Heating assemblies and devices

Abstract

A heating assembly for use with a device for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material is disclosed. [Solution] The heating assembly (1) comprises a body (10), a heating element (30), and a coupling. The body (10) comprises a cavity (20) for storing an aerosolizable material and for insertion into a heating zone of the device. A portion of the body (10) is open or openable for inserting the aerosolizable material into the cavity (20). The heating element (30) is for use in heating the aerosolizable material while it is within the cavity (20). The coupling is for coupling the heating assembly (1) to a holder of the device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating assembly for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, and a system comprising a heating assembly and an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. [Background technology]

[0002] Smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products include so-called "heat-not-burn" products or tobacco heating devices or products, which release compounds by heating rather than burning a material. The material can be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A first aspect of the present invention provides a heating assembly for use with a device for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the heating assembly comprising: a body having a cavity for storing the aerosolizable material and for insertion into a heating zone of the device, a portion of the body being open or openable for inserting the aerosolizable material into the cavity; a heating element for use in heating the aerosolizable material while it is in the cavity; and a coupling for coupling the heating assembly to a holder of the device.

[0004] The coupling portion and the retaining portion are configured to cooperate as an engagement mechanism, and the coupling portion and the retaining portion can cooperate to position the heating element within the device.

[0005] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating assembly includes an open end that can communicate with the cavity.In an exemplary embodiment, the body includes an open end that can communicate with the cavity.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion is for coupling to the retaining portion by an interference fit with the retaining portion.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion includes a first threaded portion for engaging a corresponding second threaded portion of the retainer portion of the device.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element extends into the cavity. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element extends from a base of the body. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element includes a tapered portion for penetrating the aerosolizable material. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element is elongated. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element is a blade.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element comprises a heating material that is heatable by penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. In an exemplary embodiment, the body comprises a material that is not susceptible to heating by a fluctuating magnetic field. The material can be ceramic or plastic or other non-susceptor material.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or metal alloy.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze.

[0013] In exemplary embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco, and / or is reconstituted, and / or is in the form of a gel, and / or comprises an amorphous solid.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element is heatable by electrical resistance. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating assembly includes electrical contacts for contacting corresponding electrical contacts on the device to activate the heating element.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupling is for constraining longitudinal movement of the heating assembly relative to the device when the heating assembly is coupled to the holder.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a heating assembly for use with a device for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the heating assembly comprising: a body for storing the aerosolizable material and having a cavity for insertion into a heating zone of the device, a portion of the body being open or openable for inserting the aerosolizable material into the cavity; and a heating element for use in heating the aerosolizable material while it is in the cavity, the body comprising a first portion having a first width that is insertable into the heating zone of the device, and a second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width and that is not insertable into the heating zone.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the length of the first longitudinal portion of the heating assembly can be greater than the length of the second longitudinal portion.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the second portion comprises an aperture in communication with the cavity such that the aerosolizable material is insertable into the cavity through the aperture. In an exemplary embodiment, at least the first portion comprises the cavity.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element extends into the cavity. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element extends from a base of the body. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element extends from a base of the first portion into the cavity toward the second portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element includes an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the axis of the heating element is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element includes a tapered portion for penetrating the aerosolizable material. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element is elongated. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element is a blade.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element comprises a heating material that is heatable by penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. In an exemplary embodiment, the body comprises a material that is not susceptible to heating by a fluctuating magnetic field. The material may be a ceramic material.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or metal alloy.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze.

[0024] In exemplary embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco, and / or is reconstituted, and / or is in the form of a gel, and / or comprises an amorphous solid.

[0025] A third aspect of the present invention provides a heating assembly for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the heating assembly comprising: a body having a cavity for storing the aerosolizable material and for insertion into a heating zone of the apparatus, a portion of the body being open or openable for insertion of the aerosolizable material into the cavity; and a heating element for use in heating the aerosolizable material while it is in the cavity, the heating element protruding substantially linearly from a wall of the cavity into the cavity or being tubular and at least partially defining the wall of the cavity.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element comprises a heating material that is heatable by penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. In an exemplary embodiment, the body comprises a material that is not susceptible to heating by a fluctuating magnetic field. The material may be a ceramic material.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or metal alloy.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze.

[0030] In exemplary embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco, and / or is reconstituted, and / or is in the form of a gel, and / or comprises an amorphous solid.

[0031] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the apparatus comprising: a heating zone for receiving a body of a heating assembly; a heating device for causing heating of a heating element of the heating assembly when the heating assembly is present in the heating zone; and a sensor for detecting information relating to use of the apparatus when the heating assembly is present in the heating zone and taking action when the information meets predetermined criteria.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the action is to provide an indication when the information meets predetermined criteria. In an exemplary embodiment, the indication can be displayed to alert the user via a visual / audible indicator.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating device comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field which, in use, penetrates the heating zone.

[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, the information includes information regarding the number of sessions of use of the device and / or information regarding the total power-on time of the device.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the device includes a memory for storing information.

[0036] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller for controlling the heating device based on the information. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes an analyzer for analyzing the information, and the controller would control the heating based on the information analyzed by the analyzer. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller would modify the heating of the heating element when the analyzer determines that a predetermined criterion has been met. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller would reduce the heating power of the heating element when the analyzer determines that a predetermined criterion has been met. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller would disable the heating of the heating element when the analyzer determines that a predetermined criterion has been met. In an exemplary embodiment, the action taken by the sensor includes an output to the controller, and the controller would receive the output from the sensor.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a retainer for retaining the heating assembly in the heating zone. In an exemplary embodiment, the retainer is for retaining the heating assembly by an interference fit between the retainer and a coupling portion of the heating assembly.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element comprises a heating material heatable by penetration of a varying magnetic field, and the heating device comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field that penetrates a corresponding portion of the heating element. In an exemplary embodiment, the body comprises a material that is not susceptible to heating by the varying magnetic field. The material may be a ceramic material.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or metal alloy.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze.

[0042] In exemplary embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco, and / or is reconstituted, and / or is in the form of a gel, and / or comprises an amorphous solid.

[0043] A fifth aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus as described above and a heating assembly as described above, wherein the heating zone of the apparatus is for receiving the body of the heating assembly.

[0044] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a system for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, the system comprising: a heating assembly having a cavity for storing the aerosolizable material and a heating element for use in heating the aerosolizable material when the aerosolizable material is in the cavity; and an apparatus comprising a heating zone for receiving the heating assembly and a heating device for causing heating of the heating element of the heating assembly when the heating assembly is present in the heating zone, wherein the heating assembly is fully inserted into the heating zone of the apparatus and a portion of the heating assembly protrudes from within the heating zone so as to be graspable by a user to withdraw the heating assembly from the heating zone.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating zone can have a shape complementary to the heating assembly so as to mate with the heating assembly.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating zone may be in frictional engagement with the heating assembly.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a retaining portion and the heating assembly includes a coupling portion, the retaining portion being for retaining the coupling portion by an interference fit between the coupling portion and the retaining portion.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the system is for heating a non-liquid aerosolizable material.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the cavity is for receiving an aerosolizable material in the form of a rod.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating element comprises a heating material heatable by penetration of a varying magnetic field, and the heating device comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field that penetrates a corresponding portion of the heating element. In an exemplary embodiment, the body comprises a material that is not susceptible to heating by the varying magnetic field. The material may be a ceramic material.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or metal alloy.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze.

[0054] In exemplary embodiments, the aerosolizable material comprises tobacco, and / or is reconstituted, and / or is in the form of a gel, and / or comprises an amorphous solid.

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0056] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary heating assembly for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. [Figure 2] 2 illustrates the exemplary heating assembly of FIG. 1 and an example of an article including an aerosolizable material that can be inserted into the heating assembly. [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an example system for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, and an example article including the aerosolizable material that can be inserted into the heating assembly of the system. [Figure 4] 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the exemplary system of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another exemplary system for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0057] As used herein, the term "aerosolizable material" includes materials that provide volatilization upon heating, typically in the form of a vapor or aerosol. The "aerosolizable material" may be a non-tobacco-containing material or a tobacco-containing material. The "aerosolizable material" may include, for example, one or more of tobacco itself, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extract, homogenized tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The aerosolizable material may take the form of ground tobacco, cut rag tobacco, extruded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, reconstituted aerosolizable material, liquid, gel, amorphous solid, gelled sheet, powder, or mass. The "aerosolizable material" may also include other non-tobacco products. These non-tobacco products may or may not contain nicotine, depending on the product. The "aerosolizable material" may include one or more humectants, such as glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0058] As noted above, the aerosolizable material can include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous) or a "dry gel." An amorphous solid is a solid material that may hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some cases, the aerosolizable material comprises from about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid. In some cases, the aerosolizable material consists of an amorphous solid.

[0059] As used herein, the term "sheet" refers to an element that is substantially greater in width and length than it is thick. A sheet may be, for example, a strip.

[0060] As used herein, "heating material" or "heater material" refers to a material that can be heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field.

[0061] Induction heating is a process in which a conductive object is heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field. This process is described by Faraday's law of induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater can include an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are appropriately positioned relative to one another so that the resulting varying magnetic field produced by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated inside the object. The object has a resistance to the flow of current. Therefore, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, they flow against the object's electrical resistance, causing the object to heat. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistance heating. An object that can be inductively heated is known as a susceptor.

[0062] It has been found that when the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit, the magnetic coupling between the susceptor and the electromagnet in use is enhanced, resulting in increased or improved Joule heating.

[0063] Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process by which an object made from a magnetic material is heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. Magnetic materials can be thought of as containing many atomic-scale magnets, or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such a material, the magnetic dipoles align with the field. Thus, when a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field generated by an electromagnet, penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes with the application of the fluctuating magnetic field. This reorientation of the magnetic dipoles generates heat in the magnetic material.

[0064] If an object is both conductive and magnetic, the penetration of a varying magnetic field into the object can cause both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. Furthermore, the use of magnetic materials can increase the magnetic field strength, which can increase Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating.

[0065] In each of the above processes, because heat is generated within the object itself rather than by heat transfer from an external heat source, rapid heating and more uniform heat distribution within the object can be achieved, particularly by selection of suitable object material and shape and appropriate varying magnetic field magnitude and orientation relative to the object. Furthermore, induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do not require that a physical connection be made between the varying magnetic field source and the object, thereby increasing design freedom and control of the heating profile and reducing costs.

[0066] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a schematic cross-sectional view of an example heating assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Heating assembly 1 is for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, such as apparatus 200 shown in Figure 4 and described below. Heating assembly 1 is configured to be removable or detachable from the apparatus.

[0067] The heating assembly 1 comprises a body 10. The body 10 is formed from a first portion 11 and a second portion 12. The first portion 11 is intended to enter a heating zone of the device. In this embodiment, the second portion 12 is not insertable into the heating zone of the device. This is because the second portion 12 is positioned at a distance along the longitudinal axis AA from the end of the first portion 11 that is greater than the length of the heating zone of the device (the end of the first portion 11 is the furthest point from the second portion). In addition, the second portion 12 has a width greater than the width of the heating zone of the device (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the second portion 12 cannot be inserted into the heating zone. In other embodiments, the width of the second portion 12 is equal to or less than the width of the heating zone. In such embodiments, the width of the second portion 12 can be equal to or less than the width of the first portion 11. The heating assembly 1 comprises an abutment that limits the insertion distance of the heating assembly in the heating zone. In some embodiments, the heating assembly 1 does not comprise such an abutment. In the example shown, the abutment portion is a surface of the main body 10, such as the first surface 10a, the second surface 10b, and / or the third surface 10c. Each or all of the first to third surfaces 10a-c can serve as a coupling portion of the heating assembly for coupling the heating assembly to a corresponding holding portion of the device. The coupling portion shown in FIG. 1 is for coupling the corresponding holding portion by an interference fit. An example of such a holding portion is shown in and discussed in connection with FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the first surface 10a, the second surface 10b, and the third surface 10c are flat. In other embodiments, at least one, but not all, of the first to third surfaces 10a-c can be flat. The first surface 10a and the third surface 10c are parallel to each other. The second surface 10b is perpendicular to the first surface 10a and the third surface 10c. However, in other embodiments, the respective surfaces may not be parallel and / or perpendicular.

[0068] While the coupling shown in FIG. 1 relies on an interference fit with the retaining portion of the device, in some embodiments, a friction fit may be sufficient. When an interference fit is used, the width W1 of the first portion 11 may be greater than the corresponding width of the heating zone of the device. Accordingly, the second surface 10b may be configured to compress inward toward the longitudinal axis AA when the heating assembly 1 is inserted into the heating zone of the device. However, an interference fit provides better retention of the heating assembly 1 in the device. In an example of a friction fit, the second surface 10b is configured to frictionally engage with a corresponding surface in the heating zone of the device, and the width W1 of the first portion 11 may be less than or equal to the corresponding width of the heating zone of the device, but the width W1 of the first portion 11 does not change.

[0069] In some examples, the width W1 of the first portion 10 can vary throughout the length of the first portion 11 toward the second portion 12. Thus, the first portion 11 can have an outer surface that decreases in width from the end of the first portion 11, which can be the longitudinal extent of the heating assembly 1. In contrast, the width of the inner surface of the first portion 11 can be constant such that the wall thickness can increase toward the second portion 12. The outer surface can be tapered such that the engagement force increases the further the heating assembly 1 is inserted into the heating zone of the device. The increase in engagement force can be proportional to the distance the heating assembly 1 is inserted into the heating zone of the device.

[0070] In some examples, the coupling portion can include a threaded member that engages with a corresponding threaded member on the retainer. That is, the heating assembly 1 can be engaged with the device by relative rotation of the heating assembly 1 and the device. This can sometimes be referred to as a threaded action. An exemplary axis of rotation R is shown in FIG. 1. In this example, the axis of rotation is the longitudinal axis AA. When the heating assembly 1 can be engaged with the device by a threaded action, the first surface 10a or the second surface 10c can serve as an abutment member that limits the degree of penetration of the heating assembly 1 into the heating zone of the device. Alternatively, the threaded member itself can be limited to control the extent of penetration of the heating assembly 1 into the heating zone. Other mechanical fasteners or connectors can be used as the coupling portion and corresponding retainer, as long as they can couple the heating assembly 1 to the device. The second portion 12 of the body 10 can include a threaded portion that functions as the coupling portion. Additionally or alternatively, the first portion 10a and / or the third surface 10c of the second portion 12 may comprise a non-threaded portion and function as a coupling portion.

[0071] In this embodiment, the body 10 of the heating assembly 1 is unitary such that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 are integral with one another. Thus, the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 are fixed in position relative to one another. In this embodiment, the body 10 is generally generally T-shaped such that the second portion 12 has a width W2 that is greater than the width W1 of the first portion 11. That is, the outer width or diameter of the first portion 11 is smaller than the outer width or diameter of the second portion 12. The inner surface of the first portion 11 can be parallel to the inner surface of the second portion 12. The inner surfaces of the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 can be aligned with one another.

[0072] The body 10 includes a cavity 20 for receiving and storing the aerosolizable material, which may be in the form of a rod, as shown in FIG. 2 . The cavity 20 is bounded in length by the base 14 of the heating assembly 1, which defines the inner end surface of the first portion 11. The shape of the cavity 20 may be complementary to the shape of the article containing the aerosolizable material. In this embodiment, the cavity 20 is circular in cross section and cylindrical in overall shape. In other embodiments, the cavity is non-circular in cross section; for example, the cavity may be triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal. In this embodiment, the walls of the cavity 20 are closed such that the aerosolizable material within the cavity 20 cannot be accessed through the walls of the cavity 20. Thus, the aerosolizable material can only be accessed through an inlet through which the aerosolizable material is inserted into the cavity 20. In other embodiments, the inlet may be through a sidewall rather than an end of the cavity 20. In such an example, the article containing the aerosolizable material can be inserted in a direction radial to the longitudinal axis AA.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 1 , a portion of the body 10 is open. The open portion allows access to the cavity 20 from outside the heating assembly 1. In some examples, the body 10 is openable to insert an aerosolizable material into the cavity 20. For example, the cavity 20 of the body 10 can be closed by a removable or openable cap or lid. FIG. 1 shows an open end 40 of the body 10 that can communicate with the cavity 20. The open end 40 is an aperture through which the aerosolizable material can be inserted. The open end 40 is located at the downstream end of the heating assembly 1, and the aerosolizable material is inserted through this open end 40 in an upstream direction toward the upstream end opposite the downstream end. During use, at least one component of the volatilized aerosolizable material is configured to flow away from the heating assembly 1 in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end. Thus, the aerosolizable material enters the cavity 20 through the open end 40. In this embodiment, the open end 40 is defined by the second portion 12.

[0074] The heating assembly 1 includes a heating element 30. The heating element 30 may be a susceptor capable of being inductively heated. The heating element 30 is configured to be in thermal proximity to the aerosolizable material when the aerosolizable material is inserted into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1. In contrast, the body 10 may be formed from a material that is not capable of being inductively heated. Thus, the body may function as an electrical insulator. In other embodiments, the heating element 30 may not be limited to being inductively heated. Thus, the heating element 30 may be heatable by electrical resistance. Thus, the heating assembly 1 may include electrical contacts for electrical connection with a device for electrically activating the heating element 30 by passing a flow of electrical energy through the heating element 30.

[0075] The heating assembly 1 including the heating element 30 can be provided as a disposable product after use. That is, the heating element 30 can be fixed to the main body 10 and cannot be easily removed from the main body 10 by a user. Alternatively, the heating element 30 may be detachable from the main body 10 of the heating assembly 1 and discarded after use. Thus, the heating element 30 may be replaced with another heating element 30 when an item containing a different type of aerosolizable material, such as a different fragrance, is inserted into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1. This helps avoid cross-contamination of the different fragrances. When provided as a detachable item, the heating element 30 can be coupled to the heating assembly 1 to form a consumable item. Thus, the heating element 30 can be attached to the main body 10 of the heating assembly 1. Due to close contact between the heating element 30 and the consumable item (such as an item containing an aerosolizable material), a deposit of aerosol or heated ingredients of the consumable item may accumulate on the heating element 30. Therefore, to improve hygiene, the heating element 30 can be discarded and replaced with another heating element 30. As discussed in connection with FIG. 4, the need for replacement can be determined by detecting information about the use of the device. For example, the user can be alerted that the heating element 30 should be replaced after a predetermined number of sessions, e.g., at least 20 sessions. In some embodiments, the alert includes a visual and / or audible indicator. Each session can be the time between activation and deactivation of the heating element 30 while the user inhales on the article to inhale the volatile components generated by the aerosolizable material. The number of sessions for replacing the heating element 30 can be, for example, after 20 to 40 sessions.

[0076] In this embodiment, the heating element 30 is elongated. Thus, the length of the heating element 30 is greater than the width of the heating element 30 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis AA of the heating assembly 1. The heating element 30 extends from the base 14 of the body 10 into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1. The heating element includes a main body 31 and a tapered portion 32. The tapered portion 32 is located at the distal end of the main body 31. The tapered portion 32 is for penetrating the aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, the tapered portion 32 is tapered. The taper may be toward a point. Thus, the heating element 30 shown in this embodiment is a male member, such as a rod, blade, or pin, that can be configured to penetrate an article containing an aerosolizable material when the article is received in the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1. In this embodiment, the male member is configured to extend along the central axis AA of the heating zone 110. However, in other embodiments, the male member may be offset from the central axis AA. In either case, the male member is configured to automatically penetrate the article 70 containing the aerosolizable material when the article 70 is pressed against the male member. When inserted into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1, the consumable is brought into contact with and tightly engages the heating element 30.

[0077] In some embodiments, the heating element 30 can be tubular. The tubular heating element 30 can be insertable into the cavity 20 of the body 10. The tubular heating element 30 can have a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis AA of the heating device 1. The longitudinal axis of the heating element 30 can be coaxial with the longitudinal axis AA of the heating device 1. The tubular heating element 30 can at least partially define a wall of the cavity 20 into which an article containing an aerosolizable material is inserted. An example of this is shown in FIG. 5 and discussed below.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 2 , an article 2 is shown comprising an aerosolizable material 2a in the form of a rod. The article 2 can comprise a cover around the aerosolizable material 2a. The cover surrounds the aerosolizable material 2a and serves to protect the aerosolizable material 2a from damage during transportation and use of the article 2. The cover can comprise an adhesive (not shown) that adheres the overlapping free ends of the wrapper or covering to one another. The adhesive serves to prevent the overlapping free ends of the covering from separating. In other embodiments, the adhesive and / or cover can be omitted. In still other embodiments, the article can take a form different from any of those discussed above. The article 2 can comprise at least one filter (not shown). The article 2 includes a downstream end and an upstream end, the upstream end being insertable into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1 before the downstream end. The article 2 is configured so that a user inhales one or more volatile components of the aerosolizable material through the downstream end of the article 2.

[0079] The article 2 is insertable into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1 in the direction of the longitudinal axis AA. In this embodiment, the insertion direction of the article 2 is the same as the insertion direction of the heating assembly 1 into an apparatus for heating the heating element 30 of the heating assembly 1. Thus, the article 2 is inserted into the heating assembly 1 in the upstream direction. Similarly, the heating assembly 1 is inserted into the apparatus in the upstream direction. The article 2 has a mouth end and a distal end. The distal end is the upstream end, and the mouth end is the downstream end. The distal end of the article 2a is first inserted into the cavity 20 via the open end 40. Thus, the heating assembly 1 has a downstream end (e.g., distal end) and an upstream end (e.g., proximal end). When the article 2 is fully inserted into the cavity 20, it abuts the downstream end but protrudes away from the proximal end.

[0080] An insertion force F1 is required to overcome the resistance of the heating assembly 1 to move the item 2. The insertion force F1 can be substantially constant or can vary with the insertion depth of the item 2. As the item 2 continues to be inserted into the cavity 20, the end of the item 2 is pierced by the tapered portion 32 of the heating element 30. When fully inserted into the heating assembly 1, the item 2 is configured to protrude from the heating assembly 1. The heating assembly 1 has a length L0 that is smaller than the length of the item 2, thereby causing the protrusion. If the heating assembly 1 is removable from the device, the item 2 can be inserted before or after coupling the heating assembly 1 to the device. Similarly, the item 2 can be removed from the heating assembly 1 before or after separating the heating assembly 1 from the device. The coupling of the heating assembly 1 can resist movement of the heating assembly 1 from the holding portion of the device when the item 2 is pulled out of the heating assembly 1. Therefore, the connection force of the coupling and holding portion can be greater than the force that removes the item 2 from the heating assembly 1.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic cross-sectional view of an example system 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The system 2000 includes a device 200 and a heating assembly 1, such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, insertable into the device. Also shown is an article 2 including an aerosolizable material 2a, as discussed in FIG. 2. As discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating assembly 1 includes a heating element 30 for use in heating the aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. The device 200 includes a magnetic field generator 212 for generating a varying magnetic field during use. The heating element 1 is formed from a heating material that is heatable by the penetration of the varying magnetic field. The magnetic field generator 212 includes a power source 213 and a device 216 for passing a varying current, such as an alternating current, through a coil 214.

[0082] The device 200 comprises a housing 210 defining a heating zone 211, which is a chamber into which the heating assembly 1 can be inserted. The chamber of the device 200 is therefore a receptacle. The chamber can have a surface shaped to complement the mating surface of the heating assembly 1.

[0083] 3, the item 2 is first inserted into the heating assembly 1 before the heating assembly 1 and the item 2 are inserted together into the heating zone 211 of the apparatus 200. However, the heating assembly 1 may also be first inserted into the heating zone 211 of the apparatus 200 before the item 2 is inserted into the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1. The combined heating assembly 1 and item 2 are inserted in a direction X, which corresponds to the longitudinal dimension of the apparatus. Once inserted, the heating assembly 1 can be constrained by the apparatus 200 so that the heating assembly 1 cannot move relative to the apparatus 200 in a direction Y, which is perpendicular to the direction X.

[0084] The heating assembly 1 is shown with coupling regions, e.g., first surface 10a, second surface 10b, and third surface 10c. Each coupling region can be referred to as a coupling portion. While a single coupling portion 10a, 10b, and 10c may be required to engage with a corresponding retaining portion 200a, 200b, and 200c of the device, multiple coupling portions may be provided. When the heating assembly 1 is installed within the device 200, the coupling portions 10a, 10b, and 10c may be adapted to restrict movement of the heating assembly 1 relative to the device 200, e.g., longitudinal movement. Thus, the coupling portions 10a, 10b, and 10c and / or the retaining portions 200a, 200b, and 200c function as blocking members that prevent movement of the heating assembly 1 and hold the heating assembly 1 within the device 200 against movement in at least one direction, e.g., direction X and / or direction Y. Such directional movement may be axial movement (corresponding to direction X), for example, movement of heating assembly 1 in an axial direction along longitudinal axis AA shown in Figure 1. Couplings 10a, 10b, 10c and / or retainers 200a, 200b, 200c may resist translational movement (corresponding to direction Y) of heating assembly 1. Alternatively, or in addition, each coupling 10a, 10b, 10c and / or each corresponding retainer 200a, 200b, 200c may resist rotation of heating assembly 1 relative to device 200 about longitudinal axis AA.

[0085] The coupling portions 10a, 10b, 10c and / or the retaining portions 200a, 200b, 200c may be abutting members for abutting against at least one surface of a corresponding device 200 or heating assembly 1. The coupling portions 10a, 10b, 10c and / or the retaining portions 200a, 200b, 200c may limit the range of movement of the heating assembly 1.

[0086] In particular, when an article containing an aerosolizable material is removed from heating assembly 1, coupling portions 10a, 10b, 10c can be blocked by corresponding abutting members or portions of device 200 to prevent movement of heating assembly 30 within device 200. As opposed to relying on a press-fit relationship between body 10 of heating assembly 1 and device 200 to constrain movement, the interaction between coupling portions 10a, 10b, 10c and corresponding retaining portions 200a, 200b, 200c can be used to hold heating assembly 1 in a particular location in device 200. Thus, an engagement force F2 may be required to couple heating assembly 1 with device 200. Engagement force F2 can be greater than insertion force F1, as described in connection with FIG. 2 .

[0087] In this example, a push-fit relationship is when a first member can be inserted into a second member using an insertion force. The insertion force is a force that can be applied by a user's fingers to overcome the frictional resistance between the first and second members. The frictional resistance holds the first and second members together as a unit under friction. Separation of the first and second members is therefore achieved by applying a finger force similar to the insertion force. In a push-fit relationship, the first and second members are not free to move relative to one another, but are also not permanently fixed in place relative to one another.

[0088] Couplings 10a, 10b, 10c and corresponding retaining portions 200a, 200b, 200c are not fixed in place and can prevent free movement of heating assembly 1. Couplings 10a, 10b, 10c and corresponding retaining portions 200a, 200b, 200c therefore facilitate improved retention of heating assembly 1 in apparatus 200, such as the example illustrated in Figure 4. Positioning heating assembly 1 close to an article containing an aerosolizable material provides improved heat transfer to the article.

[0089] Referring to Figure 4, a cross-sectional view of an example system 200 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Features in Figure 4 that have the same reference numbers as in Figures 1-3 are the same.

[0090] System 2000 comprises device 200 and a heating assembly 1 insertable into the device, the heating assembly 1 comprising a heating element 30 for use in heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. Device 200 comprises a magnetic field generator 212 for generating a varying magnetic field during use. Heating element 1 is formed from a heating material that is heatable by the penetration of a varying magnetic field.

[0091] More specifically, the device 200 of this embodiment includes a housing 210. A mouthpiece (not shown) can be connected to the housing 210 and / or the heating assembly 1. The mouthpiece can be made of any suitable material, such as a plastic material, cardboard, cellulose acetate, paper, metal, glass, ceramic, or rubber. The mouthpiece can define a channel therethrough. The mouthpiece can be positioned relative to the housing 210 to cover an opening to the heating zone 211 or cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1 when the heating assembly 1 is inserted into the heating zone 211. When the mouthpiece is positioned relative to the housing 210 in this manner, the channel in the mouthpiece is in fluid communication with the heating zone 211. In use, the channel functions as a passageway that allows volatilized material to pass from aerosolizable material in an article inserted into the heating zone 211 to the exterior of the device 200. The mouthpiece of the device 200 can be releasably engageable with the housing 210 to connect the mouthpiece to the housing 210. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece and housing 210 may be permanently connected, such as by a hinge or flexible member. In some embodiments, such as those in which the article itself includes a mouthpiece, mouthpiece 120 of device 200 may be omitted.

[0092] Apparatus 200 may define an air inlet (not shown) fluidly connecting heating zone 211 with the exterior of apparatus 200. Such an air inlet may be defined by housing 210 and / or optional mouthpiece. A user may be able to inhale one or more volatile components of the aerosolizable material by breathing them through a channel in the optional mouthpiece. Once one or more volatile components have been removed from the article, air may be drawn into heating zone 211 via the air inlet of apparatus 200.

[0093] In the embodiment of Figure 4, there is no mouthpiece. An article comprising an aerosolizable material (also not shown) may have a mouth end through which a user inhales one or more volatile components of the aerosolizable material. The mouth end can function as a mouthpiece. Thus, the cavity 20 of the heating assembly 1 is open until an article is inserted into the cavity 20 to close the open end 40 of the heating assembly 1.

[0094] In this embodiment, the housing 210 of the device 200 receives the heating assembly 1 including the heating element 30. Accordingly, the interior dimension, e.g., inner diameter, of the heating zone 211 of the device 200 is greater than the first width W1 of the body 2 of the heating assembly 1. In this embodiment, the walls of the cavity 20, which are the interior surfaces of the cavity 20, constrain the heating zone 211 and engage a portion of the article containing the aerosolizable material. The portion of the article is the upstream portion. The walls of the cavity 20 cooperate with the article and mechanically couple to receive the article. In this embodiment, the heating zone 211 is elongated and sized and shaped to accommodate the entire first portion 11 of the body 10 of the heating assembly 1. In other embodiments, the heating zone 211 can be dimensioned to receive only a portion of the first portion 11 of the body 10.

[0095] The heating assembly 1, including the heating element 30, can be received within a housing of the body 210 of the device 200. The heating element 30 is shown extending partially into a portion of the housing of the body 210, such as an upstream portion of the housing. The heating assembly 1 includes an abutment that determines the extent of penetration of the heating assembly 1 within the heating zone 211. A wall of the second portion 12 of the body 10 of the heating assembly can serve as the abutment against a corresponding wall of the housing 210 of the device 200. The wall is an outer wall. The wall can be an upstream wall of the second portion 12 of the body 10 and / or an upstream wall of the first portion 11 of the body 10. Alternatively, the penetration extent of the heating assembly 1 within the heating zone 211 can be determined by the full action of an engagement mechanism, such as a thread. The abutment prevents movement of the heating assembly 1 due to contact between the device 200 and the heating assembly 1. When the heating assembly 1 is installed in the apparatus 200, contact with the abutment can constrain movement of the heating assembly 1 relative to the apparatus 200. The heating assembly 1 is removable from the apparatus 200, for example, to access the heating zone 211 and to clean or inspect the heating zone 211.

[0096] In this embodiment, the magnetic field generator 212 comprises a power supply 213, a coil 214, a device 216 for passing a varying current, such as an alternating current, through the coil 214, a controller 217, and a user interface 218 for user operation of the controller 217. The apparatus 200 in this embodiment further comprises a temperature sensor 219 for sensing the temperature of the heating zone 211.

[0097] In this embodiment, the device 200 further includes a sensor 215 that detects information related to the use of the device 200 when the device 200 is coupled to the heating assembly 1. The information can be stored in the device's memory 222. The memory 222 is a data storage device. The sensor 215 will further perform an action when the information meets a predetermined criterion. In some embodiments, the sensor provides an indication of when the information meets the predetermined criterion. The predetermined criterion can be total power-on time. For example, the information detected by the sensor 215 can be elapsed time. Thus, the total power-on time corresponds to the detected time that has elapsed since the device 200 was turned on. The device 200 can be considered to be turned on when the heating element 30 is first activated. Alternatively, or in addition, the sensor 215 can detect information related to the number of sessions of use of the device. A single session can include a predetermined number of puffs of an item by a user. Alternatively, a single session can include a predetermined time since the user first puffed on an item or since the heating element 30 was first activated or activated.

[0098] The controller 217 is configured to control the heating device 216 based on the information. In some embodiments, the information can be analyzed by an analyzer 220 of the apparatus 200. The analyzer 220 receives information from at least one sensor 215, 219, which is sent to the controller to determine how to control the heating device 216 based on the information analyzed by the analyzer 220. For example, the heating device 216 can be configured to measure the number of sessions, which can be the number of activations of the power-on button or puff sensor, or can be configured to measure the total power used or the total power-on time. When a threshold is reached, the heating device 216 can indicate to the user that a change of the heating element 30 is necessary and / or the heating device 216 may not allow the heating element 30 to be enabled for heating.

[0099] In this embodiment, power source 213 is a rechargeable battery. In other embodiments, power source 213 may be other than a rechargeable battery, such as a non-rechargeable battery, a capacitor, a hybrid battery / capacitor, or a connection to a mains power source.

[0100] The coil 214 can take any suitable form. In this embodiment, the coil 214 is a helical coil of a conductive material, such as copper. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generator 212 can include a magnetically permeable core around which the coil 214 is wound. Such a magnetically permeable core, when in use, concentrates the magnetic flux generated by the coil 214, resulting in a stronger magnetic field. The magnetically permeable core can be made of, for example, iron. In some embodiments, the magnetically permeable core can extend only partially along the length of the coil 214 to concentrate the magnetic flux only in a specific region. In some embodiments, the coil 214 can be a flat coil. That is, the coil 214 can be a two-dimensional spiral. In this embodiment, the coil 214 surrounds the heating zone 211. The coil 214 extends along a longitudinal axis that is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the heating zone 211. The aligned axes are coincident. In variations on this embodiment, the aligned axes can be parallel or oblique to each other. In other embodiments, the coil 214 can be other than helical. For example, the coil 214 can be spiral. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generator 212 includes multiple coils 214 for generating corresponding magnetic fields for penetrating corresponding portions of the heating element 30.

[0101] When the heating assembly 1 is coupled to the device 200, a length L1 of the heating assembly 1 protrudes from the cavity 20. As shown in FIG. 4 , the protrusion can be included on at least a portion of the second portion 12 of the body 10 of the heating assembly 1. The protrusion provides a portion that can be grasped by a user to separate the heating assembly 1 from the device 2 and remove the heating assembly 1. That is, a portion of the heating assembly 1 protrudes from within the heating zone 211 so as to be graspable by a user to pull the heating assembly 1 out of the heating zone 211. This portion can be configured to be grasped by a user's fingers, and may not require a tool to remove the heating assembly 1. This portion can be rotated or moved linearly relative to the device 200 to pull the heating assembly 1 out of the device 200.

[0102] Referring to Figure 5, a schematic cross-sectional view of an example system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. System 2000 includes device 200 and a heating assembly 1 insertable into the device, the heating assembly 1 including a heating element 30a for use in heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material. Features in Figure 5 that have the same reference numbers as in Figure 4 are the same. The difference between Figures 4 and 5 is that the heating element 30 in Figure 4 is elongated and in the form of a blade, whereas in Figure 5, the heating element 30a is tubular.

[0103] The heating element 30a shown in FIG. 5 is hollow. The heating element 30a can be formed from a sheet. The heating element 30a can be unitary. The sheet can have a constant thickness. The heating element 30a can have a constant cross-sectional shape. For example, the heating element 30a can have a substantially circular, square, or rectangular cross-section along the length of the heating element 30a. The length of the heating element 30a can be greater than the width of the heating element 30a perpendicular to the length. In other embodiments, the length and width can be substantially equal. In still further embodiments, the heating element 30a can have a length that is less than its width.

[0104] The heating element 30a shown in FIG. 5 is generally cylindrical with a substantially circular cross-section. In other embodiments, the heating element 30a can have an oval or elliptical cross-section, or can be other than cylindrical. In some embodiments, the heating element 30a can have a cross-section that is polygonal, quadrangular, rectangular, square, triangular, star-shaped, or irregularly shaped, for example. In this embodiment, the heating element 30a is a tube. The heating element 30a includes a chamber, which is a hollow interior region of the tube. The chamber can correspond to a heating zone when the heating element 30a is disposed within the device 200. The chamber is configured to receive an aerosolizable material.

[0105] The heating element 30a may comprise an extruded member formed by an extrusion process, which may be tubular such that the cross section of the body is continuous.

[0106] The heating element 30a in FIG. 5 is open at both a first end and a second end opposite the first end. Thus, the first end includes a first opening, and the second end includes a second opening. The first and second openings may be axially aligned along the longitudinal axis AA shown in FIG. 1 . The first and second openings may be parallel to each other. Aerosolizable material may be insertable into the cavity 20 through the opening 40. The opening 40 is thus the initial passage point for the aerosolizable material into the cavity 20. One or more longitudinal walls of the heating element 30a extend between the first and second ends of the heating element 30a. Alternatively, the heating element 30a may have a single open end.

[0107] The heating element 30a may have a thickness of less than 100 μm. The thickness may be between 10 μm and 40 μm. The thickness may be between 20 μm and 30 μm. The thickness may be about 25 μm.

[0108] In some embodiments, the heating material is aluminum. However, in other embodiments, the heating material may be other than aluminum. In exemplary embodiments, the heating material may include one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetically conductive material. In some embodiments, the heating material includes a metal or metal alloy. In some embodiments, the heating material may include one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, silicon carbide, copper, and bronze. In other embodiments, one or more other heating materials may be used.

[0109] In some embodiments, the sheet comprising the heating material does not have holes or cuts. In some embodiments, the sheet comprising the heating material comprises a foil, such as a metal or metal alloy foil, for example, aluminum foil. However, in some embodiments, the sheet comprising the heating material may have holes or cuts. For example, in some embodiments, the sheet comprising the heating material may comprise a mesh, a perforated sheet, or a perforated foil, such as a metal or metal alloy perforated foil, for example, perforated aluminum foil.

[0110] In some embodiments, such as when the heating material comprises iron, such as steel (e.g., mild steel or stainless steel), or aluminum, the sheet comprising the heating material can be coated to help prevent corrosion or oxidation of the heating material during use. Such coatings can include, for example, nickel plating, gold plating, or ceramic or inert polymer coatings. In some embodiments, the sheet comprising the heating material comprises or consists of nickel-plated aluminum foil.

[0111] The heating material can have a skin depth, which is the outer zone where most of the induced currents and / or induced reorientation of magnetic dipoles occurs. Given a relatively small thickness of the heating material, a greater percentage of the heating material may be heatable by a given varying magnetic field compared to a heating material having a depth or thickness that is relatively greater than other dimensions of the heating material. This allows for more efficient use of materials, thus reducing costs.

[0112] In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material includes tobacco. However, in other embodiments, the aerosolizable material may consist of tobacco, consist substantially entirely of tobacco, include tobacco and aerosolizable materials other than tobacco, include aerosolizable materials other than tobacco, or be tobacco-free. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may include a vapor or aerosol-forming agent, or a humectant such as glycerol, propylene glycol, triacetin, or diethylene glycol.

[0113] In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material is a non-liquid aerosolizable material, and the device heats the non-liquid aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material.

[0114] In some embodiments, article 2 is consumable. Once all or substantially all of one or more volatilizable components of aerosolizable material 2a in article 2 are depleted, a user can remove article 2 from cavity 20 of heating assembly 1 and discard it. The user can then reuse device 200 with another article 2. However, in other embodiments, article 2 may not be consumable to the heating assembly. That is, once one or more volatilizable components of aerosolizable material 2a are depleted, heating assembly 1 and article 2 can be discarded together.

[0115] In some embodiments, article 2 is sold, supplied, or otherwise provided separately from apparatus 200 that can be used with article 2. However, in some embodiments, apparatus 200 and one or more of articles 2 may be provided together as a system, such as a kit or assembly, possibly with additional components such as cleaning implements.

[0116] To address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure as a whole presents, for purposes of explanation and illustration, various embodiments that enable the claimed invention to be practiced and that provide improved heating elements for use with devices that heat aerosolizable materials, methods for forming heating elements for use with devices that heat aerosolizable materials to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable materials, and devices for heating aerosolizable materials to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable materials, and systems including heating elements that can be heated by such devices. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely a representative sample of embodiments and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. They are presented solely for the purpose of aiding in the understanding and teaching of the claimed and otherwise disclosed features. The advantages, embodiments, examples, features, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered limitations on the present disclosure, as defined by the claims, or limitations on equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the present disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably include, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. The present disclosure may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, A heating zone for receiving the main body of the heating assembly, When the heating assembly is located within the heating zone, a heating device is provided to cause heating of the heating elements of the heating assembly. A sensor for detecting information regarding the use of the device when the heating assembly is located within the heating zone, and for operating when the information meets predetermined criteria, A device equipped with the following features.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a fluctuating magnetic field that enters the heating zone when in use.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information includes information regarding the number of sessions using the apparatus and / or information regarding the total power-on time of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a memory for storing the aforementioned information.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a controller for controlling the heating device based on the aforementioned information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller changes the heating of the heating element when the predetermined criteria are met.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a holding portion for holding the heating assembly in the heating zone.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the holding portion is for holding the heating assembly by a tight fit between the holding portion and the joint portion of the heating assembly.

9. A system comprising the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and a heating assembly for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosolizable material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosolizable material, wherein the heating assembly is A body having a cavity for storing the aerosolizable material and for insertion into the heating zone of the apparatus, wherein a portion of the body is open or can be opened for insertion of the aerosolizable material into the cavity, A heating element for use when heating the aerosolizable material while it is inside the cavity, A coupling portion for connecting the heating assembly to the holding portion of the device, Equipped with, A system wherein the heating zone of the apparatus is for receiving the body of the heating assembly.

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