Aerosol supply device

Abstract

To provide an aerosol provision device comprising inductor coils capable of providing an effective magnetic field for heating a susceptor.SOLUTION: An aerosol provision device comprises inductor coils 124, 126 configured to generate a varying magnetic field for heating a susceptor arrangement. The inductor coils are helical, formed from litz wire and comprise between about 25 and about 350 wire strands.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles that burn tobacco by creating products that release compounds without burning. Examples of such products include heating devices that release compounds by heating a material rather than burning it. This material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol supply device comprising an inductor coil configured to generate a varying magnetic field for heating a susceptor device. The inductor coil is helical and formed from Litz wire. The Litz wire has an elliptical cross-section and comprises from about 25 to about 350 wire strands.

[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a susceptor device that can be heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field to heat an aerosol-generating material, an inductor coil configured to generate a varying magnetic field for heating the susceptor device, and an aerosol supply device comprising the same. The inductor coil is helical and formed from Litz wire. The Litz wire has an elliptical cross-section and comprises from about 25 to about 350 wire strands.

[0005] According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol supply device is provided that includes an inductor coil configured to generate a variable magnetic field for heating a susceptor device. The inductor coil is helical and formed from a Litz wire. The Litz wire has a square cross-section and includes from about 25 to about 350 wire strands.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a susceptor device that can be heated by the penetration of a variable magnetic field to heat an aerosol generating material, and an inductor coil configured to generate a variable magnetic field for heating the susceptor device, An aerosol supply device is provided. The inductor coil is helical and formed from a Litz wire. The Litz wire has a square cross-section and includes from about 25 to about 350 wire strands.

[0007] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention. Here, this description is provided for illustrative purposes only and is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] In this specification, the term "aerosol generating material" includes materials that typically provide volatile components in the form of an aerosol when heated. The aerosol generating material includes some tobacco-containing material, and may include, for example, one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The aerosol generating material may also include other non-tobacco products, and these non-tobacco products may or may not contain nicotine depending on the individual product. The aerosol generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, gel, wax, etc. The aerosol generating material may be, for example, a combination or mixture of multiple materials. The aerosol generating material may also be referred to as a "smoking material".

[0010] Typically, in order to form an inhalable aerosol, an apparatus is known that heats an aerosol-generating material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol-generating material without burning or combusting the aerosol-generating material. Such an apparatus is sometimes described as an "aerosol-generating device", "aerosol supply device", "non-combustion heating device", "tobacco heating product device" or "tobacco heating device", etc. Similarly, there are so-called e-cigarette devices, which usually vaporize an aerosol-generating material in liquid form (which may or may not contain nicotine). The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a rod, cartridge, or cassette that can be inserted into the apparatus, or may be provided as part of these. The heater for heating and volatilizing the aerosol-generating material may be provided as a "permanent" part of the apparatus.

[0011] An aerosol supply device can receive an article comprising an aerosol-generating material for heating. The "article" in this context is a component that contains or houses the aerosol-generating material during use and optionally other components during use, where the aerosol-generating material is heated to volatilize it. Before the article is heated to produce an aerosol that the user inhales, the user may insert the article into the aerosol supply device. The article may be, for example, of a predetermined or specific dimension configured to be placed within a heating chamber of the device sized to receive the article.

[0012] A first aspect of the present disclosure defines at least one inductor coil configured to penetrate a susceptor and generate a varying magnetic field for heating the susceptor. As will be discussed in more detail herein, the susceptor (also known as a susceptor device) is a conductive object that can be heated by a varying magnetic field. An article comprising an aerosol-forming material can be received within the susceptor, disposed in the vicinity of the susceptor, or brought into contact with the susceptor. When heated, the susceptor transfers heat to the aerosol-forming material, thereby releasing an aerosol. In one example, the susceptor defines a receptacle and the susceptor receives the aerosol-forming material.

[0013] In a first aspect, the inductor coil is helical, has an elliptical cross-section, and is formed from a Litz wire comprising a plurality of wire strands. A Litz wire is a wire comprising a plurality of wire strands used to conduct alternating current. Litz wire is used to reduce skin effect losses within a conductor and comprises a plurality of individually insulated wires that are twisted or braided together. The result of this winding is to equalize the proportion of the total length that each strand is on the outside of the conductor. This has the effect of equally distributing current across the wire strands and reducing the resistance within the wire. In some examples, the Litz wire comprises several bundles of wire strands, where the wire strands within each bundle are twisted together. These wire bundles are then twisted or braided together in a similar manner.

[0014] In the present disclosure, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has from about 25 to about 350 wire strands. It has been found that an inductor coil formed from a Litz wire having an elliptical cross-section and such a large number of wire strands is suitable for heating a susceptor used in an aerosol supply device. It also provides a good balance between performance and cost.

[0015] The Litz wire of the inductor coil preferably has about 60 to about 150 wire strands. The Litz wire may comprise about 100 to about 130 wire strands, or about 110 to about 120 wire strands.

[0016] In one example, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has about 115 wire strands. Such a Litz wire is particularly effective for heating the susceptor used in the aerosol supply device.

[0017] In another example, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has about 50 to about 100 wire strands, such as about 60 to about 90 wire strands, or about 70 to about 80 wire strands. In one example, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has about 75 wire strands.

[0018] The Litz wire may comprise at least four bundles of wire strands. The Litz wire preferably comprises five bundles. As briefly described above, each bundle comprises a plurality of wire strands, and the wire strands within each bundle are twisted together. These wire bundles can be twisted / braided together in a similar manner. Summing the wire strands in all the bundles results in the total number of wire strands in the Litz wire. The same number of wire strands may be present in each bundle. When a plurality of wire strands are bundled together in the form of a Litz wire and then further braided and twisted together, the ratio of the number of times each wire spends at the edge of the bundle can be made more uniform.

[0019] Each of the wire strands within the litz wire has a certain diameter. For example, the wire strands may have a diameter of from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm. In some examples, the diameter is from 34 AWG (0.16 mm) to 40 AWG (0.0799 mm), where AWG is the American Wire Gauge. In another example, the wire strands have a diameter of from 36 AWG (0.127 mm) to 39 AWG (0.0897 mm). In another example, the wire strands have a diameter of from 37 AWG (0.113 mm) to 38 AWG (0.101 mm).

[0020] The wire strands preferably have a diameter of 38 AWG (0.101 mm), for example about 0.1 mm. The litz wire having the specified number of wire strands and these dimensions has been found to provide a good balance among effective heating, lower cost, and low resistivity, ensuring that the aerosol supply device is small and lightweight.

[0021] The litz wire may have a length of from about 300 mm to about 450 mm. For example, the litz wire may have a length of from about 300 mm to about 350 mm, for example from about 310 mm to about 320 mm. Alternatively, the litz wire may have a length of from about 350 mm to about 450 mm, for example from about 390 mm to about 410 mm. The length of the litz wire is the length when the coil is unwound. In a particular configuration, the litz wire has a length of about 315 mm or about 400 mm. These lengths have been found to be suitable for providing effective heating of the susceptor.

[0022] The inductor coil may have a length of from about 15 mm to about 35 mm. The length is measured along the axis of the helix formed by the coil. For example, the length may be from about 15 mm to about 25 mm, or from about 25 mm to about 35 mm. The inductor coil preferably has a length of about 20 mm or about 27 mm.

[0023] The inductor coil may have about 5 to 9 turns. One turn is a complete revolution around the axis. For example, the inductor coil may have about 6 to 7 turns, such as 6.75 turns, or about 8 to 9 turns, such as 8.75 turns. An inductor coil having such a large number of turns can provide an effective magnetic field for heating the susceptor.

[0024] The inductor coil may comprise Litz wire wound (spirally) at a specific pitch. The pitch is the length of the inductor coil over one complete winding (measured along the longitudinal axis of the device / susceptor). The shorter the pitch, the stronger the magnetic field that can be induced. Conversely, the longer the pitch, the weaker the magnetic field that can be induced.

[0025] In one configuration, the pitch is from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, or from about 2 mm to about 3 mm. For example, the pitch may be from about 2.5 mm to about 3 mm. The pitch is preferably about 2.8 mm or about 2.9 mm, such as about 2.81 mm or about 2.88 mm. These specific pitches have been found to provide effective heating of the susceptor and thus the aerosol - generating material.

[0026] The battery can supply power to the inductor coil. The battery may have a voltage of about 2.9 V to 4.16 V and can supply a peak current of about 18 Amp.

[0027] In one example, the inner diameter of the inductor coil is about 10 - 14 mm, and the outer diameter is about 12 - 16 mm. In a specific example, the inner diameter of the inductor coil is about 12 - 13 mm, and the outer diameter is about 14 - 15 mm. It is preferable that the inner diameter of the coil is about 12 mm and the outer diameter is about 14.6 mm. The inner diameter of the spiral inductor coil is any straight line portion that passes through the center of the inductor coil (when viewed in cross-section) and whose end point is on the inner circumference of the coil. The outer diameter of the spiral inductor coil is any straight line portion that passes through the center of the inductor coil (when viewed in cross-section) and whose end point is on the outer circumference of the coil. These dimensions can provide effective heating of the susceptor device while maintaining a compact outer size.

[0028] The inductor coil may have a gap between consecutive turns, and each gap may have a length of about 1.4 mm - 1.6 mm, for example about 1.5 mm - about 1.6 mm. The gap is preferably about 1.5 mm or 1.6 mm, for example about 1.51 mm or 1.58 mm. These dimensions provide a magnetic field of suitable strength for heating the susceptor. The length of the gap is measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device / susceptor / inductor coil. The gap is a portion where there is no coil wire (i.e., there is space between consecutive turns).

[0029] The inductor coil may have a mass of about 1 g - about 2.5 g. In a specific configuration, the inductor coil has a mass of about 1.3 g - 1.6 g, for example 1.4 g, or a mass of about 2 g - about 2.2 g, for example 2.1 g.

[0030] As described above, the litz wire has an elliptical cross-section. In a specific example, the litz wire has a circular cross-section. Thus, the litz wire may have a diameter of about 1 mm - about 1.5 mm or about 1.2 mm - about 1.4 mm. The litz wire preferably has a diameter of about 1.3 mm.

[0031] In an example where the litz wire does not have a circular cross-section, the major axis of the ellipse may be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the susceptor / coil. The major axis may have a length of about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm. The minor axis has a length shorter than the length of the major axis. The minor axis may have a length of about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm.

[0032] In some examples, during use, the induction coil is configured to heat the susceptor to a temperature of about 240 degrees Celsius to about 300 degrees Celsius, such as about 250 degrees Celsius to about 280 degrees Celsius.

[0033] The induction coil may be disposed at a distance of about 3 mm to about 4 mm from the outer surface of the susceptor. Accordingly, the inner surface of the induction coil and the outer surface of the susceptor may be separated by this distance. This distance may be a radial distance. It has been found that a distance within this range represents a good balance between the susceptor being close to the induction coil in the radial direction to enable efficient heating and being radially separated for improved insulation of the induction coil and the insulating member.

[0034] In another example, the induction coil may be disposed at a distance greater than about 2.5 mm from the outer surface of the susceptor.

[0035] In another example, the induction coil may be disposed at a distance of about 3 mm to about 3.5 mm from the outer surface of the susceptor. In a further example, the induction coil may be disposed at a distance of about 3 mm to about 3.25 mm, for example, preferably about 3.25 mm, from the outer surface of the susceptor. In another example, the induction coil may be disposed at a distance greater than about 3.2 mm from the outer surface of the susceptor. In a further example, the induction coil may be disposed at a distance less than about 3.5 mm, or less than about 3.3 mm, from the outer surface of the susceptor. It has been found that these distances represent a good balance between the susceptor being close to the induction coil in the radial direction to enable efficient heating and being radially separated for improved insulation of the induction coil and the insulating member.

[0036] In some examples, each of the plurality of wire strands comprises a bondable coating. The bondable coating is a coating that surrounds each wire strand and can be activated (such as by heating) so that the strands in the litz wire join one or more adjacent strands. The bondable coating enables the litz wire to be formed into the shape of an inductor coil on a support member, and after the bondable coating is activated, the inductor coil retains its shape. Thus, the bondable coating "sets" the shape of the inductor coil. In some examples, the bondable coating is an electrically insulating layer that surrounds a conductive core. However, the bondable coating and the insulator may be separate layers, with the bondable coating surrounding the insulating layer. In one example, the conductive core of the litz wire comprises copper.

[0037] In certain examples, the aerosol supply device comprises a susceptor device. In other examples, an article comprising an aerosol generating material comprises a susceptor device.

[0038] The susceptor device may be hollow and / or substantially tubular to enable the aerosol generating material to be received within the susceptor and the susceptor to surround the aerosol generating material.

[0039] The device is preferably a tobacco heating device, also known as a non-combustion heating device.

[0040] In a further aspect, the inductor coil is helical, has a square cross-section, and is formed from a Litz wire comprising a plurality of wire strands. In this aspect, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has from about 25 to about 350 wire strands. Again, it has been found that an inductor coil formed from a Litz wire having a square cross-section and such a large number of wire strands is suitable for heating a susceptor used in an aerosol supply device. It also provides a good balance between performance and cost.

[0041] The Litz wire of the inductor coil preferably has from about 60 to about 150 wire strands. More preferably, the Litz wire comprises from about 100 to about 130 wire strands, or from about 110 to about 120 wire strands. Most preferably, the Litz wire of the inductor coil has 115 wire strands. Such a Litz wire is particularly effective for heating a susceptor used in an aerosol supply device. The Litz wire may comprise at least four bundles of wire strands.

[0042] The Litz wire may comprise at least four bundles of wire strands. Preferably, the Litz wire comprises five bundles. The same number of wire strands may be present in each bundle.

[0043] Each of the wire strands in the Litz wire has a certain diameter. For example, the wire strands may have a diameter from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm. In some examples, the diameter is from 34 AWG (0.16 mm) to 40 AWG (0.0799 mm), where AWG is the American Wire Gauge. In another example, the wire strands have a diameter from 36 AWG (0.127 mm) to 39 AWG (0.0897 mm). In another example, the wire strands have a diameter from 37 AWG (0.113 mm) to 38 AWG (0.101 mm).

[0044] The wire strands preferably have a diameter of 38 AWG (0.101 mm), for example about 0.1 mm. It has been found that a litz wire having the specified number of wire strands and these dimensions provides a good balance between effective heating, lower cost, and low resistivity, ensuring that the aerosol supply device is small and lightweight.

[0045] The litz wire may have a length of about 250 mm to about 450 mm. For example, the litz wire may have a length of about 250 mm to about 300 mm, for example about 280 mm to about 290 mm. Alternatively, the litz wire may have a length of about 400 mm to about 450 mm, for example about 410 mm to about 420 mm. The length of the litz wire is the length when the coil is unwound. In a particular configuration, the litz wire has a length of about 285 mm or about 420 mm. It has been found that these lengths are suitable for providing effective heating of the susceptor.

[0046] The inductor coil may have a length of about 15 mm to about 35 mm. The length is measured along the axis of the helix formed by the coil. For example, the length may be about 15 mm to about 25 mm, or about 25 mm to about 35 mm. The inductor coil preferably has a length of about 20 mm or about 30 mm.

[0047] The inductor coil may have about 5 to 9 turns. One turn is a complete rotation around the axis. For example, the inductor coil may have about 5 to 6 turns, for example 5.75 turns, or about 8 to 9 turns, for example 8.75 turns. An inductor coil having such a large number of turns provides an effective magnetic field for heating the susceptor.

[0048] In one configuration, the pitch is from about 2 mm to about 4 mm, or from about 2.5 mm to about 3.5 mm. For example, the pitch may be from about 3 mm to about 3.5 mm. The pitch is preferably about 3.1 mm or about 3.2 mm. These specific pitches have been found to provide effective heating of the susceptor, and thus of the aerosol-forming material.

[0049] In one example, the inner diameter of the inductor coil is from about 10 to 14 mm, and the outer diameter is from about 12 to 16 mm. In certain examples, the inner diameter of the inductor coil is from about 12 to 13 mm, and the outer diameter is from about 14 to 15 mm. The inner diameter of the coil is preferably about 12 mm, and the outer diameter is preferably about 14.3 mm. These dimensions can provide effective heating of the susceptor device while maintaining a compact outer size.

[0050] The inductor coil may include a gap between successive turns, each gap having a length of from about 0.9 mm to 1 mm. These dimensions provide a magnetic field of suitable strength for heating the susceptor.

[0051] The inductor coil may have a mass of from about 2 g to about 4 g. In certain configurations, the inductor coil has a mass of from about 2.2 g to 2.6 g, such as 2.4 g, or from about 3.3 g to about 3.6 g, such as 3.5 g.

[0052] As described above, in this example, the litz wire has a rectangular cross-section. The rectangle may have two short sides and two long sides, where the dimensions of each side of the rectangle define the area of the rectangular cross-section. Other examples may have a substantially square cross-section with four substantially equal sides. The cross-sectional area may be from about 1.5 mm 2 to about 3 mm 2 and may be. In a preferred example, the cross-sectional area is from about 2 mm 2 to about 3 mm 2 or from about 2.2 mm 2 to about 2.6 mm 2 and is. The cross-sectional area is from about 2.4 mm 2 to about 2.5 mm 2is preferable.

[0053] In an example having a square cross-section with two short sides and two long sides, the short sides may have dimensions of about 0.9 mm to about 1.4 mm, and the long sides may have dimensions of about 1.9 mm to about 2.4 mm. Alternatively, the short sides may have dimensions of about 1 mm to about 1.2 mm, and the long sides may have dimensions of about 2.1 mm to about 2.3 mm. The short sides preferably have a dimension of about 1.1 mm (±0.1 mm), and the long sides preferably have a dimension of about 2.2 mm (±0.1 mm). In such an example, the cross-sectional area is about 2.42 mm 2 is.

[0054] In certain examples, the aerosol supply device comprises a susceptor device. In other examples, an article comprising an aerosol-generating material comprises a susceptor device.

[0055] Other features of the aerosol supply device and / or the wire strand may be the same as those in the first aspect.

[0056] Figure 1 shows an example of an aerosol supply device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating medium / material. Broadly, the device 100 can be used to heat an exchangeable article 110 containing an aerosol-generating medium to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium for inhalation by a user of the device 100.

[0057] The device 100 comprises a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and houses various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 104 at one end, and the article 110 may be inserted through this opening 104 for heating by a heating assembly. In use, the article 110 may be inserted fully or partially into the heating assembly and heated by one or more components of the heater assembly within the heating assembly.

[0058] The device 100 of this example includes a first end member 106, and this end member is provided with a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in a predetermined position. In FIG. 1, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the cap 108 may move to a closed configuration. For example, the user may slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "A".

[0059] The device 100 may include a user-operable control element 112, such as a button or a switch, that activates the device 100 when pressed. For example, the user may turn on the device 100 by operating the switch 112.

[0060] The device 100 may be provided with electrical components such as a socket / port 114, and this component can receive a cable for charging the battery of the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port such as a USB charging port.

[0061] FIG. 2 depicts the device 100 of FIG. 1 with the outer cover 102 removed and the article 110 absent. The device 100 defines a longitudinal axis 134.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 2, the first end member 106 is disposed at one end of the device 100, and the second end member 116 is disposed at the opposite end of the device 100. Both the first end member 106 and the second end member 116 at least partially define the end face of the device 100. For example, the bottom surface of the second end member 116 at least partially defines the bottom surface of the device 100. The edge of the outer cover 102 may also define a part of the end face. In this example, the lid 108 also defines a part of the upper surface of the device 100.

[0063] The end of the device closest to the opening 104 is the closest to the user's mouth during use, and may also be referred to as the proximal end (or mouth end) of the device 100. During use, the user inserts the article 110 into the opening 104, operates the user control unit 112 to start heating the aerosol-generating material, and inhales the aerosol generated by the device. Thereby, the aerosol flows through the device 100 along the flow path towards the proximal end of the device 100.

[0064] The other end of the device farthest from the opening 104 is the end farthest from the user's mouth during use, and may also be referred to as the distal end of the device 100. As the user inhales the aerosol generated by the device, the aerosol flows out from the distal end of the device 100.

[0065] The device 100 further includes a power source 118. The power source 118 may be a battery, such as a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery, for example. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The battery is electrically connected to the heating assembly to supply power under the control of a controller (not shown) when necessary to heat the aerosol-generating material. In this example, the battery is connected to a central support 120 that holds the battery 118 in place.

[0066] The device further includes at least one electronic module 122. The electronic module 122 may include, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB 122 may support at least one controller, such as a processor, and memory. The PCB 122 may include one or more electrical traces for electrically connecting various electronic components of the device 100. For example, the battery terminals may be electrically connected to the PCB 122 so as to distribute power throughout the device 100. The socket 114 may also be electrically coupled to the battery via an electrical trace.

[0067] In the exemplary device 100, the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly and includes various components for heating the aerosol-forming material of the article 110 by an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating a conductive object (such as a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. The induction heating assembly may include an induction element, for example, one or more induction coils, and a device for passing a varying current, such as an alternating current, through the induction element. The varying current in the induction element generates a varying magnetic field. This varying magnetic field penetrates a susceptor appropriately arranged relative to the induction element and generates eddy currents inside the susceptor. The susceptor has an electrical resistance to the eddy currents, and thus, as the eddy currents flow against this resistance, the susceptor is heated by Joule heating. When the susceptor contains a ferromagnetic material such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat may also be generated by the magnetic hysteresis loss of the susceptor, that is, as a result of the orientation of the magnetic dipoles of the magnetic material varying as it aligns with the varying magnetic field. For example, compared with heating by heat conduction, in induction heating, since heat is generated inside the susceptor, rapid heating is possible. Furthermore, since there is no need for any physical contact between the induction heater and the susceptor, the degrees of freedom in manufacturing and application can be increased.

[0068] The inductive heating assembly of the exemplary device 100 includes a susceptor device 132 (referred to herein as the "susceptor"), a first inductor coil 124, and a second inductor coil 126. The first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made of a conductive material. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made of Litz wire / cable wound in a spiral to form spiral inductor coils 124, 126. The Litz wire is composed of a plurality of individual wires that are individually insulated and twisted together to form a single wire. The Litz wire is designed to reduce the skin effect loss of the conductor. In the exemplary device 100, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made of copper Litz wire having a square cross-section. In other examples, the Litz wire may have a cross-section of other shapes such as an ellipse.

[0069] The first inductor coil 124 is configured to generate a first alternating magnetic field for heating a first portion of the susceptor 132, and the second inductor coil 126 is configured to generate a second alternating magnetic field for heating a second portion of the susceptor 132. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 is adjacent to the second inductor coil 126 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 134 of the device 100 (i.e., the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 do not overlap). The susceptor device 132 may include a single susceptor or two or more separate susceptors. Each end 130 of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be connected to the PCB 122.

[0070] It should be understood that the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may have at least one characteristic that is different from each other in some examples. For example, the first inductor coil 124 may have at least one characteristic different from the second inductor coil 126. More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil 124 may have an inductance value different from that of the second inductor coil 126. In FIG. 2, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 have different lengths, and the first inductor coil 124 is wound over a smaller portion of the susceptor 132 compared to the second inductor coil 126. Therefore, the first inductor coil 124 may have a different number of turns from the second inductor coil 126 (assuming that the spacing between individual turns is substantially the same). In yet another example, the first inductor coil 124 may be made of a material different from that of the second inductor coil 126. In some examples, the first and second inductor coils 124, 126 may be substantially the same.

[0071] In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when each inductor coil is energized at different times. For example, first, the first inductor coil 124 may operate to heat a first part / portion of the article 110, and at a later time, the second inductor coil 126 may operate to heat a second part / portion of the article 110. Winding each coil in the opposite direction helps reduce the current induced in the non-energized coil when used in combination with a particular type of control circuit. In FIG. 2, the first inductor coil 124 is a right-handed helix, and the second inductor coil 126 is a left-handed helix. However, in another embodiment, the inductor coils 124, 126 may be wound in the same direction, or the first inductor coil 124 may be a left-handed helix and the second inductor coil 126 may be a right-handed helix.

[0072] The susceptor 132 of this example is hollow and thus defines a receptacle into which the aerosol - generating material is received. For example, the article 110 can be inserted into the susceptor 132. In this example, the susceptor 132 is tubular with a circular cross - section.

[0073] The device 100 of FIG. 2 further comprises an insulating member 128, which may be substantially tubular and may at least partially surround the susceptor 132. The insulating member 128 may be made of any insulating material such as, for example, plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The insulating member 128 can help insulate the various components of the device 100 from the heat generated at the susceptor 132.

[0074] The insulating member 128 can also fully or partially support the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are disposed around the insulating member 128 and are in contact with the radially outward face of the insulating member 128. In some examples, the insulating member 128 does not abut the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, a small gap may exist between the outer surface of the insulating member 128 and the inner surfaces of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126.

[0075] In a particular example, the susceptor 132, the insulating member 128, and the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are co - axial about the central longitudinal axis of the susceptor 132.

[0076] FIG. 3 is a partial cross - sectional view showing a side of the device 100. In this example, an outer cover 102 is present. The rectangular cross - sectional shape of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be seen more clearly.

[0077] Device 100 further includes a support 136 that engages with one end of susceptor 132 to hold the susceptor 132 in a predetermined position. The support 136 is connected to the second end member 116.

[0078] The device may also include a second printed circuit board 138 associated within the control element 112.

[0079] Device 100 further includes a second lid / cap 140 and a spring 142 disposed toward the distal end of device 100. The spring 142 allows the second lid 140 to be opened to access the susceptor 132. The user may open the second lid 140 to clean the susceptor 132 and / or the support 136.

[0080] Device 100 further includes an expansion chamber 144 that extends away from the proximal end of susceptor 132 and toward the opening 104 of the device. At least a partially retaining clip 146 is disposed within the expansion chamber 144 to abut against and hold an article 110 when the article 110 is received within device 100. The expansion chamber 144 is connected to the end member 106.

[0081] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of device 100 of FIG. 1 with the outer cover 102 omitted.

[0082] FIG. 5A depicts a cross-section of a portion of device 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5B depicts a close-up of a region of FIG. 5A. FIGS. 5A and 5B show an article 110 received within susceptor 132, and the article 110 is dimensioned such that the outer surface of the article 110 abuts against the inner surface of the susceptor 132. This ensures that heating is most efficient. The article 110 of this example includes an aerosol-generating material 110a. The aerosol-generating material 110a is disposed within the susceptor 132. The article 110 may also include other components such as a filter, packaging material, and / or a cooling structure.

[0083] FIG. 5B shows that the outer surface of susceptor 132 is separated from the inner surfaces of inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 150 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of susceptor 132. In one particular example, distance 150 is from about 3 mm to 4 mm, from about 3 to 3.5 mm, or about 3.25 mm.

[0084] FIG. 5B further shows that the outer surface of insulating member 128 is separated from the inner surfaces of inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 152 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of susceptor 132. In one particular example, distance 152 is about 0.05 mm. In another example, distance 152 is substantially 0 mm such that inductor coils 124, 126 contact insulating member 128.

[0085] In one example, susceptor 132 has a wall thickness 154 from about 0.025 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.05 mm.

[0086] In one example, susceptor 132 has a length from about 40 mm to 60 mm, from about 40 mm to 45 mm, or about 44.5 mm.

[0087] In one example, insulating member 128 has a wall thickness 156 from about 0.25 mm to 2 mm, from 0.25 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

[0088] FIG. 6 depicts the heating assembly of device 100. As briefly described above, the heating assembly comprises a first inductor coil 124 and a second inductor coil 126 arranged adjacent to each other in a direction along axis 158 (which is also parallel to the longitudinal axis 134 of device 100). In use, the first inductor coil 124 is first operated. This causes the temperature of a first portion of susceptor 132 (i.e., the portion of susceptor 132 surrounded by the first inductor coil 124) to increase, which in turn heats a first portion of the aerosol-forming material. At a later point in time, the first inductor coil 124 may be switched off and the second inductor coil 126 may be operated. This causes the temperature of a second portion of susceptor 132 (i.e., the portion of susceptor 132 surrounded by the second inductor coil 126) to increase, which in turn heats a second portion of the aerosol-forming material. The second inductor coil 126 may be switched on while the first inductor coil 124 is operating, and the first inductor coil 124 may be switched off while the second inductor coil 126 continues to operate. Alternatively, the first inductor coil 124 may be switched off before the second inductor coil 126 is switched on. The controller can control when each inductor coil is operated / excited.

[0089] In some examples, the length 202 of the first inductor coil 124 is shorter than the length 204 of the second inductor coil 126. The length of each inductor coil is measured in a direction parallel to the axis of the inductor coils 124, 126. The first, shorter inductor coil 124 may be disposed closer to the mouth-side end (proximal end) of the device 100 than the second inductor coil 126. When the aerosol-generating material is heated, an aerosol is released. When the user inhales, the aerosol is drawn in the direction of arrow 206 towards the mouth-side end of the device 100. The aerosol exits the device 100 through the opening / mouthpiece 104 and is inhaled by the user. The first inductor coil 124 is disposed closer to the opening 104 than the second inductor coil 126.

[0090] In this example, the first inductor coil 124 has a length 202 of about 20 mm, and the second inductor coil 126 has a length 204 of about 30 mm. The first wire wound in a spiral to form the first inductor coil 124 has an unwound length of about 285 mm. The second wire wound in a spiral to form the second inductor coil 126 has an unwound length of about 420 mm.

[0091] Each inductor coil 124, 126 is formed from a Litz wire comprising a plurality of wire strands. For example, there may be from about 25 to about 350 wire strands in each Litz wire. In this example, there are about 115 wire strands in each Litz wire. In some examples, the wire strands are grouped into two or more bundles, where each bundle comprises a number of wire strands such that the sum of the wire strands in all the bundles is equal to the total number of wire strands. In this example, there are five bundles of 23 wire strands each.

[0092] Each of the wire strands has a certain diameter. For example, the diameter may be from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm. In some examples, the diameter is from 34 AWG (0.16 mm) to 40 AWG (0.0799 mm), where AWG is the American Wire Gauge. In this example, each of the wire strands has a diameter of 38 AWG (0.101 mm).

[0093] As shown in FIG. 6, the litz wire of the first inductor coil 124 is wound about 5.75 turns around the axis 158, and the litz wire of the second inductor coil 126 is wound about 8.75 turns around the axis 158. Since the ends of each litz wire are bent away from the surface of the insulating member 128 before the complete winding is finished, the litz wire does not form an integer number of turns.

[0094] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the first inductor coil 124. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the second inductor coil 126. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 have different pitches. The first inductor coil 124 has a first pitch 210, and the second inductor coil has a second pitch 212. The pitch is the length of the inductor coil over one complete turn (measured along the longitudinal axis 134 of the device or along the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor). In this example, the first pitch is smaller than the second pitch. More specifically, the first pitch 210 is about 3.1 mm, and the second pitch 212 is about 3.2 mm. In other examples, the pitch is the same for each inductor coil, or the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch.

[0095] FIG. 7 depicts a first inductor coil 124 having approximately 5.75 turns, where one turn is a complete revolution around axis 158. There is a gap 214 between each successive turn. In this example, the length of gap 214 is approximately 0.9 mm. Similarly, FIG. 8 depicts a second inductor coil 126 having approximately 8.75 turns. There is a gap 216 between each successive turn. In this example, the length of gap 216 is approximately 1 mm. The size of the gap is equal to the difference between the pitch and the size of the Litz wire along the inductor coil / axis 158.

[0096] In this example, the first inductor coil 124 has a mass of approximately 2.4 g and the second inductor coil 126 has a mass of approximately 3.5 g.

[0097] FIG. 9 is a diagram representing the cross-section of the Litz wire forming either the first or second inductor coil 124, 126. As shown, the Litz wire has a square cross-section (the individual wires forming the Litz wire are not shown for simplicity). The shorter side of the cross-section has dimension 218 and the longer side of the cross-section has dimension 220. In this example, the short side has dimension 218 of approximately 1.1 mm and the long side has dimension 220 of approximately 2.2 mm. Thus, the total cross-sectional area is approximately 2.42 mm 2 ². In the configurations of FIGS. 5B and 6, the long side is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132 to achieve the desired magnetic field strength.

[0098] FIG. 10 is a diagram looking down on either inductor coil 124, 126 from above. In this example, the inductor coils 124, 126 are arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132 (however, the susceptor 132 is not drawn for simplicity).

[0099] FIG. 10 shows inductor coils 124, 126 having an outer diameter 222 and an inner diameter 228. The outer diameter 222 may be from about 12 mm to about 16 mm, and the inner diameter 228 may be from about 10 mm to about 14 mm. In this particular example, the inner diameter 228 has a length of about 12 mm, and the outer diameter 222 has a length of about 14.3 mm.

[0100] FIG. 11 is another diagram representing a cross-section of the heating assembly. FIG. 11 depicts that the outer perimeters / outer surfaces of the inductor coils 124, 126 are spaced from the susceptor 232 by a distance 304. Thus, the first and second inductor coils have substantially the same outer diameter 306. FIG. 11 depicts the inner diameters 308 of the first and second inductor coils 124, 226 as being substantially the same.

[0101] The "outer perimeter" of the inductor coils 124, 226 is the edge of the inductor coil that is furthest from the outer surface 132a of the susceptor 132 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158.

[0102] As shown, the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124, 126 are spaced from the outer surface 132a of the susceptor 132 by a distance 310. This distance may be from about 3 mm to about 4 mm, for example about 3.25 mm.

[0103] FIG. 12 depicts another heating assembly for use in the device 100. In this example, the square cross-section Litz wire forming the inductor coil has been replaced with an inductor coil comprising a Litz wire having a circular cross-section. The other features of the device 100 are substantially the same.

[0104] This heating assembly comprises a first inductor coil 224 and a second inductor coil 226 arranged adjacent to each other in a direction along a longitudinal axis 158 defined by the susceptor 132, which is also parallel to the longitudinal axis 134 of the device 100. In use, the first inductor coil 224 is operated first. This causes a first portion of the susceptor 132, i.e., the portion of the susceptor 132 surrounded by the first inductor coil 224, to be heated, which in turn heats a first portion of the aerosol-forming material. At a later time, the first inductor coil 224 may be switched off and the second inductor coil 226 may be operated. This causes a second portion of the susceptor 132, i.e., the portion of the susceptor 132 surrounded by the second inductor coil 226, to be heated, which in turn heats a second portion of the aerosol-forming material. The second inductor coil 226 may be switched on while the first inductor coil 224 is operating, and the first inductor coil 224 may be switched off while the second inductor coil 226 continues to operate. Alternatively, the first inductor coil 224 may be switched off before the second inductor coil 226 is switched on. The controller can control when each inductor coil is operated / excited.

[0105] In some examples, the length 402 of the first inductor coil 224 is shorter than the length 404 of the second inductor coil 226. The length of each inductor coil is measured in a direction parallel to the axis 200 defined by the inductor coils 224, 226. The first, shorter inductor coil 224 may be disposed closer to the mouth-side end (proximal end) of the device 100 than the second inductor coil 226. When the aerosol-generating material is heated, an aerosol is released. When the user inhales, the aerosol is drawn in the direction of arrow 406 towards the mouth-side end of the device 100. The aerosol exits the device 100 through the opening / mouthpiece 104 and is inhaled by the user. The first inductor coil 224 is disposed closer to the opening 104 than the second inductor coil 226.

[0106] In this example, the first inductor coil 224 has a length 402 of about 20 mm, and the second inductor coil 226 has a length 404 of about 27 mm. The first wire wound in a spiral to form the first inductor coil 224 has an unwound length of about 315 mm. The second wire wound in a spiral to form the second inductor coil 226 has an unwound length of about 400 mm.

[0107] Each inductor coil 224, 226 is formed from a Litz wire comprising a plurality of wire strands. For example, there may be from about 25 to about 350 wire strands in each Litz wire. In this example, there are about 115 wire strands in each Litz wire. In some examples, the wire strands are grouped into two or more bundles, where each bundle comprises a number of wire strands such that the sum of the wire strands in all the bundles is the total number of wire strands. In this example, there are five bundles of 23 wire strands each.

[0108] Each of the wire strands has a certain diameter. For example, the diameter may be from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm. In some examples, the diameter is from 34 AWG (0.16 mm) to 40 AWG (0.0799 mm), where AWG is the American Wire Gauge. In this example, each of the wire strands has a diameter of 38 AWG (0.101 mm).

[0109] As shown in FIG. 12, the Litz wire of the first inductor coil 224 is wound about 6.75 times around the axis 158, and the Litz wire of the second inductor coil 226 is wound about 8.75 times around the axis 158. Since the ends of each Litz wire are bent away from the surface of the insulating member 128 before the complete winding is completed, the Litz wire does not form an integer number of windings.

[0110] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the first inductor coil 224. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the second inductor coil 226. In this example, the first inductor coil 224 and the second inductor coil 226 have different pitches. The first inductor coil 224 has a first pitch 410, and the second inductor coil has a second pitch 412. The pitch is the length of the inductor coil over one complete turn (measured along the longitudinal axis 134 of the device or along the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor). In this example, the first pitch is smaller than the second pitch. More specifically, the first pitch 410 is about 2.81 mm, and the second pitch 412 is about 2.88 mm. In other examples, the pitch is the same for each inductor coil, or the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch.

[0111] FIG. 13 depicts a first inductor coil 224 having approximately 6.75 turns, where one turn is a complete revolution around axis 158. There is a gap 414 between each successive turn. In this example, the length of gap 414 is approximately 1.51 mm. Similarly, FIG. 14 depicts a second inductor coil 226 having approximately 8.75 turns. There is a gap 416 between each successive turn. In this example, the length of gap 416 is approximately 1.58 mm. The size of the gap is equal to the difference between the pitch and the diameter of the litz wire. Thus, in this example, the litz wire has a diameter of approximately 1.3 mm.

[0112] In this example, the first inductor coil 224 has a mass of approximately 1.4 g and the second inductor coil 226 has a mass of approximately 2.1 g.

[0113] FIG. 15 is a diagram representing a cross-section of the litz wire forming either the first or second inductor coil 224, 226. As shown, the litz wire has a circular cross-section (the individual wires forming the litz wire are not shown for simplicity). The litz wire has a diameter 418, which may be from about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm. In this example, the diameter is approximately 1.3 mm.

[0114] FIG. 16 is a diagram looking down from above either of the inductor coils 224, 226. In this example, the inductor coils 224, 226 are arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132 (however, the susceptor 132 is not drawn for simplicity).

[0115] FIG. 16 shows the inductor coils 224, 226 having an outer diameter 422 and an inner diameter 428. The outer diameter 422 may be from about 12 mm to about 16 mm and the inner diameter 428 may be from about 10 mm to about 14 mm. In this particular example, the inner diameter 428 has a length of approximately 12 mm and the outer diameter 422 has a length of approximately 14.6 mm.

[0116] FIG. 17 is another diagram showing a cross-section of the heating assembly. FIG. 17 depicts that the outer perimeters / outer surfaces of the inductor coils 224, 226 are spaced from the susceptor 232 by a distance 504. Thus, the first and second inductor coils have substantially the same outer diameter 506. FIG. 17 depicts the inner diameters 508 of the first and second inductor coils 224, 226 as being substantially the same.

[0117] The "outer perimeter" of the inductor coils 224, 226 is the edge of the inductor coil that is furthest from the outer surface 132a of the susceptor 132 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158.

[0118] As shown, the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 224, 226 are spaced from the outer surface 132a of the susceptor 132 by a distance 510. This distance may be from about 3 mm to about 4 mm, such as about 3.25 mm.

[0119] The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the present invention. Further embodiments of the present invention will occur to those of skill in the art. It should be understood that any of the features described with respect to any one embodiment may be used alone or in combination with any of the other features described, and also in combination with one or more features of any of the other embodiments, or any combination of the other embodiments. Additionally, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An aerosol supply device comprising an inductor coil configured to generate a variable magnetic field for heating a susceptor device, wherein the inductor coil has a length of about 15 mm to about 35 mm, and the inductor coil has a pitch of about 2 mm to about 4 mm, the aerosol supply device.

2. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1, wherein the inductor coil is spiral.

3. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inductor coil is formed from a litz wire having an elliptical cross-section, and the litz wire comprises a plurality of wire strands.

4. The aerosol supply device according to claim 3, wherein the litz wire comprises at least four bundles of wire strands.

5. The aerosol supply device according to claim 4, wherein each of the at least four bundles has the same number of wire strands.

6. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the wire strands have a diameter of about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm.

7. The aerosol supply device according to claim 6, wherein the wire strands have a diameter of about 0.1 mm.

8. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the litz wire has a length of about 300 mm to about 450 mm.

9. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the litz wire has a circular cross-section.

10. The aerosol supply device according to claim 9, wherein the litz wire has a diameter of about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm.

11. The aerosol supply device according to claim 10, wherein the litz wire has a diameter of about 1.2 mm to about 1.4 mm.

12. The aerosol supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inductor coil is spiral, the inductor coil is formed from a litz wire having a square cross-section, and the litz wire comprises a plurality of wire strands.

13. The aerosol supply device according to claim 12, wherein the litz wire comprises at least four bundles of wire strands.

14. The aerosol supply device according to claim 13, wherein each of the at least four bundles has the same number of wire strands.

15. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the wire strands have a diameter of from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm.

16. The aerosol supply device according to claim 15, wherein the wire strands have a diameter of about 0.1 mm.

17. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the litz wire has a length of from about 250 mm to about 450 mm.

18. The litz wire has a cross-sectional area of about 1.5 mm ２ to about 3 mm ２ The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, having a cross-sectional area of

19. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 18, wherein each of the wire strands comprises an adhesive coating.

20. The aerosol supply device according to claim 19, wherein the adhesive coating surrounds each wire strand.

21. The aerosol supply device according to claim 20, wherein the adhesive coating can be activated, optionally by heating, such that the wire strands within the litz wire join to one or more adjacent wire strands.

22. The aerosol supply device according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the adhesive coating enables the litz wire to be formed into the shape of an inductor coil on a support member, and after the adhesive coating is activated, the inductor coil retains its shape.

23. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the adhesive coating is an electrically insulating layer surrounding a conductive core.

24. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein each of the wire strands further comprises an insulating layer, the adhesive coating and the insulating layer are separate layers, and the adhesive coating surrounds the insulating layer.

25. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the inductor coil has from about 6 to 9 turns.

26. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the inductor coil has from about 5 to 9 turns.

27. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the inductor coil has a gap between successive turns, each gap having a length of from about 1.4 mm to about 1.6 mm.

28. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the inductor coil has a gap between consecutive turns, and each gap has a length of from about 0.9 mm to about 1 mm.

29. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the inductor coil has a mass of from about 1 g to about 2.5 g.

30. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the inductor coil has a mass of from about 2 g to about 4 g.

31. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the inner diameter of the inductor coil is from about 10 to 14 mm and the outer diameter is from about 12 to 16 mm.

32. The aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 31, further comprising the susceptor device, wherein the susceptor device is heatable by the penetration of the alternating magnetic field for heating the aerosol-generating material.

33. An aerosol supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 32, An article comprising an aerosol-generating material, An aerosol supply system comprising the same.

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