Apparatus for volatilizing smokable material and a smoking article

Abstract

An apparatus is arranged to volatilize or extract at least one component of smokable material. The apparatus includes a housing for receiving smokable material; a fluid container arranged to hold a fluid; and at least one tube arranged at least partially within the housing. The apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters smokable material or the smokable material enters the tube when said smokable material is received within the housing and such that in use, fluid from the fluid container passes through an exit aperture of the tube into said smokable material. The fluid that passes into the smokable material volatilizes or extracts at least one component of the smokable material.

1 . An apparatus arranged to volatilize or extract at least one component of smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing for receiving smokable material;   a fluid container arranged to hold a fluid; and   at least one tube arranged at least partially within the housing;   the apparatus being arranged such that the at least one tube enters the smokable material or the smokable material enters the tube when the smokable material is received within the housing and such that in use, fluid from the fluid container passes through an exit aperture of the tube into the smokable material, wherein the fluid that passes into the smokable material volatilizes or extracts at least one component of the smokable material.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters the smokable material and wherein the tube has a sharp end for piercing the smokable material received within the housing in use. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters the smokable material and wherein the tube has plural exit apertures through which in use fluid passes into the smokable material received in the housing in use. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters the smokable material and wherein the fluid container and the housing are separably connected to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters the smokable material, wherein the housing comprises a front open end through which the smokable material passes into a cavity of the housing when the smokable material is received within the housing and wherein one end of the tube projects beyond the front open end of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the tube enters the smokable material, wherein the housing comprises a front open end through which the smokable material passes into a cavity of the housing when the smokable material is received within the housing wherein the tube is located within the cavity and away from the front open end of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the smokable material enters the tube and wherein an inner wall of the tube comprises the exit aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the inner wall of the tube is permeable to the fluid so as to provide the exit aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein the tube comprises an outer wall and an inner wall that together define an annular space for containing the fluid such that the tube is the fluid container. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a wick for wicking fluid contained in use in the fluid container into the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heater for heating fluid contained within the fluid container in use to vaporize the fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heater for heating smokable material received in the housing in use. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a power supply for powering the heater. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is connected to a power supply for selectively heating the tube. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a front open end through which the smokable material passes into a cavity of the housing when the smokable material is received within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising an insert having a through hole through which the smokable material can pass, the insert being removably insertable into the front open end of the housing to reduce a width of at least a portion of the cavity. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising a retainer arranged adjacent an inwardly-facing surface of the housing for reducing a width of the cavity at a location where the retainer is arranged. 
     
     
         21 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least a second tube in fluid communication with a second fluid container and projecting into the housing, the at least a second tube having at least one exit aperture, the apparatus being arranged such that the at least a second tube enters smokable material when the smokable material is received within the housing and such that in use fluid enters the at least a second tube from the second fluid container and passes through the exit aperture of the tube into the smokable material received in the housing in use to volatilize or extract at least one component of the smokable material. 
     
     
         26 . A smoking article for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material, the smoking article comprising:
 smokable material; and   a rigid hollow cylinder having a bore for receiving the tube of the apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is configured to in use allow the tube of the apparatus to enter the smokable material, wherein the bore is in fluid communication with the smokable material and wherein the bore is located at an end of the article opposite an end of the article for being engaged by a mouth of a user.   
     
     
         27 . The smoking article according to  claim 26 , further comprising a filter for filtering volatilized smokable material. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The smoking article according to  claim 26 , further comprising a housing that contains the smokable material and that provides or contains the rigid hollow cylinder. 
     
     
         30 . A smoking article for use with an apparatus for heating smokable material, the smoking article comprising:
 a container comprising smokable material, wherein the container is insertable into the tube of the apparatus according to  claim 7 , the container comprising an outer wall that enables fluid that passes from the inner wall of the tube of the apparatus to enter the smokable material inwardly towards a center of the smokable material.