aerosol generator

Abstract

An aerosol generating device comprising: a housing; a heating chamber disposed within the housing for generating an aerosol by heating a consumable; a cradle including a recess for holding the consumable; a slot extending into the housing and configured to receive the cradle and position the cradle at a first position where the consumable is held within the heating chamber; and a compression element configured to compress the consumable within the recess of the cradle.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] The popularity and use of risk-reducing or risk-modifying devices (also known as vaporizers) has grown rapidly in recent years as an aid to assisting regular smokers who wish to quit smoking traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and cigarettes. A variety of devices and systems are available that heat or warm aerosolizable substances, as opposed to burning tobacco in traditional tobacco products.

[0003] A commonly available risk reduction or risk modification device is the substrate-heated aerosol generator or heat-and-burn device. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate, typically containing moist tobacco or other suitable aerosolizable material, to temperatures typically ranging from 150°C to 350°C. By heating rather than burning or combusting the aerosol substrate, an aerosol is released that contains the ingredients desired by the user but without the toxic and carcinogenic by-products of combustion and burning. Furthermore, aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other aerosolizable material typically do not contain the burnt or bitter taste that can be unpleasant to users due to combustion and burning. Therefore, the substrate does not require sugars and other additives typically added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user.

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

[0005] Furthermore, it is desirable to generate more aerosol for a given amount of aerosol substrate, and therefore it is desirable to provide a device that can heat the aerosol substrate to efficiently generate aerosol. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect, the following disclosure provides an aerosol generating device including a housing, a heating chamber disposed within the housing for generating an aerosol by heating a consumable, a cradle including a recess for holding the consumable, a slot extending into the housing and configured to receive the cradle and position the cradle at a first position where the consumable is held within the heating chamber, and a compression element configured to compress the consumable within the recess of the cradle.

[0007] The cradle slot configuration provides an intuitive and robust approach for changing aerosol substrate consumables. Furthermore, by designing the cradle to accept a compression element, the consumable can be compressed during heating while remaining in the cradle. Compressing the consumable during heating has the effect of improving aerosol generation efficiency.

[0008] Optionally, the aerosol generating device further comprises an air passage for drawing the aerosol from the consumable, a portion of the air passage being formed within the housing.

[0009] Optionally, the compression element comprises a protrusion on a surface of the slot.

[0010] By providing the compression elements as surface features of the slot, the device is easy to manufacture and robust in operation.

[0011] Optionally, the compression element comprises a movable compression element.

[0012] A movable compression element makes the device more adaptable: for example, the compression element may allow the user to adjust the aerosol generation efficiency or adjust the quality of the generated aerosol according to their preference, or may be configured to provide different compression for different types of consumables.

[0013] Optionally, the movable compression element is mechanically coupled to an external push button.

[0014] Coupling the compression element to an external button has the advantage that the compression element can be moved without any energy storage (mechanical or electrical) and is under the control of the user.

[0015] Optionally, the movable compression element is configured to be latched in a compressed state and a released state, and is configured to alternate between the compressed and released states upon successive use of the external push button.

[0016] Providing a bistable latch with a compressed and released state means that the button is more likely to be optimally operated without the user realising that compression is necessary to improve aerosol generation efficiency.

[0017] Optionally, the cradle includes a cover configured to at least partially cover the consumable in the recess, and the movable compression element includes the cover.

[0018] The provision of a movable cover prevents consumables from contacting the interior of the slot. Aerosol substrates often leave a residue that can be sticky, requiring cleaning of the device. The provision of a cover effectively limits the required cleaning to just the cradle.

[0019] Optionally, the cradle includes a cradle heating element.

[0020] By providing the heating element as part of the cradle, the heating element can be optimally positioned relative to the recess for holding the consumable, reducing efficiency issues related to aligning the cradle with the heating chamber.

[0021] Optionally, the heating chamber includes a chamber heating element and the cradle includes a thermally conductive element, the thermally conductive element being disposed between the chamber heating element and the recess in the first position.

[0022] By providing a heating element that is part of the heating chamber, no energy supply is required in the cradle.

[0023] Optionally, the cradle is mounted in the slot, and the cradle is configured to move between a first position and a second position in which the consumable can be received in or removed from the recess.

[0024] Optionally, the cradle is attached to the slot by a hinge.

[0025] By restricting the cradle so that it does not fall out of the slot and only moves within a predetermined range of motion, the device becomes easier to store and move without risk of losing the cradle.

[0026] Optionally, the aerosol generating device further comprises an air flow path for drawing aerosol from the consumable, and the housing or cradle comprises an air inlet for admitting air into the air flow path.

[0027] By allowing air to flow through the inlet of the cradle, the air flow path is less susceptible to airflow leaking through the slot when the cradle is inserted.

[0028] Optionally, the cradle includes an air inlet, the device is elongated along a first axis, the mouthpiece is located at a first end of the device along the first axis, and when the cradle is in the first position, the air inlet is located on a side of the device between the ends and along the first axis.

[0029] Optionally, the slot extends obliquely relative to the first axis.

[0030] Optionally, the aerosol generating device includes an air passage for drawing the aerosol from the consumable, and the housing or cradle includes a mouthpiece for drawing the aerosol from the device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to a first example. [Figure 2A] 1 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a first example. [Figure 2B] 1 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a first example. [Figure 3A] 1 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a second example. [Figure 3B] 1 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a second example. [Figure 4A] 10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a third example. [Figure 4B] 10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a third example. [Figure 5A] 10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a fourth example. [Figure 5B]10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a fourth example. [Figure 6A] 10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a fifth example. [Figure 6B] 10 shows a schematic cross section of an aerosol generating device according to a fifth example. [Figure 7A] 10 shows a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to a sixth example. [Figure 7B] 10 shows a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to a sixth example. [Figure 8] 10 shows a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to a seventh example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device 1 according to a first example.

[0033] The aerosol generating device 1 includes a housing 11 containing a heating chamber 12 for heating a consumable item 2 to generate an aerosol.

[0034] The aerosol generating device 1 is configured to operate with a substantially rectangular parallelepiped consumable product 2. In a typical example, the consumable product 2 typically measures 18 x 12 x 1.2 mm. The aerosol substrate may include, for example, nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol-forming agent. The tobacco may take the form of various materials, such as shredded tobacco, granulated tobacco, tobacco leaf, and / or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include polyols (such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol), non-polyols (such as monohydric alcohols, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, and esters such as glycerin or vegetable glycerin). In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also include at least one of a gelling agent, a binder, a stabilizer, and a humectant. The aerosol substrate may be porous to allow air to flow through the substrate, collecting the aerosol as it does so. The substrate may be, for example, a foam or a packed strand or fiber. The substrate may be formed into a stable shape by an extrusion and / or rolling process. The consumable may also include an air-permeable wrapper covering at least a portion of the surface of the aerosol-generating substrate. The wrapper may comprise, for example, paper and / or a nonwoven fabric.

[0035] While the heating chamber 12 can simply be the internal volume of the housing 11, it is preferable that the heating chamber 12 be enclosed within an insulating enclosure within the housing 11 so that additional components, such as a control circuit and power supply (not shown), are insulated from the heat provided within the heating chamber 12. The housing can generally be made from any rigid material, such as a thermoplastic material or a metal (e.g., aluminum). The insulating enclosure can be made from a heat-resistant material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or polyamide (PA), to prevent thermal deformation or melting. The heat-resistant material may also be a super engineering plastic, such as polyimide (PI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

[0036] The consumable 2 is placed within the heating chamber 12 by inserting a cradle 13 that holds the consumable 2 into a slot 14. The slot 14 extends through an opening in the exterior surface of the housing 11 and extends to or through the heating chamber 12. When the cradle 13 is inserted, the slot 14 guides the cradle 13 to a first position where the consumable 2 is held within the heating chamber 12. However, as shown in FIG. 1 , the cradle 13 is in a second position, partially withdrawn from the slot 14, where the consumable 2 can be added to or removed from the cradle 13.

[0037] During or after the time period during which the consumable 2 is heated to generate the aerosol, air is directed along the air flow path 15 to provide the aerosol at the air outlet. As shown in FIG. 1 , the air flow path 15 may include, for example, an air inlet at one location on the exterior of the housing 11, a tube connecting the air inlet to the heating chamber 12, and a tube connecting the heating chamber 12 to the air outlet. In this embodiment, the air outlet is part of the mouthpiece 16, and the air is directed by the user inhaling. In other embodiments, the aerosol generation device 1 may include a pump for pumping air along the air flow path 15 to provide the aerosol at the air outlet.

[0038] Figure 1 also shows a line X1 which is used for reference in Figures 2A and 2B. More specifically, Figures 2A and 2B show a schematic cross section of the aerosol generating device 1 taken along line X1.

[0039] FIG. 2A shows the aerosol generating device 1 in an open state, with the cradle 13 separated from the housing 11.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2A, within housing 11, a slot 14 extends through heating chamber 12 and is adapted to receive a cradle 13 having dimensions corresponding to the slot.

[0041] The heating chamber 12 includes one or more chamber heating elements 121, 122 adjacent the slot that are configured to provide heat for heating the consumable 2. The heating elements are preferably electrical heating elements, such as resistive heating elements, although any type of heating element suitable for providing heat to the heating chamber 12 may be used.

[0042] The cradle 13 has a recess 131 for receiving and holding the consumable item 2. The depth D2 of the recess 131 is smaller than the depth D1 of the consumable item 2 so that the consumable item 2 partially protrudes from the recess 131 when placed in the recess 131.

[0043] FIG. 2B shows the aerosol generating device 1 in a state where the cradle 13 is in a first position in the slot 14 and the consumable 2 is in the heating chamber 12, ready to generate an aerosol.

[0044] The slot 14 has a varying cross-section such that the cross-section of the slot 14 decreases, and provides a compression element 17 in the form of a protrusion on the surface of the slot 14. As shown in FIG. 2B , when the cradle 13 is in the first position, the compression element 17 reduces the available space such that the consumable 2 protrudes from the recess 131, and the consumable 2 is compressed within the recess 131 when the cradle 13 is in the first position. In particular, in this example, the cradle 13 is adapted to be flush against the wall of the slot 14 when in the first position, so that the depth D1 of the consumable is equal to the depth D2 of the recess 131. Because the cross-section of the slot 14 preferably varies continuously, the consumable 2 is compressed and does not become jammed.

[0045] In this example, the cradle 13 has a thermally conductive element 132 disposed between the chamber heating element 121 and the recess 131 that holds the consumable 2 in the first position. The thermally conductive element 132 may be configured, for example, as the bottom surface of the recess 131. The thermally conductive element 132 has the effect of improving heat conduction to the consumable 2 through the cradle 13. For example, the body of the consumable may be made of a thermally insulating or heat-resistant material such as PEEK, and the thermally conductive element 132 is made of a heat conductor such as a metal plate. Alternatively, the cradle 13 may be made mostly of a thermally conductive material, which dissipates heat from the consumable 2 and increases heat conduction to the consumable 2.

[0046] Figures 3A and 3B show a second example of an aerosol generating device 1. The second example may have features corresponding to Figure 1 of the first example, and is mostly similar to Figures 2A and 2B of the first example, with like reference numerals indicating like features. Differences will be explained below.

[0047] Specifically, in the second example, the cradle 13 has a cradle heating element 133 configured to supply heat to a recess 131 of the cradle 13. The cradle heating element 133 can replace one or more of the chamber heating elements 121, 122 and can also replace the thermally conductive element 132 of the cradle 13. The cradle heating element 133 has the advantage that the supply of heat to the consumable 2 can be more precisely controlled because it supplies heat from a fixed location within the cradle 13.

[0048] However, the use of the cradle heating element 133 means that a supply of energy is required within the cradle 13. In some embodiments, the cradle 13 may include its own power source. However, in the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B , the cradle 13 and the slot 14 include electrical contacts 134 and 141, respectively. When the cradle 13 is in the first position, the electrical contacts 134 of the cradle 13 electrically connect with the electrical contacts 141 of the slot 14, so that the cradle 13 (and the cradle heating element 133) can receive power from a power source (not shown) held within the housing 11 or can be connected to an external power source via the housing 11. Even if the cradle 13 includes its own power source, the electrical contacts 134 and 141 may be used, for example, to enable detection that the cradle 13 is in the first position and to control activation of the cradle heating element 133.

[0049] In general, embodiments of the present invention may have any combination of heating elements fixed within a heating chamber or fixed within a cradle.

[0050] Figures 4A and 4B show a cross section of a third example of an aerosol generating device 1 having a different compression element 17 from the previous examples. The general configuration shown in Figure 1 is also applicable to this example, and like reference numerals refer to like features.

[0051] In a third example, the compression element 17 includes a movable element 171. When the cradle 13 is in the first position, the movable element 171 is aligned with the recess 131 and is operable to move to compress the consumable item 2 within the recess 131.

[0052] In some embodiments, the movable element 171 may be operated by an electric actuator. However, in a third example, the movable compression element 171 is accessible outside the housing 11 and is mechanically coupled to an external manual control 172, in this case a button, configured to be operated by a user of the device 1.

[0053] Compression by the movable element 171 can be performed entirely manually, with the user holding the manual control 172 in a compressed state. However, as shown in FIG. 4B , the movable element 171 is preferably configured to remain in the compressed state even when the manual control 172 is released. This can be achieved by providing a bistable switch element 173. The bistable switch element 173 is configured to latch into a compressed state in which the consumable 2 is compressed and (optionally) lock the cradle 13 in a first position (as in FIG. 4B ) after the first use of the manual control 172. Upon a second use of the manual control 172, the bistable switch element 173 can latch into a released state in which the consumable 2 is not compressed, and the cradle 13 can move (as in FIG. 4A ) after the second use of the manual control 172. Thus, the movable element 171 can be configured to alternate between the compressed and released states upon successive uses of the manual control 172.

[0054] 4A and 4B, a third example has the further optional feature of being provided with a handle 135 for the cradle 13. The handle 135 cannot enter the slot 14 and is configured to be grasped to remove the cradle 13 from the slot 14.

[0055] 4A and 4B, the chamber heating element 122 is omitted. However, the movable compression element 171 may include a heating element configured to provide heat to the heating chamber.

[0056] 5A and 5B show a cross section of a fourth example of the aerosol generating device 1, which is a modification of the third example. Specifically, the fourth example differs from the third example by using a cover 136 configured to cover the consumable 2 in the recess 131.

[0057] Cover 136 is configured to prevent consumable 2 from contacting compression element 17 or compression element 171. Specifically, cover 136 compresses consumable 2 and is itself configured as a further movable compression element that is moved by either protruding surface 17 as in the first or second example, or movable compression element 171 as in the third example.

[0058] The cover 136 may take the form of, for example, a hinged door that can be opened when the cradle 13 moves to a second position where the consumable 2 can be received in or removed from the recess. When the cradle 13 moves to a first position where the consumable 2 is within the heating chamber 12, the hinge of the cover 136 may be configured to move within the body of the cradle 13, for example, along a rail, so that the cover 136 moves from a released position shown in Figure 5A to a compressed position shown in Figure 5B for compressing the consumable 2.

[0059] The advantage of such a cover 136 is that the consumable 2 does not come into contact with the inside of the slot 14 or the compression elements 17, 171 inside the housing 11. This means that the device is easier to clean, as residue from the consumable 2 is less likely to build up on the outside of the cradle 13.

[0060] 5A and 5B, the chamber heating element 122 is omitted. However, the movable compression element 171 may include a heating element configured to supply heat to the heating chamber. In this case, the cover 136 may be configured as a thermally conductive element 132 as described above with reference to the first example (FIGS. 2A and 2B). As a further alternative, the cover 136 may include a cradle heating element 133 as described above with reference to the second example (FIGS. 3A and 3B).

[0061] In embodiments in which the manual control 172 is omitted, the movable compression element 171 may also be omitted, and the cover 136 may be directly connected to an electronic actuator configured to provide the compression force.

[0062] 6A and 6B show schematic cross-sections of a fifth example of an aerosol generating device 1 with the cradle 13 in an open position outside the housing 11 and with the consumable 2 in a first position adjacent the heating element 121, respectively. The fifth example differs from FIG. 1 in that the mouthpiece 16 forms part of the cradle 13, a portion 152 of the air flow path is formed within the cradle 13, and another portion 151 of the air flow path 15 is formed within the housing 11.

[0063] Additionally, Figures 6A and 6B show possible configurations of control circuitry 191 and power supply 192 that can be used to control and drive heating element 121 (and optionally drive the actuators of movable compression elements 171, 136).

[0064] The compression element 17 of the fifth example is similar to that of the first and second examples (FIGS. 2A-3B). However, the features of the fifth example may be combined with the movable compression element 171 and / or the movable compression element 136 as described with respect to the third and fourth examples (FIGS. 4A-5B).

[0065] 6A and 6B, the inlet 151 of the air flow path 15 is connected to the side of the device 1 relative to the "long" axis between the mouthpiece 16 and the opposite end of the device. Such a "long" configuration is convenient for a user to hold the device 1 in their hand while inhaling through the mouthpiece 16, and locating the air inlet 151 to the side of the long axis means that space is freed up for the control circuitry 191 and power supply 192, which do not need to be mounted around the air flow path 15 (as in the configuration of FIG. 1).

[0066] As the cradle 13 moves between the state shown in Figure 6A and the state shown in Figure 6B, the cradle 13 moves parallel to the slot 14 between a second position (Figure 6A) in which the consumable 2 can be received in or removed from the recess 131, and a first position (Figure 6B) in which the consumable 2 is held within the heating chamber 12. However, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the movement of the cradle 13 need not be directly into or out of the slot.

[0067] 7A and 7B show a schematic representation of a sixth example of an aerosol generating device 1 which differs from the fifth example in that the cradle 13 is hingedly attached to the slot 14 .

[0068] The relative planar orientation of Figures 7A and 7B compared to Figures 6A and 6B is shown using lines X2 and X3. Figures 7A and 7B provide a view from "above" recess 131, while Figures 6A and 6B provide a view from "side" of recess 131, showing the depth of recess 131.

[0069] 7A shows the cradle 13 in a second position of the range of motion available by pivoting the cradle 13 relative to the housing 11 about the hinge 18. In this position, the recess 131 is outside the housing 11 and the consumable 2 can be received in or removed from the recess 13.

[0070] 7B shows the cradle 13 in a first position of the range of motion available by pivoting the cradle 13 relative to the housing 11 about the hinge 11. In the first position, the recess 131 (and the consumable 2 that it will hold) is located inside the housing 11 and within the heating chamber 12.

[0071] The cradle 13 may be attached to the slot 14 in other manners. For example, the cradle 13 may be constrained to move parallel to the slot 14 within a predetermined range of relative linear motion. For example, the slot 14 and / or the cradle 13 may include a protrusion positioned to prevent the cradle 13 from completely leaving the slot 14. The furthest position of the cradle 13 out of the slot 14 may be considered a second position at which a consumable can be received into or removed from the recess, and the first position may be defined as the furthest position within the slot 14 that the cradle 13 can reach.

[0072] 8 shows a seventh example of an aerosol generating device 1. The seventh example differs from the above examples in that the cradle 13 includes an air inlet 137 for admitting air into the air flow path 151. Air flows along the portion of the air flow path 151 contained within the cradle 13, past the consumable 2, and into the portion of the air flow path 152 contained within the housing 11 that connects to the mouthpiece 16.

[0073] The cradle 13 with the air inlet 137 may be positioned as shown in FIG. 1 . However, the slot 14 and cradle 13 are preferably configured so that the air inlet 137 is at the side of the device 1 when the cradle 13 is in the first position and the consumable 2 is positioned for aerosol generation. More specifically, the device 1 may be an elongated device with the mouthpiece 16 at one end along its "long" axis. This type of shape is convenient for a user to grip the device 1 while inhaling through the mouthpiece 16. The air inlet 137 may be located at the side of the device 1 relative to its long axis. This configuration means that air does not flow along the entire length of the device 1 (as in the example of FIG. 1 ), and space at one end of the device can be reserved for other elements of the device 1, such as the control circuit 191 or power supply 192.

[0074] More specifically, the slot 14 may be configured such that when the cradle 13 is in the first position, the slot 14 extends at an angle to the "long" axis. This configuration means that a longer cradle 13 with the air inlet 137 on the side can be used without making the overall housing 11 wider.

[0075] The seventh example aerosol generating device 1 may have any of the compression elements 17, 171, 136 described above and any of the heating element configurations described above.

Claims

1. Housing and a heating chamber disposed within the housing for heating a consumable to generate an aerosol; a cradle including a recess for holding the consumable; a slot extending into the housing configured to receive the cradle and position the cradle in a first position in which the consumable is held within the heating chamber; a compression element configured to hold the consumable in the recess of the cradle in a compressed state over the entire length of the cradle in an insertion direction; an air flow path for drawing the aerosol from the consumable product, a portion of the air flow path being formed within the housing; An aerosol generating device comprising:

2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the compression element comprises a protrusion on a surface of the slot.

3. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the compression element comprises a movable compression element.

4. 4. The aerosol generating device of claim 3, wherein the movable compression element is mechanically coupled to an external manual control.

5. 5. The aerosol generating device of claim 4, wherein the movable compression element is configured to be latched in a compressed state and a released state and configured to alternate between the compressed state and the released state upon successive uses of the external manual control.

6. The aerosol generating device of claim 3 , wherein the cradle includes a cover configured to at least partially cover the consumable product in the recess, and the movable compression element includes the cover.

7. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cradle includes a cradle heating element.

8. An aerosol generating device described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heating chamber includes a chamber heating element and the cradle includes a thermally conductive element, and the thermally conductive element is positioned between the chamber heating element and the recess in the first position.

9. An aerosol generating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cradle is attached to the slot and the cradle is configured to move between the first position and a second position in which the consumable can be received in or removed from the recess.

10. 10. The aerosol generating device of claim 9, wherein the cradle is attached to the slot by a hinge.

11. An aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the housing or the cradle includes an air inlet for admitting air into the air flow path.

12. The aerosol generating device of claim 11, wherein the cradle includes the air inlet, the device is elongated along a first axis, a mouthpiece is positioned at a first end of the device along the first axis, and when the cradle is in the first position, the air inlet is positioned along the first axis on a side of the device between one end and the other end.

13. 13. The aerosol generating device of claim 12, wherein the slot extends obliquely relative to the first axis.

14. An aerosol generating device according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing or cradle includes a mouthpiece for inhaling aerosol from the device.

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