CN117256932A

CN117256932A - Assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device

Info

Publication number: CN117256932A
Application number: CN202311455874.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 帕特里克·莫洛尼
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2019-01-25
Filing date: 2020-01-23
Publication date: 2023-12-22
Also published as: GB201901067D0; CA3124617A1; AU2020211729B2; KR20210104871A; WO2020152295A1; IL284296A; IL284296B1; AU2020211729A1; EP3914102A1; US20220183356A1; CN113226070B; CN113226070A; BR112021014431A2; JP2022517508A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an assembly for insertion into an aerosol provision device. The assembly comprises: a body; an aerosol-forming material positioned along a flow path at least partially defined by the body; and a sealing element movable between a first position and a second position, wherein: in the first position, the sealing element is configured to at least partially seal the flow path to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material; and in the second position, the sealing element is positioned to allow atmospheric air to travel along the flow path and contact the aerosol-forming material; and wherein the assembly includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position.

Description

Assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device

The present application is a divisional application of chinese patent application No. 202080007231.9 entitled "component for insertion into an aerosol supply device" (international patent application No. PCT/EP2020/051677, based on international application No. 2020, 23, 21, entering the national stage of china in 2021).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device, for example a consumable for an aerosol supply device.

Background

Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, etc. burn tobacco during use to produce tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these tobacco-burning articles by producing products that release the compounds without burning. An example of such a product is a heating device that releases a compound by heating but not burning the material. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device is provided. The assembly comprises: a body; an aerosol-forming material positioned along a flow path at least partially defined by the body; and a sealing element. The sealing element is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the sealing element is configured to close at least a portion of the flow path to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material. In the second position, the sealing element is positioned to allow atmospheric air to travel along the flow path and contact the aerosol-forming material. The sealing element is attached to the body in both the first position and the second position.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device is provided. The assembly comprises: a body; an aerosol-forming material positioned along a flow path at least partially defined by the body; and a sealing element. The sealing element is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the sealing element is configured to at least partially seal the flow path to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material. In the second position, the sealing element is positioned to allow atmospheric air to travel along the flow path and contact the aerosol-forming material. The assembly includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an aerosol provision system comprising an assembly as claimed in any one of the first and second aspects, and an aerosol provision device configured to receive the assembly. In operation, the aerosol provision device generates an aerosol from the aerosol-forming material.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, provided by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of an aerosol provision device;

fig. 2 shows a top view of the exemplary aerosol provision device of fig. 1;

fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the exemplary aerosol provision device of fig. 1;

fig. 4 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a first embodiment;

fig. 5 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows an end view of the assembly of FIG. 5;

fig. 7 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a third embodiment;

fig. 8 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a fourth embodiment;

fig. 9 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a fifth embodiment;

fig. 10 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a sixth embodiment;

fig. 11 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a seventh embodiment;

fig. 12 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to an eighth embodiment;

fig. 13 shows an assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device according to a ninth embodiment.

Detailed Description

The first aspect of the present disclosure defines an assembly (which may also be referred to as a consumable, article, or consumable article) having a sealing element movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the sealing element is attached to a body of the consumable in both positions. The consumable is inserted into an aerosol supply device and heated (or more generally atomized) to produce an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user. For example, the assembly may have a predetermined or specific size configured to be placed within a heating (or atomizing) chamber sized to accommodate the assembly. In one example, the component is tubular in nature and may be referred to as a "tobacco rod," for example, the component may include tobacco formed in a particular shape, which is then coated or wrapped in one or more other materials such as paper and/or foil. In another example, the component may be a planar substrate with aerosol-forming material deposited on one or more sides of the substrate.

The assembly has an integrated sealing element that seals the flow path to maintain freshness of the aerosol-forming material. For example, the user may remove the sealing element by moving the sealing element from the first position to the second position prior to heating and/or inhaling the aerosol. Thus, the first position may be a closed position and the second position may be an open position. By always attaching to the body of the assembly, the assembly retains a single item, so the sealing element is less likely to be misplaced, such as when the assembly is used to generate an aerosol and the sealing element is in the second position. After a period of inhalation of the aerosol, the aerosol-forming material comprised by the assembly may not be fully consumed. To ensure that the remaining aerosol-forming material remains fresh and longer, the user may reseal the flow path by moving the sealing element from the second position to the first position to reduce atmospheric air contact with the aerosol-forming material. The sealing element has been attached to the body of the consumable, so that it is less likely for a user to misplace the sealing element if one wishes to reseal the assembly. Therefore, since the user is less likely to lose the sealing member, the quality of the aerosol-forming material can be maintained as high as possible for a long period of time. Furthermore, if the user does not have to spend time positioning the sealing element, the user is more likely to apply the sealing element after a period of time. Furthermore, it is more likely that the user will apply the sealing element relatively quickly after the end of a period of time, thus maintaining the quality of the aerosol-forming material as high as possible.

The body of the assembly may be elongate in nature, cylindrical, rectangular, or substantially flat. In some examples, the sealing element is a first sealing element and the consumable comprises a second sealing element, wherein both the first sealing element and the second sealing element are movable between a first position and a second position. For example, a first sealing element may seal an "outlet" of a flow path and a second sealing element may seal an "inlet" of the flow path. By having separate but attached sealing elements for the inlet and outlet, the freshness of the aerosol-forming material can be further improved, as it further reduces the likelihood of atmospheric air coming into contact with the aerosol-forming material.

The assembly may include an attachment element that attaches the sealing element to the body. For example, the attachment element may be a connector, such as a length of material, extending between the body of the assembly and the sealing element. One end of the attachment element may be attached to the body and the other end may be attached to the sealing element. The attachment element may be constructed of a compressible, soft, and/or resilient material such that the attachment element is less likely to obstruct the flow path. For example, when the assembly element is inserted into the aerosol provision device and the sealing element is in the second position, the user may fold or roll the attachment element.

The sealing element may be integrally formed with the body. For example, the sealing element and the body of the assembly may be composed of the same material and integrally formed. By having an integrally formed sealing element, the assembly is easier to manufacture, as fewer manufacturing steps are required to produce and attach a separate sealing element to the body. Furthermore, the integral assembly may mean that the sealing element is less likely to separate from the body, as there are fewer points of failure. In one particular example, the sealing element is joined to the body by a living hinge.

The body may define an inlet to the flow path and an outlet from the flow path, and the sealing element includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein in the first position the first portion is configured to close the outlet and the second portion is configured to close the inlet. Thus, unlike the previously described example having separate first and second sealing elements, the exemplary assembly includes an integral sealing element capable of sealing both the inlet and outlet.

The body may be a substrate and the aerosol-forming material is positioned on a surface of the substrate and the sealing element is configured to cover the aerosol-forming material. For example, the substrate may be a substantially planar substrate composed of cardboard, paper, or a polymer. However, in other examples, the substrate may not be flat and may, for example, have a wavy profile. The sealing element may cover all or a portion of the substrate and the aerosol-forming material is deposited onto or into the substrate. In a specific example, the gel aerosol-forming material may be deposited onto a surface of a substrate. The construction is inexpensive to produce. The sealing element may be attached to the substrate at one or more locations.

When the body is a substrate, the aerosol-forming material may be positioned within a recess defined by a surface of the substrate, and the sealing element is configured to cover the recess. Thus, this type of assembly may provide a substantially more uniform profile than a substrate having an aerosol-forming material deposited on its surface, as the substrate has an increased depth where the material is deposited on the surface. Thus, the assembly may be easier to package and store. Furthermore, the sealing element may be simpler to produce and/or more efficient, as it does not need to conform to the shape of the aerosol-forming material, and may be flush with the surface of the substrate and the top of the recess. In addition, direct contact between the sealing element and the aerosol-forming material may be undesirable, so the recess provides a way to avoid this contact.

The sealing element may be a cap. The cover may be sized to be at least partially received within the body when in the first position. This configuration means that the cover can be inserted into the body of the assembly when in the first position. This may be useful to provide a compact assembly. Furthermore, because the cover is within the body, it is less likely to accidentally shift and move to the second position. The cover may also be sized to surround at least a portion of the body when in the first position. Thus, unlike when the cover is housed within the body, the cover is applied on one end of the body such that it overlaps and surrounds the outer periphery of the body. Such a configuration may make it easier for a user to attach, remove, and reattach the sealing element by hand. Furthermore, the space within the body need not accommodate a cap, so there is more space available within the body for aerosol-forming material. The cover may be constructed of resilient and/or elastic material to enable the cover to be stretched over or around the outer periphery of the body or to engage a lip or step on the outer periphery.

The assembly may further comprise a fastener or fastening assembly arranged to cooperate with the sealing element to retain the sealing element in the first position. Thus, the fastener provides a means of securely fastening the sealing element to the body and retaining the sealing element in the first position. Thus, the fastener makes it less likely that the sealing element will accidentally move from the first position to the second position.

The fastener may be a clip, snap fastener, or suction pad that holds the sealing element in place. The fastener may be provided by a magnet that cooperates with a magnetically susceptible material to hold the sealing element in place. The fastener may be located on the body or on the sealing element, or the fastener may be located on the body and the corresponding fastener may be located on the sealing element. The fastener may be a single element or may be a fastener assembly.

The fastener may comprise threads. For example, the sealing element may be a screw-threaded mating cap that is screwed onto the screw threads to hold the cap in place.

The sealing element may include a first engagement surface and the body may include a second engagement surface, the first and second engagement surfaces being configured to engage one another in the first position to retain the sealing element in the first position, such as by a friction fit. Thus, in some examples, the two surfaces contact each other and friction between the surfaces holds the sealing element in place. Such a friction fastening device provides a simple and effective means of securing the sealing element in place. Furthermore, this construction is easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive compared to other fasteners. Furthermore, friction fit may allow for a more compact design and lower profile of the assembly.

The assembly may include an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position. The adhesive may provide a low profile and is an effective method of sealing the flow path. The adhesive may be a pressure sensitive adhesive. This may allow reattachment of the sealing element after it has been initially peeled off.

A second aspect of the present disclosure defines an assembly (also referred to as a consumable, article, or consumable article) having a sealing element movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the assembly includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position.

In a second aspect, the assembly has a sealing element that seals the flow path to maintain freshness of the aerosol-forming material using an adhesive. For example, the user may peel the sealing element by moving the sealing element from the first position to the second position prior to heating and/or inhaling the aerosol. Unlike the first aspect, the sealing element need not always be attached to the consumable. As briefly described above, adhesives are particularly advantageous means of securing a sealing element to the body of the assembly to ensure that the aerosol-forming material remains fresh within the flow path. Thus, the sealing element prevents moisture from the air from contacting the aerosol-forming material and/or prevents evaporation of moisture from the aerosol-forming material.

The adhesive may be a pressure sensitive adhesive that may allow reattachment of the sealing element. Pressure sensitive adhesives are adhesives that form a bond when pressure is applied. It may enable the sealing element to be peeled off (i.e. moved from the first position to the second position) and reapplied (i.e. moved from the second position to the first position) at least once. Thus, the pressure sensitive adhesive may be used to allow a user to consume a portion of the aerosol-forming material, reseal the sealing element to maintain freshness, and later remove the sealing element again to continue consuming the aerosol-forming material. The pressure sensitive adhesive may comprise an elastomer such as acrylic, and a tackifier such as rosin ester.

The binder may comprise a "structural" binder, such as a polysaccharide. As used herein, "polysaccharide" encompasses polymeric carbohydrate molecules composed of long chains of monosaccharide units bonded together by glycosidic linkages, as well as salts and derivatives of such compounds. Suitably, derivatives of such compounds may have pendant ester, ether, acid, amine, amide, urea, thiol, thioether, thioester, thiocarboxylic acid or thioamide groups on the monosaccharide unit. Exemplary polysaccharides include cellulose and cellulose derivatives, alginic acid and salts thereof. In some examples, the polysaccharide comprises pectin. In some embodiments, the polysaccharide may adhere the sealing element to one or both of the aerosol-forming material and the body of the consumable.

The polysaccharide exhibits good wetting characteristics, which aids in bonding the sealing element to the consumable. This is particularly the case when the adhesive bonds a hydrophobic surface, such as a sealing element, to an aerosol-forming material which may comprise a liquid.

In some instances, the adhesive is generally considered safe by the food and drug administration (GRAS). For example, the adhesive may be an acceptable food product and optionally a food grade material. Thus, the adhesive may be non-toxic and safe for ingestion. This is useful because the adhesive (or a portion thereof) may be in contact with the mouth of the user or atomized to be possibly inhaled by the user.

In some examples, the first adhesion between the adhesive and the sealing element is greater than the second adhesion between the adhesive and the body. This may ensure that all or most of the adhesive remains on the sealing element rather than being transferred to the body after removal of the sealing element. Any adhesive remaining on the consumable may affect the taste of the aerosol and/or may interfere with the operation of the device during heating.

Referring to fig. 1, an example of an aerosol provision device 100 is shown. In general, the device 100 may be used to heat a component (also referred to as a consumable, or article, or consumable article) to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of the device 100. Fig. 1 shows a device 100 in which no consumable is inserted. Fig. 2 shows a top view of the device 100.

In fig. 1 and 2, the device 100 of this example includes a housing 102. One end of the housing 102 has an opening 104 configured to receive a consumable product comprising an aerosol-forming material. For example, the aerosol-forming material may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

As used herein, the terms "perfume" and "fragrance" refer to materials that can be used to produce a desired taste or aroma in an adult consumer's product, as permitted by local regulations. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may include a vapor or aerosol generating agent or a wetting agent, such as glycerol, propylene glycol, glyceryl triacetate, or diethylene glycol.

The consumable may be fully or partially inserted into the opening 104 such that the consumable is received within a receptacle or cavity of the housing 102. In use, the aerosol-generating element is arranged to atomize the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user. In one example, the aerosol-generating element is a heater arranged to heat the consumable in use, but it will be appreciated that other aerosol-generating elements adapted to generate an aerosol may be used in other examples as well. The assembly may also include a cap 106 to cover the opening 104 when no consumable is in place. In fig. 1 and 2, cap 106 is shown in an open configuration, however, cap 106 may be slid into a closed configuration when the consumable is removed.

The device 100 may also include a control element 108. In this example, the control element 108 is a button or switch, and the device 100 is turned on when the user activates the control element 108.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary system 200 including the device 100 illustrated in fig. 1 and an alternative consumable 110. In this example, consumable 110 has been inserted into opening 104 of device 100. The device 100 has a receptacle or heating chamber 112 which in use accommodates a consumable 110 to be heated. Upon insertion, consumable 110 engages with the receptacle. The device 100 comprises one or more heaters 120 arranged to heat the replaceable consumable 110 once the consumable 110 has been received within the receptacle 112. Accordingly, the consumable 110 includes an aerosol-forming material that interacts with the heater 120 to generate an aerosol upon heating. Consumable 110 may also include one or more other elements, such as packaging material and/or one or more filters. In some example systems 200, the consumable includes one or more sealing elements configured to seal a flow path through the consumable to improve freshness of the aerosol-forming material. The sealing elements are discussed in more detail below.

In this example, consumable 110 is elongated, but the consumable may take any suitable shape. One end of the removable consumable 110 protrudes out of the device 100 through the opening 104 of the housing 102 so that a user can inhale aerosol through the consumable in use. In other examples, consumable 110 is fully contained within heating cavity 112 such that the consumable does not protrude outside of device 100. In this case, the user may inhale the aerosol directly from the opening 104 or via a mouthpiece that may be connected to the housing 102 around the opening 104.

The device 100 also has an electronics/power cavity 114, which in this example contains an electrical control circuit 116 and a power supply 118. The electrical control circuit 116 may include a controller, such as a microprocessor setting, configured and arranged to control heating of the removable consumable. The electrical control circuit 116 may receive a signal from the control element 108 and in response activate the heater 120. Alternatively, the device 100 may include a feature that sends a signal to the control circuit 116 to cause the heater 120 to be automatically activated when a user draws on the device 100. The electronic components within the device 100 are electrically connected via one or more wires 124, shown as dashed lines.

The power source 118 may be a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium ion batteries, nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries, and the like. The battery 118 is electrically coupled to one or more heaters 120 to supply power when it is desired to heat the consumable 110 and thereby generate an aerosol.

The heater 120 may be a resistive heater including, for example, a nichrome resistive heater, a ceramic heater, and the like. The heater 120 may be an induction heater (which includes an arrangement of susceptors in the cavity 112 or forming the cavity 112, or susceptors in the consumable 110). Other heating arrangements may be used.

Fig. 4A depicts an exemplary consumable assembly 400 for use in the device 100 or any other aerosol provision device. The consumable includes a sealing element 404 to help keep the aerosol-forming material fresh when not in use. The consumable 400 includes a body 402 having a generally cylindrical form and having a first end 406 and a second end 408. An aerosol-forming material (not shown) is disposed within the body 402 and air is drawn through the body 402 to contact the aerosol-forming material which is heated in use. In this example, the first end 406 and the second end 408 form an outlet and an inlet, respectively. However, in other examples, the inlet and outlet may be positioned anywhere along the consumable 400. Air is drawn into the consumable via an inlet at the second end 408, passes along a flow path defined by the body 402 where the air mixes with the aerosol, and flows out of an outlet at the first end 406 before being inhaled by the user.

It has been found that by having an open inlet and/or outlet, atmospheric air can come into contact with the aerosol-forming material and reduce its taste over time. To overcome this problem, the inlet, the outlet, or both the inlet and the outlet may be covered by a sealing element 404 to maintain the freshness of the aerosol-forming material. Fig. 4A illustrates an exemplary sealing element 404 for partially sealing an outlet of a flow path through a consumable 400. A similar sealing element 404 may be used to seal the inlet. The sealing element may be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic, paper, foil, cardboard, rubber, and the like.

The example sealing element 404 includes one or more components that are movable to a closed position to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material. Fig. 4A shows the sealing element 404 positioned in an open position that allows atmospheric air to travel along the flow path to contact the aerosol-forming material. Fig. 4B shows the sealing element 404 after it has been moved into the closed position. To move the sealing element 404 to the closed position, a user may move the sealing element 404 in the direction of arrow 416.

In this example, the sealing element 404 is attached to the body 402 in both the open and closed positions such that the sealing element 404 is less likely to be misaligned. The sealing element 404 may be attached to the body 402 by any means, however, in this example, a separate attachment element 410 extends between the sealing element 404 and the body 402 to ensure that the sealing element remains attached.

To ensure that the sealing element 404 is held in the closed position, the consumable 400 may include a fastener, an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, or may be held in place by engagement of two engagement surfaces via a friction fit. In the example of fig. 4A and 4B, the consumable 400 includes a fastener 412 (in this case a snap fastener) configured to engage a corresponding fastener 414. Thus, the fasteners 412 and corresponding fasteners 414 may form a fastener assembly. Other types of fasteners may be used, for example, the fastener (or corresponding fastener) may comprise magnetically sensitive material and the corresponding fastener (or fastener) may comprise a magnet, or the two fasteners may be magnets arranged in opposite polarity when the fasteners are fastened.

Fig. 5 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 500 for use in the device 100. Consumable 500 is similar to the consumable described with respect to fig. 4A and 4B, however, in this example, consumable 500 includes two cap sealing elements 504A, 504B having a threaded configuration to allow caps 504A, 504B to be screwed and held in a closed position. The covers 504a, 504b are sized to surround at least a portion of the body 502a when in the closed position.

The consumable 500 includes a body 502 having a generally cylindrical form and having an outlet and an inlet at a first end 506 and a second end 508 of the body 502, respectively. The consumable of this example includes a first sealing element 504a for sealing the outlet and a second sealing element 504b for sealing the inlet. In this example, these sealing elements are in the form of caps. Together, these ensure that the aerosol-forming material remains fresh when not in use. In fig. 5, the first sealing element 504a is depicted in an open position and the second sealing element 504b is depicted in a closed position. The sealing elements 504a, 504b each include an attachment element 510 extending between the sealing elements 504a, 504b and the body 502 to ensure that the sealing elements 504a, 504b remain attached to the body 502.

To ensure that the sealing elements 504a, 504b are held in the closed position, the consumable 500 may include fasteners, adhesives, positioned between the sealing elements 504a, 504b and the body 502, or they may be held in place via a friction fit due to the engagement of the two engagement surfaces. However, in the example of fig. 5, the consumable 500 has a fastener that includes male threads 512 on an outer surface of the body 502, wherein the male threads 512 are configured to mate with corresponding female threads 514 on an inner surface of the first sealing element 504 a. The second sealing element 504b may also include female threads configured to engage another set of male threads located on the body 502.

Fig. 6 depicts an end view of the first sealing element 504a in a closed position. The user may rotate the cover 504a (in the direction of arrow 516) about an axis of rotation defined by a pin 518 or other rotary joint. Pins 518 connect cover 504a to attachment element 510 by extending through cover 504a and attachment element 510. Thus, the mechanism allows a user to screw cap 504a into place to secure cap 504a in the closed position.

Fig. 7 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 700 for use in the device 100. The consumable 700 is similar to the consumable described with respect to fig. 4A, 4B, and 5, however, in this example the consumable 700 is rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and includes a cap sealing element 704 having a form that fits within the body 702. Accordingly, the lid sealing element 704 is sized to be at least partially contained within the body 702 when in the closed position.

The consumable 700 includes a body 702 having a generally cubic form and having an outlet and an inlet at a first end 706 and a second end 708, respectively, of the body 702. The consumable of this example includes a sealing element 704 for sealing the outlet and a second sealing element (not visible in fig. 7) for sealing the inlet. In this example, the sealing element is in the form of a cap. Together, these ensure that the aerosol-forming material remains fresh when not in use. In fig. 7, the sealing element 704 is depicted in an open position. Sealing element 704 may include a separate attachment element extending between sealing element 704 and body 702. For example, the attachment element may be located on the underside of the sealing element 704 and thus not visible in the drawings. Alternatively, the cover 704 and the body 704 may be integrally formed, such as by a living hinge joint.

To ensure that sealing element 704 is held in the closed position, consumable 700 is held in place via a friction fit due to the engagement of the two engagement surfaces. In the example of fig. 7, sealing element 704 includes at least one first engagement surface 712 and body 702 includes at least one second engagement surface 714. The first and second engagement surfaces 712, 714 are configured to engage one another in the closed position to retain the sealing element in the closed position due to friction. For example, the cover 704 inserted into the body 702 has a depth and, thus, one or more faces 712 that abut against one or more corresponding portions 714 on the inner surface of the body 702. This engagement causes the cover 704 to be held in place. The surface 716 of the cover 704 may be in contact with the aerosol-forming material when in the closed position, or a gap may exist. By being inserted into body 702, cover 704 is less likely to "catch" and accidentally move to the open position.

Fig. 8 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 800 for use in the device 100. Consumable 800 is similar to the consumable described with respect to fig. 7. In this example, consumable 800 includes a sealing element 804 integrally formed with body 802 and joined by a living hinge. Further, the consumable 800 includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element 804 and the body 802, wherein the adhesive retains the sealing element 804 in the closed position.

Consumable 800 includes a body 802 having a generally cubic form and having an outlet and an inlet at a first end 806 and a second end 808 of body 802, respectively. The consumable of this example includes a sealing element 804 for sealing the outlet and a second sealing element (not visible in fig. 8) for sealing the inlet. In this example, the sealing element is in the form of a flap. In fig. 8, the sealing element 804 is depicted in an open position. As described above, the sealing element 804 and the body 802 are integrally formed, and a living hinge extends between the sealing element 804 and the body 802. This configuration may allow a user to fold the sealing element 804 back toward the outer surface of the body 802 in the direction of arrow 816. In this position, the flap 804 may be substantially flush with the outer surface of the body 802, which may allow the first end 806 of the consumable 800 to be more easily inserted into the heating cavity.

To ensure that the sealing element 804 is held in the closed position, the sealing element 804 is held in place via an adhesive. In the example of fig. 8, the sealing element 804 includes a first surface 812 and the body 802 includes at least one second outer surface 814. The first surface 812 and the second surface 814 are configured to engage one another in the closed position, and an adhesive on either or both of the first and second surfaces 812, 814 may retain the sealing element in the closed position. For example, tab 812 may engage a portion of surface 814. In one specific example, the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive to allow reattachment of the sealing element 804.

Fig. 9 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 900 for use in the device 100. Consumable 900 of this example includes a single unitary sealing element 904 that includes a first portion 904a and a second portion 904b. In the closed position, the first portion 904a is configured to close the outlet and the second portion 904b is configured to close the inlet.

The consumable 900 includes a body 902 having a generally cubic form and having an outlet and an inlet at a first end 906 and a second end 908, respectively, of the body 902. As mentioned, the consumable of this example includes a single sealing element 904 that includes a first portion 904a for sealing the outlet 906 and a second portion 904b for sealing the inlet. By having a single element configured to close both the inlet and the outlet, a stronger sealing element 904 may be created because it provides a greater surface area over which it may be attached to the body 902. In addition, there are fewer points of failure and the consumable 900 is easier to manufacture. In fig. 9, sealing element 904 is depicted as being separate from body 902 for illustrative purposes. During manufacture, the sealing element 904 is attached to the body. For example, an outer surface 912 of the body may engage an inner surface 914 of the sealing element 904. In one example, the outer surface 912 and the inner surface 914 are joined by structural adhesive, however any other attachment means may be used.

To ensure that the portions 904a, 904b are held in the closed position, the consumable 900 may include fasteners, adhesive positioned between the portions 904a, 904b and the body 902, or they may be held in place via a friction fit due to the engagement of the two engagement surfaces.

Fig. 10 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 1000 for use in device 100. The consumable 1000 of the present example includes a sealing element 1004 that includes a first portion 1004a and a second portion 1004b. In the closed position, the first portion 1004a and the second portion 1004b are configured to close the outlet 1006.

Consumable 1000 includes a body 1002 having a generally cubic form and having an outlet and an inlet at a first end 1006 and a second end 1008 of body 1002, respectively. As mentioned, the consumable of the present example comprises a sealing element 1004 comprising a first portion 1004a and a second portion 1004b, each for sealing the outlet. A similar sealing element may be provided to seal the inlet. In fig. 10, the sealing element 1004 is depicted in an open position. To ensure that the portions 1004a, 1004b are held in the closed position, the consumable 1000 may include fasteners or adhesive, or they may be held in place via an interlocking mechanism. However, in the example of fig. 10, a pressure sensitive adhesive is deposited on the flap 1012 and/or on the outer surface of the first portion 1004 a. The first portion 1004a may be closed first and the second portion 1004b closed second such that the adhesive secures the sealing element 1004 in the closed position. The first and second portions 1004a, 1004b are attached to the body 1002 via living hinges.

Fig. 11 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 1100 that uses an aerosol provision device. The consumable 1100 differs from the previously described consumable in that the body is a substrate and an aerosol-forming material, such as tobacco or gel, is deposited on the surface of the substrate.

Consumable 1100 includes a substrate 1102 having a generally planar form, however, other forms may be used. Aerosol-forming material 1106 is deposited on the surface of the substrate 1102 and, in use, air is drawn through the substrate 1102 to entrain aerosol prior to inhalation by a user. Thus, the substrate body 1102 partially defines a flow path. The consumable of this example includes a sealing element 1104 covering an aerosol-forming material 1106. In this example, the sealing element 1104 takes the form of a flexible sheet that is attached to the substrate 1102 at one or more locations. For example, the sealing element 1104 may be adhered to the substrate 1102. However, in other examples, the sealing element 1104 may not be attached to the substrate 1102 in both the open and closed positions. For example, the user may completely peel off the sealing element 1104 and dispose of the sealing element. In fig. 11, the sealing element 1104 is depicted in an open position.

To ensure that the sealing element 1104 is held in the closed position, the sealing element 1104 is held in place via a pressure sensitive adhesive, although other fasteners may be used. For example, the sealing element 1104 and/or the substrate 1102 may include an adhesive deposited in one or more locations, and when contacted, the sealing element 1104 is held in a closed position overlying the aerosol-forming material 1106.

Fig. 12 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 1200 for use with an aerosol supply device. Consumable 1200 is substantially similar to the consumable described in fig. 11, but differs in that sealing element 1204 is more rigid and is integrally formed with base plate 1202 by engagement via a living hinge. Alternatively, the consumable may comprise another type of attachment element that attaches the sealing element 1204 to the substrate 1202.

Fig. 13 depicts another exemplary consumable assembly 1300 for use with an aerosol supply device. The consumable 1300 is substantially similar to the consumable described in fig. 11, but differs in that the substrate 1302 defines a recess 1308 within which aerosol-forming material is deposited. Thus, the sealing element 1304 is configured to cover the recess 1308 in the closed position.

In the above examples, the sealing element is described as being attached to the body in both the closed and open positions. However, this is not always the case. In a variant of the previously described example, the sealing element may not be attached to the body/substrate in two positions. For example, a user may move the sealing element to an open position, which causes the sealing element to become detached. The user may dispose of the sealing elements or may store them for later reattachment to seal the flow path.

Although the sealing element may not be attached to the body/substrate in two positions, it is advantageous to use an adhesive to hold the sealing element in the closed position. Thus, in any of the examples previously described, the attachment element and living hinge may be disposed of, and the adhesive used to hold the sealing element in the closed position.

In a variation of the examples of fig. 4 and 5, there may be no attachment element and the sealing element may be adhered to the body and/or the aerosol-forming material to retain the sealing element in the closed position. In a variation of the example of fig. 7, there may be no attachment element or living hinge, and the sealing element may be adhered to the inner surface of the body and/or the aerosol-forming material to retain the sealing element in the closed position. In a variation of the example of fig. 9, a single sealing element may be adhered to the outer surface of the body and/or the aerosol-forming material using an adhesive, and thus designed to be completely separated from the body prior to use. In a variant of the example of fig. 11-13, the sealing element may not be permanently attached to the substrate when in the open position.

In these variations, the adhesive may be a pressure sensitive adhesive to allow the sealing element to be reattached after the sealing element has been removed. Alternatively, the adhesive may be a structural adhesive. In some examples, the binder includes a polysaccharide.

The above-described embodiments should be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Additional embodiments of the present invention are contemplated. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. Further, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device, the assembly comprising:

a body;

an aerosol-forming material positioned along a flow path at least partially defined by the body; and

a sealing element movable between a first position and a second position, wherein:

in the first position, the sealing element is configured to at least partially seal the flow path to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material; and is also provided with

In the second position, the sealing element is positioned to allow atmospheric air to travel along the flow path and contact the aerosol-forming material; and is also provided with

Wherein the assembly includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a structural adhesive.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a first adhesion between the adhesive and the sealing element is greater than a second adhesion between the adhesive and the body.

5. An assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device, the assembly comprising:

a body;

in the first position, the sealing element is configured to close at least a portion of the flow path to reduce atmospheric air contacting the aerosol-forming material; and is also provided with

In the second position, the sealing element is positioned to allow atmospheric air to travel along the flow path and contact the aerosol-forming material.

6. An assembly for insertion into an aerosol supply device, the assembly comprising:

a body;

an aerosol-forming material positioned along a flow path defined at least in part by the body; and

The sealing element is attached to the body in both the first position and the second position.

7. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising an attachment element that attaches the sealing element to the body.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the sealing element is integrally formed with the body.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the sealing element is joined to the body by a living hinge.

10. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the body defines an inlet to the flow path and an outlet from the flow path, and the sealing element comprises a first portion and a second portion;

wherein, in the first position:

the first portion is configured to close the outlet and the second portion is configured to close the inlet.

11. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the body is a substrate and the aerosol-forming material is positioned on a surface of the substrate and the sealing element is configured to cover the aerosol-forming material.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the body is a substrate and the aerosol-forming material is positioned within a recess defined by the surface of the substrate, and the sealing element is configured to cover the recess.

13. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the sealing element is a cover and the cover is sized to be at least partially received within the body when in the first position.

14. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the sealing element is a cover and the cover is sized to surround at least a portion of the body when in the first position.

15. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising: a fastener is arranged to cooperate with the sealing element to retain the sealing element in the first position.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the fastener comprises threads.

17. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the sealing element comprises a first engagement surface and the body comprises a second engagement surface, the first and second engagement surfaces configured to engage one another in the first position to retain the sealing element in the first position.

18. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the assembly includes an adhesive positioned between the sealing element and the body, the adhesive configured to retain the sealing element in the first position.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein a first adhesion between the adhesive and the sealing element is greater than a second adhesion between the adhesive and the body.

20. An aerosol provision system comprising:

the assembly of claim 1, 5 or 6;

an aerosol provision device configured to house an assembly according to any of claims 1, 5 or 6 and in operation generate an aerosol from the aerosol-forming material.