Aerosol device and method for moving consumables

Abstract

FIELD: medical equipment.SUBSTANCE: device for generating an aerosol, method for aerosolizing a consumable material contained throughout an aerosol-producing substrate by means of an aerosol-producing device, and method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating device. The device comprises (a) an aerosol-producing substrate; (b) a current collector placed in the aerosol-producing substrate; (c) a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate; (d) an aerosol-producing device for containing the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate. An aerosol-producing device comprises (i) a drive operatively connected to an aerosol-producing substrate, with the ability to advance the aerosol-producing substrate through a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate; and (ii) an induction heating element surrounding the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate. The drive is configured to advance the aerosol-producing substrate through the housing for accommodating the aerosol-producing substrate, so that portions of the aerosol-producing substrate pass through the induction heating element sequentially. The drive is designed with the possibility of sequentially heating parts of the aerosol-producing substrate passing through the induction heating element. A method for aerosolization includes (a) placing an aerosol-producing substrate in a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate, contained by an aerosol-producing device; (b) surrounding a first portion of the aerosol-producing substrate with an inductive heating element of the aerosol-producing device; (c) heating a susceptor by activating the inductive heating element, whereby aerosolization of a consumable located in the first portion of the aerosol-producing substrate occurs; (d) advancing the aerosol-producing substrate with a drive operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate, so that the inductive heating element surrounds a second portion of the aerosol-producing substrate of the aerosol-producing device; and (e) activating the inductive heating element of the aerosol-producing device, whereby aerosolization of the consumable located in the second portion of the aerosol-producing substrate occurs. A manufacturing method includes (a) providing an aerosol-producing substrate containing a consumable; (b) placing a current collector inside the aerosol-producing substrate; (c) placing the aerosol-producing substrate inside a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate; (d) providing an aerosol-producing device configured to receive a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate.EFFECT: improvement in the routes of administration of medicinal products and methods for aerosolizing medicinal products for inhalation.18 cl, 25 dwg

Description

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] The present invention relates to devices for aerosolizing drugs using high-temperature non-combustible induction heating and applications thereof. The invention also relates to methods and devices for producing an aerosol from tobacco and / or other non-drug substances using similar methods and devices. BACKGROUND

[0002] When faced with a condition that causes physical discomfort, such as a disease, disorder, ailment, normal bodily dysfunction, etc., most people turn to remedies such as medications, supplements, herbs, and the like for immediate relief of the symptoms arising from the underlying condition. There are certain legal and widely available over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements that have beneficial effects when used for various common conditions. There are also certain controlled drugs and pharmaceuticals prescribed by doctors for various more serious conditions.

[0003] One of the most common routes of administration for these OTC and prescription medications is oral administration. However, as with any oral drug delivery, it must pass through the digestive tract. There are a number of disadvantages to oral administration. For example, because the drug must pass through the digestive system, the onset of drug activation is slow. Furthermore, in the digestive tract, the drug may be inactivated or destroyed, thereby losing its potency or effectiveness. The drug itself may also cause gastrointestinal problems or side effects, such as loss of appetite, diarrhea, acidity, and the like. Furthermore, patients may be unwilling or unable to swallow oral medications in pill form.

[0004] Some medications are designed to affect the brain or brain function or activity, but given the route of administration—gastrointestinal, intravenous, or intramuscular—these medications can also have a variety of unpleasant side effects due to the nature of oral or injection administration. These include, but are not limited to, gastrointestinal complications, digestive problems, high blood pressure, and / or headaches, as well as users' reluctance to self-administer medications by injection.

[0005] There are other delivery methods, such as intradermal injections, patches, inhalations, and so on. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in drug delivery methods.

[0006] For example, there are varieties of drugs that are safer, more effective and more efficient in terms of both safety and efficacy if they are administered by inhalation of an aerosol such as gas, steam, mist and any other volatile preparation containing the drug or its active ingredient, instead of gastrointestinal, intravenous or intramuscular delivery.

[0007] Furthermore, some methods of aerosolizing and delivering these drugs also have drawbacks, particularly those that aerosolize the drug itself, altering the drug's molecular or chemical structure, or those that can aerosolize at high temperatures, prolonging the heating time and increasing the risk of altering the molecular or chemical structure of the active ingredient. Other drawbacks of current aerosolization methods include the transportation, storage, and sale of some of these drugs in cartridges, which are prone to leakage and, in many cases, are designed and manufactured from cartridge materials that are not environmentally friendly, containing plastic and other non-biodegradable materials.

[0008] In order to ensure that the drug is delivered intact by the high-temperature non-flammable inductive method, it is preferable that the aerosolization method does not change the chemical or fundamental molecular structure of the drug or other materials that make up the drug, or, if such changes occur, that they do not interfere with and / or enhance the effectiveness of the drug.

[0009] Therefore, there remains a need to improve drug delivery routes. In particular, there is a need for improved methods of aerosolizing inhaled drugs that would also provide the added benefit of dosing, monitoring, and measuring precise inhaler dosages without destroying the active ingredient or adding other chemicals to the aerosol due to energy inefficiencies or prolonged heating. There is also a need for consumable embodiments that are biodegradable and do not contain materials that are not suitable for environmentally safe disposal.

[0010] In addition to drug delivery systems, heat-not-burn (HNB) devices are a type of device typically used to heat tobacco at temperatures below those that cause combustion, creating an aerosol containing nicotine and other tobacco components, which are then available to the user of the device. In some embodiments, a heating element or current collector is placed inside a solid tobacco product with a coil wrapped around the tobacco product and current collector to provide inductive heating of the current collector. Unlike traditional cigarettes, the goal is not to burn the tobacco, but to heat the tobacco sufficiently to release nicotine and other components through aerosol formation. Igniting and burning a cigarette creates unwanted toxins, which can be avoided with an HNB device.However, there's a delicate balance between providing sufficient heat to effectively release tobacco components in aerosol form and avoiding burning or igniting the tobacco. Current HNB devices on the market have failed to achieve this balance, either heating the tobacco at temperatures that produce insufficient aerosol or overheating the tobacco, producing an unpleasant or "burnt" flavor profile. Furthermore, the current methodology leaves the internal components of traditional HNB devices contaminated with byproducts of tobacco combustion and accidental ignition.

[0011] Furthermore, in order to achieve the change of state from a solid or liquid state to an aerosol state in a rapid, energy-efficient manner through high-temperature, non-flammable induction heating, the formulation must be designed to eliminate air flow between the formula and the current collector of the induction system.

[0012] For the above reasons, there is a need for a device that will influence the temperature at which tobacco is heated using an induction method in order to reduce the risk of ignition even at temperatures that would otherwise be sufficient for combustion, while simultaneously increasing the efficiency and flavor profile of the produced aerosol. There is also a need for a device that uses a unique consumable that is inexpensive to manufacture and, when used in an associated device, provides a satisfactory user experience by moving the consumable past the induction coil for successive inhalations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to devices and methods for delivering a consumable material in an aerosol state for inhalation administration and oral administration using a high-temperature non-flammable induction method for aerosolizing an embodiment of the concept and configuration of the composition.

[0014] In particular, the present invention is directed to further improvements to combustion-free heating devices, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 10750787; PCT / US2019 / 012204; and PCT / US2020 / 040779. In general, a combustion-free heating device is a device for converting a consumable material into an aerosol that contains certain of its components, but limits by-products most often associated with combustion, such as smoke, ash, tar, and certain other potentially harmful chemicals. This is achieved by using high heat without burning the consumable material by packaging the consumable material, which contains an internal susceptor, in a casing.The present invention may include positioning and gradually moving heat along a consumable tobacco component using an induction heating element wrapped around a package containing the consumable to heat the susceptor using a magnetic field generated by the induction heating element by moving either the heating element, the consumable, or both.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is a consumable tobacco component comprising at least one shell containing a consumable tobacco preparation and an induction heating source. The shell may be a paper, fabric, plastic, or woven sheet, or any other material sufficiently porous to allow the aerosol generated by heating the consumable to pass through it. The consumable may be assembled from two sheets of this material, an upper and a lower sheet, between which a current collector is located within the consumable preparation. The two sheets can then be folded together to enclose the consumable preparation. A single consumable may contain several such "packets" or just one.

[0016] In alternative embodiments, the shell may be an aluminum shell with pre-perforated holes. The shells may be coated with a gel that seals the holes until an induction heating process melts the gel, exposing the holes. In some embodiments, the gel may include a flavoring additive that can add flavor or enhance the flavor of the tobacco aerosol.

[0017] In some embodiments, multiple wrappers may be stacked within a paper tube, with spaces between them formed by excess wrapper at the bottom of each wrapper and channels on both sides to allow the generated aerosol to pass through. When the induction heating source is activated, the pre-installed openings are released, and the flavoring agent mixes with the aerosol to pass through the tube and become available to the device user.

[0018] Using these methods and devices, the device should heat a smaller mass, heat up immediately, cool down quickly, and conserve energy, allowing for longer use between recharges. This contrasts with well-known, modern, commercially available combustion-free heating devices.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging containing a consumable that is easy to replace and that minimizes contamination of the inside of the housing during use, reducing the effort of cleaning the housing.

[0020] Another objective of the present invention is to move the current collector or consumable relative to the heating element to heat segments of the consumable independently of other segments. "Segments" in this context refers to either physically segmented consumables or adjacent consumables that are sequentially heated as they move past the induction coil or vice versa. 0021 Another objective of the invention is to aerosolize a consumable material that can be pressed around a current collector in a manner that eliminates any air flow between the consumable and the current collector. For example, the aerosol-producing substrate may contain inert, non-reactive compounds that are mixed with the consumable and then tightly pressed around the current collector. The composition can be aerosolized using a pocket-sized high-temperature induction heating device designed for this embodiment of the consumable.

[0022] Accordingly, the device, method, and composition of the present invention can be used to aerosolize various consumables, preferably medications. For example, these medications include, but are not limited to, medications that are intended to improve bronchial efficiency, support tobacco and nicotine cessation, promote relaxation, relieve anxiety, prevent destructive thoughts, manage pain, enhance concentration, promote restful sleep, promote sexual activity, enhance energy and wakefulness, and counteract the harmful effects of overdose of certain other medications. In addition, these consumables can include tobacco, cannabis, or other substances that can be introduced into the body of consumers through inhalation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Fig. 1 is a side view of the interior of an embodiment of the present invention assembled into an HNB device.

[0024] Fig. 2A is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention assembled into a package containing a consumable.

[0025] Fig. 2B is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2A, where portions of the packaging containing the consumable have been cut away and / or removed to demonstrate the current collector.

[0026] Fig. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2A, cut along line 2C-2C.

[0027] Fig. 2D is an exploded view of the package containing the consumable shown in Fig. 2A.

[0028] Fig. 2E is a perspective view of a package containing a consumable with another embodiment of a current collector, where portions of the package containing the consumable are cut away and / or removed to show the current collector.

[0029] Fig. 3A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a package containing a consumable.

[0030] Fig. 3B is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3A, where a portion of the package containing the consumable and the consumable are removed to show the internal configuration.

[0031] Fig. 3C is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3A.

[0032] Fig. 4A is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 4B shows the embodiment shown in Fig. 4A in an open configuration.

[0034] Fig. 5A-5D show a series of perspective views of another embodiment of the present invention in which the consumable material moves through the housing.

[0035] Fig. 6A-6C show a series of perspective views of another embodiment of the present invention in which the consumable material moves through the housing.

[0036] Fig. 7A-7E show a series of perspective views of another embodiment of the present invention, in which a consumable is inserted into the HNB device and the consumable moves through the housing.

[0037] Fig. 8A-8B show a series of perspective views of another embodiment of the present invention in which the consumable material moves through the housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the accompanying drawings is intended to describe presently preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or used. The description indicates the functions and sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it should be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences can be performed by means of various embodiments, which are also encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0039] Combustion-free heating device

[0040] The invention of the present application is a device for producing aerosols from a product containing a consumable for inhalation in a manner that utilizes relatively high heat with minimal combustion of the product containing the consumable. For the purposes of the present application, the term "consumable" should be interpreted broadly to encompass any type of pharmaceutical, drug, chemical compound, active substance, component, any other medicament, and the like, regardless of whether the consumable is used to treat a condition or disease, is intended for nutrition, is a supplement, or is used for recreation. By way of example only, the consumable may include pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and over-the-counter drugs, such as, but not limited to, tobacco, cannabis, hemp, lavender, kava, coffee, caffeine, lobelia, hoodia, melatonin, epimedium, guarana, ginseng, and the like.

[0041] An example of the HNB device 100 is shown in Fig. 1-2E and is fully described in U.S. Patent No. 10750787; PCT / US2019 / 012204; and PCT / US2020 / 040779, which are applications fully incorporated herein by reference. The device 100 includes a package 102 containing a consumable and an aerosol generating device 200. The package 102 containing the consumable includes an aerosol generating substrate 104 that releases an active substance (consumable) upon heating, and a current collector 106 enclosed therein for heating the aerosol generating substrate 104.The device 100 generates aerosols through a non-combustion heating process, in which the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is exposed to an aerosolizing thermal state, such as high aerosolization temperatures and the absence of oxygen, which does not burn the aerosol-producing substrate 104 within the package 102 containing the consumables, but releases the active ingredient (consumable) from the aerosol-producing substrate 104 in the form of an inhalable aerosol product. Thus, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is any product containing an active ingredient that can be released as an aerosol when heated to the appropriate temperature and state. Any description of the invention for a specific application, for example, for a tobacco product, is provided only as a specific example and is not intended to be limiting.Thus, the invention is not limited to use with tobacco products only.

[0042] Referring to Fig. 1, the aerosol generating device 200 comprises a receptacle 151 for containing a package 102 containing a consumable, an induction heating element 160 for heating a susceptor 106, a system controller 166 for controlling the induction heating element 160, and a power source 220 for powering the device 100. A user interface 230 may be provided, operatively connected to the controller 166, to facilitate operation. A trigger 232 may be provided to activate the device 100, or the device 100 may be activated through the user interface 230.

[0043] Referring to Fig. 2A-2E, the package 102 containing the consumable material is a component that is heated to release the consumable material (i.e., the active substance) in the form of an aerosol. The package 102 containing the consumable material includes an aerosol-producing substrate 104 and a susceptor 106 surrounded by the aerosol-producing substrate 104 for heating the aerosol-producing substrate 104 from the inside to the outside by means of an induction heating system. In some embodiments, the package 102 containing the consumable material may have a shell 108 so that it at least partially contains the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the susceptor 106. For example, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be completely covered by the shell 108.In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be partially covered by a shell 108 such that portions of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 are exposed, such as all or portions of the ends, top, bottom, or any other portion of the aerosol-producing substrate 104. In some embodiments, the package 102 containing the consumables may further comprise a housing 150 to contain one or more aerosol-producing substrates 104 with integrated current collectors 106 with or without a shell 108.

[0044] Pantograph

[0045] The susceptor 106 is an inductively heated component that heats the aerosol-producing substrate 104 from the inside out. Therefore, the susceptor 106 is made of a metal that can be heated inductively, such as an iron-containing metal. Other metals or materials that have the ability to inductively heat the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can also be used. To maximize the efficient heating of the aerosol-producing substrate 104, the susceptor 106 typically corresponds to the shape of the largest cross-sectional area of ​​the aerosol-producing substrate 104 in order to maximize the contact surface area of ​​the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the susceptor 106, but other configurations can also be used.

[0046] The current collector 106 may be machine extruded, made from metal particles that are sintered or otherwise fused, metal wool, stamped, pressed, or made by any other of a variety of methods that can produce a satisfactory current collector. Some of these methods are described in U.S. Patent No. 10750787; PCT / US2019 / 012204; PCT / US2020 / 040779 and U.S. Application No. 17 / 687470, all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference. In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be combined with or included in the current collector 106 by co-extruding it with the current collector 106 to create a layer of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 on top of or below the layer of the current collector 106.In some embodiments, two layers 104a, 104b of aerosol-producing substrate may be co-extruded with a current collector 106 between them to create a sandwich around the current collector 106, which may be compressed between the two layers 104a, 104b of aerosol-producing substrate. The co-extruded material may then be cut to the appropriate size.

[0047] In some embodiments, in which the current collector 106 is steel wool or metal particles, the consumable material can be included directly in the current collector 106, for example, in the form of a fluid (for example, a liquid, semi-liquid, viscous substance, etc.) or a free-flowing solid (for example, a powder, grains, granules, etc.), in which case the current collector 106 has a dual function: a heating element and an aerosol-producing substrate 104. Thus, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be the current collector 106 combined with the consumable material included therein.

[0048] Aerosol-producing substrate

[0049] The design of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is to minimize the amount of air to which the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is exposed. This eliminates or reduces the risk of oxidation or combustion during storage or heating. As a result, with certain settings, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be heated to temperatures that would otherwise cause combustion when used with prior art devices that allow greater air exposure.

[0050] Thus, in some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is made from a powdered form of a consumable material that is compressed into a solid compressed granule, rod, or cuboid. Compression of the consumable material reduces the amount of oxygen retained within the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and limits oxygen migration into the aerosol-producing substrate 104 during storage and heating.

[0051] In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be a single elongated element defining a longitudinal axis A in the form of a rod or stick, as shown in Fig. 2A-2E. The aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be an elongated cylinder or tube having a circular cross-section, an oval cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, a polygonal cross-section, and the like. In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be a plurality of cylindrical tablets or granules stacked on top of each other.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be a slightly elongated cuboid in a shape defining a longitudinal axis A, as shown in Figs. 3A-3C and 4A-4B. Other cuboid shapes may also be used, as well as a combination of generally flat and / or rounded faces of a generally cuboid shape.

[0053] The current collector 106 can be similarly elongated and embedded in the aerosol-producing substrate 104, preferably along the longitudinal axis A and extend substantially along the length L of the aerosol-producing substrate 104. The current collector 106 can also extend substantially along the width W of the aerosol-producing substrate 104. In other embodiments, the current collector 106 can extend beyond the width (or diameter) and length of the aerosol-producing substrate 104, or be substantially shorter than any of these dimensions.

[0054] In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may take any other shape, including spherical, ovoid, elliptical, and even amorphous. In general, the current collector 106 may match the shape of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 in order to maximize the contact surface between the current collector 106 and the aerosol-producing substrate 104; however, the current collector 106 may also have other shapes, including a plurality of current collectors 106 randomly distributed within the aerosol-producing substrate 104.

[0055] In yet another alternative embodiment, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be formed as tiny granules, grains, powder, or other form that may be encapsulated to further reduce the amount of air available to the consumable.

[0056] In some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may include a ground source of the consumable material, converted into a powder form, then combined with the current collector 106 by tightly pressing around the current collector 106. By way of example only, the source of the consumable material may be a plant, a seed, a flower, a root, a leaf, a plant component, or any other source from which the consumable material can be extracted. These components can be dried, ground, and mixed with other components known for creating granules and tablets for pressing around the current collector 106 to form a granule, tablet, or rod around the current collector 106. The compressed granule, tablet, or rod can be enclosed in a shell 108 to form a package 102 containing the consumable material.

[0057] Shell

[0058] The invention of the present application is directed to creating a package containing a consumable 102 and a structure that moves the package 102 containing the consumable past an induction coil 160 to heat segments of the package 102 containing the consumable 102 in a sequential manner.

[0059] In some embodiments, as best seen in Figs. 2A-2E, the shell 108 comprises an aerosol-producing substrate 104 with a current collector 106 embedded therein. In some embodiments, the shell 108 may be arranged with openings 120 to allow the aerosol to exit the shell 108, or the shell 108 may be a permeable membrane, paper, fabric, or other material to allow the aerosol to exit. The aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be placed inside a housing 150, which may simulate a cigarette. In some embodiments, the shell 108 may be surrounded by a filter 140. The housing 150 may be closed by an end cap 154 ​​at one end 152 and a mouthpiece 158 at the opposite end 156. The end cap 154 ​​may be composed of a filter-type material.Mouthpiece 158 allows the user to draw the heated disposable aerosol from aerosol-producing substrate 104 along housing 150 toward mouthpiece 158 and into the user's mouth. Thus, mouthpiece 158 may also include a filter similar to the filter of end cap 154. Near mouthpiece 158, there may be a plurality of openings 446 through which air can be drawn when the user draws from housing 150 by drawing on mouthpiece 158.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the shell 108 comprises a top sheet 108a and a bottom sheet 108b, which may be two separate sheets or one continuous sheet. Sheets 108a, 108b may comprise a permeable material that allows the aerosol to escape, which may be filter paper, porous paper, fabric, plastic, membrane, perforated metal, tea bag material, or cigarette filter material (cellulose), or any suitable material.

[0061] The permeable nature of the shell 108 can expose the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to air and potential oxidation / degradation. To prevent this, the pores or openings in the shell 108 can be temporarily sealed with a coating. The coating is preferably made of a composition that melts and / or becomes permeable at temperatures that create consumable aerosols. Therefore, when the current collector 106 is heated, due to the lack of air inside the shell 108, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be heated to extremely high temperatures without combustion. When the current collector 106 reaches high temperatures, the consumable aerosols that begin to form cannot escape. When the coating melts or becomes permeable, the consumable aerosols can escape from the shell 108 for inhalation.In a preferred embodiment, the coating may be a propylene glycol alginate ("PGA") gel or food starch. The coating may also include a flavoring agent. Therefore, when the coating melts and the consumable aerosol is released, the flavoring agent is also released with the consumable aerosol. In some embodiments, the flavoring agent may be mixed with the additives.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the shell 108 may include an upper portion 108a and a lower portion 108b, which may be separate portions or a single continuous portion. Preferably, the upper and lower portions 108a, 108b of the shell have pre-formed cup-shaped recesses or cavities 109 for surrounding the aerosol-producing substrate 104, as shown in Fig. 3C. Alternatively, one or both of the upper and lower portions 108a, 108b of the shell may be flat and then compressed or stretched around the aerosol-producing substrate 104 during production.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, to securely close the shell 108 around the aerosol-producing substrate 104, the ends 124, 126 of the shell 108 may have folds 130, 132, as shown in Fig. 4A and 4B. Before folding, the two parts 108a, 108b of the shell can be connected or sealed by conventional methods, such as adhesives, mechanical fasteners, crimping, high-frequency welding or any suitable method to close the shell 108. Similarly, after folding, the sealed / connected ends 124, 126 can be glued to the outer surfaces of the shell 108, as shown in Fig. 4A. Alternatively, the ends 124, 126 of the casing 108 need not be sealed before folding, but instead be held in place by adhesive, mechanical fasteners, crimping, high-frequency welding, or any other suitable method. In yet another alternative, the casing 108 may simply be held in place by the folds themselves, without any sealing or joining.

[0064] Thus, a method for producing a package 102 containing a consumable for use in an aerosol-producing device 200 includes combining a receptacle 106 with an aerosol-producing substrate 104 containing a consumable; covering the aerosol-producing substrate 104 with a shell 108; folding the ends 124, 126 of the shell 108 to isolate the aerosol-producing substrate 104; and placing the assembly in a housing 150.

[0065] In some embodiments, the shell 108 may be completely eliminated, and the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is simply surrounded by the housing 150. In such an embodiment, the aerosol is released from the aerosol-producing substrate 104 directly into the channel between the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the housing 150. As in embodiments with a shell, the outer portion of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 does not reach combustion temperature due to rapid induction heating from the inside out.

[0066] In embodiments where the shell 108 is porous or absent, the freshness of the consumable can be maintained by using a sealed package, which can be filled with nitrogen or another inert gas to prevent oxidation. Such packaging can be used for large packages 102 of consumables, for example, for tobacco products, where several packages 102 of consumables can be used every day. Alternatively, individual packaging can be used for packages 102 of consumables 102 containing medications, where the consumable is used only periodically.

[0067] Case

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the shell 108 is configured to be permeable to the aerosol to allow the aerosol to exit the shell 108. The aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be placed inside the housing 150 with or without the shell 108, as described above. The housing 150 is preferably less permeable or impermeable to the aerosol. The housing 150 can simulate a cigarette. Thus, the housing 150 may be an elongated structure having a first end 152 and a second end 156 opposite the first end 152. The housing 150 is inserted into the device 200 in such a way that the induction heating element 160 surrounds the housing 150. The current passing through the induction heating element 160 may then heat the current collector 104 located in the aerosol-producing substrate 104, as a result of which the aerosol-producing substrate is heated from the inside out.When the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is heated by the susceptor 106, an aerosol containing the consumable is formed. When the user draws from the housing 150, for example, by suction from the second end 156, the aerosol exits from the shell 108, but not from the housing 150. Due to the negative pressure created by the suction from the second end 156, the aerosol is drawn in the direction of the second end 156 through any space between the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the housing 150. An opening inside or around the first end 152 can be used to facilitate the flow of air around the outside of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and to the second end 156. Such an opening can be equipped with a valve for a one-way or limited flow.

[0069] To provide multiple dosages using a single package 102 containing a consumable, various strategies can be used. For example, an induction heating element 160 can be wrapped around a portion of the package 102 containing the consumable. Only the portion of the package 102 containing the consumable that is surrounded by the heating element 160 is heated, and the consumable is released. The position of the induction heating element 160 relative to the package 102 containing the consumable can then be changed so that the induction heating element 160 surrounds a new portion of the package 102 containing the consumable that has not yet been sufficiently heated to release the consumable.To achieve this new position, either the induction heating element 160 can be moved and the aerosol-producing substrate 104 remains stationary, or the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be moved and the induction heating element 160 remains stationary, or both the induction heating element 160 and the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be moved. In some embodiments, neither the induction heating element 160 nor the aerosol-producing substrate 104 are moved. Instead, the induction heating element 160 can be wrapped around the entire length of the aerosol-producing substrate 104, and certain segments of the induction heating element 160 can be activated so as to heat only certain parts 104c, 104d, 104e of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 at a given time.

[0070] As shown in Figs. 5A-5D, 6A-6C, 7A-7E and 8A-8B, in a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 moves along the length of the housing 150, while the induction heating element 160 remains stationary. Just as an example, the aerosol-producing device 200 can comprise an actuator 448, which can be operatively connected or otherwise interact with the aerosol-producing substrate 104 when the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is placed in the aerosol-producing device 200. The drive 448 may be arranged to advance the aerosol-producing substrate 104 through the housing 150. Advancing the aerosol-producing substrate 104 through the housing 150 allows the various portions 104c, 104d, 104e of the aerosol-producing substrate to be surrounded by the induction heating element 160.Thus, in use, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be placed in the housing 150 in such a way as to allow the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to move from the end cap 154 ​​to the mouthpiece 158 through the housing 150 such that portions 104, 104d, 104e of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 gradually pass through the induction heating element 160 sequentially.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the actuator 448 comprises a rod 550 and a rotating collar 552 operatively connected or otherwise interacting with the rod 550 to advance the rod 550. The collar 552 can be driven by a small motor operatively connected to the controller 166. The rod 550 can be inserted into the housing 150 through the end cap 154 ​​to the point where the rod 550 meets the first end 105 of the aerosol-producing substrate 104. In this position, the second end 107 of the aerosol-producing substrate 104c can be surrounded by an induction heating element 160 (see, for example, Figs. 5A, 5B, 6A and 7B). When the induction heating element 160 is activated, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is heated only in the portion where it is surrounded by the induction heating element 160. When the actuator 448 is activated, the collar 552 advances the rod 550 toward the second end 156 of the housing 150.This movement causes a new portion 104d of the aerosol-producing substrate (closer to the first end 105 of the aerosol-producing substrate 104) to become surrounded by an inductive heating element 160 (see, for example, Figs. 5C, 6B, and 7D). Activation of the inductive heating element 160 can now heat the new portion 104d of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 that was not previously heated, causing another dose of the consumable to be released as an aerosol for inhalation. The collar 552 may again advance the aerosol-producing substrate through the housing 150, placing another unheated portion 104e of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 (even closer to the first end 105, if not already to the first end 105) within the heating range of the induction heating element 160 (see, for example, Figs. 5D, 6C and 7E). This process may continue until the entire aerosol-producing substrate 104 is heated and the consumable aerosol is released.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, the rod 550 may be a jack screw with a thread 554 at the first end 556, as shown in Fig. 7A-7E. The thread 554 at the first end 556 of the rod 550 may be aligned with a rotating collar 552. Activation of the actuator 448 causes the collar 552 to rotate, which in turn causes the rod 550 to advance. Alternatively, the collar 552 may be fixed, and the rod 550 may be coupled with a rotary mechanism that ensures the advancement of the rod 550 during rotation. Other forms of actuators 448 may be used to gradually advance the aerosol-producing substrate 104 along a linear path, for example, an actuator 448 with a telescopic action, a sliding action, a rolling action, and the like. or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the aerosol-producing substrate can be advanced with a smooth, gradual motion or a more abrupt, step-like movement.In an alternative embodiment, the aerosol-producing substrate 104, or some structure attached thereto, may be threaded and engaged with threads on the housing 150 such that rotation of the housing 150 or the aerosol-producing substrate 104 advances the aerosol-producing substrate 104.

[0073] In some embodiments, in order to prevent the aerosol-producing substrate 104 from moving when it is not in use and before the connection with the rod 550 occurs, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be attached to the inside of the housing 150 so that the first end 105 of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is adjacent to the rod 550. The connection with the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be strong enough so that normal movement and shaking of the housing 150 do not lead to the movement of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 inside the housing 150. Thus, the movement associated with the transportation and delivery of the housing will not be sufficient to cause the release of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 by this attachment. Furthermore, the connection of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to the housing 150 may be sufficiently strong that the rod 550 can be operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate 104.However, the advancement of the rod 550 is sufficient to break the connection between the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the housing 150, allowing the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to advance through the housing 150. The new connection between the rod 550 and the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is strong enough to prevent the aerosol-producing substrate 104 from moving in the housing 150 during movement after the connection between the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the housing 150 is broken. Alternatively, if the connection is a heat-sensitive material, the connection may be broken or weakened when the aerosol-producing substrate 104 is heated for the first time, before the advancement of the rod 550.

[0074] However, in order to prevent unwanted movement of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 after the first use, for example, when the device is thrown into a bag or on a counter, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may have a friction fit within the housing 150 that prevents movement except for the movement produced by the rod 550, or the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be attached or otherwise connected to the rod 550 to prevent movement independently of the rod 550. Alternatively, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may engage with the housing or other structure using a thread or other structure that prevents unwanted movement of the aerosol-producing substrate 104.

[0075] In some embodiments, the advancement of the rod 550 may only cause the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to advance through the housing 150. In some embodiments, the end cap 154 ​​may also advance through the housing 150, as shown in Fig. 8A-8B. Thus, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be connected to the end cap 154, and the rod 500 may be connected or otherwise engaged with the end cap 154. Thus, the advancement of the rod 500 causes the end cap 154 ​​to advance through the housing 150, and the end cap 154 ​​ensures the advancement of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 through the housing 150.

[0076] After establishing the general principles of the packaging 102 containing the consumable, variations that achieve the same goals were also considered. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may comprise two elongated sections 104a, 104b. The two elongated sections 104a, 104b of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 may be defined by a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis A and intersecting it. Thus, the two elongated sections 104a, 104b may be cuboid or semi-cylindrical sections, which, when combined together, form a larger cuboid or fully cylindrical aerosol-producing substrate 104.

[0077] In some embodiments, the shell 108 may be made of a porous material. For example, the shell 108 may be a porous paper wrapper or other similar material. Thus, the pores will function as openings 120, allowing the aerosol from the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to escape when heated. Furthermore, since the aerosol-producing substrate 104 can be compressed in a manner that excludes oxygen, combustion is still unlikely at operating temperatures and during a short period of exposure of the aerosol-producing substrate 104 to high temperatures. Although the outer portion of the shell 108 is exposed to oxygen along the channel between the shell 108 and the housing 150, induction heating quickly heats the consumable material from the inside out, so the outer portion of the shell 108 never reaches the ignition temperature.

[0078] In embodiments in which the shell 108 is a porous material, the shell 108 allows the aerosol to pass through the pores of the shell 108 and exit the shell 108 laterally or radially outward. This allows the aerosol to enter a channel created between the body 150 and the shell 108.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol-producing substrate 104 has a cuboid shape, and the housing 150 has a cylindrical shape, which creates four channels between the aerosol-producing substrate 104 and the shell 108, between the generally flat faces of the cuboid and the wall of the cylinder (i.e., at the top, bottom, and both sides along the aerosol-producing substrate 104). Although a cuboid is the preferred shape of the aerosol-producing substrate 104, and a cylindrical shape is the preferred shape of the shell 108, any shape can be used for either of them.

[0080] In some embodiments, the shell 108 may be thicker and have sufficient porosity to allow the aerosol to pass through the pores longitudinally along the axis A along the length of the shell 108. In such an embodiment, a specialized channel between the body 150 and the shell 108 may not be required, since the aerosol can pass through the shell 108. Such porous materials may include cigarette paper, cellulose or other filter media, or any suitable material for this purpose.

[0081] The shell 108, containing the aerosol-producing substrate 104, can then be placed in the housing 150, forming a package 102 containing the consumable. When the current collector 106 is heated, the consumable is aerosolized and released into the porous shell 108. When the user draws on the mouthpiece 158, the negative pressure created inside the housing 150 causes air to flow toward the mouthpiece 158, and the aerosolized consumable moves through the pores of the shell 108 to the mouthpiece 158, where the consumable can be inhaled by the user.

[0082] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but rather by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device comprising: (a) aerosol-producing substrate; (b) a current collector placed in an aerosol-producing substrate; (c) a housing for containing an aerosol-producing substrate; (d) an aerosol-producing device for containing a housing for containing an aerosol-producing substrate, wherein the aerosol-producing device comprises (i) a drive operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate, capable of advancing the aerosol-producing substrate through a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate; and (ii) an induction heating element surrounding at least a portion of a housing for containing an aerosol-producing substrate, wherein the drive is configured to advance the aerosol-producing substrate through the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate, so that portions of the aerosol-producing substrate pass through the induction heating element sequentially, wherein the drive is configured to sequentially heat portions of the aerosol-producing substrate passing through the induction heating element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate comprises an end cap and a mouthpiece opposite the end cap, and the actuator comprises a rod operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate through the end cap.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the rod has a thread at the first end for advancing the aerosol-producing substrate.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the drive is configured to advance the end cover.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the drive is configured to advance the aerosol-producing substrate while the end cap remains stationary.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the aerosol-producing substrate has the shape of a cuboid.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the aerosol-producing substrate is at least partially contained within the shell.

8. A method for aerosolizing a consumable material contained throughout an aerosol-producing substrate by means of an aerosol-producing device, the method comprising: (a) placing the aerosol-producing substrate in a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate contained by the aerosol-producing device; (b) surrounding a first portion of the aerosol-producing substrate with an inductive heating element of the aerosol-producing device, wherein a current collector is placed in the aerosol-producing substrate; (c) heating the current collector by activating the induction heating element, thereby aerosolizing the consumable material located in the first part of the aerosol-producing substrate; (d) advancing the aerosol-producing substrate with a drive operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate such that the inductive heating element surrounds the second portion of the aerosol-producing substrate of the aerosol-producing device; and (e) activating the induction heating element of the aerosol-producing device, thereby aerosolizing the consumable material located in the second portion of the aerosol-producing substrate, wherein the parts of the aerosol-producing substrate are moved by the drive through the induction heating element in sequence with the parts of the aerosol-producing substrate passing through the induction heating element being sequentially heated.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the aerosol-producing substrate is located in a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate, and, when placed in the aerosol-producing device, the induction heating element surrounds the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein advancing the aerosol-producing substrate comprises advancing the aerosol-producing substrate with a drive operatively engaged with the aerosol-producing substrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate comprises an end cap at a first end and a mouthpiece at a second end opposite the first end, and the actuator comprises a rod operatively connected to the aerosol-producing device through the end cap.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the drive advances the end cap.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the aerosol-producing substrate has a cuboid shape.

14. A method for manufacturing an aerosol generating device, comprising: (a) providing an aerosol-producing substrate containing a consumable; (b) placing the current collector inside the aerosol-producing substrate; (c) placing the aerosol-producing substrate inside a housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate; (d) providing an aerosol-producing device configured to receive a housing for containing an aerosol-producing substrate, wherein the aerosol-producing device comprises (i) an induction heating element surrounding at least a portion of the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate, wherein the drive is configured to advance the aerosol-producing substrate through the housing for containing the aerosol-producing substrate such that portions of the aerosol-producing substrate pass through the induction heating element in a sequential manner to heat portions of the aerosol-producing substrate passing through the induction heating element; and (ii) a drive operatively connected to the aerosol-producing substrate for advancing the aerosol-producing substrate through the aerosol-producing substrate housing.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising providing an end cap located at a first end of the housing for receiving an aerosol-producing substrate, and a mouthpiece at a second end of the housing for receiving the aerosol-producing substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising engaging the drive rod with the aerosol-producing substrate through the end cap.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising advancing the aerosol-producing substrate into the aerosol-containing housing through the induction heating element by advancing the end cap.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the aerosol-producing substrate is cuboid-shaped.

Images