U.S. patent application number 14/840854 was filed with the patent office on 2017-03-02 for article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material.
This patent application is currently assigned to British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited. The applicant listed for this patent is British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited. Invention is credited to Thomas P. BLANDINO, Andrew P. WILKE.
Application Number | 20170055584 14/840854 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56940004 |
Filed Date | 2017-03-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170055584 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BLANDINO; Thomas P. ; et
al. |
March 2, 2017 |
ARTICLE FOR USE WITH APPARATUS FOR HEATING SMOKABLE MATERIAL
Abstract
Disclosed is an article for use with apparatus for heating
smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the
smokable material. The article comprises a cavity for receiving
smokable material, and a coil of heating material that is heatable
by penetration with a varying magnetic field to heat the cavity.
Also disclosed is a system comprising the article and apparatus.
The apparatus has an interface for cooperating with the article,
and a magnetic field generator. The magnetic field generator
comprises a coil for generating a varying magnetic field for
penetrating the coil of the article when the interface is
cooperating with the article. An impedance of the coil of the
magnetic field generator is equal, or substantially equal, to an
impedance of the coil of the article.
Inventors: |
BLANDINO; Thomas P.;
(Cottage Grove, WI) ; WILKE; Andrew P.; (Madison,
WI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited |
London |
|
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
British American Tobacco
(Investments) Limited
London
GB
|
Family ID: |
56940004 |
Appl. No.: |
14/840854 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 40/465 20200101;
A24F 47/008 20130101; H05B 6/36 20130101; A24F 40/20 20200101; A24F
40/42 20200101 |
International
Class: |
A24F 47/00 20060101
A24F047/00; H05B 6/36 20060101 H05B006/36 |
Claims
1. An article for use with an apparatus configured to heat smokable
material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable
material, the article comprising: a cavity configured to receive a
smokable material; and a coil of heater material that is heatable
via penetration with a varying magnetic field and to thereby heat
the cavity.
2. The article of claim 1, further comprising a closed circuit of
heater material that is heatable via penetration with a varying
magnetic field, wherein the closed circuit includes the coil of
heater material.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein the coil is disposed in the
cavity.
4. The article of claim 1, wherein the cavity is elongate, and
wherein the coil extends along a longitudinal axis that is
substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cavity.
5. The article of claim 1, wherein the heater material comprises
one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: an
electrically-conductive material, a magnetic material, and a
non-magnetic material.
6. The article of claim 1, wherein the heater material comprises a
metal or a metal alloy.
7. The article of claim 1, wherein the heater material comprises
one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:
aluminium, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite,
plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel,
copper, and bronze.
8. The article of claim 1, wherein the heater material is
susceptible to eddy currents induced in the heater material when
penetrated by a varying magnetic field.
9. The article of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the coil is
more susceptible to eddy currents induced therein by penetration
with a varying magnetic field than a second portion of the
coil.
10. The article of claim 1, further comprising a container that
defines the cavity, wherein the container is free of material that
is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field.
11. The article of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the
container is transparent or translucent.
12. The article of claim 1, further comprising the smokable
material received in the cavity.
13. The article of claim 12, wherein the heater material is in
contact with the smokable material.
14. The article of claim 12, wherein the smokable material includes
tobacco and/or one or more humectants.
15. The article of claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece that
defines a passageway that is in fluid communication with the
cavity.
16. The article of claim 1, further comprising: a passageway
defined therein and configured to fluidly connect the cavity with
an exterior of the article; and an actuator operable to vary a
cross sectional area of the passageway.
17. The article of claim 1, wherein the cavity is sealed from an
exterior of the article.
18. The article of claim 1, further comprising an air-permeable
membrane configured to admit air into the cavity from an exterior
of the article during use.
19. The article of claim 18, further comprising a seal disposed
between the air-permeable membrane and the exterior of the article,
wherein the seal seals the air-permeable membrane from the exterior
of the article, and the seal is breakable or removable from the
article so as to place the air-permeable membrane in fluid
communication with the exterior of the article during use.
20. A system, comprising: an article including a cavity configured
to receive smokable material, and a coil of heater material that is
heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field to heat the
cavity; and an apparatus having an interface configured to
cooperate with the article, and a magnetic field generator having a
coil configured to generate a varying magnetic field that
penetrates the coil of the article when the interface is
cooperating with the article; wherein an impedance of the coil of
the magnetic field generator is equal, or substantially equal, to
an impedance of the coil of the article.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the interface defines a recess
configured to receive at least a portion of the article.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the recess is elongate, and
wherein the coil of the magnetic field generator extends along a
longitudinal axis that is substantially aligned with a longitudinal
axis of the recess.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to articles for use with
apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one
component of the smokable material, and to systems comprising such
an article and such apparatus.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like
burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been
made to provide alternatives to these articles by creating products
that release compounds without combusting. Examples of such
products are so-called "heat not burn" products or tobacco heating
devices or products, which release compounds by heating, but not
burning, material. The material may be, for example, tobacco or
other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain
nicotine.
SUMMARY
[0003] A first aspect of the present invention provides an article
for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise
at least one component of the smokable material, the article
comprising:
[0004] a cavity configured to receive smokable material; and
[0005] a coil of heater or heating material that is heatable by
penetration with a varying magnetic field to thereby heat the
cavity.
[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a closed
circuit of heating material that is heatable by penetration with a
varying magnetic field, wherein the closed circuit comprises the
coil.
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the coil is located in the
cavity.
[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the cavity is elongate, and the
coil extends along a longitudinal axis that is substantially
aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cavity.
[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises
one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: an
electrically-conductive material, a magnetic material, and a
non-magnetic material.
[0010] In respective exemplary embodiments, the heating material
comprises a metal or a metal alloy.
[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises
one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:
aluminium, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite,
plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel,
copper, and bronze.
[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material is
susceptible to eddy currents being induced in the heating material
when penetrated by a varying magnetic field.
[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, a first portion of the coil is
more susceptible to eddy currents being induced therein by
penetration with a varying magnetic field than a second portion of
the coil.
[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a
container defining the cavity.
[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the container is free of
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field.
[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of the
container is transparent or translucent.
[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the container is made of glass
or a plastics material.
[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the coil is in a fixed position
relative to the cavity.
[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the coil is removable from the
article.
[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises the
smokable material in the cavity.
[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material is in
contact with the smokable material.
[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, the smokable material comprises
tobacco and/or one or more humectants.
[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a
mouthpiece defining a passageway that is in fluid communication
with the cavity.
[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a
passageway for fluidly connecting the cavity with an exterior of
the article, and an actuator operable to vary a cross sectional
area of the passageway.
[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the cavity is sealed from an
exterior of the article.
[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises an
air-permeable membrane for admitting air into the cavity from an
exterior of the article.
[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a seal
between the air-permeable membrane and the exterior of the article,
wherein the seal seals the air-permeable membrane from the exterior
of the article, and wherein the seal is breakable or removable from
the article to place the air-permeable membrane in fluid
communication with the exterior of the article during use.
[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a vapour
permeable membrane for permitting vapour generated in the cavity to
pass to an exterior of the article during use.
[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a seal
between the vapour permeable membrane and the exterior of the
article, wherein the seal seals the vapour permeable membrane from
the exterior of the article, and wherein the seal is breakable or
removable from the article to place the vapour permeable membrane
in fluid communication with the exterior of the article during
use.
[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a mass of
thermal insulation around the cavity. The thermal insulation may
comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting
of: aerogel, vacuum insulation, wadding, fleece, non-woven
material, non-woven fleece, woven material, knitted material,
nylon, foam, polystyrene, polyester, polyester filament,
polypropylene, a blend of polyester and polypropylene, cellulose
acetate, paper or card, and corrugated material such as corrugated
paper or card.
[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a coating
on the coil that is smoother or harder than a surface of the
coil.
[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a
catalytic material on at least a portion of the coil.
[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the article comprises a
temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the cartridge.
In some embodiments, the article comprises one or more terminals
connected to the temperature detector for making connection with a
temperature monitor of the apparatus in use.
[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, the coil of the article is a
first coil, and the article comprises a second coil of heating
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field to heat the cavity.
[0035] A second aspect of the present invention provides a system,
comprising:
[0036] an article according to the first aspect of the present
invention; and
[0037] apparatus having an interface for cooperating with the
article, and a magnetic field generator comprising a coil for
generating a varying magnetic field for penetrating the coil of the
article when the interface is cooperating with the article;
[0038] wherein an impedance of the coil of the magnetic field
generator is equal, or substantially equal, to an impedance of the
coil of the article.
[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the interface comprises a recess
for receiving at least a portion of the article.
[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the recess is elongate, and the
coil of the magnetic field generator extends along a longitudinal
axis that is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the
recess.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an example of
an article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to
volatilise at least one component of the smokable material;
[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the article
of FIG. 1 with smokable material in the cavity and an end closure
attached;
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of an
example of another article for use with apparatus for heating
smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the
smokable material;
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of an
example of another article for use with apparatus for heating
smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the
smokable material; and
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an example
of a system comprising the article of FIG. 2 and an apparatus for
heating smokable material to volatilise at least one component of
the smokable material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0047] As used herein, the term "smokable material" includes
materials that provide volatilised components upon heating,
typically in the form of vapour or an aerosol. "Smokable material"
may be a non-tobacco-containing material or a tobacco-containing
material. "Smokable material" may, for example, include one or more
of tobacco per se, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco,
reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extract, homogenised tobacco or
tobacco substitutes. The smokable material can be in the form of
ground tobacco, cut rag tobacco, extruded tobacco, liquid, gel,
gelled sheet, powder, or agglomerates. "Smokable material" also may
include other, non-tobacco, products, which, depending on the
product, may or may not contain nicotine. "Smokable material" may
comprise one or more humectants, such as glycerol or propylene
glycol.
[0048] As used herein, the terms "heater material" and "heating
material" refers to material that is heatable by penetration with a
varying magnetic field.
[0049] As used herein, the terms "flavour" and "flavourant" refer
to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to
create a desired taste or aroma in a product for adult consumers.
They may include extracts (e.g., liquorice, hydrangea, Japanese
white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol,
Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry,
peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint,
peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg,
sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla,
lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine,
ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander,
coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha),
flavour enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial
receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar
substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame,
saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose,
sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal,
chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents.
They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends
thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, oil,
liquid, gel, powder, or the like.
[0050] Induction heating is a process in which an
electrically-conductive object is heated by penetrating the object
with a varying magnetic field. The process is described by
Faraday's law of induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may
comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying
electrical current, such as an alternating current, through the
electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated
are suitably relatively positioned so that the resultant varying
magnetic field produced by the electromagnet penetrates the object,
one or more eddy currents are generated inside the object. The
object has a resistance to the flow of electrical currents.
Therefore, when such eddy currents are generated in the object,
their flow against the electrical resistance of the object causes
the object to be heated. This process is called Joule, ohmic, or
resistive heating. An object that is capable of being inductively
heated is known as a susceptor.
[0051] It has been found that, when the susceptor is in the form of
a closed circuit, magnetic coupling between the susceptor and the
electromagnet in use is enhanced, which results in greater or
improved Joule heating.
[0052] Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process in which an object
made of magnetic material is heated by penetrating the object with
a varying magnetic field. A magnetic material can be considered to
comprise many atomic-scale magnets, or magnetic dipoles. When a
magnetic field penetrates such material, the magnetic dipoles align
with the magnetic field. Therefore, when a varying magnetic field,
such as an alternating magnetic field, for example as produced by
an electromagnet, penetrates the magnetic material, the orientation
of the magnetic dipoles changes with the varying applied magnetic
field. Such magnetic dipole reorientation causes heat to be
generated in the magnetic material.
[0053] When an object is both electrically-conductive and magnetic,
penetrating the object with a varying magnetic field can cause both
Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object.
Moreover, the use of magnetic material can strengthen the magnetic
field, which can intensify the Joule heating.
[0054] In each of the above processes, as heat is generated inside
the object itself, rather than by an external heat source by heat
conduction, a rapid temperature rise in the object and more uniform
heat distribution can be achieved, particularly through selection
of suitable object material and geometry, and suitable varying
magnetic field magnitude and orientation relative to the object.
Moreover, as induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do
not require a physical connection to be provided between the source
of the varying magnetic field and the object, material deposits on
the object such as smokable material residue may be less of an
issue, design freedom and control over the heating profile may be
greater, and cost may be lower.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a schematic perspective
view of an example of an article according to an embodiment of the
invention. The article 1 comprises a container 10 defining a cavity
18 for receiving smokable material 30, and a coil 22 of heating
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field to heat the cavity 18. That is, the heating material is
heatable by penetrating the heating material with a varying
magnetic field, and the coil 22 is arranged relative to the cavity
18 so that, when the heating material is penetrated with the
varying magnetic field, the heating material heats up and transfers
heat energy to the cavity 18 to heat the cavity 18. The article 1
is for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to
volatilise at least one component of the smokable material. An
example of such apparatus is described below.
[0056] In this embodiment, the container 10 comprises a body 12 and
an end member 14. In this embodiments, the body 12 is tubular and
encircles the cavity 18. In this embodiment, the body 12 is
elongate and cylindrical with a substantially circular cross
section. However, in other embodiments, the body 12 may have a
cross section other than circular and/or not be elongate and/or not
be cylindrical. The end member 14 closes a first open end or
opening of the tubular body 12. In this embodiment, the end member
14 comprises a plug that is held to the first open end of the
tubular body 12, such as by friction or an adhesive. However, in
other embodiments the end member 14 may take a different form or be
integral with the body 12.
[0057] In this embodiment, the article 1 comprises a closed circuit
20 of heating material that is heatable by penetration with a
varying magnetic field. Moreover, in this embodiment, the closed
circuit 20 comprises the coil 22 and a member 24 of heating
material that connects opposite ends of the coil 22 to each other.
In other embodiments, the member 24 may be omitted, so that the
opposite ends of the coil 22 are connected to each other by only
the coil 22 itself In some embodiments, this can result in magnetic
coupling between the coil 22 and the electromagnet in use being
enhanced, which results in greater or improved Joule heating.
[0058] In this embodiment, the coil 22 is a circular helix. That
is, the coil 22 has a substantially constant radius along its
length. In other embodiments, the radius of the coil 22 may vary
along its length. For example, in some embodiments, the coil 22 may
comprise a conic helix or an elliptical helix. In this embodiment,
the coil 22 has a substantially constant pitch along its length.
That is, a width measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
coil 22 of a gap between any two adjacent turns of the coil 22 is
substantially the same as a width of a gap between any other two
adjacent turns of the coil 22. In other embodiments, this may not
be true.
[0059] In this embodiment, the coil 22 is in a fixed position
relative to the cavity 18. In this embodiment, this is effected by
the closed circuit 20 being affixed to the end member 14. In some
embodiments, the coil 22 may be removable from the article 1, such
as for cleaning. Such removability may be provided by way of the
coil 22 being detachable from the end member 14, or by way of the
combination of the end member 14 and the coil 22 being detachable
from the body 12 of the container 10, for example.
[0060] In this embodiment, the coil 22 is located in the cavity 18.
Therefore, in use, when smokable material 30 is located in the
cavity 18, turns of the coil 22 may be surrounded, or substantially
surrounded, by the smokable material 30 for effective transfer of
heat from the coil 22 to the smokable material 30. That is, the
coil 22 may be embedded within the smokable material 30 in use. The
coil 22 creates a tortuous flow path through the cavity 18, which
may create turbulence in air passing through the cavity 18 so as to
help the air to pick up volatilised material created when the
smokable material 30 is heated. The coil 22 also has a large
surface area per unit longitudinal length, which can result in
greater or improved Joule heating of the heating material, and thus
greater or improved heating of the smokable material 30. In other
embodiments, the coil 22 may be located other than in the cavity
18. For example, the coil 22 may be located within the material of
the container 10 itself, in which case the coil 22 would encircle
the cavity 18.
[0061] In this embodiment, the cavity 18 is elongate, and the coil
22 extends along a longitudinal axis that is substantially aligned
with a longitudinal axis A-A of the cavity 18. This can help to
provide more uniform heating of the smokable material 30 in use,
and can also aid manufacturing of the article 1. In this
embodiment, the aligned axes are coincident. In a variation to this
embodiment, the aligned axes may be parallel to each other.
However, in other embodiments, the axes may be oblique to each
other. In some embodiments, the coil 22 may extend to one or both
opposite longitudinal ends of the cavity 18. This can help to
provide more widespread or yet more uniform heating of the smokable
material 30 in use.
[0062] The heating material may comprise one or more materials
selected from the group consisting of: an electrically-conductive
material, a magnetic material, and a non-magnetic material. The
heating material may comprise a metal or a metal alloy.
[0063] The heating material may comprise one or more materials
selected from the group consisting of: aluminium, gold, iron,
nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, plain-carbon steel,
stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, copper, and bronze.
Other material(s) may be used in other embodiments. In this
embodiment, the heating material of the coil 22 comprises
electrically-conductive material. Thus, the heating material is
susceptible to eddy currents being induced in the heating material
when penetrated by a varying magnetic field. Therefore, the coil 22
is able to act as a susceptor when subjected to the varying
magnetic field. It has been found that, when magnetic
electrically-conductive material is used as the heating material,
magnetic coupling between the coil 22 and coil of the apparatus in
use may be enhanced. In addition to potentially enabling magnetic
hysteresis heating, this can result in greater or improved Joule
heating of the coil 22, and thus greater or improved heating of the
smokable material 30.
[0064] In some embodiments, the container 10 may be free of
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field. The container 10 may be made from non-magnetic and
non-electrically-conductive material. Such an arrangement can avoid
energy of the varying magnetic field being absorbed by the
container 10, so that more energy of the varying magnetic field is
available to heat the coil 22. In this embodiment, the container 10
is made of glass. In other embodiments, the container 10 may be
made of a different material, such as a plastics material. In some
embodiments, at least a portion of the container 10 may be
transparent or translucent, so as to enable a user to see the
contents of the cavity 18. In this embodiment, the body 12 of the
container 10 is transparent while the end member 14 is opaque. In
other embodiments, the body 12 may be translucent or opaque, for
example.
[0065] In this embodiment, a first portion 22a of the coil 22 is
more susceptible to eddy currents being induced therein by
penetration with a varying magnetic field than a second portion 22b
of the coil 22. The first portion 22a of the coil 22 may be more
susceptible as a result of the first portion 22a of the coil 22
being made of a first material, the second portion 22b of the coil
22 being made of a different second material, and the first
material being of a higher susceptibility to eddy currents being
induced therein than the second material. For example, one of the
first and second portions 22a, 22b may be made of iron, and the
other of the first and second portions 22a, 22b may be made of
graphite. Alternatively or additionally, the first portion 22a of
the coil 22 may be more susceptible as a result of the turns of the
first portion 22 of the coil 22 having a different thickness and/or
material density to the turns of the second portion 22b of the coil
22.
[0066] The higher susceptibility portion 22a may be located closer
to an intended mouth end of the article 1, or the lower
susceptibility portion 22b may be located closer to the intended
mouth end of the article 1. In the latter scenario, the lower
susceptibility portion 22b may heat the smokable material 30 to a
lesser degree than the higher susceptibility portion 22a, and thus
the lesser heated smokable material could act as a filter, to
reduce the temperature of created vapour or make the vapour created
in the article mild during heating of the smokable material 30.
[0067] While in FIG. 1 the first and second portions 22a, 22b are
located adjacent each other in the longitudinal direction of the
article 1 or of the coil 22, in other embodiments this need not be
the case. For example, in some embodiments the first and second
portions 22a, 22b may be disposed adjacent each other in a
direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the
article 1 or of the coil 22.
[0068] Such varying susceptibility of the coil 22 to eddy currents
being induced therein can help achieve progressive heating of the
smokable material 30, and thereby progressive generation of vapour.
For example, the higher susceptibility portion 22a may be able to
heat a first region of the smokable material 30 relatively quickly
to initialise volatilisation of at least one component of the
smokable material 30 and formation of a vapour in the first region
of the smokable material 30. The lower susceptibility portion 22b
may be able to heat a second region of the smokable material 30
relatively slowly to initialise volatilisation of at least one
component of the smokable material 30 and formation of a vapour in
the second region of the smokable material 30. Accordingly, a
vapour is able to be formed relatively rapidly for inhalation by a
user, and vapour can continue to be formed thereafter for
subsequent inhalation by the user even after the first region of
the smokable material 30 may have ceased generating vapour. The
first region of the smokable material 30 may cease generating the
vapour when it becomes exhausted of volatilisable components of the
smokable material 30.
[0069] In other embodiments, all of the coil 22 may be equally, or
substantially equally, susceptible to eddy currents being induced
therein by penetration with a varying magnetic field. In some
embodiments, the coil 22 may not be susceptible to such eddy
currents. In such embodiments, the heating material may be a
magnetic material that is non-electrically-conductive, and thus may
be heatable by the magnetic hysteresis process discussed above.
[0070] In some embodiments, the article may comprise a plurality of
separate coils 22, wherein each of the coils 22 comprises heating
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field. At least one of the plurality of coils 22 may be more
susceptible to eddy currents being induced therein by penetration
with a varying magnetic field than at least one of the other of the
plurality of coils 22. This may be effected by the coils 22 being
made of different heating materials and/or the turns of the coils
22 having different thicknesses and/or material densities, for
example, as discussed above. Again, such varying susceptibility of
the coils 22 can help achieve progressive heating of the smokable
material 30, and thereby progressive generation of vapour, in a
manner corresponding to that described above.
[0071] In some embodiments, the article 1 may comprise a catalytic
material on at least a portion of the coil 22. The catalytic
material may be provided on all of the coil 22, or on only some
portion(s) of the coil 22. The catalytic material may take the form
of a coating on the coil 22. The provision of such a catalytic
material on the coil 22 means that, in use, the article 1 may have
a heated, chemically active surface. In use, the catalytic material
may act to convert, or increase the rate of conversion of, a
potential irritant to something that is less of an irritant. In
use, the catalytic material may act to convert, or increase the
rate of conversion of, formic acid to methanol, for example. In
other embodiments, the catalytic material may act to convert, or
increase the rate of conversion of, other chemicals, such as
acetylene to ethane by hydrogenation, or ammonia to nitrogen and
hydrogen. The catalytic material may additionally or alternatively
act to react, or increase the rate of reaction of, carbon monoxide
and water vapour to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen (the water-gas
shift reaction, or WGSR).
[0072] In some embodiments, the article 1 may comprise a coating on
the coil 22 that is smoother or harder than a surface of the coil
22 itself. Such a smoother or harder coating may facilitate
cleaning of the coil 22 after use of the article 1. The coating
could be made of glass or a ceramic material, for example. In other
embodiments, the coil 22 may have a rough or non-uniform surface,
which can increase the surface area with which the coil 22 contacts
the smokable material 30.
[0073] In some embodiments, the article 1 may comprise a mass of
thermal insulation around the cavity 18. Such a mass may be inside
the container 10, outside the container 10, or form the container
10. The thermal insulation may comprise one or more materials
selected from the group consisting of: aerogel, vacuum insulation,
wadding, fleece, non-woven material, non-woven fleece, woven
material, knitted material, nylon, foam, polystyrene, polyester,
polyester filament, polypropylene, a blend of polyester and
polypropylene, cellulose acetate, paper or card, and corrugated
material such as corrugated paper or card. The thermal insulation
may additionally or alternatively comprise an air gap. Such thermal
insulation can help prevent heat loss to components of the
apparatus, and provide more efficient heating of the cavity 18. In
some embodiments, the insulation may have a thickness of up to one
millimetre, such as up to 0.5 millimetres.
[0074] The heating material may have a skin depth, which is an
exterior zone within which most of an induced electrical current
and/or induced reorientation of magnetic dipoles occurs. By
providing that the heating material has a relatively small
thickness, a greater proportion of the heating material may be
heatable by a given varying magnetic field, as compared to heating
material having a depth or thickness that is relatively large as
compared to the other dimensions of the heating material. Thus, a
more efficient use of material is achieved. In turn, costs are
reduced.
[0075] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic
cross-sectional view of the article 1 of FIG. 1 with smokable
material 30 in the cavity 18 and an end closure 16 attached to a
second open end or opening of the body 10.
[0076] In this embodiment, the heating material of the coil 22 is
in contact with the smokable material 30. Thus, when the heating
material is heated by being penetrated by a varying magnetic field,
heat may be transferred directly from the heating material to the
smokable material 30. In other embodiments, the heating material
may be kept out of contact with the smokable material 30. For
example, in some embodiments, the article 1 may comprise a
thermally-conductive barrier which spaces the heating material from
the smokable material 30. In some embodiments, the
thermally-conductive barrier may be a thermally-conductive coating
on the coil 22, such as a catalytic coating or a smooth coating as
discussed above. The provision of such a thermally-conductive
barrier may be advantageous to help to retain heat in the article 1
after heating of the heating material has ceased.
[0077] The smokable material 30 could comprise any of the types of
smokable materials mentioned herein. The smokable material 30 could
be of the form of any of the smokable materials mentioned herein.
In some embodiments, the smokable material 30 may comprise a
mixture of liquid and powder. The powder could be a suspension in
the liquid. The liquid may aid heat retention. The powder may be
tobacco powder.
[0078] In some embodiments, the end member 14 and the end closure
16 act as respective seals that together seal the cavity 18 from an
exterior of the article 1, so as to maintain the freshness of the
smokable material 30. In some embodiments, one or both of the end
member 14 and the end closure 16 may be openable, puncturable or
removable from the article 1 before use, so as to enable air flow
through the cavity 18 and thus through the smokable material 30.
However, in some embodiments, one or both of the end member 14 and
the end closure 16 may comprise an air-permeable membrane or cover
for admitting air to pass between the cavity 18 and an exterior of
the article 1.
[0079] In some embodiments, the article 1 comprises an
air-permeable membrane for admitting air into the cavity 18 from an
exterior of the article 1, and a seal (such as the end closure 16)
between the air-permeable membrane and the exterior of the article
1. The seal seals the air-permeable membrane from the exterior of
the article 1 and may be breakable or removable from the article 1
to place the air-permeable membrane, and thus the cavity 18, in
fluid communication with the exterior of the article 1. In some
embodiments, the article 1 comprises a vapour permeable membrane
for permitting vapour generated in the cavity 18 to pass to an
exterior of the article 1, and a seal (such as the end member 14)
between the vapour permeable membrane and the exterior of the
article 1. This seal seals the vapour permeable membrane from the
exterior of the article 1 and may be breakable or removable from
the article 1 to place the vapour permeable membrane, and thus the
cavity 18, in fluid communication with the exterior of the article
1.
[0080] In some embodiments, such as some embodiments in which the
smokable material comprises a liquid, one or both of the end member
14 and the end closure 16 may comprise a hydrophobic membrane or
cover for helping prevent the liquid from escaping from the cavity
18. Indeed, any of the air or vapour permeable membranes discussed
herein may comprise a hydrophobic membrane or cover for helping
prevent liquid from escaping from the cavity 18.
[0081] In some embodiments, the article may comprise a mouthpiece
defining a passageway that is in fluid communication with the
cavity 18. Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a schematic partial
cross-sectional view of an example of an article 2 according to an
embodiment of the invention. The section of the article 2 numbered
50 could comprise either of the constructions shown in FIGS. 1 and
2 or any of the variants thereof discussed above. The mouthpiece 60
and passageway 62 thereof are shown connected to the construction
with the passageway 62 aligned so as to be in fluid communication
with the cavity 18 of the construction. The mouthpiece 60 may be
made of any suitable material, such as a plastics material,
cardboard, or rubber.
[0082] In use, when the smokable material 30 is heated by the
heated heating material, volatilised components of the smokable
material 30 can be readily inhaled by a user. In embodiments in
which the article is a consumable article, once all or
substantially all of the volatilisable component(s) of the smokable
material 30 in the article has/have been spent, the user may
dispose of the mouthpiece together with the rest of the article.
This can be more hygienic than using the same mouthpiece with
multiple articles, can help ensure that the mouthpiece is correctly
aligned with the smokable material, and presents a user with a
clean, fresh mouthpiece each time they wish to use another
article.
[0083] The mouthpiece 60, when provided, may comprise or be
impregnated with a flavourant. The flavourant may be arranged so as
to be picked up by heated vapour as the vapour passes through the
passageway 62 of the mouthpiece 60 in use.
[0084] In some embodiments, the article may comprise a passageway
for fluidly connecting the cavity 18 with an exterior of the
article 1, 2, and an actuator operable to vary a cross sectional
area of the passageway. Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a
schematic partial cross-sectional view of an example of an article
3 according to an embodiment of the invention. The section of the
article 3 numbered 50 could comprise any of the constructions shown
in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 or any of the variants thereof discussed
above.
[0085] In this embodiment, the article 3 comprises an element 70
defining the passageway 72 that fluidly connects the cavity 18 with
an exterior of the article 3. The element 70 comprises an actuator
74 that is operable by a user and that is operably connected to a
variable constrictor 76. The actuator 74 may comprise, for example,
a push-button, a toggle switch, a dial, a touchscreen, or the like.
Operation of the actuator 74 by a user causes the variable
constrictor 76 to vary a cross sectional area of the passageway 72,
so as to change the degree of air flow through the article 3. This
can alter the effort required by a user to draw volatilised
component(s) of the smokable material 30 from the cavity 18 in use,
and can also help a user to retain volatilised component(s) of the
smokable material 30 in the cavity 18 between draws.
[0086] In some embodiments, the element 70 may be provided at a
mouth end, or downstream end, of the cavity 18. In other
embodiments, the element 70 may be provided at the end of the
cavity 18 opposite to a mouth end of the cavity 18. In some
embodiments, the element 70 may be provided at the end of the
cavity 18 opposite to an end of the cavity 18 to which a mouthpiece
of the article is connected, such as the mouthpiece 60 shown in
FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the element 70 may be provided between
the cavity 18 and a mouthpiece of the article, such as the
mouthpiece 60 shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the element 70
may be combined with a mouthpiece of the article, such as the
mouthpiece 60 shown in FIG. 3, so that the passageway of which the
cross sectional area is variable is the passageway of the
mouthpiece.
[0087] Each of the above-described articles 1, 2, 3 and described
variants thereof may be used with an apparatus for heating the
smokable material 30 to volatilise at least one component of the
smokable material 30. The apparatus may be to heat the smokable
material 30 to volatilise the at least one component of the
smokable material 30 without burning the smokable material 30. Any
one of the article(s) 1, 2, 3 and such apparatus may be provided
together as a system. The system may take the form of a kit, in
which the article 1, 2, 3 is separate from the apparatus.
Alternatively, the system may take the form of an assembly, in
which the article 1, 2, 3 is combined with the apparatus. An
example of such a system will now be described.
[0088] Referring to FIG. 5 there is shown a schematic
cross-sectional view of an example of a system according to an
embodiment of the invention. The system 1000 of this embodiment
comprises the article 1 of FIG. 2 and apparatus 100 for heating the
smokable material 30 in the article 2 to volatilise at least one
component of the smokable material 30. Broadly speaking, the
apparatus 100 comprises an interface 111 for cooperating with the
article 2, and a magnetic field generator 112 comprising a coil 114
for generating a varying magnetic field for penetrating the coil 22
of the article 2 when the interface 111 is cooperating with the
article 2.
[0089] The apparatus 100 of this embodiment comprises a body 110
and a mouthpiece 120. The mouthpiece 120 defines a channel 122
therethrough. The mouthpiece 120 is locatable relative to the body
110 so as to cover an opening into the recess 111. When the
mouthpiece 120 is so located relative to the body 110, the channel
122 of the mouthpiece 120 is in fluid communication with the recess
111. In use, the channel 122 acts as a passageway for permitting
volatilised material to pass from the cavity 18 of the article 2
inserted in the recess 111 to an exterior of the apparatus 100. In
this embodiment, the mouthpiece 120 of the apparatus 100 is
releasably engageable with the body 110 so as to connect the
mouthpiece 120 to the body 110. In other embodiments, the
mouthpiece 120 and the body 110 may be permanently connected, such
as through a hinge or flexible member. The mouthpiece 120 of the
apparatus 100 may comprise or be impregnated with a flavourant. The
flavourant may be arranged so as to be picked up by heated vapour
as the vapour passes through the channel 122 of the mouthpiece 120
in use. In some embodiments, such as some embodiments in which the
article 2 itself comprises a mouthpiece, the mouthpiece 120 of the
apparatus 100 may be omitted.
[0090] In this embodiment, the body 110 comprises the interface
111. In this embodiment, the interface 111 comprises a recess 111
for receiving at least a portion of the article 2. In other
embodiments, the interface 111 may be other than a recess, such as
a shelf, a surface, or a projection, and may require mechanical
mating with the article 1, 2, 3 in order to co-operate with the
article 1, 2, 3. In this embodiment, the recess 111 is elongate,
and is sized and shaped to receive the article 2. In this
embodiment, the recess 111 accommodates the whole article 2. In
other embodiments, the recess 111 may receive only a portion of the
article 2.
[0091] In this embodiment, the magnetic field generator 112
comprises an electrical power source 113, the coil 114, a device
116 for passing a varying electrical current, such as an
alternating current, through the coil 114, a controller 117, and a
user interface 118 for user-operation of the controller 117.
[0092] In this embodiment, the electrical power source 113 is a
rechargeable battery. In other embodiments, the electrical power
source 113 may be other than a rechargeable battery, such as a
non-rechargeable battery, a capacitor or a connection to a mains
electricity supply.
[0093] The coil 114 may take any suitable form. In this embodiment,
the coil 114 is a helical coil of electrically-conductive material,
such as copper. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generator
112 may comprise a magnetically permeable core around which the
coil 114 is wound. Such a magnetically permeable core concentrates
the magnetic flux produced by the coil 114 in use and makes a more
powerful magnetic field. The magnetically permeable core may be
made of iron, for example. In some embodiments, the magnetically
permeable core may extend only partially along the length of the
coil 114, so as to concentrate the magnetic flux only in certain
regions.
[0094] In this embodiment, the coil 114 of the magnetic field
generator 112 extends along a longitudinal axis that is
substantially coincident with a longitudinal axis of the recess
111. In other embodiments, these axes may be aligned with each
other by being parallel to each other, or may be oblique to each
other. In this embodiment, when the article 2 is received in the
recess 111, as shown in FIG. 5, the longitudinal axis of the recess
111 is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the
cavity 18 of the article 2.
[0095] In this embodiment, an impedance of the coil 114 of the
magnetic field generator 112 is equal, or substantially equal, to
an impedance of the coil 22 of the article 2. If the impedance of
the coil 22 of the article 2 were instead lower than the impedance
of the coil 114 of the magnetic field generator 112, then the
voltage generated across the coil 22 of the article 2 in use may be
lower than the voltage that may be generated across the coil 22 of
the article 2 when the impedances are matched. Alternatively, if
the impedance of the coil 22 of the article 2 were instead higher
than the impedance of the coil 114 of the magnetic field generator
112, then the electrical current generated in the coil 22 of the
article 2 in use may be lower than the current that may be
generated in the coil 22 of the article 2 when the impedances are
matched. Matching the impedances may help to balance the voltage
and current to maximise the heating power generated at the coil 22
of the article 2 when heated in use.
[0096] While the system 1000 of this embodiment comprises the
article 2 of FIG. 2, in other embodiments the system may comprise
any other one of the articles discussed above. In such other
embodiments, the impedance of the coil 114 of the magnetic field
generator 112 may be equal, or substantially equal, to an impedance
of the coil of the article.
[0097] In this embodiment, the device 116 for passing a varying
current through the coil 114 is electrically connected between the
electrical power source 113 and the coil 114. In this embodiment,
the controller 117 also is electrically connected to the electrical
power source 113, and is communicatively connected to the device
116 to control the device 116. More specifically, in this
embodiment, the controller 117 is for controlling the device 116,
so as to control the supply of electrical power from the electrical
power source 113 to the coil 114. In this embodiment, the
controller 117 comprises an integrated circuit (IC), such as an IC
on a printed circuit board (PCB). In other embodiments, the
controller 117 may take a different form. In some embodiments, the
apparatus may have a single electrical or electronic component
comprising the device 116 and the controller 117. The controller
117 is operated in this embodiment by user-operation of the user
interface 118. The user interface 118 is located at the exterior of
the body 110. The user interface 118 may comprise a push-button, a
toggle switch, a dial, a touchscreen, or the like.
[0098] In this embodiment, operation of the user interface 118 by a
user causes the controller 117 to cause the device 116 to cause an
alternating electrical current to pass through the coil 114, so as
to cause the coil 114 to generate an alternating magnetic field.
When the article 2 is located in the recess 111, the coil 114 of
the apparatus 100 and the coil 22 of the article 2 are suitably
relatively positioned so that the alternating magnetic field
produced by the coil 114 penetrates the heating material of the
coil 22 of the article 2. When the heating material of the coil 22
is an electrically-conductive material, this may cause the
generation of one or more eddy currents in the heating material.
The flow of eddy currents in the heating material against the
electrical resistance of the heating material causes the heating
material to be heated by Joule heating. As mentioned above, when
the heating material is made of a magnetic material, the
orientation of magnetic dipoles in the heating material changes
with the changing applied magnetic field, which causes heat to be
generated in the heating material.
[0099] The apparatus 100 of this embodiment comprises a temperature
sensor 119 for sensing a temperature of the recess 111. The
temperature sensor 119 is communicatively connected to the
controller 117, so that the controller 117 is able to monitor the
temperature of the recess 111. In some embodiments, the temperature
sensor 119 may be arranged to take an optical temperature
measurement of the recess, interface or article 1, 2, 3. In some
embodiments, the article 1, 2, 3 may comprise a temperature
detector, such as a resistance temperature detector (RTD), for
detecting a temperature of the article 1, 2, 3. For example, the
temperature detector may be located in or on the container 10 of
the article 1, 2, 3. The article 1, 2, 3 may further comprise one
or more terminals connected, such as electrically-connected, to the
temperature detector. The terminal(s) may be for making connection,
such as electrical connection, with a temperature monitor of the
apparatus 100 when the article 1, 2, 3 is in the recess 111 or
cooperating with the interface. The controller 117 may comprise the
temperature monitor. The temperature monitor of the apparatus 100
may thus be able to determine a temperature of the article 1, 2, 3
during use of the article 1, 2, 3 with the apparatus 100.
[0100] In some embodiments, by providing that the heating material
of the coil 22 of the article 2 has a suitable resistance, the
response of the heating material to a change in temperature could
be sufficient to give information regarding temperature inside the
article 2. The temperature sensor 119 of the apparatus 100 may then
comprise a probe for analysing the heating material.
[0101] On the basis of one or more signals received from the
temperature sensor 119 or temperature detector, the controller 117
may cause the device 116 to adjust a characteristic of the varying
or alternating electrical current passed through the coil 114 as
necessary, in order to ensure that the temperature of the recess
111 remains within a predetermined temperature range. The
characteristic may be, for example, amplitude or frequency. Within
the predetermined temperature range, in use the smokable material
30 within an article 1, 2, 3 located in the recess 111 is heated
sufficiently to volatilise at least one component of the smokable
material 30 without combusting the smokable material 30.
Accordingly, the controller 117, and the apparatus 100 as a whole,
is arranged to heat the smokable material 30 to volatilise the at
least one component of the smokable material 30 without combusting
the smokable material 30. In some embodiments, the temperature
range is about 50.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C., such as
between about 50.degree. C. and about 150.degree. C., between about
50.degree. C. and about 120.degree. C., between about 50.degree. C.
and about 100.degree. C., between about 50.degree. C. and about
80.degree. C., or between about 60.degree. C. and about 70.degree.
C. In some embodiments, the temperature range is between about
170.degree. C. and about 220.degree. C. In other embodiments, the
temperature range may be other than this range.
[0102] The apparatus 100 may define an air inlet that fluidly
connects the recess 111 with the exterior of the apparatus 100.
Such an air inlet may be defined by the body 110 of the apparatus
100 and/or by the mouthpiece 120 of the apparatus 100. A user may
be able to inhale the volatilised component(s) of the smokable
material 30 by drawing the volatilised component(s) through the
channel 122 of the mouthpiece 120. As the volatilised component(s)
are removed from the cavity 18 of the container 10 of the article
2, air may be drawn into the recess 111 via the air inlet of the
apparatus 100. Furthermore, in embodiments in which the end member
14 and/or end closure 16 of the container 10 of the article 2
is/are puncturable, the air may be drawn into the cavity 18 of the
container 10 via one or both of the punctured end member 14 and end
closure 16. Alternatively, in embodiments in which the article 2
comprises an air-permeable membrane for admitting air into the
cavity 18 from the exterior of the article 2, a vapour permeable
membrane for permitting vapour generated in the cavity 18 to pass
to the exterior of the article 2, and first and second seals
between the exterior of the article 2 and the air-permeable
membrane and the vapour permeable membrane, respectively, a user
may break or remove the first and second seals prior to use of the
apparatus 100 and article 2 to enable air to be drawn into the
cavity 18 via the air-permeable membrane, and vapour generated in
the cavity 18 to pass to the channel 122 of the mouthpiece 120 via
the vapour permeable membrane.
[0103] The apparatus may provide haptic feedback to a user. The
feedback could indicate that heating is taking place, or be
triggered by a timer to indicate that greater than a predetermined
proportion of the original quantity of volatilisable component(s)
of the smokable material 30 in the article 1, 2, 3 has/have been
spent, or the like. The haptic feedback could be created by
interaction of the coils (i.e. magnetic response), by interaction
of an electrically-conductive element with the coil 114 of the
apparatus 100, by rotating an unbalanced motor, by repeatedly
applying and removing a current across a piezoelectric element, or
the like.
[0104] The apparatus 100 may comprise more than one coil. The
plurality of coils of the apparatus 100 could be operable to
provide progressive heating of the smokable material 30 in an
article 1, 2, 3, and thereby progressive generation of vapour. For
example, one coil may be able to heat a first region of the heating
material relatively quickly to initialise volatilisation of at
least one component of the smokable material 30 and formation of a
vapour in a first region of the smokable material 30. Another coil
may be able to heat a second region of the heating material
relatively slowly to initialise volatilisation of at least one
component of the smokable material 30 and formation of a vapour in
a second region of the smokable material 30. Accordingly, a vapour
is able to be formed relatively rapidly for inhalation by a user,
and vapour can continue to be formed thereafter for subsequent
inhalation by the user even after the first region of the smokable
material 30 may have ceased generating vapour. The
initially-unheated second region of smokable material 30 could act
as a filter, to reduce the temperature of created vapour or make
the created vapour mild, during heating of the first region of
smokable material 30.
[0105] In some embodiments, the coil of the article is a first
coil, and the article may comprise a second coil of heating
material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic
field to heat the cavity 18 of the article. The first and second
coils of the article may be substantially separately heatable by
varying magnetic fields produced by a respective plurality of coils
of the apparatus 100. One of the first and second coils may be more
susceptible to eddy currents being induced therein by penetration
with a varying magnetic field than the other of the first and
second coils. Such a structure could be operable to provide
progressive heating of the smokable material 30 in the article, and
thereby progressive generation of vapour, in a similar way to that
described above.
[0106] In some embodiments, the heating material of the coil 22 may
comprise discontinuities or holes therein. Such discontinuities or
holes may act as thermal breaks to control the degree to which
different regions of the smokable material are heated in use. Areas
of the heating material with discontinuities or holes therein may
be heated to a lesser extent that areas without discontinuities or
holes. This may help progressive heating of the smokable material,
and thus progressive generation of vapour, to be achieved.
[0107] In each of the above described embodiments, the smokable
material 30 comprises tobacco. However, in respective variations to
each of these embodiments, the smokable material 30 may consist of
tobacco, may consist substantially entirely of tobacco, may
comprise tobacco and smokable material other than tobacco, may
comprise smokable material other than tobacco, or may be free of
tobacco. In some embodiments, the smokable material 30 may comprise
a vapour or aerosol forming agent or a humectant, such as glycerol,
propylene glycol, triactein, or diethylene glycol.
[0108] An article embodying the present invention may be a
cartridge or a capsule, for example.
[0109] Each of the above described articles 1, 2, 3 may be used as
a consumable article. Once all, or substantially all, of the
volatilisable component(s) of the smokable material 30 in the
article 1, 2, 3 has/have been spent, the user may remove the
article 1, 2, 3 from the apparatus 100 and dispose of the article
1, 2, 3. The user may subsequently re-use the apparatus 100 with
another of the articles 1, 2, 3.
[0110] However, in other embodiments, the articles 1, 2, 3 may be
re-fillable with smokable material 30 and re-usable with the
apparatus 100. Such re-filling may be effected by detaching the end
closure 16 from the body 12 of the container 10 to access the
cavity 18, removing the remains of smokable material used in a
previous session, placing a new charge of smokable material in the
cavity 18, and then placing an end closure 16 (either the original
end closure 16 or a new end closure 16) over the second open end of
the body 12 of the container 10. During such re-filling, the coil
22 may be removable, for example for cleaning or for replacement
with a fresh coil 22.
[0111] Each of the above described articles 1, 2, 3 may be supplied
with or without the smokable material 30 in the cavity 18.
[0112] In some embodiments, the articles 1, 2, 3 discussed above
are sold, supplied or otherwise provided separately from the
apparatus 100 with which they are usable. However, in some
embodiments, the apparatus and one or more of the articles 1, 2, 3
may be provided together as a system, such as a kit or an assembly,
possibly with additional components, such as cleaning utensils.
[0113] The invention could be implemented in a system comprising
any one of the articles discussed herein, and any one of the
apparatuses discussed herein, wherein the apparatus itself further
has heating material, such as in a susceptor, for heating by
penetration with the varying magnetic field generated by the
magnetic field generator.
[0114] Heat generated in the heating material of the apparatus
itself could be transferred to the article to further heat the
smokable material therein.
[0115] In order to address various issues and advance the art, the
entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration and
example various embodiments in which the claimed invention may be
practised and which provide for superior articles for use with
apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one
component of the smokable material, and superior systems comprising
the same. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a
representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive
and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in
understanding and teach the claimed and otherwise disclosed
features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments,
examples, functions, features, structures and/or other aspects of
the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the
disclosure 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 and/or
spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably
comprise, consist of, or consist in essence of, various
combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features,
parts, steps, means, etc. The disclosure may include other
inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in
future.
* * * * *