Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/50—Control or monitoring
  • A24F40/57—Temperature control
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/46—Shape or structure of electric heating means

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to the field of smoking tobacco.
• the present disclosure relates to smoking substitute systems and particularly, although not exclusively, to a heat-not-burn (HNB) smoking substitute system.
• HNB heat-not-burn
• the present disclosure relates to a smoking substitute system having at least two different modes of operation.
• the smoking of tobacco is generally considered to expose a smoker to potentially harmful substances. It is generally thought that a significant amount of the potentially harmful substances are generated through the heat caused by the burning and/or combustion of the tobacco and the constituents of the burnt tobacco in the tobacco smoke itself.
• Conventional combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes, typically comprise a cylindrical rod of tobacco comprising shreds of tobacco which is surrounded by a wrapper, and usually also a cylindrical filter axially aligned in an abutting relationship with the wrapped tobacco rod.
• the filter typically comprises a filtration material which is circumscribed by a plug wrap.
• the wrapped tobacco rod and the filter are joined together by a wrapped band of tipping paper that circumscribes the entire length of the filter and an adjacent portion of the wrapped tobacco rod.
• a conventional cigarette of this type is used by lighting the end opposite to the filter, and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker receives mainstream smoke into their mouth by drawing on the mouth end or filter end of the cigarette.
• Such smoking substitute systems can form part of nicotine replacement therapies aimed at people who wish to stop smoking and overcome a dependence on nicotine.
• Smoking substitute systems include electronic systems that permit a user to simulate the act of smoking by producing an aerosol (also referred to as a“vapour”) that is drawn into the lungs through the mouth (inhaled) and then exhaled.
• the inhaled aerosol typically bears nicotine and/or flavourings without, or with fewer of, the odour and health risks associated with traditional smoking.
• smoking substitute systems are intended to provide a substitute for the rituals of smoking, whilst providing the user with a similar experience and satisfaction to those experienced with traditional smoking and with combustible tobacco products.
• Some smoking substitute systems use smoking substitute articles that are designed to resemble a traditional cigarette and are cylindrical in form with a mouthpiece at one end.
• HNB heat not burn
• a typical HNB smoking substitute system may include a device and a consumable.
• the consumable may include the tobacco material.
• the device and consumable may be configured to be physically coupled together.
• heat may be imparted to the tobacco material by a heating element of the device, wherein airflow through the tobacco material causes moisture in the tobacco material to be released as vapour.
• a vapour may also be formed from a carrier in the tobacco material (this carrier may for example include propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine) and additionally volatile compounds released from the tobacco. The released vapour may be entrained in the airflow drawn through the tobacco.
• the vapour passes through the consumable (entrained in the airflow) from an inlet to a mouthpiece (outlet), the vapour cools and condenses to form an aerosol for inhalation by the user.
• the aerosol will normally contain the volatile compounds.
• HNB smoking substitute systems heating as opposed to burning the tobacco material is believed to cause fewer, or smaller quantities, of the more harmful compounds ordinarily produced during smoking. Consequently, the HNB approach may reduce the odour and/or health risks that can arise through the burning, combustion and pyrolytic degradation of tobacco.
• the present disclosure relates to an aerosol-forming delivery system, e.g. a smoking substitute system such as an HNB system. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a smoking substitute device having multiple, different modes of operation.
• a smoking substitute device comprising a heating element, wherein the smoking substitute device is adapted for receiving a smoking substitute consumable, wherein the heating element is adapted for heating the smoking substitute consumable, wherein the smoking substitute device comprises at least two modes of operation and wherein the smoking substitute device is a heat-not-burn smoking substitute device.
• a smoking substitute system comprising a smoking substitute device and a smoking substitute consumable.
• a method for using a smoking substitute system comprising inserting a smoking substitute consumable into a smoking substitute device and heating the smoking substitute consumable using a heating element.
• a smoking substitute system may comprise a smoking substitute device or an aerosol-forming device, which may be a heat-not-burn (HNB) smoking substitute device.
• An HNB device is a device that is adapted for heating but not combusting the aerosol-forming substrate. This substrate may be made of tobacco material and may comprise additives assisting in the forming of the aerosol by the smoking substitute device.
• the smoking substitute device may comprise a main body for housing a heating element.
• the heating element may comprise an elongated, e.g. rod-shaped, tube-shaped or blade-shaped heating element. The heating element may project into or surround a cavity within the main body of the smoking substitute device, which cavity is for receiving a smoking substitute consumable.
• the smoking substitute device may comprise an electrical power supply, e.g. a (rechargeable) battery for powering the heating element. It may further comprise a control unit to control the supply of power to the heating element.
• an electrical power supply e.g. a (rechargeable) battery for powering the heating element.
• It may further comprise a control unit to control the supply of power to the heating element.
• the heating element may penetrate the smoking substitute consumable in an area of the consumable where the aerosol-forming substrate, e.g. tobacco material, is arranged.
• the heating element is thus arranged inside of the smoking substitute consumable and in particular inside of the tobacco material.
• the heating element is heated to a target temperature, preferably in the range above the vaporization temperature of nicotine contained in the tobacco material, but below the temperature where the tobacco material would start to burn or combust.
• the heating element may be heated to a temperature of above 170°C, the vaporization temperature of nicotine, but below 400° C to avoid burning of the tobacco material in the consumable.
• the target temperature may not exceed approx. 350°C.
• the smoking substitute device is provided with at least two modes of operation, which may be, e.g., different temperatures of the heating element resulting in a different extraction behaviour of vapour in general or in particular nicotine from the tobacco material in the consumable.
• a first setting e.g. a. high setting
• a second setting e.g. a low setting
• a temperature of the heating element may be lower than the temperature of the heating element in either a cruise mode or boost mode.
• boost mode the temperature of the heating element may be higher than either in stealth mode or cruise mode.
• the temperature of the heating element also affects the production of visible vapour from the consumable and thus influences visible vapour delivery.
• the amount of vapour generated by the smoking substitute device in turn affects the experience of a user when using the smoking substitute device.
• an increased level of vapour results in an increase in mixing of vapour with nicotine released from the consumable and the tobacco material, respectively, prior to mouth delivery and thus results in a smoother substitute smoking experience.
• nicotine levels are generally not greatly affected by different temperatures of the heating element as long as the heating temperature is higher than 170°C, the vaporization temperature of nicotine.
• the intensity of flavour may be affected. E.g. with higher temperature, more flavour components are released from the aerosol-forming substrate.
• a control element like an actuator or activation switch to start the operation of the smoking substitute device may be provided. The mode of operation may further directly influence a possible battery life and may thus allow the user to tailor the overall handling of the smoking substitute device to one’s preference.
• a single control element may be sufficient to choose a certain mode of operation. As a result of different temperatures of the heating element, a certain smoking substitute consumable may last longer in normal mode or stealth mode and shorter in boost mode or normal mode.
• the temperature of the heating element may influence the amount of generated visible vapour. Accordingly, the mode of operation may be set upon a certain use situation or use scenario. E.g., using the smoking substitute device outside or inside a closed space, like a car or a room, may require different modes of operation to minimize the impact of the smoking substitute system on non-users.
• the smoking substitute device may further comprise a main body and a cavity, wherein the cavity may be arranged in the main body, wherein the heating element may be arranged in the cavity, wherein the cavity may be adapted for receiving the smoking substitute consumable and wherein the heating element may be adapted for penetrating the smoking substitute consumable to get into contact with tobacco material located inside the smoking substitute consumable upon insertion of the smoking substitute consumable into the smoking substitute device for heating of the tobacco material.
• the heating element of the smoking substitute device may thus be arranged within the smoking substitute device, in particular within its main body, thus protecting a user from injury by heat or a sharp or pointy edge of the heating element. At the same time, the heating element may easily penetrate the smoking substitute consumable, e.g. to open up the smoking substitute consumable, to get access to the tobacco material located inside. A smoking substitute consumable may thus be easily operable without the risk of a user coming in direct contact with the tobacco material.
• the smoking substitute device may further comprise a control element operable by a user of the smoking substitute device, wherein the control element is adapted for setting a desired mode of operation.
• a smoking substitute device wherein for setting a desired mode of operation, the control element is actuated by the user of the smoking substitute device and wherein different modes of operation are settable depending on a duration of the actuation of the control element by the user.
• a control element like an actuator or an activation switch, a user may easily set a desired mode of operation, e.g. by pressing the control element for a certain duration to activate a certain mode of operation.
• the desired mode of operation may be settable for the duration of consuming a smoking substitute consumable.
• a user determines or chooses a desired mode of operation at the beginning of consuming a smoking substitute consumable.
• the user may decide to operate the smoking substitute device in normal mode and may thus press the control element for a duration associated with the normal mode. This may result in a defined, e.g. timed heating of the heating element to the temperature linked with the mode of operation and for a certain duration without requiring the user to activate the control element again.
• another press of the control element may terminate the current mode of operation, e.g. when the user decides that a consumable is depleted.
• the operation may seize after a defined duration, which duration may depend on the set mode of operation.
• a mode of operation may relate to a heating temperature of the tobacco material during the consumption of the smoking substitute consumable.
• the heating element may produce a certain target heating temperature to the tobacco material. Setting a desired temperature may affect generation and delivery of visible vapour to a user.
• the temperature may be in a range between substantially 170°C and 400°C, in particular, wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature is between substantially 170°C and 300°C and in a second mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 250°C and 400°, further in particular, wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 225°C and 275°C and in a second mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 275°C and 350°C, further in particular, wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature is substantially 250°C and in a second mode of operation, the temperature is substantially 350°C.
• the temperature range between approx. 170°C and 350°C may be a preferred temperature range for a heat-not-burn smoking substitute device with 170°C being the vaporization temperature of nicotine, while avoiding substantially exceeding 350°C avoids burning of the tobacco material in the smoking substitute consumable.
• Choosing defined temperatures between 170°C and 350°C may allow tailoring the smoking experience to the desires of a particular user and may generally allow the provision of different modes of operation.
• the smoking substitute device may comprise at least three modes of operation relating to the heating temperature of the tobacco material during the consumption of the smoking substitute consumable, wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 170°C and 250°C, in a second mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 200°C and 300°C and in a third mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 250°C and 400°C, in particular wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 170°C and 225°C, in a second mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 225°C and 275°C and in a third mode of operation, the temperature may be between substantially 275°C and 375°C, further in particular, wherein in a first mode of operation, the temperature is substantially 170°C, in a second mode of operation, the temperature is substantially 250°C and in a third mode of operation, the temperature is substantially 350°C.
• the provision of three distinct temperatures or three modes of operation may allow the provision of e.g. a stealth mode, a cruise or normal mode, and a boost mode.
• a mode of operation may relate to an amount of vapour generated during the consumption of the smoking substitute consumable, in particular in a first mode of operation, less vapour may be generated than in a second mode of operation.
• the different modes may exhibit different amounts of visible vapour delivered to a user.
• less vapour may be generated in a mode of operation having a lower temperature than in a second mode of operation having a higher temperature of the heating element.
• a mode of operation may be dependent on a type of the smoking substitute consumable.
• Different types of consumables may require different modes of operation or different temperature settings of the heating element. This may in particular be dependent upon the aerosol/releasing material in the smoking substitute consumable, e.g. in case of flavoured, non-nicotine-containing material, a different temperature may be required than with tobacco material containing nicotine.
• the smoking substitute device may comprise a display element for indicating a mode of operation to the user.
• the display element may e.g. be a light source displaying a certain mode of operation by varying colours.
• a first mode of operation may be symbolized by an orange colour whereas a second, higher mode of operation may be symbolized by a red colour.
• Other colour combinations are conceivable.
• Figure 1 shows a view of an exemplary embodiment of a smoking substitute device in accordance with the present invention
• Figure 2 shows a schematics of an exemplary embodiment of a smoking substitute device in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 1 shows a view of an exemplary embodiment of a smoking substitute device 10, here exemplarily an FINB device 10.
• the FINB device 10 comprises a rod-shaped heating element 12, which projects into a cavity 14 within the main body 16 of the device 10.
• a smoking substitute consumable 20 may be inserted into the cavity 14 of the main body 12 of the device 10 such that the heating rod 12 penetrates an aerosol-forming substrate, e.g. tobacco material in one outer part, e.g. the lower part of the smoking substitute consumable 20, distal from an outward facing opening 42 of cavity 14.
• Fleating of e.g. reconstituted tobacco in the aerosol-forming substrate is effected by powering the heating element 12, with a power source 18, e.g. a rechargeable battery 18 incorporated in the smoking substitute device 10.
• moisture and volatile compounds e.g. nicotine
• a humectant are released as a vapour and entrained within an airflow generated by inhalation by the user.
• Fleating of the tobacco by the heating element 12 may be activated by the user pressing an actuator 26, here exemplarily activation switch 26, on a side surface of the main body 16 of the smoking substitute device 10.
• Display element 28, here exemplarily a number of LEDs, is arranged in the vicinity of the activation switch 26 on the side surface of main body 16.
• the charging connector 30 may be embodied as a standard USB connector, e.g. mini-USB or micro-USC.
• the charging connector 30 is embedded as a symmetrical connector, like a USB-C connector.
• the charging connector 30 may be embodied as a lightning connector.
• the charging connector 30 may provide a connection for either energy or data or both.
• a certain mode of operation may result in different temperatures of the heating element 12 and thus different amounts of heat energy provided to the aerosol-forming substrate. Following, the substrate is heated to different temperatures depending on a certain mode of operation. E.g.
• the aerosol-forming substrate in a first mode of operation, may be heated to 250°C, while in a second mode of operation, the aerosolforming substrate may be heated to 350°C.
• Different heat energies provided to the aerosol-forming substrate may result in a different release behaviour of both nicotine and vapour from the aerosol-forming substrate and thus in a different substitute smoking experience to a user.
• FIG. 2 shows a schematics of an exemplary embodiment of a smoking substitute device in accordance with the present invention.
• Smoking substitute device 10 comprises a main body 16 or housing and a power source 18, e.g. a rechargeable battery. Further provided is a control unit 32, which may include a microprocessor. Memory 34 is provided for storing e.g. control instructions for control unit 32 or the microprocessor. Memory 34 is preferably provided as non-volatile memory.
• Smoking substitute device 10 may further comprise a display element 28, which may be embodied as a single or a plurality of LEDs or organic LEDs. The LEDs are possibly adapted for displaying different colours in accordance with instructions from the control unit 32 and memory 34, depicting different modes of operation with different colours of smoking substitute device 10 or generally different information directed to the user operating the smoking substitute device 10.
• a control element 26 is provided, e.g. an actuator or activation switch, with which the smoking substitute device may be switched on and off, an operation may be initiated and/or a mode of operation may be set.
• an electrical interface 30 or charging connector 30 is provided, which may be incorporated in the main body 16 and which may include one or more electrical contacts.
• the electrical interface 30 may be located in, and preferably at the bottom of, an aperture in an end section of the main body 16. Electrical interface 30 may be adapted to be coupled with an external charging station to receive power for charging the power source 18.
• electrical interface 30 may be embodied as a charging connector 30, which may be a USB or lightning connection.
• the charging connector 30 is embodied as a USB- C connector, which is an example of a symmetrical connector.
• a heating element heats the tobacco material in the consumable to a desired temperature, thereby releasing an aerosol containing nicotine for inhalation by a user.
• the HNB device is arranged to control the temperature of the heating element in a way to be able to provide different temperatures to the tobacco material in the consumable, thereby changing the release properties of the components in the consumable, e.g. nicotine. Different temperatures provide a changed release behaviour of the tobacco material thereby providing a different smoking experience to a user.

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