Aerosol provision device

Abstract

An aerosol provision device 2 is disclosed for generating aerosol from an aerosol generating article 4 comprising portions of aerosol generating material. The aerosol provision device 2 comprises a plurality of aerosol transmission channels arranged adjacent a plurality of aerosol generating regions, wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels are in fluid communication with the plurality of aerosol generating regions and control circuitry 23 is configured to selectively control the plurality of aerosol generating regions.

1 . An aerosol provision device for generating aerosol from an aerosol generating article comprising portions of aerosol generating material, the aerosol provision device comprising:
 a plurality of aerosol transmission channels arranged adjacent a plurality of aerosol generating regions, wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels are in fluid communication with the plurality of aerosol generating regions; and   control circuitry configured to selectively control the plurality of aerosol generating regions.   
     
     
         2 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a chamber for receiving the aerosol generating article comprising portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         3 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each aerosol generating region is defined by a respective heating element. 
     
     
         4 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet, wherein the control circuitry is configured to set a heating profile of each of the plurality of aerosol generating regions such that the consistency of aerosol generated at the different aerosol generating regions is substantially constant when exiting the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set a heating profile of each of the plurality of aerosol generating regions to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of aerosol generating material such that, regardless of distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from an outlet of the aerosol provision device, a substantially constant amount of aerosol passes through the outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         6 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set a heating profile to cause the plurality of aerosol generating regions to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of aerosol generating material that is proportional to the distance of the respective portion from an outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         7 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the heating profile so that the operational temperature of at least one aerosol generating region is based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from an outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         8 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the heating profile so that the operational temperature of the aerosol generating regions closer to an outlet of the aerosol provision device is lower than the operational temperature of the heating elements further from the outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         9 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the heating profile so that the heating duration for the at least one aerosol generating region is based on the distance of the respective portion of aerosol generating material from an outlet. 
     
     
         10 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels further comprise one or more valves for selectively controlling flow of aerosol generated by the plurality of aerosol generating regions through the plurality of aerosol transmission channels. 
     
     
         11 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the one or more valves are selectively controlled, activated or deactivated by the control circuitry in response to activation or deactivation of the plurality of aerosol generating regions. 
     
     
         12 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol generating regions each comprise at least one air supply hole in fluid communication with an external atmosphere. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels are in fluid communication with an outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels are enclosed by a volume defined by a central aerosol transmission channel. 
     
     
         17 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the central aerosol transmission channel is in fluid communication with the outlet of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         18 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the central aerosol transmission channel comprises one or more air supply holes in fluid communication with an external atmosphere. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerosol generating regions are arranged evenly around a circumference and wherein each aerosol transmission channel extends radially inwards or outwards such that the flow path lengths from each aerosol generating region through each respective aerosol transmission channel is substantially the same. 
     
     
         21 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 an aerosol provision device as claimed in  claim 1 ; and   an aerosol generating article comprising portions of aerosol generating material.   
     
     
         22 . An aerosol provision system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein either: (i) each portion of aerosol generating material is substantially the same; or (ii) at least some of the portions of aerosol generating material are substantially different. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of generating aerosol comprising:
 providing an aerosol provision device comprising a plurality of aerosol transmission channels arranged adjacent a plurality of aerosol generating regions, wherein the plurality of aerosol transmission channels are in fluid communication with the plurality of aerosol generating regions; and   passing aerosol through one or more of the plurality of aerosol transmission channels.