Heating smokeable material

Abstract

An apparatus configured to heat smokeable material so as to volatilize at least one of its components for inhalation comprises at least one heating element ( 3 b ) on or in a substrate material ( 3 a ).

1 . A smokeable material heater apparatus, comprising: a substrate, and at least one printed heater element configured to, in use, heat the substrate to a smokeable material volatilizing temperature at which the substrate volatilizes at least one component of a smokeable material for inhalation. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one printed heater element is disposed at least partially inside the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one printed heater element is substantially equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one printed heater element is chemically bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according  claim 1 , wherein the at least one printed heater element and the substrate comprise a single sintered structure. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one printed heater element includes an electrically resistive trace in the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a ceramics material. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is proximal a smokeable material heat chamber configured to contain a body of smokeable material during heating. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of heater elements are arranged in layers inside the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the layers are interconnected by heater element vias through the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising: a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material for inhalation, the heater including a substrate and a heater element, a coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate being substantially equal to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the heater element. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater element is configured to heat the substrate to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least one component of smokeable material disposed in an adjacent smokeable material heat chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater element is disposed at least partially inside the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater element is chemically bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater includes a sintered structure comprising the heater element and the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater element comprises an electrically resistive trace in the substrate and/or the substrate comprises a ceramics material. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of heater elements are arranged in layers inside the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the layers are interconnected by heater element vias through the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising: a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material for inhalation, the heater including a multiple layered structure of ceramic material and electrically resistive heater elements. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements include electrically resistive traces in the ceramic material. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements are chemically bonded to the ceramic material in a sintered structure. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements include Tungsten and the ceramic material includes Aluminum Nitride Ceramic. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements are configured to heat the ceramic material to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least one component of smokeable material disposed in a heat chamber adjacent the ceramic material. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements are disposed inside the ceramic material. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the heater elements of the multiple layered structure are interconnected by heater element vias through the ceramic material. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus, comprising: a heater configured to heat smokeable material, the heater including a substrate, and at least one heater element disposed inside the substrate and configured to, in use, heat the substrate such that the heated substrate volatilizes at least one component of a smokeable material for inhalation. 
     
     
         30 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one heater element and the substrate are sintered to form a chemically bonded structure. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the substrate includes a ceramics material and the heater element includes an electrically resistive trace material. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the substrate is proximal a smokeable material heat chamber configured to contain a body of smokeable material during heating. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the heater includes comprising a plurality of heater elements arranged in layers inside the substrate. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein the layers are interconnected by heater element vias through the substrate. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to heat the smokeable material to a temperature of at least 120 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to heat the smokeable material to a temperature of between 120 degrees Celsius and 250 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to heat the smokeable material to a smokeable material volatilizing temperature of between 130 degrees Celsius and 180 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         40 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method of heating smokeable material using the apparatus of  claim 1 , the method comprising;
 heating the substrate to the smokeable material volatilizing temperature using the at least one printed heater element, causing the heated substrate to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material for inhalation.   
     
     
         45 . A method of heating smokeable material using the apparatus of  claim 29 , the method comprising:
 heating the substrate to a smokeable material volatilizing temperature using the at least one heater element disposed inside the substrate such that the heated substrate volatilizes at least one component of smokeable material for inhalation.