Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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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 improve the efficiency of the cartridges in order to extend
their life
and to ensure that tobacco is fully depleted when the cartridge is replaced.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a consumable
cartridge for
an aerosol generation device, the consumable cartridge comprising: an aerosol
forming material adapted to form an aerosol upon receiving heat from the
aerosol
generation device; and a partitioning element configured to partition the
aerosol
forming material into a first portion and a second portion, wherein an airflow
path
extends in a first direction in the first portion and a second direction in
the second
portion, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.
In this way, an airflow can be directed along the airflow path by the
partitioning
element through the first portion and the second portion of the aerosol
forming
material. By directing an airflow in the first direction and in an opposite
(second)
direction the aerosol forming material can be exposed to the airflow better.
The
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interaction between the aerosol forming material and the airflow can therefore
be
improved which can improve the efficiency of the cartridge.
The airflow path may enter the cartridge at one end and may exit the cartridge
at the
same end, or at an opposite end.
Preferably the partitioning element is configured to partition the aerosol
forming
material into first, second and third portions, wherein the airflow extends in
the third
portion in the first direction. In a further preferable arrangement the
partitioning
element is configured to partition the aerosol forming material into a fourth
portion,
wherein the airflow extends in the fourth portion in the second direction.
The partitioning element may be substantially cross-shaped so that the aerosol
forming material is divided into substantially equally sized portions. The
partitioning
element may include components that are angled at substantially 90 degrees
with
respect to one another.
Preferably the airflow is sinuous between the first and second portions. Thus,
the
airflow may extend in a substantially linear direction in the respective
portions, and
may be curved between the portions. In particular, the airflow may be curved
around the ends of the partitioning element. When a cross-shaped partitioning
element is used, the airflow may extend circumferentially around a central
axis of
the cross with a sinuous profile.
Preferably the cartridge comprises an outer casing, and the partitioning
element is
attached to the outer casing. In this way, the partitioning element can be
integral
with the outer casing. The partitioning element can therefore be part of the
consumable cartridge even when it is not installed in the aerosol generation
device.
The partitioning element may comprise a heating element. The heating element
is
preferably part of the aerosol generation device. In some arrangements, there
may
be a plurality of partitioning elements. One partitioning element may be
attached to
the outer shell and integral with the consumable cartridge, and another
partitioning
element may be part of the aerosol generation device and present when the
consumable cartridge is installed in the aerosol generaton device.
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The aerosol forming material may be arranged to form a guide within which the
partitioning element can be positioned. Thus, the partitioning element may be
inserted into the guide or slot in the aerosol forming material. For example,
a
heating device in the aerosol generating device may be received in the guide
in
order to function as the partitioning element.
The first and second portions have first and second lengths that are parallel
to the
first and second directions, and the length of the partitioning element may be
less
than the first and second lengths of the portions of aerosol forming material.
This
can facilitate the sinuous airflow profile because the airflow can loop around
the
ends of the partitioning element.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an aerosol
generation
device, comprising: a heater; a consumable cartridge comprising an aerosol
forming
material adapted to form an aerosol upon receiving heat from the heater; and a
partitioning element configured to partition the aerosol forming material into
a first
portion and a second portion, wherein an airflow path extends in a first
direction in
the first portion and in a second direction in the second portion, wherein the
first
direction is opposite to the second direction.
Preferably the aiflow path extends within the aerosol generation device. In
particular, the aerosol generation device may be used to generate the airflow
and
supply the airflow to the aerosol forming material. In this way, the airflow
can be
generated within the aerosol generation device, supplied to the consumable
cartridge, and exhausted from the consumable cartridge.
There may be a plurality of partitioning elements. In some arrangements the
heater
may function as the partitioning element. In other arrangements the
partitioning
element may be integral with the consumable cartridge.
Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, with
reference
to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of a cartridge in an embodiment of the invention;
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Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cartridge depicted in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a front view of a cartridge and a complementary heater in another
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 4 is a bottom view of the cartridge depicted in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a side view of a heater for use with the cartridges shown in any
of
Figures 1-4, 6 and 7.
Figure 6 is a front view of a cartridge in another embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 7 is a bottom view of the cartridge depicted in Figure 6; and
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a heater for use with the cartridge depicted
in
Figures 6 and 7.
Figures 1 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
domed top. The cartridge 10 has an outer metal casing which accommodates
aerosol forming material.
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.
The cartridge 10 includes vent holes 12 in an upper surface 20 and entry/exit
holes
14, 16 in a bottom surface 18. A rectangular slot 22 is provided in the bottom
surface 18. The slot 22 extends in the interior of the cartridge 10 such that
it
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provides a first partition wall 24, dividing the tobacco into a first portion
26 and a
second portion 28.
In use, an airflow is directed into the entry hole 14. The airflow extends
through the
5 first portion 26 of the tobacco, loops over top of the first partition
wall 24, and
extends in an opposite direction though the second portion 28 of the tobacco.
Air
can then exit the cartridge 10 through the exit hole 16. Vapours that are
produced
by the tobacco can exit the cartridge 10 through the exit hole 16 and/or the
vent
holes 12. The airflow therefore traverses the first portion 26 before entering
the
second portion 28, which is located on an opposite side of the first partition
wall 24.
The airflow traverses the second portion 28 of the tobacco before exiting the
cartridge 10 through the exit hole 16.
The cartridge 10 is compatible for use with a conventional heater, having a
planar
surface that abuts the bottom surface 18 of the cartridge. Additionally, the
cartridge
10 can be used with the heater 30 shown in Figure 5. The heater 30 is shaped
like
an inverted T, having a projection 32 that matches the shape of the slot 22.
This
can advantageously increase the surface area of the cartridge 10 that is in
contact
with the heater 30. This can improve the efficiency of heating. In addition,
heating
can be provided more effectively to tobacco within the interior of the
cartridge.
Figures 3 and 4 show a cartridge 110 in a second embodiment of the invention.
The
cartridge 110 is similar to the cartridge 10 in the first embodiment, except
that
second and third partition walls 134, 136 are provided. The second and third
partition walls 134, 136 extend in a direction that is substantially
orthogonal to the
first partition wall 124. The second and third partition walls 134, 136 extend
from a
position that is slightly above the bottom surface 118 of the cartridge 110 to
a height
that is slightly less than the height of the first partition wall 124. Thus, a
slight gap is
provided between the bottom surface 118 of the cartridge 110 and the bottom of
the
second and third partition walls 134, 136.
The cartridge 110 in the second embodiment is compatible for use with the
heater
30 shown in Figure 5, which can extend into the slot 122.
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In use, an airflow is directed into the entry hole 114. The airflow extends
upwards
in the cartridge 110 through a first portion 126 of the tobacco, loops over
the top of
the first partition wall 124, and extends in an opposite direction though a
second
portion 128 of the tobacco. The airflow then loops under the third partition
wall 136,
between the bottom of the third partition wall 136 and the bottom surface 118,
and
extends upwards in a third portion 130 of the tobacco. The airflow then loops
once
more over the top of the first partition wall 124 to extend downwards in a
fourth
portion 132 of the tobacco before it can exit the cartridge 110 through the
exit hole
116. Vapours and/or aerosols that are produced by the tobacco can exit the
cartridge 110 through the exit hole 116 and/or the vent holes 112. In this
way, the
airflow traverses the first portion 126 before entering the second portion
128, and
traverses the second portion 128 before entering the third portion 130. The
airflow
traverses the third portion 130 before entering the fourth portion 132, and
traverses
the fourth portion 132 before exiting the cartridge 110 through the exit hole
116.
Figures 6 and 7 show a cartridge 210 in a third embodiment of the invention.
In this
arrangement a cross-shaped slot 222 is provided in the bottom surface 218. The
cross-shaped slot 222 extends upwards within the cartridge 210 to divide the
tobacco into first, second, third and fourth portions 226, 228, 230, 232. The
cross-
shaped slot 222 includes a first partition wall 224 that extends across the
full
diameter of the bottom surface 218. Second and third partition walls 234, 236
extend in a direction that is perpendicular to the first partition wall 224.
The second
and third partition walls 234, 236 extend radially away from the first
partition wall
224, but do not extend as far as the circumferential edge of the bottom
surface 218.
Thus, a gap is provided between the edges of the second and third partition
walls
234, 236 and an inner surface of the casing. The second and third partition
walls
234, 236 extend from the bottom surface 218 of the cartridge 210 to a height
that is
slightly less than the height of the first partition wall 224.
The cartridge 210 in the third embodiment is compatible for use with the
heater 330
shown in Figure 8. The heater 330 is cross-shaped and includes walls that
match
the shape of the cross-shaped slot 222. The heater 330 can therefore be fitted
into
the cross-shaped slot 222 in order to provide even heating of the tobacco in
the
cartridge 210.
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In use, an airflow is directed into the entry hole 214. The airflow extends
upwards in
the cartridge 210 through a first 226 of the tobacco, loops over the top of
the first
partition wall 224, and extends in an opposite direction though a second
portion 228
of the tobacco. The airflow then loops circumferentially around the third
partition
wall 236. The airflow then loops once more over the top of the first partition
wall 224
to extend downwards in a fourth portion 232 of the tobacco before it can exit
the
cartridge 210 through the exit hole 216. Vapours that are produced by the
tobacco
can exit the cartridge 210 through the exit hole 216 and/or the vent holes
212.
In the embodiments described above the cartridges 10, 110, 210 include
internal
walls, connected to the outer casing, that define the slots 22, 122, 222. In
another
embodiment the slots 22, 122, 222 may be defined simply by a gap in the packed
tobacco. Thus, partition walls may be defined by the heater 30, 330 when it is
received in the relevant slot 22, 122, 222.
