Aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol generator (10) is disclosed, comprising a first wall (19) and a second wall (21) defining a cavity (22) between them for receiving aerosol generating consumables (24); and a heater (40, 60, 70, 90) including a substrate (18, 42, 62, 80, 96) having a heater track (28, 44, 64, 74, 92) disposed thereon, wherein the substrate defines at least a portion of the first wall, and the first wall includes at least one aperture (52, 66, 78, 102) for airflow into the cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device and aerosol generating consumables, particularly to the arrangement and distribution of airflows within the device.

Background Art

[0002] An aerosol generating device typically has an air inlet hole that sucks air from outside the device, and the air inlet hole then flows through the device and delivers the generated aerosol to the user through the mouthpiece of the device.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to improve the control of the airflow through the device and enhance the flexibility of aerosol delivery and pressure inhalation for the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating device comprising a first wall and a second wall defining a cavity therebetween for receiving an aerosol generating consumable, and a heater comprising a substrate having a heater track disposed thereon, the substrate defining at least a part of the first wall, the first wall including at least one aperture for an airflow into the cavity.

[0005] In this way, a more direct air inlet and uniform distribution of air can be provided to the aerosol generator. The cavity may include a substantially cubic shape. Preferably, the second wall is located on the opposite side of the first wall. In airflow configurations of similar devices in the art, the inlet of the device is provided at or near the mouthpiece of the device (i.e., toward the aerosol outlet region) such that the airflow is directed in one or more channels along the outside of the heater (outside the cavity) and into the cavity (or oven space) toward the rear end of the cavity (the end that receives the inserted consumables). In configurations known in the art, it has been found that the outside air may be heated by residual heat from the heater / oven, which can undesirably cause condensation in the airflow channels. The heater may be a thin-film heater, a polyimide film heater, or a ceramic heater or another suitable heater which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0006] By providing apertures in the walls of any cavities in the heater substrate, additional air inlets can be provided along the sides of the aerosol generator. In other words, the apertures allow air to flow from the outside of the cavity into the cavity so that aerosols generated from heated consumables within the cavity can be delivered to the user through the device. In this way, one or more channels configured to guide outside air into the cavity can be positioned to avoid passing along the cavity (thus avoiding residual heat from the heater). In addition, by providing at least one aperture in the wall of the cavity, the flexibility of the airflow configuration within the device can be improved to improve the distribution of air into the cavity / oven space.

[0007] Preferably, the aerosol generator includes a second heater comprising a second substrate having a second heater track disposed thereon, wherein the second substrate further includes a second heater defining at least a portion of a second wall, and the second wall includes at least one further aperture in the second wall. In this way, outside air can be distributed into the cavity from both walls in order to distribute air into the cavity more effectively for aerosol delivery.

[0008] Preferably, at least one aperture and optionally at least one further aperture are configured to penetrate one or more of each substrate. In this way, the first heater and / or second heater can be easily manufactured to provide one or more apertures for the cavity. As an example, one or more apertures may be perforated or punched into the heater substrate after the heater track has been deposited or otherwise formed on the substrate. In another example, the apertures may be perforated before the heater track is laid.

[0009] Since ceramic heaters, i.e., when the substrate contains ceramic material, can have high energy consumption, it is also known that providing an aperture on the ceramic substrate can be advantageous in order to reduce the mass / amount of ceramic material. Because ceramic material absorbs heat, the substrate can also preheat the outside air just before it is delivered to the cavity in order to reduce any undesirable condensation that may form in the air delivery channel (between the air inlet of the device and the aperture).

[0010] Preferably, the aerosol generator includes an open end and a closed end of a cavity, with one or more apertures positioned at or near the closed end of the cavity. In this way, outside air is directed at or toward the closed end of the cavity towards the end where the consumable is inserted, and as a result, the air is further directed to flow to the open end of the cavity (for example, when the user inhales) to deliver the generated aerosol to the user.

[0011] Preferably, the first wall and / or second wall include a plurality of apertures, the first set of apertures being offset from the second set of apertures along the longitudinal direction of the cavity. Preferably, the first set is located in the first wall and the second set is located in the second wall. In this way, the pressure drop can be controlled by the insertion depth or orientation of the consumable into the cavity. The apertures may be at least partially aligned with surface features of the consumable (such as ridges or grooves), which may then affect the airflow entering and passing through the cavity. Alternatively, the consumable may include a paper packaging having holes that may or may not be aligned with the plurality of apertures in the wall, allowing the user to control the pressure drop in the device based on the insertion depth or orientation of the consumable.

[0012] Preferably, the heater track and optionally a second heater track define a series of track channels, and one or more apertures are positioned on the respective heater substrate adjacent to at least one track channel. In this way, the apertures are positioned near the heater track (configured to deliver heat to the inserted consumables) and thus optimally positioned to guide outside air into the cavity to pick up the generated aerosols and deliver them to the user through the cavity.

[0013] Preferably, the aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 7 further includes at least one air inlet located in the side wall of the aerosol generator, the at least one air inlet configured to direct the airflow to at least one aperture and optionally at least one further aperture. Thus, the air inlet is located away from the mouthpiece end of the device to mitigate any undesirable heating before the outside air in the airflow channel is delivered to the cavity. As understood, the aerosol generator may include one or more channels between the at least one air inlet and the aperture.

[0014] Preferably, the first and second substrates each contain a ceramic material, and the first and second heater tracks each contain an electrical resistance material, preferably a metallic material. In this way, the ceramic material can preheat the outside air immediately before it leaves the air inlet and is sent into the cavity. This advantageously avoids undesirable or excessive heating of the air in the airflow channel between the air inlet and the aperture, which could cause condensation to form in the airflow channel. Other suitable materials for constructing the heater substrates and heater tracks will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating consumable for an aerosol generating device according to a first aspect is provided, the consumable comprising an aerosol-forming material having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, further comprising a first plurality of protrusions on the first side of the aerosol-forming material, and a packaging body disposed around the first and second sides of the aerosol-forming material, the packaging body comprising at least one opening disposed along the first and / or second sides of the aerosol-forming material to expose the aerosol-forming material. Thus, the packaging body can be used to effectively control how air in a cavity flows into and along the aerosol-forming material. One or more openings may be located at different positions in the packaging body adjacent to the first and / or second sides of the aerosol-forming material to optimize how aerosols generated from a heated aerosol-forming substrate are picked up and delivered to the mouthpiece end of the cavity. The positioning or arrangement of one or more openings or holes along the length of the packaging can control the pressure drop or pull resistance of the combined device-consumable system. One or more openings or holes may be aligned with grooves or protrusions of the aerosol-forming material.

[0016] Preferably, the aerosol-forming material further comprises a second plurality of ridges on a second side of the aerosol-forming material. Preferably, the aerosol-forming material further comprises a first plurality of grooves on a first or second side of the aerosol-forming material and optionally a second plurality of grooves on the other side of the aerosol-forming material, preferably the first plurality of grooves located on the second side opposite to the first plurality of ridges, and more preferably the second plurality of grooves located on the first side opposite to the second plurality of ridges.

[0017] In this way, the raised portion of the consumable on one side of the aerosol-forming material can be positioned closer to the heater track of an adjacent heater (e.g., the heater track of the first heater), optimizing the heating efficiency of the device. The generated aerosol can then accumulate along the grooves along the side of the raised portion, so that the air delivered to the cavity flows along the grooves and delivers the aerosol to the user. As can be understood, the opposite side (second side) of the aerosol-forming material can be aligned with a heater track provided on the opposite wall of the cavity (e.g., the heater track of the second heater). The packaging can ensure the freshness of the consumable material and can also provide a protective form for, for example, easily disintegrating materials.

[0018] Preferably, at least one opening is positioned along at least one of the first plurality of grooves and / or the second plurality of grooves. In this way, the opening in the packaging ensures that the air supplied to the consumables is guided into the grooves for optimal aerosol delivery.

[0019] Preferably, when the consumable is inserted into the cavity of the aerosol generator, at least one aperture of the cavity and / or optionally at least one further aperture aligns with at least one opening of the packaging. The way in which air is delivered to the cigarette portion of the consumable (i.e., the aerosol-forming material) may depend on the final oven structure (i.e., the shape and size of the walls defining the cavity relative to the consumable), and for this purpose there are at least two variants. The first variant is when the first and second walls defining the cavity are larger than the cigarette portion / consumable, and as a result the airflow enters the cavity away from the ends of the consumable and curves toward the cigarette portion so as to flow through the consumable along the raised portion of the aerosol-forming material. In this variant, the positioning of the apertures in the walls defining the cavity is not so important (because the air enters the cavity away from the cigarette portion / consumable).

[0020] In a second variant, the heater substrate is the same size as or smaller than the cigarette portion. In this second case, the airflow first passes through an aperture in the wall and then through a hole / opening in the packaging of the aerosol-forming consumable to reach the aerosol-forming material / cigarette portion. The opening is cut out of the packaging before being wrapped around the cigarette portion, and the opening is configured to ensure that at least some of the openings are at least partially aligned with one or more apertures of the device. The airflow through the opening in the packaging may be obstructed or blocked by a ridge of the aerosol-forming material adjacent to the opening.

[0021] Preferably, the aerosol generating consumable further includes an indicator for inserting the consumable into the aerosol generating device in a first orientation, and optionally the indicator includes a printed logo. In this way, the indicator allows the user to understand how the protrusions and grooves of the consumable may be oriented when the consumable is inserted into the device, depending on which orientation is selected, which may affect the suction resistance (i.e., pressure drop) of the user's puff. Thus, the indicator provides a form of pressure draw control of the consumable when used in the device.

[0022] In some examples, the apertures of the wall / heater substrate may be aligned with the holes of the package and / or the centers of the ridges and grooves so that the airflow of the device-consumable system does not vary based on the orientation of the inserted consumable (i.e., which side of the consumable is upward). As an example, how the consumable is inserted into the device may not be important to the consumer. This is because there are always halves of the holes blocked by paper and halves of the holes that are in line with the holes in the paper. In other examples, the number or shape of the apertures in the heater substrate or wall may be reduced / designed such that the orientation of the inserted consumable changes the way the holes in the package within the consumable align with the wall apertures, thereby affecting the pressure drop / suction resistance. In this way, the user can select from two different pressure drops according to their preference.

[0023] As described above, the shape, size, number, and arrangement of the apertures in the wall defining the cavity, as well as the relative shape and orientation of the inserted consumable, can affect the airflow entering and passing through the cavity and the consumable. Thus, as will be appreciated, the number and arrangement of the apertures in the wall of the consumable and the openings of the package can be designed to affect the pressure drop and suction resistance of the aerosol generating device. Various consumables having different ridge and / or groove patterns can also be designed such that the insertion orientation of the consumable into the device cavity provides a further degree of control for the user's preference.

[0024] Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1A-1B] It is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2A-2B] It is a schematic diagram of different heater portions having a mouthpiece portion of the device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3A-3B] It is a schematic diagram of different heaters according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4A]A schematic cross-sectional view of a heater portion and a mouthpiece portion according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4B-4C] A different cross-sectional view of a closed end of a heater portion according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5] A schematic view of a package of consumables according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] A schematic view of a consumable provided in a heater portion of an apparatus without an upper heater base material according to the present disclosure. [Figures 7A-7B] A schematic view of a consumable inserted at different depths into a cavity of an apparatus according to the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] FIG. 1A shows an external view of an aerosol generating device 10 according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device 10. The device 10 includes an external casing 12 in which a heater portion 14 is disposed. In this particular example, the heater portion 14 is connected to a mouthpiece portion 16 through which a user can inhale the generated aerosol. As will be understood, the illustrated device 10 can be further connected to a battery portion or additional functional portions (such as a display and a control circuit) not shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The heater portion 14 is also described herein as an oven.

[0027] As can be seen in Figure 1B, the heater portion 14 includes a first heater substrate 18 defining a portion of the first wall 19 within the cavity 20 of the device 10, and a second heater substrate 20 defining a portion of the second wall 21 within the cavity 22. The walls 19 and 21 of the cavity 22 extend beyond the length of their respective heater substrates. The cavity 22 is substantially cubic in shape and is configured to receive an aerosol generating consumable 24 having a substantially thin cubic shape, such as a SIM card. The cavity 22 is also described as an oven space for the consumable 24. The mouthpiece portion 16 is detachably connected to the heater portion 14 / device 10 via an interface connection 26 to allow easier access to the cavity 22 (for example, to insert or clean the consumable 24). Alternatively, the consumable 24 can also be inserted into the cavity 22 through the mouthpiece portion 16.

[0028] The first and second heater substrates each include a heater track 28 positioned on the surface of the respective heater substrate. The heater track 28 is configured to receive electrical energy from the battery or power source (not shown) of the device 10 and generate heat for the aerosol generating consumable 26 received in the cavity 22.

[0029] In known devices, an air inlet is provided in the mouthpiece portion so that outside air (i.e., from outside the device) enters the device toward the mouthpiece end, flows through the heater portion of the device, and reaches the closed end 30 of the cavity 22. In this device 10, one or more holes or apertures are provided in the wall defining the cavity 22, allowing the air inlet of the device 10 to be located on the side of the device 10 within the outer casing 12 to deliver outside air to the cavity 22 without needing to flow along the heater substrate 18, 20, or heater portion 14. Different aperture arrangements will be illustrated with reference to the following figures.

[0030] Figures 2A and 2B show heater and mouthpiece portions with different heater substrates. As described above with reference to Figures 1A and 1B, the heater substrate is part of the heater portion wall that defines the cavity 22 in the device 10.

[0031] In Figure 2A, the heater 40 includes a heater substrate 42 and a heater track 44 disposed on the heater substrate 42. The heater substrate 42 is made of a ceramic material, and the heater track 44 is made of a metallic material. The heater 40 further includes two electrical contacts 46 that electrically connect the heater track 44 to a power source in the device. The heater track 44 is formed as a closed loop connecting the two contacts 46, and the layout of the heater track 44 is designed so that the metallic track is distributed across the surface of the heater substrate 42. In this example, the heater track 44 has a wavy or serpentine pattern such that multiple straight lengths 48 of the heater track 44 are arranged across the width of the heater substrate 42. The straight lengths 48 of the heater track 44 define a series of track channels 50 between the lengths 48.

[0032] The length of the straight section 48 may be designed to at least substantially coincide with the corresponding raised features on the surface of the inserted consumable in order to optimize heating efficiency (see Figure 4B). The track channel 50 may be positioned above (i.e., between the raised sections) the flat portion of the tobacco portion within the consumable. It should be understood that different heater track designs and surface features of the consumable / tobacco portion can be readily applied to this disclosure. Different heater track designs are shown in Figures 3A and 3B.

[0033] The heater substrate 42 further includes a plurality of apertures 52 provided in the track channels 50 between the straight lengths 48 of the heater track 44. The apertures 52 are provided toward the closed end 54 of the cavity 22. This ensures that outside air is delivered toward the closed end 54 of the cavity 22 so that air can flow over the inserted consumable toward the open end of the cavity 22 and deliver the generated aerosol to the user. The apertures 52 can be formed in the heater substrate 42 by perforation or punching.

[0034] Figure 2B shows another heater 60 having a heater substrate 62 and a heater track 64 similar to that described with reference to Figure 2A. However, in Figure 2B, the heater substrate 62 does not have holes perforated or punched out within the substrate, but rather a notch 66 is provided in the substrate 62 at the end of the heater substrate 62 toward the closed end 68 of the cavity 22. The notch 66 provides an air inlet function as an aperture 52, but may be formed in a different, simpler way (e.g., by cutting). It should be understood that the notch 66 is not necessarily positioned between the lengths of the heater track 64, which may also improve the ease of manufacturing the heater 60. When the heater 60 is placed in the heater portion 14 of the apparatus 10, the substrate 62 forms part of the wall defining the cavity 22, and the notch 66 in the substrate 62 forms a hole / aperture within the wall.

[0035] Therefore, it should be understood that apertures can be provided in different ways in the wall defining the cavity 22 of the device 10, such as by directly drilling a hole 52 in the heater substrate 42, or by providing a notch 66 at the end of the heater substrate 62 that forms an aperture when placed in the heater portion 14 of the device 10.

[0036] Figures 3A and 3B show two different heaters 70, 90 having different heater track layouts to facilitate different air inlets for the oven. Figure 3A shows heater 70 having an aperture 78 similar to that described with reference to Figure 2A. In Figure 3A, the spacing between the straight lengths 72 of the heater track 74 is irregular, providing track channels 76 of different widths. In this example, the aperture 78 of the heater substrate 80 is provided in the wider track channel rather than the narrower track channel.

[0037] Figure 3B shows a heater 90 having a notch 102 similar to that described with reference to Figure 2B. In Figure 3B, the wavy pattern of the heater track 92 is arranged such that the turns 94 of the heater track 92 toward the center of the heater substrate 96 are wider than the turns 98 toward the edges of the heater substrate 96. This provides a wider track channel 100 for the notch 102 to cut into the edges of the heater substrate 96.

[0038] Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C show different arrangements of consumables within the heater cavity of the device. Figure 4B shows an exploded view of the area indicated by square 105 in Figure 4A.

[0039] Figure 4A shows the heater portion 110 and mouthpiece portion 112 of the device, where two heaters 114 form part of the wall 116 defining the cavity 118. The heaters 114 are similar to those described with reference to Figure 2B, and notches 120 are formed at the ends of each heater base material 122 so that when the heaters 114 are placed within the heater portion 110, air inlets 124 for the cavity 118 are formed. However, it should be understood that the heaters shown in Figures 2A, 3A, and 3B may also be applicable to this example.

[0040] An aerosol-forming consumable 130 is inserted into the cavity 118, and the consumable 130 includes a tobacco portion 132. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 4C, the tobacco portion 132 includes a plurality of ridges 134 and a plurality of grooves 136 on each side of the tobacco portion 132, with each ridge having a groove corresponding to the opposite side of the tobacco portion 132. When the tobacco portion 132 is heated by the heat generated by the heater 114, an aerosol is formed, and the aerosol can move along the grooves 136 of the tobacco portion toward the mouthpiece portion 112.

[0041] In Figures 4A and 4B, the consumable 130 does not reach the closed end 140 of the cavity 118 after insertion. In other words, a gap 142 is provided between the closed end 140 of the cavity 118 and the end 144 of the consumable 130. In these examples, outside air enters the gap 142 within the cavity 118 and is drawn towards the mouthpiece portion 112 when the user inhales. As understood, the airflow from the inlet 124 to the mouthpiece portion 112 travels along the groove 136 of the consumable cigarette portion, delivering any generated aerosol to the user.

[0042] Figure 4C shows another cross-sectional view of the apparatus and heater configuration of Figure 4A, where the bottom wall 146 is removed and the consumable 130 is received up to where the bottom wall 146 would be (i.e., the closed end 140 of the cavity 118) such that there is virtually no gap between the end of the consumable 130 and the closed end of the bottom wall 146 / cavity. In this example, when outside air passes through the air inlet 124, it reaches the consumable 130 directly. Thus, as can be seen from Figure 4C, the design and features of the consumable 130 will affect the airflow entering the cavity 118 through different air inlet 124s. Some inlet 124s are blocked by the raised portion 134 of the cigarette portion 132, thereby preventing or obstructing the airflow through these particular 124s and increasing the suction resistance of the apparatus. Other inlet 124s are aligned or partially aligned with the groove 136 of the cigarette portion 132, and the airflow will be unobstructed (or less obstructed). Therefore, as can be understood, the design of consumables and air inlets / apers, as well as the insertion depth of consumables into cavities, can provide different suction resistance and pressure drops within the device.

[0043] The consumable may further include packaging that encloses the tobacco portion. Figure 5 shows packaging 150 without a tobacco portion inside. Packaging 150 is made of paper, cardboard, or thin plastic sheet material and functions like a sleeve for the tobacco portion. The packaging is exposed at its end 152 to allow airflow through the consumable to the mouthpiece. Packaging 150 further includes holes 154 cut into the packaging 150. The position of the holes 154 is ideally determined considering the tobacco portion for which packaging 150 is intended. For example, the holes 154 may correspond to and at least partially align with the grooves of the tobacco portion and the cavity air inlet holes of the device heater portion. It is also possible that the packaging holes 154 are not used when the consumable is positioned away from the closed end of the cavity, so that air simply enters the consumable from the exposed end 152.

[0044] Figure 6 shows the consumable 200 wrapped around the heater portion 202 of the apparatus, excluding the top heater, thereby making the consumable 200 more clearly visible inside the apparatus oven. The consumable 200 is positioned on the bottom heater 204, which forms part of the wall of the apparatus cavity. The consumable 200 includes a cigarette portion 206 having a plurality of ridges 208 and a plurality of grooves 210. The consumable 200 also includes a packaging 212 having a plurality of holes 214, 216. In this example, the holes 214, 216 are located at different points along the length of the packaging 212. In other words, some holes 216 are located near the end 218 of the consumable 200, while other holes 214 are located slightly away from the end 218. In either case, all holes 214, 216 are positioned toward the same end 218 of the consumable 200 so that air entering the cavity must move along the surface of the cigarette portion 206 and carry the generated aerosol to the mouthpiece. The placement of holes 214 and 216 at different points along the length of the packaging may result in design considerations for influencing or controlling the pressure drop or pull resistance of the device-consumable composite system. As can be seen in Figure 6, the holes 214 are only partially aligned with the groove 210 of the cigarette portion, such that the air passing through the holes 214 may be partially obstructed by the raised portion 208 adjacent to the groove.

[0045] As described below with reference to Figures 7A and 7B, the concept of controlling pull resistance or pressure drop by the arrangement and alignment of the oven wall apertures (air inlet holes) and surface features of the tobacco portion is further developed with respect to the apertures (or walls defining cavities) of the packaging and heater substrate.

[0046] Figures 7A and 7B show schematic diagrams of the cavity within the heater portion 250 of the apparatus according to the present invention. Heater substrates 252 and 254 define a portion of the cavity, and the substrates 252 and 254 have apertures 256 toward the ends of the substrates 252 and 254 closer to the closed end 258 of the cavity. Figure 7A shows a configuration in which the hole 302 of the packaging of the inserted consumable 300 is partially aligned with the substrate aperture 256, and Figure 7B shows another configuration in which the hole 302 of the packaging is fully aligned with the substrate aperture 256. A method for designing the heater portion 250 to allow consumables to be inserted into the cavity at different depths will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0047] As can be understood, the partial alignment of the packaging hole 302 and the substrate aperture 256 shown in Figure 7A results in higher pressure draw-in for the user. In other words, the resistance to draw-in or draw-in from the device-consumable configuration in Figure 7A is increased due to the partial alignment of the hole 302 and the aperture 256. Conversely, in the device-consumable configuration in Figure 7B, when the packaging hole 302 is fully aligned with the aperture 256 of the substrates 252 and 254, the pressure draw-in or draw-in resistance is reduced.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the size, shape, and arrangement of holes in the consumable packaging, as well as apertures or notches in the heater substrate, and their positioning and alignment relative to each other and to the shape of the tobacco portion inside the packaging in the device-consumable configuration, all contribute to the airflow and pressure draw-in of the device. Advantageously, this disclosure enables greater flexibility and control of airflow in aerosol generators.

Claims

1. Aerosol generator, A first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall defining a cavity between them for receiving aerosol generating consumables, A heater comprising a substrate having a heater track disposed thereon, wherein the substrate defines at least a portion of the first wall, and an aerosol generator comprising, wherein the first wall includes at least one aperture for airflow into the cavity.

2. A second heater comprising a second substrate having a second heater track disposed thereon, wherein the second substrate defines at least a portion of the second wall. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, further comprising, wherein the second wall includes at least one further aperture in the second wall.

3. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one aperture and optionally the at least one further aperture are configured to penetrate each of the one or more substrates.

4. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising an open end and a closed end of the cavity, wherein each of the one or more apertures is located at or near the closed end of the cavity.

5. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first wall and / or second wall comprises a plurality of apertures, and a first set of the plurality of apertures is offset from a second set of the plurality of apertures along the longitudinal direction of the cavity.

6. The aerosol generator according to claim 5, wherein the first set is arranged on the first wall, and the second set is arranged on the second wall.

7. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heater track and optionally the second heater track define a series of track channels, and each of the one or more apertures is positioned adjacent to at least one track channel on each of the heater substrates.

8. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising at least one air inlet located on the side wall of the aerosol generator, wherein the at least one air inlet is configured to direct an airflow to the at least one aperture and optionally to the at least one further aperture.

9. The aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first and second substrates each contain a ceramic material, and the first and second heater tracks each contain an electrical resistance material, preferably the electrical resistance material is a metallic material.

10. Aerosol generating consumable for an aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, An aerosol-forming material comprising a first side portion and a second side portion opposite to the first side portion, The first plurality of protrusions on the first side of the aerosol-forming material an aerosol-forming material further containing, A packaging body disposed around the first and second sides of the aerosol-forming material, the packaging body having at least one opening disposed along the first and / or second sides of the aerosol-forming material in order to expose the aerosol-forming material. Aerosol generating consumables including...

11. The aerosol generating consumable according to claim 10, wherein the aerosol-forming material further comprises a second plurality of protrusions on the second side of the aerosol-forming material.

12. The aerosol generating consumable according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the aerosol-forming material further comprises a first plurality of grooves on the first side or the second side of the aerosol-forming material, and optionally a second plurality of grooves on the other side of the aerosol-forming material, preferably the first plurality of grooves being located on the second side opposite to the first plurality of protrusions, and more preferably the second plurality of grooves being located on the first side opposite to the second plurality of protrusions.

13. The aerosol generating consumable according to claim 12, wherein the at least one opening is arranged along at least one of the first plurality of grooves and / or the second plurality of grooves.

14. The aerosol generating consumable according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein when the consumable is inserted into the cavity of the aerosol generating device, the at least one aperture of the cavity and / or optionally the at least one further aperture aligns with the at least one opening of the packaging.

15. An aerosol generating consumable according to any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising a marking for inserting the consumable into the aerosol generating device in a first orientation, wherein the marking optionally includes a printed logo.

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