EP4110114A1

EP4110114A1 - Aerosol provision system

Info

Publication number: EP4110114A1
Application number: EP21708339.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David LEADLEY; Martyn STANIFORTH
Original assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Current assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd
Priority date: 2020-02-28
Filing date: 2021-02-19
Publication date: 2023-01-04
Also published as: US20230097652A1; CA3168213A1; GB202002898D0; WO2021170980A1; MX2022010650A

Abstract

There is provided a cartomiser (100) for an aerosol provision system comprising: a wall (110), the wall comprising a resilient portion (1155), the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid (120) contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser.

Description

AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cartomiser for an aerosol provision system, an aerosol provision system, a method of controlling liquid exit from a cartomiser, a liquid reservoir for an aerosol provision system and aerosol provision means.

Background

Aerosol provision systems are known. Aerosol provision systems have fluid passageways through the system to enable liquids, air and aerosol to move through the system. In this way, air can be introduced to the system, liquid can be moved, heated and entrained into air within the system and this payload can be delivered to a user external to the system. When these systems undergo pressure changes, such as during transport or during consumption of liquid within the aerosol provision system, such pressure changes can affect the fluid passageways within the system which, in turn, can lead to complications in the system.

It is desirable for aerosol provision systems to provide a resilient response in light of changing pressures. Therefore it is advantageous to provide an improved system to provide an improved response to changing pressures.

The present invention is directed toward solving some of the above problems.

Summary

Aspects of the invention are defined in the accompanying claims.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a cartomiser for an aerosol provision system comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser. In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol provision system for providing an aerosol comprising: a cartomiser comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a method of preventing uncontrolled exiting of liquid from a cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser, the method comprising: providing a cartomiser with a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion; wherein the resilient portion is arranged to deform during pressure changes to the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided a liquid reservoir for use in an aerosol provision system, the liquid reservoir comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the liquid reservoir to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the liquid reservoir during pressure changes to the liquid reservoir.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided aerosol provision means comprising: cartomiser means comprising: wall means, the wall means comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall means arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser means to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser means during pressure changes to the cartomiser means.

Description of Drawings

The present teachings will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following figure: Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of a cartomiser for an aerosol provision system according to an example;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol provision system according to an example;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol provision system according to an example;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a liquid reservoir for an aerosol provision system according to an example; and,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a liquid reservoir for an aerosol provision system according to an example.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description of the specific embodiments are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, the invention covers all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

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 apparatus and methods discussed herein which are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol provision systems, which may also be referred to as aerosol provision systems, such as e-cigarettes. 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 / device and electronic aerosol provision system / device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms "aerosol" and "vapour", and related terms such as "vaporise", "volatilise" and "aerosolise", may generally be used interchangeably. As shown in the example of Figure 1, a portion of a cartomiser 100 is disclosed which comprises a wall 110. The wall 110 comprises a resilient portion 115. The resilient portion 115 of the wall 110 is arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser 100 to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser 100. In the example shown in Figure 1, there is liquid present in the cartomiser 100 and the liquid is depicted with numeral 120. The level of liquid is below half in the example shown in Figure 1. The liquid level may fill the cartomiser 100 in another example. The liquid may be consumed during use of the cartomiser therefore leading to a variable liquid level within the cartomiser 100.

The resilient portion 115 is shown in the example of Figure 1 to occupy a comer portion of the wall 110. The resilient portion 115 may be any shape or size and in any location on the wall 110. The resilient portion 115 of the wall 110 allows the wall 110 to move in response to changing pressures. The resilient portion 115 therefore enables movement to accommodate pressure changes. This movement may be a bending, yielding, warping or the like. This movement may occur in response to: an increase in pressure in the environment external to the wall 110; a decrease in pressure in the environment external to the wall 110; an increase in pressure in the environment internal to the wall 110; a decrease in pressure in the environment internal to the wall 110; or a combination of the above.

This arrangement provides an advantage that, depending on the amount of distortion through which the cartomiser 100 can be put, the cartomiser 100 may be accommodated into different device sizes and still fit.

The resilient portion may also allow accommodation of the cartomiser 100 into different sizes and/or shapes of chambers of aerosol provision systems with which the cartomiser 100 may be used. This is useful for a user, as this removes the need to buy a number of different sized and shaped cartomisers 100 for different systems. The range of chamber sizes in which the cartomiser 100 may be located will depend on the size of the resilient portion 115 and the amount of deformation that the cartomiser 100 can undergo without losing functionality. Enabling, and accounting for, some predetermined level of deformation allows the cartomiser 100 to deform without allowing uncontrollable escape of liquid 120 from the cartomiser 100. Avoiding leakage increases the user experience of the system in which the cartomiser 100 is used. For example, when conventional cartomisers are transported via plane, at the higher altitudes air inside the cartomiser expands, which can cause liquid to leak out of the cartomiser, for example through a wick and into the airflow path. In the cartomiser 100 of Figure 1, the flexible membrane deforms in the presence of pressure changes to allow the air inside the cartomiser to e.g. expand (or contract) without exerting pressure on the liquid 120.

As a user uses the cartomiser 100, the liquid 120 will be depleted from inside the cartomiser 100. This leads to a decrease in pressure inside the cartomiser 100 which can be accounted for, as described above, by the resilient portion 115 of the cartomiser 100. In some arrangements, the air pressure may be accounted for by air channels through the cartomiser 100 wall 110. This can lead to liquid escaping through the air channels when the cartomiser 100 is moved around, e.g. in transit. Therefore, this arrangement removes the need for air channels while safely accommodating any decrease in air pressure as a result of usage of liquid 120 in the cartomiser 100.

Figure 2 shows an example of an aerosol provision system 200 comprising a cartomiser 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cartomiser 210 has a wick arrangement 240. The wick arrangement 240 may be, or include, a wick or a wick and heater arrangement arranged to wick liquid to the heater for aerosolisation. The aerosol provision system 200 has a power source 230. The power source 230 supplies power to a heater for enabling aerosolisation of the liquid. There are airways through the aerosol provision system 200 for enabling the aerosol to pass to an outlet 250 of the system 220. A user may inhale on the outlet 250 to be provided with aerosol.

Figure 3 shows an example of an aerosol provision system 300 comprising a cartomiser 310 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cartomiser 310 contains the wick arrangement 340 within the walls 311. The arrangement of the aerosol provision system 300 differs to that of aerosol provision system 200 as the wick arrangement is inside the wall 311 and resilient portion 315 of the cartomiser 310. The liquid may be pulled into the wick and heated by a heater or the like to form an aerosol. Figure 4 shows an example of a cartomiser 410 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The resilient portion 415 abuts the wick arrangement 440. The resilient portion 415 may hold the wick arrangement 440 in such a way as to increase the strength of the wick arrangement 440. This may advantageously restrict potential wick weaknesses. The wick arrangement 440 may be held by the resilient portion 415 so as to increase the amount of liquid that may be held in the wick arrangement 440 due to e.g. being held in a compressed manner by the resilient portion 415. Furthermore, compression by the resilient portion 415 results in the wick arrangement 440 occupying less space in the cartomiser 410.

Figure 5 shows an example of a cartomiser 510 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement of the cartomiser 510 in Figure 5 differs from that in Figure 4 by the presence of a further resilient portion 516 arranged in the wall 511 of the cartomiser 510. The wick arrangement 540 is provided between the two resilient portions 515, 516. The resilient portions 515, 516 are able to compress the wick arrangement 540 effectively so as to provide advantageous effects as described above for the Figure 4 arrangement.

Furthermore, the additional resilient portion 516 need not abut the wick arrangement 540. However, the additional resilient portion 516 allows for the cartomiser 510 to have greater adaptability in light of pressure changes or sudden impacts and the like. Additional resilient portions may be provided to further provide these advantages as well as protect the cartomiser. This protection may be in terms of adaptiveness to changes in pressure.

The additional portions may be arranged in corresponding or different locations within the wall of the cartomiser 510. Arranging the different portions in different axes of the cartomiser 510 enables stress to be accounted for in different dimensions more easily. The resilient portions may be strips (i.e. substantially longer in one dimension than the other two) or blocks (i.e. fairly regular in all three dimensions). The resilient portions may be alternatively or additionally substantially in the shape of points (i.e. relatively short in all three dimensions).

In an example, one strip may be arranged vertically in the cartomiser 510 and one horizontally allowing the cartomiser 510 to accommodate stresses in the vertical and the horizontal plane. In another arrangement the resilient portions may be different shapes but one with a major axis substantially along the horizontal axis and another with a major axis substantially along the vertical axis. This again allows for accommodation of stresses in both axes, providing a high level of protection for the cartomiser 510.

In an example, more than two resilient portions may be provided in the wall 511 of the cartomiser 510. The resilient portions may be arranged with non-equal spacing between the resilient portions so that one area of the wall 511 (an area with higher density of resilient portions) is more accommodating to pressure changes than others. This may be advantageous around e.g. the comers of the cartomiser 510 or exit points of the cartomiser 510 as stresses may be greater in these areas. Placement of the resilient portions may be predetermined and calculated to be located in areas of likely high stress. Control over the arrangement may also enable a designer to focus compression in certain areas of the cartomiser 510 e.g. around the wick arrangement 540. The designer may also be able to provide flexibility in areas where this is most advantageous.

The resilient portions may form a membrane or the like on the cartomiser 510. The membrane may be internal and therefore not seen by the user. This may improve the aesthetics of the cartomiser 510.

The aerosol generating medium (liquid) may comprise at least one of tobacco and glycol and may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamon, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. The different aerosol generating media may be separated, adjacent or overlapping. Aerosolisable material, which also may be referred to herein as aerosol generating material (or medium), is material that is capable of generating aerosol, for example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosolisable material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain nicotine and/or flavourants.

Thus there has been described a cartomiser for an aerosol provision system comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser.

The aerosol provision system may be used in a tobacco industry product, for example a non combustible aerosol provision system.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product comprises one or more components of a non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a heater and an aerosolizable substrate.

In one embodiment, the aerosol provision system is an electronic cigarette also known as a vaping device.

In one embodiment the electronic cigarette comprises a heater, a power supply capable of supplying power to the heater, an aerosolizable substrate such as a liquid or gel, a housing and optionally a mouthpiece.

In one embodiment the aerosolizable substrate is contained in or on a substrate container. In one embodiment the substrate container is combined with or comprises the heater.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a heating product which releases one or more compounds by heating, but not burning, a substrate material. The substrate material is an aerosolizable material which may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the heating device product is a tobacco heating product.

In one embodiment, the heating product is an electronic device. In one embodiment, the tobacco heating product comprises a heater, a power supply capable of supplying power to the heater, an aerosolizable substrate such as a solid or gel material.

In one embodiment the heating product is a non-electronic article.

In one embodiment the heating product comprises an aerosolizable substrate such as a solid or gel material, and a heat source which is capable of supplying heat energy to the aerosolizable substrate without any electronic means, such as by burning a combustion material, such as charcoal.

In one embodiment the heating product also comprises a filter capable of filtering the aerosol generated by heating the aerosolizable substrate.

In some embodiments the aerosolizable substrate material may comprise an aerosol or aerosol generating agent or a humectant, such as glycerol, propylene glycol, triacetin or diethylene glycol.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a hybrid system to generate aerosol by heating, but not burning, a combination of substrate materials. The substrate materials may comprise for example solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and a solid substrate. The solid substrate may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and tobacco.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for a superior electronic aerosol provision system. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure 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 and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. A cartomiser for an aerosol provision system comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser.

2. A cartomiser according to claim 1, further comprising a wick, wherein the resilient portion abuts the wick.

3. A cartomiser according to claim 1 or 2, the wall further comprising at least one further resilient portion, wherein the at least one further resilient portion is arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser, wherein the at least one further resilient portion is arranged to enable protective adaptiveness across the cartomiser.

4. A cartomiser according to claim 3, wherein the resilient portions are arranged along different axes along the wall.

5. A cartomiser according to claims 3 or 4, wherein the resilient portions are arranged with non-equal spacing between the resilient portions within the wall.

6. An aerosol provision system for providing an aerosol comprising: a cartomiser comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser.

7. An aerosol provision system according to claim 6, further comprising a wick, wherein the resilient portion abuts the wick.

8. An aerosol provision system according to claim 6 or 7, the wall further comprising at least one further resilient portion, wherein the at least one further resilient portion is arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser, wherein the at least one further resilient portion is arranged to enable protective adaptiveness across the cartomiser.

9. An aerosol provision system according to claim 8, wherein the resilient portions are arranged along different axes along the wall.

10. An aerosol provision system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the resilient portions are arranged with non-equal spacing between the resilient portions within the wall.

11. A method of preventing uncontrolled exiting of liquid from a cartomiser during pressure changes to the cartomiser, the method comprising: providing a cartomiser with a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion; wherein the resilient portion is arranged to deform during pressure changes to the cartomiser to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing a wick; and, arranging the resilient portion to abut the wick.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising: providing a further resilient portion in the wall, wherein the further resilient portion is arranged to abut the wick.

14. A liquid reservoir for use in an aerosol provision system, the liquid reservoir comprising: a wall, the wall comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the liquid reservoir to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the liquid reservoir during pressure changes to the liquid reservoir.

15. Aerosol provision means comprising: cartomiser means comprising: wall means, the wall means comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion of the wall means arranged to provide a sealing function at least partially around a liquid contained within the cartomiser means to prevent uncontrolled exiting of liquid from the cartomiser means during pressure changes to the cartomiser means.