RU2822228C2 - Device for heating smoking material - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: smoking articles.

SUBSTANCE: present description relates to a device (1) for heating a smoking material in order to vaporize at least one component of the smoking material. The device (1) contains the first part (10) of the body, containing the first connector (15) and a recess (13) for accommodating the cartridge (40), and the second part (20) of the body, containing the second connector (25) for engagement with the first connector (15). When interconnected, the first and second connectors (15, 25) define an inlet (60) between the first and second connectors (15, 25) to allow air to be admitted into the recess (13) from the outer space of the smoking article. The inlet is fluidly connected to the outer space of the device through the annular gap between the first (15) and second (25) connectors. It is possible to change the cross-sectional area of each of the inlets (60) while maintaining the connection of the first and second connectors (15, 25) in order to control the airflow through the inlets.

EFFECT: vaporizing at least one component of the smoking material.

16 cl, 21 dwg

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The present invention relates to a device for heating smoking material.

State of the art

Smoking products such as cigarettes, cigars, and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have already been made to provide alternatives to these products by creating products that release chemical compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called “heat not burn” products or tobacco heating devices or products that release chemical compounds by heating the material rather than burning it. This material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products that may or may not contain nicotine.

US 2014/0334804 A1 discloses a device for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material. Also known from document US 2014/0353856 A1 is a device for generating an aerosol for heating an aerosol-forming substrate.

The essence of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material, the device comprising:

A first housing portion comprising a first connector and a recess for receiving a cartridge; And

A second housing portion comprising a second connector for engagement with the first connector;

Moreover, when connected, the first and second connectors define an inlet opening between the first and second connectors to allow air to enter the recess from the outer space of the smoking article.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the second connector is configured to couple to the first connector so as to couple the second housing portion to the first housing portion.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the second connector is configured to be removably coupled to the first connector to releasably attach the second housing portion to the first housing portion.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first and second connectors are movable relative to each other to change the cross-sectional area of the inlet while maintaining the connection of the first and second connectors.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first connector includes a first screw thread and the second connector includes a second screw thread. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one first screw thread and/or second screw thread has a recess extending therethrough that at least partially defines an inlet opening.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one of the parts, i.e. the first housing part and/or the second housing part contains at least one electrical component, the at least one electrical component being isolated from the inlet opening.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the device includes an electrical power source located in a second housing portion, wherein the first and second housing portions include respective electrical connections for supplying electrical power from the power supply to the first housing portion.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the device includes a cartridge for placement in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge includes a heating element with smokable material disposed thereon.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the device is configured to heat smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material without burning the smokable material when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one of the parts, i.e. the first housing portion and/or the second housing portion includes a controller for controlling the supply of electrical power to the heating element from the electrical power source when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one of the parts, i.e. the first housing portion and/or the second housing portion includes a controller configured to control heating of the heating element to cause heating of the smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material without burning the material when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge may be placed in the recess in only one orientation with respect to the housing. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge has an asymmetrical external cross-sectional shape.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the recess has an internal cross-sectional shape that matches the external cross-sectional shape of the cartridge.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material, the device comprising:

A housing containing a recess for housing a cartridge, the housing defining an opening in the recess; And

A mouthpiece comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, a passage fluidly connecting the inlet port to the outlet port, and a seal surrounding the inlet port;

The mouthpiece may be positioned relative to the body so as to cover the opening, with the seal facing the recess to contact the cartridge when the cartridge is positioned in the recess to seal the inlet of the mouthpiece into the cartridge during use.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the seal defines the inlet opening.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the seal is elastic.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the seal comprises an O-ring.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the mouthpiece is positioned relative to the body so as to cover the opening, with a seal facing the recess to contact the cartridge when the cartridge is positioned in the recess to seal the inlet of the mouthpiece into the cartridge during use.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the device includes a cartridge for placement in the recess, wherein the mouthpiece can be positioned relative to the housing so as to cover the opening, with a seal in contact with the cartridge when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the mouthpiece may be positioned relative to the body so as to close the opening, with a seal being compressed between the bore and the cartridge when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge includes a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a passage through it for the flow of vaporizable material to allow the vaporizable material to pass through the chamber outside the housing, wherein the mouthpiece may be positioned relative to the housing so as to close the passage opening for the flow of vaporized material having fluid connection with the mouthpiece channel through the mouthpiece inlet when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge may be movable through the opening, wherein the mouthpiece may be positioned relative to the housing in a position in which the cartridge is movable through the opening.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge includes a heating element with smokable material disposed thereon.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the device is configured to heat the smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material without burning the material when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the housing includes a controller for controlling the supply of electrical power to the heating element from an electrical power source when the cartridge is positioned in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the housing includes a controller configured to control heating of the heating element to cause heating of the smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material without burning the smokable material when the cartridge is placed in the recess.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge may be placed in the recess in only one orientation with respect to the housing. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cartridge has an asymmetrical external cross-sectional shape.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the recess has an internal cross-sectional shape that matches the external cross-sectional shape of the cartridge.

Brief description of drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a device for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the mouthpiece of the device shown in FIG. 1 when it is separated from the rest of the device.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the first part of the housing of the device shown in FIG. 1 when it is separated from the rest of the device.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the first part of the device body shown in FIG. 5.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a second body portion of the device shown in FIG. 1 when it is separated from the rest of the device.

Fig. 8 shows another schematic perspective view of the second housing portion shown in FIG. 7, with a shell of the second housing part that defines a compartment of the removed second housing part.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the second housing portion shown in FIG. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view, in an isolated state, of a second electrical conductor portion of the second housing portion shown in FIG. 8 and 9, around the elastic element.

Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1 and 2.

Fig. 12 shows a schematic sectional view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1 and 2.

Fig. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1 and 2, with parts removed to show its second and third pins.

Fig. 14 shows a perspective view, in an isolated state, of the cartridge of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 14.

Fig. 16 shows another schematic perspective view of a sectional portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and 2 with a designated common flow channel passing through it.

Fig. 17 shows a schematic close-up view of a portion of the cartridge heating device shown in FIG. 15.

Fig. 18 shows a schematic sectional view of the cartridge.

Fig. 19 shows a schematic sectional view of the cartridge.

Fig. 20 shows a schematic sectional view of the cartridge.

Fig. 21 shows a schematic sectional view of the cartridge.

Detailed description

As used herein, the term “smokable material” includes materials that provide vaporizable components after heating, typically in aerosol form. The smoking material may be a non-tobacco material or a tobacco containing material. The smoking material may, for example, include one or more of the following components: tobacco itself, tobacco derivatives, blasted tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extract, homogenized tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The smoking material may be in the form of ground tobacco, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, gel or agglomerate. The smoking material may also include other, non-tobacco products which, depending on the product, may or may not contain nicotine.

As used herein, the term "polysaccharides" includes polymeric carbohydrate molecules composed of long chains of monosaccharide units linked together by glycosidic bonds, as well as salts and derivatives of such mixtures. Accordingly, derivatives of such mixtures may have: ester, ether, acid, amine, amide, urea, thiol, thioether, thioester, tricarboxylic acid or thioamide pendant groups on the monosaccharide blocks. Examples of polysaccharides include cellulose and cellulose derivatives, as well as alginic acid and its salts. In some embodiments, the polysaccharides may adhere the smokable material to the heating element. In other embodiments of the invention, the adhesive may contain polysaccharides as an adhesion activator.

As used herein, the term “cellulose derivatives” represents compounds in which the hydroxyl groups of cellulose are partially or completely replaced by various groups. Examples of cellulose derivatives are cellulose ethers and esters. In some embodiments, the cellulose derivatives may contain cellulose ether, which may include alkyl, hydroxyalkyl and carboxyalkyl cellulose ethers. In some embodiments, the cellulose derivative may be a hydroxyalkyl cellulose ether, such as hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and hydroxyethyl ethylcellulose. Cellulose derivatives may in some cases be selected from the following group: hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and hydroxyethyl ethylcellulose. Cellulose derivatives may contain or consist essentially of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

As used herein, the term “polyamide” refers to any polymer containing or substantially formed from imide monomers and may be saturated or unsaturated. Polyamide may be hydrophobic.

As used herein, the term “polyester” refers to polymers that contain a polyester functional group in their backbone. They can be formed by condensation to form an ester of multifunctional alcohols and acids. In some cases, the polyester functional group is present in approximately half of the repeat units, or in the majority of the repeat units, or in substantially all of the repeat units. Polyesters may be saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic, semi-aromatic or aromatic, and may be copolymers or homopolymers. The polyester may be hydrophobic.

As used herein, the terms “flavour” or “flavourant” refer to materials that may be used, where local regulations permit, to create the desired taste or aroma in a product for adult consumers. These may include extracts (eg, licorice extract, hydrangea tree extract, Japanese magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbal extract, wintergreen, cherry, berry extract, peach , apple, Drumbuie scotch whiskey with heather honey and herbs, bourbon, scotch whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, croton, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, cumin, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, pymento, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mint), aroma enhancing agents, blocking bitter receptor site agents, bitter receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (for example, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, cyclamates, lactose, cane sugar, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol), and other additives, such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, herbal products or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as oil, liquid or powder.

In fig. 1 and 2 show a perspective view and a schematic sectional view of an example of a device 1 for heating a smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material. The device 1 is configured to heat the smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material, typically to form an aerosol that can be inhaled without burning or burning the smokable material. The device 1 includes a first housing portion 10, a second housing portion 20, a mouthpiece 30, and a cartridge 40. The combination of the first and second housing portions 10, 20 constitutes the body of the device 1. The combination of the first and second housing portions 10, 20 and the mouthpiece 30 constitutes an assembly having interface (discussed later) with which the cartridge 40 is capable of interacting. Each of these components will be discussed in turn.

The first housing part 10 is located between the second housing part 20 and the mouthpiece 30. Each of these parts, i.e. the first and second body parts 10, 20 and the mouthpiece 30 define the corresponding part of the outer body of the entire device 1. Accordingly, the appearance of the device 1 is determined by combining the first and second body parts 10, 20 and the mouthpiece 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, 5 and 6, the first housing portion 10 is generally tubular and oblong in shape, has first and second opposing longitudinal ends 11, 12, and defines an interface for engagement with the cartridge 40. In this embodiment, the interface includes a recess 13 for receiving the cartridge 40. In other embodiments of the invention, the interface may have another shape, such as a shelf, surface, or protrusion, and optionally requires a mechanical interface with the cartridge 40 in order to interact with the cartridge 40. The second longitudinal end 12 of the first housing portion 10 defines an opening 14 in recess 13. The opening 14 is shaped and sized to allow the cartridge 40 to move through the opening 14 and allow a user to insert the cartridge 40 into the recess 13 and/or remove the cartridge 40 from the recess 13, as will be discussed in more detail below. The first longitudinal end 11 of the first housing part 10 includes a first connector 15 which engages in a detachable manner with a second connector 25 of the second housing part 20, as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 1, 2, 7 and 8, the second housing portion 20 is generally tubular and oblong in shape, has first and second opposing longitudinal ends 21, 22, and defines a compartment 23. The compartment 23 receives a plurality of first electrical components. The first electrical components in this embodiment include a rechargeable battery power source 24, a printed circuit board (PCB) 26, and a universal serial bus (USB) charger interface 27. In other embodiments of the invention, the electrical power source 24 may be different and may not be a rechargeable battery, for example, it may be a non-rechargeable battery or a capacitor. The charging interface 27 is accessible from the outside of the device 1 at the first longitudinal end 21 of the second housing part 20. The electrical charging circuit and the voltage regulator 26b are provided on the circuit board 26. The combination of the electrical charging circuit and the charging interface 27 constitutes the charging arrangement of the device 1. The electrical charging circuit is electrically coupled to the positive and negative terminals 24a and 24b of the battery 24 and is electrically coupled to the charging interface 27 charging. Battery 24 can be charged by connecting the charging assembly to an external power source (not shown) using charging interface 27. The electrical charging circuit includes an overcharge preventive device to prevent overcharging of the battery 24. In various embodiments of the illustrated embodiment, the charging interface 27 may have a different form than that prescribed by the universal serial bus (USB) standard, and/or may be located elsewhere on the device 1. In some embodiments of the invention, the charging arrangement may not be used.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second longitudinal end 22 of the second housing portion 20 includes a second connector 25 that can engage the first connector 15 of the first housing portion 10. In this embodiment, the first connector 15 may engage the second connector 25 so as to couple the second housing portion 20 to the first housing portion 10. In other embodiments of the invention, the first and second housing portions 10, 20 may be permanently connected, for example, through a hinge or elastic element, such that the connection of the first connector 15 to the second connector 25 will not connect the second housing portion 20 to the first housing portion 10, but in such a case will serve to facilitate partial separation or opening of the first housing part 10 and the second housing part 20. In this embodiment, the first connector 15 may be coupled to the second connector 25 as a releasable connection to releasably attach the second housing portion 20 to the first housing portion 10. Accordingly, if the rechargeable battery 24 that is housed in the second housing portion 20 becomes discharged, the user has the option of replacing the second housing portion 20 with another second housing portion 20 containing a charged power source 24 . Thus, the user is able to continue using the device 1, for example, while recharging the first, discharged rechargeable battery 24. In other embodiments of the invention, the first connector 15 may not be detachable from the second connector 25 once the first and second connectors 15, 25 are connected between themselves. In such other embodiments of the invention, the second housing portion 20 becomes permanently attached to the first housing portion 10 upon engagement of the first and second connectors 15, 25.

In fig. 5 and 8 show embodiments of the invention in which the first and second connectors 15, 25 are, respectively, female and male connectors 15, 25 and respectively comprise cooperating internal and external screw threads 15a, 25a. In some other embodiments, the first and second connectors 15, 25 may be female and male connectors 15, 25, respectively, and may comprise internal and external screw threads that co-operate, respectively. In yet further embodiments of the invention, the first and second connectors 15, 25 may comprise cooperating structures other than screw threads, such as a pin and slot together defining a bayonet connection, a protrusion and hole together defining a snap connection, a plug and socket, or the like. connections.

In this embodiment, the first and second connectors 15, 25 are electrically conductive such that when the first and second connectors 15, 25 are engaged, electrical current may be conducted from the second connector 25 to the first connector 15, as will be explained in more detail in further. In this embodiment of the invention, each of the connectors, i.e. the first and second connectors 15, 25 are made of metal or a metal alloy such as copper or stainless steel, etc. In other embodiments of the invention, one or both of the connectors, i.e. the first and second connectors 15, 25 may be made of another electrically conductive material.

In fig. 7, it can be seen that in this embodiment, the second screw thread 25a has four cutouts 25n extending therethrough, spaced circumferentially around the second screw thread 25a. In other embodiments, there may be more or fewer cutouts 25n extending through the second screw thread 25a. In this embodiment, each of the notches 25n extends linearly and radially through the second screw thread 25a. In other embodiments, the cutout(s) 25n may extend radially and non-linearly through the second screw thread 25a, or may extend linearly and non-radially through the second screw thread 25a, or may extend non-linearly and non-radially through the second screw thread 25a. In this embodiment of the invention, the cutouts 25n are provided only through the second screw thread 25a. In other embodiments of the invention, there may be one or more cutouts additionally or alternatively provided through the first screw thread 15a. In some embodiments, the first and second connectors 15, 25 may be positioned such that the cutout(s) that are provided through the first screw thread 15a are aligned with the cutout(s) that are provided through the second screw thread 25a when the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25.

When the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25, as most fully shown in FIG. 11, the first and second connectors 15, 25 interact with each other to define between the first and second connectors 15, 25 four air inlets 60 for admitting air into the device 1, and more specifically, into the recess 13 of the first housing part 10 on the outside of the device. 1. The inlets 60 are fluidly coupled to the exterior of the device 1 through an annular gap 62 that remains between the first and second connectors 15, 25 on the outer surface of the device 1 when the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25. First connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25 when nothing can be done to engage the first connector 15 with the second connector 25. In this embodiment of the invention, this complete engagement occurs when the first connector 15 cannot be further moved into the second connector 25. This may be, for example, caused by the leading edge of the first screw thread 15a of the first connector 15 reaching the end point of the second screw thread 25a of the second connector 25, or by the fact that the respective stops of the first and second connectors 15, 25 have been brought into contact with each other during engagement of the first and second connectors 15, 25. In other embodiments of the invention, other mechanisms may be provided for determining the point at which the first and second connectors 15, 25 are fully engaged with each other. In this embodiment, the first and second connectors 15, 25 are relatively movable to change the cross-sectional area of each of the inlet openings 60 while maintaining the connection of the first and second connectors 15, 25 in order to control the flow of air through the inlet openings 60. In this embodiment of the invention, the degree of engagement of the first and second connectors 15, 25 is variable by rotating one of the connectors, i.e. the first or second connectors 15, 25, in relation to the other connector. This has the effect of correspondingly varying the axial size of the inlet openings 60 between the first and second connectors 15, 25 so as to vary the cross-sectional area of each of the inlet openings 60. In this embodiment of the invention, each of the inlet openings 60 is defined by a corresponding one of the cutouts 25n and a corresponding adjacent portion of the first connector 15. In other embodiments of the invention in which more or less cuts are provided, more or less inlets will be provided accordingly.

In this embodiment, a compartment 23 is provided in the second housing portion 20, and thus each of the first electrical components therein is isolated from each of the inlets 60 by the material of the second connector 25, a board containing the second and third electrical conductors 282, 283 (discussed below and shown in FIGS. 9 and 10), and a plug 25b inserted into the second connector 25 between the second connector 25 and the board. This helps prevent the first electrical components from coming into contact with dust and other foreign substances that may be drawn into the device 1 through the inlet(s) 60 during operation of the device 1, which may otherwise adversely affect the performance of the first electrical components. components. However, in other embodiments of the invention, compartment 23 and/or electrical power supply 24 and/or printed circuit board (PCB) 26 (if provided) and/or charger interface 27 (if provided) may be fluidly coupled environment with one or more or all inlets.

In this embodiment, the first and second housing portions 10, 20 include respective electrical connections for supplying electrical power from the power supply 24 to the first housing portion 10 to provide power to the cartridge 40, as discussed below. More specifically, in this embodiment, the second housing portion 20 includes a first electrical conductor 281 (shown in more detail in FIG. 8) that extends from the negative terminal 24b of the battery 24 to the second screw thread 25a of the second connector 25 and bypasses the voltage regulator 26b , a second electrical conductor 282 (shown in more detail in FIGS. 9 and 10) that extends from the positive terminal 24a of battery 24 to voltage regulator 26b on the PCB circuit board 26, and a third electrical conductor 283 (also shown in more detail in FIGS. 9 and 10), which extends from voltage regulator 26b to terminal 283a. The third electrical conductor 283 is separated from the second electrical conductor 282 by an electrical insulator 284 so that it is electrically isolated from the second electrical conductor 282. A terminal 283a is located centrally on the longitudinal axis of the second housing portion 20 at the second longitudinal end 22 of the second housing portion 20. Terminal 283a may be contacted through hole 25c in plug 25b. In this embodiment, the terminal 283a is a positive terminal of the second housing portion 20, and the second screw thread 25a of the second connector 25 is a negative terminal of the second housing portion 20.

A portion of the second electrical conductor 282 is in contact with a positive terminal 24a of the battery 24. A portion of the third electrical conductor 283 includes a terminal 283a. These portions of the second and third electrical conductors 282, 283 are wrapped around the resilient member 29. The resilient member 29 biases the second electrical conductor 282 so that it contacts the positive terminal 24a of the battery 24 in a first direction. This helps maintain good electrical contact between the second electrical conductor 282 and the positive terminal 24a of the battery 24. The resilient member 29 also biases portions of the second and third electrical conductors 282, 283 so that they contact the plug 25b in a second direction. This helps provide a seal between the second and third electrical conductors 282, 283 and the plug 25b to thereby help isolate the compartment 23 from the inlet ports 60. The second electrical conductor 282 extends from the positive terminal 24a of the battery 24, around the elastic member 29, and along most of the the longitudinal length of the second housing portion 20 to the printed circuit board (PCB) 26 to electrically connect the positive terminal 24a of the battery 24 to the electrical charging circuit and voltage regulator 26b on the printed circuit board (PCB) 26, as mentioned previously. A third electrical conductor 283 extends from the voltage regulator 26b and along most of the longitudinal length of the second housing portion 20 to a terminal 283a.

In this embodiment, each of the conductors, namely the first, second and third electrical conductors 281, 282, 283, are made of metal or a metal alloy such as copper or stainless steel, etc., but in other embodiments of the invention, one or more of the conductors, namely the first, second and third electrical conductors 281, 282, 283, may be made of another electrically conductive material.

The respective electrical connections of the first and second housing portions 10, 20 for supplying electrical power from the power supply 24 to the first housing portion 10 in the present embodiment are further illustrated in FIG. 11-13. The first screw thread 15a of the first connector 15 in this embodiment is a negative terminal of the first housing portion 10 and is electrically connected to the negative terminal, i.e. the second screw thread 25a of the second connector 25 of the second housing portion 20 when the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25. The plate 16 is mounted on the first connector 15. The plate 15 has a circular shape extending about a central axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the first parts of 10 corps. The plate 16 is located inside the first housing part 10 between the first longitudinal end 11 of the first housing part 10 and the recess 13 of the first housing part 10. Five holes 16a-16e are provided extending through this plate 16. The first hole 16a of these holes is centered on the longitudinal axis of the first housing portion 10. Inside the first hole 16a is a first pin 17a, which projects from the plate 16 towards the first longitudinal end 11 of the first housing part 10. The first pin 17a is electrically conductive and may be made of metal or a metal alloy such as copper or stainless steel or the like. The first pin 17a is the positive terminal of the first part 10 of the housing. When the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector, as most fully illustrated in FIG. 11, the first pin 17a is located in the hole 25c in the plug 25b, and is in contact with the surface of the positive terminal, i.e. terminals 283a of the second part 20 of the housing.

As shown in FIG. 12, within the second and third holes 16b, 16c, among those holes that extend through the plate 16, there are second and third pins 17b, 17c, which protrude from the plate 16 in the opposite direction to the pin 17a, and project into the recess 13. Each of these pins, i.e. the second and third pins 17b, 17c are electrically conductive and may be made of metal or a metal alloy such as copper or stainless steel or the like. Here, the second pin 17b is designated as the “first electrically conductive terminal,” and the third pin 17c is designated as the “second electrically conductive terminal.” Moreover, in this case, the first pin 17a is defined as the “third electrically conductive terminal”, the terminal 283a of the second housing portion 20 is defined as the “fourth electrically conductive terminal”, the first screw thread 15a of the first connector 15 is defined as the “fifth electrically conductive terminal”, and the second screw thread 25a of the second connector 25 is defined as the “sixth electrically conductive terminal.” The first and second electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17c are configured to supply electrical power to the cartridge 40 when the interface engages the cartridge 40 (i.e., when the cartridge 40 is fully seated in the recess 13) and the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25 .

In this embodiment, the second electrically conductive terminal 17c is electrically connected to the fifth electrically conductive terminal 15a through a controller 50 housed in the first housing portion 10. Moreover, in this embodiment, the first electrically conductive terminal 17b is electrically coupled to the third electrically conductive terminal 17a via the controller 50. In this embodiment, the controller 50 includes an integrated circuit (IC). In other embodiments of the invention, the controller 50 may have a different shape. The controller 50 is configured to control the supply of electrical power to the heating element 410 in the cartridge 40 when the cartridge 40 is fully positioned in the recess 13, as will be discussed in more detail below. When the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25, the third electrically conductive terminal 17a comes into surface contact with the fourth electrically conductive terminal 283a, and the fifth electrically conductive terminal comes into surface contact with the sixth electrically conductive terminal 25a. Thus, the first housing portion 10 is connected to the second housing portion 20 with the third and fifth electrically conductive terminals 17a, 15a in surface contact, respectively, with the fourth and sixth electrically conductive terminals 283a, 25a.

Accordingly, when the first connector 15 is fully engaged with the second connector 25, the positive terminal 24a of the power supply 24 is electrically connected to the controller 50 through the voltage regulator 26b, and the negative terminal 24b of the power supply 24 is electrically connected to the controller 50 through an electrically conductive path that free from the influence of the voltage regulator 26b. Since each of the screw threads, i.e. the first and second threads 15a, 25a are part of the body of the device 1, the electrically conductive path contains part of the body.

In this embodiment, the controller 50 is located in the first housing portion 10, and more specifically, radially outward from the recess 13 and between the first and second longitudinal ends 11, 12 of the first housing portion 10. The controller 50 is controlled in this embodiment by a user-actuated actuator 18. The actuator 18 is located on the outer side of the first housing portion 10, radially outward from the controller 50 and the recess 13, and takes the form of a push button. In other embodiments, another form of actuator 18 may be provided, such as a rocker switch, dial switch, or face switches. In this embodiment, the controller 50 is isolated from each of the inlet ports 60 by a plate 16 and a section of the first housing portion 10 that defines a recess 13. In other embodiments, additional or alternative electrical components located in the first housing portion 10 may be isolated from the inlet ports 60. This helps prevent the electrical components in the first housing portion 10 from coming into contact with dust or other foreign matter that may be drawn into the device 1 through the inlet(s) 60 during operation of the device 1, which otherwise the performance of these electrical components may be adversely affected. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the controller 50 and/or other electrical components in the first housing portion 10 may be in fluid communication with one or more inlet ports 60.

In other embodiments of the invention, the controller 50 may be provided in a plate 16 of the first housing portion 10, or in a second housing portion 20. The controller 50 may be provided on a PCB circuit board or other structure. In those embodiments in which the controller 50 is contained in the second housing portion 20, one of the positive or negative terminals 24a, 24b of the electrical power supply 24 may be electrically coupled to the controller 50 via a voltage regulator 26b, and the other of the positive or negative terminals 24a. , 24b of the electrical power supply 24 may be electrically coupled to the controller 50 via an electrically conductive path that is free from the influence of the voltage regulator 26b.

In this embodiment, the first, third and fourth electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17a, 283a are electrically connected to the positive terminal 24a of the electrical power source 24, and the second, fifth and sixth electrically conductive terminals 17c, 15a, 25a are electrically connected to the negative terminal 24b of the electrical power source 24 power when the first connector 15 engages the second connector 25. In some other embodiments of the invention, the polarities of the battery terminals 24a, 24b may be opposite.

When an arrangement is provided in which one of the positive and negative terminals 24a and 24b of the power supply 24 is electrically connected to the controller 50 through the voltage regulator 26b, while the other of the positive or negative terminals 24a, 24b of the power supply 24 is electrically is coupled to the controller 50 via an electrically conductive path that is free from the influence of the voltage regulator 26b, which helps to simplify the manufacture of the device 1. In this case, fewer connections to the voltage regulator 26b may be required and the electrically conductive path can be provided regardless of the location of the voltage regulator 26b in the device 1. This also gives the designer of device 1 more freedom when designing device 1.

The mouthpiece 30 of this embodiment of the device 1 will now be described in more detail, with particular reference to FIG. 3 and 4. The mouthpiece 30 is generally tubular and elongated, and also has first and second opposing longitudinal ends 31 and 32. The first longitudinal end 31 of the mouthpiece 30 is the first longitudinal end of the device 1, while the first longitudinal end 21 of the second part 20 the housing is the second longitudinal end of the device 1. The second longitudinal end 32 of the mouthpiece 30 includes a connector 33 that can engage a second connector 19 of the first housing part 10 on the second longitudinal end 12 of the first housing part 10.

In this embodiment, a connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 may engage a second connector 19 of the first housing portion 10 to attach the mouthpiece 30 to the first housing portion 10. In other embodiments of the invention, the mouthpiece 30 and the first housing portion 10 may be permanently connected, for example, through a hinge or flexible member, such that the connection of the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 to the second connector 19 of the first body portion 10 will not be such as to attach the mouthpiece 30 to the first part of the 10th body as such. In this embodiment, a connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 is releasably coupled to a second connector 19 of the first housing portion 10 to releasably attach the mouthpiece 30 to the first housing portion 10. In other embodiments of the invention, the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 may not be detachable from the second connector 19 of the first body part 10 after being attached thereto. In such other embodiments, the mouthpiece 30 may be permanently attached to the first housing portion 10 after connecting the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 to the second connector 19 of the first housing portion 10.

In this embodiment, the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 and the second connector 19 of the first body part 10 respectively comprise two projections and two corresponding holes or recesses. The projections and recesses together define a snap connection for attaching the mouthpiece 30 to the first housing portion 10. In other embodiments, the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 and the second connector 19 of the first body portion 10 may comprise other forms of cooperating structures, for example, cooperating screw threads, a bayonet connection, a plug and socket, or similar connections.

The mouthpiece 30 includes an inlet 34 at the second longitudinal end 32 of the mouthpiece 30, an outlet 35 at the first longitudinal end 31 of the mouthpiece 30, and a channel 36 fluidly connecting the inlet 34 to the outlet 35. In this embodiment of the invention, the channel 36 extends, substantially linearly along the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece 30. In other embodiments of the invention, the channel 36 may be located elsewhere in the mouthpiece 30, or may take on another shape other than a substantially linear shape. The mouthpiece 30 also includes a seal 37 surrounding the inlet 34. In this embodiment, the seal 37 defines the inlet 34, but in other embodiments of the invention, the inlet 34 may be defined by another element, and the seal 37 may surround the other element. In this embodiment, seal 37 is flexible and elastic, but in other embodiments, seal 37 may be hard, rigid, or inflexible. Additionally, in this embodiment, seal 37 includes an O-ring that is attached to the rest of mouthpiece 30, but in other embodiments, seal 37 may take a different shape and may even be non-circular. For example, in some embodiments, seal 37 may be molded with the rest of mouthpiece 30. In some such embodiments, seal 37 may be flexible while other portions of mouthpiece 30 are less flexible or inflexible.

In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 30 may contain or be impregnated with flavoring. The flavor may be positioned such that it is picked up by the hot aerosol as the aerosol passes through the passage 36 of the mouthpiece 30 during use of the device.

The mouthpiece 30 may be positioned relative to the first housing portion 10 so as to cover the opening 14 in the recess 13. More specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the mouthpiece 30 may be positioned relative to the first housing portion 10 so as to cover the opening 14 associated with the outlet opening 35 into the outer space of the device 1, and with a seal 37 facing the recess 13. When the mouthpiece 30 is thus positioned relative to the first body portion 10, the seal 37 is intended to contact the cartridge 40 when the cartridge 40 is in the recess 13 to seal inlet 31 of the mouthpiece 30 into the cartridge 40 during use of the device. In this embodiment, when the mouthpiece 30 is thus positioned relative to the first body portion 10, and when the cartridge 40 is in the recess 13, the seal 37 is compressed between the channel 36 and the cartridge 40. This causes the cartridge 40 to compress in the recess 13, which in turn helps ensure that the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b (discussed later) of the cartridge 40 are in surface contact, respectively, with the first and second conductive terminals 17b, 17c.

The cartridge 40 of this embodiment of the device 1 will now be described in more detail, with particular reference to FIGS. 14, 15 and 17. In this embodiment, the cartridge 40 includes a housing 43 defining a chamber 44. A heating device 400 is located within the chamber 44. In other embodiments, the housing 43 may be omitted or take a different form than that illustrated. In some embodiments of the invention, the heating device may be contained in a device that does not include a cartridge. As will be described in more detail hereinafter, in this embodiment, heating device 400 includes a heating element 410 with smokable material 420 disposed on heating element 410. Heating element 410 is configured to heat smokable material 420 and is a support on which smokable material 420 is located. The heating device 400 is arranged to heat the smokable material 420 to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material 420 to create a vaporizable material. Typically, this evaporation causes the formation of an aerosol. The aerosol can be inhaled by the user of the device 1 through the channel 36 of the mouthpiece 30. The operation of the device 1 will be described in more detail hereinafter.

In this embodiment, the housing 43 includes first and second housing portions 43a, 43b that cooperate to define a chamber 44. A heating device 400 extends from the first housing portion 43a into the chamber 44 and toward the second housing portion 43b and through this second part. The first and second housing portions 43a, 43b define, respectively, the first and second longitudinal ends 41, 42 of the cartridge 40. In other embodiments of the invention, the first and second longitudinal ends 41, 42 of the cartridge 40 may be collectively defined by one housing portion, for example, by one component. In this embodiment, the first casing part 43a is not unitary with the second casing part 43b and is attached to this second casing part 43b. In this embodiment, this attachment occurs through a snap connection between the first and second housing portions 43a, 43b, but in other embodiments, the attachment may occur through other mechanisms. In this embodiment, the entire housing 43 is made of a non-porous material. Accordingly, air cannot pass through the casing material itself. However, with the first and second casing portions 43a, 43b thus attached, the first and second casing portions 43a, 43b cooperate so as to define an air flow passage 45 in the form of an opening 45 between the first and second casing portions 43a, 43b. This air flow passage 45 extends through the housing 43 and is designed to admit air into the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 from the outer space of the housing 43.

In other embodiments, airflow passage 45 may be defined in another manner, such as by an opening formed in housing component 43. In some embodiments, housing 43 may be comprised of more or fewer housing portions defining chamber 44, and/or or defining a passage 45 for air flow. In embodiments of the invention that differ from those shown in the figures, part of the housing or all of the housing may be made of a porous material to admit air into the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 from the outer space of the housing 43. That is, air is able to pass through the material itself. casing 43, without requiring a hole through the material or a gap between the first and second casing portions 43a, 43b. Accordingly, the porous material itself provides one or more air flow passages through the housing 43 to admit air into the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 from the exterior of the housing 43. In some embodiments, the first portion of the housing 43 may be made of a porous material to admit air. into the chamber 44 from the outer space of the housing 43, and the second part of the housing 43 may be made of a non-porous material. In some such embodiments, the first housing portion and/or the second housing portion 43 may have one or more openings extending therethrough to further admit air into the chamber 44 from the exterior of the housing 43.

In this embodiment of the invention, since the entire housing is made of a non-porous material, the aerosol or vaporized material created within the housing 43 cannot pass through the material of the housing 43 itself. However, the housing 43 has a plurality of passages for the flow of vaporized material passing through it to allow passage of vaporized material from chamber 44 outside of casing 43. In this embodiment of the invention, passages for flow of vaporized material include a plurality of holes 46 extending through the casing. In this embodiment, the holes 46 extend through the second housing portion 43b. As shown in FIG. 2 and 16, in this embodiment, when the mouthpiece 30 is positioned relative to the first housing portion 10 so as to close the opening 14, the seal 37 closes the openings 46 into the outer space of the housing 43, the openings 46 being fluidly connected to the channel 36 through inlet 34 of the mouthpiece 30. In this embodiment, the holes 46 are located at the second longitudinal end 42 of the cartridge 40. The second longitudinal end 42 is closer to the mouthpiece 30 in the assembled device 1 than the first longitudinal end 41 of the cartridge 40. In some embodiments, the housing 43 may have only one vaporizable material flow passage through it to allow vaporizable material to exit chamber 44 outside the interior of housing 43. For example, in some embodiments, only a single opening may be provided instead of multiple openings 46.

In embodiments of the invention that differ from those shown in the figures, part or all of the housing 43 may be made of a porous material to allow the aerosol or vaporized material to pass from the chamber 44 outside the interior of the housing 43. That is, the aerosol or vaporized material may be capable of passing through the material of the housing 43 itself without requiring one or more holes to exist through the material. Accordingly, the porous material itself provides one or more passages for the flow of vaporized material through the housing 43 to allow vaporized material to pass from the chamber 44 outside the interior of the housing 43. In some embodiments of the invention, the first portion of the housing 43 is made of a non-porous material, and the second housing portion 43 is made of a porous material to allow vaporized material to pass from the chamber 44 outside the interior of the housing 43. The second housing portion 43 may include a plate that is, for example, molded together with the first housing portion 43. In some such embodiments, the first portion and/or second portion of the housing 43 may have one or more openings 46 extending therethrough to further allow vaporized material to pass from the chamber 44 outside the interior of the housing 43. In some embodiments, the inlet portion of the housing may be made of porous material to admit air into the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 from the outer space of the casing 43, and the outlet portion of the casing 43 may be made of a porous material to allow vaporized material to pass from the chamber 44 outside the interior space of the casing 43. The inlet and outlet portions may have the same or different degrees of porosity or void ratios.

When a porous material is used, it may comprise, for example, polyethylene or nylon. Different grades of polyethylene offer different levels of porosity. The use of polyethylene to provide a suitable housing or housing portion to allow aerosol or vaporized material to pass from chamber 44 outside the interior of housing 43 will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of this disclosure. In some embodiments, a portion of the cartridge, such as a housing, may contain flavoring, or may be enriched with flavoring. The flavoring agent may be positioned such that it is picked up by a hot mist created within the chamber 44 during use of the device.

In this embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 17, the heating element 410 includes a multi-layer or laminated structure including three layers. The three layers are: a first material layer 411, an electrically conductive material layer 412, and a second material layer 413. A layer 412 of electrically conductive material is located between, or in contact with, the first and second layers 411, 413 of material. The first material layer 411 is the first support layer 411, and the second material layer 413 is the second support layer 413. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the multi-layer or layered structure may comprise more or fewer layers. In some embodiments, such as this embodiment, heating element 410 includes a first support layer 411 and a layer 412 of electrically conductive material on the surface of the first support layer 411, defining one or more electrically conductive paths. In some embodiments, the heating element 410 may not comprise a multi-layer or layered structure. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the first and second support layers 411, 413 may not be used. In some embodiments, one or more additional layers may be provided between the electrically conductive material layer 412 and the first support layer 411, and/or between the electrically conductive material layer 412 and the second support layer 413.

A layer 412 of electrically conductive material is supported relative to each of the first and second support layers 411, 413. This can be achieved in a variety of different ways. For example, as in this embodiment, the material of the first and second support layers 411, 413 may wrap or surround the electrically conductive material layer 412 to support the electrically conductive material layer 412 relative to each of the first and second support layers 411, 413. Alternatively, or further, some portions of the material of the first and second support layers 411, 413 may be positioned in openings formed such that they extend through the electrically conductive material layer 412 to attach the first and second support layers 411, 413 to the electrically conductive material layer 412. Alternatively or additionally, depending on the material used, the material of the first and second support layers 411, 413 may be naturally attached to the material of the electrically conductive material layer 412 to attach the first and second support layers 411, 413 to the electrically conductive material layer 412. Alternatively or additionally, the first and second support layers 411, 413 may be attached to the electrically conductive material layer 412 using an adhesive. In providing such a connection, such an adhesive may form additional identifiable adhesive layers, respectively, between the electrically conductive material layer 412 and the first and second support layers 411, 413.

In this embodiment, the material of the first support layer 411 is the same as the material of the second support layer 413. This may facilitate the manufacture of a multi-layer or layered structure. During the manufacturing process, the electrically conductive material layer 412 may be dipped into the material of the first and second support layers 411, 413 in liquid form to cover some or all of the electrically conductive material layers 412. The material of the first and second support layers 411, 413 may then be allowed to cure or set to cure, thereby holding the resulting first and second support layers 411, 413 relative to the electrically conductive material layer 412.

In this embodiment of the invention, the electrically conductive material layer 412 is a stainless steel layer 412. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the layer of electrically conductive material may be another metal alloy or metal or the like. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the electrically conductive material is or contains the following materials: steel, stainless steel, copper and nichrome. In this embodiment, the electrically conductive material is in the form of a foil, such that the electrically conductive material layer 412 is a foil layer 412. In embodiments of the invention in which the electrically conductive material is a material other than stainless steel, the electrically conductive material layer 412 may nonetheless be a foil layer 412.

In this embodiment of the invention, the electrically conductive material is etched so that a structure is formed thereon that provides electrically conductive paths and also increases the surface area of the electrically conductive material. For example, pattern formation may cause roughness, or ridge-like shapes, or waviness, or a dotted pattern, etc., to form on the surface of the electrically conductive material. In other embodiments of the invention, the electrically conductive material may be printed so that a structure is formed on it, or the formation of the structure may be accomplished by some other process. In still further embodiments of the invention, a structure may not form on the electrically conductive material. For example, in some such embodiments, the electrically conductive material layer 412 may be a simple rectangular strip of electrically conductive material.

The electrically conductive material of the heating element 410 can be heated by passing an electric current through the electrically conductive material. By using a suitably formed electrically conductive material structure, the surface area of the electrically conductive material is increased to provide a larger area for conducting heat to the smoking material 420 disposed on the heating element 410. The first and second support layers 411, 413 may be so thin as to completely fill the resulting rough or structured surface of electrically conductive material. The smoking material 420 may, for example, fill the resulting rough or textured surface of the heating element 410, such that the smoking material 420 has a higher surface area to increase the efficiency factor. In some embodiments of the invention, the structuring of the electrically conductive material may also operate to set the cross-sectional area and path length of an electrical current in the electrically conductive material so that heating of the heating element 410 can be achieved by passing a predetermined electrical current through the electrically conductive material. In addition, by using a suitably formed structure of the electrically conductive material, the material can be shaped such that the electrically conductive material is supported in areas of the heating element 410 that are to be the focus of heating. Accordingly, depending on the structuring provided, uniform heating of the smoking material 420 can be achieved during use of the device.

In this embodiment, each of the first and second support layers 411, 413 are made of a material that is heat resistant. In this embodiment, each of the first and second support layers 411, 413 is an electrical insulator. Moreover, each of these layers is resistant to heat, at least over the expected temperature range of the heating element 410 to which it will be heated during operation, for example, from 180 to 220 degrees C. Polyamide is an example of a material that is resistant to heat at least in this temperature range. In this embodiment, each of the first and second support layers 411, 413 is a polyamide layer. As discussed earlier in this description, the controller 50 in some embodiments of the invention is configured to ensure that the heating element 410 is heated to a temperature that is within this predetermined range. Accordingly, the polyamide is able to withstand such heating of the electrically conductive material during use of the device. In other embodiments, the material of the first support layer 411 may be a different material, i.e. not polyamide, and/or the material of the second support layer 413 may not be polyamide. In some embodiments, the first and second support layers 411, 413 are layers of respective different materials. However, whatever material or materials are used as the first and second support layers 411, 413, it is preferable that these materials can withstand heating at least above the previously mentioned temperature range. In this embodiment, each of the first and second support layers 411, 413 is a layer that is moisture impermeable to prevent the electrically conductive material layer 412 from contacting any moisture present in the smokable material 420.

In this embodiment, the heating element 410 is planar, or at least substantially planar. The flat heating element 410 helps simplify the manufacturing process. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the heating element 410 may be non-planar. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the heating element 410 may be pleated, or corrugated, or wavy, or cross-shaped in cross section, or have a similar shape. A substantially cylindrical heater format is also provided. The non-planar heating element 410 may have an outer surface that is better suited to support the smokable material 420. For example, when a wavy or similar heating element 410 is used, the smokable material 420 may adhere or bond more securely to depressions on the outer surface of the heating element 410 formed using corrugation. In addition, the non-planar heating element 410 provides a larger surface area for conducting heat to the smokable material 420. In this case, it can support a larger amount of smokable material 420 in a layer of a given thickness. Smoking materials such as tobacco are often poor conductors of heat, so it may be desirable to provide the smokable material 420 in relatively thin layers to reduce electrical current consumption, or to increase the heating rate of the smokable material 420.

In this embodiment, the smoking material 420 contains tobacco and is located on the heating element 410 in two areas 421, 422, as shown, for example, in FIG. 15 and 17. In this embodiment, the smokable material 420 is in a solid state and contains particles of smokable material. The first and second portions 421, 422 of the smoking material 420 are adhesively attached to the heating element 410, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. More specifically, a first portion 421 of smokable material 420 is attached to the first support layer 411 such that the first support layer 411 lies between the electrically conductive material layer 412 and the first portion 421 of smokable material 420. A second portion 422 of smokable material 420 is attached to the second support layer. 413 such that the second support layer 413 lies between the layer 412 of electrically conductive material and the second portion 422 of smokable material 420. Accordingly, the first and second portions 421, 422 of smokable material 420 are located on the first and second portions of the heating element 410, namely, on their respective surfaces of the first and second support layers 411, 413. In this embodiment, the respective surfaces are aligned with the first and second sides of the heating element 410. Additionally, in this embodiment, the first and second sides are respective opposite sides of the heating element 410. In other embodiments In carrying out the invention, the first and second sides may not be opposite sides of the heating element 410, such as adjacent sides of the heating element 410, for example.

As shown in FIG. 17, in this embodiment, the adhesive material forms additional identifiable adhesive layers 310, 320 between the heating element 410 and, respectively, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smokable material 420. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the smokable material 420 may be embedded in the adhesive material Thus, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smoking material 420 contain an adhesive substance and no other additional identifiable adhesive layers are presented. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be omitted and the smokable material 420 may be attached to the heating element 410, or positioned on the heating element 410 by some other mechanism.

In some embodiments, the first portion 421 of the smokable material 420 is shaped to be heated by the heating element 410 more quickly than the second portion 422 of the smokable material 420. More specifically, in this embodiment, for example, the first portion 421 smoking material 420 is located on heating element 410 with a first thickness of material, and a second section 422 of smoking material 420 is located on heating element 410 with a second thickness. Thus, the first section 421 of the smoking material 420 has a first thickness, and the second section 422 of the smoking material 420 has a second thickness. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness. As used herein, "thickness" means the depth of the corresponding portion 421, 422 of the smoking material 420 as measured from the surface of the heating element 410 on which the smoking material 420 is located in a direction perpendicular to the surface.

In some embodiments, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smokable material 420 may be located on the first and second portions of the heating element 410, which are the first and second portions of one side of the heating element 410. That is, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smokable material 420 may be on the same side of the heating element 410.

For example, as shown in the embodiment of the invention in FIG. 18, the smoking material 420 is arranged such that the first portion 421 of the smoking material 420 on the first side 410a of the heating element 410 has a first thickness, and the second portion 422 of the smoking material 420 on the first side 410a of the heating element 410 has a second thickness. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness. A similar arrangement of smoking material 420 is provided on a second side 410b of the heating element 410 opposite the first side 410a.

As shown in FIG. 18, the thickness of the smoking material 420 on the first side 410a of the heating element 410 gradually tapers from the first portion 421 of the smoking material 420 to the second portion 422 of the smoking material 420. In this embodiment, the taper is linear or substantially linear. In other embodiments, the taper may be non-linear, for example, the outer surface of the smoking material 420 may be convex or concave. In still other embodiments, smokable material 420 may be disposed on the first side 410a of heating element 410 with a thickness that increases in a stepwise manner from the first portion 421 of smokable material 420 to the second portion 422 of smokable material 420. In one such embodiment, as shown in fig. 19, there is only a single step in the thickness of the smoking material 420 located on the first side 410a of the heating element 410. The single step is at the point where the first section 421 of the smoking material 420 meets the second section 422 of the smoking material 420. In another such embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 20, there are a plurality of steps in the thickness of the smokable material 420 between the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smokable material 420 located on the first side 410a of the heating element 410. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 20, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smoking material 420 are located at respective opposite ends of the smoking material 420. However, in other embodiments of the invention, this arrangement may be different.

In some embodiments, the smokable material 420 may be located on only one side of the heating element 410. For example, in the corresponding alternatives shown in FIGS. In embodiments 18-20, the smoking material 420 on the first side 410a or the second side 410b of the heating element 410 may not be used.

By arranging different sections of smokable material 420 on heating element 410 with different thicknesses, gradual heating of smokable material 420 and thereby gradual creation of an aerosol can be achieved. More specifically, during use of the device, only a relatively small degree of heating of the heating element 410 is required to cause the first thinnest portion 421 of the smokable material 420 to become heated, thereby triggering vaporization of at least one component of the smokable material 420 at the first section 421 of the smokable material 420 and the formation of an aerosol in the first section 421 of the smokable material 420. When further heating of the heating element 410 occurs, the second thicker section 422 of the smokable material 420 becomes warm enough to initiate vaporization of at least one component of the smokable material 420 on the second section 422 of the smokable material 420 and the formation of an aerosol in the second section 422 of the smokable material 420. The aerosol is discharged from the respective outer surfaces of the first and second sections 421, 422 of the smokable material 420. Accordingly, the aerosol is able to be generated relatively quickly for inhalation by the user, while the heating device 400 is configured to continue to produce an aerosol for subsequent inhalation by the user even after the first, thinner portion 421 of smokable material 420 may cease generating aerosol. The first portion 421 of the smokable material 420 may stop creating an aerosol when it becomes depleted of components of the smokable material 420 that are vaporizable.

In other embodiments, in addition to or alternatively to the change in thickness of the smokable material 420 in any of the above-described embodiments, the first and second portions 421, 422 of the smokable material 420 may have different average particle sizes. That is, the first portion 421 of smokable material 420 may contain particles of smokable material 420 having a first average particle size, and the second portion 422 of smokable material 420 may contain particles of smokable material 420 having a second average particle size. The second average particle size is larger than the first average particle size. In general, particles of smokable material 420 having a smaller average particle size can be heated more quickly by a given heat source than particles of smokable material 420 having a larger average particle size. By providing different areas 421, 422 of the smokable material 420 with different average particle sizes, substantially gradual heating of the smokable material 420, and therefore gradual creation of an aerosol, can be achieved, as discussed above.

In some embodiments, a smokable material 420 may be provided having an average particle size of 0.6-0.9 mm or 0.7-0.8 mm. However, the average particle size may vary in different areas of the smoking material. In some embodiments of the invention, the smokable material is prepared using mesh separation (or meshes), resulting in most or substantially all of the smokable material having a particle size in the ranges mentioned above. In some embodiments, a 6 cm ² heater area covered with such particulate smokable material 420 can provide a perceived consumer experience nominally lasting three minutes. This size can, of course, be adjusted for longer and shorter perceptual experiences as needed. In some embodiments, the smokable material 420 may be in the form of a gel. The gel may or may not contain particles of smokable material.

While each of the above-described embodiments of the smokable material 420 includes a first portion 421 having a shape that allows faster heating by the heating element 410 compared to the second portion 422 of the smokable material 420, in other embodiments this feature may absent.

The adhesive used to attach the smoking material 420 to the heating element 410 contains a polysaccharide such as cellulose, cellulose derivatives, alginic acid or a salt of alginic acid, conveniently sodium, potassium or calcium alginate. In one embodiment of the invention, the adhesive contains cellulose derivatives, conveniently hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). In other embodiments, the adhesive used to attach the smokable material 420 to the heating element 410 contains alginic acid or an alginic salt, conveniently sodium, potassium or calcium alginate. Polysaccharides such as those mentioned above exhibit good wettability properties that assist in attaching the smokable material 420 to the heating element 410. This is particularly useful when the adhesive attaches the smokable material 420 to a hydrophobic surface, such as a polyamide hydrophobic surface. It is also desirably possible for the adhesive to be food grade, or optionally a food grade material.

In one embodiment of the invention, the identifiable adhesive layers 310, 320 between the heating element 410 and the smoking material 420 comprise a polysaccharide. Layers 310, 320 of adhesive material are located on the support layers 411, 413, and essentially completely cover them. The adhesive material may coat the heating element 410 at least partially. In other embodiments, the adhesive material may be placed directly on the electrically conductive material 12. In each case, the adhesive material and smoking material 420 are applied to the outermost layer of the heating element 410.

In this embodiment of the invention, identifiable adhesive material layers 310, 320 are located on support layers 411, 413, which themselves surround electrically conductive material 412. Smoking material portions 421, 422 are layers located on top of the adhesive material layers 310, 320. In other embodiments, the individual layers of adhesive material and smoking material 420 cannot be identified. A layer containing an adhesive material and a smokable material may be disposed on the support layers 411, 413. The smokable material 420 may be at least partially or completely distributed within the adhesive material.

In some embodiments, the cartridge 40 contains a thick mixture of thermal insulation material between the heating device 400 and the casing 43. The term “mass of thermal insulation material” means that the thermal insulation material is not a gas or is not only a gas.

For example, in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 21, the cartridge 40 is the same as the cartridge 40 shown in FIG. 15, except that the cartridge in FIG. 21 includes a thick mixture of thermal insulating material 430 between the heating device 400 and the casing 43. In this embodiment, the thermal insulating material 430 surrounds the heating device 400, fills the space between the heating device 400 and the casing 43, and is in contact with the casing 43 and the smoking material 420 of heating device 400. In other embodiments, thermal insulating material 430 may surround heating device 400 without completely enclosing heating device 400. In some embodiments, thermal insulating material 430 may be in contact with only one of: or casing 43, or heating device 400, and may not fill the space between them.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 21, the thermal insulating material 430 includes a padding material. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the thermal insulating material 430 may comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of the following materials: wadding, fleece material, non-woven material, non-woven fleece material, knit material, nylon, foam, closed cell foam, polystyrene, closed cell polystyrene foam, polyester, polyester fiber, polypropylene, polyester-polypropylene blend. Other types of thermal insulating material may also be suitable.

In the cartridge 40 shown in FIG. 21, the thermal insulating material 430 has a density of about 100 grams per square meter (gsm) and a thickness of about ^1.2 mm. In other embodiments of the invention, one or both of these parameters, i.e. The thickness and density of the thermal insulating material 430 may vary. However, if the density is too high, the thermal insulating material 430 acts as a filter and attenuates the flow of aerosol exiting the heating device 400. Alternatively, if the density is too low, the thermal insulating material 430 may not provide effective thermal insulation. Suitable density, particularly when the insulating material 430 comprises wadding or ^fleece material, may be from about 60 to about 140 gsm, or between about 80 and about 120 ^gsm . When the thermal insulating material 430 contains another material, i.e. not wadding or fleece material, the density of the thermal insulating material 430 can be selected to result in thermal properties similar to those achieved using wadding or fleece material of the above density. In some embodiments, the thick mixture of thermal insulating material 430 is heat resistant at least over the expected range of temperatures of the heating element 410 that will increase during operation of the device, for example, to 180-220°C, as discussed above, without material properties being affected. deteriorate when exposed to such operating temperatures.

In some embodiments of the invention, the cartridge 40 contains thermal insulating material in the form of a multilayer or layered structure having multiple layers of material. In some such embodiments, the outer layer of variously layered material forms a housing 43, or a portion of the housing 43, of the cartridge 40, and one or more layers of the multilayer structure forms a thick mixture of thermal insulating material 430. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the housing 43, or a portion of the housing 43 may be formed as a single piece with a thick mixture of thermal insulating material 430.

In some embodiments, the thermal insulating material helps slow heat loss from the heating device 400 during use. In some embodiments, the thermal insulating material helps ensure that vaporized material created in the chamber 44 during use of the device does not condense on the interior surface of the housing 43. In some embodiments, providing a thick mixture of the thermal insulating material helps increase the surface area that can form an aerosol created in the cartridge 40 during use of the device. In some embodiments, such a thick mixture of thermal insulating material helps to increase the amount of aerosol created in the cartridge 40 during use of the device and thus can enhance the consumer experience.

While the cartridge 40 shown in FIG. 21 is a variation of the cartridge 40 shown in FIG. 15, similarly, with corresponding variations to the embodiments of the invention shown in FIG. 18-20, the cartridge 40 may contain a thick mixture of thermal insulating material between the heating device 400 and the casing 43. Indeed, in appropriate variations to each of these embodiments of the cartridge 40 discussed herein, the cartridge 40 may contain a thick mixture of thermal insulating material between the heating device 400, or heating element 410 and casing 43.

In some embodiments of the invention, in which a heating element 410 or smoking material 420 is not used in the cartridge 40, a thick mixture of thermal insulating material may be provided in the cartridge 40, respectively, between the casing 43 and the smoking material 420 or heating element 410. In some such embodiments, the implementation of the invention, a thick mixture of thermally insulating material surrounds and/or contacts, respectively, smoking material 420 or heating element 410. In some such embodiments of the invention, the thick mixture of thermally insulating material contacts the casing 43, and/or fills the space, respectively, between the casing 43 and the smoking material 420 or heating element 410.

Generally speaking, the heating device 400 can be manufactured by placing a layer 412 of an electrically conductive material between the first material layer 411 and the second material layer 413 to form a heating element 410, and placing a smokable material 420 on the heating element 410. In this embodiment of the method, the smokable material 420 is located on the heating element 410 after the layer 412 of electrically conductive material has been placed between and in contact with the first and second support layers 411, 413.

In this embodiment of the method, the method comprises structuring the electrically conductive material, such as etching or printing the electrically conductive material, for example, to form a layer 412 of the electrically conductive material. In some embodiments of the invention, electrically conductive material is placed on one of the support layers, i.e. on the first or second layers 411, 413, then structured, and then another support layer from among the first or second support layers 411, 413 is applied to place a layer 412 of electrically conductive material between the first and second support layers 411, 413. In other embodiments of the invention electrically conductive material is structured and then sandwiched between the first and second support layers 411, 413. In some embodiments, electrically conductive material may be sandwiched between the first and second support layers 411, 413 and then structured. In still further embodiments of the invention, the method does not comprise structuring the electrically conductive material.

In manufacturing the heating device, the electrically conductive material of the electrically conductive material layer 412 is stainless steel. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the electrically conductive material may be another metal alloy or metal, as discussed above.

In this embodiment of the manufacturing method, each layer of the first and second support material layers 411, 413 is a polyamide layer. However, as discussed above, in other embodiments of the invention, the material of the first support layer 411 may be non-polyamide, and/or the material of the second support layer 413 may be non-polyamide. In some embodiments, the first and second support layers 411, 413 are layers of respective different materials.

In this embodiment of the manufacturing method, the smokable material 420 comprises tobacco, wherein the method also comprises attaching the smokable material 420 to the heating element 410. More specifically, as discussed above, the first portion 421 of the smokable material 420 is attached to the first support layer 411, and the second a portion 422 of smokable material 420 is attached to the second support layer 413. As discussed above, in other embodiments of the invention, smokable material 420 may be positioned on heating element 410 in a variety of different ways, such as on one side of heating element 410. However, for the sake of clarity, a detailed description of the various possible arrangements will not be presented again. In this embodiment, the attachment comprises attaching the smoking material 420 with an adhesive to the heating element 410, as discussed in more detail hereinabove. In some other embodiments, no adhesive may be used, and the method may comprise attaching the smokable material 420 to the heating element 410 by some other mechanism, or otherwise placing the smokable material on the heating element.

In this embodiment, after the electrically conductive material is placed between the first and second support layers 411, 413, the heating element is calcined at a temperature of 200° C., and the surface is treated using oxygen plasma, a suitable type of treatment being corona treatment. The heating element to be treated is then immersed in an aqueous solution of a polysaccharide (such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or an aqueous solution containing alginic acid or a salt thereof) to coat some or all of the support layers 411, 413. The heating element is then removed from the aqueous solution and thereafter immersed in the smoking material to coat some or all of the adhesive. The heating element is then removed from the smoking material and the adhesive is solidified or subjected to a solidification operation by heat curing, drying, and/or curing. In other embodiments, separate layers of adhesive and smokable material may be added through successive spraying steps, or other methods known to those skilled in the art; for example, the adhesive can be applied using spray coating, transfer coating, or flat extrusion. The smoking material may be added using a spray coating, a fluidized layer, or an electrostatic coating. In these embodiments, the adhesive layers 310, 320 are located on the support layers 411, 413. The portions 421, 422 of the smoking material 420 are located substantially separate from the adhesive layers 310, 320.

The concentration of the aqueous solution is chosen to have the proper viscosity, with the viscosity being low enough that it can easily be applied to the heating element and high enough that it can be held on the surface of the heating element before the solution hardens. The concentration of the polysaccharide in the aqueous solution can range from about 2% by weight, 4% by weight, or 5% by weight of the solution to about 7% by weight, 8% by weight, or 10% by weight (2 are suitable). -10% by weight, or 5-7% by weight of solution).

In other embodiments, the smokable material 420 and the adhesive may be non-identifiable separate layers. For example, the smokable material may be initially dispersed in a polysaccharide solution. Heating element 410 may then be immersed in this dispersion, or this dispersion may be sprayed onto heating element 410 to form a single layer on the surface of support layers 411, 413, wherein the single layer contains both the adhesive and smokable material 420.

In this embodiment of the invention, and as indicated in FIG. 12, the cartridge 40 includes two electrically conductive terminals 47a, 47b, which are herein referred to as the "seventh electrically conductive terminal" 47a and the "eighth electrically conductive terminal" 47b, respectively. The heating element 410 is electrically coupled through the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b and can be heated by the passage of electric current through the heating element 410 through the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b. The seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b are located in their respective recesses but can be accessed from the outside of the cartridge 40. In this embodiment, when the cartridge 40 is fully seated in the recess 13, the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b are in surface contact , respectively, with the first and second electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17c. Accordingly, the heating element 410 can be caused to heat up when electrical power is supplied to the first and second electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17c.

In some embodiments, the cartridge 40 is capable of fully fitting into the recess 13 in only one orientation with respect to the first device body portion 10. In this embodiment, this is accomplished by a cartridge 40, more specifically a housing 43, having an asymmetrical outer cross-sectional shape that matches the asymmetrical inner cross-sectional shape of the recess 13. In other embodiments of the invention, the cartridge 40 may be able to fit into the recess 13, or is capable of interacting with the interface in only one orientation with respect to the first device body portion 10 due to the provision of one or more other mechanisms. For example, in some embodiments, the housing 43 of the cartridge 40 may be rotationally symmetrical and thus have a symmetrical external cross-sectional shape, and the cartridge 40 may have a key projecting from the housing 43 that gives the entire cartridge an asymmetrical internal cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the asymmetrical internal cross-sectional shape of the recess 13. Ensuring that the cartridge 40 is capable of interacting with the interface in only one orientation with respect to the first device body portion 10 helps ensure that the cartridge 40 assembles correctly with the rest of the device 1, the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b in surface contact, respectively, with the first and second electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17c. However, in some embodiments of the invention, the cartridge may fit completely into the recess 13 in more than one orientation with respect to the first housing portion 10.

As discussed above, in this embodiment of the invention, the controller 50 is configured to control the supply of electrical power to the heating element 410 from the electrical power source 24 when the interface 13 is in interaction with the cartridge 40. When the device 1 is fully assembled, with the first connector 15 fully inserted into engagement with the second connector 25, and with the cartridge 40 fully and correctly inserted into the recess 13, user activation of the actuator 18 causes the controller 50 to operate by supplying electrical power through the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b, and thus, in supplying electrical power to the heating element 410. Such actuation of the actuator 18 may cause an electrical circuit to be completed in the controller 50. Since electric current is thus applied to the heating element 410, the heating element 410 is heated so as to heat the smoking material 420. In this embodiment, the electrical resistance of the heating element 410 changes as the temperature of the heating element 410 increases. The controller 50 monitors the electrical resistance of the heating element 410 and then adjusts the amount of electrical current applied to the heating element 410 based on the monitored electrical resistance, as necessary, to ensure that the temperature of the heating element 410 remains within the temperature range discussed above from approximately 180°C to approximately 220°C. Within this temperature range, the smokable material 420 is heated sufficiently to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material 420 without burning the smokable material 420. Accordingly, the controller 50 and the apparatus 1 as a whole are configured to heat the smokable material 420 to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material 420 without combustion of the smokable material 420. In other embodiments of the invention, the temperature range may differ from this range.

As discussed above, plate 16 has five holes 16a-16e extending therethrough, and first to third pins 17a, 17b, 17c are provided in these first to third holes 16a, 16b, 16c. The fourth and fifth openings 16d, 16e of the five openings 16a-16e remain open and fluidly connect the recess 13 to the inlet openings 60 defined by the interaction of the first and second connectors 15, 25. Additionally, when the cartridge 40 is completely seated in the recess 13 , the air passage 45 defined by the interaction of the first and second portions 43a, 43b of the cartridge housing 40 is fluidly connected to the recess 13. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 16, in the fully assembled device 1, a common flow is determined which passes from the external space of the device 1, then through any one of the inlet openings 60 determined by the interaction of the first and second connectors 15, 25, then through any of the fourth and fifth holes 16d, 16e in the plate 16, then through the recess 13, then through the air flow passage 45 defined by the interaction of the first and second parts 43a, 43b of the cartridge housing 40, then through the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40, then through any one of the holes 46, passing through the housing 43 of the cartridge 40, and then through the channel 36 of the mouthpiece 30 to the outer part of the device 1. The seal 37 of the mouthpiece 30 prevents air from flowing from the bypass channel of the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 when passing from the recess 13 to the channel 36 of the mouthpiece 30.

An exemplary operation of the apparatus 1 of this embodiment of the invention will now be described. The user must ensure that the mouthpiece 30 is in a position relative to the first housing portion 10 in which the cartridge 40 is able to move through the opening 14 and into the recess 13 in order to bring the seventh and eighth conductive terminals 47a, 47b of the cartridge 40 into surface contact. respectively, with the first and second electrically conductive terminals 17b, 17c. The user then moves the mouthpiece 30 relative to the first housing portion 10 to a position where the mouthpiece 30 closes the opening 14 with the outlet 35 of the mouthpiece 30 to the exterior of the device 1, and with the seal 37 contacting and pressing against the cartridge 40 and surrounding openings 46. Mouthpiece 30 is held in this position by engaging the connector 33 of the mouthpiece 30 with the second connector 19 of the first body part 10.

Before, during, or after such movements of the cartridge 40 and mouthpiece 30 relative to the first housing portion 10, the user also ensures that the first connector of the first housing portion 10 is fully engaged with the second connector 25 of the second housing portion 20. As discussed above, when the first and second connectors 15, 25 are fully engaged, the third electrically conductive terminal 17a is in surface contact with the fourth electrically conductive terminal 283a, and the fifth electrically conductive terminal 15a is in surface contact with the sixth electrically conductive terminal 25a.

When the actuator 18 is subsequently actuated by user action, the controller 50 is controlled to cause an electrical current to be applied to the seventh and eighth electrically conductive terminals 47a, 47b and thus to the heating element 410. This application of the electrical current causes the heating element to heat up. 410 to heat the smokable material 420 to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material 420 without burning the smokable material 420, as discussed above. Typically, this evaporation causes the formation of an aerosol in the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40. The user inhales the aerosol by drawing through the outlet 35 of the mouthpiece 30. This causes the aerosol to be drawn from the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 and into the user's mouth through the openings 46 of the cartridge 40 and through the passage 36 of the mouthpiece 30. This drawing of aerosol from the chamber 44 of the cartridge 40 causes a decrease in pressure in the chamber 44. This decrease in pressure causes air to be sequentially drawn into the chamber 44 through the annular gap 62, the inlet ports 60, which are defined between the first and the second connectors 15, 25, the fourth and/or fifth holes 16d, 16e in the plate 16, the recess 13, and the air flow passage 45 defined by the interaction of the first and second parts 43a, 43b of the cartridge housing 40. The user can subsequently perform such inhalations to inhale subsequent volumes of aerosol.

When the smoking material 420 has been consumed, or substantially all of the smoking material 420 has been consumed, the user may move the mouthpiece 30 relative to the first body portion 10 to a position in which the cartridge 40 is movable through the opening 14. The user may then remove the cartridge 40 from the recess 13 through the opening. 14. Subsequently, the user can insert another, unused cartridge 40 into recess 13 and repeat the above process. Heating element 410 may become contaminated with vaporizing material or consumed by smoking material 420 during use. By locating the heating element 410 in the cartridge 40, as opposed to locating it in the first housing portion 10, a new unused cartridge 40 is used each time and the user is provided with a fresh heating element 410. Accordingly, there is no need for the user to worry about cleaning the heating element 410.

In some embodiments of the invention, a fully assembled device 1 is provided. When fully assembled, a first connector 15 of the first housing portion 10 engages a second connector 25 of a second housing portion 20, and a mouthpiece connector 33 engages a second connector 19 of the first housing portion 10. In some such embodiments, the cartridge 40 is located in the recess 13. In other such embodiments, there is no cartridge 40 in the recess 13. In other embodiments, the device 1 may be in the form of a set with a first connector 15 of the first housing portion 10 that is detachable , but is capable of being connected to the second connector 25 of the second housing part 20, and/or with a mouthpiece connector 33, which is disconnected, but is capable of being connected to the second connector 19 of the first housing part 10. In some such kit devices, the cartridge 40 may be located in the recess 13. In other such kit devices, one or more examples of the cartridge 40 may be provided as part of the device, but external to the recess 13.

In this embodiment of the invention, the device 1 has only one heating element. In other embodiments of the invention, device 1 may have more than one heating element. In this embodiment, the cartridge 40 is intended to be used and subsequently replaced with an alternative cartridge 40, as discussed above. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the cartridge 40 may be non-replaceable and the device 1 may be intended for one-time use only. In some embodiments, the device 1 may not include a cartridge 40. In some embodiments, the heating element 410, or heating device, may be integral with the first housing portion 10 and may not be removable from the first housing portion 10. In some embodiments, the electrical power source 24 may be integrated with the second housing portion 20 and may not be removable from the second housing portion 20. In some embodiments, the first housing portion 10 may be integral or integrated with the second housing portion 20, or may be permanently affixed to the second housing portion 20. Therefore, in some embodiments of the invention, the housing of the device 1 may be a single piece housing, and may not have the first and second connectors 15, 25 discussed above. In some embodiments, the positive and negative terminals 24a, 24b of the electrical power source 24 may be permanently electrically coupled to the controller 50. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 30 may be stationary relative to the first housing portion 10. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 30 may be integrated or integral with the first housing portion 10.

In each of the embodiments discussed above, the smoking material 420 is located on a support that is a heating element 410. However, in some embodiments, the support may be different and may not be the heating element 410. In some embodiments in which the support is not is heating element 410, this support may have any of the features of heating element 410 discussed above. In some embodiments of the invention in which the support is not a heating element 410, the smoking material 420 may have any of the features of the smoking material 420 discussed above, and may also be positioned on the support using any of the methods discussed above to accommodate smokable material 420 on heating element 410. In some embodiments in which the support is not the heating element 410, smokable material 420 and support may be contained in the device, as opposed to the heating element itself.

In order to address various publications and advances in the art, the entirety of this disclosure is shown by way of illustration and example of various embodiments in which the claimed invention may be practiced and which provides an excellent apparatus for heating smoking material to vaporize, at least one component of the smoking material. The advantages and features of the disclosed invention are only a representative selection of embodiments of the invention and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to facilitate understanding and examination of the stated and otherwise disclosed features. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, structural features, and/or other aspects of the disclosed invention are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure of the invention as defined by the claims, or as limiting the equivalents of the claims, although they may Other embodiments of the invention may be used and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosed invention. Various embodiments of the invention, accordingly, may contain, consist of, or essentially consist of various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. The invention disclosed may include other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (16)

1. A device for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of smokable material, comprising a first housing portion comprising a first connector and a cartridge mounting recess, and a second housing portion comprising a second connector for engagement with the first connector, wherein: When connected to each other, the first and second connectors define an inlet therebetween for admitting air into a recess on the outside of the smoking article, the inlet being in fluid communication with the outside of the device through an annular gap between the first and second connectors. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second connector is configured to engage the first connector so as to connect the second housing portion to the first housing portion. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the second connector is designed to be removably coupled to the first connector so as to releasably connect the second housing portion and the first housing portion. 4. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second connectors are movably mounted relative to each other to change the cross-sectional area of the inlet while maintaining the connection of the first and second connectors. 5. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first connector includes a first screw thread and the second connector includes a second screw thread. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first and second screw threads has a recess extending therethrough that at least partially defines an inlet opening. 7. A device according to any of the previous paragraphs, in which at least one of the parts, i.e. the first housing part and the second housing part contain at least one electrical component mounted in isolation from the inlet opening. 8. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, comprising an electrical power source located in a second housing portion, the first and second housing portions comprising respective electrical connections for supplying electrical power from the power supply to the first housing portion. 9. The device according to any of the previous paragraphs, containing a cartridge for placing it in the recess. 10. The device according to claim 9, in which the cartridge contains a heating element with smoking material located in it. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 for heating smokable material to vaporize at least one component of the smokable material without burning it when the cartridge is positioned in the recess. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 or 11, wherein at least one housing portion of the first housing portion and the second housing portion includes a controller for controlling the supply of electrical power to the heating element from the electrical power source when the cartridge is positioned in the recess. 13. Device according to any one of paragraphs. 10-12, wherein at least one housing portion of the first housing portion and the second housing portion includes a controller for controlling heating of the heating element to heat the smokable material to vaporize the at least one component of the smokable material without burning it, when the cartridge is located in the recess. 14. Device according to any one of paragraphs. 9-13, in which the cartridge is located in the recess in only one orientation with respect to the housing. 15. The device according to claim 14, in which the cartridge has an asymmetrical external shape in cross section. 16. Device according to any one of paragraphs. 9-13, wherein the recess has an internal cross-sectional shape that matches the external cross-sectional shape of the cartridge.

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