Aerosol generation system with removable heater

Abstract

An aerosol generating system is provided that includes a removable heater. [Solution] An electrically operated aerosol generation system is provided, including an aerosol generator, a removable aerosol-forming cartridge, and a removable heater, where the removable aerosol-forming cartridge and the removable heater are provided separately from each other. The aerosol-forming cartridge includes at least one aerosol-forming substrate, and the heater includes at least one electric heater element and a first electrical contact connected to the at least one electric heater element. The aerosol generator includes a body defining a main cavity and at least one opening for receiving the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater within the main cavity. The aerosol generator also includes a power source and a second electrical contact connected to the power source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generation system comprising a removable heater. The present invention has been found to be particularly applicable as an aerosol generation system for heating a nicotine-containing aerosol-forming substrate.

Background Art

[0002] One type of aerosol generation system is an electrically operated smoking system. Handheld electrically operated smoking systems consisting of an electric heater, an aerosol generating device including a battery and control electronics, and an aerosol-forming cartridge are known. In some cases, the electric heater forms part of the aerosol generating device. However, the electric heater can become contaminated with material from the aerosol-forming substrate during use, and cleaning the electric heater inside the device can be difficult. In some cases, if the heater cannot be properly cleaned, it may be necessary to discard the entire device. In other embodiments, an attempt is made to solve this problem by incorporating the electric heater into the aerosol-forming cartridge so that it is discarded together with the cartridge after use. However, while this eliminates the need to clean the heater, the cost of manufacturing the system increases significantly because it is necessary to incorporate a heater into every cartridge.

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to manufacture an electrically operated aerosol generation system that minimizes the cost of manufacturing the device and the cartridge while addressing the problem of heater contamination.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an electrically operated aerosol generating system comprising a removable aerosol-forming cartridge and a removable heater, wherein the removable aerosol-forming cartridge and the removable heater are provided separately from each other. The aerosol-forming cartridge comprises at least one aerosol-forming substrate, and the heater comprises at least one electric heater element and a first electrical contact connected to the at least one electric heater element. The aerosol-forming cartridge comprises a body defining a main recess and at least one opening for receiving the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater in the main recess. The aerosol-forming cartridge also comprises a power source and a second electrical contact connected to the power source. Both the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are received in the main recess, the first electrical contact is in contact with the second electrical contact, and the heater is positioned to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The main recess, the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are positioned such that, when received together in the main recess, the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are substantially parallel and close to each other.

[0005] As used herein, the term “aerosol generating system” refers to an aerosol generating device, an aerosol forming cartridge, and a heater, as further described and illustrated herein. Within this system, the device, cartridge, and heater work together to generate an aerosol.

[0006] As used herein, the term “aerosol generator” refers to a device that generates an aerosol in interaction with an aerosol-forming cartridge and a heater. The aerosol generator includes a power supply for operating the heater that heats the aerosol-forming cartridge.

[0007] As used herein, the term “cartridge” refers to a consumable item configured to connect with an aerosol generator and assembled as a single unit that can be connected and disconnected as a single unit.

[0008] As used herein, the term “aerosol-forming cartridge” refers to a cartridge comprising at least one aerosol-forming substrate having the ability to release volatile compounds capable of forming aerosols. For example, an aerosol-forming cartridge may be a smoking article that generates aerosols.

[0009] As used herein, the term “aerosol-forming substrate” is used to describe a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form aerosols. The aerosols produced from the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-forming cartridge according to the present invention may be visible or invisible and may include vapors (e.g., fine particles of a substance that is normally liquid or solid at room temperature, but is in a gaseous state), as well as droplets of gas and condensed vapors.

[0010] As used herein, the term “substantially planar” refers to a component in which the ratio of thickness to width is at least 1:2. Preferably, the ratio of thickness to width is less than about 1:20 to minimize the risk of bending or breaking the component.

[0011] Advantageously, providing substantially planar heaters and substantially planar cartridges facilitates the insertion of heaters and cartridges into the device. Furthermore, planar components are easy to handle during manufacturing. In addition, it has been found that when the aerosol-forming substrate is substantially planar and positioned to draw airflow across the width, length, or both of the aerosol-forming substrate, aerosol generation from the aerosol-forming substrate is improved.

[0012] When the heater and cartridge are received together in the main recess, arranging the main recess, heater, and cartridge so that they are substantially parallel and close to each other is advantageous because it ensures optimal contact between the heater and cartridge, thereby maximizing heat transfer from the heater to the cartridge. This arrangement also minimizes the size of the recess and, therefore, the overall size of the aerosol generation system.

[0013] By providing the heater as a removable component, separate from both the aerosol generator and the aerosol forming cartridge, the system according to the present invention makes it easy to clean the heater when it becomes contaminated with material from the aerosol forming substrate. Furthermore, since the heater can be used with multiple aerosol forming cartridges, the system is more cost-effective than known systems in which each disposable cartridge contains a heater element. Moreover, if necessary, the heater of the system according to the present invention can be replaced by the user without having to replace the aerosol generator. Therefore, it is also possible to heat multiple different aerosol forming articles using only one aerosol generator by using multiple different heaters.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the heater can be used to heat at least five aerosol-forming cartridges, more preferably at least ten aerosol-forming cartridges, even more preferably at least fifteen aerosol-forming cartridges, and most preferably at least twenty aerosol-forming cartridges. Furthermore, or alternatively, the number of aerosol-forming cartridges that the heater can heat is less than 30, preferably less than 25, and most preferably less than 20. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to monitor the number of aerosol-forming cartridge articles heated by a particular heater. In these embodiments, the device may be configured to prompt the user to clean or replace the heater after a predetermined number of heating cycles. Furthermore, or alternatively, the device may be configured to prevent further operation until the heater is removed for cleaning or replacement. Even if the heater is removed from the device and reinserted, the heater may be equipped with a data storage device so that it can maintain a record of the number of heating cycles the aerosol generator has used a particular heater. The record may be stored in the heater's data storage device. Alternatively, the heater data storage device may include a unique dataset that the aerosol generator can use to distinguish and identify different heaters, and the aerosol generator may include a second data storage device that records the number of heating cycles for each heater used with the device.

[0015] In any of the embodiments described above, the heater and the aerosol-forming cartridge may be configured to be detachably connected to each other to form an aerosol-forming heater assembly. In these embodiments, a main recess and at least one opening are configured to receive the aerosol-forming heater assembly. This configuration, in which the heater and aerosol-forming cartridge are assembled before being inserted into the device, may be particularly advantageous in embodiments where at least one of the heater and aerosol-forming cartridge is relatively thin. Specifically, since the combination of the heater and aerosol-forming cartridge is thicker than each of its components individually, inserting both the heater and cartridge into the device as a single assembly can reduce the risk of bending or damaging at least one of the heater and cartridge.

[0016] In embodiments in which a heater and an aerosol-forming cartridge can be detachably connected to form an aerosol-forming heater assembly, the heater may be provided with a heating recess that detachably receives the aerosol-forming cartridge, such that the aerosol-forming cartridge is at least partially within the heating recess when the aerosol-forming cartridge and heater are detachably connected to each other. By utilizing a heating recess into which the cartridge is inserted, the connection between the cartridge and the heater can be easily and reliably made. Furthermore, by using a heating recess, heat transfer from the heater to the aerosol-forming substrate can be optimized during system operation.

[0017] Furthermore, when the cartridge is connected to the heater, the heating recess may also form an airflow recess for arranging the aerosol-forming substrate. The airflow recess may form an airflow channel between the air intake and air outlet, configured to control the airflow passing through the aerosol generation system. For example, the inner wall surface of the airflow channel may be provided with one or more flow disturbance devices configured to generate a turbulent boundary layer airflow when air is drawn in through the airflow channel.

[0018] In any of the above embodiments in which a heater and an aerosol-forming cartridge can be connected to each other in a detachable manner to form an aerosol-forming heater assembly, at least one opening may be a single opening, and at least one of the opening and the main recess includes at least one of a guide slot, groove, rail or projection that guides the aerosol-forming heater assembly into the correct position within the main recess.

[0019] As an alternative to a heater and aerosol-forming cartridge that can be connected detachably to each other to form an aerosol-forming heater assembly, at least one opening and main recess may be configured to receive both the heater and the aerosol-forming cartridge separately. That is, the device can receive both the heater and the cartridge simultaneously, but the heater and cartridge can be inserted into and removed from the device independently. Advantageously, this configuration eliminates the need to remove and reinsert the heater each time the aerosol-forming cartridge is replaced. Instead, the heater can remain in the device for use with multiple aerosol-forming cartridges until it becomes necessary to remove the heater for cleaning or replacement.

[0020] In embodiments in which the heater and aerosol-forming cartridge are inserted into and removed from the aerosol generator independently, it is preferable that the main recess and at least one of the at least one openings include at least one of guide slots, grooves, rails, or protrusions for guiding the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater, respectively, to the correct position within the main recess.

[0021] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one opening may comprise a first slot for receiving an aerosol-forming cartridge and a second slot for receiving a heater. In these embodiments, it is desirable that the first and second slots, the heater, and the aerosol-forming cartridge are sized such that the aerosol-forming cartridge can be inserted into the first slot only, and the heater can be inserted into the second slot only. Thus, such a configuration prevents the user from inserting one or both of the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater into the wrong slot of the device, which could damage at least one of the device, the heater, and the aerosol-forming cartridge. For example, the first slot and the aerosol-forming cartridge may each have a maximum width and a maximum height, the second slot and the heater may each have a maximum width wider than the maximum width of the first slot and the aerosol-forming cartridge, and the second slot and the heater may each have a maximum height lower than the maximum height of the first slot and the aerosol-forming cartridge.

[0022] Furthermore, the aerosol generating system may include electronic means for determining whether the heater and cartridge are inserted into the correct slots of the device. For example, the device may be configured to measure the electrical load on the components inserted into the first and second slots, respectively. Based on the measured electrical load, the device can determine whether the heater and cartridge are inserted into the correct slots. It is preferable that the device be configured so that it cannot be operated if the heater and cartridge are inserted into the wrong slots. It is desirable that the device include an indicator to notify the user if the heater and cartridge are inserted into the wrong slots.

[0023] In any of the embodiments described above, at least one of the aerosol-forming cartridge, heater, and aerosol generator may further include an additional heater positioned to heat at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate when both the aerosol-forming cartridge and heater are received in the main recess. In these embodiments, the additional heater may be connected to a third electrical contact, and the aerosol generator further includes a fourth electrical contact connected to a power source, the third and fourth electrical contacts making contact with each other when both the aerosol-forming cartridge and heater are received in the main recess.

[0024] In some embodiments, a heater may form a primary heater, and an additional heater may form a secondary or booster heater. That is, the primary heater may heat the aerosol-forming substrate to a first temperature, and the additional heater may provide selective additional heat input, selectively raising the aerosol-forming substrate to a higher second temperature. For example, an aerosol generator may be configured to operate with two or more different types of aerosol-forming cartridges, each having a different aerosol-forming substrate requiring a different heating profile. In these embodiments, the additional heater may be configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate to a higher, second temperature only when a predetermined type of aerosol-forming cartridge is inserted into the device. Alternatively, the additional heater may be selectively activated by the user during the operating period of the device to temporarily increase the amount of aerosol delivered to the user.

[0025] Alternatively, at least one aerosol-forming substrate on each aerosol-forming cartridge may comprise two or more aerosol-forming substrates, and the heater and additional heaters are configured as a continuous heater to sequentially heat different aerosol-forming substrates to ensure uniform aerosol delivery throughout the entire operating period of the system.

[0026] In some embodiments, at least one electric heater element comprises a first electric heater element connected to a first electrical contact, and an additional heater comprises a second electric heater element provided within the heater and connected to a third electrical contact, wherein when both the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are received within the main recess, the first and second electric heater elements are arranged to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming cartridge. This configuration is particularly suitable for an aerosol-forming cartridge comprising two or more aerosol-forming substrates, as described above.

[0027] In any of the above-described embodiments, the heater comprises an electrically insulated substrate, and at least one electric heater element comprises one or more substantially planar heater elements disposed on the electrically insulated substrate. The substrate may be flexible. The substrate may be polymeric. The substrate may be a multilayer polymeric material. One or more heating elements may extend across one or more openings within the substrate.

[0028] In use, the heater may be arranged to heat the aerosol-forming substrate by one or more of conduction, convection, and radiation. The heater may heat the aerosol-forming substrate using conduction and may at least partially contact the aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, or in addition, heat from the heater may be conducted to the aerosol-forming substrate using a thermally conductive element. Alternatively, or in addition, the heater may transfer heat to incoming ambient air drawn through or over the cartridge in use, which heats the aerosol-forming substrate by convection.

[0029] The heater may comprise an internal electrical heating element for at least partially inserting into the aerosol-forming substrate. The internal heating element is suitable for insertion into the aerosol-forming material. Alternatively, or additionally, the electric heater may comprise an external heating element. The term "external heating element" refers to that which at least partially surrounds the aerosol-forming cartridge. The heater may comprise one or more internal heating elements and one or more external heating elements. The heater may have a single heating element. Alternatively, the heating element may comprise two or more heating elements.

[0030] At least one heating element may comprise an electrically resistive material. Suitable electrically resistive materials include, but are not limited to, semiconductors such as doped ceramics, "conductive" ceramics (such as molybdenum disilicide), carbon, graphite, metals, alloys and composite materials made of ceramic materials and metal materials. Such composite materials may include doped ceramics or undoped ceramics. Examples of suitable doped ceramics include doped silicon carbide. Examples of suitable metals include titanium, zirconium, tantalum, and platinum group metals. Examples of suitable alloys include alloys containing nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, and iron, and nickel, iron, cobalt, stainless steel-based superalloys, Timetal® and iron-manganese-aluminum-based alloys. In the composite material, the electrically resistive material may optionally be embedded, encapsulated, or coated with a thermal insulation material, or vice versa, depending on the kinetics of the required energy transfer and the external physico-chemical properties. Alternatively, the heater may comprise an infrared heater, a photon source, or an induction heater.

[0031] The heater can take any suitable form. For example, the heater may take the form of a heating blade. Alternatively, the heater may take the form of a casing or substrate with different conductive parts or electrically resistive metal tubes. Alternatively, the heater may comprise one or more heating needles or heating rods penetrating the center of an aerosol-forming substrate. Or, the heater may be a disc-type (end) heater or a combination of disc-type heaters with heating needles or rods. The heater may also be a punched-out section of one or more electrically resistive materials, such as stainless steel. Other alternatives include heating wires or filaments, such as Ni-Cr (nickel-chromium), platinum, tungsten, or metal wires or heating plates.

[0032] In a certain preferred embodiment, the heater comprises a plurality of conductive filaments. The plurality of conductive filaments may form a mesh or array of filaments, or may include a woven or nonwoven fabric.

[0033] Conductive filaments can define gaps between them, with gap widths ranging from 10 μm to 100 μm. The filaments are preferably designed to induce capillary action within the gaps, so that when a heater is positioned in contact with a liquid-containing aerosol-forming substrate, the liquid that would otherwise vaporize is drawn into the gaps, increasing the contact area between the heater assembly and the liquid. The conductive filaments can form meshes of size 160 to 600 mesh (American standard) (+ / -10%) (i.e., 160 to 600 filaments per inch (+ / -10%)). Gap widths of 75 μm to 25 μm are preferred. The area ratio of the mesh openings, which is the ratio of the gap area to the total mesh area, is preferred to be 25% to 56%. The mesh may be formed using different types of woven or lattice structures. The mesh, array, or fibers of the conductive filaments can also be characterized by their ability to hold liquid, as is well known in the art. The diameter of the conductive filament can be 10 μm to 100 μm, preferably 8 μm to 50 μm, and more preferably 8 μm to 39 μm. The filament may have a round cross-section or a flat cross-section. The heater filament may be formed by etching a sheet material (such as foil). This may be particularly advantageous when the heater includes a series of parallel filaments. If the heater includes a mesh or a fabric of filaments, the filaments may be formed individually and then woven together. The conductive filament may be supplied as a mesh, array, or fiber. The area of ​​the conductive filament mesh, array, or fiber is small, up to 25 mm², so as to allow for integration into handheld systems. 2 The following is preferable: The conductive filament mesh, array, or fibers may be, for example, rectangular with dimensions of 5 mm x 2 mm. The conductive filament mesh or array preferably covers 10% to 50% of the heater area. It is more preferable that the conductive filament mesh or array covers 15% to 25% of the heater area.

[0034] In one embodiment, electrical energy is supplied to the electric heater until one or more heating elements of the electric heater reach a temperature between approximately 180°C and 310°C. Any suitable temperature sensor and control circuit may be used to control the heating of one or more heating elements to reach the required temperature. This is in contrast to conventional cigarettes, where the combustion of the tobacco and cigarette wrapper can reach 800°C.

[0035] Preferably, the gap between the electric heater and at least one aerosol-forming substrate is less than 50 μm, and in the cartridge, the gap between the electric heater and the aerosol-forming substrate is preferably one or more layers of capillary fibers.

[0036] The heater may comprise one or more heating elements on at least one aerosol-forming substrate, or the heater may comprise one or more heating elements beneath at least one aerosol-forming substrate. This configuration allows heating of the aerosol-forming substrate and release of aerosols to occur on both sides of the aerosol cartridge. This has been found to be particularly effective for aerosol-forming substrates containing tobacco-containing material. In certain embodiments, the heater comprises one or more heating elements positioned in close proximity on both sides of the aerosol-forming substrate. Preferably, the heating elements comprise a plurality of heating elements arranged to heat different portions of the aerosol-forming substrate. In a particular preferred embodiment, at least one aerosol-forming substrate comprises a plurality of aerosol-forming substrates separately arranged on a substrate layer, and the heater comprises a plurality of heating elements, each arranged to heat one of the plurality of aerosol-forming substrates.

[0037] In any of the embodiments described above, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may contain nicotine. For example, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may include a tobacco-containing material that contains a volatile tobacco-flavored compound released from the aerosol-forming substrate upon heating.

[0038] Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises an aerosol-forming body, where at least one aerosol-forming body is a material that generates an aerosol upon heating. The aerosol-forming body may be, for example, a polyol aerosol-forming body or a non-polyol aerosol-forming body. It is solid or liquid at room temperature, but preferably liquid at room temperature. Suitable polyols include sorbitol such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol, glycerol, and glycol. Suitable non-polyols include monohydric alcohols such as menthol, high-boiling hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, and esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethyl citrate, or isopropyl myristate. Aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanediate may also be used as aerosol-forming bodies. The combination of aerosol-forming bodies may be used in equal or different proportions. Polyethylene glycol and glycerol may be particularly preferred, while triacetin may be more difficult to stabilize and may need to be encapsulated to prevent migration within the product. At least one aerosol-forming substrate may contain one or more flavorings such as cocoa, licorice, organic acids, or menthol.

[0039] At least one aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid substrate. The solid substrate may include one or more powders, granules, pellets, fragments, spaghetti, slivers, or sheets containing, for example, one or more of the following: herb leaves, tobacco leaves, tobacco stem fragments, reconstituted tobacco, homogenized tobacco, extruded tobacco, and puffed tobacco. Optionally, the solid substrate may contain additional tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds released upon heating of the substrate. Optionally, the solid substrate may include, for example, capsules containing additional tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds. Such capsules may dissolve during heating of the solid aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, or further, such capsules may be pulverized before, during, or after heating of the solid aerosol-forming substrate.

[0040] If at least one aerosol-forming substrate includes a solid substrate containing homogenized tobacco material, the homogenized tobacco material may be formed by agglomerating particulate tobacco. The homogenized tobacco may be in the form of a sheet. The homogenized tobacco material may have an aerosol-forming content of more than 5% by dry mass. Alternatively, the homogenized tobacco material may have an aerosol-forming content of about 5 to about 30 weight percent by dry mass. A sheet of homogenized tobacco material may be formed by agglomerating particulate tobacco obtained by grinding or crushing one or both of tobacco leaf flakes and tobacco leaf stems, or, furthermore, a plurality of sheets of homogenized tobacco material may contain one or more tobacco by-products of tobacco powder, tobacco pulp, and other particles formed, for example, during tobacco processing, handling, and shipping. The homogenized tobacco material sheet may contain one or more inherent binders to assist in agglomerating particulate tobacco, which are endogenous tobacco binders, one or more exogenous tobacco binders, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, or in addition, the homogenized tobacco material sheet may contain other additives, including but not limited to tobacco and non-tobacco fibers, aerosol-forming agents, wetting agents, plasticizers, flavoring agents, fillers, aqueous and non-aqueous solvents, and combinations thereof. The homogenized tobacco material sheet is preferably formed by a casting process of a type that generally includes casting a slurry containing particulate tobacco and one or more binders onto a conveyor belt or other support surface, drying the cast slurry to form a homogenized tobacco material sheet, and removing the homogenized tobacco material sheet from the support surface.

[0041] Optionally, the solid substrate may be provided on or embedded within a thermally stable carrier. The carrier may take the form of a powder, granules, pellets, fragments, spaghetti, strips, or sheets. Alternatively, the carrier may be a tubular carrier having a thin layer of solid substrate on its inner surface (such as those disclosed in US-A-5 505 214, US-A-5 591 368, and US-A-5 388 594), on its outer surface, or on both its inner and outer surfaces. Such tubular carriers may be formed from, for example, paper or paper-like material, nonwoven carbon fiber mat, a low-mass, coarse-mesh metal screen, or perforated metal foil or any other thermally stable polymer matrix. The solid substrate may be deposited on the surface of the carrier, for example, in the form of a sheet, foam, gel, or slurry. The solid substrate may be deposited on the entire surface of the carrier, or alternatively, in a certain pattern to provide a predetermined or non-uniform flavor delivery during use. Alternatively, the carrier may be a nonwoven fiber or bundle of fibers incorporating tobacco components, such as those described in Patent No. EP-A-0 857 431. The nonwoven fiber or bundle of fibers may include, for example, carbon fibers, natural cellulose fibers, or cellulose derivative fibers.

[0042] Instead of a solid tobacco-based aerosol-forming substrate, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may include a liquid substrate, and the cartridge may be provided with means for holding the liquid substrate, such as one or more containers. Alternatively or further, the cartridge may include a porous carrier material in which a liquid substrate can be absorbed, as described in WO-A-2007 / 024130, WO-A-2007 / 066374, EP-A-1 736 062, WO-A-2007 / 131449 and WO-A-2007 / 131450.

[0043] The liquid base is preferably a nicotine source containing one or more of the following: nicotine, nicotine base, nicotine salt (such as nicotine-HCl, nicotine tartrate, or nicotine ditartrate), or nicotine derivative.

[0044] The nicotine source may include natural or synthetic nicotine.

[0045] The nicotine source may include pure nicotine, a nicotine solution in an aqueous or non-aqueous solvent, or a liquid tobacco extract.

[0046] The nicotine donor may further contain an electrolyte-forming compound. The electrolyte-forming compound may be selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and combinations thereof.

[0047] For example, the nicotine donor may include an electrolyte-forming compound selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, lithium oxide, barium oxide, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, ammonium sulfate, and combinations thereof.

[0048] In certain embodiments, the nicotine donor may include nicotine, nicotine bases, nicotine salts, or aqueous solutions of nicotine derivatives and electrolyte-forming compounds.

[0049] Alternatively or additionally, the nicotine source may further include other components, including but not limited to natural flavors, artificial flavors, and antioxidants.

[0050] In addition to a nicotine-containing aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-forming cartridge may further include a volatile delivery-promoting compound donor that reacts with gaseous nicotine to facilitate nicotine delivery to the user.

[0051] The volatile delivery-promoting compound may contain a single compound, or it may contain two or more different compounds.

[0052] The volatile delivery-promoting compound is preferably a volatile liquid.

[0053] The volatile delivery-promoting compound may contain aqueous solutions of one or more compounds. Alternatively, the volatile delivery-promoting compound may contain non-aqueous solutions of one or more compounds.

[0054] A volatile delivery-enhancing compound may contain two or more different volatile compounds. For example, a volatile delivery-enhancing compound may contain a mixture of two or more different volatile liquid compounds.

[0055] Alternatively, the volatile delivery-promoting compound may comprise one or more non-volatile compounds and one or more volatile compounds. For example, the volatile delivery-promoting compound may comprise a solution of one or more non-volatile compounds in a volatile solvent, or a mixture of one or more non-volatile liquid compounds and one or more volatile liquid compounds.

[0056] In one embodiment, the volatile delivery-promoting compound includes an acid. The volatile delivery-promoting compound may include an organic acid or an inorganic acid. Preferably, the volatile delivery-promoting compound includes an organic acid, more preferably a carboxylic acid, and most preferably an α-keto acid or a 2-oxo acid.

[0057] In preferred embodiments, the volatile delivery-promoting compound includes acids selected from the group consisting of 3-methyl-2-oxopentanoic acid, pyruvate, 2-oxopentanoic acid, 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoic acid, 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoic acid, 2-oxooctanoic acid, and combinations thereof. In particularly preferred embodiments, the volatile delivery-promoting compound includes pyruvate.

[0058] As an alternative to the solid or liquid aerosol-forming substrate, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may be any other type of substrate, such as a gaseous substrate, a gel substrate, or any combination of the various substrate types described.

[0059] In any of the embodiments described above, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a single aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, at least one aerosol-forming substrate may comprise multiple aerosol-forming substrates. Multiple aerosol-forming substrates may contain substantially the same components. Alternatively, multiple aerosol-forming substrates may comprise two or more aerosol-forming substrates having substantially different components. Multiple aerosol-forming substrates may be stored together in a substrate layer. Alternatively, multiple aerosol-forming substrates may be stored separately. By storing two or more different parts of an aerosol-forming substrate separately, two completely incompatible substances can be stored in the same cartridge. Advantageously, by storing two or more different parts of an aerosol-forming substrate separately, the cartridge life can be extended. Furthermore, this allows two incompatible substances to be stored in the same cartridge. Moreover, this allows the aerosol-forming substrates to be aerosolized separately, for example, by heating each aerosol-forming substrate separately. Thus, aerosol-forming substrates with different heating profile requirements can be heated differently for improved aerosol formation. Since more volatile substances can be used separately from less volatile substances in smaller quantities, more efficient energy use may also be possible. To ensure that a new aerosol-forming substrate is aerosolized each time the cartridge is used, separate aerosol-forming substrates can also be aerosolized in a predetermined order, for example, by heating a different of the multiple aerosol-forming substrates each time they are used. In embodiments comprising a liquid nicotine aerosol-forming substrate and a volatile delivery-enhancing compound aerosol-forming substrate, it is advantageous that the nicotine and volatile delivery-enhancing compound are stored separately and reacted together in the gas phase only when the system is operating.

[0060] Preferably, at least one aerosol-forming substrate is substantially planar. Preferably, at least one aerosol-forming substrate has any preferred cross-sectional shape. Preferably, at least one aerosol-forming substrate has a non-circular cross-sectional shape. In a certain preferred embodiment, at least one aerosol-forming substrate has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. In a certain embodiment, at least one aerosol-forming substrate has an elongated, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0061] In a given preferred embodiment, at least one aerosol-forming substrate has an evaporation temperature of about 60° to about 320°C, preferably about 70° to 230°C, and preferably about 90° to 180°C. As used herein, the term “evaporation temperature” refers to the exact temperature.

[0062] The aerosol-forming cartridge may have any suitable dimensions. Preferably, the cartridge is of a size suitable for use with a handheld aerosol generator. In certain embodiments, the cartridge is about 5 mm to about 200 mm in length, preferably about 10 mm to about 100 mm, and more preferably about 20 mm to about 35 mm. In certain embodiments, the cartridge is about 5 mm to about 12 mm in width, preferably about 7 mm to about 10 mm. In certain embodiments, the cartridge is about 2 mm to about 10 mm in height, preferably about 5 mm to about 8 mm.

[0063] In use, at least one of the aerosol-forming cartridge and the aerosol generator may be connected to a separate mouthpiece section, which allows the user to draw in airflow through or near the cartridge by inhaling at the downstream end of the mouthpiece section. In such embodiments, the cartridge is configured such that the draw resistance at the downstream end of the mouthpiece section is about 50 mmWG to about 130 mmWG, more preferably about 80 mmWG to about 120 mmWG, even more preferably about 90 mmWG to about 110 mmWG, and most preferably about 95 mmWG to about 105 mmWG. As used herein, the term “draw resistance” refers to the pressure required to pass air through the entire length of an object at a speed of 17.5 m / sec at 22°C and 101 kPa (760 Torr) for testing purposes. Draw resistance is generally expressed in millimeters of water column (mmWG) and measured according to ISO 6565:2011.

[0064] The heater includes at least a first electrical contact arranged to supply power to the heater from a power source in the aerosol generator. Furthermore, the at least first electrical contact may be arranged to transfer data to and from the heater, or both. The electrical contacts provided on the heater may be accessible from the outside of the heater. The electrical contacts may be arranged along one or more edges of the heater. In certain embodiments, the electrical contacts may be arranged along the side edges of the heater. For example, the electrical contacts may be arranged along the upstream edge of the heater. Alternatively, the electrical contacts may be arranged along a single longitudinal edge of the heater.

[0065] Furthermore, the aerosol-forming cartridge may have one or more electrical contacts. The electrical contacts provided on the aerosol-forming cartridge may be accessible from the outside of the cartridge. The electrical contacts may be arranged along one or more edges of the cartridge. In certain embodiments, the electrical contacts may be arranged along the side edges of the cartridge. For example, the electrical contacts may be arranged along the upstream edge of the cartridge. Alternatively, the electrical contacts may be arranged along a single longitudinal edge of the cartridge. The electrical contacts on the cartridge may be configured to transfer data to or from the cartridge, or both.

[0066] Any of the above-mentioned electrical contacts may have any preferred shape. The electrical contacts may be substantially planar. Advantageously, substantially planar electrical contacts have been shown to be more reliable in establishing electrical connections and are easier to manufacture. The electrical contacts preferably comprise a portion of standardized electrical connections, including but not limited to USB-A, USB-B, USB-mini, USB-micro, SD, miniSD, or microSD type connections. The electrical contacts preferably comprise a male connector of standardized electrical connections, including but not limited to USB-A, USB-B, USB-mini, USB-micro, SD, miniSD, or microSD type connections. As used herein, the term “standardized electrical connections” refers to electrical connections specified by industry standards.

[0067] In any of the embodiments described above, the cartridge comprises a coating layer fixed to a base layer and covering at least a portion of at least one aerosol-forming substrate. Advantageously, the coating layer holds at least one aerosol-forming substrate in place on the base layer. The coating layer may be fixed directly to the gas phase or indirectly via one or more intermediate layers or components. Aerosols released by the aerosol-forming substrate may penetrate one or more openings in the coating layer, the base layer, or both. The coating layer may have at least one gas-permeable window that allows aerosols released by the aerosol-forming substrate to penetrate the coating layer. The gas-permeable window may be substantially open. Alternatively, the gas-permeable window may comprise a perforated membrane or a grid extending across the opening in the coating layer. The grid may be any preferred shape, such as a transverse grid, a longitudinal grid, or a mesh grid. The coating layer may seal the base layer. The coating layer may hermetically seal the base layer. The coating layer may have a polymer coating at least where it is fixed to the base layer, and the polymer coating may seal the space between the coating layer and the base layer.

[0068] The aerosol-forming cartridge may include a protective foil positioned on at least a portion of at least one aerosol-forming substrate. The protective foil may be gas-impermeable. The protective foil may be positioned to seal the aerosol-forming substrate within the cartridge. As used herein, the term “seal” means that the weight of the volatile compounds in the aerosol-forming substrate changes by less than 2% over two weeks, preferably over two months, and more preferably over two years.

[0069] The base layer may have at least one recess for holding an aerosol-forming substrate. In these embodiments, a protective foil may be positioned to close one or more recesses. The protective foil may be at least partially removable to expose at least one aerosol-forming substrate. Preferably, the protective foil is removable. If the base layer has a plurality of recesses for holding a plurality of aerosol-forming substrates, the protective foil may be removable in stages to selectively open one or more aerosol-forming substrates. For example, the protective foil may have one or more removable portions, each positioned to expose one or more recesses when removed from the rest of the protective foil. Alternatively, the protective foil may be mounted in such a way that the required removal force changes between the different stages of removal, indicating an intention to the user. For example, the required removal force may be stronger between adjacent stages so that the user deliberately pulls harder to remove the protective foil. This may be achieved by any preferred means. For example, the tensile force may be changed by altering the type, amount, or shape of the adhesive layer, or by altering the shape or amount of the weld line to which the protective foil is attached.

[0070] The protective foil may be removablely attached to the substrate directly or indirectly via one or more intermediate components. If the cartridge has a coating layer as described above, the protective foil may be removablely attached to the coating layer. If the coating layer has one or more gas permeable windows, the protective foil may extend across and close one or more gas permeable windows. The protective foil may be removablely attached by any preferred method, for example, using an adhesive. The protective foil may be removablely attached by ultrasonic welding. The protective foil may be removablely attached by ultrasonic welding along a weld line. The weld line may be continuous. The weld line may include two or more continuous weld lines arranged side by side. In this configuration, the seal can be maintained as long as at least one of the continuous weld lines remains intact.

[0071] The protective foil may be a flexible film. The protective foil may contain one or more suitable materials. For example, the protective foil may contain a polymer foil, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). The protective foil may also contain a multilayer polymer foil.

[0072] The aerosol generator may further include a controller configured to control the power supply to the heater.

[0073] The power source may be a DC voltage source. In a preferred embodiment, the power source is a battery. For example, the power source may be a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lithium-based battery, such as a lithium-cobalt, lithium iron phosphate, or lithium polymer battery. Alternatively, the power source may be another form of charge storage device, such as a capacitor. The power source may require recharging and may have a capacity that allows for the storage of sufficient energy to use the aerosol generator with one or more aerosol generating articles.

[0074] The aerosol generator may include one or more temperature sensors configured to detect the temperature of a heater and at least one of one or more aerosol-forming substrates. In such embodiments, the provided controller may be configured to control the power supply to the heater based on the detected temperature.

[0075] In these embodiments, where the heater comprises at least one resistive heating element, at least one heater element may be formed using a metal having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such embodiments, the metal may be formed as a track between two layers of suitable insulating material. A heater element formed in this manner may be used as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

[0076] In any of the embodiments described above, the aerosol generator may include an external plug or socket that allows the aerosol generator to be connected to other electrical devices. For example, the aerosol generator may include a USB plug or USB socket that allows the aerosol generator to be connected to other USB-enabled devices. For example, the USB plug or USB socket may allow the aerosol generator to be connected to a USB charging device to charge a rechargeable power supply within the aerosol generator. Furthermore, or alternatively, the USB plug or USB socket may support data transfer to or from the aerosol generator, or both. For example, the device may be connected to a computer to download data from the device, such as usage data. Furthermore, or alternatively, the device may be connected to a computer to transfer data to the device, such as new heating profiles for new or updated aerosol-forming cartridges, which are stored in a data storage device within the aerosol generator.

[0077] In these embodiments where the device comprises a USB plug or USB socket, the measure may further comprise a removable cover that covers the USB plug or USB socket when not in use. In embodiments where the USB plug or USB socket is a USB plug, the USB plug may be optionally retractable within the device, either additionally or as an alternative. The present invention will now be further described with reference to the following accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0078] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a partially exploded view of a heater according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the heater from Figure 1 in its fully assembled configuration. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an aerosol-forming cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]Figure 4 shows the aerosol-forming cartridge from Figure 3 inserted into the heater from Figure 2 to form the aerosol-forming heater assembly. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the aerosol-forming heater assembly from Figure 4 inserted into an aerosol generator to form an aerosol-generating system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0079] Figures 1 and 2 show a heater 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heater 10 comprises an electrically insulated substrate layer 12 on which multiple electric heater elements 14 are provided. Multiple electrical contacts 16 are also provided on the electrically insulated substrate layer 12 at the upstream end of the heater 10. The electrical contacts 16 supply power to the electric heater elements 14 when the heater 10 is connected to an aerosol generator.

[0080] The heater 10 further comprises a pair of guide rails 18 extending along the longitudinal edge of the heater and an end stop 20 extending across the upstream edge of the heater. The inner edge of each guide rail 18 extending along the longitudinal edge is spaced apart from the insulating substrate layer 12 to form a longitudinal groove 19 for receiving an aerosol forming cartridge. The end stop 20 is spaced apart from the electrical contacts 16 to form a slot 22 for receiving the corresponding electrical contacts on the aerosol generator.

[0081] Figure 3 shows an aerosol-forming cartridge 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cartridge 30 comprises a base layer 32 and a coating layer 34 that overlaps a multi-layer aerosol-forming substrate sandwiched between the base layer 32 and the coating layer 34. The coating layer 34 includes a mesh grid 36 that overlaps the aerosol-forming substrate, allowing aerosol particles to leak out of the aerosol-forming cartridge 30 during heating. A removable polymer film 38 overlaps the mesh grid 36 to prevent volatile components from leaking out of the aerosol-forming substrate prematurely. The polymer film 38 is removed before using the cartridge 30.

[0082] Figure 4 shows the aerosol-forming cartridge 30 of Figure 3 inserted into the heater 10 of Figure 2 to form the aerosol-forming heater assembly 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The removable polymer film 38 is removed from the cartridge 30, and the cartridge 30 is inserted into the longitudinal groove 19 between the guide rail 18 and the insulating substrate layer 12 of the heater 10. Figure 4 shows the cartridge 30 partially inserted into the heater 10. When the cartridge 30 is fully inserted into the heater 10, the cartridge 30 is adjacent to the end stop 20.

[0083] Figure 5 shows the aerosol-forming heater assembly 40 of Figure 4 inserted into an aerosol generator 50 to form an aerosol-generating system 70 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The aerosol generator 50 comprises a body 51 defining a main recess for receiving the heater assembly 40 and an opening at the downstream end of the device 50 through which the heater assembly 40 is inserted into the main recess. By fully inserting the heater assembly 40 into the device 50, it makes contact with a plurality of electrical contacts 16 on a heater 10 which has a plurality of electrical contacts within the main recess of the device 50. The electrical contacts conduct electricity from a rechargeable battery in the device 50 to the heater element 14. A removable mouthpiece 52 is provided at the upstream end of the device 50, and the mouthpiece 52 is removed from the device 50 to allow the heater assembly 40 to be inserted into the device 50, and the mouthpiece 52 is attached to the device 50 after the heater assembly 40 has been fully inserted. A removable mouthpiece cover 54 covers the mouthpiece 52 when the device 50 is not in use.

[0084] A USB plug 56 is provided at the downstream end of the device 50 for insertion into a suitable USB socket. The USB plug 56 can be used to charge the rechargeable battery in the device 50 and to exchange data with the device 50. For example, the USB plug can be used to download usage data from the device 50 and to upload new data to the device 50, such as a new heating profile. A removable cover 58 covers the USB plug 56 when it is not in use.

Claims

1. An electrically operated aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device, a removable aerosol forming cartridge, and a removable heater, wherein the removable aerosol forming cartridge and the removable heater are provided separately from each other, the aerosol forming cartridge comprises at least one aerosol forming substrate, and the heater comprises at least one electric heater element and a first electrical contact connected to the at least one electric heater element, A main body defining a main recess and at least one opening for receiving the aerosol forming cartridge and the heater within the main recess, Power supply and The aerosol generator comprises a second electrical contact connected to a power source, When both the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are received within the main recess, the first electrical contact is in contact with the second electrical contact, and the heater is arranged to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are substantially planar and, when received together in the main recess, the main recess, the aerosol-forming cartridge, and the heater are arranged such that the aerosol-forming cartridge and the heater are substantially parallel and close to each other. A system in which the at least one opening and the main recess are configured to receive both the heater and the aerosol forming cartridge separately.

2. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to claim 1, wherein the main recess and at least one of the at least one openings include at least one of guide slots, grooves, rails, or protrusions that guide the aerosol forming cartridge and the heater, respectively, to the correct position within the main recess.

3. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when both the aerosol forming cartridge and the heater are received in the main recess, at least one of the aerosol forming cartridge, the heater and the aerosol generating device further comprises an additional heater arranged to heat at least a portion of the aerosol forming substrate.

4. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to claim 3, wherein the additional heater is connected to a third electrical contact, and the aerosol generating device further comprises a fourth electrical contact connected to the power supply, and the third and fourth electrical contacts are in contact with each other when both the aerosol forming cartridge and the heater are received in the main recess.

5. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electric heater element comprises a first electric heater element connected to the first electrical contact, and the additional heater comprises a second electric heater element provided within the heater and connected to the third electrical contact, and the first and second electric heater elements are arranged to heat different portions of the aerosol forming cartridge when both the aerosol forming cartridge and the heater are received in the main recess.

6. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heater comprises an electrically insulated substrate, and the at least one electric heater element comprises one or more substantially planar heater elements disposed on the electrically insulated substrate.

7. An electrically operated aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the removable heater is inserted into the main recess, the removable heater comprises a data storage medium arranged to communicate with the aerosol generating device.

8. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to claim 7, wherein the aerosol generating device and the data storage medium are configured to store data on the data storage medium representing the number of heating cycles in which the removable heater was used.

9. The electrically operated aerosol generating system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate contains nicotine.

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