Smoking substitute apparatus

Abstract

Provided are smoking substitute apparatuses and systems in which surface turbulence generation elements ( 404 ) are provided on the wall of at least part of the flow path taken by the aerosol from the aerosol generator on the way to the user. As a result the temperature of the aerosol is maintained (cooling is slower) and the particle size inhaled by the user controlled to a desirable size.

1 . A smoking substitute apparatus for delivery of an aerosol to a user drawing air through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 an air inlet;   an outlet;   an air flow path between the air inlet and the outlet;   an aerosol generator disposed in the apparatus for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor for entrainment in an air flow along the air flow path, the aerosol generator being provided in a chamber having a chamber internal wall,   wherein the air flow path has an upstream portion, upstream of the aerosol generator and the chamber internal wall and a downstream portion, downstream of the aerosol generator and the chamber internal wall,   wherein at least one of the upstream portion and the downstream portion includes a surface turbulence generation region comprising an internal wall facing said upstream portion or said downstream portion, the internal wall comprising an arrangement of surface turbulence generation elements for generating surface turbulence in the air flow;   and wherein the surface turbulence generation elements are indented portions in the internal wall separated by barrier wall portions, wherein the barrier wall portions have upstream edges and downstream edges, wherein the downstream edges or the upstream edges comprise curved portions connecting the edges to the internal wall.   
     
     
         2 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downstream portion of the air flow path comprises a chimney, the chimney having a smaller hydraulic diameter at its downstream end than at its upstream end. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the surface turbulence generation region is provided immediately downstream from the chamber and immediately upstream from the chimney. 
     
     
         4 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the surface turbulence generation region is provided as part of a seal portion connecting the chamber to the chimney. 
     
     
         5 . A smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising:
 an air inlet;   an outlet;   an air flow path between the air inlet and the outlet;   an aerosol generator disposed in the apparatus for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor, the aerosol generator being provided in a chamber having a chamber internal wall, the smoking substitute apparatus being provided with at least one chamber outlet in fluid communication with the chamber and the air flow path, the at least one chamber outlet permitting, in use, aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be entrained into an air flow along the air flow path;   wherein the apparatus has an aerosol flow portion, downstream of the chamber and upstream of the at least one chamber outlet, the aerosol flow portion including a surface turbulence generation region comprising an internal wall facing said aerosol flow portion, the internal wall comprising an arrangement of surface turbulence generation elements for generating surface turbulence in the air flow;   and wherein the surface turbulence generation elements are indented portions in the internal wall separated by barrier wall portions, wherein the barrier wall portions have upstream edges and downstream edges, wherein the downstream edges or the upstream edges comprise curved portions connecting the edges to the internal wall.   
     
     
         6 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the aerosol flow portion comprises a chimney, the chimney having a smaller hydraulic diameter at its downstream end than at its upstream end. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the surface turbulence generation region is provided immediately downstream from the chamber and immediately upstream from the chimney. 
     
     
         8 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the surface turbulence generation region is provided as part of a seal portion connecting the chamber to the chimney. 
     
     
         9 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the chamber is sealed against air flow from the air flow path. 
     
     
         10 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the chamber is sealed against air flow except for the at least one chamber outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface turbulence generation elements are not provided on any surface of the chamber facing the aerosol generator. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface turbulence generation elements have a cross section which is circular or polygonal. 
     
     
         14 . A smoking substitute system for generating an aerosol, comprising:
 i) a smoking substitute apparatus for generating an aerosol, comprising:
 an air inlet; 
 an outlet; 
 an air flow path between the air inlet and the outlet; 
 an aerosol generator disposed in the apparatus for generating an aerosol from an aerosol precursor, the aerosol generator being provided in a chamber having a chamber internal wall, the smoking substitute apparatus being provided with at least one chamber outlet in fluid communication with the chamber and the air flow path, the at least one chamber outlet permitting, in use, aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be entrained into an air flow along the air flow path; 
 wherein the apparatus has an aerosol flow portion, downstream of the chamber and upstream of the at least one chamber outlet, the aerosol flow portion including a surface turbulence generation region comprising an internal wall facing said aerosol flow portion, the internal wall comprising an arrangement of surface turbulence generation elements for generating surface turbulence in the air flow, 
   and wherein the surface turbulence generation elements are indented portions in the internal wall separated by barrier wall portions, wherein the barrier wall portions have upstream edges and downstream edges, wherein the downstream edges or the upstream edges comprise curved portions connecting the edges to the internal wall, and   ii) a main body configured to engage with the smoking substitute apparatus; wherein the main body comprises a controller and a power source configured to energise the aerosol generator.   
     
     
         15 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downstream edges comprise curved portions connecting the downstream edges to the internal wall, and the angle between the upstream edges and the internal wall is between 45° and 100°. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking substitute apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the downstream edges comprise curved portions connecting the downstream edges to the internal wall, and the angle between the upstream edges and the internal wall is between 45° and 100°.