Heating Apparatus for an Aerosol Generating Device

Abstract

A heating apparatus for an aerosol generating device includes an insulator with an internal wall and an external wall that are separated from one another; a cavity in which an aerosol forming substance can be received, positioned adjacent the internal wall of the insulator; and a heater provided inside the insulator in thermal contact with the internal wall of the insulator, configured to heat an aerosol forming substance received in the cavity by thermal conduction to generate an aerosol. The internal wall includes a substantially flat section, the substantially flat section including an inner face configured to compress a consumable including the aerosol forming substance when the consumable is received in the cavity, and an outer face on which the heater is provided.

1 . A heating apparatus for an aerosol generating device, comprising:
 an insulator, comprising an internal wall and an external wall that are separated from one another;   a cavity configured to receive an aerosol forming substance, positioned adjacent the internal wall of the insulator; and   a heater provided inside the insulator in thermal contact with the internal wall of the insulator, configured to heat an aerosol forming substance received in the cavity by thermal conduction to generate an aerosol;   wherein the internal wall comprises a substantially flat section, the substantially flat section comprising an inner face configured to compress a consumable comprising the aerosol forming substance when the consumable is received in the cavity, and an outer face on which the heater is provided.   
     
     
         2 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal wall and the external wall are separated by a vacuum such that the insulator is a vacuum insulator. 
     
     
         3 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially flat section extends along a longitudinal axis of the insulator. 
     
     
         4 . The heating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the heater extends longitudinally on the outer face of the substantially flat section. 
     
     
         5 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal wall is substantially cylindrical, and wherein the heater is provided on the internal wall around a substantially full circumference of the internal wall. 
     
     
         6 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is provided only or predominantly on the substantially flat section. 
     
     
         7 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal wall comprises a plurality of substantially flat sections, the plurality of substantially flat sections each comprising a respective inner face configured to compress the consumable when the consumable is received in the cavity, and a respective outer face on which the heater is provided. 
     
     
         8 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator comprises a flared opening configured to enable the consumable to be received in the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises an exposed external surface having a material susceptible to an oxidation reaction in the presence of oxygen. 
     
     
         10 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the internal wall has a thickness of 0.1 mm or less. 
     
     
         11 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more wires configured to connect the heater to a power source, wherein the one or more wires are positioned through one or more gaps provided on a longitudinal face of the external wall, or positioned through one or more gaps in the insulator provided at a longitudinal end of the insulator, adjacent an opening to the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The heating apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical insulation layer provided between the heater and the internal wall. 
     
     
         13 . An aerosol generating device configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising the heating apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 13 , further comprising a housing configured to house components of the aerosol generating device, and one or more support structures attached to the insulator to couple the insulator to the housing;
 wherein the one or more support structures are positioned on the insulator to maximise a length of a conduction path from the heater to the one or more support structures.   
     
     
         15 . An aerosol generating device configured to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising:
 a heater configured to heat an aerosol forming substance received within the aerosol generating device;   a housing configured to house components of the aerosol generating device;   an insulator configured to insulate the housing from heat produced by the heater; and   one or more support structures attached to the insulator to couple the insulator to the housing;   wherein the one or more support structures are positioned on the insulator to maximise a length of a conduction path from the heater to the one or more support structures; and   wherein the insulator is coupled to the housing only by the one or more support structures.