Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONSUMABLE CARTRIDGE FOR AN AEROSOL GENERATION DEVICE
The present invention relates to a consumable cartridge for use with an
aerosol
generation device.
A number of new generation smoking devices have been introduced that seek to
provide an alternative to conventional cigarettes. One such device is
described
in EP 2772148A2. In this arrangement a smoking device is provided with a
mouthpiece, a casing, an electrical heater and a battery. A consumable
cartridge can be installed in the device adjacent the heater. The consumable
cartridge has a casing which encloses tobacco material. The cartridge also
includes perforations and aeration wells. The heater can heat the casing of
the
cartridge, causing the tobacco contained within to heat without burning, which
releases an aerosol. This aerosol or vapour can then be inhaled by a user
through the mouthpiece.
After a period of use the consumable cartridge becomes depleted. A user can
then remove and replace the consumable cartridge.
It is desirable to safely and easily remove a hot cartridge from a device
after the
tobocco is depleted.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a consumable
cartridge
for an aerosol generation device, the consumable cartridge comprising: a
casing; an aerosol forming material provided within the casing adapted to form
an aerosol upon receiving heat from the aerosol generation device; and a tab
that can be provided in a position which extends from the casing, wherein the
tab can be gripped by a user to remove the consumable cartridge from the
aerosol generation device.
In this way, it is possible for a user to grip the tab and easily extract the
consumable cartridge from the aerosol generation device. The user may grip
the tab between opposing digits of a hand of the user. In one example, the tab
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may be a thin piece of material that extends away from the casing. The tab
preferably allows heat to dissipate more rapidly since it can be positioned
away
from the hot casing. The provision of the tab therefore improves the ease with
which a user can remove a hot casing.
The aerosol generation device can provide heat to the casing, where the casing
conductively transfers the heat to the aerosol forming material without direct
burning of the material. The aerosol generation device may further comprise a
heating chamber with a heater operatively arranged to heat the consumable
cartridge without combustion.
Preferably, the tab is configured to move between a first position and a
second
position. In this way, it is possible for the tab to protrude away from the
casing
only when a user requires it for extraction. For example, when the aerosol
generation device is in operation the tab may be in the first position. In the
first
position, the tab may be positioned flush with a wall of the casing. When the
aerosol generation device is not in operation the tab may move or be moved
into
a second position that allows a user to easily grab and extract the consumable
cartridge from the device. In the second position, the tab may extend away
from
the wall of the casing, and maintain contact with the casing at an end of the
casing. In an advantageous embodiment, the tab is movable in the axial
direction of the cartridge.
In another embodiment, the main body has a slot to receive the tab.
In another embodiment, the tab is attached to the lid of the cartridge. The
tab
can thus be formed from a single part together with the lid. The tab and the
lid as
a single part facilitates the manufacturing process of the capsule.
Hence, the tab and a top surface of the cartridge can be formed from a single
sheet.
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The tab may be arranged at an end of the casing. The consumable cartridge
may be received in a cavity of the aerosol generation device, where the end of
the casing with the tab is exposed.
Preferably, the tab is formed by at least one line of weakening at a surface
of the
casing. In this way, it is possible for the tab to be arranged along a surface
of
the casing and to be broken and extended outwards when required for use. For
example, the tab may be torn open to provide an extended portion, like a flap,
separate from the casing.
Preferably, the tab is hingedly attached to the casing to allow movement
between the first position and second position. In this way, it is possible
for the
tab to pivot away from the first position alongside the casing into the second
extraction position after the weakening line has been broken. A material hinge
may be provided between the tab and the casing. The tab can thus be formed in
a foldable material. The foldable material can be a metallic sheet, such as
aluminium.
Preferably, the tab comprises a visual indicator which is indicative of
temperature. In this way, it is possible for a user to be able to see if the
tab is
too hot to grip. The tab may be heated by conduction from the casing. The
provision of a colour indicator can allow the user to know whether the tab is
safe
to grip.
Preferably, the temperature information on the tab is provided using colour.
In
this way, it is possible for a user to determine the temperature of the tab
with
ease. For example, a thermochromatic ink may be used to present a warning
sign when the tab is too hot, or thermochromic crystals can be used to provide
different colours for different temperature bands.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an aerosol
generation device, comprising: a heater; and the consumable cartridge as
defined above.
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According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of
generating aerosol comprsing: inserting a consumable cartridge, or pod,
comprising an aerosol forming material into a heating chamber of an aerosol
generating device; moving a tab from a first position to a second position to
expose an outlet from the consumable cartridge; applying with the device heat
to
the aerosol forming material in the consumable cartridge; extracting the pod
from the device by gripping the tab.
Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, with
reference to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1A is a front view of a cartridge in an embodiment of the invention
with a
tab in a closed position;
Figure 1B is a front view of the cartridge with a tab in an open position;
Figure 2 is a top view of the cartridge depicted in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a detailed top view of the tab depicted in Figure 2;
Figures 4A and 4B are front views of a cartridge in another embodiment of the
invention with the tab in the closed and open positions respectively; and
Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of an exemplary electronic
cigarette
configured to receive a cartridge according to invention.
Figures 1A, 1B and 2 show a cartridge 10 in a first embodiment of the
invention.
The cartridge 10 has a generally cylindrical shape with a circular cross-
section
and a flat top. However, other shapes are also possible, like for instance a
square or cuboidal shape. The cartridge 10 has a casing 12 which
accommodates an aerosol forming material 14, such as tobacco, within. A
number of other products and ingredients such as flavorings or tobacco
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derivatives may be provided within the casing 12, as will be appreciated by a
person skilled in the art.
The cartridges 10 are configured to be received in a cartridge seating 56 of
an
5 electronic cigarette 50, as illustrated in Figure 5. The electronic
cigarette 50
comprises a mouthpiece portion 52 and a main body portion 54. The main body
portion 52 comprises a cartridge seating 56, a power supply unit 58 and a
control circuitry 60. The mouthpiece portion comprises a mouthpiece 53 and a
vapour flow channel 55. The mouthpiece portion 52 may further comprise a
piercing element 80. The piercing element 80 is configured to open the
cartridge
10 by piercing a vent hole 12 in the top portion 14 of the cartridge 10, such
that
the vapour can exit the cartridge 10 through the vent hole 12 in the top
portion
14.
In an embodiment, the cartridge 10 includes holes 16, 18 in a top surface 20
that
are used as an inlet or outlet for outside air. When holes 16, 18 are provided
the
piercing element 80 can be omitted in the electronic cigarette 50. In another
embodiment, the top surface 20 is sealed whereby it can be pierced when
positioned inside the cartridge seating 56 of the electronic cigarette 50. The
cartridge 10 also has a bottom surface 22 that is used to conduct heat from a
heater in an aerosol generation device to the rest of the cartridge 10. A tab
24 is
provided in the top surface 20. The tab 24 has a top end 26, two sides 28 and
a
bottom end 30. The top end 26 is pulled by a user to break open perforated, or
weakened, lines that run along the two sides 28. The bottom end 30 acts as a
material hinge around which the remainder of the tab 24 can pivot. The tab 24
can pivot about the bottom end 30 from a flat, closed positon to an open
position
in which it is substantially perpendicular to the top surface 20. In the open
position a user can firmly grip the tab 24 and remove the cartridge 10 from
the
aerosol generation device. The tab 24 can be attached to the top surface 20 of
the cartridge 10. The tab 24 can thus be formed from a single part together
with
the top surface 20. Having the tab 24 and the top surface 20 as a single part
facilitates the manufacturing process of the cartridge 10. The tab 24 is
preferably
formed in a foldable material. The foldable material can be a metallic film
such
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as aluminium foil. The tab is thus part of the top surface 20 and formed from
a
single sheet.
In another embodiment, the tab 24 can be movable in the axial direction of the
cartridge 20. The cartridge may therefore have a longitudinal or axial slot to
receive the tab.
As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, tab 24 may be provided
in a
position on the cartridge 10 that depends on the direction of extraction of
the
cartridge 10 from the aerosol generation device.
Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the tab 24. Warning signs 32 are printed on
the tab 24 using thermochromatic ink. The warning signs 32 are invisible when
the tab 24 is cool enough to touch by hand. The warning signs 32 become
visible when the tab 24 is hot and could potentially harm a user. In another
arrangement the entire tab may be printed with thermochromatic ink so that the
colour of the tab is indicative of its temperature. A
number of other
thermochromic materials may be provided on the tab 24, for example
thermochromic liquid crystals, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in
the
art.
Figures 4A and 4B show a cartridge 110 in a second embodiment of the
invention with a tab 124 in the closed and open positions respectively. The
cartridge 110 has a casing 112 which accommodates an aerosol forming
material 114, such as tobacco, within.
The cartridge 110 includes holes 116, 118 in a top surface 120 that are used
as
an inlet or outlet for outside air. The cartridge also has a bottom surface
122
that is used to conduct heat from a heater in an aerosol generation device to
the
rest of the cartridge 110.
In this arrangement the tab 124 in the closed position extends down a side
surface 126 of the cartridge 110. The tab 124 is moved into an open position
by
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sliding the tab 124 in a direction that extends from the cartridge 110 prior
to the
insertion of the cartridge 110 into an aerosol generation device. In providing
the
tab 124 along the side surface 126 of the cartridge 110, the tab 124 can be
made longer and thus be easier for a user to grip onto when extracting the
cartridge 110.
Features 128 are located on an outer surface of the tab 124 that increase
friction
between a user's thumb and the tab 124 such that the tab 124 is easily pushed
into the open position. The side surface 126 of the casing 112 also has
features
that allow the sliding action to function. The side surface 126 has grooves
130
on each side of the tab 124 in its closed position that hold that tab 124 and
can
act as tracks on which the tab 124 slides between the open and closed
positions.
Alternative configurations of a tab for use on a consumable cartridge would
readily occur to a person skilled in the art.
The aerosol forming material may include a carrier material, which may include
a
mixture of propylene glycol (PG) and/or glycerin (G). Preferably, the carrier
material has a composition of at least 20wt(Yo. The aerosol forming material
may
include ground tobacco particles (e.g. in addition to the carrier material).
The
aerosol forming material may include other materials, such as a flavouring and
water etc.
