CA3237460A1

CA3237460A1 - Aerosol provision system with volume varying aerosol generating region

Info

Publication number: CA3237460A1
Application number: CA3237460A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Simon Poynton
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2021-11-10
Filing date: 2022-11-04
Publication date: 2023-05-19
Also published as: WO2023084193A1

Abstract

An aerosol provision system (1) for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region (60). The includes at least an aerosol generation region (60) and an adjustment mechanism (70a, 70b) configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall (72a, 72b) of the aerosol generation region (60) to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region (60). The adjustment mechanism (70a, 70b) is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall (72a, 72b) based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system (1).

Description

AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM WITH VOLUME VARYING
AEROSOL GENERATING REGION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an aerosol provision system, and methods of controlling an aerosol provision system.
BACKGROUND
Electronic aerosol provision systems such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) generally contain an aerosol-generating material, such as a reservoir of a source liquid containing a formulation, typically including nicotine, or a solid material such as a tobacco-based product, from which an aerosol is generated for inhalation by a user, for example through heat vaporisation. Thus, an aerosol provision system will typically comprise an aerosol generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to aerosolise a portion of aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol in an aerosol generation region of an air channel through the aerosol provision system. As a user inhales on the system and electrical power is supplied to the aerosol generator, air is drawn into the system through one or more inlet holes and along the air channel to the aerosol generation region, where the air mixes with the vaporised aerosol generator and forms a condensation aerosol. The air drawn through the aerosol generation region continues along the air channel to a mouthpiece, carrying some of the aerosol with it, and out through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.
The characteristics of the air inhaled by a user are dependent on construction of the aerosol provision system and its components. A user inhaling an aerosol produced from a same type of aerosol generating material or formulation may have different experiences (e.g. smoother or rougher) when using different aerosol provision systems, because the air inhaled is drawn through different configuration of air passages. A user may therefore have different devices dependent on the type of experience they want, and whether they want to switch. It will be appreciated that carrying multiple devices is cumbersome for a user.
Various approaches are described herein which seek to help address or mitigate some of the issues discussed above.
SUMMARY
The disclosure is defined in the appended claims.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region comprising: the aerosol generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region; wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of controlling an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region; the method comprising: providing an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region; and adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system.
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs a method of the second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided aerosol provision means comprising: an aerosol generation region; and adjustment means configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region; wherein the adjustment means is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision means.
According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol provision device for use with an aerosol generating article comprising aerosol generating material, which together form an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol generation region where aerosol is generated from aerosol generating material, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises: circuitry configured to control the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall.
These aspects and other aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description. In this regard, particular sections of the description are not to be read in isolation from other sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example aerosol provision system;

2

3 Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example cartridge part for an aerosol provision system;
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical (including electronic) components of a control unit for use in an aerosol provision system.
Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method of controlling an aerosol provision system.
Figure 5 is a flow chart of a further method of controlling an aerosol provision system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented conventionally and these are not discussed/described in detail in the interests of brevity. It will thus be appreciated that aspects and features of articles and systems discussed herein which are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.
As will be explained below, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region comprising: the aerosol generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region; wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system. By providing a system in which the position and/or shape of at one wall of the aerosol generation region can be adjusted to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region, the system allows for a degree of control over the characteristics of the aerosol produced in the aerosol provision system. The characteristics of the air inhaled by a user, and in particular the average particle size of the aerosol in the air inhaled by the user, are dependent on the shape and size of the aerosol generation region (i.e.
defined by the chamber walls of the area in which aerosol is produced). A user inhaling an aerosol produced from a same type of aerosol generating material (e.g. formulation) may have different experiences (e.g. smoother or rougher, or mouth/throat inhalation or direct-to-lung inhalation) dependent on the volume of the aerosol generation region (or chamber). Larger particles are thought to deposit in the mouth/throat to a greater extent than smaller particles. As an example, if particles are generated with a relatively larger size, then they are more likely to deposit in the mouth or throat in the vicinity of the taste receptors providing a rougher, more flavoursome, experience; whereas if particles are generated with a relatively smaller size, then they are more likely to deposit in the lungs away from flavour receptors thereby providing a smoother experience.

Therefore rather than having to carry around multiple devices, or being restricted to only one experience when the user has only a single device, a user having the present aerosol provision system is able to have multiple different sensory experiences whilst using a single aerosol provision system. For example, a user may be able to select a particular position or a particular shape of the at least one wall (thereby changing the volume/geometry of the aerosol generation chamber) prior to using the aerosol provision device. Alternatively a controller of the device may be configured to select a particular position or a shape of the at least one wall prior to a user using the aerosol provision device in order to provide a user with an enhanced experience (e.g. based on a produced particle size) for the particular aerosol generating material (in some examples, a user may be able to override the position or shape selected by the controller).
The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol provision systems, which may also be referred to as aerosol provision systems. According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not combusted or burned in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be used Interchangeably with aerosol provision system and electronic aerosol provision system.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or a plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.
Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.

4 In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol provision devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a non-combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and a controller.
The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon substrate which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power source.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A
consumable may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
A consumable may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use. The heater may, for example, comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.
An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.
Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-generating material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may comprise one or more active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an "amorphous solid", which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e.
non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the

5 aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt 70, 60wt%
or 70wt%
of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wt% or 1wr/0 of amorphous solid.
The active substance as used herein may be a legally permissible physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response.
The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals, nootropics, psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.
As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavour materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof, flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes , and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents.
They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof.
They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.
In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint.
In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco.
In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.
In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol, WS-3.
The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may comprise one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, Methylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, a diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

6 The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH
regulators, colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.
The aerosol-former material may be present on or in a support, to form a substrate.
The support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite material, glass, a metal, or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.
A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-conductive material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is configured to generate the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator, herein.
An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated, for example by changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol.
The aerosol-modifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release component that is operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a flavourant, a colourant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or granule form. The aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through an example aerosol delivery system 1 in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components, namely a reusable part 2 (e.g. a control part or device part) and a replaceable / disposable cartridge part 4. In normal use the reusable part 2 and the cartridge part 4 are releasably coupled together at an interface 6. When the cartridge part is exhausted or the user simply wishes to switch to a different cartridge part, the cartridge part may be removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge part attached to the reusable part in its place. The interface 6 provides a structural, electrical and airflow path connection between the two parts and may be established in accordance with conventional techniques, for example based around a screw thread, magnetic or bayonet fixing with appropriately arranged electrical contacts and openings for establishing the electrical

7 connection and airflow path between the two parts as appropriate. The specific manner by which the cartridge part 4 mechanically mounts to the reusable part 2 is not significant to the principles described herein, but for the sake of a concrete example is assumed here to comprise a magnetic coupling (not represented in Figure 1). It will also be appreciated the interface 6 in some implementations may not support an electrical and / or airflow path connection between the respective parts. For example, in some implementations an aerosol generator may be provided in the device part 2 rather than in the cartridge part 4, or the transfer of electrical power from the device part 2 to the cartridge part 4 may be wireless (e.g.
based on electromagnetic induction), so that an electrical connection between the device part and the cartridge part is not needed. Furthermore, in some implementations the airflow through the electronic cigarette might not go through the device part so that an airflow path connection between the device part and the cartridge part is not needed. In some instances, a portion of the airflow path may be defined at the interface between portions of device part 2 and cartridge part 4 when these are coupled together for use.
In Figure 1, the cartridge part 4 comprises a cartridge housing 42 formed of a plastics material. The cartridge housing 42 supports other components of the cartridge part and provides the mechanical interface 6 with the device part 2. The cartridge housing is generally circularly symmetric about a longitudinal axis along which the cartridge part couples to the device part 2. In this example the cartridge part has a length of around 4 cm and a diameter of around 1.5 cm. However, it will be appreciated the specific geometry, and more generally the overall shapes and materials used, may be different in different implementations.
Within the cartridge housing 42 is a reservoir 44 that contains aerosol generating material. Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. In the example shown schematically in Figure 1, a reservoir 44 is provided configured to store a supply of liquid aerosol generating material. In this example, the liquid reservoir 44 has an outer wall defined by the cartridge housing 42 and an inner wall that defined at least in part by an airflow path 52 through the cartridge part 4 (the airflow path 52 also extends into the device part 2, as discussed below).The reservoir 42 may further be defined by one or more walls connecting the outer wall of the cartridge housing 42 to the inner wall The reservoir 44 is closed at each end with end walls to contain the aerosol generating material. The reservoir 44 may be formed in accordance with conventional techniques, for example it may comprise a plastics material and be integrally moulded with the cartridge housing 42. The cartridge part further comprises an aerosol generator 48 located towards an end of the reservoir 44 opposite to the mouthpiece outlet 50. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the

8 aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.
It will be appreciated that in a two-part device such as shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator may be in either of the device part 2 or the cartridge part 4. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 (e.g. a heater) may be comprised in the device part 2, and is brought into proximity with a portion of aerosol generating material in the cartridge 4 when the cartridge is engaged with the device part 2. In such embodiments, the cartridge may comprise a portion of aerosol generating material, and an aerosol generator 48 comprising a heater is at least partially inserted into or at least partially surrounds the portion of aerosol generating material as the cartridge 4 is engaged with the device part 2.
In the example of Figure 1, a wick (material) or other liquid permeable material 46 is provided in contact with a heater 48 and the liquid reservoir 44. The wick material 46 is provided on an outer surface of the liquid reservoir 44 and separates the heater 48 from the liquid reservoir 44. The wick material 46 and heater 48 are arranged in the airflow path 52 such that a region of the airflow path 52 around the wick material 46 and heater 48 in effect defines an aerosol generation region or chamber 60 (which may be provided in the cartridge part 4 as shown). It will be appreciated that the terms aerosol generation region and aerosol generation chamber are intrinsically linked in that the walls of the aerosol generation chamber defines the boundaries of the aerosol generation region; and as such the two terms are used interchangeably in the present disclosure. Aerosol generating material in the reservoir 44 infiltrates the wick material 46 from the reservoir 44 and is drawn through the wick material by surface tension / capillary action (i.e. wicking). The heater 48 in this example comprises a heated plate (which may be permeable to liquid) which is heated by induction or resistive heating, and which acts to heat the aerosol generating material 44 thereby volatising the aerosol generating material 44 contained in the wick material 46 to generate aerosol in the aerosol generating region 60. It will be appreciated the specific aerosol generator configuration is not significant to the principles described herein. In use electrical power may be supplied to the heater 48 to vaporise an amount of aerosol generating material (aerosol generating material) drawn to the vicinity of the heater 48 by the wick material 46.
Vaporised aerosol generating material may then become entrained in air drawn along the cartridge airflow path from the vaporisation region towards the mouthpiece outlet 50 for user inhalation.
As noted above, the rate at which aerosol generating material is vaporised by the vaporiser (heater) 48 will depend on the amount (level) of power supplied to the heater 48.
Thus electrical power can be applied to the heater to selectively generate aerosol from the

9 aerosol generating material in the cartridge part 4, and furthermore, the rate of aerosol generation can be changed by changing the amount of power supplied to the heater 48, for example through pulse width and/or frequency modulation techniques.
The device part 2 comprises an outer housing 12 having with an opening that defines an air inlet 28 for the e-cigarette, a power source 26 (for example a battery) for providing operating power for the electronic cigarette, control circuitry 18 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the electronic cigarette, a first user input button 14, a second user input button 16, and a visual display 24. As discussed below, the airflow path 52 begins at the inlet 28 and is defined by one or more components, such as internal walls or tubes, of the device part 2, before entering the cartridge part 4.
The outer housing 12 may be formed, for example, from a plastics or metallic material and in this example has a circular cross section generally conforming to the shape and size of the cartridge part 4 so as to provide a smooth transition between the two parts at the interface 6. In this example the device part has a length of around 8 cm so the overall length of the e-cigarette when the cartridge part and device part are coupled together is around 12 cm.
However, and as already noted, it will be appreciated that the overall shape and scale of an electronic cigarette implementing an embodiment of the disclosure is not significant to the principles described herein.
The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, for example of the kind normally used in electronic cigarettes and other applications requiring provision of relatively high currents over relatively short periods.
The power source 26 may be recharged through a charging connector in the device part housing 12, for example a USB connector.
First and second user input buttons 14, 16 may be provided, which in this example are conventional mechanical buttons, for example comprising a spring mounted component which may be pressed by a user to establish an electrical contact. In this regard, the input buttons may be considered input devices for detecting user input and the specific manner in which the buttons are implemented is not significant. The buttons may be assigned to functions such as switching the aerosol delivery system 1 on and off, and adjusting user settings such as a power to be supplied from the power source 26 to an aerosol generator 48.
However, the inclusion of user input buttons is optional, and in some embodiments buttons may not be included.
A display 24 may be provided to give a user with a visual indication of various characteristics associated with the aerosol delivery system, for example current power setting information, remaining power source power, and so forth. The display may be implemented in various ways. In this example the display 24 comprises a conventional pixilated LCD screen that may be driven to display the desired information in accordance with conventional techniques. In other implementations the display may comprise one or more discrete indicators, for example LEDs, that are arranged to display the desired information, for example through particular colours and / or flash sequences. More generally, the manner in which the display is provided and information is displayed to a user using the display is not significant to the principles described herein. For example some embodiments may not include a visual display and may include other means for providing a user with information relating to operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery system, for example using audio signalling, or may not include any means for providing a user with information relating to operating characteristics of the aerosol delivery system.
A controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation of the aerosol delivery system to provide functionality in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure as described further herein, as well as for providing conventional operating functions of the aerosol delivery system in line with the established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuitry) 22 may be considered to logically comprise various sub-units / circuitry elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1. In this example the controller 22 comprises power supply control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in response to user input, user programming circuitry 20 for establishing configuration settings (e.g. user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well as other functional units / circuitry associated functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional operating aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as display driving circuitry and user input detection circuitry. It will be appreciated the functionality of the controller 22 can be provided in various different ways, for example using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and / or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuit(s) / circuitry / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality. The functionality of the controller 22 is described further herein. For example, the controller 26 may comprise an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or microcontroller, for controlling the aerosol delivery device. The microcontroller or ASIC may include a CPU or micro-processor. The operations of a CPU and other electronic components are generally controlled at least in part by software programs running on the CPU (or other component).
Such software programs may be stored in non-volatile memory, such as ROM, which can be integrated into the microcontroller itself, or provided as a separate component. The CPU may access the ROM to load and execute individual software programs as and when required.

Device part 2 comprises an airflow sensor 30 which is electrically connected to the controller 22. The airflow sensor 30 is positioned adjacent or within an airflow pathway such as the primary airflow pathway 52. In most embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 comprises a so-called "puff sensor", in that the airflow sensor 30 is used to detect when a user is puffing on the device and / or to detect a strength of a user inhalation. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor 30 is connected to the controller 22, and the controller distributes electrical power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in dependence of a signal received from the airflow sensor 30 by the controller 22. The specific manner in which the signal output from the airflow sensor 30 (which may comprise a measure of capacitance, resistance or other characteristic of the airflow sensor, made by the controller 22) is used by the controller 22 to control the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 can be carried out in accordance with any approach known to the skilled person.
The e-cigarette 10 is provided with one or more holes for use as an air inlet 28. These holes connect to air passages (e.g. airflow path 52) running through the e-cigarette 10 from the air inlet 28 to the mouthpiece which may have an additional one or more holes for use as an air outlet 50. Typically the air paths through such devices are relatively convoluted in that they have to pass various components and/or take multiple turns following entry into the e-cigarette.
As discussed above, there is an air passage 52 which passes through an aerosol generation chamber 60, containing or adjacent to the aerosol generator 48. The air passage 52 includes a section comprising an air channel connecting one or more holes of an air inlet 28 to the aerosol generation chamber 60, the aerosol generation chamber 60 and a section comprising an air channel connecting from the aerosol generation chamber 60 to the outlet 50 of the mouthpiece.
When a user inhales through the mouthpiece outlet 50, air is drawn into the air passage 52 through the one or more air inlet holes 28, which are suitably located on the outside of the e-cigarette (in this example of Figure 1 they are provided on the outside of the re-usable part 2) . The airflow passes through the air passage 52 (i.e. airflow path) through the device part 2 and into the cartridge part, before combining / mixing with the vapour in the aerosol generation chamber to generate the aerosol. The resulting combination of airflow and aerosol continues along the airflow path 52 to the mouthpiece outlet 50 for inhalation by a user. The user inhalation may be detected by an airflow sensor 30, in this case a pressure sensor, for detecting airflow in electronic cigarette 10. The airflow sensor 30 can output signals (e.g. send them, or store them in an output memory or location) corresponding to the detected airflow.
The airflow sensor 30 may operate in accordance with conventional techniques in terms of how it is arranged within the electronic cigarette to generate airflow detection signals indicating when there is a flow of air through the electronic cigarette (e.g. when a user inhales or blows on the mouthpiece).
As stated above, the present disclosure is directed towards an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating chamber (or region), which includes an adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b capable of (e.g.
configured to) adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall 72a, 72b of the aerosol generation chamber to vary a volume of the aerosol generation chamber. For example, as shown in Figure 1 an adjustment mechanism may be a mechanism 70a configured to adjust the position of a peripheral wall 72a along an axis perpendicular to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation (i.e. perpendicular to the direction air travels through the aerosol generation chamber 60) and / or an adjustment mechanism may be a mechanism 70b configured to adjust the position of an outlet wall 72b along an axis parallel to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation. In some examples, by adjusting a position it is meant that the wall is linearly translated within the system to change the volume of the aerosol generation chamber. While not shown, in some examples, an adjustment mechanism may additionally, or alternatively, be configured to adjust the shape of a peripheral wall 72a and / or an adjustment mechanism may be a mechanism 70b configured to adjust the shape of an outlet wall 72b along an axis parallel to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation. In some examples, by adjusting a shape it is meant that the wall is moved for example by deforming, bending or curving the wall, or by rotating at least a segment of the wall with respect to a hinge, to change the volume of the aerosol generation chamber.
The outlet wall is a section of wall comprising an outlet of the aerosol generation chamber. The peripheral wall is a wall defining at least a portion of the boundary of the aerosol generation chamber 60 that does not include an inlet or an outlet into the aerosol generation chamber. For example, the peripheral wall is a wall that bounds the airflow pathway (substantially) perpendicular to the direction of airflow travel.
An adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system. As detailed below the adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b may be controlled manually or electronically. The adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b allows the environment in which the aerosol is produced to be changed. Without being bound by theory, the aerosol generator 48 is activated to create a vapour in the aerosol generation chamber 60 from the aerosol-generating material. The vapour condenses to form particles suspended within air (i.e., an aerosol). The particles may further cool (leading to further condensation) or coagulate (e.g.
join with other particles) whilst moving through the aerosol generation chamber 60 towards the outlet of the mouthpiece 50 (hence the aerosol generation chamber 60 may be termed a condensation chamber). The extent of condensation and coagulation can affect the average size of the particles suspended within air (and in particular, when exiting the outlet of the mouthpiece 50). By changing the environment in which the vapour! aerosol is generated (i.e.
by increasing or decreasing the size of the aerosol generation chamber 60), the (average) particle size of the aerosol (e.g. the condensate size) entrained in the airflow can be changed by affecting the extent of condensation and/or coagulation. By way of an example only, if the volume of the aerosol generation chamber is increased then the particles may take longer to leave the aerosol generation chamber (e.g. because of a lower resistance to draw from the chamber and a longer average pathway in the chamber) and/or the temperature within the aerosol generation chamber may be cooler, and therefore larger condensates are produced in comparison to when the volume of the aerosol generation chamber is decreased.
The particle size of the aerosol (e.g. the condensate size) may affect the sensorial experience of a user inhaling the aerosol. Hence, the ability to change the particle size allows a user to have different experiences even when using the same aerosol generation material.
For example, aerosol can be deposited in the lungs or in the mouth of an inhaling user.
Different particle sizes may be more likely to be deposited in the lungs rather than the mouth of the user (more specifically, larger particles are thought to deposit in the mouth/throat to a greater extent than smaller particles). When more aerosol is deposited in the lungs, particularly for an aerosol containing an active component such as nicotine, the user can experience a bigger hit from the inhalation (e.g. a stronger, more direct effect caused by the inhalation) owing to the fact that nicotine uptake is faster within the lungs than in the mouth. Conversely, users may experience a greater satisfaction when using flavoured aerosols with a larger particle size such that the flavour is deposited in the mouth and thus in the vicinity of the taste receptors. A balance may be stuck between the two scenarios described above and equally there may be different reasons for changing the particle sizes. Hence, in some examples, a user can change the size of the aerosol generation chamber 60 to vary their experience.
In some examples, an adjustment mechanism 70a,70b is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall between at least two states based on the interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system, each state corresponding to a position and/or shape of the at least one wall. For example the user may be able to control the adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b to select a first state corresponding to a "smooth" hit (i.e. a smaller particle size) and a second state corresponding to a "harsher' hit (i.e. a larger particle size). Each position and/or shape provides a configuration of the at least one wall 72a,72b and aerosol generation chamber 60 that causes the aerosol generation chamber 60 to have a particular volume. The position and/or shape is distinct from the position and/or shape of other states (i.e. discontinuous) such that different position and/or shapes configure the aerosol generation chamber 60 to provide a substantially different average particle size.
Therefore in examples where there are only two states, one state corresponds to a minimum volume and the other state corresponds to a maximum volume of the aerosol generation chamber 60. In some examples, The position of the at least one wall 72a,72b for each state may be determined by mechanical features which lock the wall into the respective position for the state, with the mechanical feature (e.g. some form of locking hole, or clip) preventing movement of the at least one wall 72a,72b until the adjustment mechanism 70a,70b readjusts the position of the at least one wall 72a,72b. Similarly, in some examples, the shape of the at least one wall for each state may be determined by mechanical features which lock the wall into a respective position for the state; for example, engaging a mechanism to apply tension to the wall (which is elastically deformable) to cause the wall to bend or curve, and disengaging the mechanism to release the wall to a unbiased (rest) position.
It will be appreciated that in some cases the adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b may be configured to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall 72a,72b between more than two states;, for example three states, four states or 5 states. In some examples, selection of each particular intermediate state (i.e. additionally state above two) may cause the aerosol generation chamber 60 to have a particular volume between the minimum state and the maximum state. In some examples, the position of the at least one wall 72a,72b for the intermediate states may be equally spaced between the wall position for the minimum state and the maximum state. In other examples, the states may be unequally spaced between the minimum and maximum state (for example the states may be configured to provide a weighting towards the minimum state, with the positions of the at least one wall 72a,72b for each state between the position of the wall for the minimum and maximum state corresponding to a logarithmic scale). Similarly, where the adjustment mechanism 70a, 70b is configured to adjust a shape of the at least one wall, the shape may be adjusted between throughout a continuous or discontinuous (i.e. fixed intermediate states) intermediate range. In these examples, the shape of each state may correspond to a transition state between a first and second state which correspond to the maximums of the range (e.g. a flat state and a maximally curved state for the system).
In some other examples, an adjustment mechanism 70a,70b is configured to adjust the position of the at least one wall to any position within a range of positions based on the interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system. In these examples, the range is substantially continuous such that any position for the at least one wall within the range can be selected. The range is bound by maximum and minimum wall positions which may be dependent on the physical constraints of the system (e.g. housing position, and limits of the adjustment mechanism 70a,70b to move the at least one wall 72a,72b).
As discussed above, in some examples, the at least one wall 72b comprises an outlet wall 72b comprising an outlet of the aerosol generation region (chamber) 60, wherein the aerosol provision system 1 comprises an adjustment mechanism 70b is configured to adjust the position of the outlet wall 72b along an axis parallel to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation (as shown by an arrow connected within the adjustment mechanism 70b in Figure 1). The outlet of the aerosol generation chamber 60 is provided by one or more holes in the outlet wall 72b. The outlet of the aerosol generation chamber 60 connects the aerosol generation chamber 60 with an air channel leading to the outlet of the mouthpiece 50 (i.e. an air channel that is part of air passage 52). In some examples, the outlet of the aerosol generation chamber 60 may constrict the air flow passing out of the aerosol generation chamber 60 such that the resistance to draw in the aerosol generation chamber is higher than the resistance to draw of the subsequent air channel. In other examples the subsequent air channel has a higher resistance to draw than the resistance to draw of the aerosol generation chamber (for example the subsequent air channel may constrict the air flow to the mouth piece outlet 50). As such by changing the position of the outlet wall 72b, the distance in which the aerosol travels under a first (pressure) regime is changed thereby changing the characteristics of the aerosol (e.g. average particle size). In other words, increasing the size or volume of the aerosol generation chamber 60 increases the average time aerosol particles reside in the aerosol generation chamber 60.
In some examples, the at least one wall 72a comprises a peripheral wall 72a, wherein the aerosol provision system 1 comprises an adjustment mechanism 70a configured to adjust the position of the peripheral wall 72a along an axis perpendicular to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation (as shown by an arrow connected within the adjustment mechanism 70a in Figure 1). The peripheral wall 72a is a wall defining at least a portion of the boundary of the aerosol generation chamber 60, that does not include an inlet or an outlet into the aerosol generation chamber (i.e. an inlet or outlet allowing airflow through the aerosol generation chamber 60 along the air passage 52). In some examples, the movement of the peripheral wall 72a expands the aerosol generation chamber 60 in a direction perpendicular to the air flow direction (i.e. the direction of air flow between an inlet and outlet of the chamber 60). By changing the position of the peripheral wall 72a, the volume of the aerosol generation chamber 60 is varied, which can affect the characteristics of the aerosol (e.g. the average particle size of the aerosol). Increasing the volume of the aerosol generation chamber 60 increases the average time aerosol particles reside in the aerosol generation chamber 60.
It will be appreciated that alternative adjustment mechanisms may be used instead of, or in addition to, one or both of the adjustment mechanisms 70a,70b shown.
Furthermore, in some examples, a single adjustment mechanism may be able to alter the position and/or shape of both the peripheral wall 72a and outlet wall 72a (e.g. by electronically controlling both), or alternatively a single wall may define both the periphery and an outlet of the aerosol generation chamber and an appropriate adjustment mechanism 70 may be configured to change the position and/or shape of the single wall (It will be appreciated that in these examples, any change is to a part of the single wall will change its shape if a different part is also not changed in a corresponding way). Furthermore, in some examples (not shown), an adjustment mechanism may be configured to vary the position and/or shape of an inlet wall of the aerosol generation chamber 60. The inlet wall comprising an inlet 28 into the aerosol generation chamber 60.
It will be appreciated that while Figure 1 is directed towards an e-cigarette having a device part 2 and a cartridge part 4 in the form of a cartomiser having a liquid reservoir; in other examples the cartridge part may comprise an aerosol-generating material in the form of a solid or gel rather than a liquid, and may or may not comprise an aerosol generator (instead the aerosol generator may be provided in the device part 2). In some examples, the wick material 46 may be omitted and the aerosol generating material 44 in the form of a solid or gel may be provided such that it separates the heater 48 from the air passage 52 (in other words the aerosol generating material 44 is provided in or adjacent to the air passage 52).
Furthermore, it will be appreciated that while Figure 1 depicts the mouthpiece as being part of the cartridge part 4, in other examples the mouthpiece may be provided by the device part 2 or by a further attachable component.
In some examples the adjustment mechanism 70 is configured to adjust the position and / or shape of the at least one wall in response to a user connecting a cartridge part 4 to a device part 2. In other words the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system that causes the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position of at least one wall comprises the user connecting the device part to the cartridge part. In some examples the connection interface configured to releasably connect the device part to the cartridge part, comprises features which act to select an appropriate position for the at least one wall. For example, in aerosol provision systems where the heater is provided in the device part 2 and the aerosol generating material and aerosol generation chamber are provided in the consumable part 4, the connection interface may be configured to cause the adjustment mechanism to move the position and / or shape of the at least one wall to an appropriate position for the type of heater contained in the device part 2. Advantageously, this may be appropriate where a consumable may be used with multiple devices.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through a cartridge part 4 of an example aerosol delivery system 1 in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure.
Cartridge part 4 of Figure 2 differs in that further to the components described in relation to Figure 1, Figure 2 includes a first manual actuation mechanism 74a and a second manual actuation mechanism 74b configured to allow a user to mechanically control a respective adjustment mechanism 70a,70b to adjust or change the position of a respective at least one wall 72a,72b. All other components are substantially as described in relation to Figure 1.

In examples in accordance with Figure 2, an adjustment mechanism 74a, 74b is manually operated or controlled. In these examples, the aerosol provision device 1 comprises a user input mechanism in the form of a manual actuation mechanism 74a, 74b which is configured to alter the position of the at least one wall 72a,72b via a mechanical adjustment of the adjustment mechanism 70a,70b (as such the adjustment mechanism 70a,70b may be considered to comprise a manual actuation mechanism 74a,74b). The user input mechanism is configured to be operated by the user and the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system comprises an interaction of the user with the manual actuation mechanism 74a, 74b. By manual it is meant the position of the at least one wall is adjusted mechanically by a user, rather than electronically via a controller (e.g. controller 22).
By actuation it is meant that the mechanism causes a corresponding adjustment mechanism 70a,70b to operate (to adjust the position of at least one wall). In some examples, manual actuation mechanisms 74a,74b comprise manual actuation mechanism selected from the group comprising a slider, a pressable button, and a rotating dial.
In the example shown in Figure 2, the first manual actuation mechanism 74a is in the form of a pressable button or a rotating dial. In some examples where the manual actuation mechanism 74a is in the form of a pressable button, the pressing of the button results in the adjustment mechanism 70a moving the wall 72a from a first position to a second position (e.g.
by disengaging a clip holding the wall 72a in place. In some of these examples, the adjustment mechanism 70a may bias the wall 72a towards being in a position (e.g. the second position).
As such the user may press the button once to move the wall to the first position, and then press the button a second time to disengage a clip, or other locking mechanism of the adjustment mechanism 70a, and the wall 72a may move to the second position because of the bias provided by the adjustment mechanism 70a (e.g. which may comprise a biasing spring). In other words, in some examples where the manual actuation mechanism 74a is in the form of a button, the adjustment mechanism 70a is configured to adjust the position of the at least one wall between at least two states based on the interaction of a user with the manual actuation mechanism 74a of the aerosol provision system.
In some examples where the first manual actuation mechanism 74a is in the form of a rotating dial, the user may rotate the dial to move the wall 70a between a minimum volume position and a maximum volume position with the adjustment mechanism 70a configured to turn the rotational motion into translation motion of the wall 72a. In other words, in some examples where the manual actuation mechanism 74a is in the form of a dial, the adjustment mechanism 70a is configured to adjust the position of the at least one wall in a continuous range based on the interaction of a user with the manual actuation mechanism 74a of the aerosol provision system. It will be appreciated that in some other examples, the dial may be configured to allow stepped motion between a number of positions of the at least one wall (e.g. states).
In the example shown in Figure 2, the second actuation mechanism 74b is in the form a slider. In some examples where the actuation mechanism 74b is in the form of a slider, the sliding of the button causes the adjustment mechanism 70b to move the at least one wall 72b.
For example the adjustment mechanism 70b may comprise a bar 75 connecting the at least one wall 72b to the slider 74b on the housing 42 of the cartridge part 4.
Moving the slider 74b, which is connected by the bar 75 to the wall 72b, also moves the wall 72b.ln some examples the bar 75 moves within two parallel slots, the first slot 77 being provided in the cartridge part housing 42, and the second slot 76 being provided in the air passage 52. In some of these examples, the slider 74 provides the user with a continuous control of the position of the wall 72b (i.e. the user can select between a continuous range of positions for the wall 72b, with the extent of the range dependent on the length of the parallel slots 76,77). In other words, in some examples where the manual actuation mechanism in the form of a slider 74b, the slider is configured to adjust the position of the at least one wall in a range based on the interaction of a user with the manual actuation mechanism 74b of the aerosol provision system. In some other examples, the slots 76,77 have two or more notches (not shown) which provide states in which the position of the wall 72b is more secure. The user may slide the slider 74b to select between different states defined by the position of the notches to select the position of the at least one wall 72b.
It will be appreciated that while Figure 2 depicts a first manual actuation mechanism 74a in the form of a pressable button or rotatable dial and a second actuation mechanism 74b in the form of a slider; in other examples in accordance with the present disclosure different manual actuation mechanisms may be used for the both or either of the manual actuation mechanisms 74a,74b. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the skilled person will be able to implement a variety of different configurations in place of the configuration shown in Figure 2. In some examples, only one of the first or second manual actuation mechanisms 74a,74b is present (and hence only control of the respective one wall of the aerosol generating chamber 60 is possible). Similarly in some other examples, further manual actuation mechanisms may be provided in addition to the first and second manual actuation mechanism 74a,74b with the further manual actuations mechanisms being connected to, or part of further adjustment mechanisms. In some examples, the manual actuation mechanisms may be provided in the reusable part 2 rather than the cartridge part 4.
While Figure 2 depicts manual actuation mechanisms for changing a position of a peripheral wall 72a and an outlet wall 72b; in alternative examples (not shown), one or more manual actuation mechanisms could instead be configured to change a shape of one or both of the peripheral wall 72a and outlet wall 72b. These manual actuation mechanisms for changing the shape may be in place of, or in addition to the manual actuation mechanisms 74a, 74b , or manual actuation mechanisms 74a, 74b may be further configured to also change a shape of the peripheral wall 72a or outlet wall 72b, respectively. Any such manual actuation mechanisms configured to change a shape of one or both of the peripheral wall 72a and outlet wall 72b may also be selected from the group comprising a slider, a pressable button, and a rotating dial, as well as any other suitable mechanism.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical (including electronic) components of the aerosol provision device 1 of Figure 1. Note that at least some of these components are shown by way of example only and may be omitted (and/or supplemented or replaced by other components) according to the circumstances of any given implementation.
Furthermore, although the components shown in Figure 3 (with the exception of the adjustment mechanism 70 and aerosol generator 48) are assumed to be located in the device part 2 rather than in the cartridge part 4 (since a given device part may be re-used with many different cartomisers 30), other configurations may be adopted as desired. In addition, the components shown in Figure 4 may be located on one circuit board such as that of control circuitry 18, but other configurations may be adopted as desired, e.g. components may be distributed across multiple circuit boards, or may not (all) be mounted on circuit boards.
Furthermore, for clarity Figure 4 omits various elements which are commonly present in this type of device, such as most power lines, memory (RAM) and/or (non-volatile) storage (ROM) and so on.
Figure 3 includes a connector 6 for coupling to a cartomiser (cartridge) 4, as discussed above, and a (re-chargeable) battery 26 and a (micro)controller 22, as discussed below. The battery 26 is further linked to a USB connector 235, e.g. a micro or mini or type C connector, which can be used to re-charge the battery 26 from an external power supply (typically via some re-charging circuit, not shown in Figure 4). Note that other forms of re-charging may be supported for battery 26 ¨ for example, by charging through some other form of connector, by wireless charging (e.g. induction), by charging through connector 6, and/or by removing the battery 26 from the e-cigarette 10. The connector 6 include electrical connections for facilitating the provision of power to the aerosol generator 48 and / or the adjustment mechanism 70 (e.g. a control signal comprising a pulse of power to cause the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall).
Figure 3 further includes a communications interface 230 which can be used for wired and/or wireless communications with one or more external systems (not shown in Figure 3), such as a smartphone, laptop and/or other form of computer and/or other appliance. The wireless communications may be performed using (for example) Bluetooth and/or any other suitable wireless communications standard. It will be appreciated that USB
interface 235 may also be used to provide a wired communications link instead of (or in addition to) the communications interface 230; for example, the USB interface 235 might be used to provide the system with wired communications while the communications interface 230 might be used to provide the system with wireless communications.
Communications to and/or from the electronic aerosol provision system 10 may be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as to collect and report (upload) operational data from the system 10, e.g. regarding usage levels, settings, any error conditions, and/or to download updated control programs, configuration data, and so on. Such communications may also be used to support interaction between the electronic aerosol provision system 10 and an external system such as a smartphone belonging to the user of the electronic aerosol provision system 10. This interaction may support a wide variety of applications (apps), including collaborative or social media based apps.
The system of Figure 3 further includes an airflow sensor 30 to provide an estimate of a draw strength of the user when the user is inhaling on the device. The sensor 30 may detect airflow via any suitable mechanism, such as by monitoring for a flow of air and/or a change in pressure. A detection by the sensor 30 may trigger the microcontroller 22 to change an operational aspect of the device 20 or system 10. In some examples a detection by the sensor 30 may trigger a supply of power by the microcontroller 22 from the battery 26 to the cartridge part 4 (in particular to a heater or other aerosol generator) to produce a vapour output for inhalation by the user (this process is generally referred to as puff-activation) when the user's draw strength is above a set value indicative of a user inhaling on the device. Note that some systems 10 do not support puff actuation; these systems are typically activated by a user pressing on a button (or some other form of direct input).
The system of Figure 3 may further include user I/O functionality 250 to support direct user input into the system 10 (this user input/output may be provided instead of, or more commonly in addition to, the communications functionality discussed above).
The user output may be provided as one or more of visual, audio, and/or haptic output (feedback), for example by first and second user input buttons 14, 16 and display 24. For example, visual output may be implemented by one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or any other form of lighting, and/or by a screen or other display - such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), which can provide more complex forms of output. The user input may be provided by any suitable facility, for example, by providing one or more buttons or switches on the system 10 and/or a touch screen (which supports both user input and output). Alternatively or additionally, user input may also be performed by movement of the device 20 (or of the whole system 10), such movement being detected using a motion sensor which can be considered as part of the user input/output facility 250.
The microcontroller 22 may be located on a PCB, which may also be used for mounting other components as appropriate, e.g. the communications interface 230. Some components may be separately mounted, such as the airflow sensor 30, which may be located adjacent the airflow path through the system 10, and a user input facility (e.g.
buttons) which may be located on the external housing of the system 10. The microcontroller 22 generally includes a processor (or other processing facility) and memory (ROM and/or RAM). The operations of the microcontroller 22 (and some other electronic components), are typically controlled at least in part by software programs running on the processor in the controller (or other electronic components as appropriate). Such software programs may be stored in a non-volatile memory which can be integrated into the microcontroller 22 itself, or provided as a separate component (e.g. on a PCB). The processor may access ROM or any other appropriate store to load individual software programs for execution as and when required. The microcontroller 22 also contains suitable interfaces (and control software) for interacting with the other components of system 10 (such as shown in Figure 3). For example, the microcontroller 22 may be responsible for controlling the supply of power from the battery 26 to an aerosol generator 48, via the connector 6.
In some examples, the adjustment mechanism(s) 70 is electronically controlled by the (micro)controller 22. In other words, the aerosol provision device comprises a controller 22 configured to control an adjustment mechanism 70. For example the adjustment mechanism comprises an electrically controlled motor (such as a rotational motor, or a piezo electric motor). In some examples, the controller 22 is configured to send one or more signals (e.g.
pulses of power) to the adjustment mechanism 70 via the connection 6, which provides a wired or electrical connection between the controller 22 and adjustment mechanism 70. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the one or more signals may be sent wirelessly between the controller 22 and adjustment mechanism 70 via a suitable wireless communication mechanism. It will be appreciated that, as shown in Figure 1 and 2, in some examples there may be more that one adjustment mechanism 70. In these examples, the controller 22 can be configured to control each of the adjustment mechanisms by sending (control) signals to individually to each of the adjustment mechanisms. As such, where the following teaches refer to only a single adjustment mechanism, it will be appreciated that they can equally apply to the (individual or simultaneous) control of multiple adjustment mechanisms.
In some examples, the controller 22 may receive an input via user I/O
functionality 250, (e.g. a user input mechanism such as user input button 14, 16 that a user of the aerosol provision system interacts with) and may send one or more signals to the adjustment mechanism 70 for controlling the adjustment mechanism 70 based on the interaction of the user with the user input button. In some examples, an electronic actuation mechanism other than a button may be used in place of the user input button 14,16 (e.g. a rotating dial or a slider configured to change a resistance or voltage value across a circuit dependent on the position of the dial or slider). The one or more signals can cause the adjustment mechanism 70 to vary the position and/or shape of at least one wall to change a size of the aerosol generation chamber 60. In some examples, the controller receives the user input and sends one or more control signals to the adjustment mechanism 70 which is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall between at least two states based on the interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system. The at least two states may be pre-defined during manufacture or during a software update, or by a user who is able to define the at least two states using the user I/O functionality 250, or a similar mechanism (.g provided in a separate device such as a smartphone that is in communication with the controller 22 via the communications interface 230).
In some examples controller 22 controls the adjustment mechanism 70 in response to a user connecting a cartridge part 4 to a device part 2. In other words the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system that causes the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position of at least one wall comprises the user connecting the device part to the cartridge part. In some examples where the adjustment mechanism is in the cartridge part 4, the controller 22 controls the adjustment mechanism 70 to move the at least one wall to a default or pre-selected position, after connection (e.g. insertion) of the cartridge part 4 with the device part 2. For example the controller may identified the consumable part 4 and may select a different default position for the specific type of consumable part 4 (e.g., based on the flavour or aerosol generating material) to adjust the aerosol generation chamber to facilitate the generation of particles of a particular size (or range of sizes) for providing the user with a enhanced or optimal experience with the specific consumable part 4.
In some examples, the controller 22 or a different component of the system (e.g. an optical sensor or RFID sensor) is configured to identify consumable part (e.g.
by its type) and/or the aerosol generating material (e.g. by its type) and control the adjustment mechanism 70 to adjust the at least one wall based on the identified cartridge part 4.
For example, the controller 22 is configured to identify the cartridge part 4 and / or the aerosol generating material 44 upon (detection of the) connection of the cartridge part 4 with the device part 2.
For example, the cartridge part 4 may comprise a form of identification that is detectable by the controller 22 or a sensor component connected to the controller 22, such as an RFID tag, an electronic memory (e.g. an EEPROM), or a visual marker (e.g. a barcode), which indicates a particular type of aerosol generating material. In other examples, the controller 22 or a different component of the system (e.g. an optical sensor or chemical sensor) may be configured to identify the aerosol generating material (e.g. by its type).
Different cartridge parts 4, or types of cartridge parts, may comprise different aerosol generation material.
In examples in accordance with the above where the controlled identifies or is provided with the identity of the cartridge part or aerosol generating material; the controller 22 may send one or more control signals in response to the identification of a cartridge part 4 (e.g. a consumable type) or an aerosol generating material 44 contained in the cartridge part 4. In response the adjustment mechanism 70 is configured to adjust the at least one wall to provide an optimally sized (e.g. most appropriate of the available states/range) aerosol generation chamber 60 for the particular type of aerosol generating material. For example different cartridge parts 4 may contain a different flavour or a different type of aerosol generating material 44 (e.g. solid, gel, or liquid) and an appropriate position and/or shape for the at least one wall can be selected based on the aerosol generating material 44 contained in the cartridge part 4. Additionally, different cartridge parts 4 may comprise different configurations for adjustment mechanisms 70, aerosol generation chambers 60, and the air passage 52, and therefore the controller 22 may control the adjustment mechanism 70 differently, as appropriate for the particular configuration. Alternatively, the adjustment mechanism 70 may be configured to adjust the at least one wall in accordance with a pre-defined user selection for the identified cartridge part.
In some examples, the controller 22 may store a number of preferential position and/or shapes for adjustment mechanism 60 to position and/or shape the at least one wall for each of a plurality of types of cartridge parts, and /or aerosol generating materials. The user may be able to select one stored preferential position and/or shapes for the particular cartridge part and /or aerosol generating material in order to have a particular experience.
For example the optimal position and/or shapes of the at least one wall for a "smooth" hit and an "intense" hit may differ for different aerosol generating materials. In some examples, the stored position and/or shapes may be preinstalled on a memory of the controller 22, or accessible by the controller 22, during initial installation or a software update, whilst in other examples the user may define the stored position and/or shapes themselves. For example the user may input the stored position and/or shapes using the user I/O functionality 250 or using a separate device (e.g. smartphone) via the communications interface 230.
Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method 400 for controlling an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region.
The method begins at step 410 with providing an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region. As discussed above the adjustment mechanism may be directly operated by a user (e.g. as discussed in relation to Figure 2), or may be indirectly operated by the user via a controller which interprets a user interaction (e.g. as discussed in relation to Figure 3). Where the adjustment mechanism is controlled via a controller, providing an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region may comprise providing software to the controller configured to control the adjustment mechanism.

The second step 420 continues with adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system. As discussed above, in some examples, the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system may be the user interacting with a manual actuation mechanism (e.g. as discussed in relation to Figure 2), the user connecting a cartridge part 4 to a device part 2 (e.g. as discussed in relation to Figure 3), or the user interacting with a user input (e.g. user buttons 14,16 or user I/O
functionality 250) to cause a controller to control the adjustment mechanism (e.g. as discussed in relation to Figure 3). The method then ends.
Figure 4 is a flow chart of further a method 500 for controlling an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region, and in particular for performing the second step 420 of method 400.
The method begins at step 421 with connecting a device part of the aerosol provision system to a cartridge part of the aerosol provision system. The cartridge part comprising the aerosol generating material.
The method continues at step 422 with identifying the aerosol generating material. As discussed above in relation to Figure 3, in some examples the aerosol generating material is identified based on an identification of the cartridge part 4 containing the aerosol generating material. In some examples the user may use a user input (e.g. user buttons 14,16 or user I/O
functionality 250) to indicate to the controller the identity of the aerosol generation material (and/ or the cartridge part 4). In other examples, the controller, or a suitable sensor component in communication with the controller, is configured to identify the aerosol generating material and/or the cartridge part 4 containing the aerosol generating material.
The method continues at step 423 with adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on the identification of the aerosol-generating material. As discussed above in relation to Figure 3, the controller may store, or have access to a memory storing, a plurality of stored position and/or shapes or states. Upon identifying the aerosol generating material, either directly or indirectly based on the identification of the cartridge part, the controller may lookup the appropriate stored position and/or shapes for the position and/or shape of the at least one wall for the identified aerosol generating material. In some examples, the controller may cause the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall towards a default or optimum position and/or shape for the identified aerosol generating material. In some examples, after looking up the appropriate stored position and/or shapes, the controller may cause the stored position and/or shapes for the identified aerosol generating material to be displayed to the user via display 24, and may cause the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall towards one of the displayed options for the identified aerosol generating material, after selection of the displayed option by the user (e.g. using input buttons 14,16).

The methods 400 and 500 illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 may be stored as instructions on a computer readable storage medium, such that when the instructions are executed by a processor, the methods 400 and 500 described above are performed. The computer readable storage medium may be non-transitory.
Thus it has been described that examples of the present disclosure comprise an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region comprising: the aerosol generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region; wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system.
Furthermore, it has also been described that examples of the present disclosure may comprise an aerosol provision device for use with an aerosol generating article comprising aerosol generating material, which together form an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol generation region where aerosol is generated from aerosol generating material, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises: circuitry configured to control the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall.
In some of these examples, the aerosol provision device comprises the adjustment mechanism.
The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

PCT/GB2022/052786

1. An aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region comprising:
the aerosol generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region;
wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system.

2. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall between at least two states based on the interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system, each state corresponding to a position and / or shape of the at least one wall.

3. The aerosol provision system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a device part, a cartridge part comprising the aerosol generating material, and a connection interface configured to releasably connect the device part to the cartridge part, wherein the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system comprises the user connecting the device part to the cartridge part.

4. The aerosol provision system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a user input mechanism, wherein the interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system comprises an interaction of the user with the user input mechanism.

5. The aerosol provision system of claim 4, wherein the user input mechanism comprises a manual actuation mechanism configured to alter the position and/or shape of the at least one wall via a mechanical adjustment of the adjustment mechanism.

6. The aerosol provision system of claim 5, wherein the manual actuation mechanism is selected from the group comprising a slider, a pressable button, and a rotating dial.

7. The aerosol provision system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a controller configured to control the adjustment mechanism.

8. The aerosol provision system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on an identification of the aerosol-generating material.

9. The aerosol provision system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one wall comprises an outlet wall comprising an outlet of the aerosol generation region, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the outlet wall along an axis parallel to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation.

10. The aerosol provision system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one wall comprises a peripheral wall, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the peripheral wall along an axis perpendicular to the direction of airflow during a user inhalation.

11. A method of controlling an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region; the method comprising:
providing an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region;
adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision system comprises:
connecting a device part of the aerosol provision system to a cartridge part of the aerosol provision system, the cartridge part comprising the aerosol generating material;
identifying the aerosol generating material; and adjusting the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on the identification of the aerosol-generating material.

13. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs the method of claim 11 or claim 12.

14. Aerosol provision means comprising:
an aerosol generation region; and adjustment means configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region;
wherein the adjustment means is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of the user with the aerosol provision means.

15. An aerosol provision device for use with an aerosol generating article comprising aerosol generating material, which together form an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol generation region where aerosol is generated from aerosol generating material, an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall of the aerosol generation region to vary a volume of the aerosol generation region, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and/or shape of at least one wall based on an interaction of a user with the aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises:
circuitry configured to control the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or shape of the at least one wall.

16. The aerosol provision device of claim 16, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises the adjustment mechanism.