Aerosol generating systems and devices

Abstract

an aerosol-generating device comprising: an aerosol-generation chamber configured to receive a consumable product comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating substrate; and a loading channel extending through the aerosol-generation device and intersecting the aerosol-generation chamber, the loading channel including a loading port at one end through which the consumable product can be pushed into the loading channel, and the loading channel configured to hold a plurality of consumable products pushed along the loading channel toward the aerosol-generation chamber by adding additional consumable products to the loading port.An aerosol-generating system comprising: an aerosol-generation device comprising: an aerosol-generation chamber configured to receive a consumable product comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating substrate; and a loading channel including a loading port at one end and intersecting the aerosol-generation chamber, a plurality of consumable products in the loading channel, each consumable product configured to push an adjacent consumable product along the loading channel toward the aerosol-generation chamber as a successive consumable product is pushed into the loading port; and a heating element configured to heat the portion of the aerosol-generating substrate in the aerosol-generation chamber.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device in which an aerosol-generating substrate is heated to form an aerosol. The disclosure is particularly applicable to portable aerosol generating devices that may be self-contained and low-temperature. Such devices may heat tobacco or other suitable aerosol substrate material by conduction, convection and / or radiation, rather than by combustion, to generate an aerosol for inhalation. [Background technology]

[0002] The popularity and use of risk reduction or risk modification devices (also known as vaporizers) has grown rapidly in recent years as an aid to assist habitual smokers wishing to quit smoking traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and rolling tobacco. A variety of devices and systems are available that heat or warm an aerosolizable substrate, as opposed to burning tobacco in traditional tobacco products.

[0003] A commonly available risk reduction or risk modification device is the substrate heated aerosol generating device or heated non-combustion device. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate, which typically includes moist tobacco or other suitable aerosolizable material, to a temperature typically ranging from 150°C to 350°C. By heating, rather than burning or combusting, the aerosol substrate, an aerosol is released that includes the ingredients desired by the user, but does not include the toxic and carcinogenic by-products of combustion and burning. Furthermore, the aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other aerosolizable material typically do not include the burnt or bitter taste that can result from combustion and burning, which can be unpleasant to the user. Thus, the substrate does not require sugars and other additives that are typically added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such devices, the aerosol substrate is heated, for example, by a heating element in a heating chamber. The aerosol substrate is consumed through the generation of aerosol and needs to be replaced periodically. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a convenient way to replace the aerosol substrate in the heating chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an aerosol generation system including an aerosol generation device including an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive a consumable including a portion of an aerosol-generating substrate, a loading channel including a loading port at one end and intersecting the aerosol generation chamber, a plurality of consumables in the loading channel, each consumable configured to push an adjacent consumable along the loading channel when a successive consumable is pushed into the loading port, and a heating element configured to heat the portion of the aerosol-generating substrate in the aerosol generation chamber.

[0006] By providing a push loading mechanism for adding consumables and a loading channel capable of storing multiple consumables, the aerosol generating device can be loaded with reduced frequency. In addition, the loading mechanism of the aerosol generating device is robust and does not require moving parts, thereby increasing the lifespan of the aerosol generating device.

[0007] Optionally, a length of the loading channel is equal to a length of a plurality of the consumables, such that when the loading channel receives a maximum number of consumables, the loading channel is full and the consumables are correctly aligned within the aerosol generation chamber.

[0008] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a consumable for use in an aerosol generating device, the consumable comprising a support frame configured to hold a portion of an aerosol-generating substrate, the support frame being substantially rigid or resilient along a loading axis, and the consumable configured to pass through a loading channel of the aerosol generating device along the loading axis.

[0009] By providing a support structure for pushing successive consumables, the consumables behave more reliably when pushed with the push loading mechanism and the need to unblock and clean the push loading mechanism is reduced.

[0010] Optionally, the consumable further comprises a seal member for inhibiting air flow along the loading channel.

[0011] By restricting the air flow along the loading channel, aerosol extraction by forcing air through or through the substrate can be more efficient.

[0012] Optionally, the consumable further comprises an air inlet and an air outlet for allowing air to pass through a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0013] By providing an air inlet and an air outlet, air can flow through the substrate, enhancing aerosol extraction from the substrate.

[0014] Optionally, the consumable further includes a cleaning member for wiping an inner surface of the loading channel.

[0015] Providing a cleaning member on the consumable reduces the build-up of residue from aerosol generation and improves the life of the aerosol generating device. Residue can be in the form of, for example, sticky, oily or burnt material released during heating of the aerosol substrate.

[0016] Optionally, the consumable includes a lid for accessing and covering a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0017] By providing a lid, the build-up of residue from aerosol generation is reduced, improving the lifespan of the aerosol generating device.

[0018] Optionally, the consumable further comprises a heating element.

[0019] By providing the heating element within the consumable, the heating element can be easily replaced, improving the life of the aerosol generating device.

[0020] Optionally, the support frame includes a thermally conductive plate configured to transfer heat from a heating element of the aerosol-generating device to the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0021] By providing a thermally conductive plate, heat can be transferred more efficiently to the substrate.

[0022] According to a third aspect, the present disclosure provides an aerosol generation device comprising an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive a consumable comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating substrate, and a loading channel extending through the aerosol generation device and intersecting the aerosol generation chamber, the loading channel including a loading port at one end where the consumable may be pushed into the loading channel, and the loading channel configured to hold a plurality of consumables pushed along the loading channel by adding further consumables to the loading port.

[0023] Optionally, the aerosol generating device further comprises a sealing member arranged to inhibit air flow along the loading channel when the consumable is received in the aerosol generating chamber.

[0024] By restricting air flow along the loading channel, aerosol extraction by forcing air through or through the consumable can be more efficient.

[0025] Optionally, the loading channel includes an unloading port at an end of the loading channel opposite the loading port, and forcing an additional consumable into the loading port pushes a previous consumable out of the unloading port.

[0026] Providing a push unloading mechanism makes the device even easier to operate.

[0027] Optionally, the loading and unloading ports are similar, so that the consumable can be pushed into the loading channel through either the loading port or the unloading port.

[0028] Providing a reversible loading / unloading system makes the device even easier to operate.

[0029] Optionally, the aerosol generating device further comprises an elongate body and a mouthpiece disposed at one end of the elongate body, the loading channel being disposed along the elongate body.

[0030] Aerosol generating devices are known to have an elongated shape so that they can be easily held in the hand. Orienting the loading channel along the longitudinal direction increases the number of consumables that can be stored within the loading channel.

[0031] Optionally, the aerosol generation device further comprises a driver for pushing a plurality of consumables into the loading channel, For example, the driver may be configured to shift a next consumable into the aerosol generation chamber after an aerosol generation session for a current consumable received in the aerosol generation chamber is completed.

[0032] Providing an actuator allows a user to use multiple consumables while performing a loading or unloading operation. The actuator may also provide a mechanism for emptying the loading channel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an aerosol generating device having a loading channel for receiving multiple consumables. [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an aerosol generating device having a loading channel for receiving multiple consumables. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B show schematic diagrams of consumables for an aerosol generating device. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B show a schematic diagram of a first example of a consumable having a support frame. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B illustrate schematic diagrams of optional features of a consumable having a support frame. [Diagram 5] 5A-5C generally illustrate further optional features of a consumable having a support frame. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B illustrate generally further optional features of a consumable having a support frame. [Figure 7] 13 shows an alternative configuration of an aerosol generating device having a loading channel for receiving multiple consumables. [Figure 8] 13 shows a further alternative configuration of an aerosol generating device having a loading channel with only one loading / unloading port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Figures 1A and 1B show diagrammatically different cross sections of a first example of an aerosol generating device 1. Figure 1A shows a cross section from a "top" perspective, and Figure 1B shows a cross section from a "side" perspective, with dotted line X1 indicating the plane of Figure 1B and dotted line X2 indicating the plane of Figure 1A.

[0035] 1A, the aerosol generation device 1 includes a housing 11 that encloses an aerosol generation chamber 12. The aerosol generation chamber 12 is configured to receive a consumable 2 and to heat the consumable 2 to generate an aerosol.

[0036] The loading channel 13 is configured to receive a plurality of consumables 2 via a loading port 131 and transport the consumables 2 to the aerosol generation chamber 12. The loading channel 13 extends through the aerosol generation device 1 inside the housing 11 and intersects with the aerosol generation chamber 12.

[0037] In this example, the loading channel 13 is further configured to convey the consumable 2 onto an unloading port 132 at the end of the loading channel opposite the loading port 131. However, in other examples, the aerosol generation device 1 may be configured to unload the consumable 2 through the loading port 131.

[0038] Preferably, the length of the loading channel 13 is equal to the length of a given plurality of consumables 2, in this case equal to the length of three consumables as shown in Figure 1 A. However, in some embodiments this need not be the case.

[0039] The airflow channel 14 is connected through the aerosol generation chamber 12. By pumping air along the airflow channel 14, the aerosol generated in the aerosol generation chamber 12 is extracted from the aerosol generation device 1. For example, one end of the aerosol generation device 1 may be configured as a mouthpiece 15 that includes the end of the airflow channel 14.

[0040] 1B, the loading channel 13 intersects with the aerosol generation chamber 12. As a result, as the consumable 2 is transported along the loading channel 13, the consumable 2 is positioned for heating in the heating chamber 12. Specifically, in FIG. 1B, consumable 2-C is positioned for heating.

[0041] In this embodiment, the loading channel 13 and the airflow channel 14 each intersect with the aerosol generation chamber 12 in a common plane, with the airflow channel 14 extending through the plane of FIG. 1B. As a result, air flows along the airflow channel 14 through the consumable 2 in the aerosol generation chamber 12. However, this is not required in all embodiments, and the loading channel 13 and the airflow channel 14 may each intersect with the aerosol generation chamber 12 without intersecting with each other, such that air flows only through the consumable 2. The heating chamber 12 has a heating element 121 that supplies heat to the consumable 2 to generate an aerosol. Specifically, the heating element 121 is configured to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate contained in the consumable in the aerosol generation chamber 12. The aerosol is carried to the mouthpiece 15 by air flowing along the airflow channel 14. The heating element 121 is preferably an electric heating element, such as a resistive heating element, although any type of heating element suitable for supplying heat to the heating chamber 12 may be used.

[0042] 1B shows four consumables 2-A to 2-D each being inserted into the loading port 131 and contacting each other in the loading channel 13 such that when the last consumable (2-D) is pushed from the end of the loading port 131 of the loading channel 13, each of the forward consumables (2-A, 2-B, and 2-C) in the loading channel 13 passes and is then pushed out along the loading channel 13 toward the aerosol generation chamber 12. Specifically, the last consumable 2-D can be pushed out of the loading port 131 as more consumables are added to the loading port 131. In this manner, the aerosol generation device 1 has a push loading action for loading the consumables 2.

[0043] Additionally, as the last consumable (2-D) is pushed through the loading port 131, the first consumable (2-A) is pushed out of the unloading port 132 (in embodiments where the unloading port 132 is present).

[0044] The loading port 131 and the unloading port 132 are similar such that the consumable 2 can be pushed into the loading channel 13 via either the loading port 131 or the unloading port 132. This can be useful, for example, to support both left-handed and right-handed operation of the aerosol generating device 1. However, to avoid confusion about which end of the loading channel 13 is the loading port 131, the unloading port 132 can instead be configured such that it is not possible to push the consumable 2 into the unloading port 132.

[0045] The housing 11, the aerosol generation chamber 12, the loading channel 13 and the airflow channel 14 can generally be made of any rigid material such as a thermoplastic or metal (e.g., aluminum). The device 1 can be substantially made of a heat-resistant material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyamide (PA) to prevent thermal deformation or melting. The heat-resistant material can be a super engineering plastic such as polyimide (PI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), etc.

[0046] In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the aerosol generating device 1 further includes a seal member 133 arranged to suppress airflow along the loading channel 13 when the consumable 2 is received in the aerosol generating chamber 12. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, the seal member 133 takes the form of a protrusion from the surface of the loading channel 13. When the consumable 2 is placed in the heating chamber 12 (in FIG. 1B, the consumable 2-C is placed in the heating chamber 12), the seal member 133 extends across the gap between the wall of the loading channel 13 and the surface of the consumable 2. One seal member 133 is arranged in the loading channel 13 on both sides of the aerosol generating chamber 12 to suppress airflow between the aerosol generating chamber 12 and either the loading port 131 or the unloading port 132. In other embodiments, either of the two seal members 133 may be omitted.

[0047] The seal member 133 may be made from a different material than the rest of the loading channel. For example, the seal member 133 may be made from a flexible material, such as an elastomer (e.g., rubber), which allows the seal member 133 to flex while the consumable 2 is being pushed along the loading channel 13, reducing wear on the seal member 133. Alternatively, the seal member 133 may be a rigid protrusion positioned to fit closely against the consumable 2 within the loading channel 13.

[0048] 2A and 2B are schematic perspective views of basic types of consumables 2 that can be used in the aerosol generating device 1 described above.

[0049] In the example of Figures 2A and 2B, the consumable 2 simply comprises a portion 21 of an aerosol-generating substrate that emits an aerosol when heated.

[0050] In Figure 2A, portion 21 is a simple rectangular parallelepiped having length L, width W and depth D. By way of example, the substrate may be on the order of 18x12x1.2 mm.

[0051] The substrate may include, for example, nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol-forming agent. The tobacco may take the form of various materials, such as cut tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf, and / or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include polyols (such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol), non-polyols (such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin, or vegetable glycerin). In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also include at least one of a gelling agent, a binder, a stabilizing agent, and a humectant.

[0052] The substrate is porous so that air can flow through it and collect the aerosol as it does so. The substrate can be, for example, a foam or packed strands or fibers. The substrate can be formed into a stable shape by extrusion and / or rolling processes.

[0053] 2B, in addition to being porous, portion 21 of the aerosol-generating substrate may be shaped with one or more protrusions and recesses. The loading channel 13 may similarly be fitted with protrusions and recesses to increase the grip of the consumable 2 within the loading channel 13 and reduce the chance of the consumable becoming misaligned or stuck as it is pushed along the loading channel 13.

[0054] 2A and 2B, portion 21 has a bare outer surface to which the aerosol-generating substrate is exposed. Alternatively, portion 21 may comprise an air-permeable wrapper that covers at least a portion of the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate. The wrapper may comprise, for example, paper and / or a nonwoven.

[0055] 2A and 2B is simple to manufacture, it is preferable to use a reinforced consumable to reduce the chance of the consumable getting stuck in the loading channel 13 and make the device 1 easier to clean. Figures 3A-6B show different examples of consumables 2 having a support frame 22 configured to hold a portion 21 of an aerosol-generating substrate. If the portion 21 is rigid enough to maintain itself during loading / unloading operations, the support frame may be omitted (as in Figures 2A and 2B).

[0056] Referring initially to the exemplary consumable 2 in Figures 3A and 3B, Figure 3A is a schematic perspective view and Figure 3B is a view of the top surface 222 shown in Figure 3A. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 can be a cubic structure that includes recesses for holding portions 21 of the aerosol-generating substrate.

[0057] The support frame 22 is substantially rigid or resilient along a loading axis, i.e., a direction along which the consumable 2 is configured to move along the loading channel 13. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 includes ends 23 configured to push adjacent consumables 2 along the loading channel 13. By providing this support frame 22, the aerosol substrate (which may be a softer material that is prone to deforming or creasing) does not directly experience a pushing force to push the consumable 2 along the loading channel 13.

[0058] The support frame 22 may be made from a material similar to that used for the structural features of the aerosol generating device 1 (housing 11, aerosol generating chamber 12, etc.), such as a thermoplastic or metal. For example, the support frame 22 may be substantially hollow and formed by bending a sheet material.

[0059] As further shown in Figure 3A, the surface 221 of the support frame 22 may include a gap that allows the heating element 121 of the aerosol generating device 1 to directly contact the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate to heat the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate. In the example shown in Figure 3A, the surface 221 is the bottom surface of the support frame 22 opposite the top surface 222.

[0060] As further shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the support frame 22 may include an air inlet 24 and an air outlet 25 configured to allow air to flow through the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate to extract the generated aerosol. In the example shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the air inlet 24 and the air outlet 25 are disposed on opposite side walls of the support frame 22. The size of the air inlet 24 and the air outlet 25 is preferably as large as possible to the size of the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate, although the inlet and outlet may be slightly smaller so that the portion 21 cannot move out of the support frame 22. In some embodiments, the air inlet 24 may be omitted and the air may be directed to flow through the consumable rather than through the consumable 2, which may rely on diffusion to extract the aerosol from the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate.

[0061] 4A and 4B show a schematic diagram of a second example of a consumable 2 including a support frame 22. The second example may be the same as the first example, except as otherwise described below.

[0062] The main difference from the first example is that the consumable includes one or more sealing elements 26. These can be provided in addition to or instead of the sealing element 133 of the aerosol generating device 1, and have a similar structure to the sealing element 133 described above, except that the sealing element 26 protrudes from a surface of the consumable 2 to seal the loading channel 13 when the consumable 2 is placed in the aerosol generation chamber 12. As shown in FIG. 4B, in addition to optionally providing multiple sealing elements 26 to seal the loading channel 13 on both sides of the aerosol generation chamber 12 (similar to the sealing element 133), the sealing elements 26 can also be provided on multiple surfaces of the support frame 22. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, two sealing elements 26 are arranged on both sides of the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate, on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the consumable 2.

[0063] In addition, separate from the sealing element 26, Figure 4A shows the optional feature of a hollow buffer area in the support frame 22 between the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate and the end 23 of the support frame 22. In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 4A, the top surface 222 has been omitted. This space further protects the portion 21 from any creases due to push loading of the consumable 2.

[0064] 5A-5C are schematic perspective and cross-sectional views of further optional structural features of consumable 2. FIG.

[0065] 5A-5C, the consumable 2 includes a base 27. The base 27 may be a thicker portion of the support frame 22 and may be configured to increase the strength of the support frame 22 or simply to assist a user in orienting the consumable 2 for insertion into the aerosol generating device 1.

[0066] 5A-5C, the consumable 2 further includes a lid 28 for accessing and covering a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate. The lid 28 may be completely separable from the support frame 22 or may be movably attached, for example, by a hinge.

[0067] 3A-6B, the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate can be replaced after the consumable 2 has been used and the support frame 22 can be reused. The lid 28 has the advantage of still allowing such replacement of the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate while ensuring that the aerosol substrate does not migrate from the consumable 2 and remains within the loading channel 13 or aerosol generation chamber 12.

[0068] 5B, the consumable 2 in this example has an alternative configuration of heating elements. Specifically, the base 27 includes a heating element 271, and the buffer regions of the support frame 22 also each include a heating element 222. Any combination of these heating elements mounted on the consumable 2 may be used in addition to or as an alternative to the heating element 121 of the aerosol generating device 1.

[0069] Additionally, the consumable 2 may include electrical contacts 272 for providing power to a heating element mounted on the consumable 2. Similarly, the loading channel 13 may include electrical rails or electrical contacts specifically located within the aerosol generation chamber 12 for providing power to the electrical contacts 272.

[0070] As a further additional or alternative example, referring to FIG. 5C, the base 27 may include a heat-conducting plate 273 configured to transfer heat from the heating element 121 of the aerosol generating device 1 to the aerosol-generating substrate. The heat-conducting plate 273 may be, for example, a thin portion of the support frame 22 or a portion that includes a different material than the rest of the support frame 22. Alternatively, the entire base 27 or the entire support frame 22 may be thermally conductive. This FIG. 5C example is meant to improve heat transfer from the external heating element 121 to the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate in the consumable 2 without requiring the consumable 2 to be in direct contact with the external heating element 121 and without requiring the heating elements 271 or 222 in the consumable 2. By avoiding direct contact between the portion 21 and the external heating element 121, the aerosol substrate is less likely to leave residue from aerosol generation.

[0071] 6A and 6B are schematic cross-sectional views of the consumable 2 having a cleaning member 29 for wiping the inner surface of the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29 can remove any residue left by the aerosol substrate as the consumable 2 moves along the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29, like the sealing element 26, is disposed on the outer surface of the consumable 2 and is configured to slide along the surface of the loading channel 13 as the consumable 2 moves along the loading channel to scrape off or absorb residue generated from the aerosol substrate and deposited on the surface of the loading channel 13. The cleaning member 29 can include, for example, a heat-resistant cloth capable of withstanding the temperatures used in the aerosol generation chamber 12 to generate the aerosol.

[0072] The consumable 2 may have multiple cleaning members 29. As shown in Figure 6A, these may be arranged, for example, such that when the consumable 2 is in the loading channel 13, one cleaning member 29 is in front of the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate along the loading direction and one cleaning member 29 is behind the portion 21 of the aerosol substrate along the loading direction. Additionally or alternatively, multiple cleaning members 29 may be arranged to clean different surfaces of the loading channel 13, as shown in Figure 6B.

[0073] Any of the features described above with reference to Figures 3A-6B can be combined together to provide their different functions as described above.

[0074] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a second example of an aerosol generating device 1 that may be used with any of the consumables described above. The second example of the aerosol generating device 1 has many features in common with the first example of Figures 1A and 1B, and like figure references indicate like features.

[0075] The second example of the aerosol generating device 1 differs from the first example primarily in that the loading channel 13 is arranged along the elongated axis of the housing 11, where the housing 11 forms an elongated body having a mouthpiece 15 at one end.

[0076] It is known to use an elongated body for the aerosol generating device 1 in order to make it easier to hold by hand. By aligning the loading channel 13 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 1, this configuration means that the length of the loading channel 13 available for holding the consumables 2 is increased.

[0077] Additionally, the loading channel 13 extends along the elongated axis of the housing 11, allowing a user to push the consumable 2 into the loading channel 13 either adjacent to the mouthpiece 15 or at the end of the housing 11 opposite the mouthpiece 15. Either of these loading port configurations allows a user to conveniently and intuitively hold and operate the aerosol generating device 1 with one hand stretched around the elongated axis.

[0078] A further optional feature shown in the second example of Figure 7 is that the aerosol generation chamber 12 and loading channel 13 are arranged such that the consumable 2 pushed out of the aerosol generation chamber 12 is not immediately pushed out of the aerosol generation device 1. This has the advantage that the consumable 2 has time to cool after being used in the aerosol generation chamber 12 before it can be handled by a user.

[0079] Additionally, the second example in FIG. 7 shows an exemplary air flow channel 14 that is not only partially parallel to the loading channel 13, but also has a bend to direct the air flow through the loading channel 13, such that air can flow through the consumable 2 in a manner similar to the arrows shown in FIG. 3B.

[0080] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of a third example of an aerosol generating device 1 that may be used with any of the consumables described above. The third example of the aerosol generating device 1 has many features in common with the first example of Figures 1A and 1B, and like figure references indicate like features.

[0081] The third example of the aerosol generating device 1 differs from the first example mainly in that the loading port 131 is also used as an unloading port. This configuration allows a user to push-load multiple consumables 2 one by one and use each consumable 2 for a respective aerosol generating session. However, the aerosol generating device 1 does not need to be emptied after each aerosol generating session, instead, more consumables 2 can be added until the loading channel 13 is full.

[0082] The aerosol generating device 1 may also include a driver 134 for pushing a plurality of consumables into the loading channel 13 .

[0083] In a third example, the driver 134 is configured to push back the consumables 2-A, 2-B, 2-C from the loading channel 13 in order to empty the loading channel. The driver 134 may be an electronic actuator controlled by a user using a button or automatically controlled by a control circuit. Alternatively, the driver 134 may be a purely mechanical system, such as a telescopic element configured to retract when pushed until the loading channel 13 is full and to fully extend when pushed until the loading channel is full.

[0084] Additionally or alternatively, the driver 134 may be configured to shift the next consumable into the aerosol generation chamber 12 after the aerosol generation session for the current consumable 2 received in the aerosol generation chamber is completed.

[0085] The aerosol generating device 1 according to the first or second example may similarly include a driver 134 for emptying the loading channel through the loading port 131 or the unloading port 132 or for shifting the next consumable 2 into the aerosol generating chamber 12.

Claims

1. 1. An aerosol generation system comprising:

1. An aerosol generating device comprising: an aerosol-generating chamber configured to receive a consumable that includes a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate; a loading channel including a loading port at one end and intersecting the aerosol generation chamber; An aerosol generating device comprising: a plurality of the consumables in the loading channel, each consumable configured to push an adjacent consumable along the loading channel toward the aerosol generation chamber when a successive consumable is pushed into the loading port; a heating element configured to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate within the aerosol-generating chamber; and 1. An aerosol generating system comprising:

2. The aerosol generation system of claim 1 , wherein a length of the loading channel is equal to a length of the plurality of consumables.

3. Each of the plurality of consumables is A support frame configured to hold a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

3. The aerosol generation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the support frame is substantially rigid or elastic along a loading axis, and the consumable is configured to pass through the loading channel along the loading axis.

4. The aerosol generating system of claim 3 , further comprising a seal member for restricting air flow along the loading channel.

5. 5. An aerosol generating system according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising an air inlet and an air outlet for allowing air to pass through a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

6. The aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a cleaning member for wiping the inner surface of the loading channel.

7. 7. An aerosol generating system according to claim 3, comprising a lid for accessing and covering a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate.

8. 8. The aerosol generating system according to claim 3, further comprising a heating element.

9. 9. The aerosol generating system of claim 3, wherein the support frame includes a thermally conductive plate configured to transfer heat from a heating element of the aerosol generating device to the aerosol generating substrate.

10. 1. An aerosol generating device comprising: an aerosol-generating chamber configured to receive a consumable that includes a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate; a loading channel extending through the aerosol generation device and intersecting the aerosol generation chamber; the loading channel includes a loading port at one end through which a consumable can be pushed into the loading channel toward the aerosol generation chamber, and the loading channel is configured to hold a plurality of consumables pushed along the loading channel by adding additional consumables to the loading port.

11. The aerosol generating device of claim 10 , further comprising a sealing member arranged to inhibit air flow along the loading channel when a consumable is received within the aerosol generating chamber.

12. The aerosol generating device of claim 10 or 11, wherein the loading channel includes an unloading port at an end of the loading channel opposite the loading port, and pushing an additional consumable into the loading port pushes a previous consumable out of the unloading port.

13. The aerosol generating device of claim 12, wherein the loading port and the unloading port are similar, such that the consumable can be pushed into the loading channel through either the loading port or the unloading port.

14. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising an elongate body and a mouthpiece disposed at one end of the elongate body, the loading channel being disposed along the elongate body.

15. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising a driver for pushing a plurality of consumables into the loading channel.

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