Apparatus for heating smokable material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11937629-B2
Application number	US-201716099323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2017
Priority date	May 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The apparatus includes a housing, the housing having a first opening at a first end through which a consumable article containing smokable material can be removably inserted into the apparatus; at least one heater arrangement arranged within the housing for heating smokable material within the consumable article when in use and a hollow chamber between the first opening and the at least one heater arrangement. The hollow chamber surrounds at least a portion of the consumable article when the consumable article is inserted into the device and an inner wall of the chamber and the at least a portion of the consumable article define an air gap there between. Hot vapors that escape the consumable article in use can condense on the inner wall of the hollow chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material comprising an apparatus arranged to heat smokable material and a consumable article containing smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, the housing having a first opening at a first end through which a consumable article containing smokable material can be removably inserted into the apparatus;
at least one heater arrangement arranged within the housing for heating smokable material within the consumable article when in use; and
a hollow chamber between the first opening and the at least one heater arrangement, the hollow chamber comprising an interior wall with a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface opposed to the radially inner surface, the radially inner surface surrounding at least a portion of the consumable article and the outer surface positioned interior to the housing,
wherein the radially inner surface of the interior wall and the at least a portion of the consumable article define one or more ventilation pathways there between, the one or more ventilation pathways extending from the first opening to the heater arrangement, the one or more ventilation pathways being radially between the radially inner surface of the interior wall and an exterior surface of the consumable article for the one or more ventilation pathways extending from the first opening to the heater arrangement, the one or more ventilation pathways being delimited by the exterior surface of the consumable article for the entire length of the one or more ventilation pathways extending from the first opening to the heater arrangement,
wherein, when the apparatus is in use, the one or more ventilation pathways allow air to flow in to the apparatus and along the exterior surface of the consumable article and the radially inner surface of the interior wall, the one or more ventilation pathways allowing air to contact the exterior surface of the consumable article along the entire length of the one or more ventilation pathways extending from the first opening to the heater arrangement, and
wherein the hollow chamber comprises one or more fins on the radially outer surface of the interior wall.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber comprises a first open end and wherein the hollow chamber is arranged so that the first open end is positioned towards the first opening of the apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the hollow chamber comprises a second open end and wherein the hollow chamber is arranged so that the second open end is positioned towards the heating arrangement.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the heating arrangement comprises a heating tube and wherein the second open end of the hollow chamber engages with an end of the heating tube.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the hollow chamber comprises one or more engagement formations for engaging with the heating tube.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a collar defining or surrounding the first opening, wherein the collar comprises a plurality of ridges arranged circumferentially around the first opening and which project into the first opening, and wherein at least one of the one or more ventilation pathways is defined by a first neighboring pair of the plurality of ridges.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of ridges are configured to engage with the consumable article received within the apparatus in use.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the collar comprises one or more engagement elements for engaging with the hollow chamber.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ridges extend into the housing, and the engagement elements are the plurality of ridges.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber comprises a gripping section arranged to grip the consumable article when the consumable article is inserted in the system, and wherein the gripping section is arranged on the inner surface and defines the one or more ventilation pathways between the gripping section and the exterior surface of the consumable article.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the gripping section compresses the consumable article in a region or regions of the consumable article that are contacted by the gripping section.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the gripping section comprises a plurality of lobes spaced apart circumferentially around an inner surface of the hollow chamber, each lobe contacting the consumable article so that the consumable article is gripped between the pluralities of lobes.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the gripping section defines an oval aperture in the hollow chamber and wherein the gripping section compresses a region of the consumable that is in the oval aperture into an oval shape.

14. An apparatus arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, the housing having a longitudinal axis and a first opening at a first end through which a consumable article containing smokable material can be removably inserted into the apparatus;
at least one heater arrangement arranged within the housing for heating smokable material within the consumable article when in use;
a collar defining or surrounding the first opening; and
a hollow chamber axially between the collar and the at least one heater arrangement, the hollow chamber surrounding a portion of the consumable article when the consumable article is inserted into the apparatus, the hollow chamber comprising a gripping section arranged to releasably grip a part of the portion of the consumable article when the consumable article is removably inserted in the apparatus, wherein the gripping section comprises a plurality of lobes spaced apart circumferentially around an inner surface of the hollow chamber, each lobe extending radially inwardly from the inner surface and contacting the consumable article so that the consumable article is gripped radially between the plurality of lobes when the consumable article is removably inserted in the apparatus, the plurality of lobes at least partially compressing the consumable article in regions of the consumable article that are contacted by the plurality of lobes when the consumable article is removably inserted in the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the gripping section is configured to compress the consumable article in a region or regions of the consumable article that are contacted by the gripping section, in use.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the gripping section defines an oval aperture in the hollow chamber and wherein the gripping section compresses the region of the consumable that is in the oval aperture into an oval shape, in use.

17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the apparatus is in use, air is configured to flow in through the one or more ventilation pathways along the inner surface of the hollow chamber and out through the consumable article or the one or more ventilation pathways along the inner surface of the hollow chamber.

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more fins are configured to cool an unfiltered portion of the at least one component of the smokable material that escapes the consumable article following volatilization.

19. An arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having a first opening at a first end throug

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Ltd

Inventors

• Thorsen Mitchel

Classifications

• A24F1/02 Primary

  with arrangements for cleaning or cooling the smoke (hookahs A24F1/30) · CPC title

• A24F40/00

  Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/46 Primary

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title