Aerosol supply system

Abstract

There is disclosed an aerosol supply system (1) for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material (43) during a period of use, the aerosol supply system comprising: an aerosol-generating material (43); at least one heater (48) configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material (43); a plurality of substances (60, 70) provided within the aerosol supply system (1) and arranged to be released at different times during the period of use; wherein a first substance (60) of the plurality of substances is enclosed by a first housing (61) and a second substance (70) of the plurality of substances is enclosed by a second housing (71).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol supply systems, such as nicotine delivery systems, articles for use in aerosol supply systems, and methods of operating aerosol supply systems. Background Art

[0002] The aerosol delivery system typically comprises an aerosol generating material (such as a portion of a solid, liquid or gel, or a reservoir of a source liquid that may contain an active substance and / or flavoring agent), from which an aerosol or vapor is generated, for example by thermal evaporation, for inhalation by a user. Thus, the aerosol supply system / electric smoking system will typically include a heating chamber or aerosol generating chamber comprising a heater (e.g., a heating element), which is arranged to evaporate or aerosolize a portion of an aerosolizable material (e.g., a solid material such as tobacco) to generate a vapor or aerosol in the aerosol generating chamber. When the user inhales on the device and electrical power is supplied to the heating element, air is drawn into the device through the inlet aperture and along an air inlet channel connected to the aerosol generating chamber, where the air mixes with the evaporated precursor material to form a condensed aerosol. The air outlet channel is connected to the outlet in the mouthpiece from the aerosol generating chamber, and the air drawn into the aerosol generating chamber when the user inhales on the mouthpiece continues along the outlet flow path to the mouthpiece outlet, which carries the aerosol for the user to inhale. Some aerosol delivery systems may also include a flavoring element in the airflow path through the device to impart additional flavorings. Such a device may sometimes be referred to as a mixing device, and the flavoring element may, for example, include a portion of a solid aerosol generating and / or flavoring material (such as tobacco) arranged in the airflow path between the aerosol generating chamber and the mouthpiece, so that the aerosol / condensed aerosol drawn by the device passes through the portion of the solid material before leaving the mouthpiece for the user to inhale. In some aerosol delivery systems, the aerosol generating material is contained in a cartridge or a cabin that also includes a heating element and an aerosol generating chamber, and the cartridge is mechanically and electrically connected to a control unit for use. The control unit includes a battery and a control circuit that supply power to the heating element via the cartridge together.

[0003] Generally, aerosol-generating materials may include various substances that are released when the aerosol-generating material is heated. In some cases, these substances may be delivered to the vapor or aerosol early in the heating cycle, such that these substances are no longer present in the vapor or aerosol later in the heating cycle. This may result in a poor user experience.

[0004] Various approaches are described herein that seek to help solve or alleviate at least some of the problems discussed above. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure is defined in the appended claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the aerosol supply system comprising: an aerosol generating material; at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply system and arranged to be released at different times during the period of use; wherein a first substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a first shell, and a second substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a second shell.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an article for use in an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the article comprising: an aerosol generating material; a first substance among a plurality of substances enclosed by a first shell, the first shell being configured to release the first substance at a first time; and a second substance among a plurality of substances enclosed by a second shell, the second shell being configured to release the second substance at a second time.

[0008] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling the amount of power supplied to a heater for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, the method comprising: providing an aerosol generating material, a first substance among a plurality of substances enclosed by a first shell, and a second substance among a plurality of substances enclosed by a second shell; supplying a certain amount of power to the heater so as to release the first substance from the first shell at a first time; and supplying a certain amount of power to the heater so as to release the second substance from the second shell at a second time different from the first time.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, execute the method according to the third aspect.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol supply component for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use is provided, the aerosol supply component comprising: an aerosol generating material component; a heater component configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply component and arranged to be released at different times during the period of use; wherein a first substance among the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell component, and a second substance among the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell component.

[0011] It will be appreciated that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to, and may be appropriately combined with, embodiments of the invention according to its other aspects, and not just in the specific combinations described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view through an exemplary aerosol supply system 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 A method of controlling aspects of an electronic aerosol supply device according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically represented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Various aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented, and for the sake of brevity, these aspects and features are not discussed / described in detail. Therefore, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0016] As will be explained below, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the aerosol supply system comprising: an aerosol generating material; at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply system and arranged to be released at different times during the period of use; wherein a first substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell and a second substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell. Advantageously, an aerosol supply system according to the present invention allows certain substances to be selectively released at different times during the period of use, thereby providing an enhanced sensory experience for the user, for example by releasing specific flavorings, active substances or functional materials at different times during the period of use. This may be particularly advantageous if the plurality of substances includes particularly volatile substances, which may be substantially exhausted early in the period of use if the substances are not encapsulated.

[0017] The present disclosure relates to aerosol supply systems (which may also be referred to as vapor delivery systems or aerosol delivery systems). As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to cover systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, and includes: non-flammable aerosol supply systems that release compounds from aerosol generating materials without burning the aerosol generating materials, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosols using a combination of aerosol generating materials.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, a "non-flammable" aerosol supply system is a system in which constituent aerosol generating materials of the aerosol supply system (or components thereof) are not burned or ignited to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0019] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-flammable aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-flammable aerosol supply system.

[0020] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vapor device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol generating material is not required.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system is an aerosol generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0022] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that uses a combination of aerosol generating materials to generate an aerosol, one or more of which can be heated. Each of the aerosol generating materials can be, for example, in the form of a solid or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol generating material and a solid aerosol generating material. The solid aerosol generating material can include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

[0023] Generally, a non-flammable aerosol supply system may include a non-flammable aerosol supply device and consumables (ie, articles of manufacture) for use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device.

[0024] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include an aerosol generating material and are configured for use with a non-flammable aerosol supply device. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles in the present disclosure.

[0025] In some embodiments, a non-flammable aerosol supply system (such as a non-flammable aerosol supply device thereof) may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electrical power source.

[0026] In some embodiments, a non-flammable aerosol supply system may include an area for receiving a consumable product, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0027] In some embodiments, consumables used with a non-flammable aerosol supply device may include an aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material delivery component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a shell, a wrapping paper, a filter, a mouthpiece and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0028] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material not intended to be aerosolized. Where appropriate, either material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavoring agents, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0029] Aerosol generating materials are materials that can generate aerosols, for example, when heated, irradiated, or powered in any other way. Aerosol generating materials can be, for example, in the form of solids or gels, which may or may not contain active substances and / or fragrances. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating material may include "amorphous solids", which may alternatively be referred to as "integral solids" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. Amorphous solids are solid materials that can retain some fluid (such as liquid) inside them. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating material may, for example, include from about 50wt%, 60wt% or 70wt% amorphous solids to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 100wt% amorphous solids.

[0030] The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and / or flavouring agents, one or more aerosol former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0031] Active substances as used herein can be physiologically active materials allowed by law, which are materials intended to achieve or enhance physiological responses. Active substances can be, for example, selected from nutrients, nootropics, psychoactive substances. Active substances can be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. Active substances can include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, caffeine, vitamins (such as B6 or B12 or C), melatonin, or its composition, derivative or combination. Active substances can include one or more components, derivatives or extracts of tobacco or another botanical material.

[0032] As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavor" refer to materials that can be used to produce a taste, fragrance or other physical sensation desired by adult consumers in a product, where permitted by local regulations. They may include naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof.

[0033] The aerosol forming agent material may include one or more ingredients capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol forming agent material may include one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzylphenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0034] The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0035] A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of an aerosol generating material, which a user intends to consume part or all of during use. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material delivery component, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0036] Aerosol modifiers are substances typically located downstream of an aerosol generation region that are configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example by changing the taste, flavor, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided in an aerosol modifier release component that is operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0037] For example, the aerosol modifier may be an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may, for example, include one or more of a fragrance, a colorant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, a thread, or a granule. The aerosol modifier may not contain a filter material.

[0038] The consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater, which releases heat in use to cause the aerosol generating material to generate an aerosol. The heater is a device configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol generating material to thermal energy so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the heater may, for example, include a combustible material, a material that can be heated by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0039] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration with a changing magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, such that it causes inductive heating of the heating material by penetration with a changing magnetic field. The heating material may be a magnetic material, such that it causes hysteresis heating of the heating material by penetration with a changing magnetic field. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor can be heated by two heating mechanisms. In this article, a device configured to generate a changing magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator.

[0040] In an embodiment, a plurality of substances are arranged to be released at different times during a usage period. A "usage period" refers to a period of use of a single consumable or article (e.g., a usage session). For example, a consumable or article may be configured with a certain amount of aerosol generating material that is configured to be heated and exhausted within a single heating cycle corresponding to the usage period. As an example, a usage period (e.g., a heating cycle or cycle) may have an activation duration (e.g., the time during which one or more heaters are heated to a desired temperature) of at least 60 seconds and preferably at least 210 seconds. In general, by the end of the usage period, the aerosol generating material will have been substantially exhausted, such that upon further heating, no aerosol will be generated from the aerosol generating material, or a significantly reduced amount of aerosol will be generated from the aerosol generating material.

[0041] The plurality of substances may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavoring agents, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers, as described above. For example, the plurality of substances includes at least a first substance and a second substance selected from one or more active ingredients, one or more flavoring agents, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers. In some examples, the first substance and the second substance are the same, while in other examples, the first substance and the second substance are different (e.g., they may be two different flavoring agents, or a flavoring agent and an active substance).

[0042] In order to enable multiple substances to be released at different times during the use period, multiple substances can be encapsulated in a shell. For example, a first substance can be encapsulated in a first shell, and a second substance can be encapsulated in a second shell. In some examples, more than one different substance can be encapsulated in the same shell (e.g., flavoring agent and active substance). In some examples, the shell defines a capsule, wherein the substance (e.g., droplet or solid body) forming a volume is encapsulated (e.g., spherical) by the shell on all sides of the volume to form a capsule. The shape of such a capsule is not limited and can be any shape known in the art (e.g., spherical and irregular spherical). In some examples, the shell defines a blister, wherein the substance is partially surrounded by an encapsulating material and partially surrounded by different materials (the different materials are configured not to release substances during the use period) such as wrapping paper or a shell that covers the rest, and the shape of such a blister is not limited and can be any shape known in the art (e.g., dome-shaped).

[0043] In order to release substances at different times, each shell should maintain its structure until it is heated to or above the corresponding temperature of the shell. In some examples, the temperature is generally between about 180°C and 350°C, and preferably between 250°C and 300°C. In this way, each shell is configured to release the encapsulated substances contained in the shell when the temperature of the shell rises above or reaches the corresponding temperature of the shell. In other words, the release of the substances contained in the corresponding shell (e.g., the first substance contained in the first shell and the second substance contained in the second shell) can be triggered by heating each corresponding shell to or above the threshold temperature of the shell, at which time the material of the shell can decompose (e.g., melt, crack or degrade). By selectively heating different shells and / or by providing different shell configurations (e.g., materials, thickness, positions), it is possible to achieve the release of different substances at different times.

[0044] The mechanism of the shell releasing the substance is not limited, and can be any mechanism known in the art, including rupture, melting, thermal degradation, thermal activation release, shrinkage, expansion, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell encapsulates the substance in the form of a matrix, a substrate, etc., and the matrix, shell or substrate material is a material that ruptures, degrades, melts, etc. to release the substance and volatilizes it.

[0045] In some examples, the housing is partially or completely formed of a material that melts or thermally degrades in response to an increase in the housing temperature. For example, the housing may be partially or completely formed of a material that melts or thermally degrades at the temperatures mentioned above, such as at a temperature preferably not less than 250°C (e.g., a temperature between 250°C and 300°C or between 250°C and 280°C).

[0046] Those skilled in the art will be able to readily identify materials that meet the above functional definitions in terms of melting and thermal degradation, since the melting temperature or the temperature at which a material thermally degrades can be readily determined using conventional techniques including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Melting point / melting temperature is also a property typically reported by manufacturers of commercially available materials.

[0047] In the present disclosure, the melting point is preferably determined as follows:

[0048] - slowly heating a certain amount of a substance while stirring until it reaches a temperature of 90°C or higher to completely melt the substance;

[0049] - Remove the heat source and allow the molten (melted) material to cool to a temperature 8°C to 10°C above the expected melting point;

[0050] - Quench the bulb of an ASTM 14C (American Society for Testing and Materials) or equivalent thermometer to 5°C, wipe dry, and immerse it, while still cold, into the molten material so that approximately the lower half of the bulb is immersed;

[0051] - Immediately withdraw the thermometer bulb and keep it upright away from the heat source until the wax surface darkens, then immerse it in a water bath at a temperature not higher than 16°C for 5 minutes;

[0052] -Fix the thermometer firmly in the test tube so that the lower point is 15 mm above the bottom of the test tube and suspend the test tube in a water bath adjusted to about 16°C;

[0053] - The bath temperature was raised to 30°C at a rate of 2°C per minute, then changed to a rate of 1°C per minute, and the temperature at which the first drop of molten material left the thermometer was recorded.

[0054] The method is performed twice on a portion of the material that has just melted. If the variation of the three measurements is less than 1°C, the average of the three is taken as the melting point. If the variation of the three measurements is greater than 1°C, two additional measurements are performed and the average of the five measurements is taken.

[0055] The encapsulating material of the shell that melts or thermally degrades to release the substance may typically be solid at room temperature, but undergo a phase change / degradation when a threshold temperature is reached during a period of use, thereby releasing the substance encapsulated within the shell.

[0056] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the material that melts or thermally degrades in response to an increase in temperature can be selected from the group consisting of: wax, polyether, polysaccharide, gum, fat, cellulose gum and thermoplastic polymer, or a mixture thereof. In various embodiments, the material is selected from the group consisting of: carbohydrate, carbohydrate derivative, fat, wax, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan. Examples of suitable materials include microcrystalline wax, polyethylene glycol, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, shea butter, levan, chitosan or a mixture thereof.

[0057] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that mixtures of materials may also be used in order to obtain a material that will melt or thermally degrade in response to an increase in temperature. Materials such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, gum arabic, natural waxes, carbowaxes, carboxyvinyl polymers, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin may, for example, be combined to form a mixture having desired properties.

[0058] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the material that melts or thermally degrades in response to an increase in temperature can be selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline wax, polyethylene glycol, gum, or a mixture thereof, for example a mixture of microcrystalline wax (such as 180F or CMP601, both available from HCI Wax) and gum.

[0059] Microcrystalline wax is a wax produced by deoiling petroleum and can be classified as a "laminated" grade or a "hardened" grade. For purposes of this disclosure, microcrystalline wax may be a hardened grade.

[0060] Polyethylene glycol is a polyether commonly referred to as "PEG". They are commercially available in a wide range of molecular weights and are often named with a number describing their average molecular weight. For example, PEG 400 is a polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of about 400 Daltons. Commercially available PEGs with suitable melting points are well known to those skilled in the art and will be readily identified for the reasons already set forth above.

[0061] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell is partially or completely formed of an encapsulating material that ruptures in response to an increase in the temperature of the heater. Rupture can occur by any mechanism known in the art, and generally refers to a change in the physical or chemical structure of the shell so that a substance contained in or by the shell is released. For example, the shell material may chemically or physically degrade, decompose, or break due to expansion / contraction, crushing, or other ruptures. The extent of the rupture is also not limited; all that is required is that the shell ruptures sufficiently to release the substance.

[0062] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell is partially or completely formed of an encapsulating material that ruptures at the temperatures mentioned above, for example, at a temperature not less than 250°C (e.g., 250°C to 300°C or 250°C to 280°C). Those skilled in the art will be able to easily identify materials that meet such a functional definition. It should be understood that in some examples, the heater can be configured to heat the aerosol generating material to a first temperature and heat the capsule to a second temperature lower than the first temperature. For example, in the case where the aerosol generating material is provided between the heater and the capsule or is otherwise provided closer to the heater, the aerosol generating material can be heated to a higher temperature than a capsule that is provided farther away from the heater or is at least partially shielded (e.g., shielded by the aerosol generating material) from the influence of the heater.

[0063] The encapsulated material that is broken according to the present disclosure can be a material that is broken by crushing, such as glass. The term "glass" refers to a solid that has a non-crystalline (amorphous) structure at the atomic scale and exhibits a glass transition when heated to a liquid state. Ceramic materials, silicon-based materials, and many thermoplastic polymers are glass materials. Suitable glass materials can have a glass transition temperature of not less than 250°C (e.g., 250°C to 300°C or 250°C to 280°C). Those skilled in the art will be able to easily identify materials that meet this definition; for example, using conventional techniques such as DSC to identify or from information about commercially available materials.

[0064] In various embodiments, the encapsulating material forming the housing may rupture due to shrinkage. In other words, the housing may be partially or completely formed of an encapsulating material that shrinks and thereby ruptures in response to an increase in temperature. The material having such shrinkage behavior at high temperatures may be a plastic material, such as a plastic having a shrinkage temperature of not less than about 250°C (e.g., 250°C to 300°C or 250°C to 280°C).

[0065] The plastics meeting the requirements of the present disclosure may be thermoplastics. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the plastics are thermoplastics known in the art for shrink packaging purposes. Such thermoplastics may include polypropylene (e.g., bi-oriented polypropylene), cellophane, polyethylene (e.g., low density polyethylene), polyetheretherketone, or mixtures thereof.

[0066] In various embodiments, the material forming the shell can be an encapsulating material (e.g., a substrate or matrix material) that can absorb the aerosol precursor material and then subsequently release the aerosol precursor material when heat is applied. For example, the shell can be formed by a substrate or matrix material that is a plastic film with pores or micropores, a sponge-like film, a porous carbon material, a porous ceramic material, or a fiber element. Possible materials include cellulose acetate, polyurethane, vinyl acetate, polycarbonate, carbon, ceramics, silicon compounds, or mixtures thereof.

[0067] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through an exemplary aerosol supply system / heat-not-burn device 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The aerosol supply system 1 includes two main components, a reusable device portion 2 and a replaceable consumable / cartridge / atomizer cartridge portion 4.

[0068] In normal use, the reusable part 2 (i.e. the aerosol supply device) and the consumable part 4 (i.e. the consumable) are releasably connected / attached together by partially or completely inserting the consumable part 4 into a chamber 50 of the reusable device part 2, which includes a heater chamber area / heating area 53. Figure 1 The reusable device portion 2 is schematically shown, wherein the consumable portion 4 is partially received in a chamber 50. The chamber 50 comprises a cylindrical tube extending from the outer shell surface of the reusable device portion into the reusable device portion 2. In this example, when the user holds the reusable device portion in his hand for use, the chamber extends from the outer surface of the mouthpiece end of the reusable device portion 2 (defined as the uppermost part of the reusable device portion) into the device, and the chamber 50 extends parallel to the long axis of the reusable device portion 2. The opening 51 communicates between the chamber 50 and the outside of the device.

[0069] In summary, the reusable device portion 2 is configured to generate an aerosol to be inhaled by a user, typically by heating one or more aerosol-generating materials in the consumable portion 4 directly via one or more heating elements associated with the heating area 53 of the chamber 50, or by transmitting electrical energy or a magnetic field into the consumable portion 4 to activate a heater (such as a heating element in the consumable portion 4). In use, the user inserts the consumable portion 4 into the chamber 50 of the reusable device portion via the opening 51, and then activates the reusable device portion 2, for example using the button 14, so that the reusable device portion 2 supplies power from the power source / battery 26 to the aerosol-generating element (i.e., the heater), thereby aerosolizing the (one or more) aerosol-generating materials included in the consumable portion 4 for inhalation by the user. The user then draws on the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable portion 4 extending from the opening 51 at the mouthpiece end of the reusable device portion 2 to inhale the aerosol generated by the reusable device portion 2. When a user draws on the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4, air is drawn into the air inlet 24 provided on the outer surface of the reusable part 2, down the air inlet channel 25, and into the heating area 53 of the chamber 50, where the air enters the at least one air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4, entraining the vapor / aerosol generated by aerosolizing / heating a portion of the aerosol generating material 43 included in the consumable part 4. For the sake of specific example, Figure 1 A heating element 48 is schematically shown arranged around a heating region 53 of a chamber 50 as further described herein, which transfers heat into a portion of the consumable portion 4 containing an aerosol generating material 43. The entrained vapor / aerosol travels through the consumable portion 4 toward the mouthpiece end of the reusable device portion 2 (from which the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable portion 4 extends), wherein aerosol droplets condense or further condense from the vapor / aerosol to form a condensation aerosol, which exits the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable portion 4 for inhalation by the user.

[0070] The reusable part 2 comprises an outer shell with an opening defining an air inlet 24, a power source 26 (e.g., a battery) for providing operating power to the aerosol supply system, a control circuit 22 (e.g., a controller) for controlling and monitoring the operation of the aerosol supply system, an optional user input button 14, an optional display 16, and a visual display / visual feedback indicator 28. The outer shell of the reusable device part 2 can be formed by, for example, a plastic or metal material or any other material known to those skilled in the art. To provide a specific example, in some embodiments, the reusable device part 2 can have a length of about 80 mm, and the consumable part 4 extends from the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part when fully inserted into the chamber 50 by about 10 to 30 mm, so that when the consumable part and the reusable device part are connected together, the total length of the aerosol supply system 1 is about 90 to 110 mm. The consumable part 4 can have a diameter of about 8 mm. However, and as has been noted, it will be understood that the overall shape and size of the aerosol supply system implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure are not important for the principles described herein.

[0071] The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and can be of a conventional type, such as the kind commonly used in aerosol delivery systems, such as heat-not-burn devices, tobacco heating devices, electronic cigarettes, and other applications that require relatively high currents to be provided in relatively short periods of time (e.g., lithium-ion batteries). The power source 26 can be recharged via a charging connector in the housing of the reusable portion, the charging connector including, for example, a micro-USB or USB-C connector, which can also provide an interface for data transmission between the controller 22 and an external processing device (such as a smartphone or personal computer).

[0072] A user input button 14 may optionally be provided, which in this example is a conventional mechanical button, for example comprising a spring-mounted component that can be pressed by a user to establish an electrical contact. In this regard, the input button 14 may be considered to be an input device for detecting user input, and the specific manner in which the button is implemented is not important (for example, it may include a capacitive touch sensor and / or a touch-sensitive display element). A plurality of such buttons may be provided, with one or more of the buttons being assigned to functions such as turning the aerosol supply system 1 on and off and adjusting user settings (such as the power supplied from the power source 26 to the heater 48) and / or selecting one or more device modes. However, the inclusion of a user input button is optional, and in some embodiments, such a button may not be included, and a different user input mechanism may be provided (for example, an accelerometer for sensing user motion / gestures, etc.).

[0073] In some instances, an optional display unit 16 may be provided on an outer surface of the housing of the reusable device portion 2. The display unit 16 (where included) may include a pixelated or non-pixelated display unit (e.g., including a single LED, an LED array, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, an electroluminescent display (ELD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electronic ink display) connected to the controller 22. A technician may implement such a display according to any method known in the art. Such a display may be used to display usage information about the use of the aerosol supply system 1 to the user. Exemplary forms of usage information that can be displayed to the user via the optional display unit 16 are further described herein.

[0074] At least one visual feedback indicator 28 is provided, which has a display area visible on the outer surface of the shell of the reusable device part 2, and the visual feedback indicator 28 is configured to provide visual feedback on one or more aspects of the operation or state of the device to the user. Such visual feedback can include information about, for example, whether the system is turned on or off, the selected operating mode, how much charge or aerosol generating material is left in the aerosol supply system, the temperature of the heating element, or the intensity (for example, derived from the airflow sensor as further described herein) of the user's suction on the device. Such information can be displayed before, during and / or after the suction or period on the aerosol supply device. The visual feedback indicator for displaying such information can include a display panel (it includes multiple pixels), and the display panel includes, for example, LCD, LED, OLED, AMOLED, ELD, PDP, electronic ink display or any other form of pixelated display panel known to the technician. Additionally or alternatively, the visual feedback indicator 28 can include one or more non-pixelated display elements, such as one or more LEDs. As further explained herein, at least one visual feedback indicator 28 may also include one or more light guide elements, such as one or more light pipes, optical fibers, or other transparent or translucent light transmission elements, configured to direct visual feedback signals from one or more light emitting visual feedback elements located within the housing of the reusable device portion 2 to one or more display areas visible on, in, or through a surface of the housing of the reusable device portion 2. In some implementations, the functionality of the visual feedback indicator may be implemented using the display unit 16.

[0075] The controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol supply system to provide functionality in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure as further described herein, and for providing conventional operating functionality of the aerosol supply system in accordance with established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuit) 22 can be considered to logically include various subunits / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the aerosol supply system 1. In this example, the controller 22 includes a power control circuit for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48 in response to user input, a user programming circuit for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and functions associated with other functional units / circuits in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional operating aspects of the aerosol supply system (such as display drive circuits and user input detection circuits). It will be understood that the functionality of the controller 22 can be provided in a variety of different ways, such as using one or more appropriately programmed programmable computers and / or one or more appropriately configured application specific integrated circuits / circuits / chips / chip sets configured to provide the desired functionality. The controller 22 may include a wireless transceiver and associated control circuitry that enables data to be transmitted between the reusable device portion 2 and an external computing device such as a smartphone or personal computer (not shown) via a wireless transmission protocol such as Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), or Zigbee. The controller 22 also includes one or more data storage elements (e.g., memory elements such as ROM or RAM elements) that can be used to store data associated with the use of the aerosol supply system in accordance with established techniques for data storage and transmission.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the reusable device portion 2 may include an airflow sensor 30, such as a pressure sensor or a flow rate sensor (e.g., a hot wire anemometer), which is electrically connected to the controller 22 and is in fluid communication with a portion of the airflow path between the air inlet 24 and the mouthpiece 41. The airflow sensor 30 may, for example, be disposed in a wall of the air inlet channel 25 or chamber 50, and / or extend at least partially into or across a portion of the airflow path defined by the air inlet channel 25 or chamber 50. In some embodiments, a combined airflow and temperature sensor is used that allows the temperature of the airflow in a portion of the airflow path in the device to be determined. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor comprises a so-called "puff sensor" because the controller 22 uses a signal from the airflow sensor 30 to detect when a user puffs on the device. In some embodiments, detection of a user puffing (e.g., by the controller 22 detecting a signal from the airflow sensor 30 indicating a pressure and / or flow rate in the airflow path between the air inlet 24 and the mouthpiece 41, and determining that it is above or below a predefined threshold) is used by the controller 22 to control the supply of power to the heater 48. Thus, the controller 22 may distribute electrical power from the power source 26 to the heater 48 depending at least on the signal received by the controller 22 from the airflow sensor 30. The controller 22 uses the signal output from the airflow sensor 30 (which may include a measurement of the capacitance, resistance, or other characteristic of the airflow sensor generated by the controller 22) to control the specific manner in which power is supplied from the power source 26 to the heater 48.

[0077] In other embodiments, the power supply to the heater 48 is controlled via other components (e.g., via button 14), wherein the delivery of power is modified based on a signal received by the controller 22 from an airflow sensor (e.g., modulated proportionally to an airflow parameter determined based on a signal received from the airflow sensor 30). However, it will be understood that the inclusion of an airflow sensor is optional, and in some embodiments, an airflow sensor is not included. In such embodiments, the power supply to the heater 48 can be turned on and off by button 14, or the power supply to the heater can be turned on by button 14, wherein the power supply to the heater 48 is turned off by the controller 22 after a predetermined or predefined time period has passed. For example, when the controller 22 detects a predetermined or predefined input signal (e.g., supplied via button 14, or including detecting via a suitable sensor that a user has inserted the consumable portion 4 into the chamber 50).

[0078] The rate at which the aerosol-generating material in the consumable portion is evaporated by the heater 48 will depend on the amount of power supplied to the heater 48 and the characteristics of the aerosol-generating material 43. Thus, electrical power may be applied to the heater 48 to selectively generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in the consumable 4, and further, under the control of the controller 22, the rate of aerosol generation may be varied by varying the amount of power supplied to the heater 48, for example, by pulse width and / or frequency modulation techniques.

[0079] The controller 22 may supply power according to one of a plurality of predefined aerosol generation curves. The controller 22 may specify (and implement) one or more aerosol generation curves for use with a heater; such a curve determines the variation of the power level supplied to the heater (or multiple heaters / heating elements) over time. For example, for a heater that is a heater, the controller 22 may supply most of the power from the power source 26 to the heater at the beginning of a puff so as to quickly heat the heater to its operating temperature, after which the controller 22 may supply a reduced power level to the heater that is sufficient to maintain the operating temperature. An aerosol generation curve for a heater may be referred to as a heating curve. A specific aerosol generation curve may be associated with a specific consumable 4 and may provide improved aerosol generation from a specific aerosol generating material of the consumable based on the characteristics of the consumable. It will be understood that the term "activation curve" or "operation curve" may be used instead of "aerosol generation curve" because the curve determines how aerosol generation is activated or operated during use.

[0080] The reusable portion 2 typically includes a heater 48 (e.g., a heater) located near the heating region 53 of the consumable chamber 50. The heater is an element or device configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in the consumable portion 4 by heating. Therefore, the heater 48 is configured to subject the aerosol-generating material in the consumable portion 4 to thermal energy so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some examples, it can be formed as a cylindrical tube having a hollow internal heating chamber in which the aerosol-generating material 43 is provided; wherein the system is configured to heat the cylindrical tube by induction heating or resistive heating. In some of these examples, the heater 48 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube that includes, is embedded in, or surrounds the heating region 53 of the chamber 50. In some examples, heater 48 includes at least two heating elements (e.g., each of which may be a hollow cylindrical tube positioned at a different position relative to chamber 50 such that each heating element primarily heats a different segment of aerosol generating material 43).

[0081] In some examples, the temperature of a portion of the heater 48, and / or the heating region 53 of the chamber 50, or the consumable portion 4, or any portion of the reusable device portion 2 can be detected by the controller 22 using one or more temperature sensors. For example, the heater 48 can include a material whose resistance varies with temperature (e.g., a material selected to have a suitable temperature coefficient of resistance). The controller 22 can determine the resistance of the heating element via known methods and compare the result with a lookup table derived from experiments or modeling that relates the resistance of the heating element to temperature so as to estimate the temperature of the heater 48 based on the measured resistance. Alternatively or in addition, one or more temperature sensing elements such as thermistors can be positioned near the heating region 53 (e.g., attached to or embedded in a tube that includes the heating region 53 of the chamber 50), which is connected to the controller 22 to enable the controller to monitor the temperature of the consumable portion 4 and / or the heating region 53. The temperature of the air in the air inlet passage 25 can also be monitored in a similar manner by one or more temperature sensors (e.g., a temperature and pressure combination sensor or thermistor).

[0082] It will be understood that in Figure 1 In the two-part device shown, portions of the heater 48 may be in either the reusable device portion 2 and / or the consumable portion 4. It will further be understood that in some instances, the consumable portion 4 may include a cartridge including an electrically powered heater and an aerosol generating material 43, and the reusable device portion 2 may include an electrical interface including electrical contacts disposed in the chamber 50 that electrically connect the heater in the consumable portion 4 to the power source 26 and controller 22 in the reusable device portion 4 when the consumable portion 4 is fully received in the chamber 50.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the consumable portion 4 is fully inserted into the reusable device portion 2, the consumable portion 4 is in the form of a cylindrical rod having or containing an aerosol generating material 43 at the end away from the mouthpiece 41 in a section of the consumable portion 4 located within the heating area 53 of the chamber 50. To provide a specific example, in one embodiment, the consumable portion 4 has a diameter of about 8 mm and a length of about 84 mm. The depth of the chamber 50 of the reusable device portion is sized relative to the length of the consumable portion 4 so that when the consumable portion 4 is fully inserted into the chamber 50, the mouthpiece end 41 of the consumable portion 4 generally extends from the opening (e.g., extends 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, or more than 30 mm).

[0084] Thus, the mouthpiece end of the consumable portion 4 typically extends an opening 51 from the reusable device portion 2. The consumable portion 4 may include a filter / cooling element 44 for filtering / cooling the aerosol, which is disposed between the mouthpiece 41 and the region of the aerosol generating material 43. The consumable portion 4 is typically wrapped circumferentially in a wrapper / outer layer (not shown), which may include a paper material and / or a metal foil and / or a polymer film, such as Natureflex(TM). The outer layer of the consumable portion 4 may be permeable to allow some of the heated aerosolized components from the aerosol generating material 43 to escape from the consumable portion 4 before reaching the mouthpiece 41. In some embodiments, the wrapper may include a metallic material located near the aerosol generating material 43, which is configured to act as a receptor that is heated via induction by one or more magnetic field generators / drive coils (not shown) in the reusable device portion 2 so as to heat the aerosol generating material 43 via inductive heating. For example, in such an embodiment, the heater 48 may include: one or more magnetic field generators / drive coils configured to cause inductive heating of the metal wrapper of the consumable 4; and / or one or more susceptor elements embedded in or adjacent to the aerosol generating material 43 within the consumable portion 4 to cause heating of the aerosol generating material 43 in the consumable portion 4. It will be understood that the construction of the consumable portion 4 set forth above is illustrative, and the skilled person may modify the overall structure of the consumable portion according to methods known in the art.

[0085] Typically, the primary flow path for heated aerosolized components produced by heating aerosol-generating material 43 by heater 48 is axially through consumable portion 4, through filter / cooling element 44 (where included), and into the user's mouth through the open end of mouthpiece 41. However, some aerosolized components may escape from consumable portion 4 through its permeable outer wrapper and enter the space surrounding consumable portion 4 in non-heating chamber region 52 (e.g., space formed by an optional gap (not shown) between the outer surface of consumable 4 and the inner surface of chamber 50 in the expanded portion of non-heating / expansion chamber region 53).

[0086] Once all or substantially all of the aerosol-generating components of the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 have been exhausted, the user can remove the consumable part 4 from the reusable device part 1 and dispose of the consumable part 4. The user can then reuse the reusable device part 2 with another consumable part 4. However, in other corresponding embodiments, once the aerosol-generating components of the aerosol-generating material have been exhausted, the consumable part 4 and the reusable device part 2 can be disposed together. The consumable part 4 can be configured with a certain amount of aerosol-generating material 43, which is configured to be heated and exhausted within a single heating cycle (e.g., a usage period). As an example, a single heating cycle can have an activation duration (e.g., the time during which one or more heaters are heated to a desired temperature) of at least 60 seconds and preferably at least 210 seconds.

[0087] In addition to the aerosol generating material, in some embodiments according to the present invention, the consumable part 4 (e.g., an article used in the aerosol supply system 1 to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material 43 during the use period) also includes a plurality of substances, which are disposed within the aerosol supply system and are arranged to be released at different times during the use period. For example, the consumable part 4 may include a first substance 60 and a second substance 70. The first substance 60 is encapsulated in or encapsulated by the first shell 61 (e.g., contained by or within the first shell), and the second substance 70 is encapsulated in or encapsulated by the second shell 71 (e.g., contained by or within the second shell). The first shell 61 and the second shell 71 are configured to release the first substance 60 and the second substance 70, respectively, at different times during the use period (e.g., during a heating cycle or an activation duration). As described above, in some examples, the first substance and the second substance are the same, while in other examples, the first substance and the second substance are different (e.g., they may be two different flavorings, or a flavoring and an active substance).

[0088] As also described above, each shell 61, 71 is configured to release the encapsulated substance 60, 70 contained in the corresponding shell 61, 71 when the temperature of the shell 61, 71 increases to exceed or reach the corresponding temperature of the shell 61, 71. For example, the first shell 61 is partially or completely formed of a first material, which is configured to rupture, degrade or melt in response to the temperature of the first shell 61 increasing to at least the first temperature, and / or the second shell 71 is partially or completely formed of a second material, which is configured to rupture, degrade or melt in response to the temperature of the second shell 71 increasing to at least the second temperature.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first temperature at which the first housing 61 is configured to release the encapsulated first substance 60 is a temperature lower than the second temperature at which the second housing 71 is configured to release the encapsulated second substance 70. For example, the first temperature is a temperature at least 10°C lower than the second temperature, and preferably a temperature at least 20°C lower than the second temperature. As an example, the first temperature may be between 230°C and 260°C, and the second temperature may be a temperature at least 10°C higher, in the range of 240°C to 300°C (it will be understood that if the first temperature is 260°C, the second temperature will not be less than 270°C). By configuring the first housing 61 and the second housing 71 to release at different temperatures, the system can be configured to release the first substance 60 before the second substance 70, particularly when the first housing 61 and the second housing 71 are substantially equally heated by the heater 48. For example, if the housings 61, 71 are substantially identical and equally heated, the two housings 61, 71 will reach the first temperature at the same time, and the first substance 60 will be released. Further heat may then be applied to raise the second housing 71 to a second temperature to release the second substance 70 .

[0090] In some examples, the first material of the first housing 61 is different from the second material of the second housing 71. For example, the first material may be selected as a material having a first rupture / degradation / melting temperature, and the second material may be selected as a material having a second rupture / degradation / melting temperature. Alternatively, the first material may be selected as a material having a low specific heat capacity, such that the temperature of the first material responds quickly to the application of heat to the surrounding environment by the heater 48 (e.g., the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of the housing 61 is less), and the second material may be selected as a material having a high specific heat capacity, such that the temperature of the second material responds slowly to the application of heat to the surrounding environment by the heater 48 (e.g., the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of the housing 71 is greater). Therefore, in examples where the first temperature and the second temperature are substantially equal, the first housing 61 will reach the first temperature before the second housing 71 reaches the second temperature because the temperature of the first housing 61 responds faster to the application of thermal energy.

[0091] In some examples, the first shell 61 can be thinner than the second shell 71. In other words, the width of the material of the first shell 61 encapsulating the first substance 60 is less than the width of the material of the second shell 71 encapsulating the second substance 70. By having the first shell 61 have a reduced thickness compared to the second shell 71, the mass of the housing is reduced, and thus less material needs to be degraded or melted to release the first substance 60 from the first shell 61 compared to the second shell 71; particularly if the first shell 61 and the second shell 71 are made of substantially the same material.

[0092] It will be appreciated that appropriate materials and thickness / widths of the first shell 61 and the second shell 71 may be selected to provide release of the first substance 60 and the second substance 70 at a desired time within the period of use. For example, the first shell may be formed of a thin layer of a material configured to rupture, degrade, or melt at a first temperature that is lower (e.g., less than) the second temperature to ensure that the first substance 60 is released at an earlier time than the second substance 70 during the period of use.

[0093] In some examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 are provided in the aerosol generating material 43. In some other examples (not shown), one or both of the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 are not provided in the aerosol generating material 43. For example, one or both of the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 can be provided in different parts of the consumable part 4 instead, such as in the filter / cooling element 44, in the filter (not shown) at the end of the inlet 42, or on the surface of the wrapper / shell of the consumable part 4. In some other examples, one or both of the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 can alternatively be provided as a separate product or consumable (different from the consumable portion 4) or provided in a separate product or consumable that is located within the device portion 2 (for example, as a different capsule inserted into the chamber 50 or a cavity that is fluidically connected to the chamber 50 of the device portion 2).

[0094] In some examples, the aerosol generating material 43 is not heated evenly along its length throughout the use period. For example, the system 1 (e.g., the controller 22 of the system 1) can be configured to heat the aerosol generating material 43 toward the air inlet 42 of the consumable portion 4 before heating the aerosol generating material 43 toward the filter / cooling element 44 (or the aerosol generating material 43 toward the air inlet 42 of the consumable portion 4 can be initially heated to a higher temperature than the aerosol generating material 43 toward the filter / cooling element 44 (i.e., toward the mouth end of the consumable portion), and the aerosol generating material 43 toward the filter / cooling element 44 can be subsequently heated to a higher temperature than the aerosol generating material 43 toward the air inlet 42 of the consumable portion 4), or vice versa. In some examples, the first shell 61 and the second shell 71 are positioned at different locations within the consumable portion 4. For example, as Figure 1 As shown, the first housing 61 can be positioned toward the filter / cooling element 44 of the aerosol generating material 43, while the second housing 71 can be positioned toward the air inlet 42 end of the aerosol generating material 43.

[0095] In some examples, a section of the aerosol-generating material 43 having the first housing 61 containing the first substance 60 may be heated to a first temperature before a section of the aerosol-generating material 43 having the second housing 71 containing the second substance 70 may be heated to a second temperature, to release the first substance 60 prior to the second substance 70 during the use period. It will be appreciated that the first housing 60 need not be made of a material that releases the first substance 60 at a lower temperature than the material of the second housing 70, as the (at least one) heater is not configured to heat the second housing 71 to the second temperature until the first housing 61 has released the first substance 60. Thus, by providing a system 1 with a heater 48 (or multiple heaters) configured to selectively heat different portions of the aerosol-generating material 43, or to heat a first portion of the aerosol-generating material 43 to a greater extent than a second portion (so that the second portion takes longer to heat up), the construction of the first housing 61 and the second housing 71 is less constrained (e.g., greater design freedom because it is primarily the heater control scheme or profile that causes the first and second substances to be released during the use period, rather than the material or thickness of each housing).

[0096] As described above, the device portion 2 includes a controller 22 that includes power control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48. According to the above embodiments, the controller 22 may be responsible for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48 to ensure that a first portion of the aerosol generating material 43 is heated before or to a greater extent than a second portion of the aerosol generating material 43. In some examples, where there are two or more heaters, or where the heater 48 includes a plurality of selectively controllable heating elements, the controller 22 is configured to independently control each of the heaters / heating elements so as to provide a desired level of heating for each portion of the aerosol generating material 43. It will be understood that the terms heater and heating element are used somewhat interchangeably to refer to a controllable unit or element that is configured to generate heat when power (e.g., electric current) is applied.

[0097] For example, the aerosol supply system 1 includes at least two heaters (or a heater 48 having two heating elements), which may have a first heater (or heating element) for heating the first housing 61 and a second heater (or heating element) for heating the second housing 71. For example, the first heater or heating element and the first housing 61 may be positioned so that the first housing 61 is substantially adjacent to the first heater or heating element (e.g., when the consumable part 4 containing the first housing 61 is received by the device part 2 containing the first heater). Similarly, the second heater or heating element and the second housing 71 may be positioned so that the second housing 71 is substantially adjacent to the second heater or heating element (e.g., when the consumable part 4 containing the second housing 71 is received by the device part 2 containing the second heater). In other words, the first housing is mainly heated by the first heater of the at least two heaters, and the second housing is mainly heated by the second heater of the at least two heaters. In some examples, the controller 22 may selectively heat the first housing 61 by supplying power to the first heater but not to the second heater, and selectively heat the second housing 71 by supplying power to the second heater but not to the first heater. In some other examples, the controller 22 can selectively heat the first housing 61 by supplying power to the first heater at a first relatively high level and to the second heater at a second relatively low level; and selectively heat the second housing 71 by supplying power to the second heater at a second relatively high level and to the first heater at a first relatively low level.

[0098] In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to supply power to at least one heater 48 according to a heating profile. For example, the heating profile may indicate or determine a change in the amount or level of power supplied to the heater 48 (or each of the plurality of heaters) during a period of use. Alternatively or in addition, the heating profile may indicate a change in a target temperature during the period of use, and the controller 22 may be configured to receive a measurement indicating an actual temperature and supply an amount or level of power to the heater(s) according to a difference between the target temperature and the actual temperature (e.g., if the actual temperature is too low, the supplied power level may be increased, and if the actual temperature is too high, the supplied power level may be decreased or set to zero).

[0099] In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to select a heating curve from a plurality of predetermined heating curves, the selected heating curve being configured to release the first substance at a different time from the second substance during the use period. In some examples, the first heating curve will cause the first substance 60 and / or the second substance 70 to be released at a different time from the second heating curve. In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to select a heating curve from a plurality of heating curves based on information contained in the consumable part 4 (e.g., an internal memory) or information printed on the consumable part (e.g., a barcode, a QR code, or a color selection). In some examples, the controller 22 receives user input, for example, via the button 14, and selects a heating curve from a plurality of heating curves based on the user input (the selection or an indication of the selection can be displayed to the user via the display 16).

[0100] In some embodiments, the consumable portion 4 can be sold, supplied, or otherwise provided separately from the reusable device portion 2 that can be used with the consumable portion 4. However, in some embodiments, the reusable device portion 2 and one or more of the consumable portions 4 can be provided together as a system (such as a kit or assembly), possibly with additional components (such as cleaning utensils).

[0101] Figure 2 A method 200 of controlling aspects of an electronic aerosol supply system / device 1 for generating an aerosol according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically represented. The method may be performed by a suitable electronic device (eg, controller 22) as described above.

[0102] The first step 210 of the method 200 is to provide an aerosol generating material, a first substance of a plurality of substances enclosed by a first shell, and a second substance of a plurality of substances enclosed by a second shell. When the method is performed by the controller 22, the provision of the aerosol generating material 43, the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61, and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 can be facilitated by: a detection circuit for detecting the presence of the aerosol generating material 43 or the consumable part 4 (e.g., an article); and / or a user input (e.g., via the button 14) indicating that the aerosol generating material 43, the first substance 60 enclosed by the first shell 61, and the second substance 70 enclosed by the second shell 71 have been provided.

[0103] The second step 220 of the method 200 is to supply a certain amount of power to the heater so as to release the first substance from the first housing at the first time. Step 220 is performed by the controller 22, which is configured to cause power to be supplied from the power source 26 to the heater 48. The first housing 61 is configured (e.g., constructed or manufactured) to release the first substance 60 once the first housing 61 has been heated to the first temperature. In some examples, the controller 22 can supply power according to the selected heating curve. In some examples, the controller 22 can cause power to be supplied to the first heater, which is configured to heat the first housing 61 more than the second housing 71.

[0104] The third step 230 of the method 200 is to supply a certain amount of power to the heater so as to release the second substance from the second housing at a second time different from the first time. Step 230 is performed by the controller 22, which is configured to cause power to be supplied from the power source 26 to the heater 48. The second housing 71 is configured (e.g., constructed or manufactured) to release the second substance 70 once the second housing has been heated to the second temperature. In some examples, the controller 22 can supply power according to the selected heating curve. In some examples, the controller 22 can cause power to be supplied to the second heater, which is configured to heat the second housing 71 more than the first housing 61.

[0105] Figure 2 The method 200 shown may be stored as instructions on a computer-readable storage medium, such that when the instructions are executed by a processor, the method 200 is performed. The computer-readable storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0106] Therefore, an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use is described, the aerosol supply system comprising: an aerosol generating material; at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply system and arranged to be released at different times during the period of use; wherein a first substance among the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell, and a second substance among the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell.

[0107] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to help understand and teach the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative samples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and other embodiments can be utilized and can be modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. In addition to those specifically described herein, various embodiments of the present invention may appropriately include appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, parts, features, parts, steps, components, etc., be composed of appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, parts, features, parts, steps, components, etc., or be substantially composed of appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, parts, features, parts, steps, components, etc. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. An aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the aerosol supply system comprising: the aerosol generating material; at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply system and arranged to be released at different times during the usage period; wherein a first substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a first shell, and a second substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a second shell.

2. The aerosol supply system according to claim 1, wherein: The first substance enclosed by the first shell and the second substance enclosed by the second shell are provided within the aerosol generating material.

3. The aerosol supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the first housing being partially or completely formed of a first material configured to rupture, degrade, or melt in response to an increase in temperature of the first housing to at least a first temperature; and The second housing is partially or completely formed of a second material, and the second material is configured to rupture, degrade or melt in response to the temperature of the second housing increasing to at least a second temperature.

4. The aerosol supply system according to claim 3, wherein: The first temperature is lower than the second temperature.

5. The aerosol supply system according to claim 4, wherein: The first temperature is at least 10° C. lower than the second temperature.

6. An aerosol supply system according to claims 3 to 5, wherein: The first material is different from the second material.

7. An aerosol supply system according to claims 3 to 6, wherein: The first housing is thinner than the second housing.

8. An aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The plurality of substances includes one or more active ingredients, one or more flavoring agents, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers.

9. An aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The first substance is different from the second substance.

10. An aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The aerosol supply system comprises a controller configured to select a heating profile from a plurality of predetermined heating profiles, the selected heating profile being configured to release the first substance at a different time than the second substance during the usage period.

11. An aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The aerosol supply system comprises at least two heaters configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material, wherein the first housing is mainly heated by a first heater of the at least two heaters and the second housing is mainly heated by a second heater of the at least two heaters.

12. An article for use in an aerosol supply system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the article comprising: the aerosol generating material; a first substance among a plurality of substances enclosed by a first shell, the first shell being configured to release the first substance at a first time; and a second substance of the plurality of substances enclosed by a second shell, the second shell being configured to release the second substance at a second time.

13. A method of controlling the amount of power supplied to a heater for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, the method comprising: providing an aerosol generating material, a first substance of a plurality of substances enclosed by a first housing, and a second substance of the plurality of substances enclosed by a second housing; supplying an amount of power to the heater to release the first substance from the first housing at a first time; as well as An amount of power is supplied to the heater to release the second substance from the second housing at a second time different from the first time.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method according to claim 13.

15. An aerosol supply member for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a period of use, the aerosol supply member comprising: Aerosol generating material components; a heater member configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol supply member and arranged to be released at different times during the usage period; wherein a first substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a first housing member, and a second substance among the plurality of substances is enclosed by a second housing member.

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