Aerosol supply system

Abstract

We provide consumable parts for novel aerosol supply systems. [Solution] The consumable part for the aerosol supply system comprises an outer housing having an outer wall extending between a first end wall and a second end wall and defining an inner chamber; a plurality of elements of solid aerosol-forming material held in the inner chamber by the housing for generating an aerosol for the user to inhale, wherein the first and second end walls have openings that allow air to flow into the inner chamber through the first end wall and out of the inner chamber through the second end wall when in use; and a heater disposed in the inner chamber and configured to heat the elements of solid aerosol-forming material when in use to generate vapor for the user to inhale.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol supply system such as a nicotine delivery system (e.g., an electronic cigarette, etc.).

Background Art

[0002] An electronic aerosol supply system such as an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) generally includes an aerosol precursor material such as a reservoir of a raw material liquid containing a formulation containing nicotine, or a solid material such as a tobacco-based product, and an aerosol is generated from them, for example, by heating and vaporization, for the user to inhale. Therefore, an aerosol supply system typically includes a heater arranged to vaporize a portion of the aerosol precursor material to generate vapor / aerosol in a flow path that extends from an air inlet through the electronic aerosol supply system to an aerosol outlet. When the user inhales at the aerosol outlet and power is supplied to the vaporizer, air passes through the air inlet, along a passage where the air mixes with the vaporized precursor material to form a condensed aerosol, and then is drawn along the flow path to the aerosol outlet while transporting the condensed aerosol, from where the user can inhale.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of a particular embodiment, a consumable part for an aerosol supply system is provided. The consumable part includes an outer housing having an outer wall that extends between a first end wall and a second end wall and defines an internal chamber, and a plurality of elements of a solid aerosol-forming material held within the internal chamber by the housing for generating an aerosol for the user to inhale when heated, the first end wall and the second end wall being provided with openings that allow air to flow into the internal chamber through the first end wall and out of the internal chamber through the second end wall during use, a plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material, and a heater disposed within the internal chamber and configured to heat the elements of the solid aerosol-forming material during use to generate vapor for the user to inhale.

[0004] According to another aspect of a particular embodiment, an aerosol supply system for generating vapor using a consumable part is provided. The consumable part comprises an outer housing having an outer wall extending between a first end wall and a second end wall defining an inner chamber; a plurality of elements of a solid aerosol-forming material held within the inner chamber by the housing for generating an aerosol for a user to inhale when heated, wherein the first and second end walls have openings that allow air to flow into the inner chamber through the first end wall and out of the inner chamber through the second end wall when in use; and a heater disposed within the inner chamber and configured to heat the elements of the solid aerosol-forming material when in use to generate vapor for a user to inhale. The aerosol supply system comprises the consumable part, a consumable part receiving area for removably receiving the consumable part for use, and a power supply for selectively supplying power to the heater within the consumable part to generate vapor from the solid aerosol-forming material for a user to inhale.

[0005] According to another aspect of a particular embodiment, a consumable means for an aerosol supply system is provided. The means comprises an outer housing means having an outer wall means extending between a first end wall means and a second end wall means to define an internal chamber; a plurality of elements of a solid aerosol forming means held within the internal chamber by the housing means for generating an aerosol for a user to inhale when heated, wherein the first and second end wall means have opening means that allow air to flow into the internal chamber through the first end wall means and out of the internal chamber through the second end wall means when in use; and a heater disposed within the internal chamber and configured to heat the elements of the solid aerosol forming means when in use to generate vapor for a user to inhale.

[0006] The features and embodiments of the present invention described above with respect to the first and other aspects of the present invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the present invention according to other aspects of the present invention, and may be combined with them as appropriate, not limited to the specific combinations described above.

[0007] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described as merely examples with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an aerosol supply system comprising device components and consumable parts according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of an aerosol supply system comprising device parts and consumable parts according to certain other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4C] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4D] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4E] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4F] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4G] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5D] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5E] This is a schematic diagram of the end wall of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] This is a schematic diagram of a heater for a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] This is a schematic diagram of a heater for a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8C] This is a schematic diagram of a heater for a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram of the receiving area / region and consumable parts of a device portion according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram of a consumable part according to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] This book discusses and explains the aspects and features of specific examples and embodiments. However, some aspects and features of specific examples and embodiments may have been embodied in the prior art, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be discussed or explained in detail. Therefore, it should be understood that the aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed in this book without detailed explanation can be embodied by any prior art to realize such aspects and features.

[0010] The present disclosure relates to a vapor supply system, sometimes referred to as an aerosol supply system, such as an e-cigarette. Throughout the following description, the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used, but it should be understood that this term can be used interchangeably with a vapor (aerosol) supply system and an electronic vapor (aerosol) supply system. Further, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol", as well as related terms such as "vaporization" and "aerosolization", can also be used interchangeably.

[0011] An aerosol supply system according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure can comprise a modular assembly including both a reusable portion and a replaceable cartridge portion, also referred to as the consumable parts of the system. In a modular system that uses a liquid aerosol precursor material, the reusable device portion typically comprises a power source and a control circuit. The consumable parts (i.e., the replaceable / disposable parts) can typically comprise a vapor precursor material and an atomizer (e.g., often a heating coil wound around a wick). In a modular system that uses a solid aerosol precursor material, the reusable device portion can typically comprise a power source, a control circuit, and an atomizer (e.g., a heating furnace), and the consumable parts typically comprise a vapor precursor material.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary e-cigarette 1 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. The e-cigarette 1 includes two main components, namely, a reusable (device) portion 2 and a consumable component 4. The consumable component can also be referred to as a replaceable / disposable cartridge portion. In FIG. 1, the reusable portion 2 and the consumable component 4 are shown separately, but in normal use, the consumable component 4 is disposed in a consumable component receiving region 52 of the reusable portion 2. The consumable component receiving region 52 is essentially an opening / container sized to receive a consumable component for use. The consumable component can be held in the consumable component receiving region by friction fitting or other means such as a releasable latch or clip, such that it can be removed from the reusable portion and replaced with another when the consumable component is used up or when the user desires to change to a different consumable component, e.g., to change the flavor. The particular manner in which the consumable component is held in the reusable portion during use is not fundamentally important to the principles described herein.

[0013] The reusable portion 2 of this example includes a battery 26 that supplies operating power for the electronic cigarette, a control circuit 18 that controls and monitors the operation of the electronic cigarette, a user input button 14, and a visual display 24.

[0014] The outer housing 12 can be formed from, for example, a plastic material or a metal material and in this example has an approximately circular cross-section with a diameter of about 1.5 cm and a length of about 12 cm. However, it will be understood that the overall shape and size of the electronic cigarette according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are not fundamentally important to the principles described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the electronic cigarette may be made significantly larger, e.g., to accommodate a larger battery and extend the use between charges.

[0015] The outer housing 12 can define an opening 50 of a consumable parts receiving area 52 at one end of the e-cigarette 1, through which consumable parts 4 can be inserted into the consumable parts receiving area for use. In this example, the receiving area 52 is approximately 1 cm in diameter and approximately 4 cm in length (i.e., the outer housing defines a wall approximately 2.5 mm thick around the consumable parts receiving area). The opening 50 at the end of the e-cigarette 1 can be referred to as the mouthpiece opening, and the aerosol produced by the e-cigarette 1 during use is inhaled by the user through this mouthpiece opening 50. In some examples, the e-cigarette 1 may further be provided with an additional mouthpiece cap that fits over the mouthpiece opening end of the e-cigarette and is tapered in shape to be comfortably positioned between the user's lips.

[0016] The outer housing 12 has an air inlet 28 connected to an air passage 30 that passes through the reusable portion 2. The air passage 30 opens into the consumable part receiving area at an air inlet 29 in the consumable part receiving area. Thus, when a user sucks with the suction opening 50 (or a suction nozzle attached thereto), air enters through the air inlet 28, along the air passage 30 of the reusable portion, through the inlet 29 of the consumable part receiving area, and is drawn into the consumable part receiving area 52. The air continues to pass through the consumable part receiving area 52 (more specifically, through the consumable parts placed in the consumable part receiving area 52 during use), exits through the suction opening 50, and is sucked by the user. The surface of the consumable part receiving area around the air inlet 29 of the consumable part receiving area includes a spacer 31 (for example, in the form of a molded projection) to ensure that the consumable parts remain offset from the air inlet 29 of the receiving area when placed in the consumable part receiving area 52, thereby preventing them from blocking the air inlet 29 of the receiving area. Other configurations do not include such spacers 31, but may include other means to avoid blocking the air inlet 29 of the consumable parts receiving area. For example, when the consumable parts are placed within the consumable parts receiving area, the air inlet of the consumable parts may be positioned to align with the air inlet of the consumable parts receiving area.

[0017] The battery 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, such as those commonly used in e-cigarettes and other applications that require a relatively large current over a relatively short period of time. The battery 26 may be recharged via a charging connector located in the housing 12 of the reusable portion, such as a USB connector.

[0018] The user input button 14 in this example is, for example, a conventional mechanical button equipped with a spring-loaded component that can be pressed by the user to establish electrical contact. However, the specific embodiment of the button is not important. For example, other embodiments may use other forms of mechanical buttons (one or more), or (one or more) touch-sensitive buttons (based on, for example, capacitive or optical sensing technology).

[0019] The display 24 is provided to visually display to the user various characteristics related to the e-cigarette, such as current power setting information, remaining battery power, etc. The display can be embodied in various ways. In this example, the display 24 comprises a conventional pixelated LCD screen that can be driven by prior art to display the desired information. In other embodiments, the display may comprise one or more individual indicators, such as LEDs, arranged to display the desired information by a specific color and / or flashing sequence. In general, the manner in which the display is provided and the manner in which information is displayed to the user using the display are not important to the principles described herein. For example, in some embodiments, a visual display may not be included, and other means may be included, for example, using audio signals to provide the user with information regarding the operating characteristics of the e-cigarette, or no means may be included at all to provide the user with information regarding the operating characteristics of the e-cigarette.

[0020] The control circuit 18 is appropriately configured / programmed to control the operation of the e-cigarette in order to provide the functions according to embodiments of the present disclosure and to provide the conventional operating functions of the e-cigarette in accordance with established techniques for controlling such devices, as will be further described herein. The control circuit (processor circuit) 18 may be considered to logically comprise various subunits / circuit elements related to various modes of operation of the e-cigarette. In this example, the control circuit 18 comprises, as will be further discussed herein, a power supply control circuit 22 for controlling the supply of power to consumable parts for generating vapor in response to user input (e.g., using an input button 14 or other means such as an inhalation detector), a user programming circuit 20 for establishing configuration settings (e.g., user-defined power settings) in response to user input (e.g., using an input button 14 or other means such as a connected computer), and other functional units / circuits related to the functions according to the principles described herein and to conventional modes of operation of the e-cigarette, such as a display drive circuit and a user input detection circuit. It will be understood that the functions of the control circuit 18 can be provided in various different ways, for example, by using one or more appropriately programmed (one or more) programmable computers, and / or one or more appropriately configured application-specific (one or more) integrated circuits / circuits / (one or more) chips / (one or more) chipsets configured to provide the desired functions.

[0021] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, power is supplied to the consumables to generate steam using electromagnetic induction. Therefore, the power supply control circuit 22 is configured to drive the induction heating coil 23 surrounding the consumables receiving area 52.

[0022] Next, referring to the consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1, it comprises an outer housing 60 having an outer wall 62 extending between a first end wall 64 and a second end wall 64, defining an internal chamber 66. The consumable part 4 is sized to be received by friction fit into the receiving area 52 of the reusable part 1. Thus, in this example, the consumable part 4 is roughly cylindrical with a diameter of about 1 cm (corresponding to the 1 cm diameter of the receiving area) and a length of about 4 cm. In some examples, the consumable part may be slightly longer than the receiving area so that the end of the consumable part protrudes from the consumable part receiving area to facilitate removal of the consumable part from the receiving area. In other examples, the consumable part may be in the receiving area by a sufficiently loose friction fit so that it does not need to be shaken to be removed. In yet another example, there may be various configurations to facilitate removal of the consumable part from the receiving area. For example, in some cases, a discharge mechanism with a slider or plunger base that engages with the consumable part when positioned in the receiving area 52 may be provided so that the consumable part can be mechanically discharged. In general, the specific manner in which consumable parts are inserted into and removed from the receiving area is not fundamentally important to the principles described in this book.

[0023] The outer wall 62 and / or end wall 64 of the outer housing 60 may be at least partially formed from one or a combination thereof of paper material, cardboard material, tobacco material (e.g., by-products of the compressed tobacco industry such as compressed tobacco fibers, tobacco leaf stalks, or tobacco particles), ceramic material, metal material, carbon material, and plastic material. In the example of Figure 1, it is assumed that the outer wall 62 is formed by rolling paper and the end wall 64 is formed from ceramic material. The outer wall 62 defines a cylinder, and the end wall 64 comprises friction-fit plugs that are inserted into each end of the cylinder defined by the outer wall 62. The end wall may have a diameter matching the diameter of the outer wall 62, for example, and a thickness of about 3 mm to 5 mm. The end wall 64 further comprises an opening 68 through which air can enter and exit the internal chamber 66.

[0024] The internal chamber 66 of the consumable part 4 contains multiple fragments 63 (e.g., granules) of solid aerosol-forming material for generating an aerosol for the user to inhale when heated. In this example, the fragments / elements of the solid aerosol-forming material contain an absorbent solid substrate, such as calcium carbonate or carbon, which holds a liquid aerosol precursor material, such as a liquid of the type conventionally used for vapor generation in e-cigarettes, such as a glycerol-based liquid (polypropylene glycol (PG), triacetin, and / or other humectants), and additives such as nicotine and / or flavorings. In some examples, the fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material may also contain tobacco, such as shredded tobacco / cut tobacco, which may or may not absorb the liquid aerosol precursor material. The fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material may have, for example, an average characteristic dimension of at least 1 mm, and an average characteristic dimension smaller than 5 mm, 4 mm, or 3 mm. The average characteristic dimension may be, for example, the minimum or average dimension of each fragment. Fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material may be loosely packed within the internal chamber of the consumable part, leaving gaps between the fragments, so that air is drawn through the consumable part during use. The fragments of the aerosol-forming material can have various shapes, for example, irregular shapes (formed, for example, by crushing / grinding a larger mass of material or by cutting tobacco leaves) or consistent shapes formed, for example, by extruding the appropriate material. The fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material are held within the internal chamber by the outer wall 62 and the end wall 64. The opening 68 of the end wall 64 through which air enters and exits the internal chamber 66 may be of a size chosen to minimize the possibility of the fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material spilling out of the internal chamber 66. For example, the opening 68 of the end wall 64 may have a characteristic width that is comparable to or smaller than the characteristic average minimum dimension of the fragments of the solid aerosol-forming material. In some examples, a binder may be used to help prevent the fragments from settling inside the consumable part.

[0025] A heater 70, which is arranged to heat a solid aerosol-forming material when power is supplied from the reusable part 2 to generate vapor for the user to inhale during use, is also located within the internal chamber 66 of the consumable part 4. As described above, in the example of Figure 1, power is supplied to the consumable part by electromagnetic induction. Therefore, the heater 70 in the consumable part 4 includes a material that is susceptible to electromagnetic induction, such as ferritic steel or martensitic steel. In this example, the heater 70 is in the form of a solid rod with a diameter of about 2 mm. The heater 70 in this example is supported within the chamber 66 by having its ends positioned in recesses in the respective end walls, as schematically shown in Figure 1. In other examples, the heater 70 may be mounted in a different manner. For example, the heater may have one or more mounting collars that extend from the heater to the inner surface of the outer wall 62. In yet another example, the heater may not be mounted to the outer housing at all, but simply held in place by fragments of solid vapor precursor material packed around the heater.

[0026] To use the e-cigarette 1, the user inserts the consumable part 4 into the consumable part receiving area 52 through the mouthpiece opening 50. Then, if there is a mouthpiece cap, it may be added to the mouthpiece opening end of the e-cigarette 1. The control circuit 18, in particular the power supply control circuit 22, is configured to supply power to the induction heating coil 23 surrounding the consumable part 4 in the consumable part receiving area 52 when the e-cigarette is switched on and the user presses the input button 14. Thus, by conventional electromagnetic heating technology, electromagnetic energy is transmitted from the heating coil 23 to the heater 70. The induction heating coil 23 in this example includes a helical coil wound along a portion of the receiving area that surrounds the heater 70 (which, in the example in Figure 1, is most of the length of the receiving area 52). Thus, when the consumable part 4 is received in the receiving area 52 and the induction heating coil 23 is driven to induce a current in the heater 70, the heater is heated. The operating characteristics of the induction heating coil 23, such as the number of turns, current, and operating frequency, can be selected with a thorough understanding of the induction heating principle, taking into account a specific heater shape suited to a given embodiment. In this regard, the induction heating coil can be designed, for example, to heat the heater in the consumable part to a temperature of about 200° in a time of a few seconds.

[0027] Heat from the heater is transferred to the solid aerosol-forming material in the chamber 66 to vaporize a portion of the liquid aerosol precursor material absorbed by the solid aerosol-forming material, generating vapor for the user to inhale. Once vapor is generated within the consumable part, the user inhales it through the suction opening 50 (or a suction nozzle attached to the suction opening). Thus, air enters through the air inlet 28, along the air passage 30, and is drawn into the receiving area through the inlet of the receiving area. The air then enters the consumable part 4 through the opening 68 in the end wall 64 adjacent to the bottom of the receiving area 52. The air then passes through the internal chamber 66 of the consumable part 4 by passing through the gaps between the fragments of solid aerosol precursor material. As the air passes through the internal chamber 66, it collects the vapor generated by heating the solid aerosol precursor material as described above. The combination of vapor and air forms a condensed aerosol, which is drawn out through the opening 68 in the end wall 64 at the end of the suction opening of the receiving area and then inhaled by the user.

[0028] Therefore, using the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, it is possible to generate vapor for the user to inhale using consumable parts that are easier to manufacture and less prone to leaking than liquid-based cartridges for e-cigarettes, are self-contained, easy to handle and replace, and clean, and can generate vapor more quickly than conventional e-cigarettes that have solid aerosol precursor materials.

[0029] The exemplary e-cigarette shown in Figure 1 uses electromagnetic induction to heat the heater 70 in the consumable part 4, but it will be understood that other embodiments may employ other methods for heating.

[0030] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary e-cigarette 201 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar to the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, the e-cigarette 201 shown in Figure 2 comprises two main components: a reusable part 202 and a consumable part 204. The e-cigarette 201 shown in Figure 2 is a variation of the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1. Functionally similar to and understandable from the corresponding elements of the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, the elements of the e-cigarette 201 shown in Figure 2 are identified by corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for the sake of simplicity. However, the e-cigarette 201 shown in Figure 2 differs from the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it uses current supplied to the consumable part by direct electrical contact, rather than using electromagnetic induction to transfer power from the reusable part to the consumable part.

[0031] Therefore, the consumable part 204 comprises a resistance heater 71 instead of the induction heater 70 of the type shown in Figure 1. The heater 71 can be formed from a conventional heating resistance material, for example, having a total resistance of about 1 or 2 ohms. A particular form of the heater can be selected to give the desired resistance. For example, depending on the resistivity of the material used, the heater 71 may comprise a solid rod similar to the induction reheating heater 70 in the consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1, or it may comprise a wire wound around an electrically insulating substrate. Each end of the heater 71 is connected by electrical leads 77, 79 to one of each of a pair of electrodes 76, 78 attached to one of the end walls 64. When the consumable part 204 is placed in the receiving area 52 of the reusable part 202 of the e-cigarette 201, the electrodes 76, 78 of the consumable part align and contact the corresponding electrodes 72 and 74 of the receiving area.

[0032] To use the e-cigarette 201, the user inserts the consumable part 204 into the consumable part receiving area 52 through the mouthpiece opening 50. If there is a mouthpiece cap, it may then be attached to the mouthpiece opening end of the e-cigarette 201. The control circuit 18, in particular the power supply control circuit 22, is configured to supply power to the heater 71 via the electrodes 72, 74 of the receiving area and the electrodes 76, 78 of the consumable part 204 when the user presses the input button 14 when the e-cigarette is switched on and ready for use. Thus, once the consumable part 204 is received in the receiving area 52 and power is supplied to the heater via the respective electrodes and connecting leads by the power control circuit, the heater is heated. The operating characteristics of the supplied power, such as voltage and the applied pulse width / frequency modulation scheme, can be selected with a thorough understanding of the principle of resistive heating in e-cigarettes. In this regard, the power supply control circuit can be designed, for example, to supply power (current) to the heater so that it heats to a temperature of approximately 200° in a few seconds.

[0033] Heat from the heater 71 is transferred to the solid aerosol-forming material in the chamber 66 in the same manner as discussed above for the electronic cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, so as to vaporize a portion of the liquid aerosol precursor material absorbed by the solid aerosol-forming material to generate vapor for the user to inhale.

[0034] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the consumable parts 4 for the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, in a partially disassembled state. From this figure, it can be seen that in this example, the fragments 63 of the solid aerosol precursor material have a fairly uniform shape, each having a roughly cylindrical form with a length of about 2 mm and a diameter of about 1 mm. These can be formed, for example, by extrusion, i.e., by cutting in the longitudinal direction from an extruded cylinder. As described above, irregular fragments or other shapes, such as uniform spherical fragments, or other forms of the solid aerosol precursor material may be used, and furthermore, in other examples, other sheet materials such as cut tobacco / shredded tobacco or paper may be included.

[0035] Figures 4A to 4C are cross-sectional, end-face, and perspective views, respectively, of an end wall 64 of the type used for consumable parts 4, 204 of the electronic cigarettes 1, 201 shown in Figures 1 and 2. As described above, the end wall comprises a ceramic material and can be formed by the prior art. The end wall in this example has six openings 68 arranged around a circle approximately midway between the center and edge of the end wall 64. However, in some exemplary embodiments, the openings in the end wall may be more densely packed around the location of the end wall to which the heater is mounted, i.e., in this example, around the central portion of the end wall. This may help reduce heat conduction between the heater and the outer portion of the end wall / outer housing of the consumable part. Also, as discussed above, it is evident in Figure 4A that the recess 67 is sized to receive the ends of the heaters 70, 71.

[0036] Figures 4D to 4G are cross-sectional views showing variations of the end wall 64 shown in Figures 4A to 4C according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In the example of Figure 4D, the end wall 64 is provided with a chamfer 85 to facilitate insertion into the outer housing 62 during assembly. In the example of Figure 4E, the end wall 64 is provided with a chamfer 85 to facilitate insertion into the outer housing 62 during assembly, and a flange / lip 87 positioned to abut against the end of the outer housing 62 when the end wall 64 is properly inserted. The example of Figure 4F shows in more detail an embodiment in which the ends of the heaters 70, 71 can be received in a recess 67 of the end wall 64 and physically supported for the heaters 70, 71. Figure 4G shows an example in which the end wall 64 has a protruding boss portion 67 instead of a recess 67 to support a heater 73, in which the heater 73 has a tubular portion into which the protruding boss portion 69 is inserted to support the heater 73. Naturally, it will be understood that various embodiments of the various examples shown in Figures 4A to 4G may be combined with other embodiments of these examples. For example, the type of end wall shown in Figure 4G may be provided with the type of chamfer 85 and / or flange 87 shown in Figure 4E, etc.

[0037] Figures 5A to 5C are schematic cross-sectional, end-face, and perspective views, respectively, of alternative forms of end walls 94 for use in the types of consumable parts shown in Figures 1 and 2, according to other examples of the present disclosure. While the end walls 64 discussed above with reference to Figures 1 to 4 are formed from a ceramic material, the end walls 94 shown in Figures 5A to 5C are formed from cardboard and include a circular surface 67 with an opening 98 that allows air to enter the consumable part, and a side wall portion 96 arranged to connect the end wall 98 to the outer housing 62 of the consumable part, for example by friction fitting. The end wall 98 can be connected to the tubular outer wall 62 of the consumable part in the form of a plug, for example by inserting the end face first, as schematically shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 5D, or it can be fitted over the tubular outer wall 62 of the consumable part in the form of a cap, as schematically shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 5E. In either case, the end wall can be held in place by friction fitting or by other means, for example, using adhesive. The heater in the consumable part using the type of end wall shown in Figures 5A to 5C may be attached to the end wall, for example, by passing through an opening in the end wall, or it may not be attached to the end wall. In the example shown in Figures 5A to 5E, the heater is not attached to the end wall, and instead, the end wall is assumed to have an additional opening 98 that is opened toward the center of the end face 97.

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of consumable part 304, a variation of the consumable part shown in Figure 1. Functionally similar to and understandable from the corresponding elements of consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1, the elements of consumable part 304 shown in Figure 6 are identified by corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for simplicity. However, consumable part 304 shown in Figure 6 differs from consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1 in that it has a secondary wall 600 located within the outer housing 62, defining an air gap between the outer housing 62 and the secondary wall 600. The secondary wall 600 may be formed from the same material as the outer housing 62 or from a different material. A fragment 63 of the solid aerosol precursor material is held by the secondary wall 600 and the end wall 64. The presence of the air gap 602 is a situation that can be considered a potential concern, as it can help prevent the outer wall 62 from becoming undesirably hot during use.

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of consumable part 404, which is another variation of the consumable part shown in Figure 1. Functionally similar to and understandable from the corresponding elements of consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1, the elements of consumable part 404 shown in Figure 7 are identified by corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for simplicity. Consumable part 404 shown in Figure 7 differs from consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1 in that the heater in the example in Figure 7 does not include a heater in the form of a central rod, but rather consists of dispersed metal bodies / metal particles 702 that are susceptible to electromagnetic induction heating. When in use, these metal bodies / metal particles are heated by an induced electromagnetic current in a manner equivalent to that discussed above with reference to Figure 1. The dispersed particles can more evenly heat the entire chamber containing the fragments of solid aerosol precursor material.

[0040] Other forms of the heater may be used in other embodiments.

[0041] For example, Figure 8A is a schematic perspective view of a heater 801, which is generally in planar form but has cylindrical endpoints for mounting. In some respects, this can be considered to correspond to the flattened form of the type of rod discussed above with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0042] Figure 8B is a schematic perspective view of a heater 811 having a rod configuration similar to heaters 70 and 71 discussed above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, but the heater 811 further comprises a vane 812 attached to the heater 811 and extending outward to the inner wall of the outer housing of the consumable part to support the heater 811 without attaching it to the end wall.

[0043] Figure 8C is a schematic perspective view of a heater 821 which generally has the shape of a pipe. Such a heater can be mounted on an end wall, for example, in the manner shown in Figure 4G.

[0044] It will be understood that the heaters shown in Figures 8A to 8C can be formed from materials similar to those discussed above, that is, from materials that are susceptible to magnetic induction / resistive heating according to the mode of energy transfer, compared to heaters 70 and 71 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0045] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary e-cigarette 501 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar to the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, the e-cigarette 502 shown in Figure 2 comprises two main components: a reusable portion 502 and a consumable portion 504. In Figure 9, only a portion of the reusable portion 502 near the receiving area is shown, along with the consumable portion 504 in a fixed position (i.e., the receiving area) for use. The e-cigarette 501 shown in Figure 9 is a variation of the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1. Functionally similar to and understandable from the corresponding elements of the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1, the elements of the e-cigarette 501 shown in Figure 9 are identified by corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for the sake of simplicity. However, the e-cigarette 501 shown in Figure 9 differs from the e-cigarette 1 shown in Figure 1 in that the internal chamber of the consumable portion 504 is divided into two sections (regions) by a central wall 564. Each section of the internal chamber contains fragments / elements of solid aerosol precursor material, such as those discussed above with reference to Figure 1, and their respective heaters 507, 508. The central wall 564 may be formed, for example, in the same manner as the end walls 64. The central wall 564 includes an opening 568 to allow air to flow through the central wall when inhaled. The reusable section 502 comprises a first induction heating coil 523 and a second induction heating coil 524, which are driven independently to induce current and thus heat their respective heaters 507, 508. Thus, the e-cigarette 501 shown in Figure 9 differs from that shown in Figure 1 in that it has two separate chambers that can contain, for example, different aerosol precursor materials and can be heated independently to produce vapor with different characteristics, such as different flavorings and / or different relative amounts of nicotine. It will be understood that in other exemplary embodiments, the consumable parts may have more than two separate chambers. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the same aerosol precursor material may be placed in different chambers, and different chambers may be provided to initiate different uses of the device with a "fresh" portion of the consumables for each use activity.It will be understood that in some embodiments, there may be no walls separating different regions of the aerosol-forming material, and instead, a single heater may extend through a number of virtual regions along the length of the consumables, in which regions the heater can be locally heated by appropriately positioned induction coils that can be selectively activated at different positions along the length of the heater (for example, as schematically shown in Figure 9).

[0046] Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a consumable part 604 for use in an e-cigarette according to a particular other embodiment of the present disclosure. This consumable part can be used, for example, together with the reusable part of the e-cigarette shown in Figure 1. The consumable part 604 shown in Figure 10 is similar in many ways to the other consumable parts discussed above and can be understood from them, and is also functionally similar to the corresponding elements of the other consumable parts discussed in this document and can be understood from them. The elements of the consumable part 604 shown in Figure 10 are identified by their corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for the sake of simplicity. The consumable part 604 shown in Figure 10 differs from the consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1 in that it is not directly attached to the end wall 64, but instead has a shorter heater 670 attached via insulating elements such as ceramic tubes 671, 672. In this exemplary configuration, the insulating elements are attached to columns 677 projecting from each end wall. This configuration may help reduce the amount of heat transfer to the end wall 64 in the embodiment, which is a matter of concern.

[0047] Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a consumable part 704 for use in an e-cigarette, according to a particular other embodiment of the present disclosure. This consumable part can be used, for example, in conjunction with the reusable part of the e-cigarette shown in Figure 1. The consumable part 704 shown in Figure 11 is similar in many respects to the other consumable parts discussed above and can be understood from them, and is functionally similar to the corresponding elements of the other consumable parts discussed in this document and can be understood from them. The elements of the consumable part 704 shown in Figure 11 are identified by their corresponding reference numerals and will not be discussed again for the sake of simplicity. The consumable part 704 shown in Figure 11 differs from the consumable part 4 shown in Figure 1 in that it has a shorter heater 770 attached at only one end to one of the end walls 64. This configuration can help reduce the amount of heat transfer to the other end wall, for example, in embodiments where the end protruding from the e-cigarette is expected to become particularly hot during normal use if in contact with the heater, and this is considered a concern.

[0048] Thus, a series of different configurations of e-cigarettes have been described. However, it will be understood that in other embodiments, there are many modifications and variations that can be applied to the above examples. For example, in the above examples, the e-cigarette had a button for manually activating the power supplied to the heater in the consumables, but other exemplary embodiments may include, for example, a puff detector in the form of a pressure sensor coupled to the air passage through the e-cigarette and configured to automatically supply power to the heater in response to the user's inhalation.

[0049] In other examples, an e-cigarette based on the principles described in this book may further include a temperature sensor for monitoring the heater temperature. This can be used, for example, to adjust the heater temperature during use. The temperature sensor may be, for example, attached to the consumable part itself, or it may be, for example, a thermistor appropriately connected to a reusable part, or the sensor may be located away from the consumable part. For example, the temperature sensor may be an infrared sensor positioned to detect heat from the consumable part.

[0050] In some examples, some of the functions of the elements discussed above may be provided by a single element. For example, in one configuration, the consumable part may comprise a metal outer housing that holds fragments of solid aerosol-forming material and also acts as a heater (inductive or resistive).

[0051] In some exemplary embodiments, the consumable component may comprise the sole source of vapor precursor / forming material for the aerosol supply system / e-cigarette. That is, in some cases, this consumable component is the primary source of vapor for the e-cigarette, although it does not correspond to, for example, an additional insert used as a flavoring modifier in an e-cigarette that also includes a vaporizer for heating the liquid.

[0052] The consumable parts for the aerosol supply system have been described in this manner. The consumable parts comprise an outer housing having an outer wall extending between a first end wall and a second end wall and defining an inner chamber; a plurality of elements of solid aerosol-forming material held within the inner chamber by the housing for generating an aerosol for the user to inhale when heated, wherein the first and second end walls have openings that allow air to flow into the inner chamber through the first end wall and out of the inner chamber through the second end wall when in use; and a heater disposed within the inner chamber and configured to heat the elements of the solid aerosol-forming material when in use to generate vapor for the user to inhale.

[0053] To address various challenges and advance technology, this disclosure illustrates various embodiments that can carry out the claimed(one or more) invention. The advantages and features of this disclosure are representative examples of the embodiments and do not encompass or exclude all advantages and features. They are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed(one or more) invention. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of this disclosure should not be considered to limit this disclosure as defined by the claims or to limit equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modified without departing from the claims. Various embodiments may appropriately comprise, consist of, or substantially consist of, various combinations of disclosed elements, configurations, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and it should be understood that dependent features may be combined with independent features in combinations other than those specified in the claims. This disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 1…e-cigarette, 2…reusable part, 4…consumable part, 12…outer housing, 18…control circuit, 26…battery, 52…consumable part receiving area, 62…outer wall, 63…multiple fragments (elements) of solid aerosol forming material, 64…first end wall, 64…second end wall, 66…internal chamber, 68…opening, 70…heater.

Claims

1. Consumable parts for aerosol supply systems, An outer housing having an outer wall extending between a first end wall and a second end wall and defining an internal chamber, A plurality of elements of a solid aerosol-forming material held within the internal chamber by the housing for generating an aerosol for the user to inhale, wherein the first and second end walls have openings that allow air to flow into the internal chamber through the first end wall and out of the internal chamber through the second end wall during use, A heater is disposed within the internal chamber and configured to heat the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material when in use to generate vapor for the user to inhale. A consumable part that has the following features.

2. The consumable part according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol forming material include elements of a solid substrate that holds a liquid aerosol precursor material.

3. The consumable part according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material include tobacco.

4. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material include calcium carbonate.

5. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the average characteristic dimension of the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material is greater than 1 mm.

6. A consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the average characteristic dimension of the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material is less than 5 mm, 4 mm, or 3 mm.

7. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heater comprises an induction susceptor configured to be induction heated.

8. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heater comprises a resistance heater, and the consumable part further comprises an electrical contact in the outer housing that is electrically connected to the resistance heater.

9. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least a portion of the heater has a planar shape, a tubular shape, or a rod shape, and / or comprises a plurality of conductive elements dispersed within the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol forming material.

10. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the heater is attached to at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall.

11. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall is a cap that fits over and onto the end of the outer wall, or a plug that fits into the end of the outer wall.

12. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least a portion of the outer housing includes at least one of paper material, cardboard material, tobacco material, ceramic material, metal material, carbon material, and plastic material.

13. The consumable part according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the plurality of elements of the solid aerosol-forming material are arranged within regions within the consumable part, and the heater is configured to selectively and independently heat the elements of the solid aerosol-forming material in different regions.

14. an aerosol supply system for generating steam using consumable parts according to any one of claims 1 to 13, The aforementioned consumable parts, A consumable parts receiving area for removably receiving the aforementioned consumable parts for use, A power supply for selectively supplying power to the heater in the consumable part in order to generate vapor from the solid aerosol-forming material for the user to inhale, and An aerosol supply system equipped with the following features.

15. The aerosol supply system according to claim 14, further comprising an electrical contact for supplying power to the heater in the consumable part via a corresponding electrical contact of the housing of the consumable part.

16. The aerosol supply system according to claim 14, further comprising an induction heating coil for inductively supplying power to the heater.

17. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising a sensor for measuring the temperature related to the consumable parts during use.

18. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the consumable parts comprise only a vapor precursor material source for the aerosol supply system.

19. Consumable parts for an aerosol supply system, An outer housing means comprising an outer wall means extending between a first end wall means and a second end wall means and defining an internal chamber, A plurality of elements of a solid aerosol forming means, held within the internal chamber by the housing means for generating an aerosol for inhalation by a user, wherein the first and second end wall means are provided with opening means that allow air to flow into the internal chamber through the first end wall means and out of the internal chamber through the second end wall means during use, A heater means is disposed within the internal chamber and configured to heat the elements of the solid aerosol forming means when in use to generate vapor for the user to inhale. A means of consumable parts that includes the following.

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