Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 2023/084195
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1
AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE AEROSOL STREAM CONCENTRATION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an aerosol provision system, an aerosol
provision
system comprising an article, a method of controlling an aerosol provision
system.
BACKGROUND
Electronic aerosol provision systems such as electronic cigarettes (e-
cigarettes)
generally contain an aerosol-generating material, such as a reservoir of a
source liquid
containing a formulation, typically including nicotine, or a solid material
such as a tobacco-
based product, from which an aerosol is generated for inhalation by a user,
for example
through heat vaporisation. Thus, an aerosol provision system will typically
comprise an aerosol
generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to aerosolise a portion of aerosol-
generating
material to generate an aerosol in an aerosol generation region of an air
channel through the
aerosol provision system. As a user inhales on the system and electrical power
is supplied to
the aerosol generator, air is drawn into the system through one or more inlet
holes and along
the air channel to the aerosol generation region, where the air mixes with the
vaporised
aerosol generator and forms a condensation aerosol. The air drawn through the
aerosol
generation region continues along the air channel to a mouthpiece, carrying
some of the
aerosol with it, and out through the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user.
Additionally, in some aerosol provision systems, air containing the aerosol
collected
from the aerosol generation region can be mixed with air which has not passed
through the
aerosol generation region prior to being inhaled via the mouthpiece of the
system. For
example, as a user inhales on the system, air is drawn into the device through
one or more
other inlet holes and along an air channel that does not include the aerosol
generation region_
The force required to draw air through each channel of an aerosol provision
system depends
on the characteristics of the respective air channel of the system. For
example, the cross-
sectional shape of the air channels may determine their resistance-to-draw or
pressure drop
(i.e. the force required to draw air along a respective channel). The
characteristics of the air
inhaled by the user can depend at least in part on the ratio of air which has
passed through
the aerosol generation region and air which has not passed through the aerosol
generation
region, which in turn depends on the resistance to draw of the air channel(s)
which pass
through the aerosol generation region, and the resistance to draw of the air
channel(s) which
do not pass through the aerosol generation region.
The characteristics of the air inhaled by a user is dependent on construction
of the
aerosol provision system and its components. The characteristics of the air
may not reflect or
otherwise equate to what a user of a standard ignitable cigarette might expect
thereby leading
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to a user having a poor quality experience. While some aerosol provision
systems allow a user
to vary the airflow through one or more channels of the system, this approach
requires trial
and error experimentation by a user to select the correct ratio for the
particular user, and does
not easily facilitate changes in the user's behaviour (for example a user's
puffing switching
from shallow breaths to deep breaths).
Various approaches are described herein which seek to help address or mitigate
some
of the issues discussed above.
SUMMARY
The disclosure is defined in the appended claims.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an
aerosol
provision system comprising: an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol
from an aerosol-
generating material in an aerosol-generating region; a first air pathway
passing through the
aerosol generation region; a second air pathway not passing through the
aerosol generation
region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to vary the ratio of the
resistance-to-draw
of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway
based upon a draw
strength of a user inhalation.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a
controller
for controlling an aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol generator
for generating an
aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region, a
first air
pathway passing through the aerosol generation region, a second air pathway
not passing
through the aerosol generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured
to vary the
ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-
draw of the second
air pathway based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation, a controller
configured to control
the adjustment mechanism to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the
first pathway to
the resistance-to-draw of the second pathway, a sensor configured to estimate
the draw
strength of the user inhalation, the controller configured to: receive an
estimate of the draw
strength of the user inhalation; and control the adjustment mechanism based on
the estimated
draw strength.
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a
method of
controlling an aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol generator for
generating an
aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region,
and a first air
pathway passing through the aerosol generation region, a second air pathway
not passing
through the aerosol generation region, the method comprising: providing an
adjustment
mechanism configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first
air pathway to the
resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway based upon a draw strength of a
user inhalation;
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and adjusting the adjustment mechanism to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first
pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second pathway.
According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a
computer
readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a
processor,
performs a method of the third aspect.
According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an
aerosol
provision means comprising: aerosol generator means for generating an aerosol
from an
aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region; a first air
pathway passing
through the aerosol generation region; a second air pathway not passing
through the aerosol
generation region; and adjustment means configured to vary the ratio of the
resistance-to-
draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air
pathway based upon
a draw strength of a user inhalation.
According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an
aerosol
provision device for use with an aerosol generating article comprising aerosol
generating
material, which together form an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol
provision
system comprises an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from an
aerosol-generating
material in an aerosol-generating region, a first air pathway passing through
the aerosol
generation region, a second air pathway not passing through the aerosol
generation region,
and an adjustment mechanism configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first
air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway based upon a
draw strength
of a user inhalation, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises:
circuitry configured to
control the adjustment mechanism to cause the adjustment mechanism configured
to vary the
ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-
draw of the second
air pathway based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation.
These aspects and other aspects will be apparent from the following detailed
description. In this regard, particular sections of the description are not to
be read in isolation
from other sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with
reference to accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example aerosol provision system;
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a further example aerosol provision system;
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a further examples aerosol provision
system;
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical (including electronic)
components
of a control unit for use in an aerosol provision system.
Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method of controlling an aerosol provision
system.
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Figure 6 is a flow chart of a further method of controlling an aerosol
provision system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are
discussed/described
herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be
implemented conventionally and these are not discussed/described in detail in
the interests of
brevity. It will thus be appreciated that aspects and features of articles and
systems discussed
herein which are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with
any
conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.
As will be explained below, the present disclosure relates to an aerosol
provision
device comprising: an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from an
aerosol-generating
material in an aerosol-generating region; a first air pathway passing through
the aerosol
generation region; a second air pathway not passing through the aerosol
generation region;
and an adjustment mechanism configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first
pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second pathway based upon a draw
strength of a
user inhalation. By providing an adjustment mechanism which is able vary the
resistance to
draw of the first pathway to the resistance to draw of the second pathway
based upon a draw
strength of a user inhalation, it is possible to tune the ratio of side-stream
air vs main-stream
air inhaled by the user. By main-stream air it is meant air travelling along
the first pathway via
the aerosol generation region for inhalation. By side-stream air it is meant
air travelling along
the second pathway for inhalation. Tuning the ratio of side-stream air vs main-
stream air allows
the device to provide different user experience (a sensorial) dependent for
different strength
user inhalations. This may be analogous to a user using a conventional
cigarette in which
different draw characteristics lead to different user experiences. As a
result, the user can
effectively use the device in multiple ways to have the experience they want.
For example, a
user can take shallow, slow, breaths and inhale air which is diluted more
strongly by side-
stream air. The user may consider this to be a smoother experience.
Alternatively, a user can
take deep, fast, breaths and inhale air which is less strongly diluted, or not
diluted by side-
stream air. The user may consider this to be a less smooth, more impactful
experience. As
such, a user puffing on an aerosol provision device in accordance with the
present disclosure
may feel that they are able to use the device intuitively to achieve the
experience they want,
without having to actively select different control settings for the device.
The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol provision systems,
which
may also be referred to as aerosol provision systems. According to the present
disclosure, a
"non-combustible" aerosol provision system is one where a constituent aerosol-
generating
material of the aerosol provision system (or component thereof) is not
combusted or burned
in order to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.
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In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an
electronic
cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery
system (END),
although it is noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating
material is not a
requirement. Throughout the following description the term "e-cigarette" or
"electronic
5
cigarette" may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated this term may be
used
Interchangeably with aerosol provision system and electronic aerosol provision
system.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is an
aerosol-
generating material heating system, also known as a heat-not-burn system. An
example of
such a system is a tobacco heating system.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system is a hybrid
system to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating
materials, one or a
plurality of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may
be, for
example, in the form of a solid, liquid or gel and may or may not contain
nicotine. In some
embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating
material and a
solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may
comprise, for
example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.
Typically, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise a non-
combustible aerosol provision device and a consumable for use with the non-
combustible
aerosol provision device.
In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-
generating material and configured to be used with non-combustible aerosol
provision
devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout
the disclosure.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system, such as a
non-
combustible aerosol provision device thereof, may comprise a power source and
a controller.
The power source may, for example, be an electric power source or an
exothermic power
source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source comprises a carbon
substrate
which may be energised so as to distribute power in the form of heat to an
aerosol-generating
material or to a heat transfer material in proximity to the exothermic power
source.
In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol provision system may comprise
an area for receiving the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol
generation area, a
housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
A consumable is an article comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating
material,
part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. A
consumable may
comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material
storage
area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generation
area, a
housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and/or an aerosol-modifying agent.
A consumable
may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to
cause the
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aerosol-generating material to generate aerosol in use. The heater may, for
example,
comprise combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction,
or a susceptor.
An aerosol generator is an apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be
generated
from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol
generator is a heater
configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to
release one or
more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In
some embodiments,
the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from
the aerosol-
generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be
configured to
subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased
pressure, or
electrostatic energy.
Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of generating
aerosol, for
example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. Aerosol-
generating material
may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid or gel which may comprise
one or more
active substances and/or flavours, one or more aerosol-former materials, and
optionally one
or more other functional materials.
In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an
"amorphous
solid", which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e.
non-fibrous). In some
embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. The amorphous solid is a
solid
material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some
embodiments, the
aerosol-generating material may for example comprise from about 50wt%, 60wt%
or 70wt%
of amorphous solid, to about 90wt%, 95wtcYo or 1wtcY0 of amorphous solid.
The active substance as used herein may be a legally permissible
physiologically
active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a
physiological response.
The active substance may for example be selected from nutraceuticals,
nootropics,
psychoactives. The active substance may be naturally occurring or
synthetically obtained. The
active substance may comprise for example nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine,
vitamins such
as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or
combinations
thereof. The active substance may comprise one or more constituents,
derivatives or extracts
of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical.
As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer to materials which,
where
local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma or
other
somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include
naturally
occurring flavour materials, botanicals,
extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained
materials, or combinations thereof, flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor
site blockers,
sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar
substitutes , and other
additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath
freshening agents.
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They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof.
They may be in any
suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or
gas.
In some embodiments, the flavour comprises menthol, spearmint and/or
peppermint.
In some embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components of cucumber,
blueberry,
citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavour comprises
eugenol. In some
embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from tobacco.
In some
embodiments, the flavour comprises flavour components extracted from cannabis.
In some embodiments, the flavour may comprise a sensate, which is intended to
achieve a somatosensorial sensation which are usually chemically induced and
perceived by
the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to
or in place of aroma
or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling,
tingling, numbing
effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl
ethyl ether and a
suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to eucolyptol, WS-3.
The aerosol-former material may comprise one or more constituents capable of
forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-former material may
comprise one or
more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, Methylene glycol,
tetraethylene glycol,
1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-Erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl
laurate, a diethyl suberate,
triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl
phenyl acetate, tributyrin,
lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.
The one or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of pH
regulators,
colouring agents, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or
antioxidants.
The aerosol-former material may be present on or in a support, to form a
substrate.
The support may, for example, be or comprise paper, card, paperboard,
cardboard,
reconstituted material, a plastics material, a ceramic material, a composite
material, glass, a
metal, or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a
susceptor. In some
embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some
alternative
embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.
A susceptor is a material that is heatable by penetration with a varying
magnetic field,
such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically-
conductive
material, so that penetration thereof with a varying magnetic field causes
induction heating of
the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic material, so that
penetration
thereof with a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of
the heating
material. The susceptor may be both electrically-conductive and magnetic, so
that the
susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. The device that is
configured to generate
the varying magnetic field is referred to as a magnetic field generator,
herein.
An aerosol-modifying agent is a substance, typically located downstream of the
aerosol generation area, that is configured to modify the aerosol generated,
for example by
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changing the taste, flavour, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol.
The aerosol-
modifying agent may be provided in an aerosol-modifying agent release
component that is
operable to selectively release the aerosol-modifying agent
The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, be an additive or a sorbent. The
aerosol-modifying agent may, for example, comprise one or more of a
flavourant, a colourant,
water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol-modifying agent may, for example,
be a solid, a
liquid, or a gel. The aerosol-modifying agent may be in powder, thread or
granule form. The
aerosol-modifying agent may be free from filtration material.
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through an example aerosol delivery system
1 in
accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure. The aerosol delivery
system 1
comprises two main components, namely a reusable part 2 (e.g. a control part
or device part)
and a replaceable / disposable cartridge part 4 (which may more generally be
referred to as a
consumable or aerosol-generating article). In normal use the reusable part 2
and the cartridge
part 4 are releasably coupled together at an interface 6. When the cartridge
part is exhausted
or the user simply wishes to switch to a different cartridge part, the
cartridge part may be
removed from the reusable part and a replacement cartridge part attached to
the reusable part
in its place. The interface 6 provides a structural, electrical and airflow
path connection
between the two parts and may be established in accordance with conventional
techniques,
for example based around a screw thread, magnetic or bayonet fixing with
appropriately
arranged electrical contacts and openings for establishing the electrical
connection and airflow
path between the two parts as appropriate. The specific manner by which the
cartridge part 4
mechanically mounts to the reusable part 2 is not significant to the
principles described herein,
but for the sake of a concrete example is assumed here to comprise a magnetic
coupling (not
represented in Figure 1). It will also be appreciated the interface 6 in some
implementations
may not support an electrical and / or airflow path connection between the
respective parts.
For example, in some implementations an aerosol generator may be provided in
the reusable
part 2 rather than in the cartridge part 4, or the transfer of electrical
power from the reusable
part 2 to the cartridge part 4 may be wireless (e.g. based on electromagnetic
induction), so
that an electrical connection between the reusable part and the cartridge part
is not needed.
Furthermore, in some implementations the airflow through the electronic
cigarette might not
go through the reusable part so that an airflow path connection between the
reusable part and
the cartridge part is not needed. In some instances, a portion of the airflow
path may be defined
at the interface between portions of reusable part 2 and cartridge part 4 when
these are
coupled together for use.
In Figure 1, the cartridge part 4 comprises a cartridge housing 42 formed of a
plastics
material. The cartridge housing 42 supports other components of the cartridge
part and
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provides the mechanical interface 6 with the reusable part 2. The cartridge
housing is generally
circularly symmetric about a longitudinal axis along which the cartridge part
couples to the
reusable part 2. In this example the cartridge part has a length of around 4
cm and a diameter
of around 1.5 cm. However, it will be appreciated the specific geometry, and
more generally
the overall shapes and materials used, may be different in different
implementations.
Within the cartridge housing 42 is a reservoir 44 that contains aerosol
generating
material. Aerosol-generating material is a material that is capable of
generating aerosol, for
example when heated, irradiated or energized in any other way. In the example
shown
schematically in Figure 1, a reservoir 44 is provided configured to store a
supply of liquid
aerosol generating material. In this example, the liquid reservoir 44 has a
substantially annular
shape with an outer wall defined by the cartridge housing 42 and an inner wall
that defines an
airflow path 52 through the cartridge part 4. The reservoir 44 is closed at
each end with end
walls to contain the aerosol generating material. The reservoir 44 may be
formed in
accordance with conventional techniques, for example it may comprise a
plastics material and
be integrally moulded with the cartridge housing 42. The cartridge part
further comprises an
aerosol generator 48 located towards an end of the reservoir 44 opposite to
the mouthpiece
outlet 50. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured
to subject the
aerosol-generating material to heat energy, so as to release one or more
volatiles from the
aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the
aerosol generator
is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating
material without
heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the
aerosol-
generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or
electrostatic energy.
It will be appreciated that in a two-part device such as shown in Figure 1,
the aerosol
generator may be in either of the reusable part 2 or the cartridge part 4. For
example, in some
embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 (e.g. a heater) may be comprised in the
reusable part
2, and is brought into proximity with a portion of aerosol generating material
in the cartridge 4
when the cartridge is engaged with the reusable part 2. In such embodiments,
the cartridge
may comprise a portion of aerosol generating material, and an aerosol
generator 48
comprising a heater is at least partially inserted into or at least partially
surrounds the portion
of aerosol generating material as the cartridge 4 is engaged with the reusable
part 2.
In the example of Figure 1, a wick 46 in contact with a heater 48 extends
transversely
across the primary (or first) airflow path 52 with its ends extending into the
reservoir 44 of a
liquid aerosol generating material through openings in the inner wall of the
reservoir 44. The
openings in the inner wall of the reservoir are sized to broadly match the
dimensions of the
wick 46 to provide a reasonable seal against leakage from the liquid reservoir
into the cartridge
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airflow path without unduly compressing the wick, which may be detrimental to
its fluid transfer
performance.
The wick 46 and heater 48 are arranged in the cartridge airflow path 52 such
that a
region of the first airflow path 52 around the wick 46 and heater 48 in effect
defines an aerosol
5 generation region 45 for the cartridge part 4. Aerosol generating
material in the reservoir 44
infiltrates the wick 46 through the ends of the wick extending into the
reservoir 44 and is drawn
along the wick by surface tension / capillary action (i.e. wicking). The
heater 48 in this example
comprises an electrically resistive wire coiled around the wick 46. In the
example of Figure 1,
the heater 48 comprises a nickel chrome alloy (Cr2ONi80) wire and the wick 46
comprises a
10 glass fibre bundle, but it will be appreciated the specific aerosol
generator configuration is not
significant to the principles described herein. In use electrical power may be
supplied to the
heater 48 to vaporise an amount of aerosol generating material (aerosol
generating material)
drawn to the vicinity of the heater 48 by the wick 46. Vaporised aerosol
generating material
may then become entrained in air drawn along the cartridge airflow path from
the vaporisation
region towards the mouthpiece outlet 50 for user inhalation.
As noted above, the rate at which aerosol generating material is vaporised by
the
vaporiser (heater) 48 will depend on the amount (level) of power supplied to
the heater 48.
Thus electrical power can be applied to the heater to selectively generate
aerosol from the
aerosol generating material in the cartridge part 4, and furthermore, the rate
of aerosol
generation can be changed by changing the amount of power supplied to the
heater 48, for
example through pulse width and/or frequency modulation techniques.
The reusable part 2 comprises an outer housing 12 having an opening that
defines an
air inlet 28 for the e-cigarette, a power source 26 (for example a battery)
for providing operating
power for the electronic cigarette, control circuitry 18 for controlling and
monitoring the
operation of the electronic cigarette, a first user input button 14, a second
user input button
16, and a visual display 24.
The outer housing 12 may be formed, for example, from a plastics or metallic
material
and in this example has a circular cross section generally conforming to the
shape and size of
the cartridge part 4 so as to provide a smooth transition between the two
parts at the interface
6. In this example the reusable part has a length of around 8 cm so the
overall length of the
e-cigarette when the cartridge part and reusable part are coupled together is
around 12 cm.
However, and as already noted, it will be appreciated that the overall shape
and scale of an
electronic cigarette implementing an embodiment of the disclosure is not
significant to the
principles described herein.
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The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a
conventional
type, for example of the kind normally used in electronic cigarettes and other
applications
requiring provision of relatively high currents over relatively short periods.
The power source
26 may be recharged through a charging connector in the reusable part housing
12, for
example a USB connector.
First and second user input buttons 14, 16 may be provided, which in this
example are
conventional mechanical buttons, for example comprising a spring mounted
component which
may be pressed by a user to establish an electrical contact. In this regard,
the input buttons
may be considered input devices for detecting user input and the specific
manner in which the
buttons are implemented is not significant. The buttons may be assigned to
functions such as
switching the aerosol delivery system 1 on and off, and adjusting user
settings such as a
power to be supplied from the power source 26 to an aerosol generator 48.
However, the
inclusion of user input buttons is optional, and in some embodiments buttons
may not be
included.
A display 24 may be provided to give a user with a visual indication of
various
characteristics associated with the aerosol delivery system, for example
current power setting
information, remaining power source power, and so forth. The display may be
implemented in
various ways. In this example the display 24 comprises a conventional
pixilated LCD screen
that may be driven to display the desired information in accordance with
conventional
techniques. In other implementations the display may comprise one or more
discrete
indicators, for example LEDs, that are arranged to display the desired
information, for example
through particular colours and / or flash sequences. More generally, the
manner in which the
display is provided and information is displayed to a user using the display
is not significant to
the principles described herein. For example some embodiments may not include
a visual
display and may include other means for providing a user with information
relating to operating
characteristics of the aerosol delivery system, for example using audio
signalling, or may not
include any means for providing a user with information relating to operating
characteristics of
the aerosol delivery system.
A controller 22 is suitably configured / programmed to control the operation
of the
aerosol delivery system to provide functionality in accordance with
embodiments of the
disclosure as described further herein, as well as for providing conventional
operating
functions of the aerosol delivery system in line with the established
techniques for controlling
such devices. The controller (processor circuitry) 22 may be considered to
logically comprise
various sub-units / circuitry elements associated with different aspects of
the operation of the
aerosol delivery system 1. In this example the controller 22 comprises power
supply control
circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the
aerosol generator
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48 in response to user input, user programming circuitry 20 for establishing
configuration
settings (e.g. user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well
as other functional
units / circuitry associated functionality in accordance with the principles
described herein and
conventional operating aspects of electronic cigarettes, such as display
driving circuitry and
user input detection circuitry. It will be appreciated the functionality of
the controller 22 can be
provided in various different ways, for example using one or more suitably
programmed
programmable computer(s) and / or one or more suitably configured application-
specific
integrated circuit(s) / circuitry / chip(s) / chipset(s) configured to provide
the desired
functionality. The functionality of the controller 22 is described further
herein. For example, the
controller 26 may comprise an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)
or microcontroller,
for controlling the aerosol delivery device. The microcontroller or ASIC may
include a CPU or
micro-processor. The operations of a CPU and other electronic components are
generally
controlled at least in part by software programs running on the CPU (or other
component).
Such software programs may be stored in non-volatile memory, such as ROM,
which can be
integrated into the microcontroller itself, or provided as a separate
component. The CPU may
access the ROM to load and execute individual software programs as and when
required.
Reusable part 2 comprises an airflow sensor 30 which is electrically connected
to the
controller 22. The airflow sensor 30 is positioned adjacent or within an
airflow pathway such
as the primary airflow pathway 52. In most embodiments, the airflow sensor 30
comprises a
so-called "puff sensor", in that the airflow sensor 30 is used to detect when
a user is puffing
on the device and / or to detect a strength of a user inhalation. In some
embodiments, the
airflow sensor 30 is connected to the controller 22, and the controller
distributes electrical
power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in dependence of a
signal
received from the airflow sensor 30 by the controller 22. The specific manner
in which the
signal output from the airflow sensor 30 (which may comprise a measure of
capacitance,
resistance or other characteristic of the airflow sensor, made by the
controller 22) is used by
the controller 22 to control the supply of power from the power source 26 to
the aerosol
generator 48 can be carried out in accordance with any approach known to the
skilled person.
The e-cigarette 10 is provided with one or more holes for use as an air inlet
28. These
holes connect to air passages (airflow paths) running through the e-cigarette
10 from the air
inlet 28 to the mouthpiece which may have an additional one or more holes for
use an air
outlet 50. Typically the air paths through such devices are relatively
convoluted in that they
have to pass various components and/or take multiple turns following entry
into the e-cigarette.
As discussed above, there is a primary or first air passage 52 which passes
through
the aerosol generation region (i.e. to provide main-stream air during use).
Additionally, there
is a secondary or second air passage 53 which does not pass through the
aerosol generation
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region 45 (i.e. to provide side-stream air during use). The (first) air
passage 52 which passes
through the aerosol generation region includes a section comprising an air
channel connecting
one or more holes of an air inlet 28 to the aerosol generation region 45, a
region around the
aerosol generation region 45 (e.g. passing through or adjacent to the aerosol
generation
region such that aerosol generated in the aerosol generation region becomes
entrained in the
air passing through the air passage) and a section comprising an air channel
connecting from
the aerosol generation region 45 to the outlet 50 of the mouthpiece.
In contrast, the air passage 53 which does not pass through the aerosol
generation
region 45 does not channel air through a region around the aerosol generation
region 45 (e.g.
the air passage is physically separated from the aerosol generation region by
a wall or other
air channelling feature). Instead in some examples, the air passage 53 which
does not pass
through the aerosol generation region comprises an air channel connecting one
or more holes
of an air inlet 28 to the outlet 50 in the mouthpiece, and either bypasses the
aerosol generation
region (e.g. via a separate distinct air channel) or starts at an inlet 28
provided at a location
closer to the mouthpiece that the aerosol generation region 45. In some
examples, the air
passage 53 which does not pass through the aerosol generation region may share
a portion
of the section comprising an air channel connecting one or more holes of an
air inlet 28 to the
aerosol generation region 45 and / or a portion of the section comprising an
air channel
connecting from the aerosol generation region 45 to the outlet 50 in the
mouthpiece with the
air passage 52 which does pass through the aerosol generation region. For
example, the first
air pathway 52 and second air pathway 53 may be fluidly coupled at their
downstream ends
to a common airflow pathway comprising the mouthpiece outlet 50 through which
a user
inhales in use. Alternatively or additionally, the first air pathway 52 and
second air pathway 53
may be fluidly coupled at their upstream ends to a second common airflow
pathway comprising
the air inlet(s) 28, through which air is drawn from outside the device when a
user inhales on
the mouthpiece.
When a user inhales through the mouthpiece outlet 50, air is drawn into these
air
passages 52,53 through the one or more air inlet holes 28, which are suitably
located on the
outside of the e-cigarette. This airflow (or the associated change in
pressure) may be detected
by an airflow sensor 30, in this case a pressure sensor, for detecting airflow
in electronic
cigarette 10 and outputting corresponding airflow detection signals to the
control circuitry. The
airflow sensor may operate in accordance with conventional techniques in terms
of how it is
arranged within the electronic cigarette to generate airflow detection signals
indicating when
there is a flow of air through the electronic cigarette (e.g. when a user
inhales or blows on the
mouthpiece).
When a user inhales (sucks / puffs) on the mouthpiece in use, the airflow
passes
through the air passages 52,53 (airflow paths) through the electronic
cigarette and the portion
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of the airflow passing along the first airflow path 52 combines / mixes with
the vapour in the
region around the aerosol generation region 45 to generate the aerosol. The
resulting
combination of airflow and aerosol continues along the first airflow path 52
connecting from
the aerosol generation region 45 to a junction, or mixing chamber, where it
mixes with air
which has travelled along the second air passage 53 which did not pass through
the aerosol
generation region 45. The new mixture (i.e. combination) of airflow and
aerosol continues to
the mouthpiece outlet 50 for inhalation by a user.
It will be appreciated that while Figure 1 is directed towards an e-cigarette
having a
reusable part 2 and a cartridge part 4 in the form of a cartomiser having a
liquid reservoir; in
other examples the cartridge part may comprise an aerosol-generating material
in the form of
a solid or gel rather than a liquid, and may or may not comprise an aerosol
generator (instead
the aerosol generator may be provided in the reusable part 2). Furthermore, it
will be
appreciated that while Figure 1 depicts the mouthpiece as being part of the
cartridge part 4,
in other examples the mouthpiece may be provided by the reusable part 2 or by
a further
attachable component.
As stated above, Figure 1 includes an air inlet 28, a first air pathway 52 (or
passage)
passing through an aerosol generation region 45, a second air pathway 53 (or
passage) not
passing through the aerosol generation region 45, a first junction 150 at
which the first air
pathway 52 and the second air pathway 53 connect upstream of the aerosol
generation region
45, and a second junction 151 at which the first air pathway 52 and the second
air pathway
53 connect downstream of the aerosol generation region 45, an air outlet 50,
and an
adjustment mechanism 170a.
An aerosol generator 48 and an aerosol generating material 44, as described
above,
can be provided within, adjacent to, or otherwise associated with the aerosol
generation region
45, such that activation of the aerosol generator 48 (e.g. by applying power
to the aerosol
generator 48) causes aerosol (or vapour) to be generated from the aerosol-
generating material
44 in the aerosol-generating region 45. For example an aerosol generator 48
may be a heated
plate which is heated by induction or resistive heating, and which acts to
heat the aerosol
generating material 44 thereby volatising the aerosol generating material 44
to generating
aerosol in the aerosol generating region 45.
The first air pathway 52 extends from the air inlet 28 to the air outlet 50,
thereby
providing a fluid pathway for air to travel between the air inlet 28 and the
air outlet 50. The first
air pathway 52 includes a section comprising an air channel (or fluid pathway)
connecting the
air inlet 28 to the aerosol generation region 45, the aerosol generation
region 45 (e.g. passing
through or adjacent to the aerosol generator and / or aerosol generation
material) and a
section comprising an air channel connecting from the aerosol generation
region 45 to the air
outlet 50. When a user inhales (sucks / puffs) on the mouthpiece in use, the
airflow enters the
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aerosol provision system 1 via the air inlet 28, and passes through the first
air passage 52 of
the aerosol provision system and a portion of the airflow combines / mixes
with the vapour
(aerosol) in the aerosol generation region, before being inhaled by the user
via the air outlet
50.
5 The second air pathway 53 extends from the air inlet 28 to the air
outlet 50, thereby
providing a fluid pathway for air to travel between the air inlet 28 and the
air outlet 50. The
second air pathway 53 comprises an air channel or fluid pathway connecting the
air inlet 28
to the air outlet 12 without passing through the aerosol generation region 45.
When a user
inhales (sucks / puffs) on the mouthpiece in use, the airflow enters the
aerosol provision
10 system 1 via the air inlet 28 and passes through the second air passage
52 of the aerosol
provision system 1 before exiting the aerosol provision system 1 via the air
outlet 50 for
inhalation by the user. The second air pathway 53 is separated from the
aerosol generation
region 45 such that aerosol generated in the aerosol generation region 45 in
normal use (e.g.
whilst a user is inhaling) is not provided into the second air pathway 53. In
some examples,
15 the second air pathway 53 may comprise a separate airflow channel to
separate the second
air pathway from the aerosol generation region 45. In some examples, the
second air pathway
and first air pathway may be separated by a membrane or partition that is
impermeable to
vapour/aerosol in the vicinity of the aerosol generation region 45.
The air inlet 28 may comprise a single hole, or a plurality of holes,
configured to allow
air into the aerosol provision system 1 during an inhalation. In some
examples, the plurality of
holes may be provided by a grate or mesh, or similar. In some examples, the
first and second
air pathway 52,53 may share a single air inlet 28 (as shown). In some
examples, where the
first and second air pathways 52, 53 share an air inlet 28 the first and
second air pathways
52,53 split at a junction 150 which is upstream of the aerosol generation
region 45 (for the first
air pathway 52), thereby allowing the second air pathway 53 to bypass the
aerosol generation
region 45. By a junction it is meant that the air pathways are in fluid
connection. In some
examples (not shown), the first air pathway 52 may be connected to a first air
inlet and the
second air pathway 53 may be connected to a second distinct air inlet. In
these examples, the
first and air pathways 52,53 do not fluidly connect at least for the section
of the first air pathway
52 between the first air inlet and the aerosol generation region 45.
The air outlet 50 is provided in a mouthpiece of the system 1 which is
configured to
allow a user to inhale on the device (e.g. shaped to facilitate the user
engaging their lips with
the mouthpiece). The air outlet 50 may comprise a single hole, a plurality of
holes, configured
to allow air to exit the aerosol provision system 1 during a puff. In some
examples, the plurality
of holes may be provided by a grate or mesh, or similar. In some examples, the
first and
second air pathway 52,53 may share a single air outlet 50 (as shown). In some
examples,
where the first and second air pathways 52, 53 share an air outlet 50 the
first and second air
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pathways 52,53 join (i.e. be in fluid connection) at a junction 151 which is
downstream of the
aerosol generation region 45 (for the first air pathway 52), thereby allowing
the second air
pathway 53 to bypass the aerosol generation region 45. In some examples (not
shown), the
first air pathway 52 may be connected to a first air outlet and the second air
pathway 53 may
be connected to a second distinct air outlet. In these examples, the first and
air pathways
52,53 do not fluidly connect at least for the section of the first air pathway
52 between the
aerosol generation region 45 and the first outlet. In these examples, the
first and second air
outlets are provided in the mouthpiece such that the user can inhale through
both
simultaneously when using the system 1.
In examples in accordance with Figure 1, the adjustment mechanism 170a is
configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air
pathway 52 to the
resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway 53 based upon a draw strength of
a user
inhalation by varying the resistance to draw of the second air pathway 53. The
adjustment
mechanism 170a is provided adjacent and / or within the second air path 53,
and configured
such that changes to the state (e.g. position or configuration of the
adjustment mechanism) of
the adjustment mechanism 170a result in a changed in the resistance-to-draw of
the second
air pathway 53. By changing the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway
53 (e.g. how
easy it is for the user to inhale or "pull" air along the second air pathway)
the ratio of the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 to the resistance-to-draw of
the second air
pathway is changed (because there is adjustment mechanism in the first air
pathway 52 to
make a compensatory change to the first air pathway 52). By resistance-to-draw
of the first air
pathway it is meant the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52
measured separately
from the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway 53 (e.g. in isolation to
the second air
pathway). Similarly, by resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway it is
meant the resistance-
to-draw of the second air pathway 53 measured separately from the resistance-
to-draw of the
first air pathway 52 (e.g. in isolation to the first air pathway). For
example, the resistance-to-
draw of the first and second air pathways may be measured in the absence of
any sections
common to both the first and second air pathways. It will be appreciated that
the resistance-
to-draw of the first air pathway and the resistance-to-draw of the second air
pathway are
different to the resistance-to-draw of the whole aerosol provision system
which is defined by
the resistance-to-draw of all pathways (e.g. including the first and second
air pathways)
between the air inlet(s) 28 and the mouthpiece outlet(s) 50.
In some examples, the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway is
determined by the
cross-section of the narrowest section (e.g. portion) of the first air pathway
and the resistance-
to-draw of the second air pathway is determined by the cross-section of the
narrowest section
of the second air pathway. Therefore to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first air
pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway, an adjustment
mechanism (e.g.
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17
adjustment mechanism 170a or adjustment mechanism 170b) may be configured to
vary the
cross-section of at least one of the first air pathway and the second air
pathway. By configuring
an adjustment mechanism to vary the cross-section, the adjustment mechanism
may redefine
the cross section of the narrowest section of the relevant air pathway. For
example, in some
examples, an adjustment mechanism, as described in the present specification,
may increase
the cross-section of the narrowest section of an air pathway, or may decrease
the cross-
section of the narrowest section of an air pathway. By narrowest it is meant
that the cross-
sectional separation between the boundaries (e.g. walls) of the air pathway is
the smallest
(e.g. least) value for any cross-sectional section between respective boundary
walls of the air
pathway. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the resistance-to-draw
may instead be
determined by a smallest cross-sectional area of a respective air pathway.
In some examples, by decreasing the cross-section of a section of an air
pathway (e.g.
a variable section adjusted by a relevant adjustment mechanism), that
decreased section may
become the narrowest section if a different section was previously the
narrowest (e.g. a fixed
section). Similarly, in some examples, by increasing the cross-section of a
section of an air
pathway (e.g. a variable section adjusted by a relevant adjustment mechanism)
that previously
defined the narrowest section prior to the adjustment, a different section may
become the
narrowest section if a different section (e.g. a fixed section) has a narrower
cross-section. As
such, an adjustment mechanism may effectively vary the resistance to draw of
an air pathway
by adjusting an element of the air pathway to change which portion or section
of the air
pathway is the primary restricting section (e.g. the cross-section of the
narrowest section).
The adjustment mechanism 170a may be provided by a valve, or other obstruction
(such as a movable iris), which is configured to move to constrict the air
flow in the second air
pathway 53. By constrict it is meant that the valve effectively narrows a
cross-section of the
air path to increase the resistance to draw of the second air pathway 53. The
adjustment
mechanism 170a is configured to change state to vary the resistance-to-draw
based on (i.e.
dependent on) the draw strength of a user's inhalation. In particular, the
adjustment
mechanism 170a is configured to tune the ratio of airflow along the first and
second air
pathways 52,53 to decrease (at least proportionally with respect to the first
air pathway) the
airflow along the second air pathway when the user inhales more strongly (i.e.
inhales at a
greater rate). In some examples, a sufficiently strong user inhalation (i.e.
above a particular
threshold rate of inhalation) may temporarily close the second air pathway 52.
In some examples the adjustment mechanism 170a is passive in that it does not
require any measurement or detection of the user's inhalation, or control
signals from suitable
circuitry, to enable the adjustment mechanism 170a to vary the resistance-to
draw of the
second air pathway 170. Instead the adjustment mechanism 170a is responsive to
the
inhalation strength such that it changes state dependent on the inhalation
strength. In some
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examples the adjustment mechanism 170a is active in that it is controlled by
control signals
from suitable circuitry in response to measurements by an airflow sensor, as
discussed below
in relation to Figure 4. In short, for active systems the state of the
adjustment mechanism 170a
can be adjusted based on a measured inhalation strength.
In some examples, the adjustment mechanism 170a is configured to vary its
state (e.g.
position or configuration) between a first state which provides a first
resistance-to-draw when
no inhalation is occurring, and a second state which provides a second
resistance-to-draw
when inhalation is occurring at a particular strength.. In some examples, the
adjustment
mechanism 170a may be configured to vary the resistance-to-draw gradually
between the first
and second resistance-to-draw, whilst in some other examples the adjustment
mechanism
170a may be configured to vary the resistance-to-draw along the second pathway
53 in
substantially a single step change when the draw strength of a user exceeds a
threshold value.
For example, the adjustment mechanism 170a can comprise a valve provided in
the second
air pathway 53 and configured to restrict air flow when the draw strength of a
user exceeds a
threshold value. In some of these examples, the adjustment mechanism 170a may
be
configured to completely close the second air pathway 53, such that the
airflow along the
second air pathway is reduced to substantially zero, when the draw strength of
a user exceeds
a threshold value.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the air passages of an aerosol provision
system 1
in accordance with the present invention. With the exception of the adjustment
mechanism
170b which replaces adjustment mechanism 170a, the components of Figure 2 are
substantially as described in relation to Figure 1. Figure 2 differs from
Figure 1 in that the
adjustment mechanism 170b is provided adjacent and / or within the first air
path 52, and
configured such that changes to the state (e.g. position or configuration of
the adjustment
mechanism) of the adjustment mechanism 170b result in a changed in the
resistance-to-draw
of the first air pathway 52. As such, adjustment mechanism 170b is configured
to vary the ratio
of the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 to the resistance-to-
draw of the second air
pathway 53 based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation by varying the
resistance to draw
of the first air pathway 52. By changing the resistance-to-draw of the first
air pathway 52 (e.g.
how easy it is for the user to inhale or "pull" air along the first air
pathway) the ratio of the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 to the resistance-to-draw of
the second air
pathway 53 is changed (because there is adjustment mechanism in the second air
pathway
53 to make a compensatory change to the second air pathway 53).
The adjustment mechanism 170b may be provided by a valve, or other obstruction
(such as a movable iris), which is configured to move to constrict the air
flow in the first air
pathway 52. By constrict it is meant that the valve effectively narrows a
cross-section of the
air path to increase the resistance to draw of the first air pathway 52. The
adjustment
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mechanism 170b is configured to change state to vary the resistance-to-draw
based on (i.e.
dependent on) the draw strength of a user's inhalation. In particular, the
adjustment
mechanism 170b is configured to tune the ratio of airflow along the first and
second air
pathways 52,53 to increase the airflow along the first air pathway when the
user inhales more
strongly (i.e. inhales at a greater rate).
In some examples the adjustment mechanism 170b is passive in that it does not
require any measurement or detection of the user's inhalation, or control
signals from suitable
circuitry, to enable the adjustment mechanism 170b to vary the resistance-to
draw of the first
air pathway 52. Instead the adjustment mechanism 170b is responsive to the
inhalation
strength such that it changes state dependent on the inhalation strength. In
some examples
the adjustment mechanism 170b is active in that it is controlled by control
signals from suitable
circuitry in response to measurements by an airflow sensor, as discussed below
in relation to
Figure 4. In short, for active systems the state of the adjustment mechanism
170b can be
adjusted based on a measured inhalation strength.
In some examples, the adjustment mechanism 170b is configured to vary its
state (e.g.
position or configuration) between a first state which provides a first
resistance-to-draw when
no inhalation is occurring, and a second state which provides a second
resistance-to-draw
when inhalation is occurring at a particular strength. In some examples, the
adjustment
mechanism 170b may be configured to vary the resistance-to-draw gradually
between the first
and second resistance-to-draw, whilst in some other examples the adjustment
mechanism
170b may be configured to vary the resistance-to-draw along the first pathway
52 in
substantially a single step change when the draw strength of a user exceeds a
threshold value.
For example, the adjustment mechanism 170b can comprise a valve provided in
the first air
pathway 52 and configured to reduce the resistance-to-draw when the draw
strength of a user
exceeds a threshold value.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the air passages of an aerosol provision
system 1
in accordance with the present invention. With the exception of the adjustment
mechanism
170c which replaces adjustment mechanism 170a, the components of Figure 3 are
substantially as described in relation to Figure 1. Figure 3 differs from
Figure 1 (and Figure 2)
in that the adjustment mechanism 170c is provided adjacent to and / or within
both the first air
path 52 and the second air path 53, and is configured such that changes to the
state (e.g.
position or configuration of the adjustment mechanism) of the adjustment
mechanism 170c
result in a change in the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 and /
or the second air
pathway 53.
As such, adjustment mechanism 170c is configured to vary the ratio of the
resistance-
to-draw of the first air pathway 52 to the resistance-to-draw of the second
air pathway 53
based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation by varying the resistance to
draw of the first
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air pathway 52 and / or the second air pathway 53. By changing the resistance-
to-draw of the
first air pathway 52 or the second air pathway (e.g. how easy it is for the
user to inhale or "pull"
air along the first air pathway) the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the
first air pathway 52 to
the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway 53 is changed. In some
examples,
5 complementary changes can be made by the adjustment mechanism 170c to
increase the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 and decrease the resistance-to-
draw of the
second air pathway 53 simultaneously, and vice versa.
In some examples in accordance with Figure 3, a single obstruction such as a
sliding
bar may be used to vary the resistance to draw of both the first and second
air pathway 52,53
10 (e.g. by sliding the bar out of one pathway and into the other pathway).
In some other examples
in accordance with Figure 4, the adjustment mechanism 170c comprises a
separate valve, or
other obstruction, for each of the first and second air pathways 52,53. The
adjustment
mechanism 170c is configured to change state to vary the resistance-to-draw of
the first and
second air pathways 52,53 based on (i.e. dependent on) the draw strength of a
user's
15 inhalation. In particular, the adjustment mechanism 170c is configured
to tune the ratio of
airflow along the first and second air pathways 52,53 to increase the airflow
along the first air
pathway with respect to the airflow along the second air pathway when the user
inhales more
strongly (i.e. inhales at a greater rate).
In some examples the adjustment mechanism 170c is passive in that it does not
20 require any measurement or detection of the user's inhalation, or
control signals from suitable
circuitry, to enable the adjustment mechanism 170c to vary the resistance-to
draw of the first
air pathway 52. Instead the adjustment mechanism 170c is responsive to the
inhalation
strength such that it changes state dependent on the inhalation strength. In
some examples
the adjustment mechanism 170c is active in that it is controlled by control
signals from suitable
circuitry in response to measurements by an airflow sensor, as discussed below
in relation to
Figure 4. In short, for active systems the state of the adjustment mechanism
170c can be
adjusted based on a measured inhalation strength.
In some examples, the adjustment mechanism 170c is configured to vary between
a
first state (e.g. position or configuration) which provides a first set of
resistances-to-draw along
the first air pathway 52 and a second air pathway, respectively, when no
inhalation is
occurring, and a second state which provides a second set of resistances-to-
draw along the
first air pathway 52 and a second air pathway, respectively, when inhalation
is occurring at a
particular strength. In some examples, the adjustment mechanism 170c may be
configured to
vary the resistance-to-draw gradually between the first and second set of
resistances-to-draw,
whilst in some other examples the adjustment mechanism 170c may be configured
to vary the
resistances-to-draw along the along the first air pathway 52 and a second air
pathway, in
substantially a single step change when the draw strength of a user exceeds a
threshold value.
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In some of these examples, the adjustment mechanism 170c may be configured to
completely
close the second air pathway 53, such that the airflow along the second air
pathway is reduced
to substantially zero, when the draw strength of a user exceeds a threshold
value.
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical (including electronic)
components
of the reusable part 2 of Figure 1. Note that at least some of these
components are shown by
way of example only and may be omitted (and/or supplemented or replaced by
other
components) according to the circumstances of any given implementation.
Furthermore,
although the components shown in Figure 4 are assumed to be located in the
reusable part 2
rather than in the cartridge part 4 (since a given reusable part may be re-
used with many
different cartomisers 30), other configurations may be adopted as desired. In
addition, the
components shown in Figure 4 may be located on one circuit board such as that
of control
circuitry 18, but other configurations may be adopted as desired, e.g.
components may be
distributed across multiple circuit boards, or may not (all) be mounted on
circuit boards.
Furthermore, for clarity Figure 4 omits various elements which are commonly
present in this
type of device, such as most power lines, memory (RAM) and/or (non-volatile)
storage (ROM)
and so on.
Figure 4 includes a connector 6 for coupling to a cartomiser (cartridge) 4, as
discussed
above, and a (re-chargeable) battery 26 and a (micro)controller 22, as
discussed below. The
battery 26 is further linked to a USB connector 235, e.g. a micro or mini or
type C connector,
which can be used to re-charge the battery 26 from an external power supply
(typically via
some re-charging circuit, not shown in Figure 4). Note that other forms of re-
charging may be
supported for battery 26 ¨ for example, by charging through some other form of
connector, by
wireless charging (e.g. induction), by charging through connector 6, and/or by
removing the
battery 26 from the e-cigarette 10.
The device of Figure 4 further includes a communications interface 230 which
can be
used for wired and/or wireless communications with one or more external
systems (not shown
in Figure 4), such as a smartphone, laptop and/or other form of computer
and/or other
appliance. The wireless communications may be performed using (for example)
Bluetooth
and/or any other suitable wireless communications standard. It will be
appreciated that USB
interface 235 may also be used to provide a wired communications link instead
of (or in
addition to) the communications interface 230; for example, the USB interface
235 might be
used to provide the system with wired communications while the communications
interface
230 might be used to provide the system with wireless communications.
Communications to and/or from the electronic aerosol provision system 10 may
be
used for a wide variety of purposes, such as to collect and report (upload)
operational data
from the system 10, e.g. regarding usage levels, settings, any error
conditions, and/or to
download updated control programs, configuration data, and so on. Such
communications
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may also be used to support interaction between the electronic aerosol
provision system 10
and an external system such as a smartphone belonging to the user of the
electronic aerosol
provision system 10. This interaction may support a wide variety of
applications (apps),
including collaborative or social media based apps.
The device of Figure 4 further includes an airflow sensor 30 to provide an
estimate of
a draw strength of the user when the user is inhaling on the device. The
airflow sensor 30 can
be used to. The sensor 30 may detect airflow via any suitable mechanism, such
as by
monitoring for a flow of air and/or a change in pressure. A detection by the
sensor 30 may
trigger the microcontroller 22 to change an operational aspect of the device
20 or system 10.
In some examples a detection by the sensor 30 may trigger a supply of power by
the
microcontroller 22 from the battery 26 to the cartridge part 4 (in particular
to a heater or other
aerosol generator) to produce a vapour output for inhalation by the user (this
process is
generally referred to as puff-activation) when the user's draw strength is
above a set value
indicative of a user inhaling on the device. Note that some systems 10 do not
support puff
actuation; these systems are typically activated by a user pressing on a
button (or some other
form of direct input). In some examples, and as explained in more detail
below, a detection
may trigger the microcontroller 22 to cause a state (e.g. a position or
configuration) of an
adjustment mechanism 170 (which may be an adjustment mechanism in accordance
with
170a, 170b or 170c) to change, thereby changing the resistance-to-draw of the
first air
pathway 52 and / or the second air pathway 53 and affecting the mixture of air
inhaled by the
user. Such an adjustment mechanism 170 may be considered to be electronically
operated or
configurable in that control signals from the microcontroller 22 a change to
the adjustment
mechanism 170.
The device of Figure 4 may further include user I/O functionality 250 to
support direct
user input into the system 10 (this user input/output may be provided instead
of, or more
commonly in addition to, the communications functionality discussed above).
The user output
may be provided as one or more of visual, audio, and/or haptic output
(feedback), for example
by first and second user input buttons 14, 16 and display 24. For example,
visual output may
be implemented by one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or any other form
of lighting,
and/or by a screen or other display - such as a liquid crystal display (LCD),
which can provide
more complex forms of output. The user input may be provided by any suitable
facility, for
example, by providing one or more buttons or switches on the system 10 and/or
a touch screen
(which supports both user input and output). Alternatively or additionally,
user input may also
be performed by movement of the device 20 (or of the whole system 10), such
movement
being detected using a motion sensor which can be considered as part of the
user input/output
facility 250.
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The microcontroller 22 may be located on a PCB, which may also be used for
mounting
other components as appropriate, e.g. the communications interface 230. Some
components
may be separately mounted, such as the airflow sensor 30, which may be located
adjacent
the airflow path through the system 10, and a user input facility (e.g.
buttons) which may be
located on the external housing of the system 10. The microcontroller 22
generally includes
a processor (or other processing facility) and memory (ROM and/or RAM). The
operations of
the microcontroller 22 (and some other electronic components), are typically
controlled at least
in part by software programs running on the processor in the controller (or
other electronic
components as appropriate). Such software programs may be stored in a non-
volatile memory
which can be integrated into the microcontroller 22 itself, or provided as a
separate component
(e.g. on a PCB). The processor may access ROM or any other appropriate store
to load
individual software programs for execution as and when required. The
microcontroller 22 also
contains suitable interfaces (and control software) for interacting with the
other components
of system 10 (such as shown in Figure 4).
The microcontroller 22 may specify (and implement) one or more heating
profiles for
use with a heater; such a profile determines the variation with time in the
level of power that
is supplied to a heater. For example, the microcontroller may supply most
power to the heater
from the battery 26 at the start of a puff in order to rapidly warm the heater
to its operating
temperature, after which the microcontroller 22 may supply a reduced level of
power to the
heater sufficient to maintain this operating temperature. It will be
appreciated that other
operation profiles may be used for other types of aerosol generator (for
example, a vibrating
mesh or ejector) to control the variation with time in the level of power that
is supplied to the
aerosol generator.
As discussed above, in some examples in accordance with the present invention,
an
adjustment mechanism 170 of the aerosol provision system 1 can be active in
that it is
controlled by control signals from suitable circuitry (such as microcontroller
22) in response to
measurements of the inhalation strength by an airflow sensor 30 or other
suitable sensor. The
detection or measurement may trigger the microcontroller 22 to control the
adjustment
mechanisms to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first pathway to
the resistance-
to-draw of the second pathway, thereby affecting the mixture of air inhaled by
the user. Such
an adjustment mechanism 170 may be considered to be electronically operated or
configurable in that control signals from the microcontroller 22 a change to
the adjustment
mechanism 170. The microcontroller 22 can be configured to control the
adjustment
mechanism 170 to cause a state (e.g. a position or configuration) of the
adjustment
mechanism 170 to change, thereby changing the resistance-to-draw of the first
air pathway
52 and / or the second air pathway 53, and the ratio of the two.
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24
As stated above the sensor 30 is configured to measure the draw strength and
to
provide an estimate of a draw strength of the user when the user is inhaling
on the device.
The sensor 30 can provide or otherwise transmit, the estimate of the draw
strength, or a
representative value, to the microcontroller 22 which can then provide an
electronic control
signal to the adjustment mechanism 170 to alter the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first
pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second pathway. As detailed above in
relation to
Figures 2, 3 and 4, an active adjustment mechanism 170 can be controlled such
that it varies
the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway 52 and / or the second air
pathway either
gradually (e.g. substantially continuously) or in a step-like manner. In
general, the controller
will act to increase the proportion of airflow through the first air pathway
when the user is
inhaling strongly, in comparison to when the user is inhaling weakly. This
provides the user
with an intuitive sensorial experience in which the user is provided with less
aerosol when they
are inhaling weakly, and more aerosol when they are inhaling strongly.
In some example, the microcontroller 22 is further configured to control the
adjustment
mechanism based on a user input. The user input may be received via the user
I/O
functionality 250 and / or via an external device such as a smart phone via
the communications
interface 230 or the USB interface 235. The controller 22 may interpret the
user input and
control the adjustment mechanism 170 in response. For example, the control may
be
configured to select one of a number of modes of operation based on the user
input. For each
mode of operation, the controller 22 can be configured to control the
adjustment mechanism
170 to vary the resistance-to-draw of the first and / or second air pathways
within set ranges
corresponding to that mode. In some examples, the user may be able to select a
discrete
mode of operation based on the user input, where the controller is configured
to decrease the
ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first pathway to the resistance-to-draw
of the second
pathway in comparison to a normal mode to reduce a visibility of an aerosol
produced by the
aerosol generator.
The configuration shown in Figure 4 may be varied as appropriate by the
skilled
person. For example, the functionality of the (micro)controller 22 may be
distributed across
one or more components which act in combination as a microcontroller. In
addition, there may
be a PCB or similar provided in combination with battery 26 to control re-
charging of the
battery, such as to detect and prevent voltage or current overload and/or
overly long charging
times, and likewise to control discharging of the battery, e.g. so that the
battery does not get
excessively discharged to the point of damage. It will be appreciated that the
above set of
alternatives and variations on the configuration is by no means exhaustive,
and many further
alternatives and variations will be apparent to the skilled person.
Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method 600 of controlling an aerosol provision
system
comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-
generating
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material in an aerosol-generating region, and a first air pathway passing
through the aerosol
generation region, a second air pathway not passing through the aerosol
generation region.
The method begins at step 610 with the system providing an adjustment
mechanism
configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air
pathway to the resistance-
5 to-draw of the second air pathway based upon a draw strength of a user
inhalation. As detailed
above in relation to figures 1,2,3 and 4; in some examples, the adjustment
mechanism can be
a passive adjustment mechanism which is not controlled electronically whilst
in other
examples, the adjustment mechanism is an active adjustment mechanism which is
controlled
electronically by a controller. In some examples, passive adjustment mechanism
may be
10 provided upon manufacture or by modifying an existing aerosol provision
system. In some
examples, active adjustment mechanisms may be provided by programming or
reconfiguring
the system such that an existing adjustment mechanism is configured to vary
the ratio of the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the
second air pathway
based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation.
15 The method 600 continues at step 620 with the system adjusting the
adjustment
mechanism to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first pathway to
the resistance-to-
draw of the second pathway. In some examples, adjusting the adjustment
mechanism occurs
passively, or automatically, dependent on the air flow past the adjustment
mechanism or the
air pressure at the adjustment mechanism. In some examples, adjusting the
adjustment
20 mechanism is facilitated by a controller which is configured to control
the adjustment
mechanism based on a measured or estimated characteristic of the airflow
through the device.
The method 600 then ends.
Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method 700 of controlling an aerosol provision
system 1 to
adjust an adjustment mechanism to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of
the first pathway
25 to the resistance-to-draw of the second pathway, as per step 620 of
method 600. The method
begins at step 621, with the system estimating the draw strength of the user
inhalation. The
step 621 can be performed by the control circuitry 22 or by the airflow sensor
30. For example
the sensor readings (i.e. measured values) made by the sensor 30 may be the
estimate, or
the sensor 30 and / or the control circuitry 22 may process the sensor
readings to produce an
estimate of the draw strength of the user inhalation.
The method proceeds to step 622, with the system controlling the adjustment
mechanism 170 based on the estimated draw strength. The step 622 can be
performed by the
control circuitry 22. In some examples, the estimated draw strength is
compared to one or
more threshold values and /or one or more threshold ranges to determine how to
control the
adjustment mechanism 170. For example, the controller 22 may determine whether
the
estimated draw strength is in a first range or a second range of values for
the draw strength
and control the adjustment mechanism to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-
draw of the first
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26
air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway based on which
of the ranges
the estimated draw strength is in. For example, if the first range covers a
range of higher draw
strengths and the second range covers a range of lower draw strengths, then
the controller
may increase the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to
the resistance-to-
draw of the second air pathway if the estimated draw strength is in the first
range thereby
decreasing the amount of side-stream air inhaled, and may decrease the ratio
of the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the
second air pathway
if the estimated draw strength is in the second range thereby increasing the
amount of side-
stream air inhaled. It will be appreciated that in some examples, the
controller 22 may be
configured to compare the estimated draw strength to more than two ranges of
draw strength
and to control the adjustment mechanism to select a particular ratio dependent
on which range
the estimated draw strength falls within. Furthermore, it will be appreciated
that comparisons
to a plurality of threshold draw strength values could be used instead of a
plurality of draw
strength ranges to determine how to control the adjustment mechanism 170.
Furthermore, in
some examples, the controller 22 is configured to process the estimated draw
strength to
calculate how to control the adjustment mechanism 170. For example by
comparing the
estimated draw strength to entries in a lookup table or by inputting the
estimated draw strength
into a formula that outputs control values for controlling the adjustment
mechanism. These
examples may enable a more continuous or gradual change of the ratio that
feels more
intuitive to the user. In some examples, the adjustment mechanism 170 can
change (i.e.
adjust) the resistance to draw of the first air pathway 52. In these examples,
the adjustment
mechanism 170 is controlled to decrease the resistance (either stepwise or
continuously) to
draw of the first air pathway 52, in response to the user increasing draw
strength. In some
examples, the adjustment mechanism 170 can change the resistance to draw of
the second
air pathway 53. In these examples, the adjustment mechanism 170 is controlled
to increase
the resistance (either stepwise or continuously) to draw of the second air
pathway 53, in
response to the user increasing draw strength. In some examples the adjustment
mechanism
170 can change the resistance to draw of the first and second air pathways
52,53. In these
examples, the adjustment mechanism 170 is controlled to decrease the
resistance (either
stepwise or continuously) to draw of the first air pathway 52 and to increase
the resistance
(either stepwise or continuously) to draw of the second air pathway 53, in
response to the user
increasing draw strength. The method then ends.
The methods 600 and 700 illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 may be stored as
instructions
on a computer readable storage medium, such that when the instructions are
executed by a
processor, the methods 600 and 700 described above are performed. The computer
readable
storage medium may be non-transitory.
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Thus it has been described that examples of the present disclosure comprise an
aerosol provision system comprising: an aerosol generator for generating an
aerosol from an
aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region; a first air
pathway passing
through the aerosol generation region; a second air pathway not passing
through the aerosol
generation region; and an adjustment mechanism configured to vary the ratio of
the
resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the
second air pathway
based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation.
Furthermore, it has also been described that examples of the present
disclosure may
also comprise an aerosol provision device for use with an aerosol generating
article
comprising aerosol generating material, which together form an aerosol
provision system,
wherein the aerosol provision system comprises an aerosol generator for
generating an
aerosol from an aerosol-generating material in an aerosol-generating region, a
first air
pathway passing through the aerosol generation region, a second air pathway
not passing
through the aerosol generation region, and an adjustment mechanism configured
to vary the
ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the first air pathway to the resistance-to-
draw of the second
air pathway based upon a draw strength of a user inhalation, wherein the
aerosol provision
device comprises: circuitry configured to control the adjustment mechanism to
cause the
adjustment mechanism configured to vary the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of
the first air
pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway based upon a draw
strength of a
user inhalation. In some of these examples, at least a part of the first air
pathway is provided
in the aerosol provision device and/or wherein at least a part of the second
air pathway is
provided in the aerosol provision device, and wherein the adjustment mechanism
is provided
in the aerosol provision device and is arranged to vary the ratio of the
resistance-to-draw of
the first air pathway to the resistance-to-draw of the second air pathway by
varying the
resistance-to-draw of the at least a part of the first air pathway and/or the
resistance-to-draw
of the at least a part of the second air pathway.
The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in
understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are
provided as a
representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or
exclusive. It is to
be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features,
structures,
and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on
the scope of the
invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the
claims, and that other
embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing
from the
scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may
suitably comprise,
consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the
disclosed elements,
components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically
described
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herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not
presently claimed, but
which may be claimed in future.
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