Nicotine delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016270441-A1
Application number	US-201415032364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nicotine delivery system is disclosed. The nicotine delivery system comprises an actuating mechanism and a housing that has a longitudinal axis and defines a chamber that is configured to receive a plunger and has an outlet for the passage of formulation out of the chamber. The actuating mechanism comprises an actuator and an actuation member. The actuator cooperates with the actuation member such that when a plunger is received in the chamber the plunger and the chamber slide relative to each other in an axial direction by a predetermined incremental distance upon each operation of the actuator to displace a predetermined volume of formulation from the chamber through said outlet.

First claim

1 . A nicotine delivery system comprising:
a housing that has a longitudinal axis and which defines a chamber that is configured to receive a plunger and has an outlet for the passage of a formulation out of the chamber; and an actuating mechanism comprising an actuator and an actuation member, wherein the actuator cooperates with the actuation member such that when a plunger is received in the chamber the plunger and the chamber slide relative to each other in an axial direction by a predetermined incremental distance in response to each operation of the actuator by a user to displace a predetermined volume of formulation from the chamber through said outlet.

2 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is moveable in a direction transverse to the axial direction to cause the plunger and the chamber to slide relative to each other.

3 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator is mounted to the housing and comprises a button that is depressible inwardly towards the axis to displace the actuation member;
optionally wherein the actuator is slidably received in an aperture in the housing, or wherein the actuator is pivotally mounted to the housing.

4 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises a diaphragm that is deformable in a direction transverse the axial direction;
wherein the diaphragm partitions the inside of the housing into first and second compartments and wherein the actuation member is disposed in the first compartment, and wherein one of the first and second compartments comprises a suction channel and the user applies suction to the suction channel to deform the diaphragm in a direction transverse the axial direction; and wherein the other of the first and second compartments is hermetically sealed, or wherein the housing comprises a ventilation aperture that fluidly communicates the other of the first and second compartments with the atmosphere.

5 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 1 , comprising a first biasing means that is configured to bias the actuation member in an axial direction.

6 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 5 , comprising a protrusion and a first cam track, wherein in a first position the protrusion is urged against a first stopper surface of a plurality of stopper surfaces of the first cam track to prevent displacement of the actuation member in the direction of the force of the first biasing means.

7 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is moveable to a second position in response to actuation of the actuator by the user wherein the protrusion is urged away from the first stopper surface so that the first biasing means displaces the first cam track relative to the protrusion until the protrusion is urged against a second stopper surface of the first cam track.

8 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 7 , wherein one of the actuator and actuation member comprises the protrusion and the other of the actuator and actuation member comprises the first cam track and wherein the actuator is moveable relative to the actuation member to displace the first cam track relative to the protrusion.

9 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 7 , wherein the actuation member comprises one of the protrusion and first cam track and the other of the protrusion and first cam track is held in a fixed position relative to the housing, and wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the actuation member relative to the protrusion to urge the protrusion away from the first stopper surface;
wherein the first cam track comprises a plurality of guide channels that each extends in the axial direction and are arranged in a stepped formation; and wherein one of each of the plurality of stopper surfaces is disposed at a first end of each of the plurality of guide channels.

10 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 9 , wherein the actuation member comprises an actuation surface and wherein the actuator comprises a projection that is configured to be urged against the actuation surface to rotate the actuation member in response to actuation of the actuator by the user;
wherein the actuation member comprises a second cam track having a plurality of second guide channels that each extends in an axial direction and are arranged in a stepped formation, and wherein each second guide channel comprises a surface facing in a direction transverse the axial direction that comprises an actuation surface.

11 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured such that force exerted on the actuator upon actuation by the user is translated into a force that urges the actuation member in an axial direction.

12 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 11 , wherein one of the actuator and actuation member comprises a protrusion and the other of the actuator and actuation member comprises a cam track that is configured to translate displacement of the actuator in a direction transverse an axial direction into displacement of the actuation member in an axial direction;
wherein the cam track comprises a guide channel that is angled with respect to the axial direction and is configured to receive the protrusion; and wherein the guide channel is formed between first and second guide members, a flexible member and a receiving member of the cam track.

13 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 12 , wherein the flexible member comprises a sloping portion that protrudes from a surface of the cam track and has a guide surface at an end thereof that is angled with respect to the axial direction and is configured so that when the actuator is urged towards the actuation member in response to actuation by the user the protrusion is urged against the angled guide surface and is displaced relative to the cam track at an angle to the axial direction;
wherein the protrusion is urged against the sloped portion of the flexible member when the actuator is urged away from the actuation member so that the flexible member flexes to facilitate movement of the protrusion relative to the cam track in a direction transverse the axial direction.

14 . A nicotine delivery system according to claim 11 , wherein the actuation member comprises a plurality of ratchet teeth and the actuator comprises an arm and a lever that is pivotally mounted to the arm and is configured so that when the arm is urged in a direction transverse the axial direction in response to actuation by the user an end of the lever arm is urged against one of the ratchet teeth to urge the actuation member in an axial direction;
wherein each ratchet tooth comprises a connecting surface that extends between adjacent ratchet teeth and an actuation surface that faces in an axial direction, and wherein said end of the lever arm is urged against the actuation surface upon actuation of the actuator by the user.

15 . A nicotine delivery system comprising:
a housing that has a longitudinal axis and which defines a chamber that is configured to receive a plunger and has an outlet for the passage of a formulation out of the chamber; an actuation member that is configured such that when a plunger is received in the chamber the actuation member slides the plunger in an axial direction into the chamber to displace formulation from the outlet in response to rotation of the actuation member relative to the housing; a first biasing means configured to rotatably bias the actuation member; and an actuator to hold the actuation member against the bias until actua

Assignees

• British American Tobacco Investments Ltd

Inventors

• Lewis Scott
• Smith Simon James
• Clement Carl

Classifications

• A61M15/06

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

• A61M16/209

  Relief valves · CPC title

• B65D83/765

  the piston being a follower-piston and the dispensing means comprising a hand-operated pressure device at the opposite part of the container · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title

• A24F40/48

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