EP4704616A1

EP4704616A1 - Aerosol generating device

Info

Publication number: EP4704616A1
Application number: EP24722649.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alec WRIGHT; Grzegorz Aleksander PILATOWICZ; Takehiro MITSUTSUKA
Original assignee: JT International SA
Current assignee: JT International SA
Priority date: 2023-05-05
Filing date: 2024-05-02
Publication date: 2026-03-11
Also published as: KR20250168331A; CN121152572A; JP2026513491A; WO2024231218A1

Abstract

An aerosol generating device (10) configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprises a heater (20) with a heating compartment adapted to receive an article containing a consumable substance, a battery (18) and a PCBA as major components, each of the heater (20), the battery (18) and the PCBA having a shape with a thickness significantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof, at least two of the heater (20), the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) overlapping in a viewing direction (A) perpendicular to a thickness thereof.

Description

AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an aerosol generating device .

Aerosol generating devices are generally inhalation devices which continuously replace conventional cigarettes and usually have a heater for heating an article containing a consumable substance , such as a liquid or tobacco to be heated . In order to supply electric power to the heater, the devices usually have a battery . Finally, a printed circuit board assembly (hereinafter called PCBA) is usually provided in order to accommodate various electric components mounted thereon, such as a MRU and a memory component and to provide electrical connection between the heater and the battery as well as further components , such as switches and/or indicating means , charging connections , etc .

PRIOR ART

WO 2022025573 Al is related to an aerosol generating device having a printed circuit board arranged in parallel to a flat battery, which is essentially aligned with a tubular heater .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an obj ect underlying the invention to provide a compact aerosol generating device which nevertheless provides the ef ficient opportunity to access various components of the device , for example , in order to repair or replace them .

This obj ect is solved by means of the aerosol generating device in accordance with claim 1 . Accordingly, the device is configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user end comprises but not limited to a heater, a battery, and a PCBA as maj or components . The heater has a heating compartment adapted to receive an article containing a consumable substance , such as a tobacco stick or a cartridge containing a liquid . However, the article containing a consumable substance can also be of a flat cuboid shape similar to a card insertable into a mobile phone .

The heater, the battery and the PCBA have an essentially flat shape which essentially means that a thickness thereof is signi ficantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof . At least two of the heater, battery and PCBA overlap in a viewing direction perpendicular to a thickness thereof . In other words , they are essentially arranged at least partly in one and the same plane extending perpendicular to the thickness direction thereof . This also implies that the overlapping maj or components essentially have thickness directions parallel to each other .

Further, the heater comprises two parts , each part having a generally cuboid shape with a thickness signi ficantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof , and the two parts being essentially parallel and conforming in a viewing direction parallel to the thickness thereof . The parts can be separate . Moreover, the parts can be provided on a flexible heater, for example a film heater, which can be wrapped around a structure such as a flat cup adapted to accommodate a consumable . Such a flexible heater can form two heating regions or parts shaped and/or arranged as described above .

Thus , the heater can comprise two flat plates , parts or regions , which allows the heater to have a thickness of 1 . 7 mm or less , in particular about 1 . 4 mm for card-type consumables , whereas a heater adapted to receive a stick-type consumable typically has a thickness of at least 7 mm.

By means of arranging two or even more major components in the same plane, they are more easily accessible for repair or replacement .

Particularly preferred embodiments are described in the further claims.

In particular, both the heater and the battery are easily accessible, when these two major components overlap in a viewing direction perpendicular to a thickness thereof, in other words, when they are essentially arranged side-by-side to each other in the same plane.

A compact size of the aerosol generating device can be kept, when the third major component being arranged in a different plane than the other major components, has a thickness direction oriented substantially parallel to the thickness of the others, in other words, when the non-overlapping major component is arranged in a second, parallel plane.

Providing the device as a whole with a compact size is further supported by the measure to have the major component, typically the PCBA, not overlapping with the others in a viewing direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, in other words, in a second plane, so as to overlap in a viewing direction parallel to the thickness thereof. In other words, the space necessary for the three mentioned major components is essentially defined by the size, in particular length and width of the largest of the mentioned major components, typically the PCBA.

The size in the thickness direction can be kept particularly small, when the heater has a flat cup like structure

In order to allow the mentioned major components to be accessed, the device preferably has at least one cover with a thickness signi ficantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof , in other words , with a flat shape , which is fixed to a body of the device by at least one screw and/or clip connection .

Such type of connections is also preferred for fastening the PCBA to a chassis of the device , as it allows the PCBA to be removed easily .

The same applies to the heater and/or the battery, with a clip connection for attachment to a chassis of the device being preferred . Thus , these maj or components can be removed similar as batteries from mobile phones .

In accordance with the flat shape of the mentioned maj or components , it is preferred also for the device as a whole to have , apart from a mouthpiece , a generally cuboid shaped with a thickness signi ficantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof , in other words also having a substantially flat shape .

In order to enable switching of the device , charging of the battery, feedback to the user, and/or display of information, it is further preferred to provide various further, functional components including at least one hardware interface , such as a charging interface and/or a wireless communication module (WCM) , at least one user interface such as at least one button, at least one haptic feedback means , such as a vibration motor, and/or at least one display, which are mechanically and/or electrically connected to the PCBA. All of these are optional . The display can be provided as simple as one or more lights , in particular LEDs , possibly adapted to emit di f ferent colors of light .

In this context , it will further help in downsi zing the device in the thickness direction when any further functional components overlap with at least one of the heater, the battery and the PCBA in a viewing direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, in other words when they are arranged in the same plane as at least one of the battery, the heater and the PCBA.

As already indicated above , the advantages of the invention can be particularly used, when the heater has a thickness of 1 . 7 mm or less , in particular about 1 . 4 mm

Whereas the general description of the mentioned maj or components to have a thickness signi ficantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof allows the footprint of the maj or component to have any desired shape , it is preferable to have at least two of the heater, the battery and the PCBA with a generally cuboid shape .

The arrangement within the device is particularly easy to overlook, when at least two of the heater, the battery and the PCBA are oriented such that the width and/or length directions are parallel .

As mentioned, the invention provides accessibility to the interior of an inhalation device . Nevertheless , unauthori zed access can advantageously still be prevented, when at least one screw fixing the cover and/or at least one of the mentioned maj or components is a purpose-built one , rather than a common type , such as a Phillips , hex or torx head .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the drawings , in which

Fig . 1 shows a plan view of the aerosol generating device ,

Fig . 2 shows a side view thereof , Fig. 3 shows a top view thereof,

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the interior thereof,

Fig. 5 shows another plan view of the interior thereof, and

Fig. 6 schematically shows a cut view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As can be taken from the plan view of Fig. 1, the aerosol generating device type 10 is essentially rectangular in a plan view and flat cuboid in shape apart from a mouthpiece 12. As can further be taken from Fig. 2, the device 10 has removable covers 14 on one or both large sides thereof, which are, in the embodiment shown, secured by screws 16 essentially located in each of the corner of the cover 14.

As can be taken from the combination of Figs. 1 and 2, the device 10 is essentially flat meaning that a thickness thereof extending from left to right according to Fig. 2 is significantly smaller than both a length and a width thereof as seen in the vertical and the horizontal direction in Fig. 1. The flat shape can further be taken from the top view of Fig. 3.

Further, the described flat shape also applies to the interior major components of the device 10 as depicted in Fig. 4, in particular a battery 18, a heater 20 and a PCBA 22 shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The heater 20 can comprise a pair of substrate plates such as ceramic plates, each of which are provided with a resistive heating track embedded therein or mounted thereon. These plates form a heating chamber therebetween for accommodating a consumable article. The consumable can especially in this case be a flat-shaped tobacco article having, for example , a flat cuboid shape extending along an article axis and having external dimensions LxWxD . In a typical example , the length L of the consumable according to the article axis equals substantially to 33 mm while its width W and depth or thickness D are substantially equal respectively to 12 mm and 1 , 2 mm .

According to di f ferent examples , the values L, W and D can be selected within a range of +/- 40% , for example . The depth D of the consumable is formed by a pair of parallel walls called hereinafter narrow walls , and the width W of the consumable is formed by a pair of parallel walls , called hereinafter wide walls . In some embodiments , the edges between the wide and narrow walls can be rounded . According to other embodiments , the consumable can have any other suitable flat shape and/or external dimensions . According to still other embodiments , the consumable can present any other suitable shape , as for example a stick shape .

The consumable comprises a substrate portion and a downstream portion arranged along the article axis . The substrate portion may for example be slightly longer than the downstream portion . For example , the length of the substrate portion according to the article axis may be substantially equal to 18 mm and the length of the downstream portion according to the article axis may be substantially equal to 15 mm . The substrate portion defines an abutting end of the consumable and the downstream portion defines a proximal end of the consumable . The downstream portion can be configured to form a void space for cooling the generated aerosol , and/or to provide mechanical strength to the entire consumable . The downstream portion can also serve as a mouthpiece segment which can be held in the user' s mouth i f the device is not provided with a mouthpiece component .

The substrate portion and the downstream portion may be fixed one to the other by a wrapper extending around the substrate axis . The wrapper forms the narrow and wide walls of the consumable . In some embodiments , the wrapper is formed from a same wrapping sheet . In some other embodiments , the wrapper is formed by separate wrapping sheets wrapping separately the portions in all constructs and fixed one to the other by any other suitable means . The wrapper may, for example , comprise paper and/or non-woven fabric and/or aluminium foil . The wrapper may be porous or air impermeable and forms a plurality of airflow channels extending inside the consumable between the abutting end and the mouth end .

Alternatively, the heater can comprise a heat conductive cup or tube forming a chamber for accommodating a consumable , for example having a stick shape , and a heating element attached to the chamber . The heating element can be a flexible heater comprising an insulating substrate and a resistive heating track, and being wrapped around the chamber . The heater can also comprise a susceptor material which can be inductively heated under the influence of alternating magnetic fields .

As can particularly be taken from Fig . 6 , in the embodiment shown, the thickness directions extending in an up-and-down direction in Fig . 6 are essentially parallel for all three maj or components 18 to 22 . Moreover, the battery 18 and the heater 20 are essentially arranged in one and the same plane indicated by the reference numeral 38 , and the PCBA 22 is arranged in a second, parallel plane indicated by the reference numeral 40 , in Fig . 6 . In the embodiment shown, two or more maj or components being arranged in the same plane means that these maj or components are arranged side-by-side to each other so that there is a common plane defined perpendicular to the thickness direction passing through these maj or components , like the plane 38 in Fig . 6 . Typically, these maj or components have either their top or bottom faces , or their centers in the thickness direction aligned with each other in the thickness direction.

As can be taken from Fig. 4, further functional components, such as a button 24 constituting a switch, haptic feedback means 26, a wireless communication module (WCM) 32, a charging interface 34 and an LED indicator 36 can additionally be provided on a chassis 28 of the device 10, on an optional basis. Some or all of those further functional components can be arranged in the same plane as at least one of the heater 20, the battery 18 and the PCBA 22. In the example of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6, some or all of the further functional components 24, 26, 32, 34, 36 can be arranged in the same plane 38 as the heater 20 and the battery 18, so that the device can be kept downsized in the thickness direction even if it is provided with those further functional components.

As can be taken from a comparison of Figs. 4 and 1, when the cover 14 is removed, all of the components visible in Fig. 4 are accessible for repair and/or replacement. In other words, the screws 16 are unscrewed, the cover 14 is removed, and the battery 18, the heater 20, the button 24 and the haptic feedback means 26, as well as any further functional components provided on the same side of the PCBA 22 are accessible and can be repaired, possibly after having been removed, or replaced. In particular, the heater 20 and/or the battery 18 can be unclipped from the PCBA 22 similar to the unclipping of a battery from an old type of mobile phone.

As can be taken from Fig. 5, the same applies to the PCBA 22, when the other cover 14 is removed. In particular, the cover, which has already been removed in the situation shown in Fig. 5, can be unclipped. In other words, the one or more clip connection can be released which allows access to the PCBA 22 as well as any further functional components provided on the face of the PCBA 22 visible in Fig. 5. Moreover, the PCBA 22 as such can be removed by unscrewing screws indicated at 30 fixing the PCBA 22 to the chassis 28 . Alternatively or additionally, clip connections connecting the PCBA 22 to the chassis 28 can be unclipped .

As can also be taken from Figs . 4 and 5 , a well ordered arrangement is achieved by means of the width and length directions of the maj or components 18 to 22 being parallel to each other . It can also be taken from the figures , that both the mentioned maj or components 18 to 22 and the device 10 as a whole can have rounded corners , in order to contribute to a pleasant appearance and comfortable handling of the maj or components 18 to 22 and/or the device 10 .

Fig . 6 particularly shows the battery 18 and the heater 20 overlapping or, in the embodiment shown, essentially coinciding, when viewed perpendicular to a thickness direction thereof from the left or right side according to Fig . 6 , i . e . , in the direction of arrow A shown in Fig . 4 and Fig . 6 . Moreover, when viewing in a thickness direction, i . e . in the up-and-down direction in Fig . 6 , the PCBA 22 signi ficantly overlaps the battery 18 and the heater 20 . In the embodiment shown, the PCBA 22 is , in a plan view, the largest maj or component and essentially covers the battery 18 and the heater 20 together .

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

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device (10) configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising a heater (20) with a heating compartment adapted to receive an article containing a consumable substance, a battery (18) and a PCBA (22) as major components, each of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) having a shape with a thickness significantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof, at least two of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) overlapping in a viewing direction (A) perpendicular to a thickness thereof wherein the heater comprises two parts, each part having a generally cuboid shape with a thickness significantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof, and the two parts being essentially parallel and conforming in a viewing direction parallel to the thickness thereof.

2. The aerosol generating device (10) of claim 1, wherein the heater (20) and the battery (18) overlap.

3. The aerosol generating device (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) not overlapping with any of the others has a thickness oriented substantially parallel to the thickness of the others .

4. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the one of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) not overlapping with any of the others overlaps with at least one of the others in a viewing direction parallel to the thickness thereof.

5. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the overlapping major components fully overlaps at least one other major component in the viewing direction (A) perpendicular to a thickness direction or parallel to the thickness direction, respectively.

6. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater (20) has a flat cup like structure and/or the parts of the heater are separate or the parts are provided on a flexible heater, for example a film heater, which is wrapped around a structure such as a flat cup adapted to accommodate a consumable.

7. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) further has at least one cover (14) with a thickness significantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof, which is fixed to a body of the device (10) by at least one screw (16) and/or a clip connection .

8. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the PCBA (22) is fixed to a chassis (28) of the device (10) by at least one screw (16) and/or a clip connection .

9. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater (20) and/or the battery (18) is fixed to a chassis (28) of the device (10) by at least one clip connection.

10. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) as a whole has, apart from a mouthpiece (12) , a generally cuboid shape with a thickness significantly smaller than both a width and a length thereof.

11. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) further comprises one or more functional components, including at least one hardware interface (32, 34) , at least one user interface such as a button (24) , at least one haptic feedback means (26) such as a vibration motor, and/or at least one display (36) , which are mechanically and/or electrically connected to the PCBA (22) .

12. The aerosol generating device (10) of claim 11, wherein the one or more functional components (24, 26, 32, 34, 36) are arranged in the same plane as at least one of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) .

13. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the heater (20) has a thickness of 1.7 mm or less, in particular about 1.4 mm.

14. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) are generally cuboid.

15. The aerosol generating device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the heater (20) , the battery (18) and the PCBA (22) are oriented such that their width and/or length direction are parallel.