Aerosol Generating Device Comprising a Pushing Bar

Abstract

An aerosol generating device configured to operate with an aerosol generating substrate includes:a device body extending along a device axis and defining at least one side wall;a cup-shaped heating chamber defining an open end and a closed end opposite to the open end, the heating chamber configured to receive a heater part of the aerosol generating substrate; andan ejection mechanism including a pushing bar formed from a flexible material and configured to slide within the heating chamber between a retracted position and an ejecting position.The pushing bar includes a pushing element configured to eject the aerosol generating substrate from the heating chamber by pushing while the pushing bar is sliding from the retracted position to the ejecting position.

1 . An aerosol generating device configured to operate with an aerosol generating substrate with a heater part and comprising:
 a device body extending along a device axis and defining at least one side wall extending along the device axis;   a cup-shaped heating chamber defining an open end and a closed end opposite to the open end, the heating chamber configured to receive the heater part of the aerosol generating substrate through the open end; and   an ejection mechanism comprising a pushing bar formed from a flexible material and configured to slide within the heating chamber between a retracted position and an ejecting position, the pushing bar being flexible to follow a winding pathway inside the device body;   wherein the pushing bar comprises a pushing element configured to eject the aerosol generating substrate from the heating chamber by pushing the aerosol generating substrate from the closed end toward the open end while the pushing bar is sliding from the retracted position to the ejecting position.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heating chamber comprises at least one heating wall configured to heat the aerosol generating substrate, the at least one heating wall comprising an inner surface; and   the pushing element is configured to be in contact with the inner surface of the at least one heating wall while pushing the aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heating chamber extends along the device axis; and   the device body further comprises a mouthpiece defining a through-hole extending along the device axis and facing the open end of the heating chamber, the mouthpiece configured to receive a mouthpiece part of the aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 3 , wherein the pushing element is further configured to cross the heating chamber and at least a part of the through-hole of the mouthpiece while pushing the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 3 , wherein the pushing element further comprises cleaning means configured to clean the through-hole of the mouthpiece and/or the heating chamber, while pushing the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pushing element is configured to seal impermeably the heating chamber at the closed end when the pushing bar is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 6 , wherein the open end of the heating chamber defines a unique air permeable opening of the heating chamber, when the pushing bar is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the ejection mechanism further comprises an actuator configured to move the pushing bar between the retracted position and the ejecting position; and   the pushing bar extends between a proximal end receiving the pushing element and a distal end fixed to the actuator.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pushing bar is configured to slide between said retracted and ejecting positions following the winding pathway comprising two parallel straight sections, each of the proximal end and the distal end being slidable in a respective straight section of the winding pathway. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generation device according to claim  10 , wherein the ejection mechanism further comprises guiding means configured to cause the pushing bar to follow the winding pathway. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 8 , wherein the actuator is configured to slide in a slot between a distal position causing the retracted position of the pushing bar and a proximal position causing the ejecting position of the pushing bar. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 11 , wherein said slot is arranged on the at least one side wall of the device body. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 2 , further comprising a heater adjacent to an outer surface of the at least one heating wall. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped heating chamber defines a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped heating chamber is delimited by the at least one heating wall and at least one second opposite heating wall, each of the at least one and second heating walls defining an inner surface, the pushing element configured to be in contact with the inner surface of each of the at least one and second heating walls, while pushing the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured to fit closely the slot at least at the distal position to prevent air entering inside the device body.