Aerosol generating device including a heated chamber configured to at least partially contain an aerosol product - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device including a heating chamber (60) including a heating zone (62) extending along a device axis (Y) and adapted to heat at least a portion of an aerosol product and a mounting zone (61). The mounting zone (61) engages with a support to form an attachment zone of the heating chamber (60) to the device body, said attachment zone being the only attachment zone of the heating chamber (60) to the device body. The mounting zone (61) engages with the support by at least one protrusion (80A, 80B). The heating chamber (60) forms a flat shape extending between two first parallel longitudinal planes. The at least one protrusion (80A, 80B) extends along a central plane disposed between the first parallel longitudinal planes.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that includes a heated chamber configured to at least partially contain an aerosol product.

[0002] In particular, the aerosol generating device according to the present invention is configured to operate with an aerosol-producing article, such as a flat tobacco article, that includes a solid substrate that can form an aerosol when heated. Thus, this type of aerosol generating device, also known as a heat-not-burn device, is adapted to heat the substrate by conduction, convection, and / or radiation to generate an aerosol for inhalation, rather than by combustion. [Background technology]

[0003] The popularity and use of risk-reduction or risk-modification devices (also known as vaporizers) has grown rapidly in recent years as an aid to assisting regular smokers who wish to quit smoking traditional tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and roll-your-own cigarettes. A variety of devices and systems are available that heat or warm a vaporizable substance, as opposed to burning tobacco in traditional tobacco products.

[0004] Commonly available risk-reducing or risk-modifying devices are substrate-heated aerosol generators or heat-to-noise devices. These types of devices generate an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate, typically comprising moist tobacco or other suitable vaporizable material, to temperatures typically between 150°C and 350°C. By heating the aerosol substrate without combustion, an aerosol is released that contains the ingredients desired by the user but without the toxic and carcinogenic by-products of combustion. Furthermore, aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other vaporizable material typically do not contain the burnt or bitter taste that can result from combustion and that can be unpleasant to users, and therefore, the substrate does not require sugars and other additives typically added to materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user.

[0005] Tobacco articles that can be used in such aerosol-generating devices can take a variety of forms. Some of them may be elongated sticks or any other suitable shape, such as flat. Generally, such tobacco articles are at least partially received within a heating chamber of the device, which includes one or more heaters that heat the tobacco article. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The efficiency of heating by the heating chamber is therefore an important operating parameter of the aerosol generating device. In some aerosol generating devices, the heat generated by the heating chamber can be dissipated. This can lead not only to underheating of the tobacco article and consequently underproduction of vapor, but in some cases to overheating of the device body, particularly the area of ​​the device body used by the user to handle the device. This can result in a poor user experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One of the aims of the present invention is to propose an aerosol generating device that improves the heating efficiency of the aerosol product and, as a result, improves the user's comfort, thus improving the quality of vapor production while reducing overheating of the device body.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to an aerosol generating device comprising a device body and a heating chamber configured to at least partially contain an aerosol product, the device body extending along a device axis between an open end defining a support portion and a closed end; the heating chamber extends along the device axis and includes a heating zone adapted to heat at least a portion of the aerosol product article, and a placement zone disposed following the heating zone along the device axis; the mounting zone engages with the support to form an attachment zone of the heating chamber to the device body, said attachment zone being the only attachment zone of the heating chamber to the device body; the mounting zone engages the support by at least one protrusion; the heating chamber defines a planar shape extending between two first parallel longitudinal planes; The at least one protrusion extends along a central plane disposed between the first parallel longitudinal planes.

[0009] Due to these features, the heating chamber is attached to the device body only at the mounting zone. The mounting zone therefore forms the only heat transfer zone between the heating chamber and the device body. Heat transfer can therefore be minimized by optimizing the structure of the mounting zone. To this end, the mounting zone may be configured to engage with the support of the device body using optimized means. These means can be optimized to minimize heat transfer between the heating chamber and the device body.

[0010] In some embodiments, the means for attaching the heating chamber to the device body may be configured to be easily removable by a user, such that the heating chamber can be removed from the device body for cleaning or replacement, for example, by a user.

[0011] The heating chamber also has a flat shape, making it suitable for accommodating aerosol product articles having a flat shape. The flat shape of the heating chamber is particularly advantageous for ensuring a rapid pre-heating phase of the aerosol product article. Thus, the article can be ready to generate vapor in just a few seconds (e.g., 5, 15, or 20 seconds) after activation of the heating chamber. The flat shape of the heating chamber is also advantageous for ensuring a relatively large amount of vapor and uniform heating of the aerosol product article during the smoking phase.

[0012] Furthermore, the or each protrusion extends along a central plane, thereby reducing the size of the device body and keeping the device body substantially flat. For example, the flat shape of the heating chamber can extend along the central plane. In this case, the or each protrusion extends along that plane without disrupting the flat shape of the device body that receives the heating chamber. Thus, the device body need only be slightly thicker than the heating chamber.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the placement zone and the heating zone form opposite ends of a heating chamber.

[0014] These features allow the distance between the installation zone and the heating zone of the heating chamber to be maximized, thus minimizing heat transfer from the heating zone to the installation zone. With this structure, the heating chamber can be considered as a floating structure inside the device body, attached to the device body at only one end.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the mounting zone is engaged with the support by two protrusions.

[0016] These features allow the heating chamber to be integrally attached to the support.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the mounting zone engages with the support by only two protrusions engaged with two respective pins.

[0018] These features minimize the number of contact points between the heating chamber and the device body, thus further reducing heat transfer from the heating chamber to the device body.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the or each protrusion is engaged with a pin.

[0020] The or each pin may be formed by either a mounting zone of the heating chamber or a support of the device body. Alternatively, the or each protrusion may be formed by either a support of the device body or a mounting zone of the heating chamber.

[0021] The or each pin may have a thin cylindrical shape that minimizes the contact surface with the corresponding protrusion while ensuring a secure fixation, thus minimizing heat transfer between the pin and the corresponding protrusion, and, since each protrusion protrudes from a corresponding surface of the support or mounting zone, also minimizing heat transfer to this surface.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the or each protrusion includes a mounting ear configured to receive a corresponding pin.

[0023] The mounting ears provide a particularly advantageous structure for engagement with the pins. In particular, the mounting ears can define a central hole having a lateral opening. The pins can be laterally engaged inside the central hole using the lateral opening. This allows the heating chamber to be easily secured to the device body. The mounting ear structure can also be configured so that the pins can be easily removed to remove the heating chamber from the device body. This also allows the contact surface between the mounting ears and the pins to be minimized while ensuring secure fastening. This further minimizes heat transfer from the heating chamber to the device body.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the mounting zone of the heating chamber forms said protrusion and the support of the device body forms said pin.

[0025] Each pin and protrusion arrangement is particularly advantageous because the protrusions can be positioned outwardly relative to the exterior surface of the heating chamber, and the pins can be easily positioned within the device body to engage the corresponding protrusions.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the aerosol generating device further includes an air flow channel, the air flow channel including an upstream portion extending through the installation zone and a downstream portion designed to extend through the aerosol product product when the aerosol product product is inserted into the heating chamber.

[0027] These features allow fresh air drawn in from outside the aerosol generating device to cool the placement zone before being heated by the heating chamber downstream of the airflow channel. Because the placement zone is permanently cooled while the aerosol generating device is operating to generate aerosol, heat transfer between the heating chamber and the device body can be further minimized.

[0028] To this end, for example, the air flow channel can define one or more air inlets near the placement zone. The upstream portion of the air flow channel can be defined by one or more branches extending between said one or more air inlets to the closed end of the heating chamber. The upstream portion can extend at least partially inside and / or outside the heating chamber. The downstream portion of the air flow channel can extend from the closed end of the heating chamber and then through the aerosol product before reaching the lips or mouth of the user.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the aerosol generating device further includes a mouthpiece disposed at the open end of the device body, and a seal disposed between the mounting zone and the mouthpiece.

[0030] These features prevent leakage between the lip of the tip and the heating chamber. The seal also minimizes heat transfer from the heating chamber to the tip by providing insulation between the heating chamber and the tip. The seal may be made of silicone, for example.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the mouthpiece is fixed to the device body using fixing means, advantageously magnetic fixing means.

[0032] These features allow the tip to be securely attached to the device body, and these fastening means allow the tip to securely fasten itself within the device body by applying pressure towards the heating chamber, which may be applied, for example, through a seal provided between the tip and the heating chamber.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises: a support part located at the open end of the device body and extending substantially perpendicular to the device axis; a contact portion extending along the axis of the device and designed to contact the lips or mouth of the user.

[0034] The seal can, for example, be located below the support portion of the tip and extend around the periphery of the opening formed by the heating chamber, and the air intake can be located above the support portion of the tip, with the upstream portion of the air flow channel extending through the installation zone of the heating chamber.

[0035] According to some embodiments, a thermal insulator is provided between the support portion and the contact portion of the mouthpiece.

[0036] The thermal insulation may be formed, for example, by a groove extending between the support part and the contact part, for example around the central hole of the mouthpiece, and allows minimizing heat transfer to the support part, which is located closer to the heating chamber than the contact part.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the mouthpiece further includes a retainer designed to retain at least a portion of the aerosol product within the heating chamber.

[0038] The holding portion may be configured to hold, for example, a mouthpiece portion of the aerosol product. In some embodiments, before inserting the aerosol generating device into the heating chamber, the mouthpiece is removed and the mouthpiece portion of the aerosol product is inserted into the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece can then be placed on the device together with the aerosol product, and the corresponding portion of the aerosol product can be inserted into the heating chamber. This portion of the tobacco product may be in at least partial contact with the walls of the heating chamber and / or form a gap with at least some of these walls.

[0039] According to some embodiments, an air gap is formed between the wall of the heating chamber in the placement zone and the mouthpiece holder.

[0040] These features can further insulate the mouthpiece from the walls of the heating chamber, further minimizing heat transfer from the heating chamber to the mouthpiece. To create this gap, an enlarged section may be provided near the open end of the heating chamber.

[0041] According to some embodiments, the cross section of the contact portion of the mouthpiece tapers from the support portion.

[0042] This reduces the thermal mass of the mouthpiece, thereby reducing unwanted heat absorption by the mouthpiece, and the ergonomic shape of the mouthpiece allows for better contact between the user's lips or mouth and the mouthpiece.

[0043] According to some embodiments, the heating chamber further includes insulation disposed between the heating zone and the placement zone.

[0044] Such insulation may be located, for example, on the exterior of the heating chamber. Its shape, size, and dimensions can be adapted to each of the different configurations of the heating and placement zones. The insulation may be formed from vacuum or air chambers, sheets, powders, etc., and may include various materials such as superwool, aerogel, etc.

[0045] In some embodiments, thermal insulation may be provided between the heating chamber and the interior surface of the wall forming the device body, which may be formed from a vacuum or air chamber, a sheet, a powder, or the like, and may include various materials such as superwool, aerogel, etc.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the heating chamber further includes one final heating surface disposed adjacent to the heating zone, the heating surface including the pair of contacts.

[0047] In some embodiments, the heating surface can be formed by an at least partially ceramic plate containing a heating circuit passing through it. The heating circuit is connected to the device's battery using said pair of contacts. In other embodiments, the heating surface is formed by a flexible film attached to a plate, for example forming the walls of the heating chamber. According to yet another embodiment, a long strip of flexible heater containing two separate track patterns is wrapped around the heating chamber so that the two patterns form at least one or several heating surfaces.

[0048] Advantageously, the heating chamber and the aerosol production article form a flat shape.

[0049] It is understood that a "flat shape" of the heating chamber or aerosol product extends between two first parallel longitudinal planes and two second parallel longitudinal planes perpendicular to the first parallel longitudinal planes, the distance between the second parallel longitudinal planes being at least three times, advantageously five times, and preferably ten times the distance between the first parallel longitudinal planes.

[0050] According to some embodiments, for example, two protrusions forming the mounting ears are arranged opposite each other in a central plane that is equidistant between first parallel longitudinal planes, the first parallel longitudinal planes defining the boundaries of the flat shape of the heating chamber, in other words, the central plane is arranged parallel to the first longitudinal plane, the central plane forming for example a plane of symmetry of the heating chamber.

[0051] Such an arrangement of the protrusions is particularly advantageous for heating chambers having a flat shape, as the arrangement of the protrusions allows the heating chamber to be securely mounted within the device body while ensuring a flat and ergonomic shape of the device body.

[0052] The invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the following description, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0053] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generation assembly including an aerosol generation device according to the present invention and an aerosol product that can be used with the aerosol generation device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the aerosol product of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the aerosol generation assembly of FIG. 1 taken along plane III. [Figure 4] 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the aerosol generation assembly of FIG. 1 taken along plane IV. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an airflow channel extending into the interior of the aerosol generation assembly of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a heating surface disposed inside the aerosol generating device of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] Before the present invention is described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction disclosed in the following description. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0055] In the following, the expression "approximately equal" should be understood to mean equal within a range of plus or minus 10%, preferably plus or minus 5%.

[0056] As used herein, the term "aerosol-generating device" or "device" may include a smoking device for delivering aerosol, including smoking aerosol, to a user via a heating element, as described in more detail below. The device may be portable. "Portable" may refer to a device held and used by a user. The device may be adapted to generate variable amounts of aerosol, for example, by operating a heating element for variable periods of time (as opposed to metered amounts of aerosol), and may be controlled by a trigger. The trigger may be user-activated, such as a smoke button and / or an inhalation sensor. The inhalation sensor may also be sensitive to inhalation intensity and duration, allowing for the delivery of variable amounts of vapor (to mimic the smoking effect of a conventional combustion-type smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigar, or pipe). The device may include a temperature regulation control that drives the temperature of the heater and / or heated aerosol-generating material (aerosol precursor) to a specified target temperature and then maintains the temperature at a target temperature that allows for efficient generation of aerosol.

[0057] As used herein, the term "aerosol" may include a suspension of vaporizable material as one or more of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gas. The suspension may be in a gas phase, including air. As used herein, aerosol may generally refer to / include vapor. The aerosol may include one or more components of the vaporizable material.

[0058] As used herein, the term "vaporizable material" or "precursor" may refer to smokable material, which may include, for example, nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol-forming agent. Tobacco can take the form of a variety of materials, such as cut tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf, and / or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycol-like propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; monohydric alcohols; acids such as lactic acid; glycerol derivatives; and non-polyols such as esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin, or vegetable glycerin. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also include at least one of a gelling agent, a binder, a stabilizer, and a humectant.

[0059] 1 shows an aerosol-generating assembly 10 including an aerosol-generating device 11 and an aerosol-producing article 12, also referred to as a tobacco article 12. The aerosol-generating device 11 is intended to operate with the tobacco article 12, which is shown in more detail in FIG.

[0060] In the example of FIG. 2 , the tobacco article 12 is a flat tobacco article, e.g., a rectangular parallelepiped with external dimensions L×W×D extending along the article axis X. In a typical example, the length L of the article 12 along the article axis X is approximately equal to 33 mm, while the width W and depth D are approximately equal to 12 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. According to another example, the values ​​L, W, and D can be selected within a range of, for example, ±40%. The depth D of the tobacco article 12 is defined by a pair of parallel walls 13A, 13B, hereinafter referred to as narrow walls 13A, 13B, and the width W of the tobacco article 12 is defined by a pair of parallel walls 14A, 14B, hereinafter referred to as wide walls 14A, 14B. In some embodiments, the edges between the wide and narrow walls 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B may be rounded. According to other embodiments of the present invention, the tobacco article 12 may have any other suitable flat shape and / or external dimensions. According to still other embodiments, the tobacco article 12 may have any other suitable shape, for example, a stick having a generally circular or oval cross section.

[0061] The tobacco article 12 includes a tobacco portion 15 and a tip portion 16 arranged along the article axis X. The tobacco portion 15 may, for example, be slightly longer than the tip portion 16. For example, the length L2 of the tobacco portion 15 along the article axis X may be approximately equal to 18 mm. The width W2 of the tobacco portion 15 is approximately equal to the width W of the tobacco article 12. The length L3 of the tip portion 16 along the article axis X may be approximately equal to 15 mm. As in the previous case, the values ​​L2 and L3 may be selected within a range of, for example, ±40%. The tobacco portion 15 defines an abutting end 18 of the article 12, and the tip portion 16 defines a mouth end 20 of the article 12. The tobacco portion 15 and the tip portion 16 may be secured to each other by a wrapper material 21 extending around the substrate axis X. The wrapper material 21 forms the narrow and wide walls 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B of the tobacco article 12. In some embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from the same wrapping sheet. In other embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from separate wrapping sheets that separately wrap the sections 15, 16 and secure them together by any other suitable means. The wrapper 21 may comprise, for example, paper and / or a nonwoven fabric and / or aluminum foil. The wrapper 21 may be porous or air-impermeable and form a plurality of air flow channels within the article 12 that extend between the abutting end 18 and the mouth end 20.

[0062] The mouthpiece 16 includes a core 27 intended to function as a cooler, for example to slightly cool the vapor before it is inhaled by the user. The core 27 may comprise, for example, cardboard for this purpose. The core 27 may be formed into a stable shape through an extrusion and / or rolling process. Advantageously, the core 27 is positioned inside the mouthpiece 16 so as to be in complete contact with the inner surface of the wrapper 21 that bounds the mouthpiece 16. Additionally or alternatively, the core 27 functions as a filter.

[0063] Tobacco portion 15 contains vaporizable material and is intended to be heated by a heating chamber, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0064] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the aerosol generation device 11 includes a device body 40 extending along a device axis Y between an end 41 and a closed end 42. The aerosol generation device 11 further includes a mouthpiece 43 attached to the open end 41 of the device body 40. According to the example described below, the mouthpiece 43 and the device body 40 form two distinct parts. In particular, according to this example, the mouthpiece 43 is designed to be fixed to a support 44 defined by the open end 41 of the device body 40, as shown in FIG. 3 . The support 44 defines, for example, a wall extending perpendicular to the device axis Y and defining an opening to the heating chamber at its center, as will be explained in more detail below. The support 44 may particularly extend inward from a side wall forming the device body 40.

[0065] 3, the mouthpiece 43 includes a contact portion 46, a support portion 47, and a retaining portion 48. These portions 46-48 are arranged consecutively along the device axis Y and define a central hole 49 extending through each of the portions 46-48. The contact portion 46 and the retaining portion 48 protrude from different sides of the support portion 47 along the device axis Y.

[0066] The support portion 47 of the mouthpiece 43 forms, for example, a collar that partially covers the open end 41 of the device body 40. The collar defines, for example, an outer surface extending substantially perpendicular to the device axis Y and an inner surface opposite the outer surface and facing the open end 41 of the device body 40. The support portion 47 is designed to be fixed onto the support portion 44 of the device body 40 using any suitable fastening means 51. In the example of FIG. 3, the fastening means 51 includes a first magnetic element arranged around the periphery of the support portion 44 and a second magnetic element arranged, for example, on the inner surface of the support portion 47 of the mouthpiece 43. At least one of the first and second magnetic elements includes, for example, a permanent magnet, and the other element includes a permanent magnet of the opposite polarity and / or a ferromagnetic material. It is clear that the fastening means 51 may have any other suitable structure suitable for fixing the mouthpiece 43 to the device body 40.

[0067] The contact portion 46 of the mouthpiece 43 is designed to contact the lips and / or mouth of the user. For this purpose, the contact portion 46 can be formed with a suitable ergonomic shape. Advantageously, the contact portion 46 has a shape that tapers from the support portion 47 toward the top surface along the device axis Y. For example, the contact portion 46 may have the shape of a truncated cone. The contact portion 46 forms an air outlet on its top surface that extends through the central hole 49 and is adapted to deliver the aerosol formed in the heating chamber, as will be explained in more detail below. Advantageously, as can be seen in FIG. 3 , a thermal insulation portion 53 is formed between the contact portion 46 and the support portion 47 of the mouthpiece 43. The thermal insulation portion 53 is formed, for example, by a groove extending around the central hole 49 and is formed in the connection zone between the support portion 47 and the contact portion 46 of the mouthpiece 43. The thermal insulation portion 53 minimizes the contact area and / or connection between the contact portion 46 and the support portion 47 of the mouthpiece 43.

[0068] The retaining portion 48 is designed to retain at least a portion of the tobacco article 12 within the heating chamber 60, as shown in FIG. 3. In particular, the retaining portion 48 is designed to receive at least a portion of the mouth portion 16 of the tobacco article 12 in the central bore 49, as shown in FIG. 3. For this purpose, at least inside the retaining portion 48, the cross-section of the central bore 49 is complementary to the external shape of the mouth portion 16 of the tobacco article 12. In particular, in the case of a flat-shaped tobacco article 12, the central bore 49 also has a flat shape, advantageously a rectangular flat shape. Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 3, the retaining portion 48 forms a gap with the wall of the heating chamber 60. For this purpose, the heating chamber 60 can define an enlarged section adjacent the open end of the chamber 60. In particular, this enlarged section has an enlarged cross-sectional shape compared to the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the heating chamber 60 that receives the tobacco portion 15 of the tobacco article 12, i.e., compared to the portion of the heating chamber 60 adjacent the closed end.

[0069] The device body 40 defines an interior space of the device 11 that houses various elements designed to perform different functions of the device 11. This interior space may house, for example, a battery that powers the device 11, a controller that controls the operation of the device 11, a heating chamber 60 that heats the tobacco portion 15 of the tobacco article 12, etc. Of these elements, only the heating chamber 60 will be described in further detail with reference to Figures 3-6.

[0070] In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, the heating chamber 60 defines a mounting zone 61 adapted to mount the heating chamber 60 to the device body 40 and a heating zone 62 adapted to heat the tobacco portion 15 of the tobacco article 12. Also, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, the mounting zone 61 is also adapted to at least partially receive the mouthpiece portion 16 of the tobacco article 12. In a preferred example, the heating chamber 60 has a flat shape. In particular, like the tobacco article 12, the heating chamber 60 may also extend along the device axis Y to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape including a pair of parallel narrow walls 63A, 63B (shown in FIG. 4) extending along the device axis Y, a pair of parallel wide walls 64A, 64B (shown partially in FIG. 3) also extending along the device axis Y, and a bottom wall 68 adjacent each of the walls and extending perpendicular to the device axis Y.

[0071] The bottom wall 68 thus forms a closed end of the chamber 60. The heating zone 62 of the heating chamber 60 is adjacent the closed end of the heating chamber 60. Opposite the bottom wall 68, the heating chamber 60 defines an opening configured to receive the tobacco article 12 such that the corresponding wide walls 14A, 14B of the tobacco article 12 face the corresponding wide walls 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60, the corresponding narrow walls 13A, 13B of the tobacco article 12 face the corresponding narrow walls 63A, 63B of the heating chamber 60, and the abutting end 18 of the tobacco article 12 abuts the bottom wall 68 or at least a rib extending from the bottom wall 68. Alternatively, the abutting end 18 faces but does not contact the bottom wall 68. The flat-shaped heating chamber 60 is therefore configured to receive the tobacco article 12 such that the narrow wall 13A (or 13B) of the tobacco article 12 faces the narrow wall 63B (or 63A) of the heating chamber 60, and the wide wall 14A (or 14B) of the tobacco article 12 faces the wide wall 64B (or 64A) of the heating chamber 60. The opposing wide walls 14A, 14B, 64A, 64B and the opposing narrow walls 13A, 13B, 63A, 63B may be at least partially in contact with each other or spaced apart from each other. In a preferred example, the opposing narrow walls 13A, 13B, 63A, 63B form a gap therebetween suitable for airflow, as will be described in more detail below. The installation zone 61 of the heating chamber 60 is adjacent to the open end of the heating chamber 60.

[0072] The narrow walls 63A, 63B and / or the wide walls 64A, 64B are shaped as described above to form an enlarged section of the heating chamber 60. To this end, the narrow walls 63A, 63B and / or the wide walls 64A, 64B may extend generally parallel through the heating zone 62 of the heating chamber 60 at a first distance d1 (or D1) therebetween, then form a shoulder section that expands the distance d1 (or D1) to a distance d2 (or D2), and then extend generally parallel through the installation zone 61 of the heating chamber 60 at a distance d2 (or D2) therebetween. Thus, the enlarged section may generally correspond to the installation zone 61 of the heating chamber 60.

[0073] The heating chamber 60, together with the device body 40 and the tipping portion 43, define an air flow channel 70 that passes through the device 11 and the tobacco article 12 between one or more air intakes 71 until an air outlet 72 extends through the central aperture 49, as described above. In particular, as shown in FIG. 5 , the air flow channel 70 includes an upstream portion extending between the air intakes 71 and the closed end of the heating chamber 60, and a downstream portion extending between the closed end of the heating chamber 60 and the air outlet 72. The downstream portion advantageously extends through both the tobacco portion 15 and the tipping portion 16 of the tobacco article 12. The downstream portion may also extend through the central aperture 49 formed by the tipping portion 43. The upstream portion preferably extends through the mouthpiece 43 and then through the interior of the heating chamber 60, preferably through the placement zone 61 and the gap formed between the opposing narrow walls 13A, 13B, 63A, 63B, before reaching the closed end of the heating chamber 60. At the closed end, the upstream portion of the air flow channel rotates approximately 180° to merge with the downstream portion. According to another embodiment, the upstream portion of the air flow channel 70 passes completely outside the heating chamber 60 and merges with the downstream portion, for example through a hole formed in the closed end of the heating chamber 60.

[0074] As shown in Figure 5, the air inlets 71 can be formed on the outer surface of the support part 47 of the mouthpiece 43. In particular, these air inlets 71 can be formed by holes extending through the support part 47 of the mouthpiece 43 and opening into the enlarged section of the heating chamber 60. For this purpose, the holes in the support part 47 can be inclined, for example, with respect to the device axis Y. Advantageously, the support part 47 defines two holes forming the air inlets 71 on different sides of the contact part 46, which has an elongated shape.

[0075] Advantageously, the mounting zone 61 forms a proper mounting zone for the heating chamber 60 to the apparatus body 40. To this end, the mounting zone 61 includes a pair of protrusions 80A, 80B extending outward from the narrow walls 63A, 63B of the heating chamber 60, as shown in FIG. 4 . Each protrusion 80A, 80B is configured to engage with a pin 82A, 82B fixed to the apparatus body 40. In particular, each pin 82A, 82B can extend perpendicular to the apparatus axis Y, e.g., perpendicular to a plane parallel to the wide walls 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60. Each protrusion 80A, 80B can form a mounting ear defining a lateral opening configured to receive a corresponding pin 82A, 82B for mounting the heating chamber 60. Thus, each mounting ear extends partially around the corresponding pin 82A, 82B, e.g., according to an angle ranging from 180° to 270°.

[0076] According to some embodiments, the heating chamber 60 further includes insulation disposed between the heating zone 62 and the placement zone 61, for example on the exterior surfaces of the walls 63A, 63B, 64A, 64B that define the heating chamber 60. Such insulation may include, for example, superwool or aerogel. Alternatively, the insulation may be formed by a vacuum or air chamber, a sheet, a powder, or the like.

[0077] 6, the heating chamber 60 further includes at least one heating surface 90 that at least partially forms one of the wide walls 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60. Preferably, the heating chamber 60 includes two heating surfaces 90 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 6) that at least partially form opposite wide walls 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60. In particular, each heating surface 90 is designed to contact or face the tobacco portion 15 of the tobacco article 12 in the heating zone 62 of the heating chamber 60. Advantageously, each heating surface 90 extends over the entire area of ​​the heating zone 62 projected onto a plane parallel to each of the wide walls 64A, 64B. In other words, the length of each heating surface 90 along the device axis Y is at least equal to the length L2 of the tobacco portion 15, and the width of each heating surface 90 is at least equal to the width W2 of the tobacco portion 15.

[0078] The or each heating surface 90 may be formed by a plate forming the corresponding wide wall 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60. According to another embodiment, the or each heating surface 90 is formed by a flexible film, for example attached to a plate forming the corresponding wall 64A, 64B of the heating chamber 60. According to yet another embodiment, the or each heating surface 90 is formed by a long strip of flexible heater including two separate track patterns wrapped around the periphery of the heating chamber 90.

[0079] Each heating surface 90 may include a pair of contacts 92 connected to the device's battery and a heating circuit 94 extending between the contacts along the entire heating surface 90 .

[0080] In some embodiments, the aerosol generation device 11 further includes a seal 95 disposed between the mounting zone 61 of the heating chamber 60 and the mouthpiece 43. The seal 95 may be oval or rectangular and may extend around the periphery of the opening formed by the open end of the heating chamber 60. The seal 95 is advantageously disposed in the mounting zone 61 between a rib extending from the inner surface of the support 47 and a protrusion extending outward from the walls 63A, 63B, 64A, 64B that delimit the heating chamber 60. The protrusion may include the protrusions 80A, 80B described above. The fastening means 51 of the mouthpiece 43 may be adapted to apply pressure to the seal 95 to securely fasten the heating chamber 60 within the device body 40.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device (11) comprising a device body (40) configured to at least partially contain an aerosol product (12) and a heating chamber (60), the device body (40) extending along a device axis (Y) between an open end (41) and a closed end (42), the open end (41) defining a support portion (44); The heating chamber (60) extends along the device axis (Y) and includes a heating zone (62) adapted to heat at least a portion of the aerosol product article (12), and a placement zone (61) arranged following the heating zone (62) along the device axis (Y), the mounting zone (61) is engaged with the support (44) to form an attachment zone of the heating chamber (60) to the device body (40), the attachment zone being the only attachment zone of the heating chamber (60) to the device body (40); the mounting zone (61) is engaged with the support (44) by at least one protrusion (80A, 80B); the heating chamber (60) forms a planar shape extending between two first parallel longitudinal planes; The aerosol generating device (11), wherein the at least one protrusion (80A, 80B) extends along a central plane disposed between the first parallel longitudinal planes.

2. 2. The aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 1, wherein the placement zone (61) and the heating zone (62) form opposite ends of the heating chamber (60).

3. 3. An aerosol generating device (11) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the installation zone (61) is engaged with the support (44) by two protrusions (80A, 80B), preferably by only two protrusions (80A, 80B).

4. An aerosol generating device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each protrusion (80A, 80B) is engaged with a pin (82A, 82B).

5. 5. An aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 4, wherein the or each protrusion (80A, 80B) includes a mounting ear configured to receive the corresponding pin (82A, 82B).

6. - said mounting zone (61) forms said protrusions (80A, 80B), - said support (44) forms said pins (82A, 82B); 6. An aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 4 or 5.

7. 7. The aerosol generating device (11) of claim 1, further comprising an air flow channel (70), the air flow channel (70) comprising an upstream portion (71) extending through the installation zone (61) and a downstream portion (72) designed to extend through the aerosol product (12) when the aerosol product (12) is inserted into the heating chamber (60).

8. The aerosol generating device (11) of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a mouthpiece (43) installed at the open end (41) of the device body (40), and a seal (95) arranged between the installation zone (61) and the mouthpiece (43).

9. The mouthpiece (43) a support (47) extending substantially perpendicular to the device axis (Y) and located at the open end (41) of the device body (40); a contact part (46) extending along the device axis (Y) and designed to contact the lips and / or mouth of the user; An aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 8, comprising a heat insulating portion (53) provided between the support portion (47) and the contact portion (46) of the mouthpiece (43).

10. the mouthpiece (43) further comprises a retaining portion (48) designed to retain at least a portion of the aerosol product (12) within the heating chamber (60); Advantageously, an air gap is formed between the wall of the heating chamber (60) in the installation zone (61) and the holding portion (48) of the mouthpiece (43).

11. 11. The aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the cross section of the contact portion (46) of the mouthpiece (43) tapers from the support portion (47).

12. The aerosol generating device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the heating chamber (60) further comprises a thermal insulator disposed between the heating zone (62) and the installation zone (61).

13. The aerosol generating device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the heating chamber (60) further comprises one last heating surface (90) disposed adjacent to the heating zone (62).

14. the heating chamber (60) further extends between two second parallel longitudinal planes perpendicular to the first parallel longitudinal planes, the distance between the second parallel longitudinal planes being at least three times, advantageously five times, and preferably ten times, greater than the distance between the first parallel longitudinal planes; Advantageously, the aerosol generating device (11) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central plane is arranged equidistant between the first parallel longitudinal planes.

15. 15. The aerosol generating device (11) according to claim 14 in combination with claim 3, wherein the two protrusions (80A, 80B) are arranged opposite each other in the central plane.

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