JP7620016B2 - Electronic Aerosol Delivery System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

background

Electronic aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally include a reservoir of liquid feedstock, typically including a nicotine-containing formulation, from which an aerosol is generated, for example by thermal vaporization. Thus, an aerosol source for an aerosol delivery system may include a heater having a heating element arranged to receive liquid feedstock from the reservoir, for example by wicking/capillary action. While a user draws on the device, power is supplied to the heating element to vaporize the liquid feedstock proximate the heating element to generate an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Such devices typically include one or more air inlet holes arranged away from the mouthpiece end of the system. When a user draws on a mouthpiece connected to the mouthpiece end of the system, air is drawn through the inlet holes and passes through the aerosol source. There is a flow path connecting between the aerosol source and the mouthpiece opening, such that air passing through the aerosol source continues to be drawn along the flow path to the mouthpiece opening, carrying a portion of the aerosol from the aerosol source. The air carrying the aerosol exits the aerosol delivery system through the mouthpiece opening for inhalation by the user.

Other aerosol delivery devices generate an aerosol from a solid material, such as tobacco or a tobacco derivative. Such devices operate in a manner similar to the liquid-based systems described above, in that the solid tobacco material is heated to a vaporization temperature to generate an aerosol that is then inhaled by the user.

Most conventional aerosol delivery systems tend to offer minimal customization in the aerosol delivered to the user, primarily varying the amount delivered. Some systems that offer more customization tend to be larger, for example, some liquid systems use multiple tanks containing different e-liquids that can be selectively heated to generate the aerosol.

We describe various approaches that attempt to help address some of these challenges.

overview

According to a first aspect of certain embodiments, a method is provided for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating product comprising portions of an aerosol generating material having different compositions. The method includes heating a first aerosol generating material including a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol generating material, and heating a second aerosol generating material including a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol generating material, the steps of heating the first aerosol generating material and heating the second aerosol generating material being performed substantially simultaneously.

According to a second aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating product comprising portions of an aerosol generating material having different compositions. The device comprises a plurality of heating elements and a control circuit configured to implement the method described in the first aspect of certain embodiments.

According to a third aspect of a particular embodiment, there is provided an aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device according to the second aspect and an aerosol generating product comprising a first aerosol generating material comprising a first component and a second aerosol generating material comprising a second component.

According to a fourth aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided an aerosol supply means for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating product comprising portions of an aerosol generating material having different compositions from one another. The means comprises a plurality of heating means and control means configured to heat a first aerosol generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol generating material and to heat a second aerosol generating material comprising a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol generating material, the steps of heating the first aerosol generating material and heating the second aerosol generating material being performed substantially simultaneously.

It will be appreciated that the features and aspects of the invention described above with respect to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention and may be combined therewith as appropriate, without being limited to the specific combinations set out above.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol generating article, the device comprising a plurality of heating elements and the article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol generating material. 2A-2C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 1 from different angles. 2A-2C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 1 from different angles. 2A-2C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 1 from different angles. 2 is a cross-sectional top view of a heating element of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary method for generating aerosol from the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1, in which selected heating elements are activated simultaneously. 1A-1C are top views of an exemplary touch-sensitive panel for operating various functions of the aerosol delivery system. 1 is a series of graphs illustrating control signals for activating multiple heating elements corresponding to different aerosol generating materials. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional example of an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol generating article, the device including a plurality of inductive action coils, the article including a plurality of portions of aerosol generating material and corresponding susceptor portions. 8A-8C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 7 from different angles. 8A-8C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 7 from different angles. 8A-8C are views of the aerosol supply of FIG. 7 from different angles.

Detailed Description

Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features in particular examples and embodiments may be conventionally embodied and will not be discussed/described in detail for the sake of brevity. Thus, it will be recognized that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be embodied in accordance with any conventional technique for embodying such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to "non-combustible" aerosol delivery systems. A "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is one that does not burn or combust the aerosolizable material constituents (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system to facilitate delivery of the aerosol to a user. Additionally, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol," as well as related terms such as "vaporize," "volatilize," and "aerosolize," may be used generally interchangeably.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, which terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery system.

Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may comprise a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and an article (sometimes referred to as a consumable) for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device. However, it is contemplated that an article that itself comprises a means for powering an aerosol generating component may itself form a non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

The article is intended to be consumed, in part or in whole, during use by a user. The article may include or consist of an aerosolizable material. The article may include one or more other elements, such as a filter or an aerosol modifier (e.g., an ingredient for adding flavor or otherwise altering the properties of the aerosol that passes through or over the aerosol modifier).

Non-combustible aerosol delivery systems often, but not always, comprise modular assemblies that include both a reusable aerosol delivery device and replaceable articles. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a power source and a controller (or control circuitry). The power source may be, for example, a power source such as a battery or a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may also comprise an aerosol generating component. However, in other embodiments, the article may comprise, in part or in full, the aerosol generating component.

In some embodiments, the aerosol generating component is a heater that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatile components from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating component can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat. For example, the aerosol generating component can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat, for example, by one or more of vibrational, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means.

Articles for use with non-combustible aerosol delivery devices generally comprise an aerosolizable material. An aerosolizable material, sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material, is a material that can generate an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or in any other manner energized. The aerosolizable material may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not include nicotine and/or flavorings. In the following disclosure, the aerosolizable material is described as including 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 dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, therein. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may include, for example, from about 50%, 60%, or 70% to about 90%, 95%, or 100% amorphous solid by weight. However, it should be appreciated that the principles of the present disclosure may be applied to other aerosolizable materials, such as tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, and liquids such as e-liquids.

Optionally, the aerosolizable material may include any one or more of an active ingredient, a carrier ingredient, a flavoring, and one or more other functional ingredients.

As used herein, an active ingredient may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active ingredient may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active ingredient may be naturally occurring or synthetically derived. The active ingredient may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins (such as B6 or B12 or C), melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another botanical material. As described herein, the active ingredient may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active ingredient includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

As described herein, the active ingredient may include or be derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical material" includes any material derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, skins, and the like. Alternatively, the material may include active compounds naturally present in the botanical material or synthetically obtained. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, fragments, strips, sheets, and the like. Examples of botanical materials include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cacao, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, Lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, shiso, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiane, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, Calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be any of the following mint varieties: Mentha arventis, Grapefruit mint, Egyptian mint, Peppermint, Lime mint, Chocolate mint, Curly mint, Wild mint, Horse mint, Pineapple mint, Pennyroyal mint, and Common mint. pulegium), English spearmint (Mentha spicata c.v.), and apple mint (Mentha suaveolens).

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more plant materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the plant material is tobacco.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, the botanical materials being selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical materials are selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material includes a fragrance (or flavoring).

As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation in products for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations. They may be naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanical materials, extracts of botanical materials, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, lemongrass, lemon juice ... Barb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberries, mulberries, 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 I, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil from any species of mint, eucalyptus, star anise, cacao, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea (green or black), thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento , mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, Calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanical materials, or breath fresheners. 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 flavoring includes menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or red berry flavor components. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavoring may include sensory agents aimed at achieving somatic sensations that are typically chemically induced and perceived by stimulating the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the olfactory or gustatory nerves, and these may include agents that provide a heating effect, a cooling effect, a tingling effect, or a numbing effect. A suitable heating effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

The carrier component may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol, in some embodiments, the carrier component may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.
In some embodiments, the carrier component comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and/or an antioxidant.

The aerosolizable material may also include an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of a monobasic acid, a dibasic acid, and a tribasic acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may include at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, a carboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, and a keto acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid.

The acid is preferably lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

The inclusion of an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments in which the aerosolizable material includes nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of an acid can stabilize dissolved species in the slurry from which the aerosolizable material is formed. The presence of an acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during production.

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material is cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiol acid (CBDA), or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). acid), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM) ether), and one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabielsoin (CBE) and cannabicitran (CBT).

The aerosolizable material may include one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The aerosolizable material may include cannabidiol (CBD).

The aerosolizable material may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosolizable materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The aerosolizable material may be present on or in a carrier support (or carrier component) to form a substrate. The carrier support may be or include, for example, paper, card, corrugated board, cardboard, recycled aerosolizable material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise an aerosolizable material or an area for receiving an aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a mouthpiece, or alternatively, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a mouthpiece in communication with the article. The area for receiving an aerosolizable material may be a storage area for storing the aerosolizable material. For example, the storage area may be a reservoir.

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 1 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components: an aerosol delivery device 2 and an aerosol generator 4.

The aerosol delivery device 2 comprises an outer housing 21, a power source 22, a control circuit 23, a number of aerosol generating components 24, a receiver 25, a mouth end 26, an air inlet 27, an air outlet 28, a contact sensitive panel 29, an inhalation sensor 30, and an end of use indicator 31.

The outer housing 21 may be formed from any suitable material, for example a plastic material. The outer housing 21 is configured such that the power source 22, the control circuitry 23, the aerosol generating component 24, the receptacle 25, and the suction sensor 30 are disposed within the outer housing 21. The outer housing 21 also defines an air inlet 27 and an air outlet 28, which are described in more detail below. A touch sensitive panel 29 and an end of use indicator are disposed on the exterior of the outer housing 21.

The outer housing 21 further includes a mouth end 26. The outer housing 21 and the mouth end 26 are formed as a single component (i.e., the mouth end 26 forms a part of the outer housing 21). The mouth end 26 is defined as the area of the outer housing 21 that includes the air outlet 28 and is shaped so that a user can comfortably place their lips around the mouth end 26 to engage the air outlet 28. In FIG. 1, the thickness of the outer housing 21 tapers toward the air outlet 28 to provide a relatively thin portion of the device 2 that can be more easily accommodated by the user's lips. However, in other embodiments, the mouth end 26 may be a removable component that is separate from the outer housing 21 but can be coupled to the outer housing 21, which can be removed for cleaning and/or replacement with another mouth end 26.

The power source 22 is configured to provide operating power to the aerosol delivery device 2. The power source 22 may be any suitable power source, such as a battery. For example, the power source 22 may comprise a rechargeable battery, such as a lithium-ion battery. The power source 22 may be removable or may form an integral part of the aerosol delivery device 2. In some embodiments, the power source 22 may be recharged by connecting the device 2 to an external power source (such as a mains power source) via an associated connection port, such as a USB port (not shown), or via a suitable wireless receiver (not shown).

The control circuitry 23 is suitably configured/programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device to provide a particular operational function of the aerosol delivery device 2. The control circuitry 23 may be considered to logically comprise various subunits/circuit elements associated with various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device. For example, the control circuitry 23 may comprise a logical subunit for controlling the recharging of the power source 22. In addition to this, the control circuitry 23 may comprise a logical subunit for communication, for example to facilitate data transfer from or to the device 2. However, the primary function of the control circuitry 23 is to control the aerosolization of the aerosol generating material, as described in more detail below. It will be appreciated that the functionality of the control circuitry 23 may be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and/or one or more suitably configured application specific integrated circuit(s)/circuit(s)/chip(s)/chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality. The control circuitry 23 may be configured to be connected to the power source 23, receive power from the power source 22, and distribute or control the power supply to the other components of the aerosol delivery device 2.

In the described embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 further comprises a receiving portion 25 arranged to receive the aerosol product 4.

The aerosol generating article 4 comprises a carrier component 42 and an aerosol generating material 44. The aerosol generating article 4 is shown in further detail in Figures 2A-2C. Figure 2A is a top view of the article 4, Figure 2B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the article 4, and Figure 2C is a side view along the width axis of the article 4.

The article 4 includes a carrier component 42, which in this embodiment is formed from a card. The carrier component 42 forms the majority of the article 4 and serves as a base on which the aerosol-generating material 44 is disposed.

The carrier component 42 is generally cubic in shape having a length l, a width w, and a thickness _tc, as shown in Figures 2A-2C. As a specific example, the length of the carrier component 42 may be 30-80 mm, the width may be 7-25 mm, and the thickness may be 0.2-1 mm. However, it should be recognized that the above are exemplary dimensions of the carrier component 42, and in other embodiments, the carrier component 42 may have different dimensions, as desired. In some embodiments, the carrier component 42 may include one or more protrusions extending along the length and/or width of the carrier component 42 to help facilitate handling of the article 4 by a user.

In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the article 4 comprises a plurality of individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 disposed on a surface of the carrier component 42. More specifically, the article 4 comprises six individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44, labeled 44a-44f, arranged in a 2x3 array. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of individual portions may be provided and/or the portions may be arranged in a different array (e.g., a 1x6 array). In the illustrated example, the aerosol-generating material 44 is disposed at discrete, separate locations on a single surface of the component carrier 42. Although the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 are shown as having a circular footprint, it should be appreciated that the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 may take on any other footprint, such as a square or rectangular, as desired. The individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 have a diameter d and a thickness t _a , as shown in Figures 2A-2C. The thickness t _a may have any suitable value, for example, the thickness t _a may range from 50 μm to 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness t _a is from about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or from about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or from about 60 μm to about 90 μm, with about 77 μm being suitable. In other embodiments, the thickness t _a may be greater than 200 μm, for example, from about 50 μm to about 400 μm, or up to about 1 mm, or up to about 1.5 mm.

The individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are separated from one another so that each of the individual portions can be individually/selectively energized (e.g., heated) to generate an aerosol. In some embodiments, these portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 may have a mass of 20 mg or less, such that the amount of material aerosolized at any one time by a given aerosol generating article 24 is relatively small. For example, the mass of a portion may be 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Of course, it should be recognized that the total mass of the article 4 may be greater than 20 mg.

In the described embodiment, at least two of the portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the article 4 are different from one another. As described in more detail below, the device 2 is configured to allow a user to select which of the portions of the aerosol-generating material to aerosolize for a particular inhalation. When the portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are different from one another, this allows a user to customize the aerosol they receive for each inhalation or inhalation session.

In the described embodiment, the aerosol-generating material 44 is an amorphous solid. In general, the amorphous solid may include a gelling agent (sometimes referred to as a binder) and an aerosol-generating agent (which may include, for example, glycerol). Optionally, the aerosol-generating material may include one or more of an active agent (which may include tobacco extract), a flavoring agent, an acid, and a filler. Other ingredients may also be present as desired. Suitable active agents, flavoring agents, acids, and fillers are described above in connection with aerosolizable materials.

Thus, the aerosol generating agent may include one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent includes one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises a hydrocolloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from the group including alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives, e.g., methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of alginates, pectins, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol.

The gelling agent may include one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more non-cellulosic gelling agents, including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginate, and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

The aerosol generating material may include an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of a monobasic acid, a dibasic acid, and a tribasic acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may include at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, a carboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, and a keto acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid.

The acid is preferably lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

The inclusion of an acid is particularly preferred in embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material includes nicotine. In such embodiments, the presence of an acid can stabilize dissolved species in the slurry from which the aerosol-generating material is formed. The presence of an acid can reduce or substantially prevent evaporation of nicotine during drying of the slurry, thereby reducing loss of nicotine during production.

In certain embodiments, the aerosol forming materials include a gelling agent that includes a cellulosic and/or non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active agent, and an acid.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiol acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), and cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

The aerosol-forming material may include one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
The aerosol-forming material may include cannabidiol (CBD).
The aerosol-forming material may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).
The aerosol-forming material may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The amorphous solid may include a colorant. The addition of a colorant can change the appearance of the amorphous solid. The presence of a colorant in the amorphous solid can enhance the appearance of the amorphous solid and the aerosol generating material. By adding a colorant to the amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can be matched to the color of other components of the aerosol generating material or article that includes the amorphous solid.

Various coloring agents may be used depending on the desired color of the amorphous solid. The color of the amorphous solid may be, for example, white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black. Other colors are also contemplated. Natural or synthetic coloring agents may be used, such as natural or synthetic dyes, food coloring agents, and pharmaceutical coloring agents. In certain embodiments, the coloring agent is caramel, which may give the amorphous solid a brown appearance. In such embodiments, the color of the amorphous solid may be similar to the color of other components in the aerosol-generating material that includes the amorphous solid, such as the tobacco material. In some embodiments, the addition of the coloring agent to the amorphous solid makes it visually indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-generating material.

The colorant may be incorporated into the amorphous solid during its formation (e.g., when forming a slurry containing the materials that will form the amorphous solid) or may be applied to the amorphous solid after its formation (e.g., by spraying it onto the amorphous solid).

Amorphous solid aerosolizable materials offer several advantages over other types of aerosolizable materials commonly found in some electronic aerosol delivery devices. For example, compared to electronic aerosol delivery devices that aerosolize liquid aerosolizable materials, the likelihood that the amorphous solid will leak or otherwise flow from where it is contained is greatly reduced. This means that the aerosol delivery device or article may be less expensive to manufacture, since these components do not necessarily need to use the same liquid-tight seals, etc.

Compared to electronic aerosol delivery devices that aerosolize solid aerosolizable materials, such as tobacco, a relatively small mass of amorphous solid material can be aerosolized to generate a comparable amount of aerosol (or provide a comparable amount of a component, such as nicotine, in the aerosol). This is due in part to the fact that the amorphous solid can be tailored to be free of undesirable components that may be found in other solid aerosolizable materials (e.g., the cellulosic materials in tobacco). For example, in some embodiments, the mass of the amorphous solid per portion is 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Thus, the aerosol delivery device can provide less power to the aerosol generating components and/or the aerosol generating components can be smaller to generate a similar aerosol, which therefore means that the energy requirements for the aerosol delivery device can be lowered.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise 0.5-60% by weight of a gelling agent, 5-80% by weight of an aerosol generating agent, and 5-60% by weight of at least one active agent, calculated on a dry weight basis. Such an amorphous solid may comprise an active agent, but may not comprise a flavoring or an acid. Such an amorphous solid may be referred to as "active agent-rich" or "active agent amorphous solid." For example, in one embodiment, the active agent may be nicotine, and thus such an amorphous solid comprising nicotine may be referred to as a "nicotine amorphous solid." More generally, this is an example of an active agent-rich aerosol generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol generating material designed to deliver an active agent when aerosolized.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (Dry Weight Basis, DWB): gelling agent in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight, or about 10% to 30% by weight, or about 15% to about 25% by weight; aerosol generating agent in an amount of about 10% to about 50% by weight, or about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB); active agent in an amount of about 30% to about 60% by weight, or about 40% to 55% by weight, or about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises about 43% by weight of gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC), about 48% by weight glycerol, and about 6% by weight nicotine (DWB).

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise 0.5-60% by weight of gelling agent and 5-80% by weight of aerosol generating agent, calculated on a dry weight basis. Such amorphous solids may be free of flavors, acids, and actives. Such amorphous solids may be referred to as "aerosol generating agent rich" or "aerosol generating agent amorphous solids". More generally, this is an example of an aerosol generating agent rich aerosol generating material that is a portion of the aerosol generating material that, as the name suggests, is designed to deliver an aerosol generating agent when aerosolized.
In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB): gelling agent in an amount of about 5% to about 40%, or about 10% to 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight, and aerosol generating agent in an amount of about 10% to about 50%, or about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB).

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises about 43% by weight of gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC) and about 56% by weight glycerol (DWB).

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise 0.5-60% by weight of gelling agent, 5-80% by weight of aerosol generating agent, and 1-60% by weight of flavoring, calculated on a dry weight basis. Such amorphous solids may contain flavoring but no actives or acids. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "flavoring-rich" or "flavoring amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of a flavoring-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is the portion of the aerosol-generating material designed to deliver flavoring when aerosolized.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB): gelling agent in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight, or about 10% to 30% by weight, or about 15% to about 25% by weight, aerosol generating agent in an amount of about 10% to about 50% by weight, or about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB), and fragrance in an amount of about 30% to about 60% by weight, or about 40% to 55% by weight, or about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises about 43% by weight of gelling agent (12% by weight alginate and 31% by weight CMC), about 19% by weight glycerol, and about 37% by weight flavor (DWB).

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise 0.5-60% by weight of gelling agent, 5-80% by weight of aerosol generating agent, and 0.1-10% by weight of acid, calculated on a dry weight basis. Such amorphous solids may contain acid but no actives or flavorings. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "acid-rich" or "acid amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an acid-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is the portion of the aerosol-generating material designed to deliver acid when aerosolized.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB): gelling agent in an amount of about 5% to about 40% by weight, or about 10% to 30% by weight, or about 15% to about 25% by weight, aerosol generating agent in an amount of about 10% to about 50% by weight, or about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB), acid in an amount of about 0.1% to about 8% by weight, or about 0.5% to 7% by weight, or about 1% to about 5% by weight, or about 1% to about 3% by weight.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises about 56% by weight of gelling agent (24% by weight alginate and 32% by weight CMC), about 39% by weight glycerol, and about 3% by weight acid (DWB).

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises a tobacco extract. In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB): a gelling agent (preferably comprising alginate) in an amount of about 1% to about 60% by weight, or about 10% to 30% by weight, or about 15% to about 25% by weight; a tobacco extract in an amount of about 10% to about 60% by weight, or about 40% to 55% by weight, or about 45% to about 50% by weight; and an aerosol generating agent (preferably comprising glycerol) in an amount of about 5% to about 60% by weight, or about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB). The tobacco extract may be from a single variety of tobacco or may be a blend of extracts from different varieties of tobacco. Such amorphous solids may be referred to as "tobacco amorphous solids" and may be designed to provide a tobacco-like experience when aerosolized.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solid comprises about 20% by weight alginate gelling agent, about 48% by weight Virginia tobacco extract, and about 32% by weight glycerol (DWB).

The amorphous solids of these embodiments may have any suitable moisture content. For example, the amorphous solids may have a moisture content of about 5% to about 15% by weight, or about 7% to about 13% by weight, or about 10% by weight.

In any of these embodiments, the thickness t _a of the amorphous solid can be set depending on how the article 4 is to be used, as described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the thickness t _a may be set in the range of about 0.5 to about 2 mm, or about 0.8 to about 1.2 mm. In some other embodiments, the thickness may be about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or about 60 μm to about 90 μm, with about 77 μm being preferred.

The receptacle 25 is sized to removably receive the item 4. Although not shown, the device 2 may include a hinged door or a removable portion of the outer housing 21 to allow access to the receptacle 25 so that a user can insert and/or remove the item 4 from the receptacle 25. The hinged door or the removable portion of the outer housing 21 may also function to retain the item 4 in the receptacle 25 when closed. When the aerosol generation product 4 is exhausted, or when the user simply desires to switch to a different aerosol generation product 4, the aerosol generation product 4 may be removed from the aerosol delivery device 2 and a replacement aerosol generation product 4 may be placed in its place in the receptacle 25. Alternatively, the device 2 may include a permanent opening in communication with the receptacle 25 through which the item 4 can be inserted into the receptacle 25. In such an embodiment, a retention mechanism may be provided to retain the item 4 in the receptacle 25 of the device 2.

As seen in FIG. 1, the device 2 includes a number of aerosol generating components 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol generating components 24 are heating elements 24, and more specifically, resistive heating elements 24. The resistive heating elements 24 receive an electric current and convert the electrical energy into heat. The resistive heating elements 24 may be formed from or include any suitable resistive heating material, such as Nichrome (Ni20Cr80), that generates heat upon receiving an electric current. In one embodiment, the heating elements 24 may include an electrically insulating substrate having resistive paths disposed therein. However, as discussed above and as should be appreciated, the heating elements may be any suitable form of heating element.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional top view of the aerosol delivery device 2 showing the arrangement of the heating element 24 in more detail. In Figures 1 and 3, the heating element 24 is arranged such that the surface of the heating element 24 forms part of the surface of the receiver 25; that is, the outer surface of the heating element 24 is flush with the inner surface of the receiver. More specifically, the outer surface of the heating element 24 that is flush with the inner surface of the receiver 25 is the surface of the heating element 24 that is heated (i.e., its temperature increases) when an electric current is passed through the heating element 24.

The heating elements 24 are positioned such that when the article 4 is received in the receptacle 25, each heating element 24 is aligned with a corresponding individual portion of the aerosol-generating material 44. Thus, in this example, six heating elements 24 are arranged in a 2×3 array that roughly corresponds to the arrangement of the 2×3 array of the six individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. However, as discussed above, the number of heating elements 24 may vary in different embodiments, e.g., there may be 8, 10, 12, 14, etc. heating elements 24. In some embodiments, the number of heating elements 24 is greater than six, but less than twenty.

More specifically, the heating elements 24 are numbered 24a-24f in FIG. 3, and it should be understood that each heating element 24 is positioned to align with a corresponding portion of the aerosol-generating material 44, as indicated by the corresponding letter following the reference numeral 24/44. Thus, each of the heating elements 24 can be individually actuated to heat a corresponding portion of the aerosol-generating material 44.

Although the heating element 24 is shown flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25, in other embodiments the heating element 24 may protrude into the receptacle 25. In either case, when the item 4 is present in the receptacle 25, it contacts the surface of the heating element 24 such that heat generated by the heating element 24 is conducted through the carrier component 42 to the aerosol-forming material 44.

In some embodiments, to improve heat transfer efficiency, the receiver may include a component that applies a force to a surface of the carrier component 42 to press the carrier component 42 against the heater element 24, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat transfer by conduction to the aerosol-generating material 44. Additionally or alternatively, the heater element 24 may be configured to move toward/away from the article 4 and may be pressed against a surface of the carrier component 42 that does not include the aerosol-generating material 44.

In use, the device 2 (and more particularly the control circuitry 23) is configured to provide power to the heating element 24 in response to a user input. Generally, the control circuitry 23 is configured to selectively apply power to the heating element 24 to heat corresponding portions of the aerosol generating material 44 to generate an aerosol. When a user inhales on the device 2 (i.e., inhales at the mouth end 26), air is drawn into the device 2 through the air inlet 27, enters the receiver 25, where it mixes with the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol generating material 44, and is then drawn through the air outlet 28 to the user's mouth. That is, the aerosol is delivered to the user through the mouth end 26 and the air outlet 28.

The device 2 of FIG. 1 includes a touch-sensitive panel 29 and a suction sensor 30. Together, the touch-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 function as mechanisms for receiving user input to trigger the generation of aerosol, and may therefore be more broadly referred to as a user input mechanism. The received user input may be said to indicate that the user wishes to generate aerosol.

The touch sensitive panel 29 may be a capacitive touch sensor and may be operated by a user of the device 2 by placing a finger or another suitable conductive object (e.g., a stylus) on the touch sensitive panel. In the described embodiment, the touch sensitive panel includes an area that the user can press to initiate aerosol generation. The control circuitry 23 may be configured to receive a signal from the touch sensitive panel 29 and use the signal to determine whether the user is pressing (i.e., activating) this area of the touch sensitive panel 29. When the control circuitry 23 receives the signal, the control circuitry 23 is configured to supply power from the power source 22 to one or more of the heating elements 24. Power may be supplied for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds) from the moment contact is detected or may be supplied corresponding to the length of time that contact is detected. In other embodiments, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be replaced by a button or the like that can be activated by the user.

The suction sensor 30 may be a pressure sensor, microphone, or the like configured to detect a pressure drop or air flow caused by a user inhaling on the device 2. The suction sensor 30 is disposed in fluid communication with the air flow path (i.e., in fluid communication with the air flow path between the inlet 27 and the outlet 28). In a similar manner to that described above, the control circuit 23 may be configured to receive a signal from the suction sensor and use the signal to determine whether a user is inhaling on the aerosol delivery system 1. When the control circuit 23 receives the signal, the control circuit 23 is configured to provide power from the power source 22 to one or more of the heating elements 24. Power may be provided for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 3 seconds) from the moment inhalation is detected, or may be provided corresponding to the length of time that inhalation is detected.

In the illustrated example, both the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 detect a user's desire to initiate generation of aerosol for inhalation. The control circuitry 23 may be configured to provide power to the heating element 24 only when signals from both the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 are detected. This can help prevent unintentional activation of the heating element 24 from accidental activation of one of the user input mechanisms. However, in other embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 1 may have only one of the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30.

These aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1 (i.e., puff detection and contact detection) can themselves be performed in accordance with established techniques (e.g., using conventional suction sensors and suction sensor signal processing techniques, and using conventional touch sensors and touch sensor signal processing techniques).

Now, with respect to the operation of the device 2, in response to detecting a signal from either or both of the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 is configured to simultaneously supply power to one or more of the heating elements 24, and in particular, when at least two heating elements 24 are selected for operation, the control circuit 23 is configured to simultaneously supply power to at least two heating elements 24.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for generating an aerosol according to the present disclosure.

The method begins with step S1, where the user can set a heating configuration for subsequent heating of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the article 4. In essence, the user can select which heating elements 24 to activate when receiving a signal from either or both of the touch-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. In the described embodiment, the user can select any one or more of the six heating elements 24 to activate and, correspondingly, any one or more of the six individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 to heat. In addition, in the described embodiment, the user can also set the power supplied to each heating element 24. In this case, it should be recognized that, generally, the more power supplied to the heating element 24, the greater the amount of aerosol generated from that portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 will be. In this way, the user can further customize the aerosol generated per puff or per session, not only by selecting the particular components to be present, but also by selecting the relative proportions of those components in the aerosol. However, it should be appreciated that selecting a power level may be optional, and in some embodiments, the power level may be predetermined and fixed.

The heating configuration may be set manually by the user, such that each individual heating element 24 may be manually selected and/or the level of power may be manually selected. In other embodiments, the user may be able to select from a list of predefined heating configurations that may be pre-stored on the device 2 or may be obtained from a remote source (e.g., downloaded from a server).

5 is a schematic top view of the touch sensitive panel 29 that allows the user to select which heating element to activate. FIG. 5 shows the outer housing 21 and the touch sensitive panel 29 in a schematic manner as described above. The touch sensitive panel 29 includes six regions 29a-29f corresponding to each of the six heating elements 24, and region 29g corresponding to an area for indicating that the user wishes to initiate inhalation or generate aerosol, as described above. Each of the six regions 29a-29f corresponds to a touch sensitive area that the user can touch to select one or more of the six corresponding heating elements 24 (and thus for the control circuit 23 to supply power to one or more of the six corresponding heating elements 24). The touch sensitive panel 29 can be said to be both a user input mechanism for allowing the user to set the heating configuration and a user input mechanism for initiating aerosol generation. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, these two user input mechanisms may be provided by separate dedicated components (e.g., the touch sensitive panel and a push button).

As mentioned above, the power level to each heating element 24 can also be set in certain embodiments. In the described embodiment, each heating element 24 can have multiple states, such as an off state in which no power is provided to the heating element 24, a low power state in which a first level of power is provided to the heating element 24, and a high power state in which a second level of power greater than the first level of power is provided to the heating element 24. However, in other embodiments, fewer or more states may be available for the heating element 24. To select different power levels or states, the user may repeatedly tap areas 29a-29f to cycle through the different states (e.g., off, low power, high power, off, etc.). Alternatively, the user may press and hold areas 29a-29f to cycle through the different states, where the time held determines the state. Other suitable methods for a user to interact with the touch sensitive panel to select a corresponding power level may be implemented in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The touch-sensitive panel 29 may include one or more indicators for each of the regions 29a-29f that indicate the current state of the heating element 24. For example, the touch-sensitive panel may include one or more LEDs or similar lighting elements, with the intensity of the LED indicating the current state of the heating element 24. Alternatively, colored LEDs or similar lighting elements may be provided, with the color indicating the current state. Alternatively, the touch-sensitive panel 29 may include an indicator element (e.g., under the transparent touch-sensitive panel 29 or adjacent to the regions 29a-29f of the touch-sensitive panel 29) that indicates the current state of the heating element 24.

Thus, a user can configure which heating elements 24 (and subsequently which portions of the aerosol-generating material 44) are to be heated (and, optionally, to what extent) prior to generating an aerosol by interacting with the contact-sensitive panel 29. Once the user has configured the heating elements 24 in step S1, in step S2, the device 2 receives a signal from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, from area 29g of the contact-sensitive panel 29) and the inhalation sensor 30 indicating the user's intent to inhale the aerosol, as discussed above.

In step S3, in response to detecting a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply power to the selected heating element 24 in accordance with the heating configuration set in step S1.
In step S4, the control circuit 23 stops supplying power to the selected heating element 24. This may be, for example, in response to the signal cessation (if this signal is only output when the user is inhaling on the device as detected by the suction sensor 30, or only when the user is pressing on area 29g of the touch sensitive panel 29), and/or in response to a predetermined time having elapsed since the signal was first detected.

The method can then continue by returning to step S1 or S2 for the next aspiration. In this case, it should be understood that step S1 may or may not be performed depending on whether the user decides to reset the heating configuration.

In principle, this method allows for simultaneous activation of multiple heating elements 24 and is therefore sometimes referred to as a "simultaneous activation mode." This is in contrast to a "sequential activation mode," in which the heating elements 24 are activated sequentially. However, it should be recognized that such a device 2 may, in some circumstances, allow the user to select only one heating element 24 (and therefore only one portion of aerosol-generating material) for a given user inhalation.

4 is described as providing power to the selected heating element 24 in step S3 in response to detection of a signal in step S2, and then deactivating the power supply to the selected heating element 24 in step S4, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to preheat a selected portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 prior to detection of a signal in step S2. This may be particularly the case when the portion of the aerosol-generating material is relatively thick (e.g., on the order of 1 mm). In these cases, for example, due to the total mass that needs to be heated, the application of energy by the heating element 24 for a period of 2-5 seconds (typically corresponding to the length of the user's inhalation) may not be sufficient to raise the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 to the release temperature (i.e., the temperature at which the aerosol-generating material releases its constituent components). Thus, by preheating the portion(s) of the aerosol-generating material 44, it may be possible to add enough energy to generate sufficient aerosol when the signal is detected in step S1. In these embodiments, steps S3 and S4 in FIG. 4 should be understood as providing additional power to selected heating elements in accordance with the heating configuration to raise the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 to an operating temperature at which aerosol is generated from the portion (step S3), and stopping the supply of additional power to selected heating elements in accordance with the heating configuration to lower the temperature of the aerosol-generating material 44 below the operating temperature (step S4). The target temperature (sometimes referred to as the operating temperature) is the temperature that the control circuit 23 causes the heating elements to reach in order to generate aerosol. The operating temperature may therefore be one or more fixed values.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a control signal output from control circuit 23, which is ultimately used to provide different levels of power to selected heating elements 24. This control signal causes power supply 22 (or a power management device (not shown) coupled to power supply 22) to provide a level of power to the selected heating element according to the control signal to cause the heating element to reach a particular target temperature. The control signal is thus representative of the temperature that the heating element (and subsequently the aerosol generating material) is intended to reach during operation.

The magnitude of the control signal is shown on the y-axis of the graph and time t is shown on the x-axis. As can be seen in Figure 6, the control signals represent various target temperatures for the heating element 24. More specifically, Figure 6 shows a preheat target temperature T _pre , a low target operating temperature T _op-low , and a high target operating temperature T _op-high . _{T op-high} and T _op-low correspond to target temperatures associated with high and low levels of power that may be supplied to the heating element 24 described above, with T _pre corresponding to the level of power supplied to the heating element during the preheat operating phase. Thus, T _op-high represents a higher temperature than T _{op -low} , which in turn is a higher temperature than T _pre .

Figure 6 shows two separate graphs, one for the first heating element (top) and one for the second heating element (bottom). In the above description, the first heating element is heating element 24a and the second heating element is heating element 24b.

At time t _conf , the user finishes inputting the heating configuration to be used for the device 2 according to step S1 of Figure 4. In this example, the heating configuration is set such that a high level of power is supplied to heating element 24b and a low level of power is supplied to heating element 24a. All other heating elements are off and therefore no power is supplied to these heating elements in this example and therefore they are not shown in Figure 6. However, in other embodiments, all heating elements 24 are supplied with sufficient power to raise their temperature to T _pre , regardless of whether they were selected in step S1 of Figure 4.

In this embodiment, once this configuration is set at t _conf , control circuit 23 is configured to preheat heating elements 24 a and 24 b, and thus portions of aerosol-generating material 44 a and 44 b. Preheat temperature T _pre is preferably set to be below the release temperature (T _rel ) at which portions of aerosol-generating material 44 a or 44 b begin to release a substantial amount of aerosol. In this way, the aerosol-generating material can be warmed but not substantially consumed during the preheating phase.

At time _ts1 , the control circuit 23 receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, from the area 29g of the touch sensitive panel 29) and the inhalation sensor 30 indicative of the user's intent to inhale an aerosol, as discussed above in step S2. In response, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply a level of power to the heating elements 24a and 24b corresponding to the heating configuration. In particular, as shown in Figure 6, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply sufficient power to the heating element 24a to cause the heating element 24a to reach a target temperature T _op-low , and the control circuit 23 is configured to supply sufficient power to the heating element 24b to cause the heating element 24b to reach a target temperature T _op-high .

At time _tf1 , the control circuit 23 determines that a signal from either or both of the contact sensing panel 29 and the inhalation sensor 30 indicating the user's intention to inhale an aerosol has stopped or a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the signal, and subsequently reduces the power to both heating elements 24a and 24b to a level sufficient to allow the heating elements 24a and 24b to reach the target temperature _Tpre .

At a later time _ts2 , the control circuit 23 again receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, from the area 29g of the touch sensitive panel 29) and the inhalation sensor 30 indicating the user's intent to inhale the aerosol. In response, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply a level of power to the heating elements 24a and 24b corresponding to the heating configuration. In this example, between time _tf1 and time _ts2 , the user changed the heating configuration such that the heating element 24b is supplied with a level of power sufficient to cause the heating element 24b to reach the target temperature _Top-low . In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply power to both heating elements 24a and 24b sufficient to cause the heating elements 24a and 24b to reach the target temperature _Top-low .

At time _tf2 , the control circuit 23 determines that a signal from either or both of the contact sensing panel 29 and the inhalation sensor 30 indicating the user's intention to inhale the aerosol has stopped, or a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the signal, and subsequently reduces the power to both heating elements 24a, 24b to a level sufficient to allow the heating elements 24a, 24b to reach the target temperature _Tpre .

This sequence may be repeated until the user switches the device _off at time t _off , at which point the control signals for controlling the power supplied to heating elements 24 a and 24 b may be terminated.

6, the target temperatures T _op-high , T _op-low , and T _pre are shown set to be the same for each heating element 24, however, it should be appreciated that the target temperatures may be set differently for different heating elements 24 corresponding to different aerosol-generating materials. That is, different aerosol-generating materials may have different appropriate T _op-high , T _op-low , and T _pre target temperatures. Similarly, the release temperature T _rel may also be different for different aerosol-generating materials.

As described above, the device 2 according to the described embodiment is configured to heat different portions of the aerosol-generating material, in particular the amorphous solids mentioned above. In particular, the device 2 is configured to heat a combination of two or more aerosol-generating materials. In this case, the device 2 is configured to heat a first aerosol-generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol-generating material, and to heat a second aerosol-generating material comprising a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material. The control circuitry 23 is configured such that the steps of heating the first aerosol-generating material and heating the second aerosol-generating material are performed substantially simultaneously.

In this context, substantially simultaneously should be understood to mean that the times at which heating occurs largely overlap, although the heating times may not completely overlap (e.g., one heating time may be longer than another heating time).

As described, in some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an active substance and to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes a flavoring. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user includes both an active substance (e.g., nicotine) and a flavoring.

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an active substance and to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an acid. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user includes both an active substance (e.g., nicotine) and an acid. Providing the aerosol with acid can protonate some (or all) of the nicotine as the aerosol passes through the receiver 25 and out the mouth end 26 of the device.

In some embodiments, the device 2 may be configured to prevent aerosolization of an acid-rich aerosol-generating material if the user decides not to select the active/nicotine-rich aerosol-generating material for aerosolization. This is because the main reason for including an acid is that it can cause protonation of the active/nicotine.

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material that includes the active substance and to heat the aerosol-generating material that includes an aerosol generating agent such as glycerol. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user includes both the active substance (e.g., nicotine) and an amount of additional glycerol. In this case, as should be noted from above, some aerosol-generating materials may generally include a portion of glycerol to form the aerosol. However, in this example, by heating a portion of the aerosol-generating material that includes a relatively high concentration of glycerol, more glycerol can be added to the aerosol delivered to the user. Providing more glycerol can increase the amount of visible aerosol generated (e.g., the visible "smoke" exhaled by the user).

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material including the flavoring and to heat the aerosol-generating material including an aerosol-generating agent such as glycerol. Thus, in this case, the aerosol delivered to the user includes both the flavoring and an amount of additional glycerol. In this case, as discussed above, some aerosol-generating materials may generally include a portion of glycerol to form an aerosol. However, in this example, by heating a portion of the aerosol-generating material that includes a relatively high concentration of glycerol, more glycerol can be added to the aerosol delivered to the user. Providing more glycerol can increase the amount of visible aerosol generated (e.g., the visible "smoke" exhaled by the user).

In another embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat a third aerosol-generating material including a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material. In this case, the step of heating the third aerosol-generating material is performed substantially simultaneously with the step of heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials.

In these embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2 may be configured to heat an aerosol generating material that includes an active substance such as nicotine, heat an aerosol generating material that includes an aerosol generating agent such as glycerol, and heat an aerosol generating material that includes an acid. In this embodiment, the user may be provided with protonated nicotine resulting from the combination of nicotine and acid released by each portion of the aerosol generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user may also include an increased amount of visible vapor.

In another embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 may be configured to heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an active substance such as nicotine, heat an aerosol-generating material that includes a flavorant, and heat an aerosol-generating material that includes an acid. In this embodiment, the user may be provided with protonated nicotine resulting from the combination of nicotine and acid released by each portion of the aerosol-generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user also includes a flavorant.

In yet another embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 is configured to heat a fourth aerosol-generating material including a fourth component different from the first, second, and third components to generate an aerosol from the fourth aerosol-generating material. In this case, the step of heating the fourth aerosol-generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with the steps of heating the first, second, and third aerosol-generating materials.

In such an embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 may be configured to heat an aerosol generating material that includes an active substance such as nicotine, heat an aerosol generating material that includes an aerosol generating agent such as glycerol, heat an aerosol generating material that includes an acid, and heat an aerosol generating material that includes a flavoring. In this embodiment, the user may be provided with protonated nicotine resulting from the combination of nicotine and acid released by each portion of the aerosol generating material, while the aerosol delivered to the user may also include an increased amount of visible vapor and include a flavoring.

From the above, it should be appreciated that, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, a user can customize the aerosol delivered by device 2 by selecting specific heating elements that correspond to specific portions of different aerosol generating materials and activating them in response to user input to generate the aerosol. Thus, a device 2 and article 4 can be provided that provide the user with greater flexibility without having to replace article 4.

It should be understood that the above listed embodiments refer to heating two to four different portions of the aerosol-generating material substantially simultaneously. However, the device is not limited to only heating four different portions of the aerosol-generating material. For example, an article may comprise six portions of aerosol-generating material corresponding to an active-rich aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating agent-rich aerosol-generating material, an acid-rich aerosol-generating material, and three flavor-rich aerosol-generating materials (each with a different flavor). The principles of the present disclosure may be applied to such embodiments, but the device may be configured to heat one, two, or three of the flavor-rich portions.
In one example, the aerosol-generating material includes or is an amorphous solid. Amorphous solids (such as those described above) are particularly suitable for being heated separately for each inhale. This is in part because amorphous solids are formed from selected components/ingredients and can therefore be designed such that a relatively high percentage of the mass is useful (or deliverable) ingredients (e.g., nicotine and glycerol). Thus, amorphous solids can generate a relatively high percentage of aerosol from a given mass compared to some other aerosol-generating materials (e.g., tobacco), meaning that a relatively small portion of the amorphous solid can output a comparable amount of aerosol.

The amorphous solid may be any of the aforementioned "active-rich" amorphous solids, "aerosol-forming agent-rich" amorphous solids, "flavoring agent-rich" amorphous solids, or "acid-rich" amorphous liquids. As noted above, different aerosol-forming materials may have different T _op-high and T _op-low temperatures. The table below shows heating data for the aforementioned amorphous solids. where T _op (range) is the heating range over which the aerosol-generating material may be heated to generate sufficient aerosol that is detectable by a human, T _op-high (range) is the temperature range within which a relatively large amount of aerosol is generated within the T _op (range) temperature, T _op-low (range) is the temperature range within which a relatively small amount of aerosol is generated within the T _op (range) temperature, and T _op-low (specific) and T _op-high (specific) are particular example temperature set points for particular embodiments.

The device 2 is therefore configured to operate within the temperature ranges as set out by the table above when heating an aerosol generating material containing the components listed above.

Thus, as described above, an aerosol delivery device 2 can be provided that allows a user to selectively control which heating elements 24 (and therefore which portions of the aerosol generating material 44) can be heated to provide a customized aerosol to the user. The aerosol generating device can also provide an aerosol having different relative amounts of components, thereby providing a variety of different experiences to the user from a single item 4.

In some embodiments, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to generate a warning signal indicating the end of use of the article 4, for example, when each of the heating elements 24 has been activated a predetermined number of times, or when a given heating element 24 has been activated a predetermined number of times and/or with a given cumulative activation time and/or a given cumulative activation power. In FIG. 1, the device 2 includes an end-of-use indicator 31, which in this embodiment is an LED. However, in other embodiments, the end-of-use indicator 31 may comprise any mechanism capable of providing a warning signal to a user, i.e., the end-of-use indicator 31 may be an optical element that delivers an optical signal, a sound generator that delivers an audio signal, and/or a vibrator that delivers a tactile signal. In some embodiments, the indicator 31 may be combined with a touch-sensitive panel (e.g., when the touch-sensitive panel includes a display element) or may be provided in other manners. The device 2 may prevent a further activation of the device 2 when the warning signal is output. When the user replaces the item 4 and/or turns off the alarm signal via manual means such as a button (not shown), the alarm signal can be turned off and the control circuit 23 is reset.

More specifically, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to count the number of times that one or each of the individual portions of the aerosol generating material 44 is heated. For example, the control circuitry 23 may count how many times the nicotine-containing portion has been heated and determine the end of the life of the article 4 when it reaches a predetermined number. Alternatively, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to count separately for each individual portion of the aerosol generating material 44 when that portion is heated. Each portion may have the same or a different predetermined number of times, and the control circuitry 23 determines the end of the life of the article 4 when any one of the times for each portion of the aerosol generating material reaches the predetermined number.

In any of the embodiments, the control circuitry 23 may also take into account the length of time that a portion of the aerosol-generating material has been heated and/or the temperature to which the portion of the aerosol-generating material has been heated. In this regard, rather than counting individual actuations, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to calculate a cumulative parameter indicative of the heating conditions that each portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 has been subjected to. This parameter may be, for example, a cumulative time, and the temperature of the material is used to adjust the amount of time that is added to the cumulative time. For example, a portion heated at 200° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 3 seconds to the cumulative time, while a portion heated at 250° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 4.5 seconds to the cumulative time.

The above techniques for determining the end of life of item 4 should not be understood as an exhaustive list of methods for determining the end of life of item 4, and indeed any other suitable method may be used in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 200 includes components broadly similar to those described in connection with FIG. 1, but with the addition of 200 reference numbers. For efficiency, components having similar reference numbers should be understood to be substantially the same as their counterparts in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A-2C, unless otherwise noted.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises an outer housing 221, a power source 222, a control circuit 223, an inductive action coil 224a, a receiving portion 225, a mouth end 226, an air inlet 227, an air outlet 228, a contact sensing panel 229, an aspiration sensor 230, and an end-of-use indicator 231.

The aerosol-generating article 204 comprises a carrier component 242, an aerosol-generating material 244, and a susceptor element 244b, as shown in more detail in Figures 8A-8C. Figure 8A is a top view of the article 4, Figure 8B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the article 4, and Figure 8C is a side view along the width axis of the article 4.

Figures 7 and 8 show an aerosol delivery system 200 that uses induction to heat an aerosol-generating material 244 to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

In the described embodiment, the aerosol generating component 224 is formed from two parts: an inductively acting coil 224a disposed in the aerosol delivery device 202 and a susceptor 224b disposed in the aerosol generating product 204. Thus, in the described embodiment, each aerosol generating component 224 comprises an element distributed between the aerosol generating product 204 and the aerosol delivery device 202.

Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conductive object, called a susceptor, by penetrating a changing magnetic field into the object. The process is described by Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a changing electric current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are placed in the proper relative positions such that the changing magnetic field produced by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated in the object. The object has a resistance to the flow of electric current. Thus, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, they flow against the electrical resistance of the object, thereby heating the object. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistive heating.

The susceptor is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The heating material may be an electrically conductive material, such that the fluctuating magnetic field penetrates it and thereby causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, such that the fluctuating magnetic field penetrates it and thereby causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The heating material may be both electrically conductive and magnetic, such that the heating material can be heated by both heating mechanisms.

Magnetic hysteresis heating is the process of heating an object made of a magnetic material by subjecting it to a varying magnetic field. A magnetic material can be thought of as containing many atomic-scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field enters such a material, the magnetic dipoles align themselves along the magnetic field. Thus, when a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field (e.g., produced by an electromagnet), enters a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes in response to the applied varying magnetic field. This reorientation of the magnetic dipoles produces heat in the magnetic material.

When an object is both conductive and magnetic, the introduction of a varying magnetic field into the object can cause both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. Furthermore, the use of magnetic materials can enhance the magnetic field, thereby enhancing Joule heating.

In the illustrated embodiment, the susceptors 224b are formed from aluminum foil, but it should be appreciated that other metals and/or conductive materials may be used in other embodiments. As seen in FIG. 8, the carrier component 242 includes several susceptors 224b that correspond in size and position to the individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 244 disposed on the surface of the carrier component 242. That is, the susceptors 224b have a width and length similar to the individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 244.

The susceptor is shown embedded in the carrier component 242. However, in other embodiments, the susceptor 224b may be disposed on a surface of the carrier component 242.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises a number of inductive acting coils 224a, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7. The acting coils 224a are shown adjacent to the receiver 225 and are generally flat coils arranged such that the axis of rotation about which a given coil is wound extends into the receiver 225 and is generally perpendicular to the plane of the carrier component 242 of the article 204. It should be appreciated that in FIG. 7 the windings are not precisely shown and any suitable inductive coil may be used.

The control circuit 223 includes a mechanism for generating an alternating current through one or more of the induction coils 224a. This alternating current generates an alternating magnetic field as described above, which increases the temperature of the corresponding susceptor(s) 224b. The heat generated by the susceptor(s) 224b is accordingly transferred to the portion of the aerosol-generating material 244.

1 and 2A-2C, the control circuit 223 is configured to supply current to the working coil 224a in response to receiving a signal from the contact sensitive panel 229 and/or the suction sensor 230. As previously described, any of the techniques for selecting which heating element 24 is heated by the control circuit 23 can be similarly applied to selecting which working coil 224a is energized (and thus which portion of the aerosol-generating material 244 is subsequently heated) in response to receiving a signal from the contact sensitive panel 229 and/or the suction sensor 230 by the control circuit 223 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

Although the above describes an inductively heated aerosol delivery system in which the working coil 224a and the susceptor 224b are distributed between the article 204 and the device 202, an inductively heated aerosol delivery system may be provided in which the working coil 224a and the susceptor 224b are located only within the device 202. For example, with reference to FIG. 7, the susceptor 224b may be provided above the inductive working coil 224a and positioned such that the susceptor 224b contacts the underside of the carrier component 242 (in a manner similar to the aerosol delivery system 1 shown in FIG. 1).

Thus, FIG. 8 illustrates a more specific embodiment in which the techniques described in this disclosure can be applied and inductive heating can be used in the aerosol delivery device 202 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

While the above describes a system in which an array of aerosol generating components 24 (e.g., heater elements) are provided to energize individual portions of the aerosol generating material, in other embodiments, the article 4 and/or the aerosol generating components 24 may be configured to move relative to one another. That is, there may be fewer aerosol generating components 24 than individual portions of the aerosol generating material 44 provided on the carrier component 42 of the article 4, such that relative movement between the article 4 and the aerosol generating components 24 is required to enable each of the individual portions of the aerosol generating material 44 to be individually energized. For example, the movable heating element 24 may be provided within the receiver 25 such that the movable heating element 24 can move relative to the receiver 25. In this manner, the movable heating element 24 may be translated (e.g., across the width and length of the carrier component 42) such that the heating element 24 can be aligned with each of the individual portions of the aerosol generating material 44. This approach may reduce the number of aerosol generating components 42 required while providing a similar user experience.

While the above describes an embodiment in which discrete, spatially distinct portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are disposed on the carrier component 42, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may not be provided in discrete, spatially distinct portions, but instead may be provided as a continuous sheet of the aerosol-generating material 44. In these embodiments, certain regions of the sheet of the aerosol-generating material 44 may be selectively heated to generate an aerosol in much the same manner as described above. However, regardless of whether these portions are spatially distinct, the present disclosure describes heating (or aerosolizing) portions of the aerosol-generating material 44. In particular, based on the dimensions of the heating element 24 (or, more specifically, the surface of the heating element 24 that is designed to increase in temperature), a region (corresponding to a portion of the aerosol-generating material) may be defined on the continuous sheet of the aerosol-generating material. In this regard, the corresponding region of the heating element 24 may be considered to define a region or portion of the aerosol-generating material when projected onto the sheet of the aerosol-generating material. According to the present disclosure, each region or portion of the aerosol-generating material may have a mass of 20 mg or less, but the entire continuous sheet may have a mass of more than 20 mg.

Although the above describes an embodiment in which the device 2 can be configured or operated using a touch-sensitive panel 29 attached to the device 2, the device 2 may instead be configured or controlled remotely. For example, the control circuitry 23 may include corresponding communication circuitry (e.g., Bluetooth) that enables the control circuitry 23 to communicate with a remote device such as a smartphone. Thus, the touch-sensitive panel 29 may be implemented, in effect, using an app running on the smartphone or the like. The smartphone may then transmit user input or settings to the control circuitry 23, which may be configured to act based on the received input or settings.

While the above describes an embodiment in which an aerosol is generated by applying energy to the aerosol-generating material 44 (e.g., heating the aerosol-generating material 44) and then inhaled by a user, it should be recognized that in some embodiments, the generated aerosol may pass through or over an aerosol-modifying component to modify one or more properties of the aerosol before being inhaled by the user. For example, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may include an air-permeable insert (not shown) inserted in the air flow path downstream of the aerosol-generating material 44 (e.g., the insert may be located at the outlet 28). The insert may include a material that changes any one or more of the flavor, temperature, particle size, nicotine concentration, etc. of the aerosol as it passes through the insert before entering the user's mouth. For example, the insert may include tobacco or treated tobacco. Such a system may be referred to as a hybrid system. The insert may include any suitable aerosol-modifying material, which may include the aerosol-generating materials described above.

Although the above describes an embodiment in which the aerosol delivery device 2 includes an end-of-use indicator 31, it should be appreciated that the end-of-use indicator 31 may be provided by another device separate from the aerosol delivery device 2. For example, in some embodiments, the control circuitry 23 of the aerosol delivery device 2 may include a communication mechanism that allows data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 2 and a remote device, such as, for example, a smartphone or smartwatch. In these embodiments, when the control circuitry 23 determines that the item 4 has reached end-of-use, the control circuitry 23 is configured to transmit a signal to the remote device, which is configured to generate a warning signal (e.g., using a display on the smartphone). Other remote devices and other mechanisms for generating a warning signal may be used as described above.

In some embodiments, the item 4 may include an identifier, such as a readable bar code or RFID tag, and the aerosol delivery device 2 includes a corresponding reader. When the item is inserted into the receptacle 25 of the device 2, the device 2 may be configured to read the identifier on the item 4. The control circuitry 23 may be configured to recognize the presence of the item 4 (and thus authorize heating and/or reset an end-of-life indicator), or to identify the type and/or location of portions of aerosol-generating material relative to the item 4. This can affect which portions the control circuitry 23 aerosolizes and/or how those portions are aerosolized, for example, by adjusting the aerosol generation temperature and/or heating time. Any suitable technique for recognizing the item 4 may be used.

In addition, when portions of aerosol-generating material are provided on the carrier component 42, these portions may, in some embodiments, include areas of weakness, such as through holes or areas of relatively thin aerosol-generating material, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the carrier component 42. This may be the case when the hottest portions of the aerosol-generating material are areas that directly contact the carrier component (in other words, in a scenario where heat is primarily applied to the surface of the aerosol-generating material that contacts the carrier component 42). Thus, the through holes can provide a path for the generated aerosol to escape and be released into the airflow through the environment/device 2, rather than allowing the aerosol to potentially accumulate between the carrier component 42 and the aerosol-generating material 44. Such accumulation of aerosol may, in some embodiments, cause the aerosol-generating material to lift off the carrier component 42, thus reducing the efficiency of heat transfer to the aerosol-generating material and therefore reducing the heating efficiency of the system. Each portion of aerosol-generating material may include one or more areas of weakness, as required.

Thus, a method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating product comprising portions of an aerosol generating material having different compositions has been described. The method includes heating a first aerosol generating material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol generating material, and heating a second aerosol generating material comprising a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol generating material. The steps of heating the first aerosol generating material and heating the second aerosol generating material are configured to occur substantially simultaneously. This can provide an aerosol comprising a combination of aerosols generated from each of the individual portions of the aerosol generating material. An aerosol delivery device and an aerosol delivery system are also described.

Although the above embodiments have focused in some respects on certain specific exemplary aerosol delivery systems, it will be appreciated that the same principles may be applied to aerosol delivery systems using other technologies; that is, the particular manner in which various aspects of the aerosol delivery systems function is not directly related to the underlying principles of the examples described herein.

To address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure illustrates, by way of example, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive or exclusive of all advantages or features. They are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed invention(s). The advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the disclosure as defined by the claims or the equivalents of the claims, but rather, it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. It will be recognized that the various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and thus the features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims in combinations other than those expressly set forth in the claims. This disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (11)

1. A method of generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating product comprising portions of an aerosol-generating material having different compositions, the method comprising:
heating a first aerosol-forming material comprising a first component to generate an aerosol from the first aerosol-forming material;
and heating a second aerosol-generating material including a second component different from the first component to generate an aerosol from the second aerosol-generating material;
the steps of heating the first aerosol-forming material and heating the second aerosol-forming material are performed substantially simultaneously;
the first component is an active agent and the second component is glycerol;
the first aerosol-generating material is heated to a first temperature at which an aerosol is generated from the first aerosol-generating material, and the second aerosol-generating material is heated to a second temperature at which an aerosol is generated from the second aerosol-generating material;
(A) the first temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures, with the first aerosol-generating material generating a different amount of aerosol at each temperature; or (B) the second temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures, with the second aerosol-generating material generating a different amount of aerosol at each temperature; or (C) the first temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures, with the first aerosol-generating material generating a different amount of aerosol at each temperature, and the second temperature is selectable from a plurality of temperatures, with the second aerosol-generating material generating a different amount of aerosol at each temperature.
method. prior to heating the first and second aerosol-forming materials;
selecting a temperature to which the first aerosol-forming material is heated;
and selecting a temperature to heat the second aerosol-forming material. heating the first aerosol-forming material to a maximum temperature of about 140° C. to about 220° C., the first aerosol-forming material containing 30-60% active material by weight, based on the dry weight of the first aerosol-forming material;
3. The method of claim 1, comprising: heating the second aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature of about 170° C. to about 230° C., wherein the second aerosol-generating material contains 5% to 80% glycerol by weight of the dry weight of the second aerosol-generating material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the active substance is nicotine. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating a third aerosol-generating material comprising a third component different from the first and second components to generate an aerosol from the third aerosol-generating material, wherein the step of heating the third aerosol-generating material is performed substantially simultaneously with the step of heating the first and second aerosol-generating materials. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of heating a fourth aerosol-generating material comprising a fourth component different from the first, second, and third components to generate an aerosol from the fourth aerosol-generating material, wherein the step of heating the fourth aerosol-generating material occurs substantially simultaneously with the steps of heating the first, second, and third aerosol-generating materials. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the aerosol-forming material is an amorphous solid. 8. The method of claim 1 , comprising heating any one or more of the portions of aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature that is less than a temperature sufficient to generate an aerosol from the respective portions of aerosol-generating material, prior to heating the portions of aerosol-generating material to a maximum temperature to generate an aerosol from the portions of aerosol -generating material. 1. An aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating product comprising portions of an aerosol-generating material having different compositions, the portions comprising:
A plurality of heating elements;
and control circuitry configured to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 8 . 10. An aerosol generating system comprising the aerosol generating device of claim 9 and an aerosol generating product comprising a first aerosol generating material comprising a first component and a second aerosol generating material comprising a second component. 1. An aerosol supply means for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating product comprising portions of an aerosol-generating material having different compositions, the aerosol supply means comprising:
A plurality of heating means;
and control means configured to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 .

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