An aerosol provision system and an article for use in an aerosol provision system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aerosol provision system (100) comprising: an article (1) comprising an aerosol generating material (4) and a first coupling portion (5); and, an aerosol provision device (200) comprising a second coupling portion (6) and a zone (202) that is configured to receive the article (1). The first and second coupling portions (5, 6) are configured such that the first coupling portion (5) is magnetically attracted to the second coupling portion (6) when the article (1) is received in the zone (202). The present disclosure also relates to an article (1) for an aerosol provision device (200) and to a package of articles.

1 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 an article comprising an aerosol generating material and a first coupling portion; and,   an aerosol provision device comprising a second coupling portion and a zone that is configured to receive the article,   wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured such that the first coupling portion is magnetically attracted to the second coupling portion when the article is received in the zone.   
     
     
         2 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 an article comprising an aerosol generating material and a first coupling portion; and,   an aerosol provision device comprising a second coupling portion and a heating zone that is configured to receive the article for heating the aerosol generating material,   wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured such that the first coupling portion is magnetically attracted to the second coupling portion when the article is received in the heating zone.   
     
     
         3 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein one of the first and second coupling portions comprises a magnet and the other one of the first and second coupling portions comprises a ferromagnetic material and/or a second magnet. 
     
     
         4 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the second coupling portion is provided at an end of the zone or heating zone. 
     
     
         5 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a chamber that comprises the zone or heating zone. 
     
     
         6 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the article protrudes from an end of the zone or heating zone. 
     
     
         7 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a heater that at least partially surrounds the heating zone and, preferably, the heater comprises a magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a varying magnetic field to inductively heat the heating material. 
     
     
         8 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the aerosol provision device is an electronic cigarette. 
     
     
         9 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a mouthpiece and, preferably, the mouthpiece is removable from another portion of the aerosol provision device to facilitate access to the zone or heating zone. 
     
     
         10 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises the second coupling portion. 
     
     
         11 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 10 , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a body that comprises the second coupling portion. 
     
     
         12 . An aerosol provision system according to  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured such that, when the article is received in the zone or heating zone, the article is biased axially towards the second coupling portion. 
     
     
         13 . An article for use with an aerosol provision device, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a zone that is configured to receive the article, the article comprising:
 an aerosol generating material; and,   a first coupling portion that is configured to be magnetically attracted to a second coupling portion of the aerosol provision device when the article is received in the zone.   
     
     
         14 . An article for use with an aerosol provision device, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a heating zone that is configured to receive the article, the article comprising:
 an aerosol generating material; and,   a first coupling portion that is configured to be magnetically attracted to a second coupling portion of the aerosol provision device when the article is received in the heating zone.   
     
     
         15 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12  or an article according to  claim 13 or claim 14 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises a magnet. 
     
     
         16 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or claim 15  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 15 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         17 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or claim 15 or claim 16  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 16 , wherein the first coupling portion is provided over only a portion of the axial length of the article. 
     
     
         18 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or claim 15 or claim 16  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 16 , wherein the first coupling portion is provided over substantially the entire axial length of the article. 
     
     
         19 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 18  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 18 , wherein the first coupling portion is embedded within the article and, preferably, is embedded within the aerosol generating material of the article. 
     
     
         20 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 19  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 19 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises a heating material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         21 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 20  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 20 , wherein the article and/or aerosol provision device further comprises a heating material in addition to the first coupling portion, wherein the heating material is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         22 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 21  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 21 , wherein the aerosol generating material at least partially circumscribes the first coupling portion and, preferably, circumscribes the first coupling portion. 
     
     
         23 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 22  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 22 , wherein the aerosol generating material comprises nicotine. 
     
     
         24 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 23  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 23 , wherein the aerosol generating material comprises, consists of, or essentially consists of, tobacco. 
     
     
         25 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 23  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 23 , wherein the aerosol generating material does not comprise tobacco. 
     
     
         26 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 25  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 25 , wherein the aerosol generating material is a liquid. 
     
     
         27 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 14 to 26  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 26 , wherein the article comprises a reservoir that contains the aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         28 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 27  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 27 , wherein the article has an axial length of at most 36 mm and, preferably, an axial length of at most 34 mm,  32 , mm, 30 mm, 28 mm, 26 mm, 24 mm or 23 mm. 
     
     
         29 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 28  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 28 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises one or more apertures to facilitate the flow of gas through the first coupling portion. 
     
     
         30 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 1 to 12 or 15 to 29  or an article according to any one of  claims 13 to 29 , wherein the article comprises a plurality of regions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         31 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 30  or an article according to  claim 30 , wherein the article comprises a substrate, wherein the plurality of regions of aerosol generating material are attached to the substrate. 
     
     
         32 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 31  or an article according to  claim 31 , wherein the substrate is generally planar. 
     
     
         33 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 30 to 32 , configured to start generating aerosol from at least one of the plurality of regions of aerosol generating material after starting generating aerosol from another one of the plurality of regions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         34 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 30 to 33 , configured to start heating at least one of the plurality of regions of aerosol generating material after starting heating another one of the plurality of regions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         35 . A package comprising a plurality of articles according to any one of  claims 13 to 34  and, preferably, wherein the package is hermetically sealed. 
     
     
         36 . An aerosol provision device comprising:
 a zone configured to receive an article comprising an aerosol generating material; and,   a holder for securing the article in the zone, wherein the holder is configured to engage the article,   and wherein the holder is configured to be removably connected to a component of the aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         37 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 36 , wherein the zone is a heating zone. 
     
     
         38 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 36 or claim 37 , wherein the holder is configured to be removably connected to a component of the aerosol provision device such that, in use, once the holder has been engaged with the article, the holder and article can then be removably connected to the component, and wherein the user is able to disconnect the holder and article together from the component. 
     
     
         39 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 38 , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a body that comprises the component of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         40 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 39 , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises a mouthpiece. 
     
     
         41 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 40 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises the component of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         42 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 40 or claim 41 , wherein the mouthpiece is removable from a body of the aerosol provision device and, preferably, the mouthpiece is removable from the body to provide access to the holder. 
     
     
         43 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 42 , wherein the zone is located at, or in proximity to, a mouth end of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         44 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 43 , wherein the holder is configured to be magnetically removably connected to the component of the aerosol provision device. 
     
     
         45 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 44 , wherein one of the holder and component comprises a first magnet and the other one of the holder and component comprises a ferromagnetic material and/or second magnet that is configured to be attracted to the first magnet to magnetically removably connect the holder to the component. 
     
     
         46 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 45 , wherein the holder comprises an engaging member that is configured to be inserted into the article. 
     
     
         47 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 46 , wherein the engaging member comprises a pin and, preferably, the pin is a solid pin. 
     
     
         48 . An aerosol provision device according to  claim 46 or claim 47 , wherein the holder comprises a base portion and wherein the engaging member extends from the base portion. 
     
     
         49 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 48 , wherein the holder comprises a heating material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         50 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 49 , wherein the holder is configured to mechanically couple to the article. 
     
     
         51 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 50 , wherein the holder is configured to couple to the article by at least one of the following: by the clipping to the article, clamping or gripping the article, coupling to the article via a bayonet connection, or coupling to the article via communicating threads on the holder and article. 
     
     
         52 . An aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 51 , wherein one or both of the article and holder comprises one or more magnets to couple the article and holder together. 
     
     
         53 . An aerosol provision system comprising the aerosol provision device according to any one of  claims 36 to 52 ; and, an article comprising an aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         54 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 53 , wherein the aerosol generating material comprises nicotine. 
     
     
         55 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 53 or claim 54 , wherein the aerosol generating material comprises, consists of, or essentially consists of, tobacco. 
     
     
         56 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 53 or claim 54 , wherein the aerosol generating material does not comprise tobacco. 
     
     
         57 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 53 to 56 , wherein the aerosol generating material is a liquid. 
     
     
         58 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 53 to 57 , wherein the article comprises a reservoir that contains the aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         59 . An aerosol provision system according to any one of  claims 55 to 58 , wherein the article has an axial length of at most 36 mm and, preferably, an axial length of at most 34 mm,  32 , mm, 30 mm, 28 mm, 26 mm, 24 mm or 23 mm. 
     
     
         60 . An aerosol provision system according to  claim 1  or any of  claims 3 to 12 or 15 to 34 , when dependent on  claim 1 , or any of  claims 53 to 59 , an article according to any of  claim 13 or claims 15 to 34 , when dependent on  claim 13 , or an aerosol provision device according to any of  claims 36 to 52 , wherein the zone is an aerosol generating zone and, optionally, a heating zone.