Patent ID: 12220522

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In general outline, one or more embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a system for aerosol delivery in which an end, or an end portion, of an aerosol carrier cartridge may be inserted into a heating chamber of a device for initiating and maintaining release of an aerosol from the aerosol carrier cartridge. Another end, or another end portion, of the aerosol carrier cartridge protrudes from the device and can be inserted into the mouth of a user for the inhalation of aerosol released from the aerosol carrier cartridge during operation of the device.

Hereinafter, and for convenience only, “system for aerosol delivery” shall be referred to as “aerosol delivery system”.

Referring now toFIG.1, there is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery system10comprising a device12operative to initiate and maintain release of aerosol from a carrier unit in an aerosol carrier cartridge and an aerosol carrier cartridge14. InFIG.1, the aerosol carrier cartridge14is shown with a first end16thereof and a portion of the length of the aerosol carrier cartridge14located within a heating chamber of the device12. A remaining portion of the aerosol carrier cartridge14extends out of the heating chamber. This remaining portion of the aerosol carrier cartridge14, terminating at a second end18of the aerosol carrier cartridge, is configured for insertion into a user's mouth. A vapour and/or aerosol is produced when a heater element (not shown) of the device12heats an aerosol carrier unit in the aerosol carrier cartridge14to release a vapour and/or an aerosol, and this can be delivered to the user, when the user sucks or inhales, via a fluid passage through the aerosol carrier cartridge14from the aerosol carrier unit to the second end18.

The device12also comprises air-intake apertures20in the housing of the device12to provide a passage for air to be drawn into the interior of the device12(when the user sucks or inhales) for delivery to the first end16of the aerosol carrier cartridge14, so that the air can be drawn through the aerosol carrier cartridge14during use. Optionally, these apertures may be perforations in the housing of the device12.

An aerosol carrier unit (not shown inFIG.1, but seeFIGS.5and6), such as, for example, an aerosol capsule, is located at the first end16of the aerosol carrier cartridge14. The carrier unit contains at least one of: nicotine; a nicotine precursor material; a nicotine compound; and one or more flavourings, and is configured to allow air drawn into the aerosol carrier cartridge14from the first end16to flow therethrough. The nicotine, nicotine precursor material, nicotine compound, and/or one or more flavourings may be contained in an aerosol precursor material. The aerosol precursor material may comprise one or more of: a fluid; a gel; a wax; or a powder. As air passes through the carrier unit, an aerosol may be entrained in the air stream from a carrier substrate within the aerosol carrier unit bearing the nicotine, nicotine precursor material, nicotine compound and/or one or more flavourings, e.g. via diffusion.

The aerosol carrier cartridge14is removable from the device12so that it may be disposed of when expired. After removal of a used aerosol carrier cartridge14a replacement aerosol carrier cartridge14can be inserted into the device12to replace the used aerosol carrier cartridge14.

FIG.2is a cross-sectional side view illustration of a part of device12of the aerosol delivery system10.

The device12comprises a heating chamber22in which is located a portion of the aerosol carrier cartridge14. The device12also comprise a heater element24, which extends into the heating chamber22, and which is configured to penetrate the aerosol carrier cartridge14through the first end16of the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

The aerosol carrier cartridge14can be inserted into the heating chamber22such that the heater element24penetrates the first end16of the aerosol carrier cartridge14and extends into the aerosol carrier unit (not shown) of the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

As described above, air flows into the device12(in particular, into a closed end of the heating chamber22) via the air-intake apertures20. From the closed end of the heating chamber22, the air is drawn through the aerosol carrier cartridge14(under the action of the user inhaling or sucking on the second end18) and expelled at second end18. As the air flows through the aerosol carrier unit (heated by operation of the heater element14), aerosol released, or liberated, from the aerosol carrier unit through the heating action, is drawn from the material of the aerosol carrier unit by the air flowing therethrough and is transported in the air flow to the second end18. The direction of air flow is illustrated by arrows inFIG.2.

To achieve release of the captive aerosol from the aerosol carrier unit, the aerosol carrier unit of the aerosol carrier cartridge14is heated by the heater element24. As a user sucks or inhales on second end18of the aerosol carrier cartridge14, the aerosol released from the aerosol carrier unit is drawn through the aerosol carrier cartridge14towards the second end18and onwards into the user's mouth.

Turning now toFIG.3, a cross-sectional side view of the aerosol delivery system10is schematically illustrated showing the features described above in relation toFIGS.1and2in more detail.

As can be seen, device12comprises a housing26, in which are located the heating chamber22and heater element24. The housing26also contains control circuitry (not shown) operative by a user, or upon detection of air and/or vapour being drawn into the device12through air-intake apertures20, i.e. when the user sucks or inhales. Additionally, the housing26comprises an electrical energy supply28, for example a battery. Optionally, the battery comprises a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The housing26also comprises a coupling30for electrically (and optionally mechanically) coupling the electrical energy supply28to control circuitry (not shown) for powering and controlling operation of the heater element24.

Responsive to activation of the control circuitry of device12, the heater element24heats the aerosol carrier unit (not shown) of aerosol carrier cartridge14. This heating process initiates (and, through continued operation, maintains) release of vapour and/or an aerosol from the aerosol carrier unit. The vapour and/or aerosol formed as a result of the heating process is entrained into a stream of air being drawn therethrough (as the user sucks or inhales). The stream of air with the entrained vapour and/or aerosol exits the aerosol carrier cartridge14at second end18for delivery to the user.

This process is briefly described above in relation toFIG.2, where arrows schematically denote the flow of the air stream into the device12and through the aerosol carrier cartridge14, and the flow of the air stream with the entrained vapour and/or aerosol through the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

FIGS.4to6schematically illustrate the aerosol carrier cartridge14in more detail.FIG.4illustrates an exterior of the aerosol carrier cartridge14,FIG.5illustrates internal components of the aerosol carrier cartridge14in one or more embodiments of the present invention, andFIG.6illustrates all components of the aerosol carrier cartridge14in an exploded view.

FIG.4illustrates the exterior of the aerosol carrier unit14, which comprises housing32for housing said aerosol carrier unit (not shown) and at least one other internal component. The housing32comprises a hollow tubular member, or sleeve, which may be cylindrical in form.

FIG.5illustrates internal components of the aerosol carrier cartridge14. As described above, the aerosol carrier cartridge14comprises an aerosol carrier unit34, but optionally may also further comprise a cooling element. Further optional components may comprise a compression-resistant spacer and/or a filter element. In an optional arrangement, the aerosol carrier cartridge14comprises the aerosol carrier unit34only. In another optional arrangement, the aerosol carrier cartridge14comprises the aerosol carrier unit34and the cooling element. In yet another optional arrangement, the aerosol carrier cartridge14comprises the aerosol carrier unit34, the cooling element and at least one of the compression-resistant spacer and the filter element.

InFIG.5, aerosol carrier cartridge14is shown as comprising the aerosol carrier unit34, a compression-resistant spacer36, a cooling element38and a filter element40in coaxial alignment. As can be seen, the components are arranged sequentially such that a first end of the compression-resistant spacer36abuts a second end of the aerosol carrier unit34, a first end of the cooling element38abuts a second end of the compression-resistant spacer36and a first end of the filter element40abuts a second end of the cooling element38. A first end of the aerosol carrier unit34corresponds to the first end of the aerosol carrier cartridge14and a second end of the filter element40corresponds to the second end of the aerosol carrier cartridge.

Housing32of the aerosol carrier cartridge14(illustrated inFIG.4) is configured to house the components illustrated inFIG.5.

The aerosol carrier unit34is located at an “upstream” end of the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

For the avoidance of doubt, the term “upstream” defines a position towards the point at which air will be drawn into the aerosol carrier cartridge14when it is in use, i.e. a point from which air is drawn into aerosol carrier cartridge14from an interior of the device12(but which has been drawn into the device12from atmosphere). The term “downstream” defines a position from the point at, or after, which air containing the vapour and/or aerosol exits the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol carrier unit32comprises a substrate that holds aerosol-forming precursor. The precursor may comprise nicotine and/or flavours. The precursor may comprise at least one of: fluid; gel; wax; and powder. The substrate optionally may comprise a heat-resistant carrier material. Employing a heat-resistant carrier may prevent pyrolysis occurring in the substrate material. This is because production of smoke (caused by pyrolysis of a substrate matrix material) may be undesirable. The heat-resistant carrier optionally may comprise a plurality of pores and/or spaces and/or channels and/or conduits for holding the aerosol-forming precursor. In one or more embodiments, the aerosol-forming precursor comprises nicotine and/or nicotine compounds and/or flavours. The precursor material is configured to release an aerosol and/or vapour upon heating. Thus, as the substrate matrix material containing the precursor material is heated, the substances within the precursor material, and captively held, are released into an air stream flowing through the nicotine carrier unit34as an aerosol and/or vapour.

Optionally, the precursor material comprises a tobacco-plant extract material. The tobacco-plant extract material may comprise nicotine-containing wax extracted from a tobacco-plant starting material. The nicotine-containing wax may also include flavours. The tobacco-plant extract material may be extracted from tobacco plant starter material using a supercritical fluid extraction process, which may employ a conventional supercritical fluid extraction process or otherwise.

The substrate optionally comprises a sheet material formed from the heat-resistant carrier material. This sheet material may be folded in a random manner to form folds of said sheet material that are randomly oriented with respect to other folds of said sheet material (e.g. with spaces between adjacent layers caused by the folding providing the spaces, conduits and/or channels). Alternatively, or additionally, the sheet material may comprise a plurality of layers of sheet material formed from the heat-resistant carrier material, each layer oriented in a random manner with respect to other layers of said material. Again, spaces between adjacent layers may provide the spaces, conduits and/or channels.

The configuration of the sheet material of the heat-resistant carrier to include at least one of pores, spaces, channels and conduits, may provide multiple entry points (and insertion paths) to lessen the force required to insert the heater element24of the device12into the aerosol carrier cartridge14. That is, they may ease an insertion of the heater element24into the aerosol carrier cartridge14. Additionally, providing multiple layers (through folding a single sheet, layering multiple sheets, or a combination of the two) and orienting the layers in a random manner to provide the pores, spaces, conduits and/or channels, permit air to flow through the substrate of the aerosol carrier unit34and also increase the surface area of the substrate that is available for contact with a flow of air therethrough.

The heat-resistant carrier may comprise a ceramic material, optionally a ceramic matrix composite, further optionally ceramic paper, and yet further optionally alumina-silicate fibres. The ceramic material may provide a level of resilience to prevent damage to the substrate during insertion of the heater element24into the aerosol carrier cartridge14. This resilience may also assist with easing insertion of the heater element24into the substrate of the aerosol carrier cartridge14, because the material may deflect away from the heater element24as it is being inserted, but return back towards its starting point to form a contact around the heater element24, when so inserted. This may enhance the thermal contact of the substrate to the heater element24and may improve heat transfer from the heater element24to the substrate of the aerosol carrier cartridge14.

The aerosol carrier unit34may further comprise a sheet of heat-resistant material surrounding the substrate. Optionally, this heat-resistant material may comprise the same material as the heat resistant carrier of the substrate, but other heat-resistant materials may also be suitable.

The substrate material for the aerosol carrier unit34may be manufactured by combining a heat-resistant carrier precursor material and a tobacco-plant extract material such as the wax referred to earlier to form a mixture. From the mixture, a sheet material may be formed that comprises the heat-resistant carrier that holds the tobacco-plant extract material. As described above, the tobacco-plant extract material may be extracted from tobacco plant starter material using a supercritical fluid extraction process. Optionally, the substrate material for the aerosol carrier unit34may be manufactured by adding constituent materials for forming the heat-resistant material to constituent materials for forming the aerosol-forming precursor (i.e. comprising constituent materials for forming the heat-resistant material may be added to a nicotine-containing and/or flavoured fluid, gel, wax, or powder). Both sets of materials are mixed to form a mixture and then the mixture is formed into a sheet to form said sheet material. The constituent materials for forming the heating-resistant material may comprise alumina fibres and/or silica fibres and/or alumina powder and/or silica powder.

Manufacture of the aerosol carrier unit34itself may comprise folding, in a random manner, sheet material manufactured according to process described above, to form folds of said sheet material that are randomly oriented with respect to other folds. Alternatively, or additionally, a plurality of layers of said sheet may be layered (and optionally folded) to form the carrier unit34.

The compression-resistant spacer36is located immediately downstream of the aerosol carrier unit34and abuts the aerosol carrier unit34. In one of more embodiments of the present invention, the compression-resistant spacer36comprises a hollow tube. Optionally, the hollow tube may be formed from cellulose acetate. The compression-resistant spacer36is configured to locate the aerosol carrier unit34at the upstream end of the aerosol carrier cartridge14so that it can be penetrated by the heater element24of device12. The compression-resistant spacer36may serve to inhibit downstream movement of the aerosol carrier unit34within the aerosol carrier cartridge14when the heater element24of device12is inserted into aerosol carrier unit34. The compression-resistant spacer36also serves to space the cooling element38from the aerosol carrier unit34.

The cooling element38is located immediately downstream of the compression-resistant spacer36and abuts the compression-resistant spacer36. In use, the air stream entrained with an aerosol and/or vapour released from the aerosol carrier unit34pass through the cooling element38towards the second end18of the of the aerosol carrier cartridge14. Hereinafter, compounds and/or flavours and/or any other substances released from the nicotine carrier unit34, when heated by the heater element24, shall be referred to as “substances”. The air stream and aerosol substances entrained therein may cool within the cooling element38for inhalation by the user. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, cooling element38comprises a plurality of cooling formations42therein. Optionally, the formations42may comprise a plurality of longitudinal channels that extend along the length of the cooling element38. Further optionally, these formations42may be formed by folding a sheet material to create a plurality of folded layers, optionally with the layers at random orientations to one another. Optionally, the cooling element38may comprise a polymer material.

The filter element40is located immediately downstream of the cooling element38and abuts the cooling element38. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the filter element40comprises a conventional filter.

The aerosol carrier cartridge14may be assembled by coaxially aligning the aerosol carrier unit34, compression-resistant spacer36, cooling element38and filter and inserting the components in this configuration into the housing32.

The aerosol carrier cartridge14configured to engage with the device12comprising a heater element24in order to deliver aerosol to a user. In use, the heater element24of the device12heats the aerosol carrier unit34of the aerosol carrier cartridge14to a sufficient temperature to release (or liberate) captive substances held within the aerosol carrier unit34to form a vapour and/or aerosol, which is drawn downstream through the aerosol carrier cartridge14and inhaled by the user.

The compression-resistant spacer36of the aerosol carrier cartridge14is configured to resist the penetration force experienced by the aerosol carrier cartridge14during insertion of the heater element24of the device12into the aerosol carrier unit34. The compression-resistant spacer36of the aerosol carrier cartridge14thereby may inhibit movement of the aerosol carrier unit34downstream within the aerosol carrier cartridge14during insertion of the heater element24of the device12into the aerosol carrier unit34.

With the heater element24inserted into the aerosol carrier unit34, operation of the device12will cause the heater element24to heat the aerosol carrier unit34of the aerosol carrier cartridge14to a temperature sufficient to release (or liberate) captive substances held within the aerosol carrier unit34to form a vapour and/or aerosol. At sufficiently high temperatures, substances are released from the aerosol carrier unit34of the aerosol carrier cartridge14. As a user draws on second end18of the aerosol carrier cartridge14, the released substances from the aerosol carrier unit34are drawn downstream through the aerosol carrier cartridge14(entrained in a stream of air) and condense to form an aerosol that is drawn through the filter element40of the aerosol carrier cartridge14into the user's mouth.

As the air with the entrained vapour and/or aerosol containing the released substance passes downstream thorough the cooling element38the temperature of the air stream and entrained vapour and/or aerosol substances may be reduced due to transfer of thermal energy from the air stream and entrained vapour and/or aerosol substances to the cooling element38. This is to ensure that the temperature of the air stream and entrained vapour and/or aerosol substances is at a relatively low temperature when exiting the second end18of the aerosol carrier cartridge14so as to be comfortable for a user to inhale.

FIG.7is an exploded perspective view illustration of a kit-of-parts for assembling an aerosol delivery system10according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

There has been described in the foregoing one or more embodiments of an aerosol delivery system that avoids or at least ameliorates the problems of the prior art.

In one or more optional arrangements, a carrier unit34containing nicotine and/or nicotine compounds may be substituted or supplemented with a carrier unit configured to provide a flavoured vapour and/or aerosol upon heating of the carrier unit by the heater element24of the device12. A precursor material for forming the flavoured vapour and/or aerosol upon heating is held within pores, spaces, channels and/or conduits within the carrier unit. The precursor material may be extracted from a tobacco plant starting material using a supercritical fluid extraction process. Optionally, the precursor material is nicotine-free and comprises tobacco-flavours extracted from the tobacco plant starting material. Further optionally, the extracted nicotine-free precursor material (e.g. flavours only) could have nicotine added thereto prior to loading of the precursor material into the substrate of the carrier unit. Further optionally, flavours and physiologically active material may be extracted from plants other than tobacco plants.

In one or more optional arrangements, a carrier unit (containing nicotine, or nicotine-free) comprises two physically separate substrates. A first substrate is configured to hold a precursor material for forming a vapour and/or aerosol upon heating. A second substrate is configured to be penetrable by the heater element24of the device12. In the one or more optional arrangements, the precursor material is not directly heated, which may be desirable in some instances (e.g. where direct heating may have a negative impact on flavours to be produced). Locating the precursor material in a different substrate to that which undergoes direct heating (i.e. the second substrate) means that the first substrate may experience lower temperatures than those experienced by the second substrate. In one or more embodiments the first substrate may be selected to have a thermal conductivity to provide a desired low-temperature at the second substrate or have a physical configuration which distributes the thermal energy from the heater element across the volume of the first substrate in order to dissipate the energy and produce a low heating effect at the second substrate. Therefore, different materials may be used for the first substrate than are used for the second substrate. Optionally, a thermally conductive barrier layer may be located between the first substrate and second substrate to separate the two substrates. Further optionally, the thermally conductive barrier layer may comprise a metal foil layer. However, heat transferred to the second substrate from the heater element24can still be transferred to the first substrate (to cause release of vapour and/or aerosol from the precursor material) via the thermally conductive barrier layer. The material of the first substrate comprises an absorbent material suitable for holding a quantity of precursor material. The material of the first substrate may comprise, for example, paper material, microporous foam material and/or microporous polymer material and/or ceramic material. The precursor material may optionally be impregnated into the material of the first substrate and/or may be coated onto surfaces of the first substrate. For example, the precursor material may comprise a liquid absorbed into the material of the first substrate and/or the precursor material may comprise a powder coated onto surfaces of the first substrate.

In one or more optional arrangements comprising a carrier unit having two separate substrates (seeFIG.8), the second substrate46may be formed into a cylinder and the first substrate44may be formed into an annular sleeve configured to fit around the second substrate46. The optional thermally conductive barrier layer48may also be configured as an annular sleeve configured to fit around the second substrate46and around which the annular sleeve of the first substrate44can be fitted. In these arrangements precursor material containing flavours and/or nicotine may be held in the outer, first substrate44. The inner, second substrate46is configured to be penetrable by the heater element24of device12. Optionally, the material forming the second substrate46may comprise the types of material discussed above in relation toFIG.5and/or may comprise other types of materials suitable for penetration by the heater element24of device12. In all optional arrangements, the material of the second substrate46comprises a heat-resistant material. This may avoid degradation (e.g. by pyrolysis) of the second substrate46when heat is applied to the second substrate46via the heater element24. Optionally, the material forming the second substrate46may comprise a solid, relatively impenetrable material comprising a pre-formed bore, aperture or slot, for receiving the heater element24of device12.

As used herein any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Any appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or the phrase “in an embodiment” in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the invention. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

The scope of the present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed therein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalisation thereof irrespective of whether or not it relates to the claimed invention or mitigate against any or all of the problems addressed by the present invention. The applicant hereby gives notice that new claims may be formulated to such features during prosecution of this application or of any such further application derived therefrom. In particular, with reference to the appended claims, features from dependent claims may be combined with those of the independent claims and features from respective independent claims may be combined in any appropriate manner and not merely in specific combinations enumerated in the claims.