Apparatus for heating smokeable material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039644-B2
Application number	US-201415028936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2013
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus is arranged to heat smokable material (5) to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus has a housing and a plurality of heater segments longitudinally arranged within the housing for heating smokable material contained within the apparatus. At least one heater segment is arranged so as to heat smokable material contained within the at least one heater segment more quickly than at least one other heater segment heats smokable material contained within the at least one other heater segment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material for inhalation by a user of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of heater segments longitudinally arranged within the housing for heating smokable material contained within the apparatus; and
control circuitry configured to control a supply of electrical power selectively and independently to each one of the plurality of heater segments;
wherein a first one of the plurality of heater segments is arranged so as to heat a first portion of the smokable material contained within the first one of the plurality of heater segments, and a second one of the plurality of heater segments is arranged to heat a second portion of the smokable material contained within the second one of the plurality of heater segments, and wherein the first one of the plurality of heater segments has a lower heat capacity than the second one of the plurality of heater segments;
wherein, when the first one of the plurality of heater segments and the second one of the plurality of heater segments are heated by the supply of electrical power to the plurality of heater segments, the first one of the plurality of heater segments heats more quickly than the second one of the plurality of heater segments.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first one of the plurality of heater segments defines a smaller volume than the second one of the plurality of heater segments.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first one of the plurality of heater segments is shorter than the second one of the plurality of heater segments in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heater segments are hollow cylinders for containing smokable material to be heated therein.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the housing is an outer housing;
a heater support sleeve is contained within the outer housing, the heater support sleeve defining at least two ends;
at least one of the plurality of heater segments is arranged within the heater support sleeve for heating smokable material contained within the apparatus; and
a plurality of annular supports which support the heater support sleeve is arranged within the outer housing, with the heater support sleeve being mounted within the annular supports and the annular supports being mounted within the outer housing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein each of the annular supports has plural inwardly facing contact projections which make contact with the heater support sleeve.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein an outwardly facing surface of the heater support sleeve has at least one of an annular groove and at least one recess which receives a portion of one of the plurality of annular supports to locate the one of the plurality of annular supports on the heater support sleeve.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the annular supports are located away from the ends of the heater support sleeve.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the annular supports are positioned equidistantly along the total length of the heater support sleeve.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein one of the plurality of annular supports is positioned ⅓ of the total length of the heater support sleeve away from a first end of the heater support sleeve, and another one of the plurality of annular supports is positioned ⅓ of the total length of the heater support sleeve away from a second end of the heater support sleeve.

11. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the heater support sleeve is a double-walled vacuum sleeve.

12. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the internal face of the housing being provided with at least a partial coating of heat conductor having a heat conductivity greater than a heat conductivity of the housing to conduct heat away from positions where the annular supports contact the internal face of the housing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the outer housing has at least one air inlet and the heater segment has at least one air inlet, and comprising an air inlet pipe providing fluid communication from the outer housing air inlet to the heater segment air inlet, the arrangement being such that air can be drawn in through the outer housing air inlet, through the air inlet pipe, through the heater segment air inlet and over smokable material contained within the apparatus.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , constructed and arranged such that the at least one air inlet of the outer housing is the only entry point for air to be drawn into the apparatus in use.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is contained within the outer housing for controlling the supply of electrical power to the at least one heater segment, the arrangement being such that air drawn in through the outer housing air inlet does not pass over the control circuitry.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the outer housing has a first air inlet and a second air inlet on opposed sides of the outer housing, the air inlet pipe having a T-shape or Y-shape cross-section providing a first arm and a second arm which connect to the first outer housing air inlet and the second outer housing air inlet, respectively, and a stem which is in fluid communication with the heater segment air inlet.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the housing is an outer housing, the outer housing having at least one air inlet;
at least one of the plurality of heater segments is contained within the outer housing for heating smokable material contained within the apparatus, the at least one heater segment having at least one air inlet; and
an air inlet pipe provides fluid communication from the at least one outer housing air inlet to the at least one heater segment air inlet,
such that air can be drawn in through the outer housing air inlet, through the air inlet pipe, through the heater segment air inlet and over smokable material contained within the apparatus.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , constructed and arranged such that the at least one outer housing air inlet is the only entry point for air to be drawn into the apparatus in use.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , comprising control circuitry contained within the outer housing for controlling the supply of electrical power to the at least one heater segment, the arrangement being such that air drawn in through the outer housing air inlet does not pass over the control circuitry.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the outer housing has a first air inlet and a second air inlet on opposed sides of the outer housing, the air inlet pipe having a T-shape or Y-shape cross-section providing a first arm and a second arm which connect to the first outer housing air inlet and the second outer housing air inlet, respectively, and a stem which is in fluid communication with the heater segment air inlet.

Assignees

• British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
• Nicoventures Trading Ltd

Inventors

• Paprocki Benjamin John
• Wilke Andrew Paul
• Robey Raymond John
• Robinson Jesse Eugene
• Tian Feng

Classifications

• A24F47/00 Primary

  Smokers' requisites not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A24F40/50

  Control or monitoring · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title

• A24F40/42

  Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title