Apparatus for heating smokable material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532912-B2
Application number	US-202418592024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2024
Priority date	May 13, 2016
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

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 . An apparatus arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of said smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
a housing having an insertion point at one end through which a consumable article comprising smokable material can be removably inserted into the apparatus in use; at least one heater arrangement within the housing for heating but not burning said smokable material within the consumable article; a collar extending around and projecting from an opening through which, in use, a consumable article comprising smokable material may be inserted so as to form the insertion point, the collar extending from the opening into an interior of the housing to a generally tubular chamber located between the collar and the at least heater arrangement; wherein the housing comprises ventilation around an outside of said consumable article at the insertion point to enable at least one heated volatilized component from said smokable material to exit the apparatus and/or air to enter the apparatus, wherein the collar comprises a plurality of first ridges arranged circumferentially around the insertion point that project into the insertion point, wherein a first ventilation path is defined between a first neighboring pair of the plurality of first ridges and wherein the ventilation is provided by the first ventilation path, wherein a second ventilation path is defined between a second neighboring pair of the plurality of first ridges and wherein the ventilation is additionally provided by the second ventilation path, wherein the ventilation is configured to enable the at least one heated volatilized component that has entered a chamber, surrounding said consumable article, to exit the apparatus, wherein the plurality of first ridges protrude into the insertion point to reduce a span of the insertion point at the location of the plurality of first ridges, wherein the plurality of first ridges are configured to engage with said consumable article received within the apparatus in use, wherein the at least one heater arrangement is an inductive heating element, wherein the at least one heater arrangement is in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube, wherein the collar, the chamber and the at least one heater arrangement are arranged co-axially such that, when the consumable is inserted in the apparatus, the consumable extends through the collar and then the chamber and then into the hollow cylindrical tube of the at least one heater arrangement, wherein the chamber comprises a plurality of second ridges arranged circumferentially around an inner surface of the chamber at an end of the chamber opposite to the first ridges, wherein the second ridges provide a gripping section that grips the consumable article in order to correctly position and retain a portion of the consumable article that is within the chamber when the consumable article is within the apparatus.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber connects to the collar by means of the first ridges, which form part of the collar and project into the chamber, wherein the first ridges are angled from a first end of the collar to a second end of the collar towards one another and towards an axis that extends along a longitudinal axis of the collar and chamber, such that as the first ridges extend into the housing a distance between the ridges decreases.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar is connectable to the chamber.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar is integral to the housing.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar is distinct from the housing.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar comprises four first ridges.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first ridges extend into the housing and are angled towards one another such that as the first ridges extend into the housing a distance between the ridges decreases.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater arrangement is surrounded along at least part of its length by a thermal insulator.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar is connectable to the chamber and the collar is distinct from the housing, wherein the collar comprises at least four of said first ridges, wherein the plurality of first ridges extend into the housing and are angled towards one another.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collar is connectable to the chamber and the collar is distinct from the housing, wherein the collar comprises at least four of said first ridges, wherein the plurality of first ridges extend into the housing and are angled towards one another, wherein the heater arrangement is surrounded along at least part of its length by a thermal insulator.

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Ltd

Inventors

• Thorsen Mitchel

Classifications

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• H05B3/46

  heating conductor mounted on insulating base · CPC title

• H05B3/146

  Conductive polymers, e.g. polyethylene, thermoplastics · CPC title

• H05B3/06

  Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title