Smoking material heating device

Abstract

To provide a smokable-material heating device that allows a user to easily clean the inside of the device.SOLUTION: A device for heating a smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material, includes a housing. The housing has a first opening 30 at a first end 11, through which opening the smokable material is received within and removed from the device in use. The housing has a second opening 35 at a second end 12 opposed from the first end 11. The housing further includes a chamber 23 between the first and second openings 30, 35. At least one heater 20 is arranged within the housing for heating the smokable material removably received within the chamber 23 in use. A user can access the chamber 23 through at least the second opening 35 to clean the inside of the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of the entirety of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62 / 185,227, filed Jun. 26, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating smokable material. [Background technology]

[0003] Articles such as cigarettes, cigars, etc. burn tobacco to produce smoke when used. Alternatives to these smoking articles have been provided by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products include so-called non-combustion heating products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices, that release compounds by heating a material without burning it. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products or combinations such as blended mixes, which may or may not contain nicotine. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for heating a smoking material and vaporising at least one component of the smoking material, the apparatus comprising: a housing and at least one heater; the housing has a first opening at a first end through which smokable material can pass in use to be received within and removed from the device; The housing has a second opening at a second end opposite the first end; The housing has a chamber between the first opening and the second opening; a heater disposed within the housing for heating smokable material removably contained within the chamber during use; A user can access the interior of the chamber through at least the second opening to clean the interior of the device.

[0005] Access to the interior of the chamber through at least the second opening may, among other things, allow a user to clean the interior of the chamber and optionally the heater at the second end, and in certain instances, may allow a user to easily clean substantially the entire chamber.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a door selectively covering the second opening, the door being movable between a first position when the second opening is closed by the door and a second position when the second opening is open, In an exemplary embodiment, the door is coupled to the housing by a hinge.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the housing is provided by a chassis and first and second side panels, the first and second side panels being securable to the chassis, the first and second side panels being arranged to secure the door when the first and second side panels are secured to the chassis.

[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, the door is slidably mounted to the housing such that the door can slide between the first and second positions.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the chamber has a region of reduced internal diameter towards the second end which, in use, acts as a stop for smokable material passing through the first opening, which helps to ensure that the smokable material is located in a predetermined location within the chamber in use.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the device includes a hollow tube located within the chamber at the second end. In an exemplary embodiment, the hollow tube at the second end provides a region of reduced inner diameter towards the second end that, in use, serves as a stop for smokable material passing through the first opening. In an exemplary embodiment, the hollow tube at the second end is arranged to support a heater at the second end. Thus, in this embodiment, the hollow tube serves both to position the smokable material at a predetermined location within the chamber and to support the heater at the second end.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a hollow tube located within the chamber at a first end, the hollow tube at the first end configured to support a heater.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the heater has a hollow interior and the chamber is defined at least in part by the hollow interior of the heater which, in use, contains the smokable material.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the heater is formed from a plurality of heating elements.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the device includes insulation around the heater, thereby reducing heat loss from the heater to the exterior of the device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a smoking material heating device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows an end view of the device of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a view from another end of the device of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 with smokable material inserted. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 without any inserted smokable material. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 with the side panels removed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the hollow tubular member of the device of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the door open at one end. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] As used herein, the term "smoking material" includes materials that upon heating provide volatile components, typically in the form of an aerosol. "Smoking material" includes any tobacco-containing material, including, for example, one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. "Smoking material" may also include other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine depending on the product. "Smoking material" may be in any form, such as, for example, a solid, liquid, gel, or wax. "Smoking material" may also be, for example, a combination or blend of materials.

[0017] Devices are known that heat smoking material without burning or combusting the smoking material and vaporize at least one component of the smoking material, typically forming a respirable aerosol. Such devices may be described as "non-combustion heating" devices or "tobacco heating products" or "tobacco heating devices" or similar. Some are also referred to as electronic cigarettes, which also typically vaporize liquid smoking material, with or without nicotine. The smoking material may be in the form of a rod, cartridge or cassette that can be inserted into the device, or may be provided as part thereof. A heater for heating and vaporizing the smoking material may be provided as a "permanent" part of the device, or may be provided as part of a smoking article or consumable that is discarded and replaced after use. In this context, a "smoking article" is a device or article or other part that contains or includes smoking material and optionally other components that are heated and vaporized during use.

[0018] 1-3, which show a side view, a first end view, and a second end view, respectively, of an example of a device 10 configured to heat smokable material and vaporize at least one component of the smokable material, typically to form an inhalable aerosol. The device 10 is a heating device 10 that releases compounds by heating, but not combusting, the smokable material. In some cases, the first end 11 is referred to herein as the mouth end 11, and the second end 12 is referred to herein as the distal end 12. The device 10 has an on / off button 13 that allows a user to turn the entire device 10 on and off at their leisure.

[0019] Additionally, with reference to the cross-sectional views of Figures 4 and 5 and the perspective view of Figure 6, the device 10 provides a housing that mounts and protects the internal components of the device 10. In the illustrated example, the device 10 is formed of one or more "chassis" portions and one or more side panels. In the particular example illustrated, the device 10 has a main chassis 14 and two side panels 15, 16. When assembling the device 10, the various internal components of the device 10 are mounted and / or secured within the chassis 14, and then the one or more side panels 15, 16 are secured to the chassis 14. The one or more side panels 15, 16 may be removably secured to the chassis 14, thereby allowing easy access to the interior of the device 10, or may be "permanently" attached to the chassis 14, for example, to prevent a user from accessing the interior of the device 10. In the particular example shown, the chassis 14 provides at least a portion of a front wall 17 of the device 10 at the first or mouth end 11 and at least a portion of a rear wall 18 of the device 10 at the second or distal end 12. In one example, the chassis 14 and side panels 15, 16 are made of a plastic material including, for example, glass-filled nylon formed by injection molding, although other materials and other manufacturing methods may be used.

[0020] The chassis 14 has the heater 20, the control circuitry 21 and the power source 22 mounted or secured thereto. In this example, the heater 20, the control circuitry 21 and the power source 22 are adjacent to each other in a horizontal line (i.e., adjacent when viewed end-on as in Figures 2 and 3), with the control circuitry 21 located generally between the heater 20 and the power source 22, although other arrangements are possible. The control circuitry 21 may include a controller, such as a microprocessor device, which is constructed and arranged to control the heating of the smokable material, as described below. The power source 22 may be, for example, a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium ion batteries, nickel batteries (such as nickel cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries and / or the like. The power source 22 is electrically coupled to the heater 20 and provides power to heat the smokable material (to vaporize the smokable material without burning it, as described above) under the control of the control circuitry 21, when necessary. An advantage of locating the power source 22 laterally adjacent to the heater 20 is that a physically larger power source 22 can be used without increasing the overall length of the device 10. Of course, a physically larger power source 22 will typically have a higher capacity (i.e., the total power it can supply, often expressed in ampere-hours or the like), thereby enabling the device 10 to have a longer battery life.

[0021] In one embodiment, the heater 20 is in the form of a generally hollow cylindrical tube, with a hollow internal heating chamber 23 into which smokable material is inserted for heating in use. The heater 20 may be of different configurations. For example, the heater 20 may be formed of a single heating element, or may be formed of multiple heating elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the heater 20. The, or each heating element may be annular or tubular about its circumference, or at least partially annular or partially tubular. In one embodiment, the, or each heating element may be a thin film heater. In another embodiment, the heating element, or each heating element may be fabricated from a ceramic material. Suitable ceramic materials include alumina, aluminum nitride, and silicon nitride ceramics, which may be laminated or sintered. Other heating devices are possible, and may include, for example, induction heating, infrared heating elements that heat by irradiating infrared light, or resistive heating elements formed, for example, by resistive electrical windings. In a particular embodiment, the heater 20 is formed from a polyimide substrate, on which one or more heating elements are formed and held by a stainless steel support tube. The heater 20 is sized such that, in use, the entire inserted smokable material is contained within the heating element of the heater 20 such that substantially the entire smokable material is heated. The or each heating element may be arranged such that selected areas of the smokable material can be heated individually, for example sequentially (over time) as described above, or together (simultaneously).

[0022] The heater 20 of this embodiment is surrounded by insulation 24 along at least a portion of its length. The insulation 24 helps to reduce heat loss from the heater 20 to the outside of the device 10. This typically reduces heat loss and therefore reduces the power required for the heater 20. The insulation 24 also helps to keep the exterior surface of the device 10 cool while the heater 20 is in operation. In one embodiment, the insulation 24 may be a double-walled sleeve with a low pressure area between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the insulation 24 may be, for example, a "vacuum" tube, i.e., the tube may be partially evacuated to minimize heat transfer by conduction and / or convection. Alternative configurations of the insulation 24 are possible in addition to or instead of a double-walled sleeve, including, for example, the use of insulating materials including suitable foam-based materials.

[0023] The front wall 17 of the chassis 14 has an opening 30 at the mouth end 11 of the device 10 through which a user may insert and remove smokable material from the device 10 during use. A door 31 is provided at the mouth end 11. The door 31 is openable to allow a user to insert and remove smokable material from the device 10 through the opening 30 during use, and is closeable to close the opening 30 when not in use to keep the interior of the device 10 clean and to prevent damage to the interior of the device 10. The door 31 in this example is a sliding door that can slide up and down to open and close the opening. In other examples, the door 31 can be a hinged door or other configurations can be provided. The door 31 in this example is provided to mate with a mouth end member 32 that is attached (e.g., by adhesive) to the front wall 17 of the chassis 14 during manufacture of the device 10, and which holds the door 31 so that it can be slid open and closed. The tipping member 32 and door 31 may be formed of a plastic material, including, for example, glass-filled nylon. The tipping member 32 in this example has an inwardly facing collar 33 which projects into the interior of the device 10 through the opening 30 and serves to support and position the heater 20, as described below. With particular reference to Figure 4 herein, it is shown that when a rod 50 containing smokable material 51 is partially inserted through the front opening 30, the smokable material 51 (at least) is located within the heating chamber 23 of the heater 20, and when the heater 20 is activated, the smokable material 51 is heated.

[0024] The rear wall 18 of the chassis 14 has an opening 35 at the distal end 12 of the device 10. A door 36 is provided at the distal end 12. The door 36 can be opened to access the opening at the distal end 12 and closed to close the opening 35 at the distal end. The door 36 at the distal end 12 in this example is a hinged door. In other examples, the door 36 can be a sliding door or other configurations can be provided. If the door 36 at the distal end 12 is a hinged door, it can be provided as a "living hinge". It is even more preferred if the door 36 is a separate member and the hinge of the door 36 is a barrel hinge. In this case, in the area of ​​the opening 35 where the door 36 is hinged to the chassis 14, the pivot pin 37 is located in one or more hollow barrel hinges 38 integrally or fixedly provided on the door 36 and in one or more recesses or hollow clips 39 integrally or fixedly provided on the chassis 14. The door 36 has one or more clips or projections 40 or the like which resiliently engage with surrounding portions or clips of the chassis 14 and may be provided with separate hollow tubes 41 for retaining the door 36 in a closed position, as described below. The door 36 is best seen in Figure 8. The door 36 may be formed of a plastic material including, for example, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).

[0025] In the assembled device 10, the heater 20 is disposed within the chassis 14, typically in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube, such that one end of the hollow tube is in fluid communication with the opening 30 at the mouth end 11 and the other end of the hollow tube is in fluid communication with the opening 35 at the distal end.

[0026] In use, the user closes the door 36 of the distal end 12 to close the opening 35 of the distal end 12, and opens the door 30 of the mouth end 11 to open the opening 30 of the mouth end 11. The user then inserts a rod 50 containing smokable material 51 into the heating chamber 23 of the heater 20 through the opening 30 of the mouth end 11, operates the device 10 to heat the smokable material 51 to generate an aerosol for a desired inhalation, and removes the used smokable material 51 from the device 10 through the opening 30 of the mouth end 11. What is important is that the user can open the door 36 of the distal end 12 to open the opening 35 of the distal end 12 after using the device 10. The opening 35 of the distal end 12 allows the user to access the interior of the device 10, particularly in the area of ​​the opening 35 of the distal end 12. This allows the user to clean the interior of the device 10 in the area of ​​the opening 35 of the distal end 12, if necessary or desired. By accessing the distal end 12, the user may, among other things, clean the heater 20 and the interior of the heating chamber 23 at the distal end 12. In fact, because the heater 20 is located between the openings 30, 35 at the mouth end 11 and distal end 12, respectively, and because the hollow heater 20 defines a substantially straight through hole throughout the entirety of the device 10 between the mouth end opening 30 and the distal end opening 35, the user may easily clean substantially the entire interior hollow heating chamber 23. This allows the user to access the heating chamber 23 through either side of the openings 30, 35. The user may use one or more of a variety of cleaning implements, such as, for example, a conventional pipe cleaner or a brush.

[0027] In one example, the heating chamber 23 has a region of smaller inner diameter towards the distal end 12. This provides an end stop for smokable material passing through the first opening 30 at the mouth end 11 and prevents the smokable material from passing straight through to the second opening 35 at the distal end 12.

[0028] In the illustrated example, this area of ​​reduced internal diameter is provided by a hollow tube 41 located within the end of the heating chamber 23 towards the distal end 12. An example of a hollow tube 41 is best seen in FIG. 7. The hollow tube 41 in this example has an outwardly extending head or flange 42. The hollow tube 41 may be formed of, for example, a plastic material, which may include, for example, polyethyl ethyl ketone (PEEK). During manufacture of the device 10, the hollow tube 41 is inserted from the outside into the opening 35 at the distal end 12, and its head or flange 42 provides a stop against the chassis 14 to hold the hollow tube 41 in place. The hollow tube 41 may be fixed in place, for example, with an adhesive. The heater 20 is then placed within the chassis 14 with the hollow tube 41 in the distal end of the inner chamber 23 of the heater 20. Thus, in this case, the hollow tube 41 provides a region of reduced internal diameter within the heating chamber 23 which both acts as a stop for smokable material inserted within the inner chamber 23 of the heater 20, and which also supports and positions the heater 20 within the device 10 at the distal end 12. Further referring to holding and positioning the heater 20 within the device 10, in the above example, the inwardly facing collar 33 of the tipping member 32 at the mouth end 11 similarly projects into the mouth end 11 of the inner chamber 23 of the heater 20, thereby holding and positioning the heater 20 within the device 10 at the mouth end 11.

[0029] 7, the head or flange 42 of hollow tube 41 has inwardly facing protrusions or clips 43. When the door 36 is in the closed position, the clips or protrusions 40 of the door 36 resiliently engage the protrusions or flanges 42 of the head or flange 42 of hollow tube 41, respectively, to hold the door 36 in the closed position.

[0030] 4 in particular, in one example the smokable material is provided as part of the consumable in the form of a cylindrical rod 50 having or including smokable material 51 at one end (the distal end which is inserted into the chassis 14 in use). In this example, the rod 50 has a mouthpiece assembly at the other end (the mouth end) which includes one or more of a filter for filtering the aerosol and / or a cooling element 52 for cooling the aerosol. The filter / cooling element 52 is spaced apart from the smokable material by a spacing 53 and also spaced apart from the mouth end by a further spacing 54.

[0031] The various embodiments described herein are provided merely to aid in understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are merely representative examples and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered to limit the present disclosure to the claims as set forth herein or to the equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized or modified without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the present disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, or other combinations. In addition, the present disclosure includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10...apparatus, 11...first end, 12...second end, 20...heater, 23...chamber, 30...first opening, 35...second opening.

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus for heating a smoking material and vaporizing at least one component of the smoking material, the apparatus comprising: a housing, at least one heater, and a hollow tube; the housing has a first opening at a first end through which smokable material can be received within and removed from the device in use; the housing has a second opening at a second end opposite the first end; the housing has a chamber between the first opening and the second opening; the at least one heater is disposed within the housing for heating smokable material removably contained within the chamber in use; the hollow tube is positioned within the chamber at the second end, providing a region of reduced inner diameter at the second end, the hollow tube at the second end being arranged to support the heater longitudinally at the second end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including a door that selectively covers the second opening, the door being movable between a first position when the second opening is closed by the door and a second position when the second opening is open.

3. The device described in claim 2, wherein the door is connected to the housing by a hinge.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the housing is provided by a chassis and first and second side panels, the first and second side panels being securable to the chassis, and the first and second side panels being arranged to secure the door when the first and second side panels are secured to the chassis.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the door is slidably mounted to the housing such that the door can slide between the first and second positions.

6. A device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the chamber has a region whose inner diameter narrows towards the second end which acts as a stopper for smoking material passing through the first opening when in use.

7. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a hollow tube positioned within the chamber at the first end, the hollow tube at the first end being arranged to support the heater.

8. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heater has a hollow interior, and the chamber is at least partially defined by the hollow interior of the heater which contains smoking material when in use.

9. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the heater is formed of a plurality of heating elements.

10. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising insulation wrapped around the heater to reduce heat loss from the heater to the outside of the apparatus.

11. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a user can access the inside of the chamber through the first or second opening to clean the apparatus.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the hollow tube is elongated.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow tube is formed from polyethyl ethyl ketone.

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