Consumables for aerosol generating devices, systems and methods for manufacturing the consumables

Abstract

A consumable for an aerosol generating device, a method and system for manufacturing the consumable, and a method for using the consumable. The consumable includes a columnar portion of an aerosol-generating substrate and a heating element embedded in the columnar portion. The heating element includes a base portion and a plurality of elongated portions extending from the base portion along the columnar portion. The heating element is adapted to be driven toward the columnar portion by a force applied to the base portion.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to consumables for aerosol generating devices. The consumables may include tobacco or other suitable aerosol substrate material that is to be heated, rather than burned, to generate an aerosol for inhalation. [Background technology]

[0002] 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 assist habitual smokers wishing to quit smoking traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and rolling tobacco. A variety of devices and systems are available that heat or warm an aerosolizable substance, as opposed to burning tobacco in traditional tobacco products.

[0003] A commonly available risk reduction or risk modification device is the substrate heated aerosol generating device or heat-not-burn device. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate, which typically includes moist tobacco or other suitable aerosolizable material, to a temperature typically ranging from 150°C to 300°C. By heating, rather than burning or combusting, the aerosol substrate releases an aerosol that includes the ingredients desired by the user, but without the toxic and carcinogenic by-products of combustion and burning. Furthermore, aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other aerosolizable material typically do not include the burnt or bitter taste that can result from combustion and burning, which can be unpleasant to the user. Thus, the substrate does not require sugars and other additives that are typically added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It would be desirable to provide a consumable product that can generate aerosols with improved energy efficiency and that is easy to manufacture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a consumable for an aerosol generating device, the consumable comprising: a columnar portion of an aerosol generating substrate; and a heating element embedded in the columnar portion, the heating element comprising a base portion and a plurality of elongated portions extending from the base portion along the columnar portion, the heating element adapted to be driven towards the columnar portion by a force applied to the base portion.

[0006] Optionally, the heating element is an induction heating element.

[0007] Optionally, the heating element includes two elongated portions disposed at each end of a base portion to form a U-shape.

[0008] Optionally, the heating element has a substantially similar cross-section throughout the base portion and the plurality of elongated portions.

[0009] Optionally, the heating element is a wire bent to form a base portion and a plurality of elongated portions.

[0010] Optionally, the aerosol-generating substrate is a solid or bulk material held by a wrap around the column, and the heating element is embedded in the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0011] Optionally, the base portion is disposed at an open end of the post portion.

[0012] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a system for manufacturing a consumable as described above, the system comprising a holding means adapted to receive a consumable comprising a columnar portion, and a heating element drive arranged facing the holding means, the heating element drive configured to drive a heating element towards an end of the columnar portion.

[0013] Optionally, the system includes a drum including a plurality of holding means arranged at respective index positions around the drum, each holding means adapted to receive a respective consumable, the drum configured for index rotation, and a heating element drive arranged to face a first index position around the drum, the heating element drive configured to drive a heating element towards an end of a column of the consumable within the holding means at the first index position.

[0014] Optionally, the system further includes a hopper arranged to receive a plurality of columns of the aerosol-generating substrate and deliver the plurality of columns towards a second indexed position around the drum.

[0015] Optionally, the first index position and the second index position are different positions.

[0016] Optionally, the drum is arranged to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis, and the second index position is a top position.

[0017] Optionally, the holding means is adapted to drop each post after the drum has rotated a predetermined number of index positions from when the respective post is disposed within the holding means at the second index position.

[0018] Optionally, the heating element driver is a stapler.

[0019] According to a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a consumable product as described above, the method comprising positioning an end of a columnar portion of an aerosol-generating substrate facing a heating element driver and driving a heating element towards the end of the columnar portion using the heating element driver.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising inserting a consumable as described above into a heating chamber including a drive element configured to drive a heating element, and heating a columnar portion of an aerosol-generating substrate using the heating element to generate an inhalable aerosol. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a consumable according to the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example heating element. [Figure 1C] 1 is a schematic diagram of an example heating element. [Figure 1D] 11A-11C are schematic diagrams of the consumable end of different examples of heating elements. [Figure 1E] 11A-11C are schematic diagrams of the consumable end of different examples of heating elements. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a consumable product. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for manufacturing consumables. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of consumables during use in an example aerosol generating device. [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of consumables during use in an example aerosol generating device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1A illustrates a schematic diagram of a consumable product according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] With reference to Figure 1A, the consumable 100 includes a columnar portion 110 of an aerosol-generating substrate. Generally, consumables for aerosol-generating devices are relatively long in one direction (labelled as the z-direction in Figure 1A) and have a relatively small cross-section perpendicular to the "longitudinal" direction. In such consumables, the "columnar" portion refers to the portion extending along the "longitudinal" direction. While reference to such consumables is convenient in describing the invention, the invention is equally applicable to consumables where such a "longitudinal" direction is unknown, in which case the "columnar" portion could be any portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0024] The column may, for example, comprise a solid aerosol substrate material, or a loose aerosol substrate material held by a wrapper around the column. The aerosol substrate may, for example, comprise tobacco material in various forms, such as cut tobacco and granular tobacco, and / or the tobacco material may comprise tobacco leaf and / or reconstituted tobacco. The wrapper may, for example, comprise paper and / or other textile materials. The wrapper may also comprise various organic and / or inorganic materials.

[0025] The heating element 120 is embedded in the columnar portion 110. The heating element 120 is preferably embedded in the aerosol-generating substrate itself, but may alternatively be adjacent to the aerosol-generating substrate. For example, the heating element 120 may be located between the aerosol-generating substrate and the packaging. The heating element 120 may be, for example, an induction heating element (also called a susceptor) configured to receive energy by electromagnetic induction and dissipate the received energy to provide heating. Alternatively, the heating element 120 may be an electrically conductive heating element configured to receive energy by electric current. The heating element may comprise an electrically conductive material, typically including metallic materials such as aluminum, iron, steel alloys, copper, etc., and / or non-metallic materials such as graphite, silicon carbide, etc.

[0026] 1A, the consumable 100 may further include a tubing section 140 between the filter 130 and the columnar portion 110. The tubing section may be used to allow the generated aerosol to cool before reaching the mouth end of the consumable.

[0027] FIG. 1B shows details of a first example of a heating element 120.

[0028] 1B, the heating element 120 includes a base portion 121 and a number of elongated portions 122a, 122b extending from the base portion 120. When embedded in the columnar portion 110, the elongated portions are arranged to extend along the columnar portion, i.e., the elongated portions are arranged to extend along the "longitudinal" direction of the columnar portion.

[0029] In such an arrangement of the elongated portion, the induction heating element may be conveniently powered by surrounding the column with a solenoid. In such an arrangement, the magnetic field of the solenoid may be parallel to the elongated portion, inducing a current around the surface area of ​​the elongated portion. Furthermore, even if the heating element is not an induction heating element, the arrangement of the elongated portion along the column improves the uniformity of heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0030] Such an arrangement of the base portion and the elongated portions also means that the heating element is adapted to be driven towards the columnar portion 110 by a force applied to the base portion 121 (as shown in FIG. 2, described below). In particular, the base portion 121 provides a surface for driving, while the elongated portions 122a, 122b are arranged to penetrate the columnar portion 110 with less resistance than the base portion 121.

[0031] 1B, the heating element 120 has two elongated portions 122a, 122b, which are arranged at each end of the base portion 121 to form a U-shape. The use of at least two elongated portions spread as far apart as possible along the base portion has the effect of stabilizing the heating element 120 when it is driven into the columnar portion 110, and increasing the number of elongated portions 122 increases the amount of material required for the heating element 120. The U-shape therefore balances the requirement of stability when driving the heating element with the requirement of reducing the amount of material required for the heating element.

[0032] The heating element 120 may advantageously have a substantially similar cross-section throughout the base portion and the multiple elongated portions. This simplifies the manufacture of the heating element 120 by allowing the use of lengths of material having a substantially uniform cross-section to form the heating element. Additionally, the substantially similar cross-sections of the base portion and the elongated portions means that the electrical current is substantially uniform over the surfaces of the elongated portions, enhancing the uniformity of heat distribution by the heating element.

[0033] More preferably, the heating element 120 may be formed from a wire that is bent to form a base portion and multiple elongated portions. For example, FIG. 1C shows a second example of a heating element 120 having three elongated portions formed from a wire. The ends of the wire form a central elongated portion 122b, and the central portion of the wire is bent to form outer elongated portions 122a, 122c and the base portion 121. Bending the wire eliminates the need to attach any of the base and elongated portions to one another, thus further simplifying the manufacture of the heating element 120.

[0034] Figure 1D is a rotated view of the consumable of Figure 1A, viewed from the end where the z-direction of Figure 1A extends into the page. Figure 1D illustrates the base portion 121 of the heating element extending across the end of the columnar portion 110, while an elongated portion (not shown) extends from the base portion into the columnar portion 110.

[0035] FIG. 1E is a view from the same perspective as FIG. 1D of a further example of a heating element 120. In this example, the base portion 121 has a cross shape with elongated portions (not shown) extending from each of the four ends of the cross shape. In this example, the cross shape is slightly distorted as it represents a cross shape formed by bending a length of material having a substantially uniform cross section multiple times to form the elongated and base portions. Providing a base portion that can support a two-dimensional arrangement of elongated portions improves the stability of the heating element as it is driven into the column and improves the uniformity of heat delivery to the column.

[0036] Returning to Figure 1A, the base portion 121 is preferably located at the open end of the columnar portion 110. In a typical consumable design, the consumable includes a filter 130 at the mouth end of the consumable. In such a design, the open end is opposite the mouth end. Positioning the heating element 120 in this way means that the heating element 120 can be added last to a nearly complete consumable.

[0037] 1A, the base portion 121 is adjacent to the open end of the columnar portion 110 but is not actually embedded therein, whereas the elongated portion is nearly completely embedded. Alternatively, the heating element 120 may be completely embedded in the columnar portion 110 to improve the efficiency of heat delivery to the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0038] Also, if the heating element 120 is added to the columnar portion 110 prior to the assembly of any other components of the consumable, such as the filter 130, the base portion 121 may be hammered and positioned at the end of the columnar portion 110 that will ultimately be closer to the mouth end of the consumable when fully manufactured.

[0039] In other consumables, the consumable does not include a filter and the "open end" may be either end of the column.

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a method for manufacturing a consumable product as described above.

[0041] 2, the columnar portion 110 (which may already be part of the consumable including the filter 130) is placed with an end facing the heating element driver 200. The heating element driver 200 is then used to drive the heating element 120 towards the end of the columnar portion 110.

[0042] Heating element driver 200 may be similar to a conventional stapler or nail gun adapted to hold and drive heating element 120 as described above.

[0043] The post 110 may be positioned directly adjacent to the heating element driver 200 such that the heating element 120 can be held by the heating element driver 200 while the heating element 120 is driven into the post. Alternatively, the post 110 may be positioned at a distance from the heating element driver 200 such that the heating element driver 200 drives the heating element 120 towards the post by firing the heating element 120 with sufficient force applied to the base portion 121 such that upon impact the heating element is driven into the post.

[0044] In a simple embodiment, this method may be performed manually by using a handheld heating element driver 200 and / or by holding the post 110 facing the heating element driver 200 .

[0045] Alternatively, the method may be performed by a system including a heating element driver 200 in addition to a holding means arranged facing the holding means and adapted to receive a post 110 or a consumable 100 including a post 110. An example of such a system is shown diagrammatically in Figure 3.

[0046] In the example of Fig. 3, the system includes a drum 300. The drum has a number of holding means 310a, 310b, 310c arranged at respective indexed positions around the drum, each holding means adapted to hold a respective post 110 (which may already be part of the consumable). The holding means may for example be a depression or a groove in the outer surface of the drum. In this example, a groove is provided that is at least as long as the post 110 in the "longitudinal" direction (z-direction in Fig. 1), along which the post 110 is held. Each holding means may optionally have an actuator for actively holding and releasing the post 110.

[0047] The heating element drive 200 is statically arranged to face a first indexed position of the drum 300. The drum 300 is configured to perform an indexed rotation such that with each rotation of the drum 300 a new holding means (and therefore a new post) is positioned in the first position facing the heating element drive 200.

[0048] For example, the drum 300 shown in Figure 3 has twelve evenly spaced retaining means 310a, 310b, 310c. In this example, each indexed rotation of the drum is one-twelfth of a full rotation. More generally, a drum can have any number of retaining means, and the retaining means need not be evenly spaced around the circumference of the drum, so long as the rotation of the drum is controlled according to the position of the retaining means.

[0049] In this system, multiple consumable products according to the present invention can be produced by repeatedly rotating the drum 300 one position and having the heating element driver 200 drive the heating element 120 towards the columnar portion 110 that is currently in the first position.

[0050] The missing column 110 of the heating element 120 can be added to the drum 300 using the hopper 400. More specifically, the hopper 400 can be arranged to receive and deliver a plurality of the column 110 toward a second indexed position around the drum 300. In this embodiment, the column 110 is delivered one-by-one into each of the holding means 310a, 310b, 310c when each respective holding means is in a second position adjacent the hopper 400.

[0051] The second position may be the same as the first position associated with the heating element driver 200. However, the second position is preferably different from the first position. By locating the heating element driver 200 and the hopper 400 adjacent to different indexing positions, the pillar 110 remains in the respective holding means 310a, 310b, 310c for a longer period of time prior to application of the heating element 120. This reduces the precision required to control the timing of the operation of the hopper 400 and the heating element driver 200.

[0052] Each column 110 may be added to the drum using gravity. This may be accomplished by arranging the drum 300 to rotate about a generally horizontal axis, and by arranging the hopper 400 to deliver the column 110 toward a second location at or near the topmost position around the drum 300. Each column 110 enters its respective holding means 310 through an opening in the holding means at the second indexing position. In this example, the hopper 400 is arranged to deliver each column 110 such that the column 110 enters its respective holding means 310 perpendicular to the "longitudinal" direction of the column 110 (z-direction in FIG. 1).

[0053] Each column 110 (or the complete consumable) can be removed from the drum 300 in the same manner, using gravity, after the addition of the heating element 120. This can be achieved by adapting an opening in each holding means 310 such that the holding means 310 supports the column 110 while the drum 300 rotates a predetermined number of index positions (i.e., a predetermined number of positions from the vertical in FIG. 3) from when the respective column 110 is placed within the holding means 310 at the second index position, and then allows the column to drop out of the holding means 310 again through the opening. For example, the holding means can be passively shaped or actively controlled such that the column is stably held within the holding means until it has rotated 120° from the vertical position, and such that the column will drop out of the holding means once the holding means has exceeded 120° from the vertical around the drum.

[0054] In another example, the improved drum 300' may be arranged to rotate about a substantially vertical axis and may be fed and / or emptied under gravity. In this example, the columns 110 (or the complete consumable) may enter and / or exit the drum 300' parallel to the "longitudinal" direction of the columns 110 (z-direction in FIG. 1). For example, the improved feeder 400' may be positioned above the second indexing position and configured to feed the columns 110 lengthwise such that each column 110 enters the drum 300 parallel to the "longitudinal" direction. Similarly, the drum 300' may be adapted to release the columns 110 from their respective holding means 310 at the third indexing position. This may be achieved by providing a solid plate below the drum 300' that does not rotate and has a hole at the third indexing position to allow the columns 110 to fall from the holding means 310 under gravity.

[0055] The system may further include an electronic controller configured to automatically control one or more of the heating element drive 200, the drum 300 and the hopper 400. The system may further include one or more sensors configured, for example, to detect whether the post 110 is present within the holding means currently located in the first position and / or to detect whether the post 110 within the holding means already has a heating element 120 embedded therein. The system may alternatively be operated by a human operator.

[0056] In other embodiments of the system, the drum 300 can be replaced by a conveyor belt including multiple retaining means, and the system can otherwise be similar with a heating element drive 200 positioned to face a first location along the conveyor belt, and a hopper 400 positioned to deliver the column 110 toward a second location along the conveyor belt.

[0057] Additionally, in other embodiments, the system can be adapted to operate continuously, without stepwise motion, by mounting one or more heating element drives 200 on a drum 300 (or conveyor belt).

[0058] 4A and 4B show an example of the use of a consumable as described above to generate an aerosol.

[0059] FIG. 4A illustrates a schematic of the consumable 100 within an aerosol generating device 500.

[0060] The aerosol generating device 500 includes a heating chamber 510 that includes a driving element 520 configured to drive the heating element 120 of the consumable 100. In this example, the driving element 520 is a solenoid coil arranged to generate a magnetic field within the heating chamber 510. The magnetic field induces a current in the heating element 120 to cause heating of the column of the aerosol substrate 110.

[0061] To generate an inhalable aerosol, a user may insert the consumable 100 into the heating chamber 510 and heat the column portion 110 using the heating element 120 to generate an inhalable aerosol.

[0062] In this example, the consumable 100 does not have a filter 130 or a tube section 140. Such a simple consumable may be used, for example, where the aerosol generating device itself has a mouthpiece and filter (not shown) from which a user can obtain the generated aerosol.

[0063] FIG. 4B illustrates a schematic of the consumable 100 within a second aerosol generating device 600.

[0064] The aerosol generating device 600 also includes a heating chamber 610 and an actuation element 620. However, in this example, the actuation element 620 includes a piercing element positioned to penetrate the post 110 and make electrical contact with the heating element 120 to pass an electrical current through the heating element. The actuation element 620 may be retractable to allow for the addition and removal of consumables from the heating chamber 610.

[0065] To generate an inhalable aerosol, a user may insert the consumable 100 into the heating chamber 610 and heat the column portion 110 using the heating element 120 to generate an inhalable aerosol.

Claims

1. A consumable for an aerosol generating device, comprising: A columnar portion of an aerosol-generating substrate; a heating element embedded in said columnar portion; Including, the heating element includes a base portion and a plurality of elongated portions extending from the base portion along the columnar portion; the heating element is adapted to be driven towards the post portion by a force applied to the base portion; the heating element is a wire that is bent to form the base portion and the plurality of elongated portions; consumables.

2. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is an induction heating element.

3. 3. The consumable of claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating element comprises two elongated portions disposed at respective ends of the base portion to form a U-shape.

4. The consumable of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating element has a substantially similar cross-section throughout the base portion and the plurality of elongated portions.

5. 5. A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate is a solid material or a bulk material held by a wrap around the column, and the heating element is embedded in the aerosol-generating substrate.

6. The consumable product of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base portion is disposed at an open end of the post portion.

7. A system for manufacturing a consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: a retaining means adapted to receive a consumable article including a post; a heating element driver arranged facing the holding means, the heating element driver being configured to drive a heating element towards an end of the columnar portion; Including, the system.

8. the drum including a plurality of said holding means arranged at respective indexed positions around the circumference of the drum, each holding means adapted to receive a respective consumable, the drum being configured for indexed rotation; a heating element driver arranged to face a first indexed position around the drum, the heating element driver configured to drive a heating element toward an end of a column of consumables within the holding means at the first indexed position; The system of claim 7 , comprising:

9. 10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a hopper arranged to receive a plurality of columns of aerosol-generating substrate and deliver said plurality of columns toward second indexed locations around the drum.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first index position and the second index position are different positions.

11. 11. The system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the drum is arranged to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis and the second index position is a top position.

12. 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the holding means is adapted to drop each column after the drum has rotated a predetermined number of index positions from when the each column is disposed within the holding means at the second index position.

13. The system of any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the heating element driver is a stapler.

14. A method for producing a consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of: Positioning an end of a column of the aerosol-generating substrate facing a heating element actuator; using the heating element driver to drive a heating element toward the end of the columnar portion; A method comprising:

15. 1. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, comprising: Inserting a consumable according to any one of claims 1 to 6 into a heating chamber comprising a drive element configured to drive the heating element; heating the column of aerosol-generating substrate using the heating element to generate the inhalable aerosol; A method comprising:

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