Aerosol Delivery System

Abstract

A consumable (2) configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device (4) of an aerosol delivery system (1) for generating an aerosol. The consumable (2) comprises a first reservoir (31) for storing a first aerosol generating material and an aerosol generator (40) configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol generating material in the first reservoir (31). The consumable also comprises a base portion 75 comprising a plurality of electrodes (46A, 46B) for transmitting power to the aerosol generator. The base portion (75) further comprises a control electrode (83) configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system (1).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as, but not limited to, nicotine delivery systems (e.g., electronic cigarettes). [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic aerosol delivery systems often use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), or more generally aerosol delivery devices. Such aerosol delivery systems typically include a fluid or liquid reservoir, typically but not necessarily including a formulation including nicotine, or an aerosolizable material (also referred to as an aerosol-generating material), such as a solid, such as a tobacco-based product, from which a vapor / aerosol is generated, e.g., through heating and vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system typically includes a vaporizer (also referred to as an aerosol generator), e.g., a heating element, arranged to aerosolize a portion of the aerosolizable material to generate a vapor.

[0003] Once the vapor is generated, it can pass through a flavoring material to add flavor to the vapor (if the aerosolizable material itself is not flavored), and the (flavored) vapor can then be delivered from the aerosol delivery system to the user via the mouthpiece.

[0004] A potential drawback of existing aerosol delivery systems and related aerosol delivery devices is that they are relatively inflexible in quickly and effectively operating in more than one manner / action.

[0005] Accordingly, various approaches are described herein that attempt to address or help alleviate some of the aforementioned problems by implementing an aerosol delivery system in which a consumable can be selectively moved between a first position and a second position (e.g., moved to respective first and second rotational positions relative to the aerosol delivery device) such that a first predetermined operation and a second predetermined operation, respectively, can be performed in either of these first or second positions. Thus, in this manner, the operation of the aerosol delivery system can be quickly and effectively altered by changing the position of the consumable.

[0006] Also provided herein is a consumable that can be used with any power electrode to provide an additional control electrode that can be used to assist in carrying out such a predetermined operation, where the assistance is based on whether or not the control electrode of the consumable is determined to be engaged with a corresponding control electrode of the aerosol delivery device with which the consumable is configured to engage. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to a first aspect of an embodiment, there is provided a consumable configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the consumable comprising: a first reservoir for storing a first aerosol-generating material; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol using a first aerosol-generating material in a first reservoir; a base portion having a plurality of electrodes for transmitting power to the aerosol generator; Equipped with A consumable is provided, wherein the base portion further comprises a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system.

[0008] According to a second aspect of an embodiment, there is provided an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: A consumable according to a first aspect; an aerosol delivery device for releasably receiving a consumable; Equipped with an aerosol delivery device comprising: Power supply, a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes engaging the plurality of electrodes of the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device to transfer power from a power source of the aerosol delivery device to the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device; a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged by the consumable control electrode to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system; An aerosol delivery system is provided, comprising:

[0009] It will be understood that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to various aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention and can be combined with these embodiments as appropriate and not just in the specific combinations described herein.

[0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aerosol delivery system including a cartridge and an aerosol delivery device (shown separately) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating schematic components of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3A] 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3B]2A-2C are various cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3C] 2A-2C are various cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic of a housing portion of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4A] 2A and 2B are schematic perspective and plan views of a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4B] 2A and 2B are schematic perspective and plan views of a dividing wall element of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5A] 2A and 2B are two schematic perspective and plan views of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5B] 2A and 2B are two schematic perspective and plan views of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5C] 2A and 2B are two schematic perspective and plan views of an elastic plug of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6A] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views illustrating a schematic bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6B] 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views illustrating a schematic bottom cap of the cartridge of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 1. [Figure 7A] 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol delivery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a consumable is disposed in a first location. [Figure 7B] 7B is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 7A, in which the consumable is disposed in a second location, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol delivery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a consumable is disposed in a first location. [Figure 8B] 8B is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 8A in which the consumable is disposed in a second location according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9A]1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol delivery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a consumable is disposed in a first location. [Figure 9B] 9B is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 9A in which the consumable is disposed in a second location according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A] A schematic diagram of an embodiment of an aerosol delivery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the consumable is disposed in a first position and the consumable includes an additional control electrode. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the aerosol delivery system of FIG. 10A in which the consumable is disposed in a second location according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are described / explained herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented in a conventional manner and, for the sake of brevity, will not be described / explained in detail. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods described herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

[0013] The present disclosure relates to non-combustion aerosol delivery systems (such as e-cigarettes). According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosolizable material that is a component of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) is not burned or combusted to facilitate delivery to a user. An aerosolizable material, sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol precursor material, is a material that can generate an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may be flavored.

[0014] Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, with the understanding that these terms may be used synonymously with aerosol delivery systems. Note that electronic cigarettes are sometimes referred to as vaping devices or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), although the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not required.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system is a hybrid device configured to generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosolizable materials, one or more of which may be heated. In some embodiments, the hybrid device includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material and a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0016] In general, a (non-combustible) aerosol delivery system may include a cartridge / consumable portion and a body / reusable / aerosol delivery device portion configured to releasably engage the cartridge / consumable portion.

[0017] The aerosol delivery system may be provided with means for providing power to a vaporizer of the aerosol delivery system, and may be provided with an aerosolizable material transfer element for receiving the aerosolizable material to be vaporized. The aerosol delivery system may be provided with a reservoir for containing the aerosolizable material, and in some embodiments, a further reservoir for containing a flavoring material for flavoring the vapor generated from the aerosol delivery system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the vaporizer may be a heater / heating element that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatiles from the aerosolizable material to form a vapor / aerosol. In some embodiments, the vaporizer can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat. For example, the vaporizer may be capable of generating a vapor / aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat, for example, via one or more of vibrational, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means.

[0019] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosolizable material that may include an active ingredient, a carrier component, and optionally one or more other functional ingredients.

[0020] The active ingredient may include one or more physiologically and / or olfactorily active ingredients included in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological and / or olfactory response of the user. The active ingredient may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, psychoactive substances. The active ingredient may be naturally derived or synthetically obtained. The active ingredient may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may include components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco or another botanical material. In some embodiments, the active ingredient is a physiologically active ingredient and may be selected from nicotine, nicotine salts (e.g., nicotine bitartrate / nicotine bitartrate), nicotine-free tobacco substitutes, other alkaloids such as caffeine, or mixtures thereof.

[0021] In some embodiments, the active ingredient is an olfactory active ingredient and, where local regulations permit, may be selected from "flavors" and / or "flavoring agents" that may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory sensation in products for adult consumers. In some instances, such ingredients may be referred to as flavors, flavorings, flavoring materials, cooling agents, heating agents, and / or sweetening agents.These ingredients may be naturally derived flavoring materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical ... Fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberries, mulberries, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ira Nylon, sage, fennel, wasabi, chili pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, any species of mint oil of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, chili pepper, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners.The materials may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. The materials may be extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, chili pepper, scallion ... One or more of the following additives may be in any suitable form, e.g., liquid such as oil, solid such as powder, or gas: mint oil of any species of the genus Mentha, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. The materials may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. The materials may be in any suitable form, e.g., oil, liquid, or powder.

[0022] In some embodiments, the flavoring material (flavoring) may include menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring may include cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring may include eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring may include flavoring ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring may include a sensory elicitor intended to achieve a somatosensory sensation that is usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the scent or taste nerves, and may include agents that provide a heating, cooling, tingling, or anesthetic effect. A suitable heat effecting agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

[0023] The carrier component can include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component can include one or more of glycerin, 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, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0024] The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0025] As mentioned above, aerosol delivery systems (e-cigarettes) can often comprise a modular assembly including both a reusable part (main body or aerosol delivery device) and a replaceable consumable (cartridge) part. Devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration can generally be referred to as two-part devices. It is also common for electronic cigarettes to have a generally elongated shape. To provide a concrete example, certain embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can comprise this type of generally elongated two-part device using a consumable part. However, it will be understood that the underlying principles described herein can equally be employed in other e-cigarette configurations, e.g., modular devices with three or more parts, as devices conforming to other overall shapes, e.g., based on so-called box-mod high-performance devices that generally have a more box-like shape.

[0026] From the above, therefore, reference is made to Figure 1, which is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system (e-cigarette) 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Terms relating to the relative positions of various aspects of an e-cigarette (e.g., terms such as upper, lower, above, below, top, bottom, etc.) are used herein with reference to the orientation of the e-cigarette as shown in Figure 1 (unless the context dictates otherwise). However, it will be understood that this is merely for ease of explanation and is not intended to imply any required orientation of the e-cigarette in use.

[0027] The e-cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system 1) comprises two main components: a cartridge 2 and an aerosol delivery device 4. The aerosol delivery device 4 and the cartridge 2 are shown separated in Figure 1 but are coupled together in use.

[0028] The cartridge 2 and the aerosol delivery device 4 are coupled by establishing a mechanical and electrical connection between them. The particular manner in which the mechanical and electrical connection is established is not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may be established according to conventional techniques, for example based on mechanical fastening of threads, bayonets, latches, or friction fit, with appropriately positioned electrical contacts / electrodes to establish electrical connection between the two parts as required. In the exemplary cartridge of electronic cigarette 1 depicted in FIG. 1 , the cartridge comprises a mouthpiece 33, a mouthpiece end 52, and an interface end 54, and is coupled to the aerosol delivery device by inserting the interface end portion 6 into a corresponding receptacle 8 / receiving portion of the aerosol delivery device at the interface end of the cartridge. The interface end portion 6 of the cartridge includes a protrusion 56 that fits tightly against the receptacle 8 and engages with a corresponding detent on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 that defines the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. An electrical connection is established between the aerosol delivery device and the cartridge via a pair of electrical contacts (not shown in FIG. 1) at the bottom of the cartridge and corresponding spring-loaded contact pins (not shown in FIG. 1) at the base of the receptacle 8. As previously mentioned, the particular manner in which the electrical connection is established is not important to the principles described herein, and indeed some implementations may not have any electrical connection at all between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device, for example because the transmission of power from the reusable part to the cartridge may be wireless (e.g., based on electromagnetic induction technology).

[0029] The electronic cigarette 1 (aerosol delivery system) has a generally elongated shape extending along a longitudinal axis L. When the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device, the overall length (along the longitudinal axis) of the electronic cigarette in this example is about 12.5 cm. The overall length of the aerosol delivery device is about 9 cm, and the overall length of the cartridge is about 5 cm (i.e., there is about 1.5 cm of overlap between the interface end portion 6 of the cartridge and the receptacle 8 of the aerosol delivery device when they are coupled together). The cross section of the electronic cigarette is generally oval, being largest near the center of the electronic cigarette and curving and tapering toward the ends. The cross section near the center of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2.5 cm and a thickness of about 1.7 cm. The ends of the cartridge have a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 0.6 mm, and the other end of the electronic cigarette has a width of about 2 cm and a thickness of about 1.2 cm. The outer housing of the electronic cigarette is formed from plastic in this example. It will be understood that the particular size and shape of the electronic cigarette, and the materials from which the electronic cigarette is made, are not of primary importance to the principles described herein and may vary in different implementations, i.e., the principles described herein may be equally employed in electronic cigarettes having different sizes, shapes, and / or materials.

[0030] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery device 4 may be generally conventional in terms of its function and general construction techniques. In the example of FIG. 1, the aerosol delivery device 4 comprises a plastic outer housing 10 including a receptacle wall 12 defining a receptacle 8 for receiving an end of a cartridge, as previously described. The outer housing 10 of the aerosol delivery device 4 in this example has a generally oval cross-section at the interface that matches the shape and size of the cartridge 2 and provides a smooth transition between the two parts. The receptacle 8 and the end portion 6 of the cartridge 2 are symmetrical when rotated 180 degrees, so that the cartridge can be inserted into the aerosol delivery device in two different orientations. The receptacle wall 12 includes two aerosol delivery device air inlet openings 14 (i.e., holes in the wall). These openings 14 are positioned to align with the air inlet 50 of the cartridge when the cartridge is coupled to the aerosol delivery device. Different ones of the openings 14 are aligned with the air inlet 50 of the cartridge in different orientations. It will be understood that some implementations may not have any degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in only one orientation, while other implementations may have a greater degree of rotational symmetry such that the cartridge can be coupled to the aerosol delivery device in more orientations.

[0031] The aerosol delivery device further includes a battery 16 for powering the operation of the e-cigarette, control circuitry 18 for controlling and monitoring operation of the e-cigarette, user input buttons 20, indicator lights 22, and a charging port 24.

[0032] Battery 16 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as the type commonly used in e-cigarettes and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high current for a relatively short period of time. Battery 16 may be recharged through a charging port 24, which may include, for example, a USB connector.

[0033] The input button 20 in this example is a conventional mechanical button, e.g., comprising a spring-loaded component that a user can press to establish electrical contact with the underlying circuitry. In this regard, the input button can be considered an input device for detecting user input, e.g., to trigger aerosol generation, and the particular manner in which the button is implemented is not important. For example, other forms of mechanical buttons (e.g., based on capacitive or optical sensing techniques) or contact-sensitive buttons can be used in other implementations, or the button may not be present and the device can rely on a puff detector to trigger aerosol generation.

[0034] Indicator lights 22 are provided to give the user a visual indication of various characteristics associated with the e-cigarette, such as an operational state (e.g., on / off / standby) as well as other characteristics such as battery life or fault conditions. Generally consistent with conventional techniques, different characteristics may be indicated, for example, through different colors and / or different flashing sequences.

[0035] The control circuit 18 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the electronic cigarette to provide conventional operating functions according to established techniques for controlling electronic cigarettes. The control circuit (processor circuit) 18 can be considered to logically comprise various sub-units / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the electronic cigarette. For example, depending on the functionality provided in different implementations, the control circuit 18 can comprise a power control circuit for controlling the supply of power from the battery / power source to the cartridge 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 other functional units / circuit-related functions according to the principles described herein and conventional operating aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as an indicator light display drive circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be understood that the functionality of the control circuit 18 can be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more suitably configured application specific integrated circuit(s) / circuit(s) / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality.

[0036] Figure 2 is an exploded schematic perspective view (exploded along longitudinal axis L) of cartridge 2. Cartridge 2 includes housing portion 32, air channel seal 34, dividing wall element 36, outlet tube 38, vaporizer / heating element 40, aerosolizable material transfer element 42, plug 44, and end cap 48 having contact electrode 46. Figures 3-6 show some of these components in schematic detail.

[0037] Figure 3A is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L where housing portion 32 is at its narrowest. Figure 3B is a schematic cutaway view of housing portion 32 through longitudinal axis L where housing portion 32 is at its widest. Figure 3C is a schematic view of the housing portion from interface end 54 along longitudinal axis L (i.e., viewed from below in the orientation of Figures 3A and 3B).

[0038] Figure 4A is a schematic perspective view of the dividing wall element 36 as seen from below. Figure 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view through the top of the dividing wall element 36 as seen from below.

[0039] Figure 5A is a schematic perspective view of plug 44 from above, Figure 5B is a schematic perspective view of plug 44 from below, and Figure 5C is a schematic view of plug 44 along longitudinal axis L as viewed from mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., as viewed from above relative to the orientation of Figures 1 and 2).

[0040] Figure 6A is a schematic perspective view of end cap 48 from above. Figure 6B is a schematic view of end cap 48 along longitudinal axis L as viewed from mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge (i.e., from above).

[0041] The housing portion 32 in this example includes an outer housing wall 64 and an inner housing tube 62, which in this example are formed from a single molding of polypropylene. The outer housing wall 64 defines the exterior of the cartridge 2, and the inner housing tube 62 defines a portion of the air channel through the cartridge. The housing portion is closed at the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge, except for a mouthpiece opening / aerosol outlet 60 of the mouthpiece 33, which opens at the interface end 54 of the cartridge and is in fluid communication with the inner housing tube 62. The housing portion 32 includes an opening in a side wall that provides an air inlet 50 for the cartridge. The air inlet 50 in this example is approximately 2 mm in diameter. 22. The outer surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes the aforementioned projection 56 which engages a corresponding detent on the inner surface of the receptacle wall 12 defining the receptacle 8 to provide a releasable mechanical engagement between the cartridge and the aerosol delivery device. The inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion includes a further projection 66 which acts to provide an abutment stop for locating the dividing wall element 36 along the longitudinal axis L when the cartridge is assembled. The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 further includes an aperture which provides a latch recess 68 arranged to receive a corresponding latch projection 70 on the end cap to secure the end cap to the housing portion when the cartridge is assembled.

[0042] The outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32 includes a double-walled portion 74 that defines a gap 76 that is in fluid communication with the air inlet 50. The gap 76 provides a portion of an air channel through the cartridge. In this example, the double-walled portion 74 of the housing portion 32 is arranged such that the gap defines an air channel that extends within the housing outer wall 64 parallel to the longitudinal axis and has a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of approximately 3 mm. 2 The air channel gap / portion 76 defined by the double wall portion of the housing portion extends down to the open end of the housing portion 32.

[0043] The air channel seal 34 is a silicone molding generally in the form of a tube having a through hole 80. The outer wall of the air channel seal 34 includes a peripheral ridge 84 and an upper collar 82. The inner wall of the air channel seal 34 also includes a peripheral ridge, but these are not visible in FIG. 2. When the cartridge is assembled, the air channel seal 34 is attached to the inner housing tube 62, the end of which extends partially into the through hole 80 of the air channel seal 34. The through hole 80 of the air channel seal has a diameter of about 5.8 mm in a relaxed state, and the end of the inner housing tube 62 has a diameter of about 6.2 mm to form a seal when the air channel seal 34 is stretched to accommodate the inner housing tube 62. This seal is facilitated by the ridges on the inner surface of the air channel seal 34.

[0044] The outlet tube 38 comprises a tubular section made, for example, from ANSI 304 stainless steel or polypropylene, with an inside diameter of about 8.6 mm and a wall thickness of about 0.2 mm. The bottom end of the outlet tube 38 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 88, with each end of the slot having a semicircular recess 90. When the cartridge is assembled, the outlet tube 38 is attached to the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. The outer diameter of the air channel seal is about 9.0 mm in a relaxed state so as to form a seal when the air channel seal 34 is compressed to fit within the outlet tube 38. This seal is facilitated by a ridge 84 on the outer surface of the air channel seal 34. A collar 80 on the air channel seal 34 provides a stop for the outlet tube 38.

[0045] The aerosolizable material transfer element 42 comprises a capillary wick, and the vaporizer (aerosol generator) 40 comprises a resistance wire heater wrapped around the capillary wick. In addition to the portion of resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, the vaporizer comprises an electrical lead 41 that passes through a hole in the plug 44 to contact an electrode 46 attached to the end cap 54, so that power can be provided to the vaporizer via an electrical interface established when the cartridge is connected to an aerosol delivery device. The vaporizer lead 41 can comprise the same material as the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick, or can comprise a different material (e.g., a low resistance material) connected to the resistance wire wrapped around the capillary wick. In this example, the heater coil 40 comprises nickel-iron alloy wire, and the wick 42 comprises fiberglass bundles. The vaporizer and aerosolizable material transfer elements may be provided according to any conventional technique and can comprise different forms and / or different materials. For example, in some implementations, the wick can comprise a fibrous or solid ceramic material, and the heater can comprise a different alloy. In other examples, the heater and wick may be combined, for example, in the form of a porous material and a resistive material. More generally, it will be understood that the particular nature of the aerosolizable material transport element and vaporizer is not of primary importance to the principles described herein.

[0046] When the cartridge is assembled, the wick 42 is received in a semi-circular recess 90 in the outlet tube 38 so that the central portion of the wick around which the heating coil is wrapped is inside the outlet tube and the end portions of the wick are outside the outlet tube 38.

[0047] The plug 44 in this example comprises a unitary molding of silicone and may be resilient. The plug comprises a base 100 with an outer wall 102 extending upwardly from the base 100 (i.e., towards the mouthpiece end of the cartridge). The plug further comprises an inner wall 104 which extends upwardly from the base 100 and surrounds a through hole 106 therethrough.

[0048] An outer wall 102 of the plug 44 fits against the inner surface of the housing portion 32 such that, when the cartridge is assembled, the plug of 44 forms a seal with the housing portion 32. An inner wall 104 of the plug 44 fits against the inner surface of the outlet tube 38 such that, when the cartridge is assembled, the plug 44 also forms a seal with the outlet tube 38. The inner wall 104 includes a pair of diametrically opposed slots 108, the end of each slot having a semicircular recess 110. Extending outwardly (i.e., away from the longitudinal axis of the cartridge) from the bottom of each slot in the inner wall 104 is a cradle portion 112 that is shaped to receive a portion of the aerosolizable material transfer element 42 when the cartridge is assembled. The slot 108 and semicircular recess 110 provided by the inner wall of the plug 44 are aligned with the slot 88 and semicircular recess 90 of the outlet tube 38, such that the slot 88 of the outlet tube 38 receives a respective one of the cradles 112, and the respective semicircular recesses of the outlet tube and the plug cooperate to define an aperture through which the aerosolizable material transport element passes. The size of the aperture provided by the semicircular recess through which the aerosolizable material transport element passes corresponds closely to the size and shape of the aerosolizable material transport element, but is slightly smaller, and thus a degree of compression is provided by the elasticity of the plug 44. This allows the aerosolizable material to be transported along the aerosolizable material transport element by capillary action, while limiting the extent to which aerosolizable material not transported by capillary action can pass through the opening. As previously mentioned, the plug 44 includes a further opening 114 in the base 100 through which the vaporizer contact lead 41 passes when the cartridge is assembled. The bottom of the plug base includes spacers 116 that maintain the offset between the remaining surface of the bottom of the base and the end cap 48. These spacers 116 include openings 114 through which the vaporizer electrical contact leads 41 pass.

[0049] The end cap 48 comprises a polypropylene body having a pair of gold plated copper electrode posts 46 attached thereto.

[0050] The end of the electrode post 44 at the bottom side of the end cap is flush with and proximate to the interface end 54 of the cartridge provided by the end cap 48. This end of the electrode post is part of the electrode to which a correspondingly aligned spring-loaded contact of the aerosol delivery device 4 connects when the cartridge 2 is assembled and connected to the aerosol delivery device 4. The end of the electrode post within the cartridge extends away from the end cap 48 into a hole 114 in the plug 44 through which the contact lead 41 passes. The electrode post is slightly oversized relative to the hole 114 and includes a chamfer at the top end to facilitate insertion of the plug into the hole 114, and is held in pressure contact by the plug against the vaporizer contact lead.

[0051] The end cap has a base portion 124 and an upstanding wall 120 which fits against the inner surface of the housing part 32. The upstanding wall 120 of the end cap 48 is inserted into the housing part 32 so that when the cartridge is assembled, the latch projections 70 engage the latch recesses 68 of the housing part 32 to snap-fit ​​the end cap 48 into the housing part. The upper portion of the upstanding wall 120 of the end cap 48 abuts against the periphery of the plug 44 and the lower surface of the spacer 116 of the plug also abuts against the base portion 124 of the plug, thus compressing and maintaining the resilient portion 44 in slight compression when the end cap 48 is attached to the housing part.

[0052] A base portion 124 of the end cap 48 includes a peripheral lip 126 that extends beyond the base of the upstanding wall 112 and has a thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the outer wall of the housing portion at the interface end of the cartridge. The end cap may also include an upstanding locating pin 122 that aligns with a corresponding locating hole 128 in the plug to help establish their relative position during assembly.

[0053] The dividing wall element 36 comprises a single moulding of polypropylene, with a dividing wall 130 and a collar 132 formed by a protrusion from the dividing wall 130 in a direction towards the interface end of the cartridge. The dividing wall element 36 has a central opening 134 through which the outlet tube 38 passes (i.e. the dividing wall is disposed around the outlet tube 38). In some embodiments the dividing wall element 36 can be formed integrally with the outlet tube 38. When the cartridge is assembled the upper surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44 engages the lower surface of the dividing wall 130, which in turn engages the protrusion 66 on the inner surface of the outer wall 64 of the housing part 32. The dividing wall 130 thus prevents the plug from being pushed too far into the housing part 32, i.e. the dividing wall 130 is fixedly positioned along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge by the protrusion 66 of the housing part, thus providing the plug with a fixed surface to press against. A collar 132 formed by a projection from the dividing wall includes a first pair of opposing projections / tangs 134 that engage corresponding recesses in the inner surface of the outer wall 102 of the plug 44. The projection from the dividing wall 130 further provides a pair of cradle portions 136 configured to engage a corresponding one of the cradle portions 112 of the part 44 when the cartridge is assembled to further define an opening through which the aerosolizable material transfer element passes.

[0054] When the cartridge 2 is assembled, an air channel is formed that extends through the cartridge from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol outlet 60. Starting at the air inlet 50 in the side wall of the housing portion 32, a first portion of the air channel is provided by a gap 76 formed by a double wall portion 74 of the outer wall 64 of the housing portion 32, and extends from the air inlet 50 past the plug 44 towards the interface end 54 of the cartridge. A second portion of the air channel is provided by a gap between the base of the plug 44 and the end cap 48. A third portion of the air channel is provided by a hole 106 through the plug 44. A fourth portion of the air channel is provided by the area within the inner wall 104 of the plug and the outlet tube around the vaporizer 40. This fourth portion of the air channel is sometimes referred to as the aerosol / aerosol generation region, and is the primary region where aerosol is generated during use. The air channel from the air inlet 50 to the aerosol generation region is sometimes referred to as the air inlet portion of the air channel. A fifth portion of the air channel is provided by the remaining portion of the outlet tube 38. A sixth portion of the air channel is provided by an outer housing inner tube 62 that connects the air channel to an aerosol outlet 60 located at the end of the mouthpiece 33. The portion of the air channel from the aerosol-generation region that becomes the aerosol outlet may be referred to as the aerosol outlet portion of the air channel.

[0055] Also, when the cartridge is assembled, a reservoir 31 for the aerosolizable material is formed by the space outside the air channel and inside the housing portion 32. This may be filled during manufacture, for example through a fill hole that is subsequently sealed, or by other means. The particular nature of the aerosolizable material, for example with respect to its composition, is not of primary importance to the principles described herein, and generally any conventional aerosolizable material of the kind typically used in electronic cigarettes can be used. The present disclosure may refer to a liquid as the aerosolizable material, which may be a conventional e-liquid as described above. However, the principles of the present disclosure apply to any aerosolizable material that can flow and may include liquids, gels, or solids, with respect to solids being considered to be capable of flowing when multiple solid particles are considered as a bulk.

[0056] The reservoir is closed at the interface end of the cartridge by a plug 44. The reservoir includes a first region above the dividing wall 130 and a second region below the dividing wall 130 in the space formed between the air channel and the outer wall of the plug. The aerosolizable material transfer element (capillary wick) 42 passes through an opening in the wall of the air channel provided by the semicircular recesses 108, 90 of the plug 44 and the outlet tube 38 and the cradle portion 112, 136 of the plug 44 and the dividing wall element 36, which engage with each other as described above. Thus, the end of the aerosolizable material transfer element extends into the second region of the reservoir and draws the aerosolizable material therefrom through the opening in the air channel and into the vaporizer 40 for subsequent vaporization.

[0057] In normal use, the cartridge 2 is coupled to the aerosol delivery device 4, and the aerosol delivery device is activated to supply power to the cartridge via the contact electrodes 46 of the end cap 48. Power is then sent to the vaporizer 40 through the connecting lead 41. The vaporizer is thus electrically heated, thus vaporizing a portion of the aerosolizable material from the aerosolizable material transport element near the vaporizer. This generates an aerosol in the aerosol-generating region of the air passage. The aerosolizable material vaporized from the aerosolizable material transport element is replaced by more aerosolizable material drawn from the reservoir by capillary action. While the vaporizer is operating, the user draws on the mouthpiece end 52 of the cartridge. This draws air through whichever aerosol delivery device air inlet 14 is aligned with the cartridge air inlet 50 (depending on the orientation in which the cartridge was inserted into the aerosol delivery device receptacle 8). Air then enters the cartridge through air inlet 50, travels along gap 76 in double-walled portion 74 of housing portion 32, passes between plug 44 and end cap 48, and then through hole 106 in base 100 of plug 44 into the aerosol-generating region surrounding vaporizer 40. The incoming air mixes with the aerosol generated from the vaporizer to form a condensed aerosol that is then drawn along exit tube 38 and housing portion interior 62 before exiting through mouthpiece outlet / aerosol outlet 60 for the user to inhale.

[0058] From Figures 1-6B above, one can see the configuration of a possible embodiment of an aerosol delivery system 1 configured to generate an aerosol suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure (among other possible forms of aerosol delivery system).

[0059] Turning now to Figures 7A-10B, the present disclosure also provides other applications and embodiments of the aerosol delivery system 1 that can complement the embodiments of the aerosol delivery system illustrated and described above with reference to Figures 1-6B.

[0060] 7A-10B, according to some embodiments, an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol is provided, the aerosol delivery system 1 comprising an aerosol delivery device 4 and a consumable 2 configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4. At a general level, any such consumable 2 may be configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4 at a first position P1 (as shown in any of the embodiments of FIG. 7A, FIG. 8A, FIG. 9A, or FIG. 10A) to enable the aerosol delivery system 1 to perform a first predetermined operation. In some embodiments, the consumable 2 may then be configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4 at a second position P2 (as shown in any of the embodiments of FIG. 7B, FIG. 8B, FIG. 9B, or FIG. 10B) to enable the aerosol delivery system 1 to perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0061] This, therefore, at a general level, may enable a user of the aerosol delivery system 1 to quickly and effectively change the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1 by changing the position of the consumable 2 between the first position P1 and / or the second position P2 relative to the aerosol delivery device 4, which is configured to accept the consumable 2 at both the first position P1 and the second position P2, and / or relative to an interface of the aerosol delivery device 4 (such as a receptacle 8), as described below.

[0062] It will be appreciated that the exact nature of how the consumable 2 is movable between the two positions P1, P2 can take a variety of different forms depending on the configuration of the aerosol delivery system and / or the configuration of the aerosol delivery device 4 and the consumable 2. For example, according to some embodiments, the consumable may be configured to slide between a first position P1 and a second position P2 to move the consumable between the first position P1 and the second position P2. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the consumable may be configured to turn or rotate between the first position P1 and the second position P2 to move the consumable between the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0063] According to some embodiments, such as those shown in the embodiments of Figures 7A-10B, the first position P1 of the consumable 2 can include the consumable 2 being received by the aerosol delivery device 4 at a first rotational position (as shown in any of the embodiments of Figures 7A, 8A, 9A, or 10A) relative to the aerosol delivery device 4. In this manner, the second position P2 of the consumable 2 can include the consumable 2 being received by the aerosol delivery device 4 at a second rotational position (as shown in any of the embodiments of Figures 7B, 8B, 9B, or 10B) relative to the aerosol delivery device 4 that is different from the first rotational position. In this manner, a user can select, at the time of coupling the consumable 2 to the aerosol delivery device 4, whether to place the consumable in the first position P1 to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation, or to place the consumable 2 in the second position P2 to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a second predetermined operation.

[0064] To assist the user in moving the consumable 2 between each of these different positions, each configured to allow the aerosol delivery system 1 to perform a respective predetermined operation, according to some embodiments the consumable 2 may comprise a symmetrical portion 71 having rotational symmetry of order "n", where "n" is a positive integer of at least 2. It will be appreciated that depending on the shape of the symmetrical portion 71, according to some embodiments "n" may be a positive integer of at least 2 (e.g. the symmetrical portion 71 comprises an elliptical or rectangular cross-section), at least 3 (e.g. the symmetrical portion 71 comprises an equilateral triangular cross-section), and / or at least 4 (e.g. the symmetrical portion 71 comprises a square cross-section), or at least any other integer such as 6 or 8 (e.g. the symmetrical portion 71 comprises a hexagonal or octagonal cross-section, etc.).

[0065] Thus, for clarity, it should be understood that the above teachings may be used such that the consumable can be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device around a plurality of different positions (e.g., a third position and / or a fourth position and / or an nth position) such that the aerosol delivery system can be effectively configured to perform a predetermined (nth) action that is different from the predetermined action for each of the other / remaining positions of the plurality of different positions.

[0066] To put all the above into context, a first possible application of the present teachings according to some embodiments may be when the aerosol delivery system is configured to generate an aerosol containing a first flavor (e.g., menthol, mint, and / or grapefruit) when the consumable is in a first position P1. In this way, the aerosol delivery system 1 may then be configured to generate an aerosol containing a second flavor (e.g., non-menthol, non-mint, and / or non-grapefruit, e.g., coffee, or lemon, or strawberry) when the consumable is in a second position P2, the first flavor being different from the second flavor. In this way, a user may be able to conveniently switch the flavor of the generated aerosol by appropriately placing the consumable in either the first position P1 and / or the second position P2. This embodiment is shown, for example, in the embodiment of Figures 9A and 9B.

[0067] 9A and 9B, according to some embodiments, the consumable may comprise a first reservoir 31A for storing a first aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol delivery system 1 is configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol-generating material when the consumable is in a first position P1 (as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9A). In such embodiments, the consumable according to some more specific embodiments may then comprise a second reservoir 31B for storing a second aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol delivery system 1 is configured to generate an aerosol using the second aerosol-generating material when the consumable is in a second position P2 (as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 9B). For these embodiments, the composition of the first aerosol-generating material may be the same as the composition of the second aerosol-generating material (e.g., allowing aerosol-generating materials of the same composition to be aerosolized in different ways using different reservoirs 31A, 31B). Similarly, however, according to some embodiments, the composition of the first aerosol-generating material (e.g., menthol, mint, and / or grapefruit) may differ from the composition of the second aerosol-generating material (e.g., non-menthol, non-mint, and / or non-grapefruit, e.g., coffee, or lemon, or strawberry).

[0068] An additional / alternative application of the above according to some embodiments, such as the embodiment of Figures 8A and 8B, may be when the aerosol supply device 4 is configured to supply air to the consumable 2 to generate aerosol at a first speed when the consumable 2 is in a first position P1. In this way, the aerosol supply device 4 according to some embodiments may then be configured to supply air to the consumable 2 to generate aerosol at a second speed when the consumable 2 is in a second position P2, the first speed being different (e.g. faster and / or slower) than the second speed. To achieve this change in speed, it will be understood that this can be achieved in a number of different ways. One possible example may be, for example, that the aerosol supply device 4 comprises a first inlet channel (and / or a first air inlet) 14A for supplying air to the consumable to generate aerosol when the consumable is in the first position P1. In this manner, the aerosol supply device 4 may be provided with a second inlet channel (and / or a second air inlet) 14B for supplying air to the consumable 2 to generate aerosol when the consumable 2 is in the second position P2, where the first air inlet channel (and / or the first air inlet) 14A is different from the second air inlet channel (and / or the second air inlet) 14B, for example as shown in the embodiment of Figures 8A and 8B.

[0069] Also in relation to the above embodiment, in order to vary the rate at which air is supplied to the consumable, the aerosol supply device 4 may comprise a throttle member 72, such as a valve or tube, with a smaller / variable / larger cross-sectional area in at least one of the air inlet channels 14A, 14B. Additionally / alternatively, the consumable in the first position P1 may be configured to define an air inlet of the consumable 2 with a first predetermined size, and the consumable in the second position P2 may be configured to define an air inlet 50 of the consumable 2 with a second predetermined size different from the first predetermined size. This change in size may be achieved, for example, according to some embodiments, by the air inlet 50 of the consumable being covered by a portion of the aerosol supply device 4 by a first amount in the first position P1, and by the air inlet 50 of the consumable being covered by a portion of the aerosol supply device 4 by a second amount in the second position P2. Such a portion of the aerosol delivery device 4 may, in a very particular embodiment, comprise a wall 12 of a receptacle 8 of the aerosol delivery device 4, the receptacle 8 being for receiving at least a portion 73 of the consumable 2 when the consumable 2 is in the first position P1 and / or the second position P2.

[0070] As mentioned above, according to some embodiments, any provided aerosol delivery system 1 may comprise a receptacle 8 for receiving at least a portion 73 of the consumable 2 when the consumable 2 is in the first position P1 or the second position P2. In more particular embodiments, the portion 73 of the consumable may comprise a base portion 75 of the consumable 2, and / or the portion 73 may comprise a symmetrical portion 71 (as shown in at least the embodiments of Figures 7A, 7B). For these embodiments, the receptacle 8 may thus function to better accommodate and guide the placement and retention of the consumable 2 in the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0071] Regardless of whether any receptacle 8 or portion 73 is used in the aerosol delivery system 1, the consumable 2 may, according to some embodiments, comprise a mouthpiece portion 33 to better direct the aerosol generated in the consumable 2 to the mouth of a user of the aerosol delivery system 1. However, if a receptacle 8 is used, in some embodiments any used mouthpiece portion / mouthpiece 33 may be configured to be positioned outside the receptacle 9 when the consumable 2 is in the first position P1 or the second position P2. In this way, the portions that may be positioned outside the receptacle 8 may be conveniently limited to only the mouthpiece portion (mouthpiece) 33, as the case may be, thus helping to prevent damage to the remaining portions housed in the receptacle 8.

[0072] With respect to minimizing any inadvertent damage to any used electrodes of the consumable 2, according to some embodiments, at least some or all of the electrodes of the consumable 2 may be configured to be disposed in the receptacle when the consumable 2 is in the first position P1 or the second position P2. In this manner, and / or in other words, in embodiments in which a base portion 75 is used, the base portion 75 of the consumable 2 may in some embodiments further comprise at least some or all of the electrodes of the consumable 2.

[0073] In connection with any such electrodes used as part of an aerosol delivery system, the aerosol delivery device 4 shown in the embodiments of Figures 7A-10B can include a first plurality of electrodes 78 for transferring power from a power source 16 (such as a battery in certain sets of embodiments) of the aerosol delivery device 4 to the consumable 2 when the consumable 2 is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4. In this manner, the consumable 2 can in turn include a second plurality of electrodes 46 for contacting the first plurality of electrodes 78 of the aerosol delivery device.

[0074] With respect to any such electrode arrangement that may be used, in some embodiments, the second plurality of electrodes 46 may be configured to contact the first plurality of electrodes 78 about a first configuration at a first position P1 to enable the aerosol delivery system 1 to perform a first predetermined operation. For example, such a first configuration is shown, for example, in the embodiment of FIG. 7A. In this manner, the second plurality of electrodes 46 may then be configured to contact the first plurality of electrodes 78 about a second configuration, different from the first configuration, at a second position P2 to enable the aerosol delivery system 1 to perform a second predetermined operation. Such a second configuration is shown, for example, in the embodiment of FIG. 7B. In relation to such an embodiment, according to some more specific embodiments, the first plurality of electrodes 78 includes a first electrode 78A and a second electrode 78B, and the second plurality of electrodes 46 includes a first electrode 46A and a second electrode 46B. Thus, particularly in some embodiments (such as those shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B), at a first position P1 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 10A), a first electrode 78A of the first plurality of electrodes 78 may be configured to contact a first electrode 46A of the second plurality of electrodes 46. Thus, at a second position P2, a first electrode 78A of the first plurality of electrodes 78 may be configured to contact a second electrode 46B of the second plurality of electrodes 46 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 10B). In other words, with respect to such electrode placement in some more limited embodiments, it can be seen that in some embodiments, at the first position P1, a second electrode 78B of the first plurality of electrodes 78 may be configured to contact a second electrode 46B of the second plurality of electrodes 46, and at the second position P2, a second electrode 78B of the first plurality of electrodes 78 may be configured to contact a first electrode 46A of the second plurality of electrodes 46.It can therefore be seen that with respect to any of the above electrode arrangements, and therefore the relative positioning of each of the aerosol delivery device 4 and the consumable 2, may enable a user to conveniently move the consumable around each of the first and second (and any other nth) predetermined positions so as to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform the appropriate predetermined operation associated with each such predetermined position.

[0075] As will be apparent from at least some of the above embodiments, when a symmetrical portion 71 of the consumable 2 is used, the symmetrical portion may comprise at least one of the electrodes 46A, 46B of the second plurality of electrodes 46 to facilitate accurate positioning of these electrodes around the various positions P1, P2 of the consumable 2.

[0076] Returning to some of the possible applications where the consumable 2 is movable between a first position P1 and a second position P2, enabling the aerosol delivery system to perform appropriate predetermined actions associated with each such predetermined position, according to some embodiments (e.g., as shown in the embodiments of Figs. 9A and 9B), the aerosol delivery device 4 may be configured to heat air supplied to the consumable from the aerosol delivery device 4 for generating aerosol when the consumable 2 is in one of the first position P1 and the second position P2, but not in the other of the first position and the second position (e.g., as shown in Fig. 9A). For such embodiments, any suitable heater may be used to provide this heat "H" to the air supplied to the consumable. For example, in some embodiments, the heat "H" may be configured to be supplied by an aerosol generator of the aerosol delivery system 1 (it should be noted that the aerosol generator 40 may be implemented in either the aerosol delivery device 4 and / or the consumable 2, as appropriate). Thus, these embodiments may provide a system in which the air may be preheated at some locations of the consumable 2 (e.g., the first location P1) but not necessarily at other locations (e.g., the second location P2) to provide different possible aerosol-generating materials. Some of the aerosol-generating materials may be better configured to be preheated (e.g., when it is desirable to provide a "hot" flavoring, such as when a coffee or chocolate flavored aerosol is desired) as opposed to when it may not be desirable to preheat (e.g., when it is desirable to provide a "cool" flavoring, such as when a menthol or mint flavored aerosol is desired). Depending on how the user positions the consumable 2 at the first location P1 or the second location P2, providing such heating in some cases may be further advantageous in allowing the aerosol delivery system to better accommodate different environmental conditions. For example, if the aerosol delivery system 1 is to be used in a relatively cool environment, the consumable may be positioned at a location where heat H is delivered to the air to compensate for the cooler ambient air and provide a more optimized aerosol temperature.Similarly, if the aerosol delivery system 1 is instead used in a relatively hot environment, the consumables can be placed in a location where heat H is not delivered to the air, and the generated aerosol can be otherwise maintained with more optimized thermal properties.

[0077] Instead of adjusting the temperature of the air initially supplied to the consumable 2 and / or any aerosol generator 40 thereof, in some cases the aerosol supply system 1 may be configured to adjust (e.g., increase or decrease) the temperature of the aerosol generated by the aerosol supply system 1 and / or the aerosol generator 40 when the consumable 2 is in one of the first position P1 and the second position P2 but not in the other of the first position P1 and the second position P2. For such an embodiment, any suitable heater or cooler (thermal component) may be used to perform such temperature adjustment on the generated aerosol. For example, according to some embodiments, any increase in temperature may be configured to be provided by heat from the aerosol generator 40 and / or other separate heater or thermal component. According to some embodiments, the aerosol supply system 1 may be configured to adjust the temperature of the aerosol at the aerosol outlet tube 38, for example, by using heat from a separate heater near the aerosol outlet tube 38 and / or by using a portion of the heat generated by the aerosol generator 40.

[0078] If the aerosol supply system 1 is configured to adjust the temperature of the aerosol generated by the aerosol supply system 1 when the consumable is in one of the first and second positions but not in the other of the first and second positions, and / or is configured to adjust the temperature of the consumable 2, or the air supplied to the aerosol generator 40 of the aerosol supply device 4 for generating an aerosol, then for the sake of completeness it will be understood that this temperature change between the two positions P1, P2 may be done automatically / directly as a result of a different position of the consumable 2 in either of these two positions, and / or may be done indirectly as a result of the aerosol supply system 1 first determining whether the consumable 2 is in the first position P1 and / or the second position P2, and then the aerosol supply system 1 adjusts the temperature accordingly based on this determination (e.g. by adjusting the power supplied to the aerosol generator 40 and / or any heater or thermal component used to adjust the temperature of the relevant position of the aerosol supply system). It will also be appreciated that in some embodiments (described below) in which a control electrode 83 is used in the consumable 2, when the control electrode 83 is engaged in one of the first position P1 and the second position P2 but not engaged in the other of these two positions, the control electrode 83 can be used to adjust the temperature (e.g., by connecting the control electrode 83 to a heater around the aerosol outlet tube 38).

[0079] Thus, with the above in mind, it can be seen that the aerosol delivery system 1 may be configured to perform a variety of different operations when the consumable is disposed at the respective different positions P1, P2. For example, in some embodiments, the different positions may provide different rates of aerosol generation, and the aerosol delivery system 1 may be configured to generate aerosol at a first aerosol generation rate when the consumable 2 is at a first position P1 (and / or to supply a first amount of power to the aerosol generator 40 when the consumable 2 is at the first position P1), and the aerosol delivery system 1 may be configured to generate aerosol at a second aerosol generation rate when the consumable 2 is at a second position P2 (and / or to supply a second amount of power to the aerosol generator 40 when the consumable 2 is at the second position P2), where the first aerosol generation rate (or first power) is different from the second aerosol generation rate (or second power), e.g., faster or slower than the second aerosol generation rate (or second power).

[0080] Similarly, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery system 1 may be operable to provide at least one feedback signal when the consumable 2 is in the first position P1, but not to provide at least one feedback signal when the consumable 2 is in the second position P2. Thus, in this way, it can be understood that according to some embodiments, the second predetermined operation may include configuring the aerosol delivery system to operate in a silent mode of operation. The phrase "silent mode" in this context may be interpreted to mean that the aerosol delivery system (and / or the aerosol delivery device) may be configured not to issue any audio prompts and / or audio notifications, and / or may be configured to issue relatively fewer audio prompts and / or relatively fewer audio notifications than when the aerosol delivery system (and / or the aerosol delivery device) is next in another position of the consumable (e.g., the first position P1).

[0081] Related embodiments also include the first predetermined operation comprising configuring the aerosol delivery system 1 to operate in a first mode of operation for providing at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system, and the second predetermined operation comprising configuring the aerosol delivery system 1 to operate in a second mode of operation in which the aerosol delivery system is configured not to provide at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system. With respect to what such notifications may include, it is clear that this may include audio notifications, and / or visual notifications, or even tactile notifications, depending on the embodiment / application of the aerosol delivery system 1. With respect to any such notification(s) that may be used, the first predetermined operation comprises configuring the aerosol delivery system to provide at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol. Again, by providing different positions P1, P2 of the consumable, some embodiments may thus allow the position of the consumable to determine whether and / or how much notification is provided to the user during use of the aerosol delivery system 1.

[0082] It will be appreciated that a variety of different devices or mechanisms can be used to assist the aerosol delivery device (and / or aerosol delivery system 1) to detect whether the consumable 2 is located in either the first position P1 or the second position P2 (or any other position), for example using one or more sensors as part of the aerosol delivery device 4. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device can include a tertiary electrode (or control electrode) 81 configured to be engaged by an electrode of the consumable 2 (such as a corresponding control electrode 83 and / or one of the electrodes 46 of the second plurality of electrodes 46) when the consumable is in one of the first position P1 and the second position P2 (e.g., as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 10A ) but not in the other of the first position and the second position (e.g., as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 10B ). In this manner, according to some embodiments, the control circuit 18 of the aerosol delivery device 4 may be configured to detect when the consumable is in the first position P1 and / or the second position P2 using the control electrode 81 of the aerosol delivery device 4. Further, the control circuit 18 may be configured to, in response to determining that the consumable is in the first position P1 (and / or the second position P2), then cause the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation (and / or a second predetermined operation).

[0083] Similarly, it can be appreciated that the tertiary electrode (control electrode) 81 of the aerosol supply device 4 is configured to be engaged by the control electrode 83 at only one of the first position P1 and the second position P2, and according to some embodiments, engagement of this control electrode 83 may be used to effect an auxiliary function of the aerosol supply system 1 at that position, for example to effect operation of a heater or other thermal component electrically connected to the control electrode 83, to increase / adjust the temperature of the aerosol in the aerosol outlet tube 38, as described above, while aerosol is being generated at this particular position (but not at other positions where the contact electrode 83 is not engaged).

[0084] However, whatever the mechanism used to detect whether the consumable 2 is located at the first position P1 or the second position P2, and with regard to other possible applications of the respective first and second predetermined actions, according to some embodiments, the first predetermined action may include that the aerosol supply system is configured not to generate aerosol, and the second predetermined action may include that the aerosol supply system is configured to generate aerosol. In this way, the system may be configured such that the consumable needs to be moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2 in order to perform any aerosol generation from the aerosol supply system. Such an arrangement may thus serve as a convenient safety mechanism to prevent any inadvertent or accidental aerosol generation from the aerosol supply system.

[0085] According to some embodiments, the first predetermined operation may also include the aerosol delivery device 4 being configured to supply power to a power source of the consumable 2. For example, in this way, the first position P1 may thus correspond to a charging position of the consumable, allowing the power source of the consumable 2 to be charged. In this way, the first position P1 may effectively correspond to a standby position, in which aerosol generation from the consumable 2 is prevented by the aerosol delivery system, but which also corresponds to a position operable such that power is supplied by the aerosol delivery device 4 to the consumable 2.

[0086] In view of the above disclosure, it can be seen that the present disclosure can also provide a corresponding method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol, comprising moving a consumable of the aerosol delivery system between a first position at which the consumable is releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of the aerosol delivery system and a second position at which the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device, the second position being different from the first position, and wherein at the first position the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a first predetermined operation and wherein at the second position the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a second predetermined operation different from the first predetermined operation.

[0087] With respect to such a method, it can be understood that the method can further include performing a second predetermined action after the consumable 2 has moved to the second position P2. If desired, depending on what the second predetermined action is, the second predetermined action can be performed at a predetermined time after the consumable 2 has moved to the second position P2, or can be performed immediately after the consumable 2 has moved to the second position P2.

[0088] Thus, from the above description, it can be seen that various devices, systems, and corresponding methods are provided herein in which consumables of an aerosol delivery system may be positioned around a number of different locations to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform certain predetermined operations specific to each such location.

[0089] The present disclosure also relates to providing a consumable 2 that can be used with a tertiary or control electrode, in which case the control electrode can be used as a mechanism in the aerosol delivery system 1 for determining when to perform a particular predefined operation of the aerosol delivery system 1 based on whether a control electrode 83 of the consumable 2 is engaged by a corresponding control electrode 81 of the aerosol delivery device 4 of the aerosol delivery system. In view of this additional disclosure, a consumable 2 configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device 4 of an aerosol delivery system 1 for generating an aerosol, comprising: a first reservoir 31 for storing a first aerosol-generating material; an aerosol generator 40 configured to generate an aerosol using a first aerosol-generating material in a first reservoir 31; A base portion 75 having a plurality of electrodes 46A, 46B for transmitting power to the aerosol generator 40; Equipped with It can also be understood that a consumable 2 may be disclosed in the present specification, wherein the base portion 75 further comprises a control electrode 83 configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system 1.

[0090] Any such consumable 2 can then be received by any of the aerosol delivery devices 4 described herein, as appropriate, to provide an equivalent aerosol delivery system 1 comprising such consumable 2. For example, such an aerosol delivery system 1 may comprise the consumable 2 as described above, and an aerosol delivery device 4 for releasably receiving the consumable, the aerosol delivery device comprising a power source 16 and a plurality of electrodes 78, 78A, 78B for engaging the plurality of electrodes 46, 46A, 46B of the consumable 2 when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4 to transfer power from the power source 16 of the aerosol delivery device 4 to the consumable 2 when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device 4. In such a case, the aerosol delivery device may then also comprise a control electrode 81 configured to be selectively engaged by a control electrode 83 of the consumable 2 to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. It will be apparent that such a predetermined operation may be any of the possible predetermined operations described herein, as described above or below, as appropriate.

[0091] Thus, with the above in mind, there is provided an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: an aerosol delivery device; a consumable configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device; Equipped with the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at a first location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation; An aerosol delivery system is described in which the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at a second location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0092] Also provided is an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol in an aerosol delivery system comprising the aerosol delivery device and a consumable, comprising: at a first position, the aerosol delivery system is configured to releasably receive the consumable to generate the aerosol such that the aerosol delivery system can perform a first predetermined operation; Also described is an aerosol delivery device configured to releasably receive a consumable at a second position to generate an aerosol such that the aerosol delivery system can perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0093] Also provided is a consumable configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol, the consumable comprising: configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in the first position to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation; Also described is a consumable configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at a second location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0094] Also provided is a method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol, comprising the steps of: moving a consumable of the aerosol delivery system between a first position where the consumable is releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of the aerosol delivery system and a second position where the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device, the second position being different from the first position; In the first position, the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a first predetermined operation; Also described is a method, wherein at the second location, the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a second predetermined action that is different from the first predetermined action.

[0095] Also provided is a consumable configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the consumable comprising: a first reservoir for storing a first aerosol-generating material; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol using a first aerosol-generating material in a first reservoir; a base portion having a plurality of electrodes for transmitting power to the aerosol generator; Equipped with A consumable is also described, wherein the base portion further comprises a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system.

[0096] Also provided is an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: The aforementioned consumables, an aerosol delivery device for releasably receiving a consumable; Equipped with an aerosol delivery device comprising: Power supply, a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes engaging the plurality of electrodes of the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device to transfer power from a power source of the aerosol delivery device to the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device; a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged by the consumable control electrode to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system; An aerosol delivery system is also provided.

[0097] Also described is a consumable 2 configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device 4 of the aerosol delivery system 1 to generate an aerosol. The consumable 2 comprises a first reservoir 31 for storing a first aerosol generating material and an aerosol generator 40 configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol generating material in the first reservoir 31. The consumable also comprises a base portion 75 comprising a plurality of electrodes 46A, 46B for transferring power to the aerosol generator. The base portion 75 further comprises a control electrode 83 configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system 1.

[0098] To address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure illustrates, by way of example, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are presented merely to aid in understanding and to teach the claimed invention(s). It is to be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, characteristics, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limitations on the present disclosure as defined by the claims, or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically described herein, and thus features of the dependent claims (or any dependent claims described herein) may be combined with features of the independent claims (or independent claims) in combinations other than those expressly set out in the claims or clauses. The present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future. Thus, any permutation of the features of the claims may be combined as appropriate and / or with any permutation of the features of the clauses described herein at the end of this specification.

[0099] Solely for the sake of completeness, with respect to any consumable used herein (e.g., as shown in the embodiments of Figures 9A and 9B) that comprises multiple air inlets (or air inlet channels) 50 and / or multiple reservoirs 31A, 31B of aerosol generating material, it will be understood that in the context of these embodiments, suitable fluid directing components may be provided in the aerosol supply system 1 to facilitate optionally suitable directing the air and / or generated aerosol passing through the aerosol supply system 1 towards the aerosol outlet 60, such as by use as a suitable one-way valve or one-way flow member 89 to prevent the air and / or aerosol from flowing upstream towards one or more air inlets 50 provided in the aerosol supply system 1.

[0100] Similarly, and merely for the sake of completeness, it will be understood that with respect to any consumable 2 provided in this specification, the consumable 2 does not necessarily have to be configured such that when the consumable 2 is releasably accepted by the aerosol delivery device 4 at the second position P2, the aerosol delivery system 1 is capable of performing a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0101] However, the consumable 2 may nevertheless be configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in both a first position P1 and a second position P2 (different from the first position P1), and on a more general level, this may nevertheless have advantages of its own, at least insofar as this arrangement then allows the consumable 2 to be used more interchangeably around two or more positions with the aerosol delivery device 4. This can be seen, for example, in at least the illustrated embodiment, where the equivalent base portion 75 of the consumable 2 can, in theory, be inserted into the receptacle 8 of the aerosol delivery device 4 in two different rotational positions / orientations P1, P2, as a result of the base portion 75 also being / comprising a symmetrical portion 71 having rotational symmetry of order 2. In this way, aerosol can still be generated by the aerosol delivery system 1 in either of these two rotational positions P1, P2, regardless of which rotational position P1, P2 is used, helping to give the aerosol delivery system 1 as a whole some versatility.

[0102] For any base portion 75 that may be used, according to some embodiments that have been found to better support the consumable 2 relative to the aerosol delivery device 4 during use, the base portion 75 of the consumable in some embodiments may have a maximum length parallel to the longitudinal axis of the consumable 2, the maximum length being at least 10 mm. This minimum value for the maximum length has been found to help provide a sufficiently long base portion around which the consumable 2 can be adequately supported by the aerosol delivery device 4. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the maximum length may be 40 mm or less, so as to avoid an excessively long overall length of the consumable 2. Here, the term "maximum length" may be understood to mean that the maximum length of the base portion 75 of the consumable 2 must be at least the cited number (in millimeters) and / or less.

[0103] Continuing with the shape of any base portion 75 provided, if a base portion 75 is used, it can be seen that according to some embodiments (such as those shown in the illustrated embodiments, e.g., shown in FIG. 6B), the base portion 75 can have a non-circular cross-section to help define the distinct positions P1, P2. For any such non-circular cross-section that can be used, to further help define the distinct positions P1, P2, the base portion 75 can have a maximum width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the consumable 2 (e.g., can be parallel to the horizontal dotted line in FIG. 6B). Similarly, the base portion 75 according to some embodiments can have a maximum depth (e.g., parallel to the vertical dotted line in FIG. 6B), where the maximum depth is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the consumable 2 and also perpendicular to the maximum width, which is greater than the maximum depth. In this way, this arrangement can then better limit the ability of the base portion 75 / consumable 2 to be engaged by the aerosol delivery device 4 in a small number of rotational positions, further assisting the user to more easily identify what these rotational positions are.

[0104] It will also be appreciated that with respect to any base portion 75 that may also be provided, so long as the base portion 75 includes air inlet(s) 50 through which air can enter the consumable 2, in some embodiments each air inlet 50 may intersect the maximum width of the base portion (e.g., as seen in the embodiments of Figures 2, 7A, 7B). This arrangement has been found to be advantageous, particularly due to easier manufacture of the consumable 2 as a result of locating each air inlet 50 in a portion of the consumable 2 where there is more material to handle.

[0105] [A set of consistent terms] 1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: an aerosol delivery device; a consumable adapted to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device; Equipped with the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at a first location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation; The aerosol delivery system, wherein the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at the second location.

[0106] 2. The aerosol delivery system described in paragraph 1, wherein the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device at a second location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0107] 3. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first position is different from the second position.

[0108] 4. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first position of the consumable includes the consumable being received by the aerosol delivery device at a first rotational position relative to the aerosol delivery device, and the second position includes the consumable being received by the aerosol delivery device at a second rotational position relative to the aerosol delivery device that is different from the first rotational position.

[0109] 5. The aerosol delivery system of any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the consumable has a symmetric portion having rotational symmetry of order "n", where n is a positive integer of at least 2.

[0110] 6. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 5, wherein "n" is a positive integer of at least 3.

[0111] 7. The aerosol delivery system of claim 6, wherein "n" is a positive integer of at least 4.

[0112] 8. The aerosol delivery system according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the aerosol delivery device is equipped with a power source.

[0113] 9. The aerosol delivery system described in paragraph 8, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes a first plurality of electrodes for transferring power from the power source of the aerosol delivery device to the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device.

[0114] 10. The aerosol delivery system of claim 9, wherein the consumable comprises a second plurality of electrodes for contacting the first plurality of electrodes of the aerosol delivery device when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device.

[0115] 11. A second plurality of electrodes is configured to contact the first plurality of electrodes about the first configuration at a first location to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation; Item 11. The aerosol delivery system of item 10, wherein a second plurality of electrodes are configured to contact the first plurality of electrodes at a second position around a second configuration different from the first configuration, such that the aerosol delivery system can perform a second predetermined operation.

[0116] 12. The first plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and the second plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode; a first electrode of the first plurality of electrodes configured to contact a first electrode of the second plurality of electrodes at the first position; Item 12. The aerosol delivery system of item 10 or 11, wherein in the second position, a first electrode of the first plurality of electrodes is configured to contact a second electrode of the second plurality of electrodes.

[0117] 13. A second electrode of the first plurality of electrodes is configured to contact a second electrode of the second plurality of electrodes at the first position; Item 13. The aerosol delivery system of item 12, wherein in the second position, a second electrode of the first plurality of electrodes is configured to contact a first electrode of the second plurality of electrodes.

[0118] 14. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 10 to 13 when further dependent on at least any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the symmetric portion comprises at least one of the electrodes of the second plurality of electrodes.

[0119] 15. The aerosol delivery system described in item 9 when further dependent on at least any one of items 5 to 7, wherein the symmetric portion comprises at least one of the first and second electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes.

[0120] 16. An aerosol delivery system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 15, wherein the aerosol delivery device further comprises a receptacle for receiving at least a portion of the consumable when the consumable is in the first position and / or the second position.

[0121] 17. The aerosol delivery system of claim 16, wherein a portion of the consumable comprises a base portion of the consumable.

[0122] 18. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the base portion of the consumable has a maximum length parallel to the longitudinal axis of the consumable, the maximum length being at least 10 mm and / or no greater than 40 mm.

[0123] 19. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17 or 18, wherein the base portion has a non-circular cross-section.

[0124] 20. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of paragraphs 17 to 19, wherein the non-circular cross-section has a maximum width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the consumable and has a maximum depth, the maximum depth being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the consumable and also perpendicular to the maximum width, and the maximum width being greater than the maximum depth.

[0125] 21. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of paragraphs 17 to 20, wherein the non-circular cross-section has a maximum width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the consumable and has a maximum depth, the maximum depth being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the consumable and also perpendicular to the maximum width, and the maximum width being greater than the maximum depth.

[0126] 22. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the base portion includes an air inlet through which air can enter the consumable to generate an aerosol when the consumable is in the first position.

[0127] 23. The aerosol delivery system of claim 22, further depending on at least claim 21, wherein the air inlet intersects the maximum width of the base portion.

[0128] 24. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 16 to 23 when further dependent on at least any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a portion has a symmetrical portion.

[0129] 25. An aerosol delivery system described in any one of items 16 to 24, further comprising a mouthpiece portion configured to be positioned outside the receptacle when the consumable is in the first position or the second position.

[0130] 26. The aerosol delivery system of claim 24 or 25, further depending on claim 9, wherein the base portion of the consumable further comprises a first plurality of electrodes.

[0131] 27. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 24 to 26, further depending on claim 10, wherein the base portion of the consumable further comprises a second plurality of electrodes.

[0132] 28. A method for dispensing a consumable, comprising: dispensing air through a first arrangement of an aerosol delivery system when the consumable is in a first position; 28. The aerosol supply system of any one of claims 1 to 27, configured to supply air to the consumable via a second arrangement of the aerosol supply system when the consumable is in a second position, the second arrangement being different from the first arrangement.

[0133] 29. An aerosol supply system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 28, configured to adjust the temperature of the aerosol generated by the aerosol supply system when the consumable is in one of the first position and the second position but not in the other of the first position and the second position.

[0134] 30. An aerosol supply system described in any one of clauses 1 to 29, configured to adjust the temperature of air supplied to a consumable of an aerosol supply device for generating an aerosol when the consumable is in one of the first position and the second position but not in the other of the first position and the second position.

[0135] 31. The aerosol delivery system of claim 29 or 30, wherein adjusting the temperature includes increasing the temperature.

[0136] 32. The aerosol supply system according to any one of items 1 to 31, further comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol.

[0137] 33. The aerosol delivery system of claim 32, wherein the consumable comprises an aerosol generator.

[0138] 34. The aerosol delivery system of claim 32 or 33, wherein the aerosol delivery device comprises an aerosol generator.

[0139] 35. The aerosol supply system of any one of claims 32 to 34 when further dependent on claim 31, wherein the increase in temperature is configured to be provided by heat from the aerosol generator.

[0140] 36. The aerosol supply system according to any one of paragraphs 32 to 35, further comprising an aerosol outlet tube for receiving the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator, and an outlet for receiving the aerosol in the aerosol outlet tube.

[0141] 37. The aerosol delivery system of claim 36 when further dependent on at least claim 29, configured to adjust the temperature of the aerosol in the aerosol outlet tube.

[0142] 38. An aerosol delivery device configured to deliver air to the consumable at a first rate to generate an aerosol when the consumable is in a first position; Item 38. The aerosol delivery system of any one of items 1 to 37, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured to deliver air to the consumable at a second rate to generate an aerosol when the consumable is in a second position, and the first rate is different from the second rate.

[0143] 39. A device comprising: a first air inlet channel for supplying air to the consumable to generate an aerosol when the consumable is in the first position; Item 39. The aerosol supply system of any one of items 1 to 38, further comprising a second air inlet channel for supplying air to the consumable to generate an aerosol when the consumable is in the second position, the first air inlet channel being different from the second air inlet channel.

[0144] 40. An aerosol delivery system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 39, wherein the consumable is configured to slide between a first position and a second position to move the consumable between the first position and the second position.

[0145] 41. A device configured to generate aerosol at a first aerosol generation rate when the consumable is in a first position; 41. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 40, configured to generate aerosol at a second aerosol generation rate when the consumable is in the second position, the first aerosol generation rate being different from the second aerosol generation rate.

[0146] 42. A consumable configured to generate an aerosol comprising a first flavoring when the consumable is in a first position; Item 42. The aerosol delivery system of any one of items 1 to 41, configured to generate an aerosol containing a second fragrance when the consumable is in the second position, wherein the first fragrance is different from the second fragrance.

[0147] 43. An aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 42, wherein the consumable comprises a first reservoir for storing a first aerosol generating material, and the aerosol delivery system is configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol generating material when the consumable is in the first position.

[0148] 44. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 43, wherein the consumable comprises a second reservoir for storing a second aerosol generating material, and the aerosol delivery system is configured to generate an aerosol using the second aerosol generating material when the consumable is in the second position.

[0149] 45. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 44, wherein the composition of the first aerosol-generating material is different from the composition of the second aerosol-generating material.

[0150] 46. ​​An aerosol delivery system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 45, operable to provide at least one feedback signal when the consumable is in the first position.

[0151] 47. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 46, operable to not provide at least one feedback signal when the consumable is in the second position.

[0152] 48. An aerosol delivery system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 47, wherein the aerosol delivery device includes a tertiary electrode configured to be engaged by the electrode of the consumable when the consumable is in one of the first position and the second position but not in the other of the first position and the second position.

[0153] 49. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 48, wherein the consumable electrodes include a consumable control electrode.

[0154] 50. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 49 when subject to at least claim 2, wherein the second predetermined operation includes configuring the aerosol delivery system to operate in a silent mode of operation.

[0155] 51. An aerosol delivery system described in any one of clauses 1 to 50, wherein the first predetermined operation includes configuring the aerosol delivery system to operate in a first mode of operation for providing at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system.

[0156] 52. The aerosol delivery system of claim 51 when further dependent on at least claim 2, wherein the second predetermined operation includes configuring the aerosol delivery system to operate in a second mode of operation in which the aerosol delivery system is configured not to provide at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system.

[0157] 53. The aerosol delivery system of paragraph 51 or 52, wherein the first predetermined operation includes the aerosol delivery system being configured to provide at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system while the aerosol delivery system is generating aerosol.

[0158] 54. The aerosol delivery system of any one of paragraphs 1 to 53, wherein the first predetermined operation includes the aerosol delivery system being configured not to generate an aerosol.

[0159] 55. The aerosol delivery system of claim 54 when further dependent on at least claim 2, wherein the second predetermined action includes the aerosol delivery system being configured to generate an aerosol.

[0160] 56. The aerosol delivery system of any one of paragraphs 1 to 55, wherein the first predetermined operation includes the aerosol delivery device being configured to supply power to the consumable power source.

[0161] 57. An aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol in an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and a consumable, comprising: the aerosol delivery device is configured to releasably receive the consumable at the first location to generate an aerosol such that the aerosol delivery system can perform a first predetermined operation; The aerosol delivery device, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured to releasably receive a consumable at the second location to generate an aerosol.

[0162] 58. The aerosol delivery device of paragraph 57, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured to releasably receive a consumable at a second position to generate an aerosol so that the aerosol delivery system can perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0163] 59. A consumable configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol, comprising: configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in the first position to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a first predetermined operation; The consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in the second position.

[0164] 60. The consumable described in paragraph 59, configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in the second position to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform a second predetermined operation that is different from the first predetermined operation.

[0165] 61. A method of controlling operation of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: moving a consumable of the aerosol delivery system between a first position where the consumable is releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of the aerosol delivery system and a second position where the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device, the second position being different from the first position; The method, wherein at a first location, the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a first predetermined action.

[0166] 62. The method of claim 61, wherein, at the second location, the aerosol delivery system is configured to perform a second predetermined action that is different from the first predetermined action.

[0167] 63. The method of claim 62, further comprising performing a second predetermined action after the consumable is moved to the second position.

[0168] 64. The method of claim 62 or 63, further comprising performing a second predetermined action upon the consumable being moved to the second position.

[0169] 65. The method of any one of paragraphs 61 to 64, wherein, at the second position, the consumable comprises a portion that is received in a receptacle of the aerosol delivery device.

Claims

1. 1. A consumable configured to be releasably received by an aerosol delivery device of an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, the consumable comprising: a first reservoir for storing a first aerosol-generating material; an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol-generating material in the first reservoir; a base portion having a plurality of electrodes for transmitting power to the aerosol generator; Equipped with The consumable, wherein the base portion further comprises a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged to perform a predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system.

2. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes and the control electrode are disposed at a first end of the consumable.

3. The consumable of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control electrode has the same shape as each of the plurality of electrodes.

4. The consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a mouthpiece portion, the mouthpiece portion comprising an aerosol outlet for receiving the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator.

5. 2. The consumable of claim 1, wherein the consumable comprises a symmetric portion having rotational symmetry of order "n", where n is a positive integer of at least two.

6. 6. The consumable of claim 5, wherein "n" is a positive integer of at least three.

7. 7. The consumable of claim 6, wherein "n" is a positive integer of at least four.

8. The consumable product according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the base portion comprises the symmetrical portion.

9. The consumable product of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first reservoir contains the first aerosol-forming material.

10. The consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a second reservoir for storing a second aerosol generating material, the aerosol generator being configured to generate an aerosol using the second aerosol generating material in the second reservoir.

11. The consumable product of claim 10 , wherein the second reservoir contains the second aerosol-forming material.

12. 12. The consumable product of claim 11 when further dependent on claim 9, wherein a composition of the first aerosol-generating material is different from a composition of the second aerosol-generating material.

13. The consumable product of any one of claims 10 to 12, configured not to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol-generating material at the same time as generating an aerosol using the second aerosol-generating material.

14. A consumable according to any preceding claim, configured to selectively heat air passing through an air inlet channel of the consumable.

15. A consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a first air inlet channel for supplying air towards the aerosol generator, and a second air inlet channel for supplying air towards the aerosol generator, and configured to heat air passing through the first air inlet channel of the consumable.

16. The consumable of claim 15 , configured not to heat air passing through the second air inlet channel of the consumable.

17. The consumable product according to any one of claims 14 to 16, configured to receive heat from the aerosol generator.

18. The consumable product of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the predetermined action comprises the aerosol delivery system being configured to adjust a temperature of the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator.

19. 20. The consumable of claim 18, wherein adjusting the temperature comprises increasing the temperature.

20. 20. The consumable of claim 19, configured such that the increase in temperature is provided by heat from the aerosol generator.

21. 21. The consumable product of any one of claims 1 to 20, further comprising an aerosol outlet tube for receiving an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator, and an outlet of the aerosol outlet tube for receiving the aerosol.

22. 22. The consumable product of claim 21 when further dependent on at least claim 18, wherein the predetermined action includes the aerosol delivery system being configured to adjust a temperature of the aerosol at the aerosol outlet conduit.

23. 1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol, comprising: A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 22; an aerosol delivery device for releasably receiving the consumable; Equipped with the aerosol delivery device comprising: Power supply, a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes engaging the plurality of electrodes of the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device to transfer power from the power source of the aerosol delivery device to the consumable when the consumable is releasably received by the aerosol delivery device; a control electrode configured to be selectively engaged by the control electrode of the consumable to perform the predetermined operation of the aerosol delivery system; An aerosol delivery system comprising:

24. 24. The aerosol delivery system of claim 23, wherein the aerosol delivery device further comprises a receptacle for receiving the base portion of the consumable when the consumable is received by the aerosol delivery device.

25. the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in a first position, where the control electrode of the consumable is configured to engage the control electrode of the aerosol delivery device, to enable the aerosol delivery system to perform the first predetermined operation; 25. The aerosol delivery system of claim 23 or 24, wherein the consumable is configured to be releasably received by the aerosol delivery device in a second position in which the control electrode of the consumable is configured not to engage the control electrode of the aerosol delivery device, thereby preventing the aerosol delivery system from performing the first predetermined operation.

26. 26. The aerosol delivery system of claim 25, wherein in both the first position and the second position, the plurality of electrodes of the consumable are configured to engage the plurality of electrodes of the aerosol delivery device.

27. 27. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 23 to 26, wherein the predetermined operation includes configuring the aerosol delivery system to switch between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation.

28. at least one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to provide at least one notification to a user of the aerosol delivery system while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol; 28. The aerosol delivery system of claim 27, wherein the other of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured not to provide the at least one notification to the user of the aerosol delivery system while the aerosol delivery system is generating the aerosol.

29. At least one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to generate an aerosol at a first rate; 29. The aerosol delivery system of claim 27 or 28, wherein the other of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to generate an aerosol at a second rate, the first rate being different from the second rate.

30. At least one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to provide heat to air that is provided toward the aerosol generator to generate the aerosol; An aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein the other of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured not to supply heat to air supplied towards the aerosol generator to generate the aerosol.

31. 31. The aerosol delivery system of claim 30, wherein the heat is configured to be supplied to air disposed in an air inlet channel, the air inlet channel being disposed upstream of the aerosol generator.

32. 32. The aerosol delivery system of claim 31, wherein the air inlet channel is disposed in the consumable.

33. at least one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to generate an aerosol using the first aerosol-generating material; An aerosol delivery system as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 32 when further dependent on at least claim 10, wherein the other of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation is configured to generate an aerosol using the second aerosol generating material.

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