Apparatus and method for heating smoking material

Abstract

To provide an apparatus configured to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material.SOLUTION: An apparatus 100 comprises at least one thin-film heater configured and arranged to heat smokable material contained in use within the apparatus. The thin-film heater has a plurality of heating regions for heating different portions of the smokable material contained in use within the apparatus 100. At least a first heating region of the thin-film heater has a different watt density than at least a second heating region of the thin-film heater.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 185,227, filed June 26, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Technical Field]

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

[0003] Cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these tobacco-burning products by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called heat-not-burn products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices. These release compounds by heating, rather than burning, a material. The material may be, for example, tobacco, other non-tobacco products, or a combination, such as a blended mixture, which may or may not contain nicotine. Similarly, there are so-called electronic cigarette devices, which typically vaporize a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus configured to heat smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising at least one thin film heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in the apparatus in use; The thin film heater has multiple heating zones for heating different portions of smokable material contained within the device in use, and at least a first heating zone of the thin film heater has a different watt density than at least a second heating zone of the thin film heater.

[0005] In some instances, this means that various portions of the smokable material may be heated to different temperatures, for example, while in other instances, it means that a flatter, more uniform temperature profile may be achieved over at least part of, or all of, the smokable material.

[0006] In one embodiment, a first heating region of the thin film heater has a lower watt density than a second heating region of the thin film heater, the first heating region being positioned near a first end of the thin film heater and the second heating region being positioned away from the first end of the thin film heater.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first heating zone has at least a first electrically conductive heating portion and the second heating zone has at least a second electrically conductive heating portion, the electrical resistance of the first electrically conductive heating portion being different from the electrical resistance of the second electrically conductive heating portion.

[0008] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the first conductive heating portion is different from the cross-sectional area of the second conductive heating portion.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first heating zone has a plurality of conductive heating portions and the second heating zone has a plurality of conductive heating portions, and the electrical resistance of at least one of the plurality of conductive heating portions in the first heating zone is different from the electrical resistance of at least one of the plurality of conductive heating portions in the second heating zone.

[0010] In one embodiment, the plurality of conductive heating portions in the first heating zone are electrically connected in series with each other, and the plurality of conductive heating portions in the second heating zone are electrically connected in series with each other.

[0011] In one embodiment, the thin film heater has an unheated region located generally in the center of the thin film heater.

[0012] In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a power supply arranged to apply the same voltage to the first heating zone and the second heating zone.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material using an apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained therein in use, the heater having a plurality of heating zones for heating different portions of the smokable material contained within the apparatus in use, at least a first heating zone of the heater having a different watt density than at least a second heating zone of the heater, and the method comprising: inserting smoking material into the device; and operating the heater to provide different heat fluxes from the first heating zone and the second heating zone to corresponding different portions of the smokable material, causing the corresponding different portions of the smokable material to be heated to different temperatures.

[0014] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a power supply that applies the same voltage to the first heating zone and the second heating zone.

[0015] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of an example apparatus for heating smokable material. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 with smokable material inserted; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a first schematic plan view showing an example of a heater used in a device for heating smokable material; FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a second schematic plan view showing an example of a heater used in an apparatus for heating smokable material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] As used herein, the term "smoking material" includes materials that, when heated, provide volatile components, typically in the form of an aerosol. "Smoking material" includes any tobacco-containing material, and may include, for example, one or more of tobacco itself, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. "Smoking material" may also include other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine, depending on the product. "Smoking material" may take the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, gel, or wax. "Smoking material" may also be, for example, a combination or blend of materials.

[0018] Devices are known that heat smoking material to vaporize at least one component of the smoking material, typically to form an inhalable aerosol without burning or combusting the smoking material. Such devices are also described as "heat-not-burn" devices, "tobacco heating products," "tobacco heating devices," or the like. Similarly, there are so-called e-cigarette devices, which typically vaporize smoking material in liquid form (which may or may not contain nicotine). The smoking material may take the form of, or be provided as part of, a rod, cartridge, or cassette that can be inserted into the device. A heater for heating and vaporizing the smoking material may be provided as a "permanent" part of the device, or may be provided as part of a smoking article, or as a consumable item that is discarded and replaced after use. In this context, a "smoking article" is a device, article, or other component that contains or houses smoking material and that, when used, is heated to vaporize the smoking material and, optionally, other components.

[0019] 1-3, an example of a device 100 is shown configured to receive smokable material so as to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. (As explained in more detail below, in some specific examples described herein, the smokable material is provided as a rod 250 comprising smokable material 252 and any other components.) The device 100 has a first, proximal or mouth end 102 and a second or distal end 104.

[0020] The device 100 provides a housing 106 for receiving smokable material 252. The housing 106 has at least one opening through which the smokable material 252 can pass. In the particular example shown, there are two openings. A first opening 108 is provided to allow the smokable material 252 to be introduced into and removed from the housing 106. A second opening 110 is provided to allow a user to access the interior of the housing 106, for example, to clean the interior of the housing 106. In the particular example shown, the openings 108 and 110 are located at the oral end 102 and the distal end 104, respectively. The housing 106 also has a chamber 112 located between the oral end 102 and the distal end 104. As shown most clearly in FIG. 3 , the openings 108 and 110 are located at opposite ends of the chamber 112 within the housing 106. The smokable material 252 is received within the chamber 112 during use. Before use, a user can insert smokable material 252 into the chamber 112 through the first opening 108. After use, a user can remove the smokable material 252 from the chamber 112 and clean the chamber 112, for example, by inserting a pipe cleaner into the second opening 110.

[0021] In the illustrated example, the device 100 has lids or covers 116, 118 that allow the openings 108, 110 to be closed and opened. The hinged cover 116 is pivotally attached to the housing 106 at its distal end 110 and is movable between an open position and a closed position (shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively). The slidable cover 118 is attached to the proximal end 102 of the housing 106 and is slidably movable between an open position and a closed position. The slidable cover 118 is moved to the open position prior to inserting smokable material 252 into the device 100.

[0022] 3, which shows a rod 250 including (at least) smokable material 252 partially inserted through the front opening 108 such that the smokable material 252 is positioned within the device 100. The rod 250 has a mouthpiece assembly at its mouth end that includes one or more of a filter for filtering the aerosol and / or a cooling element 254 for cooling the aerosol. The filter / cooling element 254 is separated from the smokable material 252 by a space 256 and separated from the mouth end by another space 258.

[0023] The device 100 has an internally disposed or fixed heater 200, a control circuit 202, and a power source 204. In this example, the heater 200, control circuit 202, and power source 204 are laterally adjacent (i.e., adjacent from one end view), with the control circuit 21 generally disposed between the heater 200 and the power source 22, although other locations are possible. The control circuit 202 can include a controller, such as a microprocessor device, constructed and arranged to control the heating of the smokable material 252, as described further below. The power source 204 can be a battery, for example, a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium-ion batteries, nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries, etc. The battery 204 is electrically connected to the heater 200 to provide power when needed and to heat the smokable material 252 after it is inserted into the device 100 through the opening 110 under the control of the control circuit 202. An advantage of locating the power supply 204 adjacent to the side of the heater 200 is that a physically larger power supply 204 can be used without making the overall device 100 excessively long. As will be appreciated, a physically larger power supply 204 generally has a higher capacity (i.e., total electrical energy that it can supply, often measured in ampere-hours or the like) and therefore may provide a longer battery life for the device 100.

[0024] In one example, the heater 200 takes the form of a generally cylindrical hollow tube having a hollow internal heating chamber 206 into which the smokable material 252 is inserted for heating during use. The heater 200 can have other different configurations. For example, the heater 200 can be formed from a single heating element or from multiple heating elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the heater 200. The heater 200 can be annular, tubular, or at least partially annular or partially tubular around itself. In one example, the heating element can be a thin-film heater. In another example, the heating element can be made from a ceramic material. Examples of suitable ceramic materials include alumina, aluminum nitride, and silicon nitride ceramics, which can be layered and sintered. Other heating devices are also possible, such as induction heating, infrared heating elements that heat by radiating infrared radiation, or resistive heating elements formed, for example, by resistive electrical windings. In one particular example, the heater 200 can be made from a substrate having at least one conductive path formed thereon. The substrate may be in the form of a sheet and may, for example, comprise a plastic layer. In a particular example, the layer is a polyimide layer. The conductive tracks may be printed or otherwise laminated onto the layer. The heater 200 may have a further plastic layer formed on or over the conductive tracks. In this example, the conductive tracks would be between two plastic layers. The heater 200 is dimensioned so that upon insertion, substantially all of the smokable material 252 is disposed within the heating element of the heater 200, and substantially all of the smokable material 252 is heated during use. The heater 200 may be arranged so that selected portions of the smokable material 252 are heated individually, for example, sequentially (gradually) or together (simultaneously), as desired.

[0025] The heater 200 in this example is surrounded along at least a portion of its length by thermal insulation 212. The thermal insulation 212 serves to reduce heat transfer from the heater 200 to the exterior of the device 100. This generally reduces heat loss and therefore helps lower the power requirements of the heater 200. The thermal insulation 212 also serves to maintain a lower temperature outside the device 100 during operation of the heater 200. In one example, the thermal insulation 212 may be a double-walled sleeve having a low-pressure region between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the thermal insulation 212 may be, for example, a "vacuum" tube, i.e., a tube that is at least partially evacuated to minimize heat transfer by conduction and / or convection. Other configurations for the thermal insulation 212 are possible in addition to or instead of a double-walled sleeve, such as using insulating materials, including, for example, suitable foam-type materials.

[0026] In the assembled device 100, the heater 200 is in the form of a cylindrical hollow tube that is positioned within the housing 106 so that one end of the hollow tube is in fluid communication with the opening 108 at the mouth end 102 and the other end is in fluid communication with the opening 110 at the distal end 104.

[0027] It will be appreciated that the device 100 shown in Figures 1-3 and described above is only one example of an apparatus for heating smokable material and that other arrangements and configurations are possible.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a first schematic plan view of an example heater for use in an apparatus for heating smokable material, illustrating generally the various heating regions and heating zones in the example heater. The heater may be used, for example, in an apparatus 100 of the type shown in Figures 1-3 and described above, or in other apparatus for heating smokable material.

[0029] The heater 200 has multiple heating zones for generating heat to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material inserted into the device 100. In the particular example shown, the heater 200 has a first heating zone 220 and a second heating zone 230. In other examples, the heater 200 can have one heating zone or three or more heating zones. At least one of the heating zones may be configured to provide multiple heating regions within that zone for heating different portions of the smokable material.

[0030] 4, the first heating zone 220 of the heater 200 includes a first heating region 222, a second heating region 224, and a third heating region 226. Also, the second heating zone 230 of this example includes a first heating region 232, a second heating region 234, and a third heating region 236. At least the first heating region 222 and the second heating region 224 of the first heating zone 220 of the heater 200 have different watt densities. In other examples, all of the heating regions of the heater 200 may have different watt densities, or there may be some heating regions with the same watt density and other heating regions with different watt densities.

[0031] In use, different watt densities in the heating regions of the heater 200 provide a simple way to ensure that different heat fluxes are applied to different portions of the smokable material 252. Thus, the heater 200 can, for example, heat different portions of the smokable material 252 within the device 100 to different temperatures. In a particular example, the mouth end of the smokable material 252 is heated with a lower heat flux than other portions of the smokable material 252. A lower heat flux results in more water vapor condensing from the aerosol before it is inhaled by the user. This can reduce the temperature of the aerosol and can reduce the likelihood of a phenomenon known as a "hot puff."

[0032] The different watt densities of the various heating zones 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, 236 of the heater 200 may be achieved in different ways. For example, the various heating zones 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, 236 may have heating elements with different characteristics, such as being formed of different materials and / or having different electrical resistivities and / or having different dimensions (e.g., different thicknesses, or more generally, different cross-sectional areas). As another example, the various heating zones 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, 236 may have different thermal capacities. Specific examples are discussed further below.

[0033] The heating zones 220, 230 of the heater 200 may have different dimensions (length, width, height) from one another. In the particular example of FIG. 4 , the six heating zones 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, and 236 of the heater 200 have the same length L. However, the widths of the zones 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, and 236 are not all the same. In this example, the width U of the first heating zone 222 of the first heating zone 220 and the width Z of the first heating zone 232 of the second heating zone 230 are the same or substantially the same. However, in this example, the widths U and Z of the first heating zone 222 of the first heating zone 220 and the first heating zone 232 of the second heating zone 230 are different from the widths V, W, X, and Y of the other heating zones 224, 226, 234, and 236. In some specific examples, width U may be in the range of 5 mm to 6 mm, width V may be in the range of 9 mm to 10 mm, width W may be in the range of 6 mm to 7 mm, width X may be in the range of 6 mm to 7 mm, width Y may be in the range of 9 mm to 10 mm, and width Z may be in the range of 5 mm to 6 mm.

[0034] 5, heater 300 includes at least one electrically conductive heating portion. In the particular example shown, heater 300 includes two heating zones 320 and 330 and six electrically conductive heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336. In other examples, heaters may include more or fewer heating zones and more or fewer heating portions. First heating zone 320 includes first heating portion 322, second heating portion 324, and third heating portion 326, and second heating zone 330 includes first heating portion 332, second heating portion 334, and third heating portion 336. (The six conductive heating segments 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 shown schematically in FIG. 5 correspond to the six heating regions 222, 224, 226, 232, 234, and 236 shown schematically in FIG. 4.) In one example, the conductive heating segments are formed from a conductive material. Suitable materials for the conductive heating segments include metals, ceramics, and other conductive materials. The conductive material may be in the form of a layer, a trace, one or more elements, or one or more wires. The conductive heating segments may be, for example, thin metal traces printed or otherwise deposited on a polymer substrate, such as a polyimide substrate.

[0035] An example of the arrangement of the conductive heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 in the heating zones 320 and 330 is shown in Figure 5. The first heating portion 322 is located near the first end 302 of the heater 300. The second heating portion 324 is located away from the first end 302 of the heater 300. In the particular example shown, the first heating portion 322 is adjacent to the second heating portion 324 in the first heating zone 320, and the third heating portion 326 is adjacent to the second heating portion 324 and located near the center of the heater 300. Also shown is the arrangement of the second heating zone 330. The first heating portion 332 in the second heating zone 330 is positioned near the second end 304 of the heater 300, the second heating portion 334 in the second heating zone 330 is positioned adjacent to the first heating portion 332, away from the second end 304 of the heater 300, and the third heating portion 336 is positioned adjacent to the second heating portion 334 and near the center of the heater 300.

[0036] In use, electrical current is passed through the electrically conductive heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 to generate heat and heat the smokable material 252 contained within the chamber 112 of the device 100 during use. Given different watt densities, various non-uniform heat profiles can be imparted to the smokable material 252. This means, for example, that different portions of the smokable material 252 can be heated to different temperatures. As another example, this means that a flatter, more uniform temperature profile can be achieved for at least some or all of the smokable material 252, accounting for the fact that, for example, some portions of the smokable material 252 may need to be heated more than other portions to achieve the same temperature (e.g., due to different rates of heat loss in different portions). The heat flux imparted by the heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 depends on various factors, including, for example, the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336.

[0037] The electrical resistance of one heating portion of the heater 300 may be different from the electrical resistance of another heating portion of the heater 300. In one example, the electrical resistance of the first heating portion 322 in the first heating zone 320 may be different from the electrical resistance of the second heating portion 324 in the second heating zone 330.

[0038] At least some of the electrically conductive heating portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 may be electrically connected to one another. These portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 may be connected in series or parallel during manufacture depending on the power limitations of the device 100.

[0039] In one example, if there are multiple heating segments in the first heating zone 320, the multiple heating segments may be connected in series with each other. Similarly, if there are multiple heating segments in the second heating zone 330, they may be connected in series with each other. That is, in the particular example shown, heating segments 322, 324, and 326 in the first heating zone 320 are connected in series with each other, and heating segments 332, 334, and 336 in the second heating zone 330 are connected in series with each other. In either case, this may be achieved, for example, by having a single continuous conductive heating element for heating segments 322, 324, and 326 in the first heating zone 320 and a single continuous conductive heating element for the heating segments in the second heating zone 330.

[0040] In use, the power supply 204 of the device 100 provides the voltage applied to the heater. In the heater 300 shown in FIG. 5 , the same voltage is applied to the two heating zones 320, 330 from the single power supply 204. The specific voltage drop across any individual heated portion 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, 336 is proportional to the electrical resistance of that portion. The heat flux generated by that portion is related to this voltage drop. Thus, the heater 300 provides a variety of heat profiles to the smokable material 252 based on the electrical resistance of the heated portions 322, 324, 326, 332, 334, 336 and the voltage of the single power supply 204.

[0041] Table 1 below provides details, including the electrical resistance and watt density of the heating portions, for a specific example of the heater 300 to illustrate various available characteristics. For example, if two conductive heating portions have different cross-sectional areas, the electrical resistance of the conductive heating portions will be different. A smaller cross-sectional area of the first heating portion 322 results in a higher electrical resistance for that portion 322, resulting in a higher heat flux through the first heating portion 322. In another example, the first heating portion 322 and the second heating portion 324 of the first heating zone 320 have different electrical resistances because the first heating portion 322 is longer than the second heating portion 324. The longer the heating portion, the higher its resistance and therefore the higher the temperature at which the heater can operate. The operating temperature of the heater 200 is, for example, in the range of 150°C to 250°C, with the maximum temperature for continuous heating of a specific heating zone being approximately 255°C. The maximum temperature for a short period (less than 1 second) of a specific heating zone is approximately 260°C. [Table 1]

[0042] The device 100 can include a component whose resistance changes with temperature. This component can act as a temperature controller to control the temperature of one or more heating segments and can be, for example, part of or associated with the control circuit 202 of the device 100. In a particular example, the temperature controller controls the temperature of the first heating segment 322 in the first heating zone 320. The resistance of the temperature controller changes with temperature, thereby changing the voltage across the heating segment 322. This, in turn, changes the voltage at the other heating segments 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 in the heater 300. Thus, the heating segment 322 in this example functions as the "master" heating segment, and the other heating segments 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336, whose heat output changes as a result of the temperature change in the "master" heating segment, function as "slave" segments. The temperature control device may be, for example, a thermistor or a resistance temperature detector (RTD) of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) or negative temperature coefficient (NTC) type.

[0043] The advantage of this is that only a simple power supply with easy control is required, yet a non-uniform heat profile along the smokable material can be achieved. In effect, only one power supply is required, supplying the same current to each of the heating portions 322, 324, and 326 in the first heating zone 320 and each of the heating portions 332, 334, and 336 in the second heating zone 330. The current supplied is controlled by simply monitoring the temperature of one heating portion 322. Once the temperature of that heating portion 322 is controlled, the temperatures of the other heating portions 324, 326, 332, 334, and 336 will "automatically" follow. This is achieved with relatively simple hardware, avoiding complex software control, etc., reducing costs and improving reliability.

[0044] Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, in this example, the heater 200 has an unheated region 310. The unheated region 310 has a width T. The width T may be, for example, 2 mm to 3 mm. In the particular example shown, the unheated region 310 is located approximately in the center of the heater 200, between the two heated zones 320 and 330. The unheated region 310 may be provided by an insulating surface disposed on a conductive element. Alternatively, a gap may be provided between the third heated portion 326 of the first heated zone 320 and the third heated portion 336 of the second heated zone 330. In this example, the gap can serve as the unheated region 310, and the heater 300 is a single, integral heater 300, but the heater 300 has two separate heated regions 320 and 330 with different watt density profiles, as described in detail above and shown in Table 1.

[0045] The heater element area may be covered by an outer dielectric layer, such as PEEK (polyetheretherketone) shrink tubing. The dielectric layer helps prevent the temperature control device or sensor (if present) from shorting out to metallic components, such as the aforementioned "vacuum" insulator 212. The dielectric layer also allows for external pressure to be applied to the heater, keeping it in intimate contact with the aforementioned internal stainless steel support tube.

[0046] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided merely as representative examples of embodiments and are not intended to be all-inclusive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or equivalents thereof, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. Furthermore, the present disclosure may include other inventions not currently recited in the claims but which may be described in the future.

[0047] This document also describes the embodiments listed in the following sections.

[0048] Item 1 1. An apparatus configured to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, comprising: at least one thin film heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained within the device in use; A device wherein the thin film heater has multiple heating zones for heating different portions of smokable material contained within the device in use, and at least a first heating zone of the thin film heater has a different watt density than at least a second heating zone of the thin film heater.

[0049] Section 2 Item 1. The apparatus of item 1, wherein the watt density of the first heating region of the thin film heater is lower than the watt density of the second heating region of the thin film heater, the first heating region is positioned near the first end of the thin film heater, and the second heating region is positioned away from the first end of the thin film heater.

[0050] Section 3 The device described in item 1 or 2, wherein the first heating region has at least a first conductive heating portion, the second heating region has at least a second conductive heating portion, and the electrical resistance of the first conductive heating portion is different from the electrical resistance of the second conductive heating portion.

[0051] Section 4 Item 4. The apparatus of item 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first conductive heating portion is different from the cross-sectional area of the second conductive heating portion.

[0052] Section 5 The first heating region has a plurality of conductive heating portions, the second heating region has a plurality of conductive heating portions, and the electrical resistance of at least one of the plurality of conductive heating portions in the first heating region is different from the electrical resistance of at least one of the plurality of conductive heating portions in the second heating region.

[0053] Section 6 Item 6. The device described in item 5, wherein the plurality of conductive heating portions in the first heating region are electrically connected to each other in series, and the plurality of conductive heating portions in the second heating region are electrically connected to each other in series.

[0054] Section 7 7. The device according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the thin film heater has a non-heated region disposed approximately in the center of the thin film heater.

[0055] Section 8 Item 8. The device according to any one of items 1 to 7, further comprising a power supply arranged to apply the same voltage to the first heating region and the second heating region.

[0056] Section 9 1. A method of heating a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material using an apparatus, comprising: the device comprises at least one heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in the device in use, the heater having a plurality of heating zones for heating different portions of the smokable material contained in the device in use, at least a first heating zone of the heater having a different watt density than at least a second heating zone of the heater; The method comprises: inserting smoking material into the device; operating the heater to provide different heat fluxes from the first heating zone and the second heating zone to corresponding different portions of the smokable material, such that the corresponding different portions of the smokable material are heated to different temperatures; A method comprising:

[0057] Section 10 Item 10. The method of item 9, wherein the device includes a power supply that applies the same voltage to the first heating area and the second heating area.

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus configured to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, comprising: at least one heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in the device in use, the at least one heater having a plurality of heating zones for heating different portions of the smokable material contained in the device in use; a first heating region of the heater having a plurality of first electrically conductive heating portions electrically connected in series with one another; a second heating region of the heater having a plurality of second electrically conductive heating portions electrically connected in series with one another; at least one dimension of the first electrically conductive heating portion is different from at least one dimension of the second electrically conductive heating portion; The apparatus, wherein at least one dimension of the first electrically conductive heating portions is different from a dimension of at least another one of the first electrically conductive heating portions.

2. The cross-sectional area of at least one of the first conductive heating portions is different from the cross-sectional area of at least one of the second conductive heating portions; The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the first electrically conductive heating portions is different from a cross-sectional area of at least another one of the first electrically conductive heating portions.

3. The length of at least one of the first conductive heating portions is the same as the length of at least one of the second conductive heating portions; a width of at least one of the first conductive heating portions is different from a width of at least one of the second conductive heating portions; a length of at least one of the first conductive heating portions is the same as a length of at least another of the first conductive heating portions; The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a width of at least one of the first conductive heating portions is different from a width of at least another one of the first conductive heating portions.

4. An apparatus configured to heat smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material, comprising: at least one heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in the device in use, the at least one heater having a plurality of heating zones for heating different portions of the smokable material contained in the device in use; a first heating region of the heater having a plurality of first electrically conductive heating portions electrically connected in series with one another; a second heating region of the heater having a plurality of second electrically conductive heating portions electrically connected in series with one another; a heat capacity of at least one of the first electrically conductive heating portions is different from a heat capacity of at least one of the second electrically conductive heating portions; An apparatus, wherein a heat capacity of at least one of the first electrically conductive heating portions is different from a heat capacity of at least another one of the first electrically conductive heating portions.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heater is an induction heating device.

6. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heater comprises an electrical winding.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heater is a thin film heater.

8. An apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a power supply configured to apply the same voltage to the first heating area and the second heating area of the heater.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first heating region of the heater has a different watt density than the second heating region of the heater.

10. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a power supply configured to apply the same voltage to the first heating area and the second heating area of the heater, and the first heating area of the heater has a different watt density than the second heating area of the heater.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the heater is an induction heating device.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the heater comprises an electrical winding.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the heater is a thin film heater.

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