Aerosol generating device with structural power source

Abstract

The invention relates to an aerosol generating device (200) for an aerosol generating consumable (5). The device (200) comprises: a cavity (210) configured to receive the consumable, a heater (220) arranged about the cavity (210) to heat the consumable (5), and control electronics (230) configured to control the heater (220). The device (200) also includes a power source configured to supply electrical energy to the heater (220), wherein an external surface (250) of the device (200) comprises a structural panel (252) that provides an integral part of the power source. The structural panel (252) may provide a structural supercapacitor or a structural battery.

Description

[0001] AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE WITH STRUCTURAL POWER SOURCE

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to aerosol generating devices, and in particular heat- not-burn devices.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] A typical aerosol generating device includes a heating cavity within which a heat- not-burn consumable may be inserted. During operation, a heater arranged around the heating cavity heats the heat-not-burn consumable so that it generates an inhalable aerosol. In order to supply power to the heater, aerosol generating devices include a power source such as a battery.

[0006] However, aerosol generating devices with these features have some unique challenges.

[0007] One problem is the heat-management of the power source. Since the heat-not- burn consumable needs to be rapidly heated to a high temperature, the power source needs to have a large power output. This means that high discharge from the power source can cause it to heat up. Furthermore, since the aerosolgenerating device includes a heater, excess heat from the heater can cause the power source to heat up.

[0008] It is important to avoid large changes in temperature of the power source, since the power sources typically have an optimum operating temperature range; outside the optimum temperature range the power source may not be able to supply sufficient power to the heater and may become less effective over time (e.g., charge less effectively). In view of this, most aerosol generating devices locate the heater as far away from the power source as possible, and a significant amount of the space within the device needs to be occupied by insulation.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to address the problems discussed above. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aerosol generating device for an aerosol generating consumable comprising: a cavity configured to receive the consumable; a heater arranged about the cavity to heat the consumable, in use; control electronics configured to control the heater; and a power source configured to supply electrical energy to the heater, wherein an external surface of the device comprises a structural panel that provides an integral part of the power source.

[0011] The term “integral part” indicates that the structural panel provides a functional part of the power source, whilst also providing an external surface of the device. In some examples, the structural panel cannot be separated from the power source without adversely affecting operation of the power source. As used herein, the term “structural panel” preferably refers to a panel of the device that (at least in part) provides the external structure of the device. For example, the structural panel may be sufficient to provide at least part of the external surface of the device without support from additional casing components. Preferably, the structural panel is not covered by other components. For example, the structural panel is not contained within a housing. The structural panel may itself provide a housing (or a part thereof) for other internal components of the device. Preferably, the structural panel provides at least part of a substantially continuous external surface of the device. The structural panel preferably refers to a panel that has both an energy storage function as well as a structural function. Other parts of the external surface of the device may be provided by one or more casing panels (e.g., which do not provide an integral part of the power source). Preferably, the aerosol generating device is a heat-not-burn device and the aerosol generating consumable is a heat-not-burn consumable. However, it will be appreciated that the device may generate aerosol from a consumable in other ways, such as by vaporising a liquid aerosol precursor.

[0012] Where a structural panel provides an integral part of the power source, the power source may be referred to as a “structural power source”. Advantageously, by using a structural power source, the heat management in the device is improved. This is because the structural panels are further from the heater than if the power source was located internally. Furthermore, by being integrated into a structural panel of an external surface, the power source has improved heat exchange with the surroundings, which further helps it to remain within its optimum operating range.

[0013] Furthermore, the size of the device may be reduced, since there is no longer a need to use internal space of the device in order to store the entirety of the power source. In other words, the space is more efficiently utilised in the device, since the structural panel provides two purposes (both forming the external surface and providing part of the power source). Typically, the majority of the volume of the device is occupied by the battery, so reducing the size of the battery directly leads to a significant reduction in the size of the device. Additionally, as a result of the improved heat management, less insulation needs to be used in the device to isolate the heater from the power source, which further allows the size of the device to be reduced.

[0014] The device may be approximately cuboid shaped, with four side faces, a top face, and a bottom face. It will be appreciated that device may have rounded edges and comers and thus need not be exactly cuboid shaped. The device may have other shapes, such as a cylindrical shape.

[0015] The structural power source may be the only power source that supplies power to the heater (e.g., directly or indirectly) and / or the only power source in the aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device may comprise an electrical connection to allow the structural power source to be charged when connected to a separate power source (e.g., in an accessory device). Advantageously, this may allow the size of the device to be further reduced so that it resembles the size and shape of a cigarette. Alternatively, the device may further comprise an internal power source, such as an internal battery (e.g., which is not provided by a structural panel). Preferably, the power source is a battery and / or a supercapacitor. Where a structural panel provides an integral part of a battery, the battery may be referred to as a “structural battery”. Where a structural panel provides an integral part of a supercapacitor, the supercapacitor may be referred to as a “structural supercapacitor”. It will be appreciated that the aerosol generating device may comprise both a battery and a supercapacitor, one or both of which may be provided by one or more structural panels that form an external surface of the device. Advantageously, supercapacitors have a high power density, charge quickly, have a high cycling number, and have a wide range of operating temperatures. This means that supercapacitors may be particularly advantageous for directly powering the heater. Furthermore, due to the wider range of operating temperatures, less insulation may be required in the device.

[0016] Preferably, the structural panel extends around a longitudinal axis of the device. In this way, the structural panel covers more than one side of the device. Preferably, the structural panel extends fully around the longitudinal axis to provide a tubular panel. In other words, the structural panel extends fully around all the sides of the device (but not necessarily the top and bottom faces). Where the edges of the panel meet, they may be joined together (e.g., laser welded). As used herein, the term “longitudinal axis” preferably refers to an axis parallel to the longest side of the device (e.g., which passes through the top face and the bottom face). The longitudinal axis is preferably parallel to a direction into which the consumable is inserted into the heating cavity of the device. The longitudinal axis may be parallel to a “length” direction of the device. The “width” and “thickness” directions may be perpendicular to the length direction. Preferably, the length of the device is greater than its width, and the width of the device is greater than its thickness.

[0017] Preferably, the structural panel extends around a lateral axis of the device. As used herein, the term “lateral axis” preferably refers to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The lateral axis preferably passes through two opposing side faces of the device (e.g., the smallest side faces). In this way, the structural panel (at least partially) covers the bottom face and / or the top face of the device. The structural panel may extend around both a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis of the device; thus, the structural panel may be substantially cup-shaped, providing both a plurality of side faces and a bottom face of the device.

[0018] The aerosol generating device may comprise an outer casing, wherein the external surface of the device is formed partly by the structural panel within which the power source is integrated, and partly by the outer casing. In other words, the external surface of the device is also provided by an outer casing that does not provide an integral part of a battery or supercapacitor. The outer casing may be formed from plastic. The outer casing may be joined to the structural panel to provide the external surface (e.g., by laser welding or another appropriate joining means). The outer casing may itself be a single piece of material, so that the external surface is provided by a single structural panel and a single piece of outer casing. Alternatively, the outer casing may be two or more separate pieces of material, which are assembled (together with the structural panel) to form the external surface of the device.

[0019] The structural panel may extend into an interior of the device. In this way, insulating properties of the structural panel may be used to thermally isolate components inside the device. Preferably, the structural panel that extends into the interior of the device is a structural supercapacitor. Supercapacitors generally have a larger operating temperature range than batteries and therefore can be located closer to the heater than the internal battery without experiencing significant performance reduction.

[0020] The structural panel may divide the interior of the device into a first portion containing the heater, and a second portion containing a battery. Advantageously, the structural panel may provide thermal insulation between the heater and the (internal) battery to prevent the build-up of heat in the battery when the heater is operational. This may keep the battery within a preferable operating temperature window for faster charging and improved safety. The battery component is not necessarily provided by a structural panel. Preferably, the structural panel at least partially surrounds the heater. Since the structural panel provides both an external surface of the device and an integral part of the supercapacitor or battery, the panel can be located around the heater while still enabling the panel to remain cool (by exchanging heat with the surroundings). The heater may be located between two opposing surfaces of the structural panel (e.g., on opposite sides of the device). The heater may be substantially surrounded by the structural panel. All parts of the heater may be located between opposing surfaces of the structural panel.

[0021] The device may be a flat-format device with a cuboid-shaped cavity configured to receive a flat-format consumable. The flat-format consumable may have a thickness of about 2 mm. The cavity may have a thickness which is approximately the same as the thickness of the consumable. The cavity may have a thickness of about 2 mm. The cavity may have a thickness that is less than the thickness of the consumable, such as about 10% less, which means that the consumable can be compressed when it is inserted. Alternatively, the cavity may have a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the consumable, such as about 10% more, which is beneficial where the consumable has a non-compressible wrapping. Where the cavity has a low thickness, it is advantageous for the device to have a corresponding thin shape. The device may have a thickness less than 25 mm, more preferably less than 18 mm, still more preferably less than 15 mm, and even more preferably less than 12 mm. The device may have a length of about 90 mm. The device may have a width of about 50 mm. The flat-format device may have a thickness that is less than half of its width, more preferably less than a third of its width, still more preferably less than a quarter of its width. A flat-format device may have two opposing sides that are substantially flat and planar. The majority (e.g., greater than 50%, and more preferably greater than 75%) of the external surface area of the device may be provided by the flat and planar sides.

[0022] The cavity of the device may be only around 5mm thick. However, existing batteries are difficult to manufacture with such thin proportions, which means that typical flat-format devices must have a larger thickness (e.g., 15-25mm) in order to house the power source. By contrast, where the power source is provided by a structural panel forming an external surface of the device, the device can be kept thinner while still having sufficient capacity to operate the heater. This means that the device is more transportable (such as in the pocket of a user) and can be stored together with the flat-format consumables without taking up too much space.

[0023] Furthermore, a flat-format device may have a larger surface area to volume ratio (e.g., compared to a cylindrical device for receiving cylindrical sticks such as heat- not-burn sticks), which means it is even more advantageous to make use of the large external surface to provide the power source and to dissipate heat.

[0024] The aerosol generating device may further comprise a wireless charging coil. The wireless charging coil allows for the power source (and / or an internal battery) to be charged without the need for electro-mechanical connections. The wireless charging coil is particularly advantageous where the device is a flat-format device, since the charging coil can be located on one or both of the large planar side faces. By having a charging coil on a large planar face, the coupling between the charging coil and an external coil is maximised, which means that the device can be charged more quickly.

[0025] Preferably, the power source comprises at least one carbon fibre electrode. For example, structural batteries use carbon fibres as structural negative electrodes and lithium iron phosphate-coated carbon fibres as the structural positive electrode. Carbon fibre is a stiff material with a low density. Therefore, the power source can cover a large area (thereby increasing the storage capacity) while reducing weight. Furthermore, the strength of the carbon fibre helps to reduce the risk of damage to the power source, and may also protect internal components of the device. Therefore, where carbon fibre is used to provide the electrodes, it can provide both an electrical purpose and a mechanical purpose.

[0026] The external surface of the device may comprise a plurality of structural panels, each of which provides an integral part of a power source. For example, one structural panel may provide an integral part of a battery, and another structural panel may provide an integral part of a supercapacitor. Alternatively, the plurality of structural panels may provide a plurality of supercapacitors and / or batteries, in any combination. Preferably, the plurality of structural panels in combination covers a plurality of faces of the external surface of the device, such as at least four or at least five faces. The structural panels may be joined together or remain separate from each other.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol generating system comprising the aerosol generating device as described above and herein, and an accessory device comprising a battery, wherein the aerosol generating device and the accessory device comprise corresponding electrical connections so that the accessory device can charge the power source in the aerosol generating device.

[0028] The accessory device may be a charging case for the aerosol-generating device. The electrical connections may comprise electrical contacts configured to connect the aerosol generating device to the accessory device. The electrical connections may comprise corresponding wireless charging coils provided on the aerosol generating device and the accessory device. Preferably, the accessory device comprises a charging cavity into which the aerosol-generating device may be retained. Preferably, the aerosol-generating device does not comprise an internal power source.

[0029] Preferably, an external surface of the accessory device comprises a structural panel that provides an integral part of the battery. The advantages of this are similar to those already discussed above in relation to the aerosol-generating device. The structural panel provides additional protection to the device when in transit and charges the device. Since the accessory device may be more space efficient, further functionality may be added to the accessory device without needing to increase its size.

[0030] The accessory device may comprise a storage cavity for receiving a plurality of aerosol generating consumables (e.g., heat-not-burn consumables). Especially where the accessory device comprises a structural panel, the rigidity provided by the structural panel may be particularly effective in protecting the consumables (e.g., preventing compression of the cardboard and tobacco of the packing and consumables).

[0031] It will be understood that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects or embodiments herein can be supplied and / or used independently. For example, the accessory device may be supplied separately to the aerosol generating device.

[0032] It will also be understood that the present invention is described herein purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] One or more embodiments will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0035] Figures 1a and 1 b show a side view and an internal view of a typical aerosol generating device;

[0036] Figures 2a to 2c show a side view, a perspective view, and an exploded view of a first embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0037] Figures 3a to 3d show a perspective view, side view, exploded view and bottom view of a second embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0038] Figures 4a to 4c show a perspective view, side view, and exploded view of a third embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0039] Figures 5a to 5c show a perspective view, side view, and exploded view of a fourth embodiment of an aerosol generating device; Figures 6a to 6c show a perspective view, side view, and exploded view of a fifth embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0040] Figures 7a to 7c show a perspective view, exploded view, and cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0041] Figures 8a to 8c show a side cross sectional view, a top view and an external side view of a seventh embodiment of an aerosol generating device;

[0042] Figures 9a shows an eight embodiment of an aerosol generating device, and figure 9b depicts an aerosol generating system comprising the device of figure 9a and an accessory device; and

[0043] Figures 10a to 10c show a front cross-sectional view, side cross-sectional view, and back view of the aerosol generating system of figure 9b, where the accessory device includes a structural power source and a storage cavity.

[0044] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the following description and accompanying figures, common features may preferably be identified using corresponding reference numerals to avoid the need to describe said common features in detail for each and every figure.

[0046] Figures 1a and 1 b show an external view and the internal components of a typical aerosol generating device 100. The device 100 has a substantially cuboid shape, with four side faces, a top face, and a bottom face. The largest side faces may be referred to as the front and back faces. The edges and comers of the device 100 are rounded. The device 100 has a longitudinal axis extending between the top face and the bottom face. The device 100 also has at least one lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0047] The device 100 has a heating cavity 110 configured to receive a heat-not-burn consumable. The heating cavity 110 is provided with an opening on the top face of the device 100. The heating cavity 110 has a slidable cover 112 to prevent access to the opening of the heating cavity 110 when the device 100 is not in use. The device 100 includes a heater 120 arranged about the cavity 110 to heat the consumable, in use. In order to supply power to the heater 120, the device 100 includes an internal battery 140. The battery 140 may be a Li-ion cell and may be an 18650 or 21700 format battery. In this device 100, the battery 140 has a volume of about 17735 mm3. The device 100 also has control electronics 130 that control various operations of the device 100 such as operating the heater 120 when a puff is taken by a user. The control electronics 130 may be a PCBA, which may be designed to fit around other components of the device 100.

[0048] The device 100 has an external surface 150 to house the internal components discussed above. In this device 100, the external surface 150 is provided by an outer casing 154, which includes a plurality of panels which are connected together. The panels may be made from a material such as plastic.

[0049] The heater 120 typically requires a high power output from the battery 140 in order to provide sufficient heat to the consumable. This has the potential to cause the battery 140 to heat up during use of the device 100, which can bring the battery 140 outside of its optimum operating range. Similarly, since the battery 140 is enclosed within the external surface 150 together with the heater 120, heat transmitted from the heater 120 can also cause the battery 140 to heat up. In order to mitigate this, the heater 120 and battery 140 may be placed on opposite sides of the device 100, and insulation is required to reduce the heat transfer from the heater 120 to the battery 140. However, it is difficult to completely prevent heating of the battery 140. Where the battery 140 is heated outside its operating range, its peak power may be reduced, and it may degrade more quickly, such as having reduced capacity, decreased charging speed, or fewer charging cycles in its lifetime.

[0050] In order to ensure that the device 100 has enough capacity to power the heater 120, the battery 140 typically needs to be large, when compared with the overall size of the device. As shown in Figure 1 b, the battery 140 occupies a significant proportion of the internal volume of the device 100. As a result, the size and weight of the device 100 needs to be relatively large. In this device 100, the outer casing 154 has a width of approximately 43.5 mm to accommodate the battery 140. Figures 2a to 2c show a first example of an aerosol generating device 200 in an embodiment of the invention. The device 200 shares several features with the typical device 100 such as a cavity 210, cover 212, heater 220, control electronics 230, and internal battery 240. For brevity, common features of the devices will not be described again.

[0051] The device 200 comprises a supercapacitor. Advantageously, the supercapacitor can provide high power to the heater 220 at the beginning of a vaping session (due to its high-power density), and then the supercapacitor can be repeatedly charged with the battery 240 (due to its high energy density). However, the charge-discharge cycles of the supercapacitor can cause it to heat up, and this heat can be removed from the device 200 so that other components (such as the battery 240) do not overheat.

[0052] To address this, the device 200 has an external surface 250 which comprises a structural panel 252 that provides an integral part of the supercapacitor. Thus, the structural panel 252 may be referred to herein as a structural supercapacitor 252. In an alternative design, the structural panel 252 may provide an integral part of a battery (i.e., a structural battery).

[0053] The structural supercapacitor 252 has a number of advantages.

[0054] Firstly, since the structural panel 252 is part of an external surface of the device 200, it can be positioned further away from the heater 220 and can dissipate heat directly to the surroundings. The improved heat management means that the structural supercapacitor 252 can remain at a lower temperature (compared to an internal supercapacitor enclosed within the device 200). As a result, the structural supercapacitor 252 is less likely to reach a temperature outside its optimum operating range and is less likely to cause other components of the device 200 to heat up. This improves the longevity of the device 200, such as increasing the number of charging cycles of the supercapacitor 252 and / or internal battery 240.

[0055] Secondly, since the structural panel 252 can also provide power to the heater 220, the size of the internal battery 240 may be reduced. For example, a narrower cell such as a 14650 format may be used. Here, the volume of the battery 240 is reduced by about 20% to only 14188 mm3. Since the structural supercapacitor 252 is more able to dissipate heat, less insulation is needed around the heater 220, which helps to reduce the overall size of the device 200. This allows the width of the device 200 to be reduced to 40.0 mm.

[0056] As a result of the improved heat management, the structural panel 252 can surround the heater 220 at least partially, without experiencing excessive heating. As shown in Figure 2a, the structural panel 252 extends around the longitudinal axis of the device 200 so that it occupies the majority of the area of the large front and back faces. By increasing the area of the external surface 250 that is covered by the structural panel 252, the amount of energy stored by the structural supercapacitor 252 can be increased.

[0057] In this example, the external surface 250 of the device is not entirely provided by the structural panel 252, but the device 200 also includes casing panels 254a, 254b that cover remaining parts of the external surface 250. A first casing panel 254a covers the top face and the top half of one of the side faces; a second casing panel 254b covers the bottom face and the bottom half of the side face. The first casing panel 254a is joined to the second casing panel 254b at a split line 255. The structural panel 252 together with the casing panels 254a, 254b provide the external surface 250 of the device 200. These panels 252, 254a, 254b may be connected together in any suitable way, such as by welding.

[0058] The structural supercapacitor 252 may be constructed as follows. First, an electrolyte may be stencil printed on one side of a cathode, anode and cellulose separator, before placing it under a vacuum oven to cure the solvent in the electrolyte. The anode and cathode both comprise carbon fibres, which provide structural reinforcement while also having good conductivity. The electrolyte is made of two parts TEABF4, four parts polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 32 parts epoxy. The PEO improves ion transport through the electrolyte while improving mechanical strength. These components are heat-pressed together before sealing with heat-laminating films. Wires are attached to the electrodes prior to the sealing with the heat-laminating films. Subsequently, the structure is set in an epoxy thereby providing a structural supercapacitor with carbon fibre electrodes.

[0059] Where a structural battery is used, it may comprise carbon fibres as structural negative electrodes and lithium iron phosphate-coated carbon fibres as structural positive electrode. Structural batteries can be manufactured as tubular laminated composite batteries (TLCBs).

[0060] Thus, the structural supercapacitor 252 (or structural battery) may comprise carbon fibre (i.e., as part of its electrodes), which means that the structural supercapacitor 252 can be tough, deformable and light, thereby improving its longevity and also providing protection to internal components of the device 200. The structural panel 252 may have a casing component such as an outer plastic layer that covers the carbon fibre electrodes.

[0061] Figures 3a to 3d show another example of an aerosol generating device 300. This device 300 shares several features with the device 200, which will not be described again in detail. Like reference numbers have been used to refer to common features. The device 300 differs in that the structural panel 352 extends all the way around the longitudinal axis of the device 300, so that it covers the four side faces of the device 300. The structural panel 352 is therefore substantially tube-shaped or sleeve shaped. Advantageously, this further increases the area of the external surface 350 that is provided by the structural panel 352, thereby increasing the energy capacity and heat dissipation of the structural supercapacitor 352. The edges of the structural panel 352 may be welded together at a split line 353 (i.e. , to construct the tube shape from a strip of material). The device 300 also includes a first casing panel 354a to provide the top face of the device 300 and a second casing panel 354b to provide the bottom face of the device 300.

[0062] Figures 4a to 4c show another example of an aerosol generating device 400. This device 400 is similar to the device 300 described in relation to figure 3, but differs in that the structural panel 452 extends both around the longitudinal axis and a lateral axis to provide a panel that is substantially cup-shaped. This means that the structural panel 452 covers the four side faces and bottom face of the device 400 (i.e. , five faces in total). Advantageously, this further increases the area of the external surface 450 that is provided by the structural panel 452, thereby further increasing the energy capacity and heat dissipation of the structural supercapacitor 452. Similarly to the device 300, this device 400 also has a first casing panel 454a to provide the top face of the device 400. While the structural panel 452 can provide the entirety of the bottom face of the device 400, in this example, a portion of the bottom face is provided by a second casing panel 454b.

[0063] Figures 5a to 5c show another example of an aerosol generating device 500. This device 500 is similar to the device 300 described in relation to figure 3, but differs in that there are two structural panels 552a, 552b that cover the four side faces of the device 500. Two casing panels 554a, 554b cover the top and bottom faces of the device 500. The two structural panels 552a, 552b may be welded to each other at split lines 553 (only one visible in Fig 5a). In this example, the split lines 553 are located on the smallest side faces of the device 500, though it will be appreciated that the split lines 553 may be located elsewhere. Both of the structural panels 552a, 552b may be any combination of structural supercapacitors and / or structural batteries. It will also be appreciated that more than two structural panels may be used to provide the external surface 550 of the device 500.

[0064] Figures 6a to 6c show another example of an aerosol generating device 600. This device 600 is similar to the devices 400, 500 described above in relation to figures 4 and 5. This device 600 comprises two structural panels 652a, 652b that together cover the four side faces and the bottom face of the device 600. The structural panels 652a, 652b may be welded together at a split line 653; since the structural panels 652a, 652b also cover the bottom face of the device 600, the split line 653 extends down one small side of the device 600, under the bottom face and up the other small side of the device 600. The device 600 also includes a casing panel 654 for the top face.

[0065] Figures 7a to 7c show another example of an aerosol generating device 700. This device is similar to the device 600 described in relation to figure 6 in that it includes two structural panels 752a, 752b that cover the four side faces and bottom face of the device 700. However, in this device 700, the structural panel 752b extends into an interior of the device 700. As particularly shown in the cross-sectional view of figure 7c, the structural panel 752b divides the interior of the device 700 into a first portion 702 and a second portion 704. As shown in the exploded view of Figure 7b, when the device 700 is assembled, the first portion 702 contains the heater 720, and the second portion 704 contains the internal battery 740.

[0066] Advantageously, the structural panel 752b can provide insulation between the heater 720 and the battery 740 while also providing a power source. This means that the amount of internal insulation between the heater 720 and the battery 740 can be reduced, thereby further decreasing the size of the device 700. The structural panel 752b that extends into the interior of the device 700 is a structural supercapacitor 752b. Generally, supercapacitors have a larger operating temperature range than batteries and also have insulating properties. Therefore, the structural supercapacitor 752b can be used as insulation between the heater 720 and the battery 740 without being heated outside its operating range. Preferably both structural panels 752a, 752b are structural supercapacitors 752a, 752b, but it will be appreciated that one or both of them may instead by structural batteries.

[0067] Figures 8a to 8c show a cross-sectional view, top view and side view of another example of an aerosol generating device 800. This device 800 is a flat-format device 800, where the front and back sides of the device 800 are substantially flat and planar. The flat-format device 800 has a thickness less than 25 mm. The device 800 has a length of about 91 mm and a width of about 48 mm. The device 800 is similar to the devices described above in that it has a heating cavity 810, a heater 820 arranged about the cavity 810, and control electronics 830. In this device 800, the heating cavity 810 is cuboid-shaped to receive a flat-format heat- not-burn consumable 5. The flat-format consumable 5 is cuboid shaped with a thickness of about 2 mm. The cavity 810 has a thickness of about 2 mm, and a depth of about 20 mm. Alternatively, the cavity 810 may have a thickness that is less than the thickness of the consumable 5, so that the consumable 5 is compressed by the cavity 810 when it is inserted. For example, the cavity 810 may have a thickness that is about 10% less than the thickness of the consumable 5. As a further alternative, the thickness of the cavity 810 may be greater than the thickness of the consumable 5, such as up to about 10% larger; this may be beneficial where the consumable has a non-compressible wrapping.

[0068] Due to the small thickness of the consumable 5 and cavity 810, the small side faces of the device 800 can be kept particularly small so that the majority of the external surface 850 of the device 800 is provided by the planar front and back faces. As previously described in relation to figures 2 to 7, the external surface 850 is provided (at least partially) by a structural power source 852, such as a structural supercapacitor 852. This is particularly advantageous with the flatformat device 800 due to its large surface area to volume ratio, which enables high heat dissipation and high storage capacity of the structural power source 852.

[0069] The device 800 also includes a wireless charging coil 845 located on the large front face of the device 800. The wireless charging coil 845 allows the structural power source 852 to be charged without the need for electromechanical connectors. Due to the large flat area of the front face, the size of the charging coil 845 can be maximised, which increases its ability to couple with an external charging coil. Thus, it is particularly beneficial to include the charging coil 845 in the flat-format device 800 (though it will be appreciated that charging coils can be incorporated into any of the devices described previously).

[0070] Figure 9a shows another example of an aerosol generating device 900. This device 900 is similar to the devices described previously in that it includes a cavity 910, heater 920, control electronics 930, and a structural power source 952. However, this device 900 does not include an internal battery. Instead, the device 900 includes electrical contacts 942 to allow charging of the structural power source 952 when it is placed into a charging cavity 15 of an accessory device 10 (or “holder” 10), as shown in figure 9b. The accessory device 10 includes an internal battery 40 with sufficient capacity to charge the structural power source 952 multiple times. The structural power source 952 is a structural supercapacitor 952 in this embodiment. Advantageously, supercapacitors have a high-power density, so they can quickly produce a high output in order to operate the heater 920. Supercapacitors also have a wider operating temperature range, so are not as adversely affected by being located in close proximity to the heater 920. By using a structural panel 952 to provide a structural supercapacitor 952, the device 900 does not need to be excessively large and does not require significant insulation for the supercapacitor 952 to operate. Thus, the size of the device 900 can be small, so that it more closely resembles the size and feel of a cigarette. On the other hand, batteries have a higher energy density (and lower power density), so are better suited for placement in the accessory device 10, where they can provide a steady output for charging the supercapacitor via the electrical contacts 942, 42. Since the user only takes a puff when the device 900 is removed from the accessory device 10, heat generated by the heater 920 does not heat up the internal battery 40 in the accessory device 10.

[0071] Alternatively, the structural power source 952 in the device 900 can be a structural battery 952. Since the structural battery 952 is provided by a structural panel on an external surface of the device 900, the structural battery 952 can cool more quickly allowing for a shorter time between vaping sessions and faster charging of the battery.

[0072] As now described in relation to figure 10 the accessory device 10 may include a structural power source 52 (i.e., instead of, or in addition to the structural supercapacitor 952 in the aerosol generating device 900). In particular, an external surface 50 of the accessory device 10 comprises a structural panel 52 that provides an integral part of a power source. In this example, the structural power source is a structural battery, but alternatively it may a structural supercapacitor.

[0073] Since the structural panel 52 may comprise carbon fibre (i.e., as part of the electrodes of the structural power source), it is more rigid than a panel that solely has the external plastic casing component. The structural panel 52 may also have an external plastic casing in addition to the part that provides the structural power source. Therefore, when the aerosol generating device 900 is stored in the accessory device 10, the accessory device 10 not only charges the aerosol generating device 900, but also protects the aerosol generating device 900 during transit. By using the structural panel 52 for a power source, the size of the accessory device 10 can be minimized while still having sufficient capacity to charge the aerosol generating device 900.

[0074] The accessory device 10 may include other functionality such as a storage cavity 20 for storing a plurality of heat-not-burn consumables 5. Since the structural panel 52 provides rigidity to the accessory device 10, this helps to ensure that the cardboard and tobacco of the packing and consumables 5 maintain their integrity during storage in the storage cavity 20.

[0075] While the accessory device 10 has been described above in relation to the aerosol generating device 900, it will be appreciated that any of the aerosol generating devices described herein can be used in combination with an accessory device 10.

[0076] While the foregoing is directed to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that the present invention is described herein purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

[0077] Moreover, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification, and may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An aerosol generating device for an aerosol generating consumable comprising: a cavity configured to receive the consumable; a heater arranged about the cavity to heat the consumable, in use; control electronics configured to control the heater; and a power source configured to supply electrical energy to the heater, wherein an external surface of the device comprises a structural panel that provides an integral part of the power source.

2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the power source is a battery and / or a supercapacitor.

3. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the structural panel extends around a longitudinal axis of the device.

4. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, wherein the structural panel extends around a lateral axis of the device.

5. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, comprising an outer casing, and wherein the external surface of the device is formed partly by the structural panel within which the power source is integrated, and partly by the outer casing.

6. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, wherein the structural panel extends into an interior of the device.

7. The aerosol generating device of claim 6, wherein the structural panel divides the interior of the device into a first portion containing the heater, and a second portion containing a battery.

8. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, wherein the structural panel at least partially surrounds the heater.

9. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, wherein the device is a flat-format device with a cuboid-shaped cavity configured to receive a flatformat consumable.

10. The aerosol generating device of any preceding claim, further comprising a wireless charging coil.

11. The aerosol generating device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the power source comprises at least one carbon fibre electrode.

12. The aerosol generating device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the external surface of the device comprises a plurality of structural panels, each of which provides an integral part of a power source.

13. An aerosol generating system comprising the aerosol generating device of any of the preceding claims, and an accessory device comprising a battery, wherein the aerosol generating device and the accessory device comprise corresponding electrical connections so that the accessory device can charge the power source in the aerosol generating device.

14. The aerosol generating system of claim 13, wherein an external surface of the accessory device comprises a structural panel that provides an integral part of the battery.

15. The aerosol generating system of claim 13 or 14, wherein the accessory device comprises a storage cavity for receiving a plurality of aerosol generating consumables.

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