpiece free from contamination after the user has finished using it, and is convenient for carrying and using. The structure is concise, and the user experience is improved.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be partially described in the following description, some will become apparent from the following description, and others will be learned through the practice of the application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the disclosure of the present application will become more understandable. Those skilled in the art can easily understand that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Moreover, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol provision system in a hygienic state in one embodiment;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the aerosol provision system shown in Figure 1 in an inhalation state;

Figure 3 is a structural view of an aerosol provision system in a hygienic state in another embodiment;

Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the first position;

Figure 5 is a structural view of the interior of the housing in the embodiment shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a structural view of the support portion in the embodiment shown in Figure Figure 7 is a rear view of the cooperation between the dial, the first pin body and the second pin body in the embodiment shown in Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a rear view of the dial in the embodiment shown in Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the second position;

Figure 10 is a structural view of the interior of the housing in the embodiment shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a rear view of the cooperation between the dial, the first pin body and the second pin body in the embodiment shown in Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the third position;

Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a structural view of the interior of the housing in the embodiment shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a rear view of the cooperation between the dial, the first pin body and the second pin body in the embodiment shown in Figure 13;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the fourth position;

Figure 17 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the first position;

Figure 18 is a rear view of the dial in the embodiment shown in Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the second position;

Figure 20 is a rear view of the dial in the embodiment shown in Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the aerosol provision system when the dial is in the third position; and

Figure 22 is a rear view of the dial in the embodiment shown in Figure 21 .

Detailed Description

The following describes some embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only for explaining the technical principles of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user in use, and includes: combustible aerosol provision systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own or for make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material); non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosolgenerating 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; and aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver the at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

According to the present disclosure, 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.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a component for use in a combustible aerosol provision system, such as a filter, a filter rod, a filter segment, a tobacco rod, a spill, an aerosol-modifying agent release component such as a capsule, a thread, or a bead, or a paper such as a plug wrap, a tipping paper or a cigarette paper.

According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" 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.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol provision system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is 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.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosolgenerating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system. In some embodiments, 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. In some embodiments, 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.

Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a noncombustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.

In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosolgenerating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a non- combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.

In some embodiments, 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.

In some embodiments, 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 aerosolmodifying agent.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is an aerosol-free delivery system that delivers at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally or in another way without forming an aerosol, including but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising inhalable powders, and oral products such as oral tobacco which includes snus or moist snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not comprise nicotine.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material that is not intended to be aerosolised. As appropriate, either material may comprise one or more active constituents, one or more flavours, one or more aerosolformer materials, and/or one or more other functional materials. In some embodiments, 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.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

As noted herein, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "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. Alternatively, 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 balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. 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.

In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives or extracts thereof and the botanical is tobacco. In some embodiments, 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.

In some embodiments, 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.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a flavour. As used herein, the terms "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, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.

In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis. In some embodiments, 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 limited 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 or gel which may or may not contain an active substance and/or flavourants. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an "amorphous solid", which may alternatively be referred to as a"monolithic solid" (i.e. non-fibrous). In some embodiments, 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. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% of amorphous solid.

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 material.

The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, 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 pH 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. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, 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 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.

A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-conductive material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is configured to generate the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator, herein.

An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated, for example by changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosolmodifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release component, that is operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a flavourant, a colourant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or granule form. The aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.

An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosolgenerating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (which may also be referred to as vapour delivery systems) such as nebulisers or e-cigarettes. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used interchangeably with aerosol delivery system I device and electronic aerosol delivery system I device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably. Aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) often, though not always, comprise a modular assembly comprising a reusable device part and a replaceable (disposable/consumable) cartridge part. Often, the replaceable cartridge part will comprise the aerosol-generating material and the vaporiser (which may collectively be called a "cartomizer") and the reusable device part will comprise the power provision (e.g. rechargeable power source) and control circuitry. It will be appreciated these different parts may comprise further elements depending on functionality. For example, the reusable device part will often comprise a user interface for receiving user input and displaying operating status characteristics, and the replaceable cartridge device part in some cases comprises a temperature sensor for helping to control temperature. Cartridges are electrically and mechanically coupled to the control unit for use, for example using a screw thread, bayonet, or magnetic coupling with appropriately arranged electrical contacts. When the aerosol-generating material in a cartridge is exhausted, or the user wishes to switch to a different cartridge having a different aerosol-generating material, the cartridge may be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge attached in its place. Systems and devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may generally be referred to as two-part systems/devices.

It is common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongate shape. For the sake of providing a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure will be taken to comprise this kind of generally elongate two-part system employing disposable cartridges. However, it will be appreciated that the underlying principles described herein may equally be adopted for different configurations, for example single-part systems or modular systems comprising more than two parts, refillable devices and single-use disposables, as well as other overall shapes, for example based on so-called box-mod high performance devices that typically have a boxier shape. More generally, it will be appreciated certain embodiments of the disclosure are based on aerosol delivery systems which are operationally configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and the constructional aspects of systems configured to provide the functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is not of primary significance.

Hereinafter, various embodiments will be described in greater detail.

Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views of an aerosol provision system 10 in different states in one embodiment. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the aerosol provision system 10 comprises a housing 101. The housing 101 has an accommodating chamber 1011 capable of accommodating an inhalation unit 200. A support portion 103 is provided within the accommodating chamber 1011 for supporting the inhalation unit 200 and is slidable along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10. The housing 101 is provided with an opening 1012 at the top in the height direction X for the inhalation unit 200 to extend at least partially.

The aerosol provision system 10 further comprises a dial 102 and a first transmission assembly. The dial 102 is disposed on the housing 101 and is rotatable between a first position and a second position within a first rotation angle range. The first transmission assembly is used to convert the rotational movement of the dial 102 within the first rotation angle range into a lifting movement of the support portion 103 along the height direction X.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the aerosol provision system 10 in a hygienic state. At this time, the dial 102 is in the first position, and the support portion 103 is in the lowest position so that the inhalation unit 200 is hidden within the housing 101. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the aerosol provision system 10 in an inhalation state. At this time, the dial 102 is in the second position, and the support portion 103 is in the highest position so that the inhalation unit 200 extends at least partially out of the opening 1012. By rotating the support portion 103, the aerosol provision system 10 can be switched between the two states, and the support portion 103 also moves up and down between the lowest position and the highest position.

It should be understood that the first rotation angle range can be set according to actual conditions. For example, the first rotation angle range may be set to 0 - 90° . Referring to Figure 1 , taking the aerosol provision system 10 in the hygienic state as the initial state and the position of the dial 102 at the first position A as the starting point of the first rotation angle, after rotating 90° clockwise, the aerosol provision system 10 is in the inhalation state as shown in Figure 2, that is, the dial 102 is in the second position B. The support portion 103 rises from the lowest position to the highest position. As shown in Figure 2, taking the aerosol provision system 10 in the inhalation state as the initial state and the position of the dial 102 at the second position as the starting point of the first rotation angle, after rotating 90° counter - clockwise, the aerosol provision system 10 is in the hygienic state as shown in Figure 1 , that is, the dial 102 is in the first position, and at this time, the support portion 103 descends from the highest position to the lowest position.

It is understandable that the rotation direction of the dial 102 from the first position A to the second position B may also be set according to actual conditions. For the convenience of description, in the subsequent embodiments, the rotation of the dial 102 from the first position A to the second position B is taken as an example of clockwise rotation of the dial 102 when the user faces the dial 102. Correspondingly, the rotation of the dial 102 from the second position B to the first position A is taken as an example of counter - clockwise rotation of the dial 102. On the basis of the above structure, referring to Figure 3, the aerosol provision system 10 may be further provided with a cover body 104, which is configured to move between a closed position closing the opening 1012 and an open position exposing the opening 1012.

As one implementation, the user may directly manually drive the cover body 104 to move between the closed position and the open position. As another implementation, a transmission assembly can be further provided. On the premise of not interfering with the lifting of the inhalation unit 200, the cover body may be separately driven by the user, or the circumferential movement of the user's rotation of the dial 102 can be converted into the movement of driving the cover body 104.

By using the above aerosol provision system, the circumferential movement of the user's rotation of the dial 102 can be converted into the longitudinal movement of the inhalation unit 200 along the height direction X. When using, the user only needs to rotate the dial 102 to make the inhalation unit 200 rise and protrude out of the opening 1012 to a suitable position. After the user finishes using, rotating the dial 102 in the opposite direction can lower the inhalation unit 200 and accommodate it in the housing 101. Thus, the mouthpiece assembly 200 is kept free from contamination, and the inhalation unit 200 can be accommodated in the housing 101 , which is convenient to carry, has a concise structure, and improves the user experience.

In a specific implementation, in order to convert the circumferential rotation movement of the dial into the longitudinal movement of the inhalation unit 200 along the height direction X, the first transmission assembly can adopt a variety of specific structures to achieve this. The following will be described in detail in combination with specific implementation structures.

As one embodiment of the aerosol provision system, as shown in Figures 4 - 12, the first transmission assembly comprises a first pin body 1061 , a first pin hole 1062, and a first sliding groove 1063. The first pin hole 1062 is provided on the side of the dial 102 facing the housing 101 , and the first sliding groove 1063 is provided on the support portion 103. One end of the first pin body 1061 is inserted into the first pin hole 1062, and the other end of the first pin body 1061 is inserted into the first sliding groove 1063. There is an angle between the length direction of the first sliding groove 1063 and the height direction X of the aerosol provision system.

In this embodiment, when the dial 102 rotates between the first position A and the second position B within the first rotation angle range, the first pin body 1061 moves following the rotation of the dial 102 and pushes the support portion 103 to move up and down through the first sliding groove 1063.

It should be noted that the width of the first sliding groove 1063 is smaller than the distance that the first pin body 1061 moves in the height direction X when the dial 102 is in the first position and the second position. In addition, the dial 102 may be disposed outside the housing 101 or inside the housing 101. If the dial 102 is disposed inside the housing 101 , it is understandable that components penetrating the housing 101 , such as a knob and other components, can be additionally provided to facilitate the user to drive the dial 102 to rotate.

The following takes the example that the dial 102 is disposed outside one side wall 101a of the housing 101. Specifically, Figures 4 - 8 show the matching manner among the dial 102, the support portion 103, and the first transmission assembly when the dial 102 is in the first position A. Figure 4 shows a perspective exploded view between the dial 102 and the housing 101 when the dial 102 is in the first position A. Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the internal structure of the housing 101 when the dial 102 is in the first position A. Figure 6 shows a schematic view of the configuration structure of the support portion 103 and the inhalation unit 200. Figure 7 shows a rear view of the cooperation between the dial 102 and the first pin body 1061 in Figure 4. Figure 8 shows a rear view of the dial 102 in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 4, in this embodiment, the dial 102 is disposed outside the side wall 101a of the housing 101. The side wall 101a of the housing 101 facing the dial 102 is provided with a first arc-shaped groove 1013 for the first pin body 1061 to pass through. The first arcshaped groove 1013 generally extends along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system and is roughly arc-shaped. When the dial 102 is in the first position, the first pin body 1061 passes through the lowest end of the first arc-shaped groove 1013, and the support portion 103 is correspondingly in the lowest position. The first end 1061a of the first pin body 1061 is inserted into the first pin hole 1062, and the second end 1061b is inserted into the first sliding groove 1063. The position where the second end 1061b is located has a certain distance from both ends of the first sliding groove 1063 in the horizontal direction.

Since in this embodiment, the rotation of the dial 102 is used to drive the first pin body 1061 inserted into the first sliding groove 1063, so as to drive the support portion 103 to rise from the lowest position along the height direction X. Therefore, the first sliding groove 1063 is configured such that there is an angle between its length direction and the height direction X of the aerosol provision system, and the extending trend of the first sliding groove 1063 is different from that of the first arc-shaped groove 1013. As a specific implementation, the length direction of the first sliding groove 1063 is perpendicular to the height direction X of the aerosol provision system, so that the first pin body 1061 can convert the rotational force of the rotating dial 102 into a longitudinal force along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system, thereby driving the support portion 103 to move up and down.

When the dial 102 rotates a preset angle in the clockwise direction Y. For example, when the first rotation angle range is set to 0 - 90° , after the dial 102 rotates 90° in the clockwise direction Y and is in the second position, the aerosol provision system 10 is in the inhalation state, as shown in Figures 9 to 11. Among them, Figure 9 shows a perspective exploded view between the dial 102 and the housing 101 when the dial 102 is in the second position B. Figure 10 shows a schematic view of the internal structure of the housing 101 when the dial 102 is in the second position. Figure 11 shows a rear view of the cooperation between the dial 102 and the first pin body 1061 in Figure 9.

When the dial 102 rotates from the first position to the second position, the first pin hole 1062 of the dial 102 moves from a position away from the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101 to a position close to the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101. During this process, the side wall of the first pin hole 1062 always abuts against the first end 1061a of the first pin body 1061 , and the second end 1061b of the first pin body 1061 always abuts against the side wall of the first sliding groove 1063, thereby providing a driving force to the support portion 103 through the first pin body 1061. At the same time, the movement of the first pin body 1061 is restricted by the first arc-shaped groove 1013, converting the circumferential movement of the user's rotation of the dial 102 into the upward movement of the support portion 103 in the height direction X and the lateral movement of the first pin body 1061 along the first sliding groove 1063. Thus, the support portion 103 is raised from the lowest position shown in Figures 4 - 8 to the highest position shown in Figures 9 - 12.

It should be noted that in this embodiment, the movement track of the first pin body

1061 relative to the housing 101 is determined by the shape of the first arc-shaped groove 1013. As long as the first arc-shaped groove 1013 generally extends along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system, in cooperation with the shapes of the corresponding first sliding groove 1063 and the first pin hole 1062, the upward and downward movement of the support portion 103 in the height direction X can be realized.

For example, the first arc-shaped groove 1013 is configured as an arc-shaped groove whose center coincides with the rotation center C of the dial 102. The arc-shaped groove generally extends along the height direction X. The first pin hole 1062 can be configured to only accommodate the first end 1061a of the first pin body 1061 , so that the first end 1061a does not generate a radial displacement relative to the rotation center O of the dial 102, and the first sliding groove 1063 is configured to extend perpendicular to the height direction X. Conversely, the first pin hole 1062 can also be configured to extend perpendicular to the height direction X, and the first sliding groove 1063 is configured to only accommodate the second end 1061 b of the first pin body 1061 , so that the second end 1061 b does not generate a displacement relative to the support portion 103.

Or in other implementations, a non-arc-shaped groove may be adopted. For example, it is configured as a linear groove extending along the height direction X. The first pin hole

1062 may be configured to extend along the radial direction of the dial 102, and the first sliding groove 1063 is configured to only accommodate the second end 1061 b of the first pin body 1061 , so that the first pin body 1061 does not generate a displacement relative to the support portion 103.

Or, a quasi-arc-shaped groove configured to generally extend along the height direction X can be adopted. The first pin hole 1062 and the first sliding groove 1063 are configured to enable the first pin body 1061 to move to a certain extent in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction X.

That is, by using the shapes of the groove opened on the housing 101 , the first pin hole 1062 and the first sliding groove 1063 to restrict the movement distance of the first pin body 1061 relative to the support portion 103 in the height direction X to be less than the movement distance of the first pin body 1061 relative to the housing 101 in the height direction X, the lifting of the support portion 103 can be realized.

Based on this embodiment, the aerosol provision system 10 may further include a cover body 104. The cover body 104 is movably disposed inside the housing 101 or outside the housing 101 and may move between a closed position closing the opening and an open position exposing the opening.

The movement of the cover body 104 may be driven by the user directly acting on the cover body 104 to make it move; or by setting an additional driving component that is not linked with the dial 102, and the user separately drives this driving component to further drive the cover body; or by setting a second driving component linked with the dial 102, and the movement of the cover body 104 and the lifting of the support portion 103 are realized by driving the rotation of the dial 102.

The specific structures of the driving mode in which the user directly acts on the cover body 104 manually and the driving mode of moving the cover body 104 by using an additional driving component that is not linked with the dial 102 will not be described in detail here. It is understandable that a variety of specific structures can be adopted to realize these two modes.

Based on the foregoing embodiment, the following will describe in detail a specific implementation of setting a second driving component linked with the dial 102 to drive the movement of the cover body 104 in combination with the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Figures 12 - 16, the dial 102 is rotatable between a third position C and a fourth position D within a second rotation angle range. The second transmission assembly is used to convert the rotational movement of the dial 102 within the second rotation angle range into the opening and closing movement of the cover body 104. Among them, the second rotation angle range can be set according to actual conditions. For example, the second rotation angle range is 0 - 90° . Referring to Figure 12 and Figure 16, taking the state where the cover body 104 of the aerosol provision system 10 is in the closed position closing the opening 1012 as the starting state. At this time, the dial 102 is in the third position C. Taking the third position C as the starting point of the second rotation angle, after rotating 90° clockwise, the cover body 104 of the aerosol provision system 10 moves to the open position opening the opening 1012.

In this embodiment, the rotation of the dial 102 may drive both the support portion 103 and the cover 104. Based on the order in which the user operates the aerosol provision system 10, along the rotation direction of the dial 102, such as the clockwise direction, the first position A coincides with the fourth position D, or the first position A is located between the second position B and the fourth position D, so that the support portion starts to rise after the cover 104 reaches the open position. Alternatively, along the rotation direction of the dial 102, the first position A is located between the third position C and the fourth position D, so that the support portion 103 starts to rise while the cover 104 is opening.

In specific implementations, to convert the circumferential rotation of the dial into the movement of the cover 104, the second transmission assembly can adopt various specific structures. The following will be described in detail in combination with specific implementation structures.

Figures 12 - 15 show a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the second transmission assembly and various components when the first position A coincides with the fourth position D, the dial 102 is at the third position C, the cover 104 is at the closed position, and the cover 104 completely blocks the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101 in one embodiment.

As shown in Figures 12 - 15, the second transmission assembly comprises a second pin 1064, a second pin hole 1065, and a second sliding groove 1066. The second pin hole 1065 is formed in the dial 102, and the second sliding groove 1066 is formed in the cover 104. The first end 1064a of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the second pin hole 1065, and the second end 1064b of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the second sliding groove 1066. There is an angle between the length direction of the second sliding groove 1066 and the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10.

In this embodiment, when the dial 102 rotates between the third position C and the fourth position D within the second rotation angle range, the second pin 1064 moves according to the rotation of the dial 102 and drives the cover 104 to move through the second sliding groove 1066.

The cover 104 may have various specific structures. For example, the cover 104 may be partially disposed outside the housing 101 and partially extend into the housing 101 , or it can be entirely located inside the housing 101. As a specific implementation, taking the cover 104 being entirely located inside the housing 101 as an example, the cover 104 includes a cover body 1041 , and the second sliding groove 1066 is provided at the end of the cover body 1041 away from the opening 1012 of the housing 101. The movement trajectory of the cover 104 from the closed position to the open position can be set according to actual conditions. For example, the cover 104 can be set to move horizontally along the direction perpendicular to the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10, or it can be set to move along a non - translational path. The shapes of the second sliding groove 1066 and/or the second pin hole 1065 that restrict the movement of the second pin 1064 can be set according to the movement direction of the end of the cover 104 away from the opening 1012 and the rotation direction of the dial 102.

For example, when the second pin hole 1065 is configured to only accommodate the first end 1064a of the second pin 1064, if the cover 104 is to be translated from the closed position to the open position, the second sliding groove 1066 can be set to be linear and extend along the height direction X, or the second sliding groove 1066 can be set to be linear with an extension direction non - perpendicular to the height direction X, or the second sliding groove 1066 can be set to be arc - shaped and generally extend in a non - perpendicular direction to the height direction X. This can also convert the circumferential movement when rotating the dial 102 into the movement of the second pin 1064 relative to the second sliding groove 1066 in the height direction X and the horizontal movement of the second pin 1064 relative to the housing 101 , thereby driving the cover 104 to translate.

As an implementation of setting the cover 104 to move along a non - translational path, as shown in Figure X, an accommodating groove 1043 for accommodating the cover body 1041 is provided inside the housing 101. The accommodating groove 1043 extends in a bent shape. Part of the accommodating groove 1043 extends along the height direction X, and part of it extends along the horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction X. The part of the accommodating groove 1043 extending along the height direction X is closer to the top of the housing 101 than the rest. A slider 1042 is provided at the end of the cover body 1041 away from the opening 1012, and the second sliding groove 1066 is provided on the slider 1042. A slide rail 1067 extending along the height direction X is provided inside the housing 101 , and the slider 1042 can move along the slide rail 1067. There is an angle between the length direction of the second sliding groove 1066 and the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10. As an implementation, the length direction of the second sliding groove 1066 is perpendicular to the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10.

In this embodiment, the cover body 1041 may be made of a flexible material so that it can be accommodated in the bent - shaped accommodating groove 1043. When the dial 102 rotates between the third position C and the fourth position D, the second pin 1064 moves horizontally relative to the second sliding groove 1066 inside the second sliding groove 1066, and the second pin 1064 drives the slider 1042 to move in the height direction X along the slide rail 1067, thereby stretching the cover body 1041 away from the opening 1012 downward or pushing the cover body 1041 closer to the opening 1012. Thus, the circumferential movement of the dial 102 is converted into the opening and closing movement of the cover 104.

The dial 102 may be disposed outside the housing 101 or inside the housing 101. Hereinafter, the example where the dial 102 is disposed outside the housing 101 is still taken. In this embodiment, a second arc - shaped groove 1014 is formed in the side wall 101a of the housing 101 facing the cover 104. It generally extends along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system and is approximately arc - shaped, and the second pin 1064 passes through the second arc - shaped groove 1014.

As shown in Figures 12 - 15, Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the aerosol provision system 10 when the dial 102 is at the third position C. Figure 13 shows an exploded view of the dial 102 and the housing 101. Figure 14 shows a schematic view of the internal structure of the housing 101 in Figure 13. Figure 15 shows a rear view of the cooperation between the dial 102 and the second pin 1064 in Figure 12.

Referring to Figures 12 - 15, when the dial 102 is at the third position C, the second pin 1064 is at the end of the second arc - shaped groove 1014 close to the top of the housing 101 , that is, the highest end. Correspondingly, the end of the cover body 1041 away from the opening 1012 is also at the highest position. The first end 1064a of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the second pin hole 1065, and the second end 1064b is inserted into the second sliding groove 1066. Moreover, the position of the second end 1064b has a certain distance from both ends of the second sliding groove 1066 in the horizontal direction.

As shown in Figure 16, since in this embodiment, the first position A coincides with the fourth position D, combining with Figures 4 - 8, when the dial 102 rotates from the third position C to the fourth position D, that is, when the cover 104 is at the open position, it shows a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the second transmission assembly and various components.

As shown in Figures 4 - 8, when the dial 102 rotates to the fourth position D, the second pin hole 1065 of the dial 102 moves from a position close to the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101 to a position away from the top of the housing 101. During this process, the side wall of the second pin hole 1065 always abuts against the first end 1064a of the second pin 1064, and the second end 1064b of the second pin 1064 always abuts against the side wall of the second sliding groove 1066. The second pin 1064 has no displacement relative to the second pin hole 1065 and moves downward relative to the housing 101. The second pin 1064 moves horizontally relative to the second sliding groove 1066, thereby generating a downward driving force on the cover 104 through the second pin 1064. At the same time, the movement of the second pin 1064 is restricted by the second arc - shaped groove 1014, converting the circumferential movement of the user's rotation of the dial 102 into the upward movement of the cover 104 in the height direction X and the lateral movement of the second pin 1064 along the second sliding groove 1066. Thus, the cover 104 is lowered from the closed position shown in Figures 12 - 15 to the open position shown in Figures 4 - 8.

It should be noted that in this embodiment, similar to the first arc - shaped groove 1013, the second arc - shaped groove 1014 may be an arc - shaped groove generally extending along the height direction X, with the center of the circle being the rotation center O of the dial 102. The second arc - shaped groove 1014 can also be quasi - arc - shaped or linear. By cooperating with the specific shapes of the corresponding second sliding groove 1066 and the second pin hole 1065, as long as the shape of the second arc - shaped groove 1014, the shapes of the second pin hole 1065 and the second sliding groove 1066 are used to restrict the movement distance of the second pin 1064 relative to the end of the cover 104 away from the opening 1012 in the height direction X to be less than the movement distance of the second pin 1064 relative to the housing 101 in the height direction X, the movement of the cover 104 between the open position and the closed position can also be realized.

In the above - mentioned embodiment, since the rotation of the dial 102 can drive the cover 104 and the support portion 103 to move, an appropriate structure needs to be further set so that the dial 102 is not interfered with by the movement of the support portion 103 when driving the cover 104. The following only takes the setting that the first position A is the same as the fourth position D along the rotation direction of the dial 102 as an example for detailed description.

As shown in Figures 4 - 16, the dial 102 is provided with a first pin groove 1021 and a second pin groove 1022. The first pin groove 1021 and the second pin groove 1022 are respectively arc - shaped and centered on the rotation center O of the dial 102. The first pin groove 1021 is connected and communicated with the first pin hole 1062, and the second pin groove 1022 is connected and communicated with the second pin hole 1065.

When the dial 102 rotates in the direction of driving the cover 104 to open and/or the support portion 103 to rise, the first pin groove 1021 is located downstream of the first pin hole 1062, and the second pin groove 1022 is located upstream of the second pin hole 1065.

The closest distances from the first pin hole 1062 and the first pin groove 1021 to the rotation center O of the dial 102 are different, and the closest distances from the second pin hole 1065 and the second pin groove 1022 to the rotation center O of the dial 102 are different.

In this embodiment, the closest distance from the first pin hole 1062 to the rotation center O of the dial 102 is less than the closest distance from the first pin groove 1021 to the rotation center O of the dial 102. The closest distance from the second pin hole 1065 to the rotation center O of the dial 102 is greater than the closest distance from the second pin groove 1022 to the rotation center O of the dial 102. The first pin hole 1062 is communicated with the end of the first pin groove 1021 away from the opening 1012, and the second pin hole 1065 is communicated with the end of the second pin groove 1022 close to the opening 1012.

The following describes in detail the usage process of the aerosol provision system 10 with reference to Figures 4 - 16.

Taking the aerosol provision system 10 in the hygienic state as the starting state, at this time, the dial 102 is at position C, the cover 104 is at the closed position. The first end 1064a of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the second pin hole 1065, and the second end 1064b of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the second sliding groove 1066 extending in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction X. The second end 1064b has a certain distance from both ends of the second sliding groove 1066 to facilitate the horizontal movement of the second pin 1064 relative to the second sliding groove 1066 during the rotation of the dial 102. The second pin 1064 passes through the second arc - shaped groove 1014 and is located on the side of the second arc - shaped groove 1014 close to the top of the housing 101.

Meanwhile, the support portion 103 is at the lowest position. The first pin 1061 passes through the end of the first arc - shaped groove 1013 away from the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101. Its first end 1061a is inserted into the first pin groove 1021 , and the second end 1061b is inserted into the first sliding groove 1063 extending in the horizontal direction and has a certain distance from both ends of the first sliding groove 1063.

Rotate the dial 102 clockwise from the third position C to the fourth position D (which is also the first position A). At this time, the second pin 1064 is pushed by the side wall of the second pin hole 1065 and moves along the second arc - shaped groove 1014 to position E. The second end 1064b of the second pin 1064 has a certain distance from the end of the second sliding groove 1066 close to the rotation center O of the dial 102 to leave space for subsequent actions. The first end 1064a of the second pin 1064 enters the second pin groove 1022 from the second pin hole 1065. During the process of the dial 102 rotating from the third position C to the fourth position D, the second pin 1064 also moves relative to the second sliding groove 1066. The second pin 1064 converts the circumferential movement of the dial 102 into its horizontal movement along the second sliding groove 1066 and the longitudinal (height direction X) movement of the slider 1042 along the slide rail 1067.

At the same time, the first pin 1061 remains stationary relative to the housing 101. Since the dial 102 rotates from the third position C to the fourth position D (which is also the first position A), the first pin groove 1021 rotates with the dial 102. The first end 1061a of the first pin 1061 slides relative to the first pin groove 1021 , and when the dial 102 rotates to the fourth position D, the first end 1061a of the first pin groove 1021 enters the first pin hole 1062.

Continue to rotate the dial 102 clockwise from the first position A (which is also the fourth position D) to the second position B. The aerosol provision system 10 is now in the inhalation state. During this process, the first end 1061a of the first pin 1061 is pushed by the side wall of the first pin hole 1062, moves along the first arc - shaped groove 1013 relative to the housing 101 , and finally stops at the end of the first arc - shaped groove 1013 close to the opening 1012 at the top of the housing 101. The second end 1061 b of the first pin 1061 abuts against the side wall of the first sliding groove 1063 and drives the support portion 103 to rise along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system 10 and slides relative to the first sliding groove 1063 in the horizontal direction. Thus, the circumferential movement of rotating the dial 102 is converted into the longitudinal movement of the support portion 103 along the height direction X.

Meanwhile, the second pin 1064 remains stationary relative to the housing 101. As the dial 102 rotates from the first position A to the second position B, the first end 1064a of the second pin 1064 is inserted into the end of the second pin groove 1022 away from the second pin hole 1065.

When the aerosol provision system 10 is switched from the inhalation state to the hygienic state, the dial 102 can be rotated counter - clockwise from the second position B to the first position A (the fourth position D) and the third position C in sequence. The cooperation of the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly during this period can refer to the above description and will not be repeated here.

It is understandable that by adjusting the lengths of the first pin groove 1021 and the second pin groove 1022, the first position A and the fourth position D of the dial 102 can coincide, or the first position A can be located between the third position C and the fourth position D.

As another implementation of the first transmission assembly, as shown in Figure 17 and in combination with Figures 1 - 3, the aerosol provision system 10 comprises a housing 101 which has an accommodating chamber 1011 capable of accommodating the inhalation unit 200. A support portion 103 for supporting the inhalation unit 200 and slidable along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system is provided in the accommodating chamber 1011. The housing 101 is provided with an opening 1012 at the top in the height direction X for the inhalation unit to extend at least partially. The dial 102 is disposed on the housing 101 and can rotate between the first position A and the second position B within the first rotation angle range. The first transmission assembly is used to convert the rotational movement of the dial 102 within the first rotation angle range into the lifting movement of the support portion 103 along the height direction X. When the dial 102 is at the first position A, the support portion 103 is at the lowest position so that the inhalation unit 200 is hidden in the housing 101 . When the dial 102 is at the second position B, the support portion 103 is at the highest position so that the inhalation unit 200 partially extends out of the opening 1012. The first transmission assembly may comprise a first driving member connected to the dial 102 and a first driven member connected to the support portion 103. The rotational movement of the dial 102 within the first rotation angle range is transmitted through the first driving member and the first driven member in sequence and converted into the lifting movement of the support portion 103.

As an implementation, as shown in Figure 17, the first driving part is a first meshing part 301 that rotates synchronously with the dial 102, and the first driven part is a first rack 302 that may be meshed and matched with the first meshing part 301 .

The first rack 302 extends along the height direction X of the aerosol provision system. The first rack 302 may also generally extend along the height direction X. For example, the extending direction of the first rack 302 forms an angle less than 90° with the height direction X.

In this embodiment, still taking the case where the dial 102 is disposed outside the side wall 101a of the housing 101 and the first meshing part 301 is located inside the housing as an example, the side wall 101a is provided with a through hole V. The dial 102 is provided with a first protrusion 1023 inserted into the through hole V. The first protrusion 1023 is fixedly connected to the first meshing part 301 to transmit the rotation of the dial 102 to the first meshing part 301.

As a specific implementation, the first meshing part 301 can be a gear or a gear segment of an incomplete gear G as shown in Figure 17. The rotation center of the gear or the incomplete gear G is the rotation center O of the dial 102.

Figure 17 shows an exploded view of the aerosol provision system 10 when the dial 102 is in the first position A. At this time, the aerosol provision system 10 is in a hygienic state. The first meshing part 301 adopts the first gear segment of the incomplete gear G, and the second meshing part 303 adopts a rack extending along the height direction X. The rack is fixedly connected to the support portion 103. When the dial 102 is in the first position A, the support portion 103 is in the lowest position, and the inhalation unit 200 is completely accommodated within the accommodating chamber 1011 . At this time, the first gear segment 301 only meshes with the part of the rack 303 close to the top of the housing 101 .

As shown in Figure 18, the dial 102 has a first protruding part 1023. The side wall 101a of the housing 101 on the side facing the dial 102 is provided with a through hole V. The first protruding part 1023 passes through the through hole V and is fixedly connected to the incomplete gear G. When the dial 102 starts to rotate from the first position A, the incomplete gear G rotates synchronously with the dial 102.

Figure 19 shows an exploded view of the aerosol provision system 10 when the dial 102 is in the second position B. In this embodiment, after the dial 102 rotates from the first position A to the second position B in the clockwise direction, the aerosol provision system 10 is in the inhalation state. At this time, the first gear segment 301 of the incomplete gear G only meshes with the part of the rack 303 away from the top of the housing 101. During the process of the dial 102 rotating from the first position A to the second position B, the incomplete gear G rotates synchronously with the dial 102. The first gear segment 301 pushes the support portion 103 to the highest position through meshing with the rack 303, so that the inhalation unit 200 protrudes out of the opening 1012.

On the basis of the above structure, the aerosol provision system 10 may also be provided with a cover body 104. The cover body 104 may move between a closed position closing the opening 1012 and an open position exposing the opening.

As an implementation, the cover body 104 may be directly pushed by the user manually to move between the closed position and the open position. Or a second transmission assembly may be set. When the dial 102 rotates between the third position C and the fourth position D within the second rotation angle range, the second transmission assembly converts the rotation of the dial 102 into driving the cover body 104 to move between the corresponding positions.

As shown in Figure 20 specifically, at this time, the cover body 104 of the aerosol provision system 10 is in the closed position, and the dial 102 is in the third position.

The second transmission assembly comprises a second driving part and a second driven part. The second driving part is a second meshing part 303 that rotates synchronously with the dial 102, and the second driven part is a second rack 304 that is meshed and matched with the second meshing part 303. The rotation centers of the second meshing part 303 and the first meshing part 301 are the same, so that the first meshing part 301 and the second meshing part 303 may rotate synchronously with the dial 102.

In order to prevent the movement of the cover body 104 from interfering with the lifting of the support portion 103, in the rotation direction of the dial 102, the first meshing part 301 and the second meshing part 303 have a circumferential spacing.

In this embodiment, the second rack 304 extends along the horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction X, and the second meshing part 303 is the second gear segment of the incomplete gear G. The first gear end 301 and the second gear segment 303 have a spacing in the circumferential direction of the incomplete gear. When the dial 102 is in the third position C, the first gear segment 301 of the incomplete gear G is disengaged from the first rack 302, and the second gear segment 302 meshes with the end of the second rack 304 away from the opening 1012.

In this embodiment, along the rotation direction of the dial 102, the first position A and the fourth position D may coincide. When the dial 102 is rotated from the third position to the fourth position, the second transmission assembly can refer to Figure 17, and the description will not be repeated here.

It should be noted that the first meshing part and the second meshing part 303 can be set in various forms. For example, the second meshing part 303 can be set as another incomplete gear stacked with the incomplete gear G and rotating coaxially. Or the first meshing part 301 can be set as a gear that only meshes with the first rack, and the second meshing part 303 can be set as a gear that only meshes with the second rack. The first meshing part 301 and the second meshing part 303 are stacked and rotate coaxially. When the first meshing part 301 and the second meshing part 303 are stacked, the dial 102 is provided with a second protrusion inserted into the through hole V. The second protrusion is fixedly connected to the second meshing part 303 to transmit the rotation of the dial 102 to the second meshing part 303.

As shown in Figures 17 - 22, the side 101a of the housing 101 facing the dial 102 is also provided with an arc-shaped limiting groove 1015. The side of the dial 102 facing the housing 101 is provided with a protrusion 1024 that may be inserted into the limiting groove 1015. The center of the limiting groove 1015 is the rotation center O of the dial 102. Through the cooperation of the limiting groove 1015 and the protrusion 1024, the extreme position of the rotation of the dial 102 may be restricted.

In addition, along the rotation direction of the dial 102, the first position A may also be located between the second position B and the fourth position D, so that when the cover body 104 is in the open position, the support portion 103 starts to rise. The first position A can also be located between the third position C and the fourth position D, so that during the opening process of the cover body 104, the support portion 103 starts to rise. The structures adapted to these situations may be achieved by setting the transmission ratios of the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly to be the same or different, or adjusting the positional relationships among the first meshing part 301 , the second meshing part 303, and the first rack 302 and the second rack 304.

It should be noted that various embodiments and examples in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on illustrating the differences from other embodiments, and for the same or similar parts among the various embodiments, reference can be made to each other.

In the description of this specification, the referential terminology "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are comprised in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the indicative expression of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable way in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the characteristics defined as "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly comprise at least one such characteristic. In the description of the present application, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

In the present application, unless explicitly defined and limited, terms such as "mounting," "connecting," "connection," "fixing," etc., should be understood broadly. For instance, the connection can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediary medium, it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless explicitly defined otherwise. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of these terms in the context of the application based on the circumstances.

Although the embodiments of the application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and should not be considered as limiting the application. Those skilled in the art within the scope of the application can make variations, modifications, replacements, and variations to the abovedescribed embodiments.

Claims

1. An aerosol provision system comprising: a housing, having an accommodating chamber capable of accommodating an inhalation unit, the accommodating chamber being provided with a support portion therein for supporting the inhalation unit, the support portion being slidable along a height direction of the aerosol provision system, and the housing being provided with an opening at the top in the height direction for the inhalation unit to extend at least partially out of the opening; a dial, arranged on the housing, the dial being rotatable between a first position and a second position within a first rotation angle range; a first transmission assembly for converting a rotational motion of the dial within the first rotation angle range into a lifting motion of the support portion along the height direction; wherein the aerosol provision system is configured such that when the dial is located in the first position, the support portion is located in its lowest position to cause the inhalation unit to be hidden within the housing, and when the dial is located in the second position, the support portion is located in its highest position to cause the inhalation unit to extend partially out of the opening.

2. The aerosol provision system according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmission assembly comprises a first pin body, a first pin hole provided on the dial, and a first sliding groove arranged at the support portion; wherein an end of the first pin body is inserted into the first pin hole, and the other end is inserted into the first sliding groove, and there is an angle between a length direction of the first sliding groove and the height direction of the aerosol provision system; such that when the dial is rotated between the first position and the second position within the first rotation angle range, the first pin body follows the rotation of the dial, and pushes the support portion up or down through the first sliding groove.

3. The aerosol provision system according to claim 2, wherein the length direction of the first sliding groove is perpendicular to the height direction of the aerosol provision system.

4. The aerosol provision system according to claim 3, wherein the dial is arranged outside one side wall of the housing, and the side wall is provided with a first arc-shaped groove for the first pin body to pass through.

5. The aerosol provision system according to claim 4, further comprising a cover body movable between a closed position closing the opening and an open position exposing the opening.

6. The aerosol provision system according to claim 5, further comprising a second transmission assembly; wherein the dial is rotatable between a third position and a fourth position within a second rotation angle range; wherein the second transmission assembly is configured to convert rotational motion within the second rotation angle range into an opening or closing motion of the cover body; such that when the dial is located in the third position, the cover body is located in the closed position; and when the dial is located in the fourth position, the cover body is located in the open position.

7. The aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein along the rotation direction of the dial, the first position and the fourth position coincide, or the first position is located between the second position and the fourth position, so that after the cover body is located in the open position, the support portion begins to go up.

8. The aerosol provision system according to claim 6, wherein the first position is located between the third position and the fourth position along the rotation direction of the dial, so that during the opening process of the cover body, the support portion begins to go up.

9. The aerosol provision system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second transmission assembly comprises a second pin body, a second pin hole provided on the dial, and a second sliding groove connected to the cover body; wherein the side wall is provided with a second arc-shaped groove for the second pin body to pass through; wherein an end of the second pin body is inserted into the second pin hole, and the other end is inserted into the second sliding groove, and there is an angle between a length direction of the second sliding groove and the height direction; such that when the dial is rotated between the third position and the fourth position within the second rotation angle range, the second pin body follows the rotation of the dial, and pushes the cover body to open or close through the second sliding groove.

10. The aerosol provision system according to claim 9, wherein the dial is provided with a first pin groove and a second pin groove, and the first pin groove and the second pin groove are respectively arc shaped and wherein the rotation center of the dial coincides with the center of each arc shaped groove; wherein the first pin groove is connected to and in fluid communication with the first pin hole, and the second pin groove is connected to and in fluid communication with the second pin hole; such that when the dial is rotated along a direction in which the cover body is driven to open and/or the support portion is driven to go up, the first pin groove is located downstream of the first pin hole, and the second pin groove is located upstream of the second pin hole.

11. The aerosol provision system according to claim 10, wherein the closest distance between each of the first pin hole and the first pin groove and the rotational center of the dial is different, and the closest distance between each of the second pin hole and the second pin groove and the rotational center of the dial is different.

12. The aerosol provision system according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmission assembly comprises a first driving part connected to the dial, and a first driven part connected to the support portion; such that the rotational motion of the dial within the first rotation angle range is transmitted and converted into the lifting motion of the support portion through the first driving part and the first driven part successively.

13. The aerosol provision system according to claim 12, wherein the first driving part is a first meshing part configured to rotate synchronously with the dial, and the first driven part is a first rack meshed and matched with the first meshing part.

14. The aerosol provision system according to claim 13, wherein the first rack extends along the height direction of the aerosol provision system, and is fixedly connected to the support portion.

15. The aerosol provision system according to claim 14, wherein the first meshing part is located within the housing, the dial is located outside one side wall of the housing, the side wall is provided with a through hole, the dial is provided with a first protrusion inserted into the through hole, and the first protrusion is fixedly connected to the first meshing part to transmit rotation of the dial to the first meshing part.

16. The aerosol provision system according to claim 15, wherein the first meshing part is a gear segment of a gear or an incomplete gear, and the rotational center of the gear or the incomplete gear is coincident with the rotational center of the dial.

17. The aerosol provision system according to claim 16, further comprising a cover body movable between a closed position where the cover body closes the opening and an open position where the cover body exposes the opening, and a second transmission assembly; wherein the dial is rotatable between a third position and a fourth position within a second rotation angle range; wherein the second transmission assembly is configured to convert rotational motion of the dial within the second rotation angle range into an opening or closing motion of the cover body; such that the dial is located in the third position, the cover body is located in the closed position; and when the dial is located in the fourth position, the cover body is located in the open position.

18. The aerosol provision system according to claim 17, wherein the second transmission assembly comprises a second driving part and a second driven part; wherein the second driving part is a second meshing part configured to rotate synchronously with the dial, and the second driven part is a second rack meshed and matched with the second meshing part; wherein the rotational centers of the second meshing part and the first meshing part are coincident.

19. The aerosol provision system according to claim 18, wherein the second rack extends along a direction perpendicular to the height direction.

20. The aerosol provision system according to claim 19, wherein the second meshing part is located within the housing; and wherein the first meshing part and the second meshing part have a circumferential spacing in the rotation direction of the dial.

21. The aerosol provision system according to claim 20, wherein the first meshing part is a first incomplete gear, and the second meshing part is a second incomplete gear; wherein the first incomplete gear and the second incomplete gear are stacked; wherein the dial is provided with a second protrusion inserted into the through hole, and the second protrusion is fixedly connected to the second meshing part to transmit the rotational motion of the dial to the second meshing part.

22. The aerosol provision system according to claim 20, wherein the first meshing part is a first gear segment of an incomplete gear, and the second meshing part is a second gear segment of the incomplete gear.

23. The aerosol provision system according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the transmission ratio of the first transmission assembly is the same as or different to that of the second transmission assembly.