Aerosol Generating Device

Abstract

An aerosol generating device is provided, comprising: a tubular heating chamber for heating an aerosol generating material contained in the chamber, an insulating tube at least partially sleeved around the tubular heating member, and at least one annular support for supporting the heating chamber within the insulating tube. At least a portion of the inner annular support is mounted within the insulating tube, and the heating chamber is at least partially mounted within the annular support.

Description

[0001] Over the past several years, there has been a rapid growth in the popularity and use of reduced risk or modified risk devices (also known as vaporizers) to help habitual smokers who wish to quit traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and roll-ons. Rather than burning the tobacco in traditional tobacco products, various devices and systems are available that heat or warm an aerosolizable substance.

[0002] A commonly available, risk-reduced or risk-modified device is a heated substrate aerosol generating device or a heat-not-burn device. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate to a temperature generally in the range of 150°C to 300°C, the aerosol substrate generally comprising moist tobacco leaves or other suitable aerosolizable materials. Heating but not burning or burning the aerosol substrate releases an aerosol that includes the components sought by the user but does not include the toxic and carcinogenic byproducts of burning and burning. In addition, the aerosol generated by heating tobacco or other aerosolizable materials generally does not include a burnt or bitter taste that may be unpleasant to the user due to burning and burning, and therefore, the substrate does not require sugar and other additives that are generally added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user.

[0003] In such an aerosol generating device, the aerosol substrate must be heated by a heater, and it is inevitable that some heat will leak from the heater into the rest of the aerosol generating device. This heat can damage other components such as the heater or the power supply of heat-sensitive electronic products. In some cases, when components that are not designed to be heated become overheated, there may even be a risk of fire or explosion. In addition, such heat leakage may cause the outer surface of the device to become too hot, making it impossible for the user to hold it comfortably in the hand, and if not controlled, it may even cause harm to the user's skin.

[0004] It would therefore be desirable to provide a device having improved safety and / or reliability, while maintaining or improving upon the various advantages associated with such heat not burn devices. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to a first aspect, an aerosol generating device is provided, which includes a heater assembly and a frame configured to hold the heater assembly; the heater assembly includes: a tubular heating chamber for heating an aerosol generating material contained in the chamber; an insulating tube at least partially sleeved around the tubular heating chamber; and at least one annular support for supporting the heating chamber in the insulating tube, wherein at least a portion of the annular support is mounted in the insulating tube, and the heating chamber is at least partially mounted in the annular support, and wherein the annular support is positioned at one end of the insulating tube and is configured to be mounted to the frame.

[0006] By having the annular support so mounted, the aerosol-generating device can provide effective heating of the aerosol-generating material contained in the chamber while reducing heat leakage from the chamber. The annular support provides a reliable structure for both holding the heating chamber within the insulated tube and holding the heater assembly to the frame, so as to increase the safety and reliability of the device and reduce the level of heat transferred from the heating chamber to the rest of the device, especially to the surface of the device.

[0007] In particular, the annular support may include one or more protrusions extending into the insulated tube to engage with the outer surface of the heating chamber. These protrusions may provide a region of reduced surface area so that the connection points between the annular support and the heating chamber may be reduced. By minimizing the required physical direct contact between the annular support and the heating chamber, the transfer of heat from the chamber to the support, and ultimately to the rest of the device, may be further reduced.

[0008] Preferably, the heating chamber is at least partially mounted in a portion of the annular support mounted in the insulated tube. In this case, the annular support may provide a single portion inserted between the insulated tube and the heating chamber to support the heating chamber in the insulated tube, with the same supporting portion being in contact with the insulated tube and the heating chamber.

[0009] Preferably, the heater assembly may include an annular support at each end of the insulated tube. Most preferably, the heater assembly may be free of any annular support between the annular supports at each end of the insulated tube. Thus, the amount of heat that may be transferred to the rest of the device, in particular to the housing, may be reduced. This may result in a relatively free space between the insulated tube and the housing, which space may provide further effective insulation against possible heat transfer from the annular supports to the outer surface of the insulated tube. Because annular supports are also positioned at the ends of the heater assembly, heat transfer is limited because this area is less heated than the more central areas of the heating chamber.

[0010] In a possible mode, the inner annular support may have a C-shaped cross section. By having an annular cross section that does not form a complete or closed circumference, the required material can be reduced, which leads to a further reduction in heat transfer and a reduction in manufacturing costs.

[0011] In particular, the at least one annular support in the device as previously defined may be an outer annular support that engages with the outer surface of the insulated tube. The at least one outer annular support provides structure that engages with the outer surface of the insulated tube, and the outer annular support may provide support for the insulated tube as a whole within the device. For example, the outer annular support may provide support for the insulated tube to hold the insulated tube against a housing or frame within the device. Furthermore, the outer annular support may provide a form of direct or indirect connection between components inside the insulated tube (e.g., a heating chamber) and the outer surface of the insulated tube.

[0012] The outer annular support may have the same or similar structure as the other annular supports. Optionally, the outer annular support may include a first support member and a second support member, wherein the first support member is engaged with a portion of the outer surface of the insulated tube; the second support member is engaged with a portion of the outer surface of the heating chamber within the insulated tube; and the first support member and the second support member are engaged with each other at one or more contact points. By forming the outer annular support by two or more separate parts engaged at the contact points, heat transfer from the heating chamber to the insulated tube can be reduced. These contact points can be designed to reduce or minimize heat transfer between the two parts. The contact point can be any of a point, a line, an arc, or an annular segment. That is, the first support member and the second support member can be engaged with each other along the contact line.

[0013] In particular, at least one annular support may be an inner annular support that contacts the insulated tube only on the inner surface of the insulated tube. By engaging the insulated tube at the inner surface of the tube, the inner annular support may provide a structure that reduces heat transfer from the chamber to the outside of the tube. This arrangement may also increase the potential air gap between the insulated tube and the housing.

[0014] In particular, the device may include a first annular support at the first end of the insulated tube, and a second annular support at the second end of the insulated tube. The device may include an inner annular support at the first end of the insulated tube, and an outer annular support at the second end of the insulated tube. The device may include at least one outer annular support at each end of the insulated tube. The device may include at least one inner annular support at each end of the insulated tube. By including any of the above-described forms of annular supports at the ends of the insulated tube (inside, outside or other), a safer structural support may be provided for the heating chamber and the insulated tube while minimizing heat transfer with the rest of the device.

[0015] Preferably, at least one of the annular supports may include a connection member for fixing the heater assembly to the frame. By attaching the connection member to the annular support or forming a part of the annular support, other parts of the heater assembly (e.g., the heating chamber or the insulated tube) may be prevented from coming into direct contact with the frame.

[0016] Although the connecting member may take any suitable form, preferably the connecting member may include an aperture arranged to receive one or more pins provided on the frame. The one or more apertures may allow the annular support to be connected to the frame by a slot connection, wherein a pin provided on the frame may slot into the aperture. The slot connection itself may be a permanent connection, or alternatively, once the pin is slotted into the aperture, the connection may be made permanent by means of an adhesive or other means. It should be noted that the arrangement of the aperture and the pin may be reversed, i.e., the aperture may be present on the frame and the connecting member on the annular support may be an aperture arranged to receive the pin. Alternatively, the annular support may include a mixture of apertures and pins for engaging the pin with an aperture provided on the frame.

[0017] The heating chamber may provide heat to the contained aerosol generating material by any suitable means. Typically, heat may be provided by resistive heating, inductive heating or contact heating. Typically, the aerosol generating device may include a thin film heater wrapped around the outer surface of the tubular heating chamber. The thin film heater may provide a flexible but effective heat source that may be applied to the tubular heating chamber in a safe and reliable manner.

[0018] The tubular heating chamber may include an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, the open end being used to receive an aerosol generating material, or a consumable including an aerosol generating material, in the chamber, the closed end forming a terminal base. In other words, the tubular heating chamber may generally take the form of a hollow cylinder with an open end so as to provide an opening through which a user can place an aerosol generating material, but the opening is otherwise closed so as to provide a generally closed volume containing heat provided to the heating chamber. When the aerosol generating material is inserted into the heating chamber, the open end of the heating chamber in which the aerosol generating material is placed may be restricted or closed. In some examples, the consumable including the aerosol generating material may be provided in a generally cylindrical form that matches the internal volume of the heating chamber.

[0019] Typically, at least one annular support member may be formed of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). PEEK is a high temperature resistant material that is ideal for use in components arranged near a heat source. When used in components that are in direct contact with a heated component (e.g., a heated chamber), PEEK reduces heat conduction with other components of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] An aerosol generating device will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1A An example aerosol-generating device is schematically shown in an assembled configuration.

[0022] Figure 1B An example aerosol generating device is schematically shown with internal components visible.

[0023] Figure 2A A first view of an example heating assembly is schematically illustrated.

[0024] Figure 2B A second view of an example heating assembly is schematically illustrated.

[0025] Figure 3A Example configurations of heating assemblies are schematically illustrated.

[0026] Figure 3B Another example configuration of a heating assembly is schematically illustrated.

[0027] Figure 3C Another example configuration of a heating assembly is schematically illustrated.

[0028] Figure 4 An example heating assembly and an example frame are schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] exist Figure 1A , an example aerosol generating device 1 is generally shown in an assembled configuration. The device 1 comprises a housing 2 having a bottom portion and a top portion. The top portion of the housing 2 is provided with an aperture 3 through which an aerosol generating consumable can be inserted into the device 1 .

[0030] Inside the housing 2 , the steam generating device 1 includes a battery 4 and a heater assembly 10 . Figure 1BAn example device 1 is shown without a housing 2. The battery 4 is operably connected to the heater assembly 10 so that the heater assembly 10 uses power supplied by the battery 4 to provide electrical heating. The device 1 generally includes a device for allowing a user to control the supply of power from the battery 4 to the heater assembly 10 and other components of the device. For example, in some examples, the device 1 includes a switch that is operable to manually adjust the level of power supplied from the battery 4. In other examples, the device 1 includes a puff detector that is operable to sense when a user takes a puff from the device 1 so that power is supplied to the heater assembly 10 based on the time when the user takes a puff. The battery 4, heater assembly 10, and a number of different other components of the device 1 are held in place within the housing 2 by a support structure 5.

[0031] In use, the user holds the device 1 by the housing 2 and places an aerosol-generating consumable that can generate smoke in or near the heater assembly of the device 1 through the orifice 3. Then, the device 1 is operated by a switch or by the user's puffing action to turn on the power supply from the battery 4 to the heater assembly 10 so as to heat the consumable at or near the heater assembly 10. The heat generated at the heating assembly 10 causes the consumable to heat and release vapor that forms an aerosol. The user can then inhale the aerosol through the consumable itself or through the orifice 3 of the device 1.

[0032] As described above, the heater assembly 10 can generally generate heat to a high temperature in order to vaporize or aerosolize the consumables in the device 1. Typically, the heater assembly 10 can reach a temperature between about 150° C. and about 300° C. By carefully designing the heater assembly 10 and surrounding structural components, the present invention reduces heat leakage from the heater assembly 10 to the housing 2 and other components of the device.

[0033] exist Figure 2A , an example heating assembly 10 is generally shown in an assembled configuration. The heating assembly 10 includes an insulated tube 11, a heating chamber 12, and an annular support 20 that holds the heating chamber 12 within the insulated tube 11 and the heater assembly to the support structure 5.

[0034] The insulated tube 11 is elongated and surrounds the heating chamber 12. The insulated tube 11 has an opening at one end, which, when assembled within the housing of the device 1, aligns with the orifice 3 of the device 1. Although the tube 11 is open at both ends in this example, in other examples, the tube 11 may have a closed end opposite the end having an opening. The insulated tube 11 is arranged to isolate and contain the heat generated at the heating chamber 12, so that the heat is more efficiently delivered to the material contained in the heating chamber 12, and so that other components of the device 1 are less exposed to the heat generated at the chamber 12.

[0035] The heating chamber 12 is tubular and elongated and is arranged to receive within its internal volume an aerosol generating consumable that can generate smoke. The tubular heating chamber 12 has an open end 13 that, when assembled within the housing of the insulated tube 11 and the device 1, aligns with the aperture 3 and the open end of the insulated tube 11. In this way, when the device is fully assembled, the internal volume of the chamber 12 can be accessed through the aperture 3 and the open end of the tube 11.

[0036] The thin film heater 14 is wrapped around the heating chamber 12 and arranged to supply heat at the chamber 12. Specifically, the heater 14 is wrapped around at least a portion of the circumference of the jacket of the tubular chamber 12 and arranged to supply heat to the interior volume of the chamber 12. Figure 2B An example heating assembly 10 is shown, with a heater 14 visible on the outer surface of a chamber 12. In this example, the thin film heater 14 comprises a thin film circuit having a resistive heating element 15. The circuit including the heating element 15 is arranged to increase the surface coverage of the heating element 15 on the surface of the chamber 12. As described above, in particular, the heating chamber 12 and the heater 14 are connected to a power source 4 when assembled within the device 1.

[0037] The heating chamber 12 includes a thermally conductive material, such as metal, to conduct heat from the heater 14 to the chamber 12 .

[0038] The thin film heater 14 can be wrapped around the outer surface of the heating chamber and held against the outer surface by polyimide shrink wrap. In other examples, the thin film heater 14 can be attached against the outer surface of the heating chamber by other means (e.g., by using a temperature-resistant adhesive).

[0039] The tubular heating chamber 12 is held within the insulated tube 11 by an annular support 20, which in this example is provided at each end of the tube 11. Annular is intended to mean that the support 20 has a generally annular cross-section, having a generally circular cross-sectional profile with a central opening. The cross-sectional profile is generally complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the insulated tube and / or the cross-sectional shape of the heating chamber. The cross-sectional profile of the support 20 may be a complete circle or a complete ellipse, or alternatively, the cross-sectional profile may be C-shaped, meaning that the cross-sectional profile has a discontinuity at one or more points along the circumference.

[0040] In this example heating assembly 10, there are two annular supports 20, one at each end of the insulated tube 11. Each annular support 20 includes a plurality of protrusions 21 that extend into the insulated tube 11 to engage the outer surface of the heating chamber 12. In this example, the heating chamber 12 is retained within the tube 11 by the protrusions 21 that engage the heating chamber 12 at the outer surface of each end of the chamber 12. The protrusions 21 can be annular or partially annular. Although Figure 2A and Figure 2B The example shows an annular support 20 located at the end of the tube 11, but in other examples, the heater assembly 10 includes an annular support 20 positioned along the central length of the insulated tube 11 so that the support 20 is completely surrounded by the insulated tube 11.

[0041] By employing the annular support 20 to hold the heating chamber 12 within the insulated tube 11, an annular gap is formed between the outer surface of the heating chamber 12 and the inner surface of the insulated tube 11. Thus, in addition to the insulating properties of the tube 11, the gap provides an additional layer of insulation to reduce the amount of heat transferred from the chamber 12 to the rest of the device 1. Thus, the annular support 20 provides structural support to securely hold the heating chamber 12 within the insulated tube 11, and also provides additional insulating properties. The arrangement of the annular support 20 further provides very little coverage of the outer surface of the heater assembly 10, thereby allowing a larger outer surface of the insulated tube to be surrounded by the air gap in the housing 2.

[0042] Figure 2A and Figure 2B The annular support 20 shown is arranged to engage the inner surface of the insulated tube 11 and to engage the outer surface of the heating chamber 12. In other examples, the annular support 20 may be provided to engage different sections of the components of the heater assembly 10. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C A number of different arrangements and configurations of annular supports 20 are shown.

[0043] See also Figure 3A , the example heating assembly 10 is provided with an annular support 20 at each end of the insulated tube 11. In this example, one annular support 20 is an outer annular support 23 that engages with the outer surface of the insulated tube 11. In this particular example, a portion of the outer annular support 23 is positioned outside the insulated tube 11. As shown in the accompanying drawings, the outer annular support 23 is positioned at the top end of the insulated tube 11. "Top end" is intended to refer to the end of the heating chamber 12, at which the open end of the insulated tube 11 is positioned. In use, the aerosol generating consumable is at least partially inserted into the chamber 12 through the top end of the insulated tube 11. The annular support 20 at the bottom end of the tube 11 (i.e., the end of the insulated tube opposite to the top end) is an inner annular support 24 that contacts the insulated tube only on the inner surface of the insulated tube 11.

[0044] The outer annular support 23 may be modular and may include two components: a first support component 23a and a second support component 23b. Figure 3A As shown, the first support member 23a contacts the outer surface of the heating chamber 12 to fix the chamber in an appropriate position. In this example, the chamber 12 is held at the top edge of the heating chamber 12 by the first support member 23a. In other examples, the first support member 23a can be arranged to hold the chamber 12 in a different manner, such as by holding the chamber at the inner surface of the chamber 12, or holding the chamber 12 at a defined distance from the top edge of the chamber 12.

[0045] The second support member 23b engages with the first support member 23a and also engages with the outer surface of the insulated tube 11. The second member 23b is provided with an annular flange 27 which, in use, facilitates the insertion of consumables into the chamber 12. The flange 27 may also be used to provide a support structure or connection to other components of the device 1. The annular flange 27 may extend substantially axially to form a tubular extension aligned with the tubular heating chamber 12.

[0046] The first support member 23a and the second support member 23b engage each other at one or more contact points so as to be fixed against each other. In this way, the outer annular support 23 holds the heating chamber 12 against the insulated tube 11. The total surface area of ​​the contact points is minimized so as to minimize direct physical contact and thus minimize heat conduction between the first member 23a and the second member 23b. In this way, the conduction of heat from the heating chamber 12 outwardly to the insulated tube 11 can be reduced so as to further improve thermal isolation. Figure 3A The cross-sectional view of the example shown shows that the first component 23a contacts the second component 23b only at reduced surfaces, preferably small contact points. These contact points can be arranged as discrete contact points or one or more arcs or continuous lines around the circumference of the tube.

[0047] As shown in this example, the inner annular support 24 is provided at the bottom end of the insulated tube and includes an annular protrusion 21 extending to the insulated tube. The protrusion 21 of the inner annular support 24 holds the heating chamber 12 in place within the insulated tube 11.

[0048] The inner annular support 24 includes an outer collar 28. The outer collar 28 extends outwardly from the protrusion 21 and protrudes axially beyond the insulated tube to allow the heater assembly to be mounted to the frame 26. The inner support 24 is preferably provided with a connection member 25 for mounting the heater assembly 10 to the frame 26 within the device 1. Such a connection member may extend from the collar 28 (e.g., radially in this example). The frame 26 may be part of or attached to a support structure 5 that holds a plurality of components (e.g., batteries, control circuit boards, sensors, etc.) within the device 1. Figure 4 The heater assembly 10 is shown mounted within a frame 26 and will be described in more detail below. Although the inner annular support 24 is provided with a connecting member 25 in this example, in other examples, the connecting member 25 is provided on the outer annular support 23 rather than the connecting member 25 on the inner annular support 24 or combined therewith.

[0049] As mentioned above, Figure 3A The example shown includes an outer annular support 23 at the top end of the heating chamber 12 and the insulated tube 11, and an inner annular support 24 at the bottom end of the heating chamber 12 and the insulated tube 11. Other examples with alternative arrangements and configurations of inner and outer annular supports are also possible. For example, Figure 3B An example heating assembly 10 is shown that includes two outer annular supports 23. Each of the annular supports positioned at either end of the insulated tube 11 holds the heating chamber 12 from the outside of the insulated tube 11. Likewise, Figure 3C The illustrated example includes two inner annular supports 24. The inner annular supports 24 extend into the insulated tube 11 and hold the heating assembly 12 from the inside of the insulated tube 11. In this example, the inner annular supports 24 provided at the top end of the insulated tube 11 are arranged in a manner similar to that of the inner annular supports 24. Figure 3A The outer annular support 23 is composed of two parts in a similar manner. The first part 24a of the inner annular support 24 engages with the heating chamber, while the second part 24b of the inner annular support does not contact any other part of the heater assembly 10. The first part and the second part are connected to each other in a manner similar to the outer annular support 23 of the heater assembly 10. Figure 3A The outer annular support 23 is similarly joined along the contact points to minimize heat conduction.

[0050] As mentioned above, some or all of the annular supports 20 of the heater assembly 10 may be provided with connection members 25 for securing the assembly 10 to the frame 26. The connection members 25 typically include one or more apertures, each aperture being arranged to receive a securing pin of the frame 26. Thus, the connection members 25 are arranged to secure the heater assembly 10 to the frame 5 via a slotted connection. Figure 4As shown, when the device 1 is assembled, the heater assembly 10 is positioned to match the geometry of the frame 26 and the two parts are connected by slotting the pins of the frame 26 into the apertures 25 provided on the support 20. Figure 4 The dashed lines in the figure show the intended slot action. Once slotted into place, the connection between the pins of the frame 5 and the apertures 25 of the heater assembly 10 is tight and secure enough to hold the assembly 10 against the frame 5. For example, the frame 5 can be assembled with other components of the device 1 to achieve Figure 1A The device shown. In the present invention, the frame 26 is preferably an element independent of the housing, so as to reduce the thermal and mechanical constraints on the housing. However, in a less preferred mode, the frame can be an integrated internal part of the housing.

[0051] As can be understood from the above, the present invention is able to significantly improve the heating performance by providing the function of a heater assembly having an annular support that enables improved isolation between the heating chamber and the rest of the device. The ability to contain most of the generated heat in the heating chamber and / or the insulated tube helps to significantly improve the heating efficiency and improve the safety of the entire device. Due to its improved isolation capability, the device including the heating assembly as described above significantly reduces heat leakage through the device, which means that the components inside the device are safer and less susceptible to damage, and the housing of the device can be kept at a low temperature that is comfortable for the user to hold. An aerosol generating device with improved heating performance and the above-mentioned advantages is achieved by the present invention, while still allowing such a device to have excellent functions of providing heating and steam.

[0052] Definitions and Alternative Embodiments:

[0053] It will be appreciated from the above description that many of the features of the described embodiments perform independent functions with independent benefits. Therefore, each of these independent features in the embodiments of the invention defined in the claims may be independently selected for inclusion or omission.

[0054] The term "heater" should be understood to refer to any device for outputting heat energy sufficient to form an aerosol from the aerosol substrate. The heat energy transfer from the heater 14 to the aerosol substrate can be conductive, convective, radiative, or any combination of these. As a non-limiting example, the conductive heater can directly contact and press the aerosol substrate, or these heaters can be in contact with a separate component (e.g., a heating chamber) that itself causes the aerosol substrate to heat up by conduction, convection, and / or radiation.

[0055] The heater may be electric, combustion driven, or driven in any other suitable manner. The electric heater may include a resistive tracking element (optionally including an insulating package), an induction heating system (e.g., including an electromagnet and a high frequency oscillator), etc. The heater 14 may be arranged around the outside of the aerosol matrix, may be partially or completely penetrated into the aerosol matrix, or any combination thereof. For example, in addition to the heater of the above embodiment, the aerosol generating device may have a blade heater extending into the aerosol matrix in the heating chamber.

[0056] Aerosol substrates include tobacco in a dried or smoked form, for example, with additional ingredients for flavoring or for producing a smoother or otherwise more pleasant experience in some cases. In some examples, aerosol substrates such as tobacco can be treated with vaporizers. Vaporizers can improve the vapor generation from aerosol substrates. For example, vaporizers can include polyols such as glycerol or ethylene glycols such as propylene glycol. In some cases, aerosol substrates may not contain tobacco or even nicotine, but may contain natural or artificially extracted ingredients for flavoring, volatilization, improving smoothness and / or providing other pleasant effects. Aerosol substrates can be set to be shredded, pelleted, powdered, granular, strip or sheet form, optionally a solid or paste type material in a combination thereof. Similarly, aerosol substrates can be liquid or gel. In fact, some examples can include both solid part and liquid / gel part.

[0057] Therefore, the aerosol generating device 1 may also be referred to as a "heated tobacco device", "heat-not-burn tobacco device", "device for vaporizing tobacco products", etc., which is interpreted as a device suitable for achieving these effects. The features disclosed herein are also applicable to devices designed to vaporize any aerosol substrate.

[0058] The aerosol generating device 1 can be arranged to receive the aerosol substrate in the pre-packaged substrate carrier. The substrate carrier can be substantially similar to a cigarette, with a tubular region, and the tubular region has the aerosol substrate arranged in an appropriate manner. In some designs, filters, vapor collection areas, cooling areas and other structures can also be included. Outer paper or other flexible planar materials such as foil can also be provided, for example, for keeping the aerosol substrate in a suitable position to further resemble a cigarette, etc. The substrate carrier can be assembled in the heating chamber 12 or can be longer than the heating chamber 12. In such an example, aerosol can be provided directly from the substrate carrier used as the suction nozzle of the aerosol generating device.

[0059] As used herein, the term "volatile" refers to a substance that can easily change from a solid or liquid state to a gaseous state. As a non-limiting example, a volatile substance may be a substance that boils or sublimates at a temperature close to room temperature at ambient pressure. Thus, "volatilize" or "volatilise" should be interpreted to mean causing (a material) to volatilize and / or cause evaporation or dispersion into vapor.

[0060] As used herein, the term "vapor" or "vapor" means: (i) a form into which a liquid is naturally converted by the action of a sufficient degree of heat; or (ii) liquid particles / moisture particles suspended in the atmosphere and visible as clouds of steam / smoke; or (iii) a fluid that fills space like a gas but can be liquefied only by pressure below its critical temperature.

[0061] Likewise, the terms "vaporise" or "vaporize" refer to: (i) to change or cause to change into a vapor; and (ii) the condition where a particle changes physical state (ie, from a liquid or solid to a gas).

[0062] As used herein, the term "aerosol" shall refer to a system of particles dispersed in air or a gas such as mist, fog or smoke. Therefore, the term "aerosolization" refers to making an aerosol and / or dispersing into an aerosol. It should be noted that the meaning of aerosol / aerosolization is consistent with each of the above-defined volatilization, atomization and vaporization. For the avoidance of doubt, aerosol is used to consistently describe a mist or droplet comprising atomized, volatilized or vaporized particles. Aerosols also include mist or droplets comprising any combination of atomized, volatilized or vaporized particles.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, comprising a heater assembly and a frame configured to hold the heater assembly; the heater assembly comprising: a tubular heating chamber for heating an aerosol-generating material contained within the chamber, the tubular heating chamber comprising a tubular wall defining an interior volume therein, the interior volume being configured to receive the aerosol-generating material; an insulated tube at least partially sleeved around the tubular heating chamber; as well as At least one annular support for supporting the heating chamber within the insulated tube, wherein at least a portion of the annular support is mounted within the insulated tube and the heating chamber is at least partially mounted within the annular support, and wherein the annular support is positioned at and in contact with one end of the insulated tube and is configured to be mounted to the frame, wherein at least one annular support is an outer annular support engaged with an outer surface of the insulated tube.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The annular support includes one or more protrusions extending into the insulated tube to engage an outer surface of the heating chamber.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The heater assembly includes an annular support at each end of the insulated tube.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein: The heater assembly is free of any annular supports between the annular supports at each end of the insulated tube.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein: The outer annular support member includes a first support component and a second support component, wherein: The first support member engages a portion of the outer surface of the insulated tube; the second support member engages a portion of the outer surface of the heating chamber within the insulated tube; and The first support member and the second support member engage each other at one or more contact points.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein: The first supporting member and the second supporting member are joined to each other along a contact line.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: At least one annular support is an inner annular support that contacts the insulated tube only on an inner surface of the insulated tube.

8. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: A first annular support at the first end of the thermally insulated tube, and a second annular support at the second end of the thermally insulated tube.

9. An aerosol generating device according to any combination of claims 1 to 7, comprising: an inner annular support at the first end of the thermally insulated tube, and an outer annular support at the second end of the thermally insulated tube.

10. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: At least one outer annular support at each end of the insulated tube.

11. An aerosol generating device according to claim 7, comprising: At least one inner annular support at each end of the insulated tube.

12. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: At least one annular support includes a connection member for securing the heater assembly to the frame.

13. The aerosol generating device according to claim 12, wherein: The connecting member comprises an aperture arranged to receive one or more pins provided on the frame.

14. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: A thin film heater is wrapped around the outer surface of the tubular heating chamber.

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