Container comprising vaporisable matter for use in a vaporising device for vaporising a vaporisable constituent thereof

Abstract

A disposable sachet ( 1 ) of tobacco ( 2 ) for use with a gas powered vaporising device ( 5 ) for vaporising vaporisable constituents of the tobacco ( 2 ) comprises a side wall ( 45 ) of an impermeable paper based material and an upstream end cap ( 49 ) and a downstream end cap ( 53 ) which together define a hollow interior region ( 46 ) for the tobacco ( 2 ). The sachet ( 1 ) is shaped and sized to releasably and snugly engage a vaporising chamber ( 15 ) of the vaporising device ( 5 ) with a heat transfer member ( 25 ) therein extending into the hollow interior region ( 46 ) of the sachet ( 1 ). The upstream end cap ( 49 ) is of a paper based permeable material which is permeable to air and the downstream end cap ( 53 ) is of a similar permeable paper based material which is permeable to an aerosol formed by vaporised constituents from the tobacco ( 2 ) entrained in air drawn through the hollow interior region ( 46 ) of the sachet ( 1 ) when the sachet ( 1 ) is in the vaporising chamber ( 15 ). The vaporising chamber ( 15 ) is formed by a socket portion ( 16 ) and a releasable plug portion ( 18 ), within which a hollow interior region ( 22 ) is formed for accommodating the sachet ( 1 ).

1 - 92 . (canceled) 
   
   
       93 . A container defining a hollow interior region and having vaporisable matter in the hollow interior region, the container being adapted for locating in a vaporising chamber of a vaporising device, and being adapted for facilitating heat transfer from the vaporising device to the vaporisable matter for producing an aerosol of a vaporisable constituent of the vaporisable matter, the container comprising a first accommodating means for accommodating the carrier fluid into the hollow interior region, and a second accommodating means for accommodating the aerosol of the carrier fluid and vapour of the vaporisable constituent from the hollow interior region. 
   
   
       94 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the container substantially defines the vaporising chamber, and preferably, the container is adapted to be a relatively tight fit in the vaporising chamber for facilitating heat transfer from the vaporising chamber to the container, and preferably, the container is adapted to releasably engage the vaporising chamber, and advantageously, the first
 accommodating means comprises an upstream inlet, and preferably, the upstream inlet is formed by an upstream opening, and advantageously, the first accommodating means comprises a first permeable means located in the upstream inlet, and preferably, the second accommodating means comprises a downstream outlet, and preferably, the downstream outlet is formed by a downstream opening, and advantageously, the second accommodating means comprises a second permeable means located in the downstream outlet.   
   
   
       95 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the container extends between an upstream end and a downstream end, the first accommodating means being located adjacent the upstream end and the second accommodating means being located adjacent the downstream end, and preferably, the outer transverse cross-sectional area of the container intermediate the upstream and downstream ends thereof is substantially similar to the inner transverse cross-sectional area of the vaporising chamber, and advantageously, the outer transverse cross-sectional area of the container intermediate the upstream and downstream ends thereof is just less than the inner transverse cross-sectional area of the vaporising chamber, and preferably, the container comprises a side wall which defines the hollow interior region, the side wall extending between the upstream end and the downstream end, and preferably, the side wall defines the upstream opening adjacent the upstream end, and the downstream opening adjacent the downstream end, and advantageously, the upstream opening is closed by an upstream end cap, and preferably, the upstream end cap comprises the first accommodating means, and advantageously, the upstream end cap is formed by the first permeable means, and preferably, the downstream opening is closed by a downstream end cap, and preferably, the downstream end cap comprises the second accommodating means, and advantageously, the downstream end cap is formed by the second permeable means. 
   
   
       96 . A container as claimed in  claim 95  in which the side wall is of a heat conducting material, and preferably, the side wall is of a paper based material, and advantageously, the side wall is of cardboard material, and preferably, the side wall is of a foil material, and advantageously, the side wall is of a metal foil, and
 preferably, a portion of the container is impermeable to the aerosol, and preferably, the portion of the container which is impermeable to the aerosol is also impermeable to the carrier fluid, and advantageously, the impermeable portion of the container is located intermediate the first accommodating means and the second accommodating means, and preferably, the side wall forms the impermeable portion of the container, and advantageously, the side wall is of a gauze material, and preferably, the side wall is of a gauze of metal material, and advantageously, the side wall of the container is adapted for engaging the vaporising chamber, and preferably, the side wall of the container is adapted for engaging a corresponding side wall of the vaporising chamber, and advantageously, the side wall of the container is adapted for engaging the corresponding side wall of the vaporising chamber with a heat transfer fit, and preferably, the side wall of the container is adapted for slideably engaging the corresponding side wall of the vaporising chamber, and advantageously, the side wall is of cylindrical construction.   
   
   
       97 . A container as claimed in  claim 95  in which the second accommodating means comprises an outlet tube extending from the container, and preferably, the second permeable means is located adjacent the outlet tube, and preferably, the second permeable means is located in the outlet tube, and advantageously, the second permeable means is in the form of a plug. 
   
   
       98 . A container as claimed in  claim 97  in which the outlet tube terminates in a mouthpiece. 
   
   
       99 . A container as claimed in  claim 97  in which a heat sink means is located in the outlet tube. 
   
   
       100 . A container as claimed in  claim 99  in which the heat sink means is located in the outlet tube intermediate the second permeable means and the mouthpiece, and advantageously, the outlet tube is of transverse cross-section which is substantially similar to the transverse cross-section of the container, and preferably, the outlet tube is of circular transverse cross-section, and
 advantageously, the outlet tube is of diameter which is similar to the diameter of the side wall of the container, and preferably, the container is adapted for engaging the vaporising chamber with the outlet tube extending therefrom to provide access to the mouthpiece, and advantageously, the downstream end cap is of an impermeable material, and defines an outlet opening, and preferably, the outlet tube extends from the downstream end cap and communicates with the hollow interior region of the container through the outlet opening in the downstream end cap, and advantageously, the second permeable means is located adjacent the outlet opening in the downstream end cap.   
   
   
       101 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the container is adapted for accommodating a heat transfer member of the vaporising chamber into the hollow interior region of the container for transferring heat to the vaporisable matter contained therein. 
   
   
       102 . A container as claimed in  claim 101  in which the upstream end of the container is adapted for accommodating the heat transfer member into the hollow interior region thereof, and advantageously, the upstream end cap is adapted for accommodating the heat transfer member into the hollow interior region, and preferably, a heat transfer member accommodating slit is formed in the container for accommodating the heat transfer member therethrough to the hollow interior region thereof, and advantageously, the heat transfer accommodating slit is formed in the upstream end cap, and preferably, the heat transfer member accommodating slit is formed in the first permeable means. 
   
   
       103 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the first permeable means comprises a first permeable material which is permeable to the carrier fluid, and preferably, the first permeable material is a paper based material, and advantageously, the first permeable material is a gauze, and preferably, the first permeable material is a gauze of a metal material, and advantageously, the first permeable material is perforated, and preferably, the second permeable means comprises a second permeable material which is permeable to the aerosol of the carrier fluid and the vapour of the vaporisable constituent, and preferably, the second permeable material is a paper based material, and advantageously, the second permeable material is a gauze, and preferably, the second permeable material is a gauze of a metal material, and advantageously, the second permeable material is perforated. 
   
   
       104 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the second permeable means comprises a filter medium, and preferably, the filter medium of the second permeable means is adapted for substantially inhibiting the passage of undesirable vapours from the aerosol passing therethrough, and preferably, the filter medium of the second permeable means is adapted for substantially inhibiting the passage of tar and other undesirable fluids passing therethrough. 
   
   
       105 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region of the container is in particulate form, and preferably, the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region is of particle size of maximum dimensions in the range of 50 microns to 5 mm, and advantageously, the vaporisable matter is in strip form, and preferably, the strips of the vaporisable matter are of maximum transverse dimensions in the range of 50 microns to 5 mm, and advantageously, the strips of the vaporisable matter are of length in the range of 5 mm to 40 mm. 
   
   
       106 . A container as claimed in  claim 105  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region comprises a blend of vaporisable matter of different strip sizes, and the strip sizes of the blend of the vaporisable matter are selected for maintaining the level of vapour of the vaporisable constituent in the aerosol substantially constant over the time period during which the vaporisable matter is being heated from the time the vaporisable matter is raised to a temperature suitable for vaporising the constituent until substantially all of the vapour has been evaporated from the vaporisable constituent. 
   
   
       107 . A container as claimed in  claim 105  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region comprises a blend of vaporisable matter of different particle sizes and different strip sizes, and the particle sizes and the strip sizes of the blend of the vaporisable matter are selected for maintaining the level of vapour of the vaporisable constituent in the aerosol substantially constant over the time period during which the vaporisable matter is being heated from the time the vaporisable matter is raised to a temperature suitable for vaporising the constituent until substantially all of the vapour has been evaporated from the vaporisable constituent. 
   
   
       108 . A container as claimed in  claim 105  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region comprises a blend of vaporisable matter of different particle sizes, and the particle sizes of the blend of the vaporisable matter are selected for maintaining the level of vapour of the vaporisable constituent in the aerosol substantially constant over the time period during which the vaporisable matter is being heated from the time the vaporisable matter is raised to a temperature suitable for vaporising the constituent until substantially all of the vapour has been evaporated from the vaporisable constituent. 
   
   
       109 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region of the container is selected from one or more of the following: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 plant matter 
                 herbs 
                 tobacco 
               
                   
                 mullein 
                 passion flower 
                 cloves 
               
                   
                 yohimbe 
                 mint 
                 tea 
               
                   
                 
                   eucalyptus 
                 
                 camomile. 
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       110 . A container as claimed in  claim 93  in which the vaporisable matter contained in the hollow interior region of the container is tobacco, and preferably, the container is in the form of a sachet adapted for engagement in a plug portion of the vaporising chamber with the plug portion of the vaporising chamber in engagement with the vaporising chamber. 
   
   
       111 . A method for vaporising a vaporisable constituent of vaporisable matter to form an aerosol, the method comprising placing the vaporisable matter in a hollow interior region of a container comprising a first accommodating means for accommodating a carrier fluid into the hollow interior region and a second accommodating means for accommodating the aerosol from the hollow interior region, placing the container in a vaporising chamber of a vaporising device, heating the container and the vaporisable matter therein to a temperature at which the vaporisable constituent vaporises, and drawing a carrier fluid into the hollow interior region of the container through the first accommodating means and through the hollow interior region for entraining vapour of the vaporised constituent in the carrier fluid to form the aerosol and drawing the aerosol through the second accommodating means. 
   
   
       112 . A vaporising device comprising a vaporising chamber and a heat source for heating the vaporising chamber, and a container as claimed in  claim 93  located in the vaporising chamber, the vaporising chamber having a carrier fluid inlet for facilitating drawing of a carrier fluid into the hollow interior region of the container through the first permeable means for entraining vapour of a vaporisable constituent of the vaporisable matter in the carrier fluid to form an aerosol of the carrier fluid and the vapour of the vaporisable constituent, so that the aerosol can be drawn from the hollow interior region of the container through the second permeable means.