Aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758686-B2
Application number	US-201815885116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

The aerosol-generating device includes a device housing, and a receiving chamber defined within the device housing. The receiving chamber is configured to receive at least a first-type consumable and a second-type consumable, the receiving chamber including a first structure for receiving the first-type consumable and a second structure for receiving the second-type consumable. A structure selector selects between the first structure and the second structure, the first and second structures differing in at least one of a shape, a size and a position within the receiving chamber. An aerosolization system is included with at least a portion of the receiving chamber, where the receiving chamber is configured to prevent an insertion of more than one consumable into the receiving chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
a device housing;
a receiving chamber defined within the device housing, the receiving chamber being configured to receive at least a first-type consumable and a second-type consumable, the receiving chamber including a first structure for receiving the first-type consumable and a second structure for receiving the second-type consumable;
a structure selector for selecting between the first structure and the second structure, the first and second structures differing in at least one of a shape, a size and a position within the receiving chamber; and
an aerosolization system associated with at least a portion of the receiving chamber,
wherein the receiving chamber is configured to prevent an insertion of more than one consumable into the receiving chamber.

2. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a detection system configured to detect a presence of the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable that has been inserted into the receiving chamber, wherein the aerosolization system is configured to function to generate an aerosol using both the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable following their insertion into the receiving chamber.

3. The aerosol-generating device of claim 2 , wherein the first and the second structures are in the receiving chamber, the first and the second structures being at least one of positioned in a receiving chamber wall of the receiving chamber and forming portions of the receiving chamber wall.

4. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving chamber includes a recess arranged in a bottom wall of the receiving chamber to receive at least one of the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable.

5. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first structure and the second structure is selectable by moving and thereby positioning the structure selector in the receiving chamber.

6. The aerosol-generating device of claim 5 , wherein the structure selector is part of a receiving chamber side wall, the structure selector including different positions that correspond to notches in the receiving chamber side wall that are arranged at different locations.

7. The aerosol-generating device of claim 6 , wherein the structure selector includes a movable receiving chamber side wall portion, wherein the different positions of the structure selector correspond to different diameters of the receiving chamber.

8. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving chamber includes at least one of a heating element and electrical contacts connectable to an external heating element, the external heating element being in at least one of the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable.

9. The aerosol-generating device of claim 8 , wherein the receiving chamber includes the heating element for heating the first-type consumable and includes the electrical contacts that are connectable to the external heating element in the second-type consumable.

10. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving chamber further includes a third structure for receiving a third-type consumable, the third structure differing in at least one of a shape, a size and a position in the receiving chamber as compared to the first structure and the second structure.

11. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving chamber is arranged in a hinged portion of the device housing, the hinged portion being movable between a closed configuration where the receiving chamber is not accessible and an open configuration where the receiving chamber is accessible for insertion of the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable.

12. The aerosol-generating device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a consumable insert configured to be inserted into the receiving chamber, the consumable insert including a cylindrical portion and two oppositely arranged flaps depending from the cylindrical portion.

13. An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating device including,
a device housing,
a receiving chamber defined within the device housing, the receiving chamber being configured to receive at least a first-type consumable and a second-type consumable, the receiving chamber including a first structure for receiving the first-type consumable and a second structure for receiving the second-type consumable,
a structure selector for selecting between the first structure and the second structure, the first and second structures differing in at least one of a shape, a size and a position within the receiving chamber, and
an aerosolization system associated with at least a portion of the receiving chamber,
the receiving chamber being configured to prevent an insertion of more than one consumable into the receiving chamber,

wherein the first-type consumable is arranged in the receiving chamber with portions of a first shape of the first-type consumable correlating to the first structure, and the second-type consumable is arranged in the receiving chamber with portions of a second shape of the second-type consumable correlating to the second structure.

14. The aerosol-generating system of claim 13 , wherein a first portion of the receiving chamber corresponds to a second portion of a first outer periphery of the first-type consumable, and a second portion of the receiving chamber corresponds to a third portion of a second outer periphery of the second-type consumable.

15. The aerosol-generating system of claim 14 , wherein the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable each include at least two lugs that are latterally extending, wherein the at least two lugs of the first-type consumable and the at least two lugs of the second-type consumable differ in at least one of a circumferential arrangement and a shape, and an opening portion of the receiving chamber includes notches having a shape and distribution along the opening portion that correspond to the shape and the circumferential arrangement of the at least two lugs of the first-type consumable and the second-type consumable.

16. The aerosol-generating device of claim 12 , wherein the consumable insert includes an opening protection, the opening protection. being at least one of a sealing foil sealing an opening of the consumable insert, a break-off tab connected to the consumable insert, and a sealed sachet containing the consumable insert.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Reevell Tony

Classifications

• A24F40/53

  Monitoring, e.g. fault detection · CPC title

• A24F40/40

  Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts · CPC title

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A61M15/06

  Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes · CPC title