Heating Device and Heating System

Abstract

To provide a heating device that can heat a smokable substance contained in a consumable supply.SOLUTION: A heating device includes: an air inlet; a housing; a heating element for heating a smokable substance from the inside thereof; a chamber positioned inside the housing and including a sidewall surrounding a side face of the smokable substance; a first cavity between an inner peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber and the side face of the consumable supply stored in the chamber; and a second cavity between the housing and an outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber, where the first cavity has a thickness that is larger than a thickness of the second cavity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device and a heating system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors and the like without burning materials are known. As such flavor inhalers, for example, an electrically heated aerosol generating system having a cavity for accommodating smoking articles in a housing is known (Patent Document 1). In this electrically heated aerosol generating system, an internal airflow channel is provided between the housing and the cavity, and air passes through the internal airflow channel and is supplied to the smoking article, thereby preheating the air. Patent Document 1 also describes that the housing is cooled by providing the internal airflow channel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5963375 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a heating device and a heating system having a new structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating device capable of heating smokable material contained in a consumable product. The heating device includes an air inlet, a housing, a heating element for heating the smokable material from within, a chamber located within the housing and having a sidewall surrounding a side surface of the smokable material, a first gap at least partially defined by an inner peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber and a side surface of the consumable product contained in the chamber, and a second gap between the housing and the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber. The thickness of the first gap is greater than the thickness of the second gap.

[0006] According to the first aspect, since the first gap, which is the gap closest to the heating element, has a relatively large thickness, it is possible to limit or reduce the convection of air in the gap compared to the case where there is only one gap, and at least one of the following can be achieved. Since the transfer of heat from the heating element and the heated smokable material to the chamber and the housing through the first gap can be suppressed or reduced, the temperature rise of the housing surface can be reduced, and the loss of heat from the smokable material by the chamber can be reduced. In particular, the loss of heat from the outer periphery of the smokable material can be reduced, so that aerosol can be generated more sufficiently from the smokable material even in the latter half of the smoking action. In addition, since the transfer of heat to the chamber can be suppressed or reduced, the transfer of heat to the inside of the heating device through the chamber can also be reduced. Note that the reduction of the transfer of heat to the inside of the heating device is preferable from the viewpoint of device protection.

[0007] In this specification, the "first gap" refers to a gap at least partially defined by the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall of the chamber located at a position corresponding to the length of the smokable material in the chamber in the insertion direction of the smokable material when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber, and the side of the consumable contained in the chamber. The thickness of the first gap refers to the "distance in the first gap extending in a direction extending radially from an axis that passes through the center of the chamber and extends in the longitudinal direction of the heating device (the insertion direction of the consumable)." In addition, the thickness of the first gap may be specifically considered to be "the longest distance in the first gap extending in a direction extending radially from an axis that passes through the center of the chamber and extends in the longitudinal direction of the heating device" or "the shortest distance in the first gap extending in a direction extending radially from an axis that passes through the center of the chamber and extends in the longitudinal direction of the heating device." Similarly, the "second gap" refers to a gap that exists between the housing and the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the chamber, located at a position corresponding to the length of the smokable material in the chamber in the insertion direction of the smokable material when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber. The thickness of the second gap refers to the "distance in the second gap in a direction extending radially from an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the heating device through the center of the chamber." In addition, the thickness of the second gap may be specifically considered to be "the longest distance in the second gap in a direction extending radially from an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the heating device through the center of the chamber" or "the shortest distance in the second gap in a direction extending radially from an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the heating device through the center of the chamber." In other words, the "first gap" and the "second gap" are gaps located radially outside the smokable material contained in the chamber in the insertion direction of the smokable material.Additionally, in this specification, "a state in which the consumable is positioned at the desired position within the chamber" refers to a state in which the consumable is correctly positioned at the intended position within the chamber in order to generate an aerosol from the consumable (for example, if the chamber has a "bottom wall against which the inserted consumable abuts," a state in which the consumable abuts against at least a portion of the bottom, or, if the heating device has a "butment portion against which the inserted consumable abuts" inside or outside the chamber, a state in which the consumable abuts against at least a portion of the abutment portion).

[0008] The heating element has a shape that can be inserted into the smokable material, such as a pin or blade. The heating element may have a support, such as a substrate or wick, that is heat-resistant to heating, such as ceramic or heat-resistant resin, and a rigidity that allows insertion into the smokable material, and a heat generating portion, such as a heating track that can be resistively heated, formed on or inside the support. Without being limited thereto, the heating element may be a susceptor that is inductively heated by an induction coil. The term "susceptor" in this specification means a material that can convert electromagnetic energy into heat, and is intended to heat the "smokable material". The susceptor is positioned at a position where it can transfer heat to the "smokable material". When the susceptor is located in a fluctuating electromagnetic field, eddy currents induced in the susceptor and magnetic hysteresis losses in the susceptor cause the susceptor to heat. The heating element may be the portion that contacts the smokable material when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber.

[0009] The susceptor preferably contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, nickel, and alloys thereof (e.g., nichrome and stainless steel). The shape of the susceptor is arbitrary, and may be, for example, granular, rod-like, strip-like, tubular, or cylindrical. If the shape of the susceptor is tubular having a ring-shaped electrical flow path, eddy currents can be generated efficiently. A plurality of susceptors of the same shape may be arranged in the partition, or susceptors of different shapes may be arranged.

[0010] When a susceptor is used as the heating element, the housing and / or chamber are preferably magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). This makes it difficult for the induction coil to generate heat in the housing and / or chamber, and allows the susceptor to generate heat efficiently. Examples of materials that are magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating) include glass, plants, wood, paper, and resins such as PEEK.

[0011] The induction coil may be, for example, a flat coil or a cylindrical coil. The induction coil may be provided on the opposite side of the consumable through the bottom wall of the chamber or may surround the chamber when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber.

[0012] The heating device may have an air flow path from the air inlet to the inside of the chamber, and the air flow path may include a first air flow path passing through the second gap and the first gap. As a result, air reaches the first gap through the second gap, and thus air can be supplied to the smokable material from the first gap. In this case, for example, by forming a hole or a notch in a member (e.g., a cigarette paper) forming the side surface of the consumable, or by making the member forming the side surface of the consumable a gas-permeable member, air supplied to the first gap when the user inhales on the consumable can be taken into the inside of the consumable from the side surface of the consumable. The chamber may also have a bottom against which the consumable inserted in the chamber is butted. The bottom may have a recess or a protrusion for supporting a part of the consumable positioned at a desired position of the chamber so that at least a part of the end surface of the consumable is exposed to the inside of the chamber. In this case, air supplied to the first gap through the second gap when the user inhales on the consumable can be taken into the inside of the consumable from the end surface of the consumable. In addition, because the thickness of the first gap is greater than the thickness of the second gap, the flow rate of the air reaching the first gap is relatively low, and cooling of the chamber due to air convection can be suppressed or reduced, thereby reducing heat loss from the outer periphery of the smokable material.

[0013] In the heating device, the first gap and the second gap may be configured not to communicate with each other when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber, thereby inhibiting air convection between the first gap and the second gap and further improving the heat insulating performance in the first gap and the second gap.

[0014] The chamber may have a bottom wall with an opening. The air flow path may include a second air flow path leading to the opening in the bottom wall of the chamber. In this way, when the first air flow path through the second gap and the first gap is included, in addition to supplying air from the first gap to the smokable material, air can be supplied from the opening in the bottom wall of the chamber to the end of the smokable material, so that the air flow rate ratio of the first air flow path and the second air flow path can be easily adjusted. That is, for example, the ratio between the amount of air taken into the consumable from the side of the smokable material and the amount of air taken in from the end face of the smokable material can be easily adjusted. This allows for improved flexibility in supplying air to the consumable.

[0015] The housing has an insertion end into which the consumable is inserted, and the heating device includes a branch passage that branches from the air inlet into a first air flow passage and a second air flow passage, and may be located in the following order in the insertion direction of the consumable: insertion end, bottom wall, branch passage, and air inlet. This makes it easy to make the second air flow passage shorter than the first air flow passage, and therefore makes it easy to increase the proportion of air supplied from the second air flow passage to the end of the smokable material. As a result, air can be efficiently supplied to the smokable material while suppressing or reducing cooling of the chamber due to air convection in the first gap.

[0016] When a user draws on the consumable product, the amount of air delivered to the smokable material from the second air flow path may be greater than the amount of air delivered to the smokable material from the first air flow path, thereby allowing efficient release of aerosol from the smokable material while preventing or reducing cooling of the chamber due to air convection in the first air flow path.

[0017] The heating device may have a positioning portion that positions the smokable material in the insertion direction of the consumable such that when the smokable material is heated, a portion of the heating device does not contact a side of the consumable corresponding to the smokable material, thereby preventing or reducing heat dissipation from the heated smokable material through a portion of the heating device.

[0018] The heating device may have a guide portion that contacts the consumable to guide the smokable material to the heating element. A part of the heating device may be the guide portion. This may inhibit or reduce heat dissipation from the heated smokable material through the guide portion when the positioning portion positions the smokable material in the insertion direction of the consumable such that the guide portion does not contact a side of the consumable that corresponds to the smokable material.

[0019] The volume of the first gap is preferably larger than the volume of the second gap. The chamber may have a contact portion that contacts the housing. The contact portion is preferably arranged at a position that does not overlap with the heating element in the insertion direction of the consumable. As a result, the heating element is provided at a position away from the contact portion of the chamber, so that the transfer of heat from the heating element to the inside of the housing or the device through the contact portion is suppressed or reduced. As a result, the smokable substance can be efficiently heated, and the temperature rise inside the housing or the device can be suppressed or reduced. In the insertion direction of the consumable, one end of the side wall of the chamber is preferably located closer to the insertion end of the housing than the heating element. As a result, the first gap and the second gap are partitioned by the side wall of the chamber, so that the convection of air between the first gap and the second gap is suppressed or reduced, and the transfer of heat from the first gap to the second gap can be suppressed or reduced.

[0020] The bottom wall of the chamber may be configured to be movable relative to the housing along the insertion direction of the consumable, such that after use of the consumable, the chamber may be moved away from the heating element (i.e., toward the insertion end of the housing) with smokable material disposed therein to easily remove the smokable material, such as tobacco shreds, from the heating element while preventing or reducing spillage of the smokable material from the consumable, or to easily remove the consumable from the housing after use of the consumable.

[0021] The heating device may have an operating part such as a lever connected to the chamber and partly exposed to the outside of the housing. This allows a user to operate the operating part to move the bottom wall of the chamber relative to the housing along the insertion direction of the consumable. The operating part is preferably connected to a contact part of the chamber. This suppresses or reduces the transfer of heat from the heating element to the contact part when the contact part is provided at a position relatively distant from the heating element. Therefore, by connecting the operating part to the contact part, the heat from the heating element is less likely to be transferred to the operating part, allowing the user to operate the operating part more safely.

[0022] The smokable material may be wrapped in a breathable first wrapping paper. The first wrapping paper may be provided with a breathable lid that prevents the smokable material from falling out. The lid may be attached to the first wrapping paper with glue or may be fixed to the first wrapping paper by friction. The lid may be, for example, a paper filter or an acetate filter. The consumable may include a tubular member. The tubular member may be a paper tube or a hollow filter.

[0023] The hollow filter may be composed of a packed bed having one or more hollow channels and a plug wrapper covering the packed bed. The packed bed has a high fiber packing density, so that air or aerosol flows only through the hollow channels during inhalation, and hardly flows through the packed bed. The hollow filter may have a mouthpiece composed of adjacent filter parts, etc.

[0024] The longitudinal length of the smokable material is preferably 40 mm to 90 mm, more preferably 50 mm to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 mm to 60 mm. The circumference of the smokable material is preferably 15 mm to 25 mm, more preferably 17 mm to 24 mm, and even more preferably 20 mm to 23 mm. The length of the smokable material may be 12 mm to 22 mm, the length of the first cigarette paper 12 mm to 22 mm, the length of the hollow filter 7 mm to 26 mm, and the length of the filter portion 6 mm to 20 mm.

[0025] The smokable material contained in the consumable may contain an aerosol source that generates an aerosol when heated at a predetermined temperature. The type of aerosol source is not particularly limited, and various extracts from natural products and / or their constituents may be selected depending on the application. Examples of the aerosol source include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the aerosol source in the solid smokable material (% by weight relative to the total weight of the smokable material) is not particularly limited, but is usually 5% by weight or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, and usually 50% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less, from the viewpoint of generating a sufficient aerosol and imparting a good smoking flavor.

[0026] As the smokable substance, tobacco such as lamina or rib, or other known plants may be used. The shape of the smokable substance such as tobacco may be shredded, sheet-like, string-like, powdery, granular, pellet-like, slurry-like, or porous. The content range of the smokable substance such as tobacco in the consumable product is, for example, 200 mg to 400 mg, and preferably 250 mg to 320 mg, when the size of the smokable substance is 20 mm to 23 mm in circumference and 18 mm to 22 mm in length. The moisture content (weight % relative to the weight of the entire smokable substance) of the smokable substance containing tobacco as the smokable substance is, for example, 8% by weight to 18% by weight, and preferably 10% by weight to 16% by weight. Such a moisture content suppresses or reduces the occurrence of rolling stains and improves the suitability for rolling during production. There are no particular limitations on the size of the tobacco shreds used as an example of the smokable substance and the preparation method thereof. For example, dried tobacco leaves shredded to a width of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm may be used. Alternatively, dried tobacco leaves may be crushed to a mean particle size of about 20 μm to 200 μm, homogenized, processed into a sheet, and then chopped into a width of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. The above-mentioned sheet processed product may be gathered without being chopped and used as the smokable substance. The smokable substance may be in a liquid state, and the liquid may have viscosity. In this case, the smokable substance may be mostly made up of the aerosol source. The content of the aerosol source in the liquid smokable substance (weight % relative to the weight of the entire smokable substance) may be 80% by weight or more, 90% by weight or more, or 95% by weight or more. The smokable substance may contain one or more flavorings. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, but menthol is preferred from the viewpoint of imparting a good smoking taste.

[0027] The consumable product may have a second cigarette paper different from the first cigarette paper, which wraps at least one of the tubular member, the hollow filter portion, and the filter portion. The second cigarette paper may wrap a part of the first cigarette paper which wraps the smokable material. The first cigarette paper and the second cigarette paper of the consumable product may be made from base paper having a basis weight of, for example, 20 gsm to 65 gsm. The thickness of the first cigarette paper and the second cigarette paper is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm to 100 μm from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking.

[0028] The first and second cigarette papers for consumables may contain a filler. The content of the filler may be 10% by weight to 60% by weight, preferably 15% by weight to 45% by weight, based on the total weight of the first and second cigarette papers. For the preferred basis weight range (25 gsm to 45 gsm), the filler is preferably 15% by weight to 45% by weight. Examples of the filler that can be used include calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, and kaolin. Paper containing such a filler exhibits a bright white color that is preferable from the viewpoint of appearance when used as cigarette papers for consumables, and can permanently maintain its whiteness. By containing a large amount of such a filler, for example, the ISO whiteness of the cigarette paper can be 83% or more. In addition, from the viewpoint of practical use as cigarette papers for consumables, the first and second cigarette papers preferably have a tensile strength of 8N / 15mm or more. This tensile strength can be increased by reducing the content of the filler. Specifically, the tensile strength can be increased by reducing the filler content below the upper limit of the filler content shown in each of the basis weight ranges exemplified above.

[0029] In addition, in the first embodiment, features of other embodiments can be combined or applied as long as the functions and effects of the first embodiment are not impaired.

[0030] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating system. The heating system comprises a heating device as described above and a consumable comprising smokable material to be heated by the heating device. The consumable can be positioned at a desired location within the heating device. Here, the "desired location within the heating device" where the consumable is positioned refers to a location where heating suitable for generating an aerosol from the smokable material can be performed.

[0031] In addition, in the second embodiment, features of other embodiments can be combined or applied as long as the functions and effects of the second embodiment are not impaired.

[0032] According to a third aspect, there is provided a heating system having a heating device capable of heating smokable material contained in a consumable, and a consumable with smokable material heated by the heating device. The heating system has an air inlet, a housing, a heating element for heating the smokable material from within, a chamber located within the housing and having a sidewall surrounding a side of the smokable material, a first gap at least partially defined by an inner peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber and a side of the consumable contained in the chamber, and a second gap between the housing and an outer peripheral surface of the sidewall of the chamber. The thickness of the first gap is greater than the thickness of the second gap.

[0033] According to the third aspect, since the first gap, which is the gap closest to the heating element, has a relatively large thickness, it is possible to limit or reduce the convection of air in the gap compared to the case where there is only one gap. This can achieve at least one of the following. Since the transfer of heat from the heating element and the heated smokable material to the chamber and the housing through the first gap can be suppressed or reduced, the temperature rise of the housing surface can be reduced, and the removal of heat from the smokable material by the chamber can be reduced. In particular, the removal of heat from the outer periphery of the smokable material can be reduced, so that aerosol can be generated more sufficiently from the smokable material even in the latter half of the smoking action. Furthermore, since the transfer of heat to the chamber can be suppressed or reduced, the transfer of heat to the inside of the heating device through the chamber can also be reduced. Note that the reduction of the transfer of heat to the inside of the heating device is preferable from the viewpoint of device protection. Furthermore, according to the second aspect, the heating element may be provided in the heating device or in the consumable. When the heating element is provided in the consumable, the consumable may be provided with a susceptor that heats the smokable material from the inside.

[0034] In addition, in the third aspect, features of other aspects can be combined or applied as long as the action and effect of the third aspect is not impaired.

[0035] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a heating device capable of heating smokable material contained in a consumable product. The heating device includes a housing, a heating element for heating the smokable material from within, a chamber located within the housing and having a sidewall surrounding the smokable material, and a first gap at least partially defined by the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall of the chamber and the smokable material contained in the chamber. The thickness of the first gap is 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. Preferably, the thickness of the first gap is 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0036] According to the fourth aspect, the thickness of the first gap is 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, so that the chamber can effectively suppress or reduce the heat taken from the smokable material during smoking in the heating device. Specifically, the outermost layer of the smokable material can be heated to a temperature above the temperature at which the aerosol source, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, contained in the smokable material evaporates (for example, about 250°C). As a result, the aerosol can be effectively generated from almost the entire smokable material, so that the amount of aerosol generated can be increased, particularly in the latter half of the smoking action. If the thickness of the first gap is less than 1.5 mm, the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material is significantly lower than the temperature at which the aerosol source evaporates (for example, about 250°C), and aerosol may not be generated appropriately. Also, if the thickness of the first gap is more than 3.0 mm, the outermost layer of the smokable material can be sufficiently heated, but the size of the heating device (housing) becomes unnecessarily large. In consideration of the size of the heating device, it is preferable that the thickness of the first gap is 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less, since if the thickness of the first gap exceeds 2.0 mm, the effect of reducing the heat removal from the smokable material by the chamber becomes small even if the thickness is increased. Note that, in this specification, the "second half of the smoking action" refers to the second half of the smoking action performed with respect to one consumable.

[0037] In addition, in the fourth aspect, features of other aspects can be combined or applied as long as the action and effect of the fourth aspect is not impaired.

[0038] According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a heating device capable of heating smokable material contained in a consumable. The heating device has a housing, a heating element for heating the smokable material from the inside, a chamber located within the housing and having a sidewall surrounding the smokable material, and a guide portion having an inner surface that contacts the consumable and guides the smokable material to the heating element. The distance between the inner surface of the sidewall of the chamber and the inner surface of the guide portion in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable is 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. Preferably, the distance between the inner surface of the sidewall of the chamber and the inner surface of the guide portion in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable is 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0039] According to the fifth aspect, the distance between the inner surface of the side wall of the chamber and the inner surface of the guide part in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable is 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. That is, since the inner surface of the guide part contacts the consumable, the distance between the inner surface of the side wall of the chamber and the inner surface of the guide part substantially corresponds to the distance between the outer surface of the consumable and the inner surface of the side wall of the chamber. Therefore, according to the fifth aspect, when the consumable is positioned at a desired position in the chamber, the thickness of the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the smokable material and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the chamber is approximately 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. This makes it possible to effectively suppress or reduce the chamber from taking heat from the smokable material when smoking in the heating device. Specifically, the outermost layer of the smokable material can be heated to a temperature (for example, about 250°C) at which the aerosol source such as glycerin or propylene glycol contained in the smokable material evaporates. As a result, aerosol can be effectively generated from approximately the entire smokable material, and the amount of aerosol generated can be increased, especially in the latter half of the smoking action. If the thickness of the gap is less than 1.5 mm, the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material will be significantly lower than the temperature at which the aerosol source evaporates (e.g., about 250°C), and the aerosol may not be generated properly. If the thickness of the gap is more than 3.0 mm, the outermost layer of the smokable material can be heated sufficiently, but the size of the heating device (housing) will be unnecessarily large. If the thickness of the gap is more than 2.0 mm, the effect of reducing the chamber's ability to remove heat from the smokable material will be reduced even if the thickness is increased. Therefore, in consideration of the size of the heating device, the distance between the inner surface of the side wall of the chamber and the inner surface of the guide portion in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable, i.e., the thickness of the gap, is preferably 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0040] In addition, in the fifth aspect, features of other aspects can be combined or applied as long as the action and effect of the fifth aspect is not impaired. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a heating system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the heating unit shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 1 is a graph showing the temperature of the outermost layer of smokable material. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an enlarged schematic view of a heating unit of a heating device according to another embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is an enlarged schematic view of a heating unit of a heating device according to yet another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0043] Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a heating system according to the present embodiment. The heating system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a consumable 10 and a heating device 20. The heating device 20 is preferably a portable or handheld device. As shown in Fig. 1, the consumable 10 includes a smokable material 16 to be heated by the heating device 20, a hollow filter 14, and a filter portion 12. The heating device 20 includes a battery 22, a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 24, a housing 30, and a heating unit 40.

[0044] The heating device 20 is configured to heat the solid smokable material 16 to atomize the smokable material 16. The smokable material 16 constitutes a part of the consumable product 10, which may be, for example, a column-shaped product extending along a longitudinal direction. The consumable product 10 may be, for example, a tobacco stick in which the smokable material 16 includes tobacco. The battery 22 stores power for use by the heating device 20. For example, the battery 22 is a lithium-ion battery. The battery 22 may be rechargeable by an external power source.

[0045] The PCB 24 is composed of a CPU, memory, etc., and controls the operation of the heating device 20. For example, the PCB 24 starts heating the smokable material 16 in response to a user operation on an input device such as a push button or slide switch (not shown), and stops heating the smokable material 16 after a certain period of time has elapsed. The PCB 24 may stop heating the smokable material 16 even before the certain period of time has elapsed since the start of heating the smokable material 16 if the number of puffs by the user exceeds a certain value. For example, the puffs are detected by a sensor (not shown).

[0046] Alternatively, the PCB 24 may start heating the smokable material 16 in response to the start of a puffing action, and stop heating the smokable material 16 in response to the end of a puffing action. The PCB 24 may stop heating the smokable material 16 even before the end of a puffing action, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of a puffing action. In this embodiment, the PCB 24 is disposed between the battery 22 and the heating unit 40.

[0047] In the illustrated example, the heating device 20 is configured to receive a stick-shaped consumable 10. Also, as illustrated, the battery 22, the PCB 24, and the heating unit 40 may be arranged in a direction in which the consumable 10 is inserted into the heating device 20. The housing 30 is an enclosure that houses the battery 22, the PCB 24, and the heating unit 40. The housing 30 has an air inlet 30a for supplying air to the heating unit 40, and an insertion end 32 in which an opening 34 into which the consumable 10 is inserted is formed.

[0048] The heating unit 40 has a heating section 42 and a chamber 50. The heating section 42 has a shape that allows it to be inserted into the smokable material 16, and is configured to heat the smokable material 16 from the inside. Specifically, the heating section 42 has a blade section 42a (corresponding to an example of a heating element) that is inserted into the smokable material 16, and a holder section 42b for fixing the heating section 42 to the housing 30. The blade section 42a (heating element) is a portion that comes into contact with the smokable material 16 when the consumable 10 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50. The blade section 42a can have, for example, a resin substrate and a heating track formed on the surface thereof. A lead wire 43 for supplying power from the battery 22 to the blade section 42a is connected to the blade section 42a. The heating section 42 may have a susceptor (corresponding to an example of a heating element) that is inductively heated by an induction coil. In this case, the susceptor is inserted inside smokable material 16 and is inductively heated by an induction coil (not shown), thereby heating smokable material 16.

[0049] Next, the chamber 50 of the heating unit 40 will be described in detail. Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the heating unit 40 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the chamber 50 has a side wall 52 that surrounds the smokable material 16, and a bottom wall 54 against which an end of the smokable material 16 abuts. The bottom wall 54 has an opening 54a for supplying air to the end of the smokable material 16.

[0050] In the heating device 20, a first gap S1 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall 52 of the chamber 50 and the smokable material 16 of the consumable 10 contained in the chamber 50. By providing the first gap S1, an insulating air layer is formed around the smokable material 16, and the transfer of heat generated from the blade portion 42a of the heating portion 42 to the chamber 50 and the housing 30 through the first gap S1 can be suppressed or reduced, thereby reducing the temperature rise on the surface of the housing 30 and reducing the loss of heat from the smokable material 16 by the chamber 50. In particular, because the loss of heat from the outer peripheral side of the smokable material 16 can be reduced, aerosol can be generated more sufficiently from the smokable material 16 even in the latter half of the smoking action.

[0051] In addition, the heating device 20 is provided with a second gap S2 between the housing 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50. In this embodiment, the thickness A of the first gap S1 is greater than the thickness B of the second gap S2. Preferably, the volume of the first gap S1 may be greater than the volume of the second gap S2. The heating device 20 has the first gap S1 and the second gap S2, and the thickness A of the first gap S1, which is the gap closest to the blade portion 42a, is relatively large, so that the convection of air in the gap can be restricted or reduced compared to when there is only one gap. This can suppress or reduce the transfer of heat from the blade portion 42a and the heated smokable material 16 to the chamber 50 and the housing 30 through the first gap S1, thereby reducing the temperature rise of the surface of the housing 30 and reducing the loss of heat from the smokable material 16 by the chamber 50. In particular, since heat loss from the outer periphery of smokable material 16 can be reduced, aerosol can be generated more sufficiently from smokable material 16 even in the latter half of the smoking action. In addition, since heat transfer to chamber 50 can be suppressed or reduced, heat transfer to the inside of heating device 20 via chamber 50 can also be reduced. In the illustrated example, first gap S1 and second gap S2 are connected by third gap S3 that wraps around the end of side wall 52 of chamber 50.

[0052] The heating device 20 has an air flow path for supplying air from the air inlet 30a of the housing 30 to the inside of the chamber 50. Specifically, the heating device 20 has a first air flow path F1 passing through the second gap S2 and the first gap S1. As a result, air reaches the first gap S1 through the second gap S2, and therefore air can be supplied from the first gap S1 to the smokable material 16. In this embodiment, for example, a hole or a notch can be formed in a member (e.g., a cigarette paper) forming the side surface of the consumable 10, or the member forming the side surface of the consumable 10 can be a gas-permeable member. As a result, when a user inhales on the consumable 10, the air supplied to the first gap S1 through the first air flow path F1 can be taken into the inside of the consumable 10 from the side surface of the consumable 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50 may have a recess or a protrusion for supporting a part of the consumable 10 so that at least a part of the end surface of the consumable 10 is exposed to the inside of the chamber 50. In this case, when a user inhales on the consumable product 10, air supplied to the first gap S1 can be taken into the consumable product 10 from the end face of the consumable product 10. In addition, since the thickness A of the first gap S1 is greater than the thickness B of the second gap S2, the flow rate of the air that reaches the first gap S1 is relatively low, and cooling of the chamber 50 due to air convection can be suppressed or reduced. This reduces heat loss from the outer periphery of the smokable material 16. In the illustrated example, the first air flow path F1 passes through the second gap S2, the third gap S3, and the first gap S1.

[0053] The heating device 20 further has a second air flow path F2 that leads to the opening 54a of the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50, and a branch path F3 that branches from the air inlet 30a into the first air flow path F1 and the second air flow path F2. This allows air to be supplied from the opening 54a of the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50 to the end of the smokable material 16 in addition to the supply of air from the first space S1 to the smokable material 16, so that the air flow rate ratio of the first air flow path F1 and the second air flow path F2 can be easily adjusted. That is, for example, the ratio between the amount of air taken into the consumable material 10 from the side surface of the smokable material 16 and the amount of air taken in from the end surface of the smokable material 16 can be easily adjusted. This improves the degree of freedom in supplying air to the consumable product 10. Note that, as described above, if the air supplied to the first space S1 can be taken into the inside of the consumable product 10 from the first air flow path F1, the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50 does not need to have the opening 54a.

[0054] As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the branch channel F3 is located in the following order in the insertion direction of the consumable 10: the insertion end 32, the bottom wall 54, the branch channel F3, and the air inlet 30a. This allows the length of the second air flow path F2 to be made shorter than the first air flow path F1, and therefore the proportion of the amount of air supplied from the second air flow path F2 to the end of the smokable material 16 can be easily increased. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second air flow path F2 has a shorter flow path length than the first air flow path F1 and a larger flow path cross-sectional area than the first air flow path F1, so that the amount of air supplied from the second air flow path F2 to the smokable material 16 is greater than the amount of air supplied from the first air flow path F1 to the smokable material 16. This allows air to be efficiently supplied to the smokable material 16 while suppressing or reducing cooling of the chamber 50 due to air convection in the second air flow path F2.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 50 has a contact portion 56 that contacts the housing 30 on the battery 22 side in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. In this embodiment, the contact portion 56 is fixed to the housing 30, and therefore the chamber 50 is fixed to the housing 30. The contact portion 56 may be, for example, a cylindrical or rod-shaped member extending from the side wall 52 or the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50. As shown in the figure, the contact portion 56 is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the blade portion 42a of the heating portion 42 in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. Specifically, the contact portion 56 is disposed on the battery 22 side (opposite the insertion end 32 of the housing 30) of the blade portion 42a of the heating portion 42 in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. As a result, the blade portion 42a is provided at a position separated from the contact portion 56 of the chamber 50, so that the transfer of heat from the blade portion 42a to the housing 30 via the contact portion 56 is suppressed or reduced. As a result, smokable material 16 can be heated efficiently, and the temperature rise in housing 30 can be suppressed or reduced.

[0056] As shown in the figure, one end (the end on the insertion end 32 side) of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 is preferably located closer to the insertion end 32 side of the housing 30 than the blade portion 42a of the heating portion 42 in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. As a result, the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 are partitioned by the side wall 52 of the chamber 50, so that air convection between the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 is suppressed or reduced, and the transfer of heat from the first gap S1 to the second gap S2 can be suppressed or reduced.

[0057] The housing 30 has a guide portion 36, and the guide portion 36 defines an opening 34 into which the consumable 10 is inserted. The guide portion 36 is a cylindrical member whose edge portion forming the opening 34 extends toward the battery 22. The guide portion 36 has an inner surface 36a that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the consumable 10 inserted into the heating device 20 through the opening 34 and guides the smokable material 16 to the heating portion 42. In the state shown in FIG. 2, that is, when the smokable material 16 is heated by the heating device 20, the smokable material 16 is positioned by the bottom wall 54 (corresponding to an example of a positioning portion) so that the guide portion 36 does not contact the side surface of the consumable 10 that corresponds to the position of the smokable material 16 in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. In other words, the length of the guide portion 36 is designed so that the guide portion 36 does not contact the smokable material 16 when the smokable material 16 is heated by the heating device 20. This can inhibit or reduce the dissipation of heat from the heated smokable material 16 through the guide portion 36 .

[0058] <Experimental Example> Next, an appropriate value of the thickness A of the first gap S1 in the heating device 20 described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be described. In this experimental example, the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material 16 was measured when the thickness A of the first gap S1 in the heating device 20 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 was set to 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.0 mm, respectively. The blade portion 42a of the heating unit 42 is heated to 350°C after heating starts, and is controlled to be constant at 350°C after reaching 350°C. A state in which a user uses the heating device 20 was simulated by sucking a predetermined amount every 30 seconds after the blade portion 42a of the heating unit 42 started heating. The diameter of the consumable 10, which is a tobacco sheet that is an example of the smokable material 16 and is wrapped in paper, is 7.0 mm, and the blade portion 42a has a pin-like shape with a length of 12.0 mm and a diameter of 2.5 mm. That is, in this experimental example, the blade portion 42a constitutes a pin heater. The pin heater has conductive tracks inside the ceramic and heats itself up by resistive heating. The temperature of the heating element 42 is the maximum temperature measured on the outer surface of the pin heater.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a graph showing the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material 16. In the graph shown in FIG. 3, the vertical axis indicates temperature and the horizontal axis indicates time. As shown in FIG. 3, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.0 mm, the temperature gradually increases after the start of heating and begins to stabilize at about 150 seconds. After about 270 seconds, the temperature fluctuates between 150°C and 200°C because the temperature temporarily drops due to inhalation every 30 seconds. On the other hand, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.5 mm, the temperature gradually increases after the start of heating and begins to stabilize at about 90 seconds. After 120 seconds, the temperature fluctuates between about 210°C and about 260°C. When the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 2.0 mm, the temperature also gradually increases after the start of heating and begins to stabilize at about 90 seconds. After 120 seconds, the temperature fluctuates between about 200°C and about 275°C.

[0060] According to the above experimental example, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.0 mm, the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material 16 does not reach 200°C. Here, the temperature at which the aerosol source, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, contained in the smokable material 16 evaporates is, for example, about 250°C. For this reason, it was found that when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.0 mm, the heat of the smokable material 16 is absorbed by the chamber 50, and the temperature of the outer peripheral surface of the consumable 10 does not rise to the evaporation temperature of the aerosol source. On the other hand, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm, the temperature of the outermost layer of the smokable material 16 exceeds 250°C, although it temporarily drops due to inhalation. That is, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm, it was found that the absorption of heat from the smokable material 16 by the chamber 50 is suppressed or reduced, and the aerosol source is evaporated even from the outermost layer of the smokable material 16. Therefore, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm, the aerosol source can be evaporated from almost the entire smokable material 16, compared to when the thickness A is 1.0 mm, thereby increasing the amount of aerosol generated.

[0061] Also, referring to the graph of FIG. 3, it can be seen that the temperature difference when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm is clearly larger than the temperature difference when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm. In other words, although the difference in the thickness A of the first gap S1 is both 0.5 mm, when the thickness A is reduced from 1.5 mm to 1.0 mm, the insulation performance is significantly reduced, while when the thickness A is increased from 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm, there is no significant change in the insulation performance of the first gap S1. Thus, it can be said that when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is gradually reduced, the insulation performance is significantly deteriorated around the thickness A of 1.5 mm of the first gap S1 as a critical point. In other words, when the thickness A of the first gap S1 is less than 1.5 mm, the deterioration of the insulation performance per unit thickness is significant compared to when the thickness A is 1.5 mm or more.

[0062] Therefore, according to the above experimental examples, the thickness A of the first gap S1 is preferably 1.5 mm or more. Furthermore, if the thickness A of the first gap S1 is significantly larger than 1.5 mm, the outermost layer of the smokable material 16 can be sufficiently heated, but the heating device 20 (housing 30) becomes unnecessarily large. Furthermore, an increase in the thickness A has been observed to tend to lower the temperature during inhalation every 30 seconds. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the size of the heating device 20 and the decrease in temperature during inhalation, the thickness A of the first gap S1 is preferably 3.0 mm or less. Furthermore, referring to the graph of FIG. 3, as described above, even if the thickness A of the first gap S1 is increased from 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm, there is no significant change in the heat insulating performance of the first gap S1. Thus, it is considered that when the thickness A of the first gap S1 exceeds 2.0 mm, the effect of reducing the chamber 50's ability to remove heat from the smokable material 16 becomes smaller even if the thickness A is increased. Therefore, in consideration of the size and heat insulating performance of the heating device 20, it is more preferable that the thickness A of the first gap S1 is 2.0 mm or less.

[0063] In the heating device 20 shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface 36a of the guide portion 36 defines the opening 34 into which the consumable 10 is inserted. The inner surface 36a of the guide portion 36 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the consumable 10 when the consumable 10 is inserted into the opening 34, so that the diameter of the inner surface 36a of the guide portion 36 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the consumable 10. Therefore, the distance between the inner surface of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 and the inner surface 36a of the guide portion 36 in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable 10 is approximately the same as the thickness A of the first gap S1. Then, according to the above experimental example, the distance between the inner surface of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 and the inner surface 36a of the guide portion 36 in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable 10 is preferably 1.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, more preferably 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0064] Next, another embodiment of the heating device 20 will be described. FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of the heating unit 40 of the heating device 20 according to another embodiment. The heating device 20 shown in FIG. 4 is different from the heating device 20 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in that the chamber 50 is configured to be movable relative to the housing 30 along the insertion direction of the consumable 10. Specifically, the contact portion 56 of the chamber 50 is not fixed to the housing 30, but is configured to be slidable relative to the housing 30. The housing 30 also has an opening 30b, through which a part of the lever 58 connected to the contact portion 56 is exposed to the outside of the housing 30. As an example, the opening 30b communicates with the first air flow path F1 and the second air flow path F2, and can also function as an air inlet. A user can move the lever 58 along the insertion direction of the consumable 10 to move the chamber 50 connected to the lever 58 in the insertion direction of the consumable 10.

[0065] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, after use of the consumable product 10, with the smokable material 16 disposed in the chamber 50, the lever 58 is operated to move the chamber 50 toward the insertion end 32, thereby removing the smokable material 16 from the blade portion 42a while preventing or reducing spillage of the smokable material 16, such as tobacco shreds, from the consumable product 10. A portion of the third gap S3 is the range of movement of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 when the chamber 50 moves toward the insertion end 32. Even when the chamber 50 moves toward the insertion end 32 to remove the smokable material 16 from the blade portion 42a, the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 allows the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 to communicate with each other via the third gap S3. That is, the third gap S3 is not closed by the side wall 52 of the chamber 50.

[0066] Although the lever 58 may be connected to any location in the chamber 50, it is preferable that the lever 58 is connected to the contact portion 56. As described above, the contact portion 56 is provided at a position relatively separated from the blade portion 42a, so that the transfer of heat from the blade portion 42a to the contact portion 56 is suppressed or reduced. Therefore, by connecting the lever 58 to the contact portion 56, the heat from the blade portion 42a is less likely to be transferred to the lever 58, and the user can operate the lever 58 more safely.

[0067] Fig. 5 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a heating unit 40 of a heating device 20 according to yet another embodiment. The heating device 20 shown in Fig. 5 differs from the heating device 20 shown in Fig. 4 in that the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 do not communicate with each other, and in that an induction coil 44 and a susceptor 18 (corresponding to an example of a heating element) are provided instead of the heating section 42. The susceptor 18 is provided inside the smokable material 16 of the consumable 10. The consumable 10 shown in Fig. 5 is different from the consumable 10 shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 in that a mouthpiece M1 is provided in the guide section 36 instead of the filter section 12.

[0068] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the heating device 20 has a sliding gap S4 having a thickness substantially equal to that of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50, instead of the third gap S3. The sliding gap S4 extends in the insertion direction of the consumable 10. As shown in FIG. 5, when the consumable 10 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50, the tip of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 is inserted into a part of the sliding gap S4 with substantially no gap, and the part of the sliding gap S4 becomes the movable range of the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 when the chamber 50 moves toward the insertion end 32. As a result, the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 are partitioned by the side wall 52 of the chamber 50 and do not communicate with each other. Therefore, the convection of air between the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 can be inhibited, and the heat insulating performance in the first gap S1 and the second gap S2 can be further improved. It should be noted that the second gap S2 may or may not communicate with the air inlet 30a. The sliding gap S4 may have an air hole communicating with the outside of the housing 30 for allowing air to escape when the chamber 50 moves toward the insertion end 32.

[0069] The hollow filter 14 of the consumable 10 is preferably formed of a material with low thermal conductivity. The hollow filter 14 is positioned in the opening 34 of the housing 30, so that the hollow filter 14 and the smokable material 16 can be positioned in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable 10. The hollow filter 14 is not limited to a hollow structure, and may be a member having any structure that allows aerosol to pass through. The mouthpiece M1 may be detachably attached to the consumable 10. The mouthpiece M1 may be used repeatedly for multiple consumables 10. After removing the mouthpiece M1, the consumable 10 enters the heating device 20 and is difficult to remove. For this reason, the user can push the end of the consumable 10 out of the heating device 20 by operating the lever 58 to move the chamber 50 toward the insertion end 32.

[0070] The induction coil 44 may be, for example, a spiral flat coil. As shown in FIG. 5, the induction coil 44 may be provided on the opposite side of the consumable 10 via the bottom wall 54 of the chamber 50 when the consumable 10 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50. The induction coil 44 is configured to inductively heat the susceptor 18 provided inside the smokable material 16 to generate heat. This allows the heated susceptor 18 to heat the smokable material 16 from the inside. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the housing 30 and / or the chamber 50 (particularly the bottom wall 54) are preferably magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating). This makes it difficult for the housing 30 and / or the chamber 50 to generate heat due to the induction coil 44, and allows the susceptor 18 to efficiently generate heat. Examples of materials that are magnetically permeable and non-conductive (electrically insulating) include glass, plants, wood, paper, and resins such as PEEK.

[0071] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Note that any shape or material not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention as long as it has the functions and effects of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 10: Consumables 16: Smokeable substances 18: Susceptor 20: Heating device 30: Housing 30a: Air inlet 32: Insertion end 34:Aperture 36: Guide section 42 :Heating element 50: Chamber 52: Side wall 54: Bottom wall 54a:Aperture 56: Contact part 100: Heating system F1: First air passage F2: Second air flow path F3: Branching Road S1: 1st void S2: 2nd void

Claims

1. A heating device capable of internally heating smokable material contained in a consumable product, comprising: Housing and a chamber located within the housing and having a sidewall that laterally surrounds the smokable material; a first gap at least a portion of which is defined by an inner circumferential surface of the side wall of the chamber and a side surface of the consumable contained in the chamber; a second gap between the housing and an outer periphery of the sidewall of the chamber; having The heating device has a positioning portion that positions the smokable material in the insertion direction of the consumable product so that when the smokable material is heated, a part of the heating device does not contact the side of the consumable product corresponding to the smokable material.

2. 2. The heating device according to claim 1, A heating device, wherein the first gap and the second gap are configured not to communicate with each other.

3. 3. A heating device according to claim 1 or 2, The heating device has a guide portion, A heating device, wherein the guide portion does not contact a side of the consumable that corresponds to a location of the smokable material when the smokable material is heated by the heating device.

4. A heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, At least one of the housing and the chamber is magnetically permeable and electrically non-conductive.

5. A heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A heating device, wherein the thickness of the first gap is greater than the thickness of the second gap.

6. The heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the consumable comprising the smokable material.

7. 7. The heating system according to claim 6, A heating system, wherein the consumable has a lid that prevents the smokable material from falling out.

8. 8. The heating system according to claim 7, the smokable material is wrapped with a first wrapping paper; The lid is provided on the first wrapper.

9. 9. The heating system according to claim 8, The heating system, wherein the lid is an acetate filter.

10. A heating system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, The consumable product is a heating system having a hollow filter and a mouthpiece configured with a filter portion adjacent to the hollow filter.

11. A heating system according to any one of claims 6 to 10, The consumable comprises a susceptor for internally heating the smokable material.

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