JP7743540B2 - Aerosol Delivery Device - Google Patents

Description

Field

The present invention relates to an aerosol delivery device, an aerosol delivery system, and a method for generating an aerosol.

background

Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these items by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called combustion-free products or tobacco heating devices or products, which release compounds by heating rather than burning a material. This material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Aerosol delivery systems that fall within the scope of the aforementioned devices or products are known. In a typical system, a heater is used to generate an aerosol from a suitable medium, which is then inhaled by the user. The medium used often needs to be replaced or changed so that a different aerosol is available for inhalation. It is known to use an induction heating system as a heater to generate an aerosol from a suitable medium. An induction heating system generally consists of a magnetic field generating device for generating a varying magnetic field and a susceptor or heating material that can be heated by the penetration of the varying magnetic field to heat the suitable medium.

Conventional aerosol delivery devices include a cylindrical heating chamber into which a wand-shaped consumable is inserted.

However, next-generation devices are contemplated in which consumables having shapes other than cylindrical are used, such as consumables comprising a flat substrate. The flat substrate may comprise a susceptor, such as an aluminum substrate, that is heated by the penetration of a changing magnetic field and can be inserted into the aerosol delivery device. Problems can arise in such contemplated configurations in that the susceptor may move undesirably relative to the aerosol delivery device during use.

It is therefore desirable to provide an improved aerosol delivery device.

overview

According to one aspect,
The lid and
The base part and
a locking mechanism configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol generation product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product;
An aerosol delivery device is provided in which the lid portion and the base portion are configured to hold an aerosol generating product in place between the lid portion and the base portion during use.

According to various embodiments, an aerosol delivery device is provided having a locking mechanism configured to engage a lid portion and a base portion of the aerosol delivery device to hold the aerosol product in place between the lid portion and the base portion during use, preventing undesired movement of a susceptor forming part of the aerosol product.

Optionally, the aerosol delivery device comprises one or more heating elements, and the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol generation product in place, in use, to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product towards or away from the one or more heating elements, and the base portion and/or heating portion comprise the one or more heating elements.

Optionally, in use, the aerosol generation product comprising a plurality of aerosol-generation regions is positioned such that one or more of the aerosol-generation regions are positioned adjacent to one of the one or more heating elements, the aerosol supply device comprises a rotation device configured to rotate the aerosol generation product relative to the heating element about a rotation axis to move one or more aerosol-generation regions closer to the heating element, and the fixing mechanism is configured to allow the aerosol generation product to be rotated relative to the heating element while preventing relative movement of the aerosol generation product in directions other than rotation about the rotation axis.

Optionally, the aerosol delivery device further comprises one or more heating elements defining a flat surface, and the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in position, in use, parallel to the flat surface of the one or more heating elements so as to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product along a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface.

Optionally, one or more of the heating elements comprises a substantially flat heating element.

Optionally, the lid portion and/or the base portion comprise one or more walls configured to form an aerosol chamber when the lid portion engages with the base portion, and in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol generating product via the one or more walls such that separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol generating product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol generating product to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generating product.

Optionally, in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol-generating article (i) via the periphery or periphery of one or more walls, and/or (ii) via a plurality of radial struts in one or more walls extending inwardly of the aerosol chamber.

Optionally, in use, one or more walls are configured to be embedded in or partially cut into the aerosol generating article or a substantially planar aerosol generating article.

Optionally, one or more walls comprise one or more partially deformable regions.

Optionally, (i) the periphery or perimeter of one or more walls comprises one or more partially deformable regions, and/or (ii) a plurality of radial struts of one or more walls comprises one or more partially deformable regions.

Optionally, the lid portion and/or the base portion comprise one or more pillars, and in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol generating product via the one or more pillars such that separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol generating product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol generating product to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generating product.

Optionally, in use, the one or more posts are configured to be embedded in or partially cut into the aerosol generating article or substantially planar aerosol generating article.

Optionally, one or more of the pillars include one or more partially deformable regions.

Optionally, in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion uniformly apply pressure via one or more walls and/or one or more posts to a first region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that does not comprise the aerosol-generating material, and do not apply pressure to a second region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that comprises the aerosol-generating material.

Optionally, the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol generating product or substantially flat aerosol generating product in place, during use, at a distance of less than 10 μm from the one or more heating elements.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises a hinge, the lid portion being connected to the base portion via the hinge to form a clamshell configuration, the aerosol delivery device being configured to receive the aerosol product when the hinge is in the open position, and the securing mechanism being configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol product in place, in use, to prevent relative movement of the aerosol product when the hinge is in the closed position.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises a clamping mechanism configured to clamp the lid portion to the base portion for engaging the lid portion with the base portion.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises one or more magnetic elements configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion.

Optionally, the one or more magnetic elements comprise one or more magnets in one of the lid portion and the base portion and a magnetic material in the other of the lid portion and the base portion.

Optionally, the one or more magnetic elements comprise magnetic posts configured to clamp the lid portion to the base portion.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises a snap-fit mechanism comprising a snap-fit element on one of the lid portion and the base portion configured to snap-fit engage with a reciprocal receiving element on the other of the lid portion and the base portion.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises one or more fasteners configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises one or more first gripping elements on the lid portion and/or the base portion configured to grip one or more second gripping elements on the lid portion and/or the base portion, respectively, to engage the lid portion with the base portion.

Optionally, the securing mechanism comprises a cam lock configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion.

Optionally, the cam lock comprises an eccentric cam configured to rotate downwards to hold the aerosol generating product in place, in use, to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generating product.

Optionally, the lid portion and/or the base portion comprise a plenum to form the aerosol formation chamber, and the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downwardly to exert a force on the plenum so that the plenum holds the aerosol generator in place, during use, to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generator.

Optionally, the aerosol delivery device further comprises a slidable platform configured to extend outwardly from the device to receive the aerosol product, the slidable platform configured to retract into the device to insert the aerosol product into the device, the slidable platform connected to the eccentric cam such that the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downwardly when the slidable platform is retracted into the device.

Optionally, the slidable platform is configured to receive the aerosol product when the hinge is in the open position, and the slidable platform is configured to retract into the device when the hinge is moved from the open position to the closed position.

Optionally, the lid portion has an integrated mouthpiece.

Optionally, the aerosol delivery device comprises one or more heating elements defining a curved surface, and the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol product, in use, proximate the curved surface of the one or more heating elements so as to prevent relative movement of the aerosol product along or away from the curved surface of the one or more heating elements.

Optionally, the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold, in use, an aerosol generating product proximate to and having a surface that substantially matches the curved surface of the one or more heating elements.

Optionally, the aerosol delivery device further comprises a control circuit for controlling the one or more heating elements, the control circuit being configured to generate a quantity of aerosol from one or more aerosol-generation regions of the aerosol-generating product by heating at least one of the one or more heating elements, each of the one or more aerosol-generation regions corresponding to a respective heating element of the one or more heating elements.

Optionally, the one or more heating elements comprise one or more induction heating elements with one or more induction coils for generating a varying magnetic field to heat, in use, one or more susceptor elements of the aerosol generator held in place by a fixing mechanism.
According to another aspect,
the aerosol delivery device described above;
An aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising an aerosol generating product for use with the aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating product comprising a portion of the aerosol-generating material.
According to another aspect,
providing an aerosol delivery device as described above;
inserting an aerosol generating product between the lid portion and the base portion;
and engaging the lid portion with the base portion using a locking mechanism to hold the aerosol generating product in place to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generating product.

Various embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol delivery device with multiple heating elements and an aerosol generator with multiple portions of aerosol-forming material, respectively. Figure 2A is a top view of the aerosol generator of Figure 1A, Figure 2B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the aerosol generator, and Figure 2C is a side view along the width axis of the aerosol generator. 1B is a cross-sectional top view of the heating element of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1 is a top view of an exemplary touch-sensitive panel for operating various functions of the aerosol delivery system. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol generating article, the aerosol delivery device including a plurality of induction coils, and the aerosol generating article including a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material and corresponding susceptor portions. Figure 6A is a top view, Figure 6B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the aerosol generating product of Figure 5, and Figure 6C is a side view along the width axis of the aerosol generating product. Figure 7A is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device having a lid portion and a base portion, with the lid portion closed, and Figure 7B is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a rotation device configured to rotate an aerosol generation product about a rotation axis relative to a heating element of the aerosol delivery device, with the lid portion open. Figure 8A is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a rotation device configured to rotate an aerosol generation product about a rotation axis relative to a heating element of the aerosol delivery device, with the lid portion open and a circular, flat aerosol generation product shown inserted into the aerosol delivery device; Figure 8B is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a rotation device configured to rotate an aerosol generation product about a rotation axis relative to a heating element of the aerosol delivery device, with the lid portion open and a circular, flat aerosol generation product placed in the base portion of the aerosol delivery device; and Figure 8C is a diagram illustrating the base portion of an aerosol delivery device according to one embodiment. 9A and 9B illustrate an aerosol delivery device having a fastening mechanism comprising a magnetic post configured to clamp a lid portion of the aerosol delivery device to a base portion of the aerosol delivery device. 10A is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device including a locking mechanism with a slidable catch configured to engage a lid portion of the aerosol delivery device with a base portion, FIG. 10B illustrates the aerosol delivery device with the slidable catch removed, and FIG. 10C illustrates the aerosol delivery device in an open position.

Detailed Description

Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented and will not be discussed/described in detail for the sake of brevity. Therefore, it will be recognized that aspects and features of the devices and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing 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 aerosol-generating material constituents (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system to facilitate delivery of the aerosol to a user. Furthermore, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol," as well as related terms such as "vaporize," "volatilize," and "aerosolize," can be used generally interchangeably.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a puff-on device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, and these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery system. In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system for generating aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

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

A consumable is an article that includes or consists of an aerosol-generating material, some or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol modifier. A consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol upon use. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

Non-combustible aerosol delivery systems often, but not always, comprise modular assemblies that include both reusable aerosol delivery devices and replaceable items. 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 aerosol generating item may comprise, in part or entirely, the aerosol generating component.

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

An aerosol-forming material is a material that can generate an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or otherwise energized. The aerosol-forming material may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or semi-solid (e.g., gel) form, and may or may not contain an active agent and/or flavoring.

The aerosol-generating 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, recyclable aerosolizable material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

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

FIG. 1A 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, control circuitry 23, a plurality of aerosol generating components 24, a receiving portion or aerosol forming chamber 25, a mouth end 26, an air inlet 27, an air outlet 28, a touch-sensitive panel 29, a suction 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 so that the power source 22, control circuitry 23, aerosol generating component 24, receptacle 25, and 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 mouth end 26 are formed as a single component (i.e., the mouth end 26 forms part of the outer housing 21). The mouth end 26 is defined as the region 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. 1A, the thickness of the outer housing 21 tapers toward the air outlet 28, providing a relatively thin portion of the aerosol delivery device 2 that can be more easily accommodated by a user's lips. However, in other embodiments, the mouth end 26 may be a removable component that is separate from but connectable to the outer housing 21, and that 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 aerosol delivery device 2 to an external power source (e.g., mains power) 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 or programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery device 2 to provide specific operational functions 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, the control circuitry 23 may comprise a communications logical subunit, for example, to facilitate data transfer to or from the aerosol delivery 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. Control circuitry 23 may be connected to power source 23 and configured to receive power from power source 22 and distribute or control the power supply to other components of aerosol delivery device 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol delivery device 2 further comprises a receptacle 25 arranged to receive the aerosol generation product 4. The aerosol generation product 4 comprises a carrier component 42 and an aerosol-generating material 44. The aerosol generation product 4 is shown in more detail in Figures 2A-2C. Figure 2A is a top view of the aerosol generation product 4, Figure 2B is an end view of the aerosol generation product 4 along its longitudinal (length) axis, and Figure 2C is a side view of the aerosol generation product 4 along its width axis.

The aerosol-generating product 4 comprises a carrier component 42, which in this embodiment is formed from card. The carrier component 42 forms the bulk of the aerosol-generating product 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 that 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 aerosol-generating product 4 by a user.

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2C, the aerosol-generating article 4 comprises a plurality of individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 disposed on the surface of the carrier component 42. More specifically, the aerosol-generating 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. While the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 are shown as having circular footprints, it should be appreciated that the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 may have 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 _ta , as shown in FIGS. 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 or 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 product 24 is relatively small. For example, the mass of a single 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 aerosol-generating product 44 may be greater than 20 mg.

The aerosol-generating product 4 may comprise multiple portions of aerosol-generating material 44, all formed from the same aerosol-generating material. Alternatively, the aerosol-generating product 4 may comprise multiple portions of aerosol-generating material 44, at least two of the portions being formed from different aerosol-generating materials.

The receptacle 25 is sized to removably receive the aerosol generation product 4. Although not shown in FIG. 1A , the aerosol delivery device 2 may include a lid portion and a base portion configured to engage with each other by a locking mechanism, as described in more detail below. Various configurations of the lid portion and base portion are contemplated; for example, although not shown in FIG. 1A , the aerosol delivery device 2 may include a hinged door or a removable portion of the outer housing 21 to provide access to the receptacle 25, such that a user can insert and/or remove the aerosol generation product 4 from the receptacle 25. The hinged door or the removable portion of the outer housing 21 may also function to retain the aerosol generation product 4 within the receptacle 25 when closed. When the aerosol generation product 4 is used up, or when the user simply wishes to switch to a different aerosol generation product 4, the aerosol generation product 4 can be removed from the aerosol delivery device 2 and a replacement aerosol generation product 4 placed in the receptacle 25 in its place. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device 2 may include a permanent opening that communicates with the receptacle 25 and through which the aerosol generation product 4 can be inserted into the receptacle 25. In such an embodiment, a retention mechanism may be provided to retain the aerosol generation product 4 within the receptacle 25 of the aerosol delivery device 2. As will be appreciated, the retention mechanism may comprise a locking mechanism configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol generation product 4 in place during use to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product 4. For example, the lid portion and base portion may be configured to hold the aerosol generation product 4 in place between the lid portion and the base portion.

As seen in FIG. 1A, the aerosol delivery device 2 includes several 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 a resistive path disposed therein.

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 1A and 3, the heating element 24 is arranged so that the surface of the heating element 24 forms part of the surface of the receptacle 25. That is, the outer surface of the heating element 24 is flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25. More specifically, the outer surface of the heating element 24 that is flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 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 aerosol-generating product 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 2x3 array that roughly corresponds to the 2x3 array arrangement of the six individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 shown in Figures 2A-2C. However, as discussed above, the number of heating elements 24 may vary in different embodiments, such as 8, 10, 12, 14, etc. heating elements 24. In some embodiments, the number of heating elements 24 is six or more but 20 or less.

More specifically, the heating elements 24 are numbered 24a through 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 activated to heat a corresponding portion of the aerosol-generating material 44. While the heating elements 24 are shown flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25, in other embodiments, the heating elements 24 may protrude into the receptacle 25. In either case, when the aerosol-generating product 4 is present in the receptacle 25, it contacts the surface of the heating elements 24, such that heat generated by the heating elements 24 is conducted through the carrier component 42 to the aerosol-generating material 44.

In some embodiments, to improve heat transfer efficiency, the receiver 25 may include components that apply a force to the 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. As will be appreciated, the lid portion of the aerosol delivery device 2 may be configured to engage the base portion with a securing mechanism, whereby the lid portion and/or the base portion include components that apply a force to the surface of the carrier component 42 to press the carrier component 42 against the heater element 44. Various configurations of the lid portion, base portion, and corresponding securing mechanisms are described in more detail below.

Additionally or alternatively, the heater element 24 may be configured to move toward/away from the aerosol-generating product 4, or may be pressed against a surface of the carrier component 42 that does not include the aerosol-generating material 44. In embodiments in which the aerosol-generating product 4 is configured to move in a specified or desired direction relative to the heater element 24, the securing mechanism configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the aerosol-generating product in place to prevent relative movement of the aerosol-generating product does so by preventing relative movement in any direction other than the specified or desired direction. For example, in embodiments in which the aerosol-generating product 4 is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation relative to the heater element 24 (as described below in connection with FIG. 1B ), e.g., to cause the heater element 24 to impart a new region of aerosol-generating material onto the aerosol-generating product 4, the securing mechanism may be configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to prevent relative movement of the aerosol-generating product 4 in any direction other than rotation about the axis of rotation, while still allowing the aerosol-generating product 4 to be rotated relative to the heater element 24.

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

The aerosol delivery device 2 of FIG. 1A 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 thus may be more broadly referred to as a user input mechanism. The received user input may indicate that the user wishes to generate aerosol.

The touch-sensitive panel 29 may be a capacitive touch sensor that can be operated by a user of the aerosol delivery device 2 by placing a finger or another suitable conductive object (e.g., a stylus) on the touch-sensitive panel 29. In the illustrated embodiment, the touch-sensitive panel 29 includes an area that the user can press to initiate aerosol generation. The control circuit 23 may be configured to receive a signal from the touch-sensitive panel 29 and use this signal to determine whether the user is pressing (i.e., activating) this area of the touch-sensitive panel 29. If the control circuit 23 receives this signal, the control circuit 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 period of time (e.g., 3 seconds) from the moment contact is detected, or may be supplied for a period corresponding to the length of time contact is detected. In other embodiments, the touch-sensitive panel 29 may be replaced by a user-actuable button or the like.

The suction sensor 30 may be a pressure sensor, microphone, or the like configured to detect a drop in pressure or airflow caused by a user inhaling on the aerosol delivery 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 this signal to determine whether a user is inhaling on the aerosol delivery system 1. When the control circuit 23 receives this signal, the control circuit 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 period of time (e.g., 3 seconds) from the moment inhalation is detected, or for a period corresponding to the length of time inhalation is detected.

In the illustrated example, both the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 detect a user's desire to begin generating aerosol for inhalation. The control circuit 23 may be configured to supply 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 due to 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).

In some embodiments, the control circuit 23 is configured to sequentially supply power to each of the individual heating elements 24 in response to detecting a signal from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. More specifically, the control circuit 23 is configured to sequentially supply power to each of the individual heating elements 23 in response to the order of detection of the signals received from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. For example, the control circuit 23 may be configured to supply power to a first heating element 24 of the plurality of heating elements 24 when a signal is first detected (e.g., from when the aerosol delivery device 2 is first turned on). When the signal ceases or a predetermined time has elapsed since the signal was detected, the control circuit 23 records that the first heating element 24 has been activated (and thus the corresponding individual portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 has been heated). The control circuit 23 determines to activate the second heating element 24 in response to receiving a subsequent signal from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. Thus, when the control circuit 23 receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 activates the second heating element 24. This process is repeated for the remaining heating elements 24, so that all of the heating elements 24 are activated in sequence.

In effect, this operation means that for each inhalation, a different portion of the discrete portion of aerosol-forming material 44 is heated and an aerosol is generated therefrom. In other words, a single discrete portion of aerosol-forming material is heated with each inhalation by the user.

Alternatively, or in addition, the aerosol delivery device 2 may comprise a movement mechanism configured to move the aerosol product to align a separate or new portion of the aerosol product with one or more heating elements of the aerosol delivery device 2.

For example, FIG. 1B shows a schematic diagram of a portion of an aerosol delivery device 2. The aerosol delivery device 2 has an aerosol generation product 4 therein, the aerosol generation product 4 comprising an aerosol-generating medium 44. The combination of the aerosol delivery device 2 and the aerosol generation product 4 forms an aerosol delivery system 1.

The aerosol-generating product 4 has a first surface 112 that contains the aerosol-generating medium. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol-generating product includes a carrier layer 111 (sometimes referred to herein as a carrier or substrate support layer) having a first surface on which the aerosol-generating medium is disposed. In this embodiment, the combination of the surface of the carrier layer 111 and the surface of the aerosol-generating material forms the first surface 112 of the aerosol-generating product 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol-generating medium may be disposed as multiple doses 44 of the medium. The aerosol-generating product 4 has a second surface 116 opposite the first surface 112. The first surface 112 and the second surface 116 may be smooth or rough. The second surface 116 may be formed by the carrier layer 111.

The aerosol delivery device 2 has an energy source for heating the heating element 24, which is positioned to face the second surface 116 of the aerosol-generating product 4. The energy source for heating the heating element 24 is an element of the aerosol-delivery device 2 that transfers energy from a power source, such as a battery (not shown), to the aerosol-generating medium 44 to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating medium. In the example described below, the energy source for heating the heating element 24 is a heater, such as a resistance heater, that supplies energy (in the form of heat) to the aerosol-generating medium to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating medium. The aerosol delivery device 2 has a moving mechanism 130 arranged to move the aerosol-generating product 4, in particular a portion 44 (or, in some cases, a dose) of the aerosol-generating medium. The portion 44 of the aerosol-generating medium is preferably rotatable relative to the heating element 24 so that the portion of the aerosol-generating medium is individually provided to the heating element 24. The aerosol delivery device 2 is arranged so that at least one dose 44 of aerosol-generating medium is rotated about an axis A at an angle θ relative to the second surface 116. The control circuit 23 is configured to drive both the heating element 24 and the movement mechanism 130 so that the aerosol-generating article 4 rotates to align the individual portions 44 with the heating element 24. The aerosol-generating article 4 in this embodiment is substantially flat. The carrier layer 111 of the article 4 in this embodiment may be formed partly or entirely from paper or card.

The aerosol-generating product 4 in FIG. 1B has several (e.g., five) doses (or portions) 44 of aerosol-generating medium. In other examples, the aerosol-generating product 4 may have more or fewer doses 44 of aerosol-generating medium. In some examples, the aerosol-generating product 4 may have doses 44 of aerosol-generating medium arranged as individual doses as shown in FIG. 1B.

In another example, the doses 44 may be in the form of a disk that is continuous or discontinuous in the circumferential direction of the aerosol generator 4. In yet another example, the doses 44 may be annular, ring-shaped, or any other shape. The aerosol generator 4 may or may not have a rotationally symmetric distribution of the doses 44 on the first surface 112 about the axis A. A symmetric distribution of the doses 44 allows equally positioned doses (within the rotationally symmetric distribution) to receive an equivalent heating profile from the heating element 24 when rotated about the axis A, as desired.

In this example, the aerosol generating product 4 includes an aerosol generating medium disposed in a carrier layer 111 of the aerosol generating product 4. However, in other embodiments, the aerosol generating product 4 may be formed solely of the aerosol generating medium. That is, in some embodiments, the aerosol generating product 4 may consist entirely of the aerosol generating medium. In still other embodiments, the aerosol generating product 4 may have a layered structure of multiple materials. In one example, the aerosol generating product 4 may have a layer formed from at least one of a thermally conductive material, a conductive material, a permeable material, or an impermeable material.

In some embodiments, the carrier layer 111 of the substrate may be or may include a metal element arranged to be heated by a changing magnetic field. In such embodiments, the energy source for the heating element 24 may include an induction coil which, when energized, induces heating within the metal element of the aerosol generation product 4. The degree of heating is affected by the distance between the metal element and the induction coil.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 1B operates by indexing (or moving) multiple doses of aerosol-generating material relative to the heating element 24. While this arrangement in FIG. 1B may require a slightly increased complexity in the moving mechanism 130 to move the aerosol-generating product 4, it offers advantages by requiring only one heating element 24 to heat multiple portions of the aerosol-generating medium. For example, the single heating element 24 in the arrangement in FIG. 1B requires only one control mechanism (e.g., control circuit 23), rather than multiple heaters requiring multiple control mechanisms. This arrangement may therefore reduce the cost and control complexity associated with operating and controlling the heating element 24.

The shape of the aerosol delivery device 2 may be cigarette-shaped (one dimension longer than the other two dimensions) or may have other shapes. In one example, the aerosol delivery device 2 may have two dimensions longer than the other, such as a compact disc player. Alternatively, the shape may be any shape that can adequately accommodate the aerosol generation product 4, the energy source for the heating element 24, and the movement mechanism 130.

It should be understood that in addition to the single heating element 24 instead of the multiple heating elements 24 of FIG. 1A and the moving mechanism 130 configured to rotate the aerosol generation product 4 of FIG. 1B, the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 1B may include one or more of the other features described in connection with FIG. 1A, such as, for example, a suction sensor 30.

Returning now to FIG. 1A, in other embodiments, the control circuit 23 may be configured to activate the first heating element 24 multiple times (e.g., twice) before determining that the second heating element 24 should be activated in response to a next signal from either or both of the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, or to activate each of the multiple heating elements 24 once, such that when all heating elements 24 have been activated once, the heating elements are activated in sequence a second time when a next signal is detected.

Sequential actuation in this manner is sometimes referred to as a "sequential actuation mode," which is primarily designed to deliver a consistent aerosol per inhalation (which may be measured, for example, by total aerosol generated or total components delivered). Therefore, this mode may be most effective when each portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the aerosol-generating product 4 is substantially identical, i.e., when portions 44a-44f are formed from the same material.

In some other embodiments, in response to detecting signals from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuitry 23 is configured to simultaneously supply power to one or more of the heating elements 24. For example, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to supply power to one or more of the heating elements 24 such that two or more portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 can be heated per suction.

In such embodiments, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to supply power to selected ones of the heating elements 24 in accordance with a predetermined configuration. The predetermined configuration may be a configuration selected or determined by a user. For example, the contact-sensitive panel 29 may include an area where the user can individually select which of the heating elements 24 to activate when the control circuitry 23 receives a signal from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. In some embodiments, the user may also set the power level for each heating element 24 to be supplied to the heating element 24 in response to receiving the signal.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the touch-sensitive panel 29 according to such an embodiment. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the outer housing 21 and touch-sensitive panel 29 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 begin 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 control the supply of power to each of the six corresponding heating elements 24. In the described embodiment, each heating element 24 can have multiple states, such as an off state in which no power is supplied to the heating element 24, a low-power state in which a first level of power is supplied 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 supplied to the heating element 24. However, in other embodiments, fewer or more states may be available for the heating element 24. For example, each heating element 24 may have an off state in which no power is supplied to the heating element 24, and an on state in which power is supplied to the heating element 24.

Thus, before generating an aerosol, a user can configure which heating elements 24 (and subsequently which portions of the aerosol-forming material 44) to heat (and, optionally, to what extent) by interacting with the touch-sensitive panel 29. For example, the user may repeatedly tap areas 29a-29f to cycle through different states (e.g., off, low power, high power, off, etc.). Alternatively, the user may press and hold areas 29a-29f to cycle through different states, with the duration of the press determining the state.

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 a display element (e.g., located under the transparent touch-sensitive panel 29 or adjacent to the regions 29a-29f of the touch-sensitive panel 29) that displays the current state of the heating element 24.

Once the user has configured the heating elements 24, the control circuit 23 is configured to supply power to the selected heating elements 24 in accordance with the preset configuration in response to detecting signals from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 (more specifically, area 29g of the contact-sensitive panel 29) and the suction sensor 30.

Such simultaneous activation of the heating elements 24 is therefore sometimes referred to as a "simultaneous activation mode," which is primarily designed to deliver a customizable aerosol from a given aerosol-generating product 4 with the intention of allowing the user to customize their experience from session to session, or even puff to puff. Therefore, this mode may be most effective when the portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the aerosol-generating product 4 are different from one another. For example, portions 44a and 44b may be formed from one material, and portions 44c and 44d may be formed from a different material.

Thus, in this mode of operation, the user can select which portions to aerosolize at any given moment, and therefore which combination of aerosols to deliver.

In both the simultaneous operation mode and the sequential operation mode, the control circuit 23 may be configured to generate a warning signal indicating the end of use of the aerosol generation product 4, for example, when each of the heating elements 24 has been sequentially activated a predetermined number of times, or when a given heating element 24 has been activated a predetermined number of times and/or for a given cumulative activation time and/or a given cumulative activation power. In FIG. 1A , the aerosol delivery 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. 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 aerosol delivery device 2 may prevent further activation of the aerosol delivery device 2 when the warning signal is output. When the user replaces the aerosol generation product 4 and/or turns off the warning signal via manual means such as a button (not shown), the warning signal can be turned off and the control circuit 23 is reset.

More specifically, in embodiments in which a sequential mode of operation is used, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to count the number of signals received from either or both of the contact-sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 during use and determine that the aerosol-generating article 4 has reached the end of its life when a predetermined number is reached. For example, for an article 4 comprising six individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44, the predetermined number may be 6, 12, 18, etc., depending on the current embodiment.

In embodiments in which the simultaneous operation mode is used, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to count the number of times 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 life of the aerosol-generating product 4 when a predetermined number has been reached.

Alternatively, the control circuitry 23 may be configured to separately count each individual portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 as that portion is heated. Each portion may have the same or a different predetermined number of times, and when any one of the times for each portion of the aerosol-generating material reaches the predetermined number, the control circuitry 23 determines that the life of the aerosol-generating product 4 has ended.

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, cumulative time, and the temperature of the material may be used to adjust the amount of time added to the cumulative time. For example, a portion heated to 200°C for 3 seconds may contribute 3 seconds to the cumulative time, while a portion heated to 250°C for 3 seconds may contribute 4.5 seconds to the cumulative time.

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

In the above-described embodiment of the aerosol delivery system 1, multiple (discrete) portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are provided that can be selectively aerosolized using the aerosol-generating component 24. Such an aerosol delivery system 1 offers advantages over other systems designed to heat larger sized portions of material. In particular, for a given draw, only selected portions(s) of the aerosol-generating material 44 are aerosolized, resulting in a more energy-efficient system overall.

In a heating system, several parameters affect the overall effectiveness of the system in delivering a sufficient amount of aerosol to the user per puff. On the one hand, the thickness of the aerosol-generating material 44 is important because it affects how quickly the aerosol-generating material 44 reaches the operating temperature (and subsequently generates aerosol). This is important for several reasons, but it can also lead to more efficient use of energy from the power source 22, as the heating element may not need to operate for as long as it would if a thicker portion of material were being heated. On the other hand, the total mass of the aerosol-generating material 44 that is heated affects the total amount of aerosol that can be generated and subsequently delivered to the user. In addition, the temperature to which the aerosol-generating material 44 is heated can also affect both how quickly the aerosol-generating material 44 reaches the operating temperature and the amount of aerosol generated.

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 200 in another configuration. The aerosol delivery system 200 includes components broadly similar to those described in connection with Figure 1A, but with the addition of 200 reference numerals. For efficiency, components having similar reference numerals should be understood to be substantially the same as their counterparts in Figures 1A, 1B, and 2A-2C, unless otherwise noted.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises an outer housing 221, a power source 222, a control circuit 223, an induction heating element such as an induction coil 224a, a receiving portion or aerosol forming chamber 225, a mouth end 226, an air inlet 227, an air outlet 228, a contact-sensitive panel 229, a suction sensor 230, and an end-of-use indicator 231. The induction heating element comprises one or more of: (i) a flat helical coil, including a circular or oval spiral, a square or rectangular spiral, a trapezoidal spiral, or a triangular spiral; (ii) a multi-layer induction configuration, where subsequent full or partial turns of the coil are provided in adjacent layers, optionally with a first layer spaced from a second layer in a first direction and a third layer spaced from a second layer in an opposite direction such that the first layer is within or adjacent to the first layer so that the multi-layer induction configuration forms a staggered structure; or (iii) a three-dimensional inductor coil, optionally having a varying helical pitch, such as a regular helical or conical-shaped inductor coil. The aerosol delivery device 202 may comprise a lid portion, a base portion, and a stationary portion substantially similar to those described above in connection with FIG. 1A.

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 6A-6C. Figure 6A is a top view of the aerosol generating article 204, Figure 6B is an end view of the aerosol generating article 204 along its longitudinal (length) axis, and Figure 6C is a side view of the aerosol generating article 204 along its width axis.

Figures 5 and 6A-6C illustrate an aerosol delivery system 200 that uses induction to heat an aerosol-generating material 244 to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol generation component 224 is formed from two parts: an induction coil 224a disposed in the aerosol delivery device 202 and a susceptor 224b disposed in the aerosol generator 204.

Thus, each aerosol generating component 224 comprises an element dispersed 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. This process is explained by Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may include an electromagnet and a device for passing a changing current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are positioned relative to one another so that the changing magnetic field generated by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated within the object. The object has a resistance to the flow of electric current. Therefore, when such eddy currents are generated within the object, they flow against the object's electrical resistance, thereby heating the object. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistive heating.

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

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

When an object is both conductive and magnetic, subjecting it to a varying magnetic field can cause both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating. Furthermore, the use of magnetic materials can intensify the magnetic field, thereby intensifying Joule heating.

In the illustrated embodiment, the susceptors 224b are formed from aluminum foil, but it should be appreciated that other metallic and/or conductive materials may be used in other embodiments. As seen in FIG. 6C, the carrier component 242 includes several susceptors 224b whose size and position correspond 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 widths and lengths similar to the individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 244.

The susceptor 224b is shown embedded in the carrier component 242. However, in other embodiments, the susceptor 224b may be disposed on the surface of the carrier component 242. In another embodiment (not shown), the susceptor may be provided as a layer that substantially covers the carrier component 242.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises a plurality of induction coils 224a, shown schematically in FIG. 5. The induction coils 224a are shown adjacent to the receptacle 225 and are generally flat coils arranged such that the axis of rotation about which a given coil is wound extends into the receptacle 225 and is generally perpendicular to the plane of the carrier component 242 of the aerosol generator 204. It should be appreciated that the windings are not precisely shown in FIG. 5, and any suitable induction 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 correspondingly transferred to the portion of the aerosol-generating material 244.

1A, 1B, and 2A-2C, the control circuit 223 is configured to supply current to the induction 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 induction 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 induction heating aerosol supply system in which the induction coil 224a and the susceptor 224b are distributed between the aerosol generator 204 and the aerosol supply device 202, an induction heating aerosol supply system in which the induction coil 224a and the susceptor 224b are disposed only within the aerosol supply device 202 may also be provided. For example, with reference to FIG. 5, the susceptor 224b may be disposed above the induction coil 224a and in contact with the lower surface of the carrier component 242.

FIG. 5 therefore illustrates a more specific embodiment in which the techniques described in this disclosure can be applied and in which 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) is provided to energize individual portions of aerosol-generating material, in other embodiments, the aerosol-generating product 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 44 individual portions of aerosol-generating material provided on the carrier component 42 of the aerosol-generating product 4, resulting in relative movement between the aerosol-generating product 4 and the aerosol-generating components 24 to enable each of the individual portions of 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 can be translated (e.g., across the width and length of the carrier component 42) so that the heating element 24 can be aligned with each of the individual portions of 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 aerosol-generating material 44 are disposed on the carrier component 42, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 44 may not be provided in discrete, spatially distinct portions, but may instead be provided as a continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material. In these embodiments, specific regions of the sheet of 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, regions (corresponding to portions of the aerosol-generating material) may be defined on the continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material 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). In this regard, the corresponding regions of the heating element 24 may be considered to define regions or portions of the aerosol-generating material when projected onto the sheet of aerosol-generating material. According to the present disclosure, each region or portion of the aerosol-forming material may have a mass of 20 mg or less, although the entire continuous sheet may have a mass greater than 20 mg.

While the above describes an embodiment in which the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 can be configured or operated using a touch-sensitive panel 29, 229 attached to the aerosol delivery device, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may instead be configured or controlled remotely. For example, the control circuit 23, 223 may include corresponding communications circuitry (e.g., Bluetooth) that enables the control circuit 23, 223 to communicate with a remote device, such as a smartphone. Thus, the touch-sensitive panel 29, 229 may be essentially implemented using an app running on the smartphone, or the like. The smartphone may then transmit user input or settings to the control circuit 23, 223, which may be configured to operate based on the received input or settings.

While the above describes embodiments in which an aerosol is generated by applying energy to the aerosol-generating material 44, 244 (e.g., by heating the aerosol-generating material 44, 244) and then inhaled by a user, it should be appreciated 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 a user. For example, the aerosol-generating device 2, 202 may include an air-permeable insert (not shown) inserted in the air flow path downstream of the aerosol-generating material 44, 244 (e.g., the insert may be located at the outlet 28, 228). The insert may include a material that alters 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 processed tobacco. Such a system is sometimes referred to as a hybrid system. The insert may include any suitable aerosol-modifying material, which may include the aerosol-generating materials described above.

While the heating element 24 is described above as being configured to supply heat to the aerosol-generating material (or portions thereof) to bring the portions to an operating temperature at which aerosol is generated, in some embodiments, the heating element 24 is configured to preheat portions of the aerosol-generating material to a preheat temperature (which is lower than the operating temperature). At the preheat temperature, a smaller amount of aerosol is generated, or no aerosol is generated, when the portions are heated to the preheat temperature. In particular, in some embodiments, the control circuitry is configured to supply power/energy before the first predetermined period begins (i.e., before receiving a signal indicating the user's intent to inhale aerosol). However, a smaller amount of energy is required to raise the temperature of the aerosol-generating material from the preheat temperature to the operating temperature, thereby improving system responsiveness, but increasing total energy consumption. This may be particularly suitable for relatively thick portions of the aerosol-generating material (e.g., portions having a thickness greater than 400 μm), which require a relatively large amount of energy to reach the operating temperature. However, in such embodiments, energy consumption (e.g., from the power supply 22) may be relatively high.

It will be appreciated that while each of the heating elements 24 may provide the same heating profile to its respective aerosol-generation region 24, one or more of the heating elements 24 may instead be configured to provide different heating profiles to its respective aerosol-generation region 24. For example, aerosol-generation regions 24 located further from the mouthpiece 28 may be heated according to a heating profile that produces a greater amount of aerosol than aerosol-generation regions 24 located closer to the mouthpiece 28, which may offset the additional loss of aerosol due to condensation along the increased travel distance and result in more consistent delivery of aerosol from the different aerosol-generation regions 24.

While the above describes embodiments in which the aerosol generation device 2, 202 includes an end-of-use indicator 31, 231, it should be appreciated that the end-of-use indicator 31, 231 may be provided by a separate device separate from the aerosol delivery device 2, 202. For example, in some embodiments, the control circuitry 23, 223 of the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may include a communications mechanism that enables data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 and a remote device, such as a smartphone or smartwatch. In these embodiments, when the control circuitry 23, 223 determines that the aerosol product 4, 204 has reached end-of-use, the control circuitry 23, 223 is configured to transmit a signal to the remote device, which is configured to generate a warning signal (e.g., using a smartphone display). Other remote devices and other mechanisms for generating a warning signal may be used, as described above.

Additionally, when portions of aerosol-generating material are disposed on the carrier component 42, 242, 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, 242. This may be the case when the hottest portions of the aerosol-generating material are in direct contact with the carrier component (in other words, in a scenario where heat is applied primarily to the surface of the aerosol-generating material that contacts the carrier component 42, 242). Thus, rather than allowing aerosol to potentially accumulate between the carrier component 42, 242 and the aerosol-generating material 44, 244, the through-holes can provide a path for generated aerosol to escape and be released into the environment/airflow through the aerosol-delivery device 22, 202. Such accumulation of aerosol, in some embodiments, can cause the aerosol-generating material to lift off the carrier component 42, 242, thereby reducing the efficiency of heat transfer to the aerosol-generating material 44, 244 and thereby reducing the heating efficiency of the system. Each portion of the aerosol-forming material 44, 244 may optionally include one or more areas of weakness.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating product 4, 204 may be provided with an identifier, such as a readable barcode or RFID tag, and the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may be provided with a corresponding reader. When the aerosol-generating product 4, 204 is inserted into the receptacle 25, 225 of the aerosol delivery device 2, 202, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may be configured to read the identifier on the aerosol-generating product 4, 202. The control circuitry 23, 223 may be configured to recognize the presence of the aerosol-generating product 4, 204 (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 aerosol-generating product 4, 204. This can affect which portions the control circuitry 23, 223 aerosolizes and/or how these portions are aerosolized, for example, by adjusting the aerosol generation temperature and/or heating time. Any suitable technique for identifying the aerosol-generating product 4, 204 may be used.

However, in accordance with the present disclosure, the inventors have discovered that an aerosol delivery device (2, 202) having one or more aerosol generating components designed to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating material of an aerosol generating product (4, 204) to generate an aerosol may, in some cases, result in inconsistencies in the quantity or quality of aerosol delivered to the user from puff to puff, even when the heating conditions for each of the one or more aerosol generating components are expected to be generally the same.

For example, as discussed, the aerosol-generating article 204 comprising the aerosol-generating material may include a substrate (e.g., paper, card, foil) having a first side and a second side, with the aerosol-generating material disposed on the first side of the substrate. The substrate, in this example, may function as a carrier for the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the substrate may be or include a metal element configured to be heated by a varying magnetic field. In such embodiments, the heating energy source may include an induction coil (such as induction coil 224a) that, when energized, generates heating within the metal element of the substrate or article 4, 204. The degree of heating is affected by the distance between the metal element and the induction coil. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, there is a z-direction separation between induction coil 224a and the aerosol-generating article 204. Therefore, varying this z-direction separation along the length of the aerosol-generating article 204 may alter the inductive coupling between each induction coil 224a and the corresponding susceptor 224b of the aerosol-generating article 204. This variation can result in inconsistencies in the quantity or quality of aerosol delivered to the user from puff to puff, even if heating conditions are expected to be generally the same across different aerosol-generating components of the aerosol-generating product.

For example, without wishing to be bound by theory, in embodiments where the metal element is mechanically flexible, such as formed from a metal foil, the metal foil may move downward due to the force resulting from the changing magnetic field. For example, without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the metal foil moves up and down under the influence of the pulsed electromagnetic field.

Furthermore, in embodiments in which the aerosol generator comprises, in use, a metal foil laminated or otherwise adhered to a substrate, the induction temperature of the foil may be sufficient to melt the adhesive or laminate such that the metal foil becomes free to move relative to the aerosol delivery device 202. As will be appreciated, the foregoing may equally apply to embodiments comprising a resistive heater in addition to, or instead of, an induction heater.

Furthermore, the aerosol delivery device 202 may include a wireless temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the aerosol generation product 204 during use. Variations in the indicated z-direction separation between the induction coil 224a (or resistive heater) and the aerosol generation product 204 may result in inaccurate wireless temperature measurements. Therefore, a consistent separation between the induction coil 224a (or resistive heater) and the aerosol generation product 204 should be maintained to enable better wireless temperature sensing.

Figures 7A-7B and 8A-8C show different perspective views of a portion of an aerosol delivery system 700 according to various embodiments. The aerosol delivery system 700 comprises two main components: an aerosol delivery device 702 and an aerosol generator 704 (see Figures 8A and 8B).

7A and 7B, the aerosol delivery device 702 comprises a lid portion 706 and a base portion 708. The aerosol delivery device 702 also comprises a locking mechanism 710. The locking mechanism 710 is configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708. When engaged, the lid portion 706 and the base portion 708 hold the aerosol generation product 704 (shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B) in place therebetween during use, preventing relative movement of the aerosol generation product 704.

In some embodiments, the securing mechanism 710 is configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708 to hold the aerosol generating product 704, which comprises a metal foil bonded to a substrate, in place during use so as to prevent relative movement of the metal foil with respect to the substrate of the aerosol generating product 704. That is, when the aerosol delivery device 702 is configured to heat the aerosol generating product 704 during use to generate an aerosol, the securing mechanism 710 is configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708 to hold the aerosol generating product 704 in place therebetween so as to prevent movement of the metal foil with respect to the substrate, such as to prevent partial or complete separation of the metal foil from the substrate. Thus, relative movement of the aerosol generating product 704 is also to be interpreted as meaning relative movement of one portion of the aerosol generating product 704, such as the metal foil, with respect to another portion of the aerosol generating product 704, such as the substrate or support.

In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 702 comprises one or more heating elements (e.g., heating element 732 shown in FIGS. 8A-C). As shown in FIGS. 8A-C, the heating element 732 is provided within or forms part of the base portion 708. However, alternatively or additionally, one or more heating elements may be provided in the lid portion 706. The lid portion 706 and the base portion 708 are thus engaged to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product 704 along a direction toward or away from the one or more heating elements 732, e.g., to prevent movement of the aerosol generation product 704 along the z-direction (in use) away from or toward the heating element 732 of the aerosol delivery device 702, as shown in FIG. 8B. While only one heater 732 is shown in FIGS. 8A-C, it should be understood that more than one heater 732, such as two or three heaters, may be provided. In some embodiments, the one or more heating elements 732 comprise one or more induction heating elements comprising one or more induction coils for generating a varying magnetic field to, in use, heat one or more susceptor elements (such as metal foils) of the aerosol generating article 704 that are held in place by the securing mechanism 710. Alternatively, or in addition, the one or more heating elements 732 may be resistive heating elements.

In embodiments, the one or more heating elements 732 define a flat surface, as shown in Figures 8A-C. In such embodiments, in use, the securing mechanism 710 is configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708 to hold the substantially flat aerosol generation product 704 in position parallel to the flat surface so as to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol generation product 704 along a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface, such as along the z direction shown in Figure 8B.

As will be appreciated, one or more heating elements 732 may comprise a substantially flat heating element, such as a flat spiral induction coil. However, in other embodiments, one or more heating elements 732 may be non-flat but define a flat surface, such as a conical induction coil, with the bottom of the conical coil defining the flat surface.

Figures 9A-9B show different perspective views of a portion of an aerosol delivery system 900 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 900 includes components generally similar to those described below in connection with Figures 7A-7B and 8A-8C. However, the reference numbers begin with a "9" instead of a "7," such that reference numeral 902 indicates the aerosol delivery device 902. For efficiency, components having similar reference numbers should be understood to be generally the same as their corresponding counterparts in Figures 7A-7B and 8A-8C, unless otherwise noted.

As shown in Figures 7A-7B, 8A-8C, and 9A-9B, the aerosol delivery device 702, 902 includes a rotation device 736, 936 configured to rotate the aerosol generation product 704 (shown in Figure 8B) about a rotation axis. The rotation device 736, 936 is configured to rotate the aerosol generation product 704 relative to the heating element 732, thereby moving one or more new aerosol-generation regions of the aerosol generation product 704 closer to the heating element 732. As will be appreciated, in embodiments including the rotation device 736, 936, the fixing mechanism 710 is configured to allow the aerosol generation product 704 to be rotated relative to the heating element 732 while preventing relative movement of the aerosol generation product 704 in directions other than rotation about the rotation axis, such as the z-direction shown in Figure 8B.

In embodiments, the aerosol generating product 704 may include one or more tracks, and the lid portion 706 and/or the base portion 708 are configured to apply a force along the one or more tracks to allow the aerosol generating product 704 to be rotated while preventing relative movement of the aerosol generating product 704 in directions other than rotation about the axis of rotation. In some embodiments, the one or more tracks may comprise regions of the aerosol generating product 704 that do not include any aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the one or more tracks may comprise regions of the aerosol generating product 704 that include a metal foil.

7A-7B and 8A-8B in particular, the lid portion 706 may include a plenum 712 and a mouthpiece 714. The plenum 712 may include a mouthpiece 714. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 714 and plenum 712 may be integral with the lid portion 706. It should be appreciated that the integrated mouthpiece 714 and lid portion 706 ensure uniform compression of the aerosol generation product 704. That is, additional mechanical play or variation resulting from the connection between the mouthpiece 714 and the lid portion 706 is substantially absent if they are a single, integral piece. As a result, the force exerted by the lid portion 706 on the aerosol generation product 704 is substantially constant across the entire surface of the aerosol generation product 704 that faces the top lid. Additionally or alternatively, the lid portion 706 may further include a lid insert 716 (see FIG. 8B) configured to retain the plenum 712 and/or mouthpiece 714 to the outer housing of the lid portion 706 by one or more fastening means, such as pins.

7A-7B and 8A-8C, the securing mechanism 710 may include a hinge 734 such that the lid portion 706 is connected to the base portion 708 via the hinge 734 to form a clamshell configuration. That is, the aerosol delivery device 702 may be configured to receive the aerosol generation product 704 when the hinge 734 is in the open position, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 8A-8B. The securing mechanism 710 may be configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708 to hold the aerosol generation product 704 in place during use, preventing relative movement of the aerosol generation product 704 when the hinge 734 is in the closed position, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7A.

With continued reference to FIGS. 7A-7B and 8A-8C, the securing mechanism 710 may comprise one or more magnetic elements configured to engage the lid portion 706 with the base portion 708. For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the base portion 708 may comprise a magnet 720 configured to be magnetically attracted to a corresponding magnet receiving area 722 on the lid portion 706. Alternatively, or in addition, the lid portion 706 may comprise one or more magnets 720, and the base portion may comprise a corresponding magnet receiving area 722. While only a single securing mechanism 710 is shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, it should be understood that two or more such securing mechanisms may be provided to co-ordinately or evenly secure the lid portion 706 to the base portion 708.

In an embodiment, the one or more magnets 720 may be formed from one or more of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB), samarium cobalt (SmCo), alnico, and ceramic or ferrite magnets.

In embodiments, one or more corresponding magnet receiving areas 722 may comprise a temporary magnet, for example, one or more of iron, iron alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, cobalt, cobalt alloy, gadolinium, gadolinium alloy, dysprosium, and dysprosium alloy.

In embodiments, one of the lid portion 706 and the base portion 708 may include an electromagnet. In such embodiments, the electromagnet may be activated to generate a magnetic field to attract one or more magnets 720 or magnet receiving areas 722 of the other of the lid portion 706 and the base portion 708. In embodiments, both the lid portion 706 and the base portion 708 may each include an electromagnet such that the electromagnets attract each other when activated. A control circuit, such as control circuit 23 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, may be configured to activate the electromagnet.

As shown in FIG. 7B , each of the one or more corresponding magnet receiving areas 722 may include a recess for receiving a respective one of the one or more magnets 720. However, in embodiments, at least one of the one or more corresponding magnet receiving areas 722 may be flat or flush with the base-facing wall of the lid portion 706 to engage a respective one of the one or more magnets 720, and each one of the one or more magnets 720 may be flat or flush with the lid-facing wall of the base portion 708. In some embodiments, all of the one or more magnets 720 and the one or more corresponding magnet receiving areas 722 may be flat or flush.

In embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 702 may also include a clamping mechanism configured to clamp the lid portion to the base portion for engaging the lid portion with the base portion.

9A and 9B, an aerosol delivery system 900 is shown that includes an aerosol delivery device 902 having an additional or alternative securing mechanism 910. The securing mechanism 910 may include magnetic posts 924 configured to clamp the lid portion 906 to the base portion 908, as shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. 9B shows the aerosol delivery system 900 in an upward position without the securing mechanism 910 attached. As shown, the base portion may include one or more magnets 926, or one or more magnetic regions 926, configured to cooperate with the magnetic posts 924 to clamp the lid portion 906 to the base portion 908.

Figures 10A-10C show different perspective views of a portion of an aerosol delivery system 1000 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1000 includes components generally similar to those described below in connection with Figures 7A-7B, 8A-8C, and 9A-9B. However, the reference numbers begin with "10" instead of "7" or "9," such that reference numeral 1002 indicates the aerosol delivery device 1002. For efficiency, components having similar reference numbers should be understood to be generally the same as their corresponding counterparts in Figures 7A-7B, 8A-8C, and 9A-9B, unless otherwise noted.

In embodiments, the aerosol delivery devices 2, 202, 702, 902, 1002 disclosed above may additionally or alternatively include a fastening mechanism comprising a snap-fit mechanism. The snap-fit mechanism may include a snap-fit element on one of the lid portion 706, 906, 1006 and the base portion 708, 908, 1008 configured to snap-fit engage with a reciprocal receiving element on the other of the lid portion 706, 906, 1006 and the base portion 708, 908, 1008.

In embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202, 702, 902, 1002 disclosed above may additionally or alternatively include a locking mechanism on the lid portion 706, 906, 1006 and/or the base portion 708, 908, 1008, comprising one or more first gripping elements configured to grip one or more second gripping elements of the lid portion 706, 906, 1006 and/or the base portion 708, 908, 1008, respectively, to engage the lid portion 706, 906, 1006 with the base portion 708, 908, 1008. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8B , the lid portion 706 may include one or more first gripping elements in the form of protrusions 728 configured to grip one or more second gripping elements in the form of lips 730 provided on the base portion 708. As will be appreciated, one or more of the first gripping elements 728, 730 may be formed from a particular material that allows for a secure grip between the respective gripping elements and also forms a seal to prevent the aerosol from leaking or otherwise escaping from the aerosol delivery device 702 during use.

In embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202, 702, 902, 1002 may additionally or alternatively include a securing mechanism comprising one or more fasteners configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the securing mechanism 1010 may include a fastener, such as a slidable fastener 1032, configured to clamp the lid portion 1006 to the base portion 1008 to engage the lid portion 1006 with the base portion 1008. Alternatively or additionally, the securing mechanism 1010 may include a rotatable fastener.

In some embodiments, the lid portion and/or the base portion may include one or more walls configured to form an aerosol chamber or an aerosol formation chamber when the lid portion is engaged with the base portion. The lid portion and/or the base portion may apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol generation product via the one or more walls such that separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol generation product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol generation product to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product. That is, the aerosol delivery device is configured to hold the area of the aerosol generation product to be heated such that the z-distance (e.g., the distance between a heating element, such as an induction coil, and the metal foil of the aerosol generation product) is consistent throughout the area of the aerosol generation product. This configuration may be achieved by configuring the aerosol delivery device such that the walls forming the chamber in which the aerosol is formed are uniformly clamped to the aerosol generation product.

In some embodiments, in use, the lid portion and/or base portion may apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol product (i) via the periphery or periphery of one or more walls, and/or (ii) via a plurality of radial struts on one or more walls extending toward the inside of the aerosol chamber. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8B , the lid portion 706 may include one or more walls in the form of one or more protrusions 728, the distal ends of which may be configured to apply pressure uniformly to the aerosol product 704 in use.

As shown in FIG. 7B , the aerosol delivery device 702 may include radial struts 738 extending toward the inside of the aerosol generation chamber. In some embodiments, the radial struts 738 may be straight. However, additionally or alternatively, the radial struts 738 may be curved. One or more walls may be configured to embed or partially cut into the aerosol generation product or a substantially flat aerosol generation product during use. One or more walls may include one or more partially deformable regions. For example, the partially deformable regions may be interconnected to seal the aerosol generation chamber around the aerosol generation product. Furthermore, the partially deformable region or regions may ensure that separation between the one or more heating elements and the aerosol generation product is maintained throughout the aerosol generation product. The periphery or periphery of one or more walls may include one or more partially deformable regions, and/or multiple radial struts of one or more walls may include one or more partially deformable regions.

The lid portion and/or the base portion may comprise one or more posts. In use, the lid portion and/or the base portion may apply pressure uniformly to the substantially flat aerosol generating product via the one or more posts so that separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol generating product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol generating product to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generating product. That is, the one or more posts may be finger-like and may hold the aerosol generating product in place. The one or more posts may comprise one or more deformable regions. That is, the one or more posts may be one or more deformable posts, which may be finger-like, and may hold the aerosol generating product in place. For example, this may ensure that the aerosol generating product is close to the heater while at the same time allowing easy insertion of the aerosol generating product into the aerosol delivery device. As will be appreciated, the one or more posts or “fingers” may be deformable to allow insertion of an article, making it relatively easy for a user to insert an aerosol-generating product into the aerosol delivery device, but after the article is inserted, the one or more posts may push the consumable product into a predetermined position. The one or more posts or “fingers” may maintain a constant pressure on the consumable product, thereby maintaining a constant z-distance separation as discussed above. The one or more posts may be configured to be recessed or partially cut into the aerosol-generating product or the substantially flat aerosol-generating product. In use, the lid portion and/or base portion may uniformly apply pressure via one or more walls and/or one or more posts to a first region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that does not include an aerosol-generating material, while not applying pressure to a second region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that includes an aerosol-generating material. For example, the first region may include a susceptor (e.g., a metal foil) but substantially no aerosol-generating material, while the second region may include both a susceptor (e.g., a metal foil) and an aerosol-generating material.

According to various embodiments, the locking mechanism may include a cam lock configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion. The cam lock may include an eccentric cam configured to rotate downward to hold the aerosol generation product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product. The lid portion and/or the base portion may include a plenum to form the aerosol formation chamber, and the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downward to apply a force to the plenum to hold the aerosol generation product in place during use by the plenum to prevent relative movement of the aerosol generation product. According to various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may further include a slidable platform configured to extend outward from the aerosol delivery device to receive the aerosol generation product. The slidable platform may be configured to retract into the aerosol delivery device to insert the aerosol generation product into the aerosol delivery device, and the slidable platform may be connected to the eccentric cam such that the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downward when the slidable platform is retracted into the aerosol delivery device. The slidable platform may be configured to receive the aerosol product when the hinge is in the open position, and the slidable platform is configured to retract into the aerosol delivery device when the hinge is moved from the open position to the closed position.

The one or more heating elements may define a curved surface. For example, the one or more heating elements may comprise a flat spiral coil wound around a cylinder such that the surface defined by the coil substantially conforms to the surface of the cylinder. The securing mechanism may be configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold an aerosol product, in use, proximate to the curved surface of the one or more heating elements to prevent relative movement of the aerosol product along or away from the curved surface of the one or more heating elements. The securing mechanism may be configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold an aerosol product, in use, proximate to the curved surface of the one or more heating elements, having a surface that substantially conforms to the curved surface of the one or more heating elements.

As will be appreciated, a smaller distance between the aerosol generating article and the heater ensures better heating efficiency. According to various embodiments, the aerosol generating article or substantially flat aerosol generating article may be held in place, during use, at a distance of less than 10 μm from one or more heating elements.

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

To address various challenges and advance the art, this disclosure presents various embodiments by way of example. 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, functions, 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 thereof, and it is to be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. It will be recognized that 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 features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims in combinations other than those explicitly set forth in the claims. This disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (19)

The lid and
The base part and
and a securing mechanism,
at least one of the base portion and the lid portion includes one or more heating elements;
the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product towards or away from the one or more heating elements;
An aerosol delivery device, wherein the lid portion and the base portion are configured to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in position between the lid portion and the base portion so that, during use, separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol product . 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein, in use, the substantially flat aerosol generation product having a plurality of aerosol-generating regions is positioned so that one or more aerosol-generating regions are positioned adjacent to one of the one or more heating elements, and the aerosol delivery device comprises a rotation device configured to rotate the substantially flat aerosol generation product relative to the heating element about a rotation axis so that one or more aerosol-generating regions are moved closer to the heating element, and the fixing mechanism is configured to allow the substantially flat aerosol generation product to be rotated relative to the heating element while preventing relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol generation product in directions other than rotation about the rotation axis . 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the one or more heating elements define a flat surface, and the fixing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in position parallel to the flat surface of the one or more heating elements during use, so as to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product along a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the lid portion and/or the base portion have one or more walls configured to form an aerosol chamber when the lid portion engages with the base portion, and wherein, in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion uniformly apply pressure to the substantially flat aerosol product via the one or more walls so that separation between the one or more heating elements and the substantially flat aerosol product is maintained throughout the substantially flat aerosol product to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4, wherein, in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion uniformly apply pressure to the substantially flat aerosol product (i) through the periphery or periphery of the one or more walls, and/or ( ii ) through a plurality of radial struts of the one or more walls extending toward the inside of the aerosol chamber. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4 , wherein, in use, the one or more walls are configured to embed or partially cut into the substantially planar aerosol generating article. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more walls comprise one or more partially deformable regions. 5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4, wherein, in use, the lid portion and/or the base portion uniformly apply pressure via the one or more walls and/or the one or more pillars to a first region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that does not comprise an aerosol-generating material, and do not apply pressure to a second region of the substantially flat aerosol-generating product that comprises an aerosol-generating material. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a hinge, the lid portion is connected to the base portion via the hinge to form a clamshell configuration, the aerosol delivery device is configured to receive the substantially flat aerosol product when the hinge is in an open position, and the securing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product when the hinge is in a closed position. 10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 9 , wherein the securing mechanism comprises a cam lock configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion. 11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 10, wherein the cam lock comprises an eccentric cam configured to rotate downward to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product. 12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, wherein the lid portion and/or the base portion comprise a plenum for forming an aerosol formation chamber, and the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downwardly to apply a force to the plenum so that the plenum holds the substantially flat aerosol product in place during use to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product . 12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, further comprising a slidable platform configured to extend outward from the device to receive the substantially flat aerosol product, the slidable platform configured to retract into the device to insert the substantially flat aerosol product into the device, and the slidable platform connected to the eccentric cam such that the eccentric cam is configured to rotate downward when the slidable platform retracts into the device . 14. The aerosol delivery device of claim 13, wherein the slidable platform is configured to receive the substantially flat aerosol product when the hinge is in an open position, and the slidable platform is configured to retract into the device when the hinge is moved from the open position to a closed position. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the one or more heating elements define curved surfaces, and the fixing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product proximate the curved surfaces of the one or more heating elements during use so as to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol product along directions toward or away from the curved surfaces of the one or more heating elements. 16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 15, wherein the fixing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product, having a surface that substantially matches the curved surface of the one or more heating elements, proximal to the curved surface of the one or more heating elements during use. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the fixing mechanism is configured to engage the lid portion with the base portion to hold the substantially flat aerosol product in place during use, the substantially flat aerosol product comprising a metal foil bonded to a substrate, so as to prevent relative movement of the metal foil with respect to the substrate of the substantially flat aerosol product. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1;
and a substantially flat aerosol generating article for use with the aerosol delivery device, the substantially flat aerosol generating article comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating material. Providing an aerosol delivery device according to claim 1;
inserting a substantially flat aerosol generating article between the lid portion and the base portion;
and engaging the lid portion with the base portion using the securing mechanism to hold the substantially flat aerosol generating product in place to prevent relative movement of the substantially flat aerosol generating product.