Packaging for non-combustion aerosol delivery systems

Abstract

Packaging for a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system having a heating element for heating an aerosol generating material, the packaging including means for removing the heating element from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for disposal.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to packaging for non-combustion aerosol delivery systems and methods of use thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a drive to increase the recyclability and sustainability of consumer products to reduce harm to the environment. Manufacturers and suppliers can also benefit from recycling, as they can reduce production costs by reusing recycled parts.

[0003] Encouraging consumers to recycle is often difficult, especially when the act of recycling imposes additional burdens on consumers, such as separating their waste into various recyclable categories. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to some embodiments described herein, in a first aspect, there is provided packaging for a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system having a heating element for heating an aerosol-generating material, the packaging comprising means for removing the heating element from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for disposal.

[0005] According to some embodiments described herein, in a second aspect, there is provided a method for disposing of a heating element of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the method comprising: providing packaging having means for removing the heating element from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system; removing the heating element from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for disposal; A method is provided which includes: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1]1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article including a heating element for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of a heating element for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 8] A package for an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 9] 1 is a package of an aerosol delivery system with a disposal compartment. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the thermal element removal means. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the thermal element removal means. [Figure 12] A tool for removing a heating element from an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 13] A tool for removing a heating element from an aerosol delivery system. [Figure 14] A tool for removing a heating element from an aerosol delivery system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] [Detailed explanation] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0008] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0009] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0010] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0011] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may, for example, include tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0012] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable item for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0013] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include aerosol-forming materials and are configured for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an article 1 that, in some embodiments, forms part of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system that includes the article 1 and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0015] The article 1 comprises a rod-shaped aerosol-generation section 2 surrounded by a wrapper 3. A heating element 4 extends axially within the aerosol-generation section 2. In some embodiments, the heating element 4 is a susceptor. In this example, the heating element 4 is an iron-based material configured to be heated by induction. The heating element 4 may be heated by an induction heater, for example, when the article 1 is inserted into a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The heating element 4 is thus configured to heat the aerosol-generation section 2 when the article 1 is used with the non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Heat from the heating element 4 is transferred from the heating element to the aerosol-generating material 5 in the aerosol-generation section 2 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

[0016] The article of Figure 1 further comprises a cooling tube 6, a filter plug 7, and a mouth end tube 8, all of which are coaxially aligned with the aerosol-generation section 2 and attached to the aerosol-generation section 2 by a series of overlapping wrappings 9, 10, 11. Such articles 1 are typically discarded after use. There are environmental benefits to being able to encourage consumer recycling participation.

[0017] The heating element 4 may be made from any material suitable for induction heating. In this example, the heating element is made from an iron-based material such as steel. Such materials must be separated from the aerosol-generation section 2 for recycling.

[0018] The present invention provides packaging 12 for a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The packaging 12 includes means 13 for removing a heating element from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for separate disposal or recycling. In the example described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, the packaging 12 is configured to receive a non-combustion aerosol delivery system item 1 substantially as shown in Figure 1. However, it will be appreciated that the packaging 12 can take any form, such as any conventional form of packaging 12 for aerosol delivery systems in general. The important requirement is that the packaging 12 be provided with means 13 for removing the heating element of the aerosol delivery system for which the packaging 12 is configured.

[0019] In the example of Figure 8, the packaging 12 takes the form of a conventional hinge-lid pack 14, such as the type of pack 14 commonly used for rod-shaped articles in the tobacco industry. The pack 14 comprises a box-shaped base 15, a box-shaped lid 16, and an inner frame 17 extending from the base 15 and engaging the lid 16 when the lid is closed. Both the lid 16 and the base 15 comprise front and back panels 17, 18, 17', 18' separated by side panels 19, 20, 19', 20'. The base 15 also comprises a base panel 21 extending across the lower edges of the front, back, and side panels 17, 18, 19, 20, respectively. The lid 16 also comprises a top panel 22 extending across the upper edges of the front, back, and side panels 17', 18', 19', 20', respectively. The lid 16 is hinged where the lower edge of the rear panel 18' of the lid 16 coincides with the upper edge of the rear panel 18 of the base 15. The pack 14 may be formed from a card blank that is folded in a conventional manner.

[0020] The means 13 for removing the heating element 4 from the article 1 of the pack 14 is shown schematically in Figure 8. In this example, the means 13 is disposed on the interior surface 23 of the top panel 22 of the lid 16. It will be understood that the means 13 is not limited to any particular configuration, but rather, the means 13 is limited only by its ability to remove the heating element 4 from the non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0021] In one embodiment in which the heating element 4 is made of a ferromagnetic material, the means is a magnet 24. In the example of Figure 7, a user can press the aerosol-generating section 2 of a used article 1 onto the magnet 24 against the inner surface 23 of the top panel 22. When the article is removed from the magnet 24, the heating element 4 is pulled out of the aerosol-generating section 2 by the attractive force of the heating element 4 to the magnet 24. The user can then pick the heating element 4 from the magnet 24 and dispose of the heating element 4 and the article 1 separately.

[0022] The magnet 24 may be applied to the top panel 22 of the pack 14 by adhesive, or may be integrated into the top panel 22, for example, by sandwiching the magnet 24 between the top panel 22 and a layer of card 25, as shown in Figure 10. Figure 10 is a cross section with the various layers shown spaced apart for ease of reference. To construct the example of Figure 10, the magnet 24 is first applied to a card blank (not shown) from which the pack 14 will be formed, and then the layer of card 25 is applied over the magnet 24 and adhered to the blank by adhesive 26. The pack 14 may then be formed from the blank by folding the blank in the usual manner.

[0023] In the example of Figure 8, the means 13 for removing the heating element 4 is applied to the inner surface 23 of the top panel 22, said means being a magnet 24, although it will be appreciated that the magnet 24 could easily be applied to any other panel of the pack 14 in the same manner as described above. Furthermore, because the magnetic field will extend through the panel, the user does not need to apply the item 1 to the side of the panel to which the magnet 23 is attached. Thus, in the example of Figure 8, the user could equally apply the item 1 to the outer surface of the top panel 22 with the same effect.

[0024] 2-7 illustrate various possible configurations for the heating element 4 of the article 1 shown in FIG. 1. Each figure shows a cross-section of the aerosol-generation section 2 in the longitudinal direction and a third-angle view of a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal direction. It will be appreciated that the preferred configuration of the means 13 for removing the heating element 4 will depend greatly on the configuration of the heating element 4. For example, in another embodiment, the means 13 comprises a hook 27. The hook 27 is preferred when the heating element 4 comprises a loop 28 or an aperture 29, such as the heating element 4 of FIGS. 2 and 5, because the hook 27 can be used to engage the inner edge of the loop or aperture 28, 29 and pull the heating element from the aerosol-generation section 2.

[0025] 8, where the means is a hook 27, the hook 27 may be incorporated into or removably attached to the top panel 22 of the pack 14. However, it will be understood that the hook 27 may be incorporated into or removably attached to any panel of the pack 14, as described below.

[0026] Hook 27 may be integrated into a panel of pack 14 so as to rise from the panel, in this case top panel 22, as shown in FIG. 11. In the illustrated example, hook 27 is formed from a length of wire having a straight section 28 and a hooked end 29. Straight section 28 is sandwiched between panel 22 and a top layer 30 of card adhered to panel 22. To construct exemplary FIG. 11, hook 27 is first applied to a card blank (not shown) to form pack 14, and then layer 30 of card is applied over straight section 28 of hook 27 and adhered to the blank with adhesive 31. Pack 14 may then be formed from the blank by folding the blank in the usual manner.

[0027] In the example of Figure 8, the means 13 may alternatively comprise a tool 32 removably attached to the inner surface 23 of the top panel 22 of the pack 14. The tool 32 may take the form of any of the examples of Figures 12 to 14. It will be appreciated that the tool 32 of Figures 12 to 14 need not be attached to the inner surface 23 of the top panel 22 of the pack 14, but may be removably attached to any other panel of the pack as desired.

[0028] In one example, tool 32 takes the form of a hook 33, as shown in FIG. 12. Hook 33 is formed from a single length of wire and includes a hooked end 34 and a looped end 35 separated by a straight section 36. Looped end 35 functions as a handle. Tool 32 may be removably attached to the pack by a re-sticky adhesive. A user may remove tool 32 when needed and then replace tool 32 in the same spot by pressing it into the adhesive. Hooked end 34 of tool 32 may be used to engage loop 28 or aperture 29 of heating element 4, FIGS. 2 and 5.

[0029] The tool 32 of FIG. 13 takes the form of a pair of tongs or tweezers 37. In other words, the tool 32 includes two resiliently flexible arms 38 attached at a proximal end 39 of the tool 32. The arms 38 are cantilevered relative to the proximal ends 39 so that distal ends 40 of the arms 38 can be pressed together to create a gripping action. In use, the distal ends 40 of the arms 38 can be inserted into the aerosol-generating section 2 of the article 1 so that the ends 40 of the arms 38 overlap the ends of the heating element 4. A user can then press the arms 38 together to grip the heating element 4 before pulling on it to remove it from the article 1. The tool of FIG. 13 can be used to remove any of the heating elements shown in FIGS. 2 through 7, but is best suited to the heating elements of FIGS. 3, 6, and 7, which have a shape that is less likely to snag on the aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-generating section 2. Notably, the heating elements in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7 have a constant cross-sectional area along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generation section. This means that when pulled longitudinally, the heating elements 4 in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7 do not displace the aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generation section 2 and can be removed with relatively little force. Notably, FIG. 6 shows a cylindrical heating element 40 extending centrally along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generation section 2. In the example of FIG. 7, a tubular heating element 41 extends along the longitudinal axis. Both examples in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be easily and simply removed using the tool in FIG. 13. In the example of FIG. 3, the heating element 4 comprises three cylindrical elements 42 evenly spaced around the pitch of the aerosol-generation section 2. Using the tool in FIG. 13, each cylindrical element 42 can be removed separately. Furthermore, if any of the examples in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7 are made of a ferromagnetic material, they can be easily and simply removed with a magnet, such as magnet 24 in the example described above.

[0030] The tool in Figure 14 is a hex wrench 45 configured to remove a threaded heating element. Such a threaded heating element 43 is shown in Figure 4. In this example, the heating element 43 includes a hexagonal socket 44 in a distal end of the heating element 43 that mates with the distal end of the article 1. A user can therefore insert the hex wrench 45 into the hexagonal socket 44 and twist and remove the heating element 43 from the aerosol generation section 2. The hex wrench 45 includes a hexagonal shaft 46 with a flat end 47 that allows a user to manipulate and rotate the hex wrench 45.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the pack 14 further comprises a disposal compartment 48 for collecting the heating elements 4 for separate disposal. In the example of FIG. 9, the disposal compartment 48 is provided within the lid 16 of the pack 14. With the exception of the disposal compartment, the pack 14 of FIG. 8 is substantially the same as that described with reference to FIG. 7, and like features retain the same reference numerals. However, it will be understood that the exact form of the pack 14 may vary. In this example, the disposal compartment 48 comprises a pocket 49 recessed into the top surface 50 of the pack 15. Such a pack 14 may be formed from a card blank in the manner described above, but with an additional panel (not shown) to form the pocket 49. During construction of the pack 14, the additional panel is folded to underlie the opening in the top panel and adhered to the top panel.

[0032] The means 13 for removing the heating element 4 may be provided within the disposal compartment 48 as shown. The particular example shown in Figure 9 shows the tool of Figure 12 removably attached to the floor of the pocket 49, however any of the means described herein may be removably attached or integrated within the floor of the pocket as described.

[0033] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalents of the claims, and it is 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 claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging for said non-combustion aerosol delivery system, comprising: the non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising: a non-combustion aerosol delivery device; and a consumable item for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device; the consumable has an aerosol-generating section surrounded by a wrapper, and a heating element extending axially within the aerosol-generating section for heating an aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating section; the packaging comprising means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generating section of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system for disposal; Non-combustion aerosol delivery systems and packaging.

2. the heating element comprises an iron-based material; the means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generation section includes a magnet.

10. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 1.

3. the packaging comprises a top panel; the magnet is sandwiched between the top panel and a layer of card; 3. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 2.

4. the means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generation section comprises a hook.

10. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 1.

5. the packaging comprising a base and a lid; The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The lid is hingedly attached to the base.

6. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 5.

7. the packaging comprises a main compartment and a disposal compartment, and the means for removing the heating element is provided in the disposal compartment; The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The disposal compartment is located within the lid.

8. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 7.

9. the means for removing the heating element is integrated into the packaging; The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. the means for removing the heating element is a tool that is removable from the packaging; The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. the tool includes a pair of gripping tongs; 11. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 10.

12. The tool is removably attached to the inside of the lid.

11. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 10.

13. the heating element comprises a loop or an aperture; 5. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 4.

14. the heating element has an aperture for cooperating with the hook of the means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generation section.

5. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 4.

15. the heating element includes a threaded portion that engages the consumable aerosol-generating material, and the means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generating section includes means for twisting the heating element off the aerosol-generating material.

10. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system and packaging of claim 1.

16. 1. A method for disposing of a heating element in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, comprising: the non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising: a non-combustion aerosol delivery device; and a consumable item for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device; the consumable has an aerosol-generating section surrounded by a wrapper, and a heating element extending axially within the aerosol-generating section for heating an aerosol-generating material in the aerosol-generating section; providing packaging for the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the packaging having means for removing the heating element from the aerosol-generating section of the non-combustion aerosol delivery system; using said means to remove said heating element from said non-combustion aerosol delivery system for disposal; A method comprising:

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