Aerosol Delivery System

Abstract

An aerosol delivery system (1) for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material (43) during a use session, the aerosol delivery system comprising: the aerosol-generating material (43); at least one heater (48) configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material (43); and a plurality of substances (60, 70) disposed within the aerosol delivery system (1) and configured to be released at different times during a use session, wherein a first substance (60) of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell (61) and a second substance (70) of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell (71).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems, such as nicotine delivery systems, articles for use in aerosol delivery systems, and methods of operating aerosol delivery systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol delivery systems generally contain a reservoir of aerosol-generating material, such as a solid, liquid, or part of a gel, or a feedstock liquid that may contain active substances and / or flavors, from which an aerosol or vapor is generated, for example by thermal vaporization, for inhalation by a user. Thus, an aerosol delivery system / electric smoking system typically includes a heating chamber or aerosol generation chamber that contains a heater, for example a heating element, configured to vaporize or aerosolize a part of an aerosolizable material (e.g., a solid material such as tobacco) to generate a vapor or aerosol in the aerosol generation chamber. When a user inhales on the device and power is supplied to the heating element, air is drawn into the device through the inlet hole and along the inlet air channel that connects to the aerosol generation chamber, where the air mixes with the vaporized precursor material to form a condensed aerosol. The outlet air channel connects the aerosol generating chamber to an outlet at the mouthpiece, and when a user inhales on the mouthpiece, the air drawn into the aerosol generating chamber continues along the outlet flow path to the mouthpiece outlet, carrying with it an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Some aerosol delivery systems may also include flavor elements in the air flow path through the device to impart additional flavor. Such devices may be referred to as hybrid devices, and the flavor elements may include a portion of solid aerosol generating material and / or flavoring material, such as tobacco, disposed in the air flow path between the aerosol generating chamber and the mouthpiece, such that the aerosol / condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through a portion of the solid material before exiting the mouthpiece for user inhalation. In some aerosol delivery systems, the aerosol generating material is contained in a cartridge or pod that also contains a heating element and an aerosol generating chamber, and the cartridge is mechanically and electrically coupled to a control unit for use. The control unit includes a battery and control circuitry that together provide power to the heating element via the cartridge.

[0003] In general, the aerosol-generating material may include a variety of substances that are released during heating of the aerosol-generating material. In some cases, the substance may be transferred to the vapor or aerosol early in the heating cycle such that the substance is not present in the vapor or aerosol later in the heating cycle. This may result in a poor user experience.

[0004] Various approaches are described herein that attempt to help address or mitigate at least some of the problems discussed above. Summary of the Invention

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

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

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

[0008] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of controlling an amount of power supplied to a heater to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, the method including providing the aerosol generating material, a first substance of a plurality of substances encapsulated by a first shell, and a second substance of the plurality of substances encapsulated by a second shell; supplying a constant amount of power to the heater to release the first substance from the first shell at a first time; and supplying a constant amount of power to the heater to release the second substance from the second shell at a second time different from the first time.

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

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

[0011] It will be appreciated that the features and aspects of the invention described above in relation to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to and may be combined with embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention, where appropriate, and not just in the specific combinations described above.

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

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a method for controlling an aspect of an electronic aerosol delivery device according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented in a conventional manner and are not discussed / described in detail for the sake of brevity. Thus, it will be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

[0015] As described below, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material during a use session, the aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol-generating material, at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol-generating material, and a plurality of substances arranged within the aerosol delivery system and configured to be released at different times during the use session, a first substance of the plurality of substances being encapsulated by a first shell and a second substance of the plurality of substances being encapsulated by a second shell. Advantageously, the aerosol delivery system according to the present invention allows for selective release of a particular substance at different times during the use session to provide an enhanced sensory experience to the user, for example by releasing a particular flavor, active, or functional material at different times during the use session. This may be particularly advantageous when the plurality of substances includes a particularly volatile substance that may be substantially used up early in the use session if the substance is not encapsulated.

[0016] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery systems (sometimes referred to as vapor delivery systems or aerosol delivery systems). As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, including non-combustion aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials.

[0017] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not combusted or combusted to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0018] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0019] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a vaporization device or an electronic cigarette, also known as an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0020] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in solid or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0022] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable (ie, an article) for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include aerosol generating materials and are configured for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0024] In some embodiments, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, can include a power source and a controller. The power source can be, for example, an electrical power source.

[0025] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include an area for receiving a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0026] In some embodiments, consumables for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices may include aerosol generating materials, aerosol generating material storage areas, aerosol generating material transport components, aerosol generators, aerosol generating areas, housings, packaging materials, filters, mouthpieces, and / or aerosol modifiers.

[0027] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-generating material or a material not intended to be aerosolized. Optionally, either material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavors, one or more aerosol former materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0028] An aerosol-generating material is a material that can generate an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or energized in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid or gel, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0029] The aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active agents and / or flavors, one or more aerosol former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0030] As used herein, an active substance may be a legally approved physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active substance may be naturally derived or synthetically obtained. The active substance 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 substance may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another botanical substance.

[0031] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that may be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation in products intended for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavor materials, botanical substances, extracts of botanical substances, synthetically derived materials, or combinations thereof.

[0032] The aerosol former material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol former material may include one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0033] The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0034] A consumable is an article that contains or consists of an aerosol-generating material, some or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transport component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a packaging material, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0035] An aerosol modifier is a substance that is typically located downstream of the aerosol-generation area and is configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example by changing the taste, flavor, acidity, or another property of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided within an aerosol modifier-emitting component that is operable to selectively emit the aerosol modifier.

[0036] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of a flavoring, a colorant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, a string, or a granule. The aerosol modifier may not include a filtering material.

[0037] The consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater that generates heat during use to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol. The heater is a device configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0038] The susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration by a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, such that penetration of the conductive material by the varying magnetic field causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, such that penetration of the magnetic material by the varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0039] In an embodiment, the multiple substances are configured to be released at different times during a use session. A use session refers to a period of use of a single consumable or article (e.g., a use session). For example, a consumable or article may be configured with a certain amount of aerosol-generating material configured to be heated and used up over a single heating cycle corresponding to a use session. As an example, a use session (e.g., a heating period or heating cycle) may have an operating period (e.g., the time during which one or more heaters are heated to a desired temperature) of at least 60 seconds, preferably at least 210 seconds. Generally speaking, by the end of the use session, the aerosol-generating material will be substantially used up such that no aerosol will be generated from the aerosol-generating material or a substantially reduced amount of aerosol will be generated during further heating.

[0040] The plurality of substances may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavors, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers, as described above. For example, the plurality of substances includes at least a first substance selected from one or more active ingredients, one or more flavors, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers, and a second substance. In some examples, the first substance and the second substance are the same, while in other examples, the first substance and the second substance are different (e.g., they may be two different flavors, or a flavor and an active substance).

[0041] Multiple substances can be encapsulated in the shell to allow for the release of multiple substances at different times during a use session. For example, a first substance can be encapsulated in a first shell and a second substance can be encapsulated in a second shell. In some examples, two or more different substances can be encapsulated in the same shell (e.g., flavor and active substance). In some examples, the shell defines a capsule such that a substance (e.g., a liquid droplet or a solid body) forming a volume is encapsulated by the shell on all sides of the volume (e.g., surrounded by a sphere) to form a capsule. The shape of such a capsule is not limited and may be any shape known in the art (e.g., spherical and irregular spherical). In some examples, the shell defines a blister such that a substance is partially surrounded by an encapsulating material and partially surrounded by a different material such as a wrapper or housing covering the remaining portion (the different material is configured not to release the substance during a use session), and the shape of such a blister is not limited and may be any shape known in the art (e.g., dome-shaped).

[0042] To release the substances at different times, each shell must retain its structure until it is heated above its respective temperature. In some examples, this temperature is typically about 180-350°C, preferably 250-300°C. In this manner, each shell is configured to release the encapsulated substance contained by the shell when the temperature rise of the shell exceeds or reaches its respective temperature. In other words, the release of the substance contained by each shell (e.g., a first substance contained by a first shell and a second substance contained by a second shell) can be triggered by heating each respective shell above its threshold temperature, at which point the material of said shell will disintegrate (e.g., dissolve, break, or decompose). By selectively heating the different shells and / or providing different shell configurations (e.g., materials, thicknesses, locations), the release of the different substances at different times can be achieved.

[0043] The mechanism by which the shell releases the substance may be any mechanism known in the art, including, but not limited to, rupture, dissolution, thermal decomposition, thermally activated release, shrinkage, expansion, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell encapsulates the substance by being in the form of a substrate or matrix, etc., which substrate, shell, or matrix material is ruptured, decomposed, dissolved, etc., to release the substance due to volatilization.

[0044] In some examples, the shell is partially or completely formed from a material that melts or pyrolyzes in response to an increase in the temperature of the shell. The shell may, for example, be partially or completely formed from a material that melts or pyrolyzes at a temperature as described above, for example, preferably at or above 250° C. (e.g., a temperature between 250-300 or 250-280° C.).

[0045] The melting temperature or the temperature at which a material thermally decomposes is readily determined using routine techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and therefore one of skill in the art will be able to readily identify materials that meet the above functional definition with respect to melting and thermal decomposition. Melting point / temperature is also a property that is routinely reported by manufacturers of commercial materials.

[0046] In the present disclosure, the melting point is preferably determined as follows. A certain amount of material is slowly heated with stirring until it reaches a temperature of 90°C or higher, completely dissolving the material. The heat source is moved and the molten (dissolved) substance is cooled to a temperature 8-10°C above its expected melting point Cool the bulb of an ASTM 14C (American Society for Testing and Materials) or equivalent thermometer to 5°C, wipe it dry, and while still cold, immerse it in the melt so that approximately the bottom half of the bulb is immersed. The bulb is immediately removed and held vertically away from the heat until the wax surface becomes cloudy, then immersed in a water bath having a temperature of 16°C or less for 5 minutes. The thermometer is firmly fixed in the test tube so that its lower point is 15 mm above the bottom of the test tube, and the test tube is suspended in a water bath adjusted to approximately 16°C. The temperature of the bath is increased at a rate of 2° C. / min up to 30° C., then changed to a rate of 1° C. / min and the temperature at which the first drop of dissolved material leaves the thermometer is recorded.

[0047] This method is performed twice on a freshly melted portion of the material. If the three measurements vary by less than 1°C, the average of the three is the melting point. If the three measurements vary by more than 1°C, two additional measurements are made and the five averaged.

[0048] The encapsulating material of the shell, which is melted or pyrolyzed to release the substance, may generally be solid at room temperature, but may undergo a phase change / decomposition at a threshold temperature reached during a usage session so as to release the substance encapsulated within the shell.

[0049] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the material that melts or pyrolyzes in response to an increase in temperature may be selected from the group consisting of waxes, polyethers, polysaccharides, gums, fats, cellulose gums, and thermoplastic polymers, or mixtures thereof. In various embodiments, the material is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, carbohydrate derivatives, fats, waxes, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, and chitosan. Examples of suitable materials include microcrystalline wax, polyethylene glycol, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, shea butter, levan, chitosan, or mixtures thereof.

[0050] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that mixtures of materials may be used to arrive at a material that will melt or pyrolyze in response to an increase in temperature. Materials such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, arabic gum, natural waxes, carbowax, carboxyvinyl polymers, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, and chitin, for example, may be combined to form a mixture having the desired properties.

[0051] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the material that melts or thermally decomposes in response to an increase in temperature may be selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline waxes, polyethylene glycols, gums, or mixtures thereof, for example, mixtures of microcrystalline waxes such as 180F or CMP601, both available from HCI Wax, and gums.

[0052] Microcrystalline wax is a type of wax produced by the de-oiling of petroleum and may be classified as a "laminated" grade or a "hydrogenated" grade. For purposes of this disclosure, microcrystalline wax may be a hydrogenated grade.

[0053] Polyethylene glycols are polyethers often referred to as "PEGs." They are commercially available over a wide range of molecular weights and are typically named with a number that represents their average molecular weight. PEG 400, for example, can be a polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of about 400 Daltons. Commercially available PEGs with suitable melting points will be well known to those skilled in the art and easily identifiable for the reasons already set forth above.

[0054] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell is formed partially or completely from an encapsulating material that ruptures in response to an increase in temperature of the heater. Rupture may occur by any mechanism known in the art and generally refers to a change in the physical or chemical structure of the shell such that a substance contained within or contained by the shell is released. The shell material may, for example, undergo chemical or physical decomposition, collapse or crack due to expansion / contraction, shatter, or rupture in other ways. The extent of rupture is also not limited, all that is required is that the shell rupture enough to release the substance.

[0055] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell is partially or completely formed from an encapsulating material that ruptures at a temperature as described above, e.g., at or above 250°C (e.g., 250-300 or 250-280°C). One of ordinary skill in the art would be readily able to identify materials that meet such functional definitions. It will be appreciated that in some examples, the heater may be configured to heat the aerosol-generating material to a first temperature and heat the capsule to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. For example, if the aerosol-generating material is disposed between the heater and the capsule or is otherwise disposed near the heater, the aerosol-generating material may be heated to a higher temperature compared to a capsule that is disposed further from the heater or at least partially shielded (e.g., by the aerosol-generating material) from the heater.

[0056] The encapsulating material that breaks according to the present disclosure may be a material that breaks by shattering, such as glass. The term "glass" refers to a solid that has a non-crystalline (amorphous) structure on the atomic scale and exhibits a glass transition when heated toward a liquid state. Ceramic materials, silicon-based materials, and many thermoplastic polymers are glass materials. Suitable glass materials may have a glass transition temperature of 250°C or higher (e.g., 250-300 or 250-280°C). A person skilled in the art would be able to readily identify materials that meet this definition using routine techniques, such as, for example, DSC, or from information about commercially available materials.

[0057] In various embodiments, the encapsulating material forming the shell may rupture due to shrinkage. Stated another way, the shell may be partially or completely formed from an encapsulating material that shrinks and thereby ruptures in response to an increase in temperature. A material having such shrinkage behavior at elevated temperatures may be a plastic material, for example, a plastic having a shrinkage temperature of about 250° C. or higher (e.g., 250-300 or 250-280° C.).

[0058] The plastics that meet the requirements of the present disclosure may be thermoplastics. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the plastics are thermoplastics known in the art for shrink-wrap purposes. Such thermoplastics may include polypropylene (e.g., biaxially oriented polypropylene), cellophane, polyethylene (e.g., low density polyethylene), polyetheretherketone, or mixtures thereof.

[0059] In various embodiments, the material forming the shell may be an encapsulating material (e.g., a substrate or matrix material) that can absorb and then release the aerosol precursor material upon application of heat. For example, the shell may be formed from a substrate or matrix material that is a plastic film with pores or micropores, a sponge-like film, a porous carbon material, a porous ceramic material, or a fibrous element. Possible materials include cellulose acetate, polyurethane, vinyl acetate, polycarbonate, carbon, ceramic, silicon compounds, or mixtures thereof.

[0060] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary aerosol delivery system / non-combustion heating device 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components: a reusable device part 2 and a replaceable consumable / cartridge / cartomizer part 4.

[0061] During normal use, the reusable part 2 (i.e., aerosol delivery device) and the consumable part 4 (i.e., consumable) are releasably coupled / attached together by partially or fully inserting the consumable part 4 into a chamber 50 of the reusable device part 2, the chamber 50 comprising a heater chamber area / heating area 53. FIG. 1 shows a schematic of the reusable device part 2 with the consumable part 4 partially received in the chamber 50. The chamber 50 comprises a cylindrical tube extending from an outer housing surface of the reusable device part 2 into the reusable device part. In this example, the chamber extends into the device from an outer surface of the mouth end of the reusable device part 2, which is defined as the top of the reusable device part when a user holds the reusable device part in his / her hand for use, and the chamber 50 extends parallel to the long axis of the reusable device part 2. An aperture 51 communicates the chamber 50 with the outside of the device.

[0062] Generally, the reusable device part 2 is typically configured to generate an aerosol that is inhaled by a user, either by directly heating one or more aerosol-generating materials in the consumable part 4 by one or more heating elements associated with a heating region 53 of the chamber 50, or by transmitting electrical energy or a magnetic field into the consumable part 4 to activate a heater, such as a heating element, in the consumable part 4. During use, a user inserts the consumable part 4 into the chamber 50 of the reusable device part via the aperture 51 and then activates the reusable device part 2, for example using the button 14, to cause the reusable device part 2 to provide power from the power source / battery 26 to the aerosol-generating element (i.e., heater), thereby aerosolizing the aerosol-generating material contained in the consumable part 4 for inhalation by the user. The user then inhales the aerosol generated by the reusable device part 2 by drawing on the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4, which extends out of the aperture 51 at the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part 2. When a user inhales on the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4, air is drawn into the air inlet 24 disposed on the exterior surface of the reusable part 2 and travels through the air inlet channel 25 into the heated region 53 of the chamber 50 where it enters at least one air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4 and entrains vapor / aerosol generated by aerosolization / heating of a portion of the aerosol-generating material 43 contained in the consumable part 4. As a specific example, FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a heating element 48 disposed about the heated region 53 of the chamber 50, as described further herein, which transfers heat into the portion of the consumable part 4 containing the aerosol-generating material 43. The entrained vapor / aerosol travels through the consumable part 4 towards the mouth end of the reusable device part 2 (from which the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4 extends) where aerosol droplets condense or further condense from the vapor / aerosol to form a condensed aerosol that exits the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4 for inhalation by the user.

[0063] The reusable component 2 comprises an outer housing having an opening defining an air inlet 24, a power source 26 (e.g., a battery) for providing operating power to the aerosol delivery system, a control circuit 22 (e.g., a controller) for controlling and monitoring the operation of the aerosol delivery system, optional user input buttons 14, an optional display 16, and a visual display / visual feedback indicator 28. The outer housing of the reusable device component 2 may be formed, for example, from a plastic or metal material, or any other material known to one of skill in the art. To provide a concrete example, the reusable device component 2 may be about 80 mm long in some embodiments, and the consumable component 4 extends about 10-30 mm from the mouth end of the reusable device component when fully inserted into the chamber 50, such that the overall length of the aerosol delivery system 1 when the consumable and reusable device components are coupled together is about 90-110 mm. The consumable component 4 may be about 8 mm in diameter. However, as previously mentioned, it will be understood that the overall shape and scale of an aerosol delivery system implementing an embodiment of the present disclosure is not critical to the principles described herein.

[0064] The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, e.g., of the type typically used in aerosol delivery systems, such as non-combustion heating devices, tobacco heating devices, e-cigarettes, and other applications requiring the delivery of relatively high currents for relatively short periods of time (e.g., lithium ion batteries). The power source 26 may be charged via a charging connector, e.g., comprising a micro USB or USB-C connector, within the housing of the reusable component, which may also provide an interface for data transfer between the controller 22 and an external processing device, such as a smartphone or personal computer.

[0065] A user input button 14 may be optionally provided, which in this example is a conventional mechanical button with a spring-loaded component that may be pressed by a user, for example, to establish electrical contact. In this regard, the input button 14 may be considered an input device for detecting user input, and the specific manner in which the button is implemented is not important (e.g., it may comprise a capacitive touch sensor and / or a touch-sensitive display element). Multiple such buttons may be provided, with one or more buttons assigned to functions such as turning the aerosol delivery system 1 on and off, and adjusting user settings, such as the power provided from the power source 26 to the heater 48, and / or selecting one or more device modes. However, the presence or absence of a user input button is optional, and in some embodiments, such a button may not be included, or a different user input mechanism may be provided (e.g., an accelerometer for sensing user movements / gestures, etc.).

[0066] In some examples, an optional display unit 16 may be provided on an exterior surface of the housing of the reusable device part 2. If the display unit 16 is included, it may include a pixelated or non-pixelated display unit (e.g., including a single LED, an array of LEDs, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, an electroluminescent display (ELD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electronic ink display) connected to the controller 22. Those skilled in the art may implement such a display according to any technique known in the art. Such a display may be used to display usage information to a user regarding the use of the aerosol delivery system 1. Exemplary forms of usage information that may be displayed to a user by the optional display unit 16 are further described herein.

[0067] At least one visual feedback indicator 28 is provided, the display area being visible on the exterior surface of the housing of the reusable device part 2, the visual feedback indicator 28 being configured to provide visual feedback to the user regarding one or more aspects of the operation or status of the device. Such visual feedback may include, for example, information regarding whether the system is on or off, the selected operating mode, how much charge or aerosol generating material remains in the aerosol delivery system, the temperature of the heating element, or the strength at which the user is inhaling on the device (e.g., derived from an airflow sensor as described further herein). Such information may be shown before, during, and / or after a puff or session on the aerosol delivery device. The visual feedback indicator used to display such information may include a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels, including, for example, an LCD, LED, OLED, AMOLED, ELD, PDP, e-ink display, or any other form of pixelated display panel known to those skilled in the art. Additionally or alternatively, the visual feedback indicator 28 may comprise one or more non-pixelated display elements, such as one or more LEDs. As further specified herein, the at least one visual feedback indicator 28 may further comprise one or more light directing elements, such as one or more light pipes, optical fibers, or other transparent or translucent light transmitting elements, configured to direct visual feedback signals from one or more light emitting visual feedback elements disposed within the housing of the reusable device component 2 to one or more display areas viewable on, within, or through the housing surface of the reusable device component 2. In some implementations, the functionality of the visual feedback indicator may be implemented using the display unit 16.

[0068] The controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system to provide functionality according to embodiments of the present disclosure further described herein, as well as conventional operational functions of the aerosol delivery system in line with established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuit) 22 may be considered to logically comprise various sub-units / circuit elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. In this example, the controller 22 comprises power control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48 in response to user input, user programming circuitry for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input, and other functional unit / circuit related functions according to the principles described herein and conventional operational aspects of the aerosol delivery system, such as display driver circuitry and user input detection circuitry. It will be understood that the functionality of the controller 22 may be provided in a variety of different ways, for example, using one or more suitably programmed programmable computers and / or one or more suitably configured application specific integrated circuits / circuits / chips / chipsets configured to provide the desired functionality. The controller 22 may comprise a wireless transceiver and associated control circuitry to enable transfer of data between the reusable device parts 2 and an external computing device (not shown), such as a smartphone or personal computer, via a wireless transfer protocol, such as Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), or Zigbee. The controller 22 also comprises one or more data storage elements (e.g., memory elements such as ROM or RAM elements) that can be used to store data associated with utilization of the aerosol delivery system, in accordance with established techniques for data storage and transfer.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the reusable device part 2 may include an airflow sensor 30, such as a pressure sensor or a flow sensor (e.g., a hot wire anemometer), electrically connected to the controller 22 and in fluid communication with a portion of the air flow path between the air inlet 24 and the mouthpiece 41. The airflow sensor 30 may, for example, be disposed in a wall of the air inlet channel 25 or chamber 50 and / or may extend at least partially into or across a portion of the airflow path defined by the air inlet channel 25 or chamber 50). In some embodiments, a combined airflow and temperature sensor is used that allows the temperature of the airflow in a portion of the air flow path in the device to be determined. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor includes a so-called "puff sensor" in which a signal from the airflow sensor 30 is used by the controller 22 to detect when the user is taking a puff on the device. In some embodiments, detection of a user's puff (e.g., by controller 22 detecting a signal from airflow sensor 30 indicative of pressure and / or flow rate in the airflow path between air inlet 24 and mouthpiece 41 and determining that the signal is above or below a predetermined threshold) is used by controller 22 to control the supply of power to heater 48. Thus, controller 22 may allocate power from power source 26 to heater 48 in response to at least a signal received by controller 22 from airflow sensor 30. The particular manner in which the signal output from airflow sensor 30 (which may include a measurement of the capacitance, resistance, or other property of the airflow sensor, as generated by controller 22) is used by controller 22 to control the supply of power from power source 26 to heater 48.

[0070] In other embodiments, power to the heater 48 is controlled through other means (e.g., by the button 14) and the delivery of power is modified based on a signal received by the controller 22 from the airflow sensor (e.g., adjusted in proportion to an airflow parameter determined based on a signal received from the airflow sensor 30). However, it will be understood that the presence or absence of an airflow sensor is optional and in some embodiments, an airflow sensor is not included. In such embodiments, power to the heater 48 may be switched on and off by the button 14, or may be switched on by the button 14, in which case power to the heater 48 is switched off by the controller 22 after a predefined or predetermined period of time has elapsed. For example, when the controller 22 detects a predefined or predetermined input signal (including, for example, provided by the button 14 or detecting by a suitable sensor that a user has inserted a consumable part 4 into the chamber 50).

[0071] The rate at which the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part is vaporized by heater 48 will depend on the amount of power supplied to heater 48 and the properties of aerosol-generating material 43. Thus, power can be applied to heater 48 to selectively generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in consumable part 4, and the rate of aerosol generation can be varied under the control of controller 22 by varying the amount of power supplied to heater 48, for example, by pulse width and / or frequency modulation techniques.

[0072] The controller 22 may provide power according to one of several predefined aerosol generation profiles. The controller 22 may specify (and implement) one or more aerosol generation profiles for use with the heater, such profiles determining the change over time in the power level provided to the heater (or heaters / heating elements). For example, for a heater that is a heater, the controller 22 may provide most of the power from the power source 26 to the heater at the beginning of a puff to quickly warm the heater up to the heater's operating temperature, and thereafter the controller 22 may provide a reduced level of power to the heater that is sufficient to maintain this operating temperature. The aerosol generation profile for a heater may be referred to as a heating profile. A particular aerosol generation profile may be associated with a particular consumable 4 and may improve aerosol generation from a particular aerosol-generating material of the consumable based on the characteristics of the consumable. It will be understood that the terms "activation profile" or "operational profile" may be used in place of "aerosol generation profile" in that the profile determines how the aerosol generation is activated or operated during use.

[0073] The reusable part 2 typically includes a heater 48 (e.g., a heater) located near the heating region 53 of the consumable chamber 50. The heater is an element or device configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 by heating. Thus, the heater 48 is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 to thermal energy so as to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some examples, the heater 48 can be formed as a cylindrical tube having a hollow internal heating chamber in which the aerosol-generating material 43 is provided, and the system is configured to heat the cylindrical tube by either induction heating or resistance heating. In some of these examples, the heater 48 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube that includes, is embedded in, or surrounds the heating region 53 of the chamber 50. In some examples, heater 48 includes at least two heating elements (e.g., each of the at least two heating elements may be a hollow cylindrical tube positioned at a different position relative to chamber 50 such that each heating element primarily heats a different segment of aerosol-generating material 43).

[0074] In some examples, the temperature of a portion of the heater 48 and / or the heated region 53 of the chamber 50, or any portion of the consumable part 4, or the reusable device part 2 may be detected by the controller 22 using one or more temperature sensors. For example, the heater 48 may include a material whose resistance changes with temperature (e.g., the material is selected with a suitable temperature coefficient of resistance). The controller 22 may determine the resistance of the heating element by known techniques and compare this result to a look-up table derived by experiment or modeling relating the resistance of the heating element to temperature to estimate the temperature of the heater 48 based on the measured resistance. Alternatively or additionally, one or more temperature sensing elements, such as thermistors, may be positioned near the heated region 53 (e.g., attached to or embedded in a tube comprising the heated region 53 of the chamber 50), and the thermistors may be connected to the controller 22 to enable the controller to monitor the temperature of the consumable part 4 and / or the heated region 53. The temperature of the air in the air inlet channel 25 may also be monitored in a similar manner by one or more temperature sensors (eg, a combined temperature and pressure sensor or a thermistor).

[0075] 1, it will be appreciated that portions of the heater 48 may be in either the reusable device part 2 and / or the consumable part 4. It will be further appreciated that in some examples, the consumable part 4 may comprise a powered heater and a cartridge containing the aerosol generating material 43, and the reusable device part 2 may comprise an electrical interface comprising electrical contacts disposed in the chamber 50 that electrically connect the heater in the consumable part 4 with the power source 26 and controller 22 in the reusable device part 4 when the consumable part 4 is fully received within the chamber 50.

[0076] In some embodiments, the consumable part 4 is in the form of a cylindrical rod having or containing the aerosol-generating material 43 at an end distal to the mouthpiece 41 in the section of the consumable part 4 that is within the heated region 53 of the chamber 50 when the consumable part 4 is fully inserted into the reusable device part 2. To provide a concrete example, in one embodiment, the consumable part 4 is about 8 mm in diameter and about 84 mm in length. The depth of the chamber 50 of the reusable device part is sized relative to the length of the consumable part 4 such that when the consumable part 4 is fully inserted into the chamber 50, the mouthpiece end 41 of the consumable part 4 typically extends (e.g., 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, or more than 30 mm) from the aperture.

[0077] Thus, the mouth end of the consumable part 4 typically extends out of the aperture 51 from the reusable device part 2. The consumable part 4 may include a filter / cooling element 44 disposed between the mouth 41 and the region of the aerosol-generating material 43 for filtering / cooling the aerosol. The consumable part 4 is typically circumferentially wrapped by a wrapping / outer layer (not shown) that may include a paper material, and / or a metal foil, and / or a polymeric film such as Natureflex™. The outer layer of the consumable part 4 may be permeable to allow some heated volatile components from the aerosol-generating material 43 to escape the consumable part 4 before reaching the mouth 41. In some embodiments, the wrapping may include a metallic material in the vicinity of the aerosol-generating material 43 configured to function as a susceptor, which is heated by induction by one or more magnetic field generators / drive coils (not shown) in the reusable device part 2 to heat the aerosol-generating material 43 by induction heating. For example, in such an embodiment, the heater 48 may comprise one or more magnetic field generators / drive coils configured to induce inductive heating of a metal packaging of the consumable part 4, and / or one or more susceptor elements embedded within or adjacent to the aerosol-generating material 43 within the consumable part 4, to induce heating of the aerosol-generating material 43 within the consumable part 4. It will be appreciated that the configuration of the consumable part 4 described above is exemplary, and that one skilled in the art may modify the overall structure of the consumable part using techniques known in the art.

[0078] Typically, the primary flow path for heated volatiles produced by heating of the aerosol-generating material 43 by the heater 48 is axially through the consumable part 4, through the filter / cooling element 44 (if included), and through the open end of the mouthpiece 41 into the user's mouth. However, some of the volatiles may escape from the consumable part 4, through the permeable outer packaging of the consumable part 4, and into the space surrounding the consumable part 4 in the unheated chamber region 52 (e.g., the space formed by an optional gap (not shown) between the outer surface of the consumable part 4 in the flared portion of the unheated / expansion chamber region 53 and the inner surface of the chamber 50).

[0079] Once all or substantially all of the volatile components of the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 have been consumed, the user may remove the consumable part 4 from the reusable device part 1 and discard the consumable part 4. The user may then reuse the reusable device part 2 with another consumable part 4. However, in other respective embodiments, the consumable part 4 and the reusable device part 2 may be discarded together after the volatile components of the aerosol-generating material have been consumed. The consumable part 4 may be configured with a quantity of aerosol-generating material 43 configured to be heated and consumed over a single heating cycle (e.g., a usage session). As an example, the single heating cycle may have an operating duration (e.g., the time during which one or more heaters are heated to a desired temperature) of at least 60 seconds, preferably at least 210 seconds.

[0080] In addition to the aerosol-generating material, in some embodiments according to the invention, the consumable part 4 (e.g., an article for use in the aerosol delivery system 1 for generating an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material 43 during a use session) further includes a plurality of substances disposed in the aerosol delivery system and configured to be released at different times during a use session. For example, the consumable part 4 may include a first substance 60 and a second substance 70. The first substance 60 is encapsulated in or by (e.g., contained by or within) the first shell 61, and the second substance 70 is encapsulated in or by (e.g., contained by or within) the second shell 71. The first and second shells 61, 71 are configured to release the first and second substances 60, 70, respectively, at different times during a use session (e.g., during a heating cycle or duration of actuation). As noted above, in some instances the first substance and the second substance are the same, while in other instances the first substance and the second substance are different (e.g., they may be two different flavors, or a flavor and an active substance).

[0081] As also described above, each shell 61, 71 is configured to release the encapsulated material 60, 70 contained therein when an increase in temperature of the shell 61, 71 exceeds or reaches the respective temperature for the shell 61, 71. For example, the first shell 61 may be formed partially or completely from a first material configured to break, decompose or melt in response to an increase in temperature of the first shell 61 to at least a first temperature, and / or the second shell 71 may be formed partially or completely from a second material configured to break, decompose or melt in response to an increase in temperature of the second shell 71 to at least a second temperature.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first temperature at which the first shell 61 is configured to release the encapsulated first substance 60 is lower than the second temperature at which the second shell 71 is configured to release the encapsulated second substance 70. For example, the first temperature is at least 10°C lower than the second temperature, and preferably at least 20°C lower than the second temperature. By way of example, the first temperature may be between 230°C and 260°C, and the second temperature may be at least 10°C higher within the range of 240°C and 300°C (it will be understood that if the first temperature is 260°C, the second temperature will be 270°C or higher). By configuring the first and second shells 61, 71 to release at different temperatures, the system may be configured to release the first substance 60 before the second substance 70, particularly when the first shell 61 and the second shell 71 are heated substantially equally by the heater 48. For example, if the shells 61, 71 are substantially the same and are heated equally, then both shells 61, 71 will reach a first temperature at the same time, resulting in the release of the first substance 60. Additional heat can then be added to raise the second shell 71 to a second temperature, causing the release of the second substance 70.

[0083] In some examples, the first material of the first shell 61 is different from the second material of the second shell 71. For example, the first material may be selected as a material having a first fracture / decomposition / melt temperature, and the second material may be selected as a material having a second fracture / decomposition / melt temperature. Alternatively, the first material may be selected as a material having a low specific heat capacity such that the temperature of the first material responds quickly to the application of heat to the surrounding environment by the heater 48 (e.g., a smaller amount of energy is required to increase the temperature of the shell 61), and the second material may be selected as a material having a high specific heat capacity such that the temperature of the second material responds slowly to the application of heat to the surrounding environment by the heater 48 (e.g., a larger amount of energy is required to increase the temperature of the shell 71). Thus, in an example where the first temperature and the second temperature are substantially equal, the first shell 61 will reach the first temperature before the second shell 71 reaches the second temperature because the temperature of the first shell 61 is more responsive to the application of thermal energy.

[0084] In some examples, the first shell 61 may be thinner than the second shell 71. In other words, the width of the material of the first shell 61 that encapsulates the first substance 60 is less than the width of the material of the second shell 71 that encapsulates the second substance 70. By having the first shell 61 with a reduced thickness compared to the second shell 71, the mass of the shell is reduced and therefore less material needs to be degraded or dissolved by the first shell 61 to release the first substance 60 compared to the second shell 71, particularly if the first shell 61 and the second shell 71 are made of substantially the same material.

[0085] It will be appreciated that suitable materials and thickness / widths for the first and second shells 61, 71 may be selected to provide release of the first substance 60 and the second substance 70 at desired times during a use session. For example, the first shell may be formed from a thin layer of material configured to break, degrade, or dissolve at a first temperature that is lower (e.g., less than) a second temperature to ensure that the first substance 60 is released earlier during a use session than the second substance 70.

[0086] 1, the first substance 60 encapsulated by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 encapsulated by the second shell 71 are provided within the aerosol-generating material 43. In some other examples (not shown), one or both of the first substance 60 encapsulated by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 encapsulated by the second shell 71 are not provided within the aerosol-generating material 43. For example, one or both of the first substance 60 encapsulated by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 encapsulated by the second shell 71 may instead be provided in a different portion of the consumable part 4, such as in the filter / cooling element 44, in an end filter (not shown) of the inlet 42, or on a surface of the packaging / housing of the consumable part 4. In some other examples, one or both of the first substance 60 encapsulated by the first shell 61 and the second substance 70 encapsulated by the second shell 71 may instead be provided as or within a separate item or consumable (different from the consumable part 4) within the device part 2 (e.g., as a separate capsule inserted within the chamber 50 or within a cavity in fluid communication with the chamber 50 of the device part 2).

[0087] In some examples, the aerosol-generating material 43 is not heated evenly along its length throughout a use session. For example, the system 1 (e.g., the controller 22 of the system 1) may be configured to heat the aerosol-generating material 43 near the air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4 before heating the aerosol-generating material 43 near the filter / cooling element 44 (or may first heat the aerosol-generating material 43 near the air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4 to a higher temperature than the aerosol-generating material 43 near the filter / cooling element 44 (i.e., near the mouth end of the consumable part), and then heat the aerosol-generating material 43 near the filter / cooling element 44 to a higher temperature than the aerosol-generating material 43 near the air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4), or vice versa. In some examples, the first and second shells 61, 71 are positioned at different locations within the consumable part 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a first shell 61 may be positioned near the filter / cooling element 44 of the aerosol-generating material 43, while a second shell 71 may be positioned near the air inlet 42 end of the aerosol-generating material 43.

[0088] In some examples, a section of the aerosol-generating material 43 having a first shell 61 containing a first substance 60 can be heated to a first temperature to emit the first substance 60 before the second substance 70 during a use session, before a section of the aerosol-generating material 43 having a second shell 71 containing a second substance 70 can be heated to a second temperature. It will be appreciated that the first shell 61 need not be made of a material that emits the first substance 60 at a lower temperature than the material of the second shell 70, because the (at least one) heater is not configured to heat the second shell 71 to the second temperature until the first shell 60 has already emitted the first substance 60. Thus, by providing a system 1 having a heater 48 (or multiple heaters) configured to either selectively heat different portions of the aerosol-generating material 43 or to heat a first portion of the aerosol-generating material 43 more extensively than a second portion (so that it takes longer for the second portion to heat), the structure of the first and second shells 61, 71 is less constrained (e.g., there is more design freedom because the release of the first and second substances during a usage session is primarily determined by the heater control scheme or profile, rather than the material or thickness of each shell).

[0089] As mentioned above, the device component 2 includes a controller 22 with power control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48. In accordance with the above embodiments, the controller 22 may serve to control the supply of power from the power source 26 to the heater 48 to ensure that a first portion of the aerosol-generating material 43 is heated before or more extensively than a second portion of the aerosol-generating material 43. In some examples where there is more than one heater, or where the heater 48 comprises multiple selectively controllable heating elements, the controller 22 is configured to independently control each of the heaters / heating elements to provide a desired level of heating to each portion of the aerosol-generating material 43. It will be understood that the terms heater and heating element are used somewhat interchangeably to refer to a controllable unit or element configured to generate heat when power (e.g., electrical current) is applied.

[0090] For example, the aerosol delivery system 1 may include at least two heaters (or a heater 48 having two heating elements), with a first heater (or heating element) used to heat the first shell 61 and a second heater (or heating element) used to heat the second shell 71. For example, the first heater or heating element and the first shell 61 may be positioned such that the first shell 61 is substantially adjacent to the first heater or heating element (e.g., when the consumable part 4 including the first shell 61 is received by the device part 2 including the first heater). Similarly, the second heater or heating element and the second shell 71 may be positioned such that the second shell 71 is substantially adjacent to the second heater or heating element, respectively (e.g., when the consumable part 4 including the second shell 71 is received by the device part 2 including the second heater). In other words, the first shell is heated primarily by a first heater of the at least two heaters, and the second shell is heated primarily by a second heater of the at least two heaters. In some examples, the controller 22 may selectively heat the first shell 61 by powering the first heater but not the second heater, and selectively heat the second shell 71 by powering the second heater but not the first heater. In some other examples, the controller 22 may selectively heat the first shell 61 by powering the first heater at a first relatively high level and powering the second heater at a second relatively low level, and selectively heat the second shell 71 by powering the second heater at a second relatively high level and powering the first heater at a first relatively low level.

[0091] In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to supply power to at least one heater 48 according to a heating profile. For example, the heating profile may dictate or determine a change in the amount or level of power to be supplied to the heater 48 (or each of the heaters) during a usage session. Alternatively or additionally, the heating profile may dictate a variation in a target temperature during a usage session, and the controller 22 may be configured to receive measurements indicative of the actual temperature and provide an amount or level of power to be supplied to the heater depending on the difference between the target temperature and the actual temperature (e.g., if the actual temperature is too low, the level of power supplied may be increased, while if the actual temperature is too high, the level of power supplied may be reduced or set to zero).

[0092] In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to select a heating profile from a plurality of predefined heating profiles, the selected heating profile being configured to emit a first substance at a different time than a second substance during a use session. In some examples, the first heating profile will cause the first substance 60 and / or the second substance 70 to be emitted at a different time than the second heating profile. In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to select a heating profile from the plurality of heating profiles based on information contained within (e.g., internal memory) or printed on (e.g., bar code, QR code, or color selection) the consumable part 4. In some examples, the controller 22 receives user input, for example, via the buttons 14, and selects a heating profile from the plurality of heating profiles based on the user input (the selection or an indication of the selection may be displayed to the user via the display 16).

[0093] In some embodiments, the consumable parts 4 may be sold, supplied, or otherwise provided separately from the reusable device parts 2 with which they can be used. However, in some embodiments, the reusable device parts 2 and one or more of the consumable parts 4 may be provided together as a system, such as a kit or assembly, possibly with additional components such as a cleaning implement.

[0094] 2 illustrates a method 200 for controlling aspects of an electronic aerosol delivery system / device 1 for generating aerosol, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The method may be performed by suitable electronics (e.g., controller 22) as described above.

[0095] A first step 210 of method 200 is to provide an aerosol-generating material, a first substance of the plurality of substances encapsulated by a first shell, and a second substance of the plurality of substances encapsulated by a second shell. When the method is executed by controller 22, the provision of aerosol-generating material 43, first substance 60 encapsulated by first shell 61, and second substance 70 encapsulated by second shell 71 may be facilitated by detection circuitry for detecting the presence of aerosol-generating material 43 or a consumable part 4 (e.g., an article) and / or user input (e.g., via button 14) indicating that aerosol-generating material 43, first substance 60 encapsulated by first shell 61, and second substance 70 encapsulated by second shell 71 have been provided.

[0096] A second step 220 of the method 200 is to provide a certain amount of power to the heater to release the first substance from the first shell at a first time. Step 220 is performed by the controller 22 configured to cause the power source 26 to provide power to the heater 48. The first shell 61 is configured (e.g., constructed or manufactured) to release the first substance 60 when the first shell 61 is heated to a first temperature. In some examples, the controller 22 may provide power according to a selected heating profile. In some examples, the controller 22 may provide power to a first heater configured to heat the first shell 61 more than the second shell 71.

[0097] A third step 230 of the method 200 is to provide an amount of power to a heater to release the second substance from the second shell at a second time, different from the first time. Step 230 is performed by the controller 22 configured to cause the power source 26 to provide power to the heater 48. The second shell 71 is configured (e.g., constructed or manufactured) to release the second substance 70 when the second shell is heated to a second temperature. In some examples, the controller 22 may provide power according to a selected heating profile. In some examples, the controller 22 may provide power to a second heater configured to heat the second shell 71 more than the first shell 61.

[0098] 2 may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium as instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the above-described method 200. The computer-readable storage medium may be non-transitory.

[0099] Thus, there has been described an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material during a use session, the aerosol delivery system comprising the aerosol generating material, at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material, a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol delivery system and configured to be released at different times during the use session, wherein a first substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell and a second substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell.

[0100] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and it is understood that other embodiments may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the present invention may suitably include, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material during a session of use, the aerosol delivery system comprising: the aerosol-forming material; at least one heater configured to aerosolize the aerosol-forming material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol delivery system and configured to be released at different times during the session of use; Equipped with a first substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell and a second substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell; Aerosol delivery system.

2. 2. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the first substance encapsulated by the first shell and the second substance encapsulated by the second shell are provided within the aerosol-generating material.

3. the first shell being partially or completely formed from a first material configured to break, decompose, or dissolve in response to an increase in temperature of the first shell to at least a first temperature; 3. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the second shell is partially or completely formed from a second material configured to break, decompose, or dissolve in response to an increase in temperature of the second shell to at least a second temperature.

4. The aerosol delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.

5. 5. The aerosol delivery system of claim 4, wherein the first temperature is at least 10 degrees Celsius lower than the second temperature.

6. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the first material is different from the second material.

7. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first shell is thinner than the second shell.

8. 8. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of substances comprises one or more active ingredients, one or more flavors, and / or one or more aerosol modifiers.

9. An aerosol delivery system according to any preceding claim, wherein the first substance is different from the second substance.

10. 10. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to select a heating profile from a plurality of predefined heating profiles, the selected heating profile being configured to release the first substance at a different time than the second substance during the use session.

11. 11. The aerosol delivery system of claim 1, comprising at least two heaters configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material, the first shell being heated primarily by a first heater of the at least two heaters and the second shell being heated primarily by a second heater of the at least two heaters.

12. 1. An article for use in an aerosol delivery system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-forming material during a session of use, said article comprising: the aerosol-forming material; a first substance of a plurality of substances encapsulated by a first shell, the first shell configured to release the first substance at a first time, and a second substance of the plurality of substances encapsulated by a second shell, the second shell configured to release the second substance at a second time; An article comprising:

13. 1. A method for controlling an amount of power supplied to a heater for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the method comprising: providing the aerosol-forming material, a first substance of a plurality of substances encapsulated by a first shell, and a second substance of the plurality of substances encapsulated by a second shell; providing a constant amount of power to the heater to eject the first material from the first shell at a first time; providing an amount of power to the heater to release the second material from the second shell at a second time different from the first time; A method comprising:

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

15. 1. An aerosol supply means for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-forming material during a session of use, said aerosol supply means comprising: an aerosol generating material means; a heater means configured to aerosolize the aerosol generating material; a plurality of substances disposed within the aerosol delivery means and configured to be released at different times during the use session; Equipped with a first substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a first shell means and a second substance of the plurality of substances is encapsulated by a second shell means; Aerosol delivery means.

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