Consumable for a smoking substitute device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178241-B2
Application number	US-202016951033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	May 18, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A consumable for a smoking substitute device, and a smoking substitute device including the consumable. The consumable comprising: a tank, for storing vapourisable liquid; a heater assembly, the heater assembly having an inlet and two or more outlets; and a connector, which is connected to the heater assembly, and which provides at least two airflow paths, each extending from a respective outlet of the heater assembly to an inlet of an airway tube. Each airflow path has a cross-section, located proximal to the respective outlet of the heater assembly, and a second cross-section, located proximal to the airway tube, and wherein the first cross-section is larger than the second cross-section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A consumable for a smoking substitute device, the consumable comprising:
a tank, for storing vapourisable liquid, the tank having a peripheral tank wall;
a heater assembly; and
a connector within the tank, the connector having at least two conduits in fluid communication with the heater assembly, each conduit defining a respective airflow paths extending from the heater assembly to an inlet of an airway tube;
wherein each airflow path has a first cross-section, located proximal to the heater assembly, and a second cross-section, located proximal to the airway tube, and wherein the first cross-section is larger than the second cross-section such that each airflow path through the connector narrows in a direction from the heater assembly to the airway tube;
wherein the airway tube is inserted into a first end of the connector and a second end of the connector is sealed against the heater assembly, the second end being opposite to the airway tube; and
wherein the connector seals the heater assembly to the airway tube such that the vaporizable liquid stored in the tank cannot seep into the airway tube.

2. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the consumable includes one or more fixed baffles, which at least partially defines the respective airway paths.

3. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein each airflow path includes at least two turns.

4. The consumable of claim 1 , further comprising a mouthpiece connected to the airway tube at a point distal to the connector.

5. The consumable of claim 4 , further comprising a filter, disposed between the tank and an outlet of the mouthpiece, which is configured to be impermeable to unvapourised liquid and permeable to vapourised liquid.

6. The consumable of claim 5 , wherein the filter is positioned in or adjacent to the mouthpiece.

7. The consumable of claim 5 , further including an air inlet, disposed at an opposite end of the consumable to the mouthpiece, and wherein the air inlet, heater assembly, and mouthpiece define a path for airflow through the consumable in that order.

8. The consumable of claim 5 , wherein the filter is formed from a fabric so as to be permeable to vapourised liquid but impermeable to unvapourised liquid.

9. The consumable of claim 5 , wherein the filter is formed from a mesh so as to be permeable to vapourised liquid but impermeable to unvapourised liquid.

10. The consumable of claim 5 , wherein the filter is a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable membrane.

11. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the airflow path through the connector is tortuous.

12. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the airway tube proximal to the heater assembly has a cross-sectional area of more than 5 mm 2 .

13. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the airway tube has a cross-sectional area of no more than 10 mm 2 .

14. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the airway tube has an internal diameter of more than 2.5 mm.

15. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein an internal diameter of the airway tube is no more than 4 mm.

16. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein the airway tube has a cross-sectional area, and wherein the cross-sectional area of the airway tube is substantially constant along its length.

17. The consumable of claim 1 , wherein an internal diameter of the airway tube is at least 20% of a width of the tank.

18. The consumable of claim 17 , wherein the tank has a width, as measured in the same direction as the internal diameter of the airway tube, of at least 10 mm and no more than 20 mm.

19. A smoking substitute device, comprising the consumable of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Imperial Tobacco Ltd

Inventors

• Lomas Pete
• Lord Chris

Classifications

• A24F40/42

  Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/46

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• A24F40/48

  Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title