Smoking substitute apparatus

Abstract

A smoking substitute system comprises: a main body and a smoking substitute apparatus. The smoking substitute apparatus comprises: a housing; an air inlet at a first end of the housing and an air outlet; an air flow channel between the air inlet and the air outlet through the housing; and an aerosol generator to generate an aerosol, the aerosol generator located in the air flow channel downstream of the air inlet. The main body comprises: a main body housing configured to couple to the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus; a main body air inlet to the housing; a plenum chamber within the main body housing to receive airflow from the main body air inlet; wherein the plenum chamber is within the main body housing at a position upstream of the air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus when the main body housing is coupled to the smoking substitute apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A smoking substitute system comprising:
 a main body; and   a smoking substitute apparatus;   the smoking substitute apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an air inlet provided at a first end of the housing and an air outlet;
 an air flow channel between the air inlet and the air outlet through the housing; and 
 an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol precursor, wherein the aerosol generator is located in the air flow channel at a position downstream of the air inlet along the air flow channel; 
 
   the main body comprising:
 a main body housing which is configured to physically couple to the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus; 
   a main body air inlet to the housing;
 a plenum chamber within the main body housing, the plenum chamber configured to receive airflow from the main body air inlet; 
   wherein the plenum chamber is provided within the main body housing at a position which is directly upstream of the air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus when the main body housing is coupled to the smoking substitute apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . A smoking substitute system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plenum chamber is provided as a void within the main body of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking substitute system according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the main body has a first cross-sectional area and the plenum chamber has a second cross-sectional area, and wherein a ratio of the second cross-sectional area to the first cross-sectional area, expressed as a percentage, taken at the same position along a longitudinal axis of the main body, is at least 70%, optionally at least 80%, optionally at least 90%. 
     
     
         4 . A smoking substitute system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plenum chamber has an axial length of at least 5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . A smoking substitute system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body has a longitudinal axis and the plenum chamber extends in an axial direction, and wherein the main body air inlet is located in a sidewall of the housing adjacent to an upstream end of the plenum chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A smoking substitute system according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the main body has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the main body air inlet is offset from the plenum chamber in an axial direction with an airflow path between the main body air inlet and the plenum chamber passing through the main body housing. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking substitute system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first end of the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus has a first cross-sectional area and the air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus has a second cross-sectional area, and wherein a ratio of the second cross-sectional area to the first cross-sectional area, expressed as a percentage, taken at the same position along a longitudinal axis of the smoking substitute apparatus, is at least 70%, optionally at least 80%, optionally at least 90%. 
     
     
         8 . A smoking substitute system according to any of the preceding claims, comprising:
 one or more electrical contacts provided on the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus and electrically connected with the aerosol generator;   one or more electrical contacts provided on the main body which are configured to engage with corresponding electrical contacts on the smoking substitute apparatus,   wherein the one or more electrical contacts provided on the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus are located beyond a perimeter of the air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . A smoking substitute system according to  claim 8 , wherein the one or more electrical contacts of the smoking substitute apparatus are located on an outer surface of the sidewall of the housing of the smoking substitute apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . A main body for a smoking substitute system comprising the main body and a smoking substitute apparatus, the main body comprising:
 a housing which is configured to physically couple to the smoking substitute apparatus;   an air inlet to the housing;
 a plenum chamber within the housing, the plenum chamber configured to receive airflow from the air inlet; 
 wherein the plenum chamber is provided within the housing at a position which is directly upstream of an air inlet of the smoking substitute apparatus when the main body housing is coupled to the smoking substitute apparatus. 
   
     
     
         11 . A main body according to  claim 10 , wherein the main body has a longitudinal axis and the plenum chamber extends in an axial direction, and wherein the main body air inlet is located in a sidewall of the housing adjacent to an upstream end of the plenum chamber. 
     
     
         12 . A main body according to  claim 10 , wherein the main body has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the main body air inlet is offset from the plenum chamber in an axial direction with an airflow path between the main body air inlet and the plenum chamber passing through the main body housing. 
     
     
         13 . A main body according to any one of  claims 10  to  12 , comprising one or more electrical contacts which are configured to engage with corresponding electrical contacts of the smoking substitute apparatus, wherein the one or more electrical contacts of the main body are located on a sidewall of the housing of the main body.