Non-flammable aerosol delivery device

Abstract

A non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the aerosol-generating material being provided in a consumable for receipt by the device. The device comprises a chamber 102 for receiving the consumable. The device 100 further comprises a consumable holder 500 for holding the consumable within the chamber 102, the consumable holder 500 comprising at least two selectively engageable gripping members spaced apart from one another in an axial direction of the chamber 102 for gripping different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding each of a plurality of differently sized consumables, one at a time, at a desired position within the chamber 102 through use of the selectively engageable gripping members.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-combustible aerosol delivery device, a consumable holder for holding a consumable comprising an aerosol generating material within the non-combustible aerosol delivery device, and a non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprising the non-combustible aerosol delivery device and at least one consumable comprising an aerosol generating material. [Background technology]

[0002] (background) Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, etc., burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke when used. Attempts have been made to provide an alternative to these tobacco-burning articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products include heating devices that release compounds by heating, rather than burning, a material. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. Summary of the Invention

[0003] (overview) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-combustible aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, the aerosol generating material being provided on a consumable for receipt by the device, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device comprising: a chamber for receiving the consumable, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material when the consumable is received in the chamber; and a consumable holder for holding the consumable in the chamber, the consumable holder comprising at least two selectively engageable gripping members spaced apart from one another in an axial direction of the chamber for gripping different respective points on the consumable, the consumable holder being such that by use of the selectively engageable gripping members, the consumable holder is capable of holding each of a plurality of differently sized consumables at a desired position within the chamber, one at a time.

[0004] The selectively engageable gripping members may be selectively engageable to grip different consumables having different respective diameters.

[0005] The gripping member may be configured to be engaged to grip the consumable in response to user manipulation of an actuator on the device.

[0006] The actuator may be configured to be moved relative to the chamber of the device to cause the first gripping member and the second gripping member to grip the consumable.

[0007] Each of the selectively engageable gripping members may comprise an annular gripping member having a central aperture for receiving a portion of the consumable, the diameter of each central aperture being adjustable by a user to engage the annular gripping member with the portion of the consumable received in the central aperture to hold the consumable.

[0008] Each annular gripping member may include a ring and a plurality of gripping arms projecting from the ring, the plurality of gripping arms being movable radially about the ring to adjust the diameter of the central aperture thereby to engage a portion of the consumable received in the central aperture and grip the consumable.

[0009] Each of the plurality of gripping arms may be biased radially about the ring away from the central aperture.

[0010] Each gripping arm of the plurality of gripping arms may include an inwardly directed portion at a free end of the arm, the inwardly directed portion configured to engage and grip the consumable.

[0011] The consumable holder may comprise a frame movable relative to the selectively engageable gripping members by a user to engage the selectively engageable gripping members with the consumable.

[0012] The frame may be movable relative to the annular gripping members to cause clamping of the annular gripping members to adjust the respective diameters of the central apertures of each of the annular gripping members to cause gripping of the consumable.

[0013] The frame may include a plurality of annular clamping members, each annular clamping member of the plurality of annular clamping members mounted to move to clamp an annular gripping member of the plurality of annular gripping members and cause gripping of the consumable item when the frame is moved by a user.

[0014] The consumable holder can be configured to hold each of a plurality of elongated consumables, each having a different respective length and / or diameter.

[0015] The device may be a tobacco heating product configured to receive each of a plurality of different sized consumables comprising tobacco and to generate an aerosol from each of the consumables without combusting the tobacco.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprising a non-combustible aerosol delivery device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure and at least one consumable comprising an aerosol generating material, the consumable being configured to be received by the non-combustible aerosol delivery device and held by a consumable holder to enable the device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a consumable holder for holding a consumable comprising an aerosol generating material in a chamber of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device for the non-combustible aerosol delivery device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material, the consumable holder comprising at least two selectively engageable gripping members spaced apart from one another in an axial direction of the chamber for gripping different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding each of a plurality of differently sized consumables comprising the aerosol generating material at a desired position within the chamber, one at a time, by use of the selectively engageable gripping members.

[0018] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of an example non-combustible aerosol delivery device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device, with the outer cover shown as partially transparent to reveal the consumable holder feature of the device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame of the consumable holder. [Figure 5A] 5A is a perspective view of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device similar to FIG. 3, where in FIG. 5A a first consumable is held by a consumable holder. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 illustrates a non-combustible aerosol delivery device in which a second consumable is held by a consumable holder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] (Detailed Description) 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of an exemplary non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100. Non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 includes a heating chamber 102. Heating chamber 102 is configured to receive a consumable (not shown in FIG. 1) that includes an aerosol-generating material that may or may not include tobacco.

[0021] An aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when activated, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain actives and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid within it, such as a liquid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, about 50%, 60%, or 70% by weight of an amorphous solid to about 90%, 95%, or 100% by weight of an amorphous solid.

[0022] The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active agents and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0023] As used herein, an active substance may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. An active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, psychoactive substances. An active substance may be naturally derived or synthetically obtained. An active substance may comprise, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. An active substance may comprise one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another botanical substance.

[0024] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0025] The one or more other functional ingredients may comprise one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0026] The aerosol forming material may comprise one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0027] A consumable is an article that comprises or is composed of an aerosol-generating material that is intended to be consumed in whole or in part by a user during use. A consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. A consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that generates heat during use to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol. The heater may comprise, for example, a combustible material, a material that can be heated by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0028] In this example, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 is for heating an aerosol-generating material in a consumable to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol-generating material. Hereinafter, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 is referred to as device 100. The device 100 is configured to heat an aerosol-generating material in a consumable (not shown in FIG. 1 ) that comprises the aerosol-generating material and is received in a desired heating chamber 102. The device 100 comprises a heating arrangement 104 configured to provide energy to heat the aerosol-generating material in the consumable received in the heating chamber 102. In some examples, the heating arrangement 104 comprises one or more resistive heating elements disposed in thermal contact with the heating chamber 102. Heat is generated by the flow of electrical current against the electrical resistance of the one or more resistive heating elements. This process is referred to as Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistive heating.

[0029] The susceptor is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically conductive material, such that the penetration of the varying magnetic field results in inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, such that the penetration of the varying magnetic field results in magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field may also be referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0030] In some examples, the heating configuration 104 is an inductive heating configuration and is configured to generate a varying magnetic field to inductively heat the susceptor. As described in more detail below, in some examples, the susceptor is configured to define a heating chamber 102 for receiving the consumable. The inductive heating configuration can include one or more inductors through which an alternating current is passed to generate the varying magnetic field. In some examples using inductive heating, the heating configuration 104 includes one or more susceptors. In other examples using inductive heating, the heating configuration 104 may not include a susceptor, and instead, one or more susceptors may be provided as part of / with a consumable intended for use with the device 100.

[0031] The device 100 includes a power source 106. The power source 106 provides power to various components of the device 100. In some examples, the power source 106 is a battery. In some examples, the power source 106 includes a battery and a DC-DC converter, and power is provided from the battery through the DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter can enable the power source 106 to provide power at a voltage different from that of the battery. In some examples, the device 100 can include a DC / AC converter to convert DC current, e.g., from a battery, to AC current, e.g., to provide power to one or more inductors of the heating component 104 (where the heating component 104 is an inductive heating component). In the following examples, the power source 106 is simply referred to as the battery 106.

[0032] 1, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 includes a processor 108 in data communication with a computer-readable memory 110. The processor 108 controls various aspects by executing instructions stored on the computer-readable memory 110. For example, the processor 108 can control the operation of the heating element 104. For example, the processor can control the delivery of power from the battery 106 to the heating element 104 by controlling various electrical components such as switches and the like (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0033] The device 100 comprises a housing 101 that forms an outer cover of the device 100 and encloses and contains various components of the device 100. The chamber 102 in this example is configured to receive a consumable (not shown in FIG. 1 ) comprising an aerosol-generating material, and the device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. The device 100 may generate an aerosol from the consumable by heating the aerosol-generating material, for example in a manner as described above. In other examples, the aerosol may be generated from the aerosol-generating material by applying energy to the aerosol-generating material in another manner, for example by use of ultrasonic energy.

[0034] The device 100 has an opening 105 at one end, which allows a consumable to be inserted into the chamber 102. In some examples, as shown in some examples below, a portion of the consumable may be received within the chamber 102 of the device 100, while a portion of the consumable may protrude from the opening 105 of the device 100. In examples, the portion of the consumable received in the chamber 102 comprises an aerosol-generating material, and the device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. The portion of the consumable protruding from the opening 105 may comprise, for example, a filter, and a user may inhale the generated aerosol from the portion of the consumable protruding from the opening 105.

[0035] The device 100 may include a user-actuable control element 112, such as a button or switch, that when pressed operates the device 100. For example, a user may turn on the device 100 by operating the switch 112.

[0036] The device 100 may also include electrical components such as a socket / port (not shown) that can accept a cable for charging the battery 106. For example, the socket may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port. In some examples, the socket may also or alternatively be used to transfer data between the device 100 and another device, such as a computing device. The socket may also be electrically coupled to the battery 106 via an electrical track.

[0037] The end of the device closest to the opening 105 may be known as the proximal end (mouth end) of the device 100 because it is closest to the user's mouth during use. During use, a user can insert a consumable into the opening 105, operate the user control 112 to initiate heating of the aerosol generating material, and inhale at the proximal end of the device 100. This causes the aerosol to flow through the device 100 along the flow path toward the proximal end of the device 100. In an example, a portion of the consumable may protrude from the opening 105, and the user may inhale at the proximal end of the consumable, causing the aerosol to flow to the proximal end of the device 100 and be inhaled. In another example, the device 100 may include a mouthpiece that the user inhales into to inhale the aerosol stream.

[0038] The end of device 100 opposite the proximal end and furthest from opening 105 may be known as the distal end of device 100 because it is the end furthest from a user's mouth when in use. When a user inhales aerosol generated within the device, the aerosol flows away from the distal end of device 100.

[0039] The device 100 may, in some examples, include a lid / cap (not shown) disposed toward a distal end of the device 100. Opening the lid / cap may provide access to the heating chamber 102. A user may open a second lid, e.g., to clean the components within the heating chamber 102, e.g., to remove debris from a previous use session.

[0040] The device 100 comprises a consumable holder 500. The consumable holder 500 is configured to hold in place, one at a time, each of a plurality of differently sized consumables intended for use with the device 100. For example, the consumable holder 500 may enable the device 100 to receive a first consumable and a second consumable, which may have different lengths and / or different diameters from each other. It should be noted that, in this specification, references to consumables of different sizes or consumables of different dimensions refer to consumables that are intended to be different sizes from each other, and not, for example, consumables that are intended to be the same size, but differ in size by some small amount, for example due to manufacturing tolerances. The consumables may, for example, be of different types from each other, with each of the different types of consumables intended to have different dimensions.

[0041] In some examples, the first consumable and the second consumable are each elongated consumables that may be, for example, substantially cylindrical. The first and second consumables both comprise an aerosol-generating material. The first and second consumables may, for example, comprise a distal portion that contains the aerosol-generating material. The first and second consumables may also comprise a proximal portion that may, for example, comprise a filter and / or other components. Examples of the first and second consumables are described in more detail below with reference to the following figures.

[0042] It will be understood that device 100 may include other components not shown in Fig. 1, such as ventilation inlets / outlets, control interfaces, charging ports, etc. It should be noted that Fig. 1 is merely a schematic diagram illustrating several components that may be included in device 100. Fig. 1 is not intended to communicate the specific locations of the various components.

[0043] 2 shows a side view of an exemplary device 100. Device 100 is configured to receive a first consumable 120a comprising an aerosol-generating material, and device 100 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of device 100.

[0044] It can be seen that the housing 101 forms an outer cover of the device 100 that surrounds and contains the various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 105 at one end into which a consumable for use with the device 100, such as a first consumable 120a, can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly 104 (not shown in FIG. 2). In use, the first consumable 120a can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly where it can be heated by one or more components of the heater assembly 104 while being held by a consumable holder 500. The consumable holder 500 is not visible in FIG. 2 and is hidden inside the housing 101.

[0045] The device 100 may also include electrical components such as a socket / port 114 that can accept a cable to charge a battery of the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port. In some examples, the socket 114 may also or alternatively be used to transfer data between the device 100 and another device, such as a computing device. The socket 114 may also be electrically coupled to the battery 106 via an electrical track.

[0046] The device 100 may further include an insulating member (not shown) that may be generally tubular and at least partially surrounds the heating chamber 102. The insulating member 128 may be constructed from any insulating material, such as, for example, a plastic material. In this particular example, the insulating member is constructed from polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The insulating member may serve to insulate various components of the device 100 from heat generated to heat the consumable 120.

[0047] 3 shows device 100 in a perspective view, with the housing rendered partially transparent to allow viewing of consumable holder 500. Other components of device 100 have been omitted from FIG. 6 to aid in clarity.

[0048] The consumable holder 500 is configured to hold a first consumable 120a (not shown in FIG. 3) within the heating chamber 102 of the device 100, and the consumable 120 can be heated, for example by resistive heating or inductive heating, to generate an aerosol in the manner described above.

[0049] As mentioned above, consumable holder 500 is configured to hold any of a number of consumables, each having a different size, and consumable holder 500 will now be described in more detail.

[0050] The consumable holder 500 comprises a pair of selectively engageable gripping members for engaging and holding the consumable within the chamber. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the consumable holder 500 comprises a pair of selectively engageable gripping members comprising a first gripping member 510 and a second gripping member 520. The consumable holder 500 also comprises a frame 540 movable by a user to cause engagement of the gripping members 510, 520 for gripping the consumable. The first gripping member 510 and the second gripping member 520 are spaced apart from each other along the axial direction of the heating chamber. The first gripping member 510 is configured to engage and grip a point on the consumable 120 towards a proximal end of the consumable 120, while the second gripping member 520 is configured to engage and grip a point on the consumable 120 towards a distal end of the consumable 120.

[0051] In this example, each of the first and second gripping members 510, 520 is annular and defines a central aperture 512a, 522a through which the retained consumable 120 is received. The first gripping member 510 includes a ring 512b and a plurality of gripping arms 512c depending from the ring 512b. The gripping arms 512c surround the central aperture 512a, and the position of the gripping arms 512c defines the diameter of the central aperture 512a. Each of the gripping arms 512c has a free end with an inwardly directed portion 512d for gripping a point on the consumable. The inwardly rotating portion 512d of the gripping arms 512c is configured to grip a point on the consumable when the free end of the gripping arm 512c is moved radially relative to the ring 512b.

[0052] The frame 540 includes a first ring 542 and a second ring 544. The first ring 542 is mounted on the first gripping member 510. The first ring 542 is configured to clamp the gripping arms 512c of the first gripping member 510 when the frame 540 is moved axially downward by a user. The first ring 542 is a fixed diameter ring that surrounds and contacts the first gripping member 510. When the first ring 542 is moved axially downward, the first ring 542 pushes the radially outwardly biased arms 512 radially inward. As the contact point between the first ring 542 and the arms 512 moves downward and approaches the free end of the arms 512c, the inwardly directed portions 512d of the arms 512c are pushed radially inward to grip the consumable 120.

[0053] The second gripping member 520 functions in a similar manner as described for the first gripping member 510 to grip a point toward the distal end of the consumable 120. The second gripping member 520 defines a central aperture 522a and includes a ring 522b and a plurality of gripping arms 522c, each of which has an inwardly directed portion 522d at its free end. Similarly, the frame includes a second ring 544 that surrounds the second gripping member 520 and is configured to clamp the arms 522c of the second gripping member 520 to cause the second gripping member 520 to grip the consumable 120 when the frame 540 is moved axially downward.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows the frame 540 of the consumable holder 500 in isolation. The frame 540 is a rigid frame with first and second rings 542, 544 connected by a first connector 546 and a second connector 548. The frame 540 also includes a button 530 for a user to move the frame 540 to cause the first and second gripping members 510, 520 to grip a consumable. By engaging the button 530, a user can slide the frame 540 axially upwards or downwards to engage or disengage the gripping members 510, 520. In FIG. 4, the frame 540 is in a first axial position toward the proximal end of the device 100. In this first configuration, the gripping members 510, 520 are at their widest diameter. Thus, the first configuration shown in FIG. 4 can be the configuration in which a user places the consumable holder 500 for inserting a consumable into the chamber 102.

[0055] The radially inward movement of the free ends 512d of the gripping arms reduces the diameter of the apertures 512a, causing the free ends 512d to engage and grip the consumable 120. The gripping arms 522c are biased radially outward such that the apertures 522a have a maximum diameter when the gripping arms 522c are not clamped by the frame 540.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the consumable holder 500 is configured to hold consumables having different diameters depending on the location of the frame 540.

[0057] FIG. 5A shows a consumable holder 500 holding a first consumable 120a having a first diameter and a first length. In FIG. 5A, the first and second gripping members 510, 520 define central apertures 512a, 522a of a diameter suitable for gripping the first consumable 120a. The diameter defined by the apertures 512a, 522a is narrower than in the configuration shown in FIG. 3, which allows the gripping members 510, 520 to grip the first consumable 120a. In FIG. 5A, the frame 540 is in a second axial position to configure the consumable holder 500 to grip the first consumable 120a. In the configuration shown in FIG. 5A, the frame 540 is lower, i.e., further distal, than in the first configuration shown in FIG. 3. That is, FIG. 5A shows the consumable holder 500 in a configuration in which a user inserts a first consumable 120a and slides the frame 540 downward to engage the gripping members 510, 520 to grip the first consumable 120a.

[0058] FIG. 5B shows the consumable holder 500 holding a second consumable 120b having a diameter larger than that of the first consumable 120a. In this example, the second consumable 120b also has a length shorter than that of the first consumable 120a. In FIG. 5A, the consumable holder 500 is in a configuration in which the first and second gripping members 510, 520 define apertures 512a, 522a of a diameter suitable for gripping the second consumable 120a. Again, the diameter defined by the apertures 512a, 522a is wider than in the configuration shown in FIG. 5A, allowing the gripping members 510, 520 to grip the wider second consumable 120a. In FIG. 5A, the frame 540 is in an axial position suitable for configuring the consumable holder 500 to grip the second consumable 120b. In the configuration shown in Figure 5A, the frame 540 is lower, i.e., further distal, than in the configuration shown in Figure 4, but higher than in the configuration shown in Figure 5A. Again, the consumable holder 500 can be configured to grip the second consumable 120b by a user inserting the second consumable 120b and using the button 530 to slide the frame 540 downward until the gripping members 510, 520 engage and grip the second consumable 120b.

[0059] The consumable holder 500 provides a convenient and flexible way to hold different consumables having different dimensions in the heating chamber 102 of the device 100. The diameter that the gripping members 510, 520 are configured to grip is adjustable by the user, so that the consumable holder 500 can be used to grip consumables having a variety of different diameters. Although only shown with two different consumables 120a, 120b of different diameters in the drawings, the consumable holder 500 can hold consumables having any of a wide range of diameters within the range of diameters that the apertures 512a, 522a can be configured for, because the consumable holder 500 includes two gripping members 510, 520, any consumable held by the consumable holder 500 is held securely in place for use.

[0060] Another feature of the consumable holder 500 in the example shown in Figures 3-5 is that the gripping members 510, 520 are open ended. That is, the consumable can be inserted through the gripping members 510, 520 and positioned in a desired axial position before the gripping members 510, 520 are engaged to grip the consumable. Thus, depending on the length of the consumable, the distal end of the consumable can protrude different amounts below the second gripping member 520. This can be useful to allow the device 100 to accommodate consumables of different lengths and even that may or may not have different diameters.

[0061] In some examples, it may be preferred that the proximal end of a consumable inserted into the chamber 102 protrudes from the heated chamber aperture 104 by a given amount, regardless of the length of the consumable. In the example shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the proximal end of each of the first and second consumables 120a, 120b protrudes from the heated chamber aperture 104 by an equal amount. This may be desirable in some embodiments, for example, to position ventilation holes in each consumable in a corresponding position. The consumable holder 500 may allow a user to position the consumable such that the proximal end of the consumable protrudes by a desired amount to allow the consumable to be positioned in a desired axial position. In other examples, a stopper arrangement is provided against which the distal end of the inserted consumable abuts when the consumable is fully inserted into the chamber 102.

[0062] The above-described embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Further embodiments of the present invention are envisioned. It is to be understood that any feature described in connection with any one embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment, or any combination of any other embodiment. Moreover, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A non-combustible aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the aerosol-generating material being provided in a consumable for receipt by the device, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device comprising: a chamber for receiving the consumable, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device configured to generate the aerosol from the aerosol-generating material when the consumable is received in the chamber; a consumable holder for holding the consumable within the chamber, the consumable holder comprising at least two selectively engageable gripping members spaced apart from one another in an axial direction of the chamber for gripping different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding each of a plurality of different sized consumables, one at a time, at a desired position within the chamber through use of the selectively engageable gripping members; A non-combustible aerosol delivery device comprising:

2. 10. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the selectively engageable gripping members are selectively engageable to grip different consumables having different respective diameters.

3. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the gripping member is configured to be engaged to grip the consumable in response to user operation of an actuator on the device.

4. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is configured to be moved relative to the chamber of the device to cause the at least two selectively engageable gripping members to grip the consumable.

5. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the selectively engageable gripping members comprises an annular gripping member having a central aperture for receiving a portion of the consumable, and a diameter of each central aperture is adjustable by a user to cause the annular gripping member to engage the portion of the consumable received in the central aperture for holding the consumable.

6. 6. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein each of the annular gripping members comprises a ring and a plurality of gripping arms protruding from the ring, the plurality of gripping arms being movable radially about the ring to adjust the diameter of the central aperture thereby to engage and grip the portion of the consumable received in the central aperture.

7. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of gripping arms is biased in the radial direction of the ring away from the central aperture.

8. 8. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 6 or 7, wherein each gripping arm of the plurality of gripping arms has an inwardly directed portion at a free end of the arm, the inwardly directed portion configured to engage and grip the consumable.

9. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the consumable holder comprises a frame movable by a user relative to the selectively engageable gripping member to engage the selectively engageable gripping member with the consumable.

10. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 9 when dependent on any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the frame is movable relative to the annular gripping members to cause clamping of the annular gripping members to adjust the diameter of the central aperture of each of the annular gripping members and to cause gripping of the consumable.

11. 11. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of claim 10, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of annular clamping members, each of which is mounted to move to clamp an annular gripping member of the plurality of annular gripping members and cause gripping of the consumable when the frame is moved by a user.

12. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the consumable holder is configured to hold each of a plurality of elongated consumables, each having a different respective length and / or diameter.

13. 13. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the device is a tobacco heating product configured to accept each of a plurality of different sized consumables comprising tobacco and to generate an aerosol from each of the consumables without combusting the tobacco.

14. A non-combustible aerosol delivery system comprising the non-combustible aerosol delivery device of any one of claims 1 to 13 and at least one consumable comprising an aerosol generating material, the consumable being configured to be received by the non-combustible aerosol delivery device and held by the consumable holder to enable the device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material.

15. a consumable holder for holding a consumable comprising an aerosol-forming material in a chamber of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device so that the non-combustible aerosol delivery device generates an aerosol from the aerosol-forming material, The consumable holder has at least two selectively engageable gripping members spaced apart from one another in the axial direction of the chamber for gripping different respective points on the consumable, and the consumable holder is capable of holding each of a plurality of differently sized consumables comprising aerosol generating material at a desired position within the chamber, one at a time, by use of the selectively engageable gripping members.

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