Refilling apparatus

Abstract

A refilling device for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism is provided. The refilling device includes a controller configured to: obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article; obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir; determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir; and cause an action to be performed responsive to the determination. Also described are an article, a refill reservoir, a system and a method for causing refilling of an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism of a refilling device.

1 . A refilling device for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism, wherein the refilling device comprises a controller configured to:
 obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article;   obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir;   determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir; and   cause an action to be performed responsive to the determination.   
     
     
         2 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein when the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials, the controller is configured to cause the refilling device to permit refilling of the article from the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein when the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir do not constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials, the controller is configured to cause an alert to be provided to the user indicating the combination of aerosol-generating materials does not constitute a permissible combination. 
     
     
         4 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein when the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir do not constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials, the controller is configured to cause the refilling device to prevent refilling of the article from the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain permissible combination information indicating the permissibility of combinations of aerosol-generating materials in advance, and the determination of whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials is made based on the obtained permissible combination information. 
     
     
         6 . The refilling device of  claim 5 , wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain the permissible combination information from a source external to the refilling device. 
     
     
         7 . The refilling device of  claim 6 , wherein the source external to the refilling device comprises at least one of: a remote server communicatively coupled to the refilling device, the article, and the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The refilling device of  claim 5 , wherein the permissible combination information is pre-stored in a memory accessible by the controller. 
     
     
         9 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials when the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir are the same. 
     
     
         10 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain an indication of the amount of aerosol-generating material contained in the article and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based additionally on the amount of aerosol-generating material contained within the article. 
     
     
         11 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to permit refilling when the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir do not constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials in response to an input received from a user of the refilling device. 
     
     
         12 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a data containing element containing the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article from the data containing element. 
     
     
         13 . The refilling device of  claim 12 , wherein the refilling device is configured to update the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article with an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained in the refill reservoir in response to refilling of the article starting or completing. 
     
     
         14 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the refill reservoir comprises a data containing element containing the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir and wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir from the data containing element. 
     
     
         15 . The refilling device of  claim 12 , wherein the data containing element is at least one of: an electronically readable element, an optically readable element, and a magnetically readable element. 
     
     
         16 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a mechanical engagement unit configured to engage with a corresponding mechanical engagement unit on the refilling device, wherein the controller is configured to determine the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the article based on the engagement between the mechanical engagement unit of the article and the mechanical engagement unit of the refilling device. 
     
     
         17 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the refill reservoir comprises a mechanical engagement unit configured to engage with a corresponding mechanical engagement unit on the refilling device, wherein the controller is configured to determine the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir based on the engagement between the mechanical engagement unit of the refill reservoir and the mechanical engagement unit of the refilling device. 
     
     
         18 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and/or the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir via a user input provided by a user of the refilling device. 
     
     
         19 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the refilling device is arranged to receive a plurality of refill reservoirs and cause refilling of the article from any one or more of the plurality of refill reservoirs, wherein the refilling device is configured to receive a user input provided by a user of the refilling device, the user input selecting at least one refill reservoir desired to be used to refill the article. 
     
     
         20 . The refilling device of  claim 19 , wherein, when the user input selects two or more refill reservoirs desired to be used to refill the article, the controller is configured to determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within each of the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and the aerosol-generating material contained within each of the selected refill reservoirs. 
     
     
         21 . The refilling device of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating material within the article is a liquid, the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir is a liquid, and the fluid transfer mechanism is a mechanism configured to transfer liquid from the refill reservoir to the article. 
     
     
         22 . An article configured to be refilled with aerosol-generating material by a refilling device from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism, wherein the article comprises an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article, and wherein the refilling device is configured to determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based at least on the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article. 
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein the article further comprises permissible combination information indicating the permissibility of combinations of aerosol-generating materials with the aerosol-generating material contained in the article. 
     
     
         24 . A refill reservoir containing aerosol-generating material for refilling an article by a refilling device using a transfer mechanism, wherein the refill reservoir comprises an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir, and wherein the refilling device is configured to determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based at least on the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         25 . The refill reservoir of  claim 24 , wherein the refill reservoir further comprises permissible combination information indicating the permissibility of combinations of aerosol-generating materials with the aerosol-generating material contained in the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         26 . A system for refilling an article of an aerosol provision device with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism of a refilling device, the system comprising:
 the refilling device of any of  claim 1 ;   an article for storing aerosol-generating material; and   a refill reservoir comprising aerosol-generating material.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the article is the article of  claim 22  and/or the refill reservoir is the refill reservoir of  claim 24 . 
     
     
         28 . A method for causing refilling of an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism of a refilling device, the method comprising:
 obtaining an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article;   obtaining an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir;   determining whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir; and   causing an action to be performed responsive to the determination.   
     
     
         29 . Refilling means for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir means using a transfer means, wherein the refilling means comprises controller means configured to:
 obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article;   obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir means;   determine whether the aerosol-generating material within the article and the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir means constitute a permissible combination of aerosol-generating materials based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the article and the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir means; and   cause an action to be performed responsive to the determination.   
     
     
         30 . A refilling device for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism, wherein the refilling device comprises a controller configured to:
 obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir;   determine operational parameters of the transfer mechanism at least on the basis of the obtained indication; and   cause the transfer mechanism to operate in accordance with the determined operational parameters.   
     
     
         31 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir includes an indication of properties of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         32 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the properties of the aerosol-generating material include one or more of: a viscosity, a density, a compressibility, and a surface tension. 
     
     
         33 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the operational parameters of the transfer mechanism such that at least one of: the rate of transfer of aerosol-generating material and the total amount of aerosol-generating material transferred meet predefined values. 
     
     
         34 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the refilling device is configured to measure at least one property of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir to provide the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         35 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the refill reservoir comprises a data containing element containing the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir, and wherein the refilling device is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir from the data containing element. 
     
     
         36 . The refilling device of  claim 35 , wherein the data containing element is at least one of: an electronically readable element, an optically readable element, and a magnetically readable element. 
     
     
         37 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the refill reservoir comprises a mechanical engagement unit configured to engage with a corresponding mechanical engagement unit on the refilling device, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir based on the engagement between the mechanical engagement unit of the refill reservoir and the mechanical engagement unit of the refilling device. 
     
     
         38 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir via a user input provided by a user of the refilling device. 
     
     
         39 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the operational parameters of the transfer mechanism at least on the basis of the obtained indication each time the refilling device is operated to transfer aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         40 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein refill reservoir is separable from the refilling device, and the refilling device is configured to engage with or disengage from the separable refill reservoir. 
     
     
         41 . The refilling device of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor when a refill reservoir is newly engaged with the refilling device and, when the controller determines that a refill reservoir has been newly engaged, the controller is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir, and determine the operational parameters of the transfer mechanism based on the obtained indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         42 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain instructions for determining operational parameters of the transfer mechanism at least on the basis of the obtained indication. 
     
     
         43 . The refilling device of  claim 42 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain the instructions for determining operational parameters of the transfer mechanism from at least one of: a source external to the refilling device and a memory accessible by the controller. 
     
     
         44 . The refilling device of  claim 43 , wherein the source external to the refilling device comprises at least one of: a remote server communicatively coupled to the refilling device and the refill reservoir. 
     
     
         45 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir and an indication of the properties of the transfer mechanism and, on the basis of the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir and the indication of the properties of the transfer mechanism, determine the operational parameters of the transfer mechanism. 
     
     
         46 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured such that, when the controller is unable to obtain the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir, the controller is configured to at least one of: cause the transfer mechanism to operate in accordance with default operational parameters, and cause an alert to be provided to the user informing the user that the indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir was not obtained. 
     
     
         47 . The refilling device of  claim 30 , wherein the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir is a liquid, and the fluid transfer mechanism is a mechanism configured to transfer liquid from the refill reservoir to an article for storing liquid aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         48 . A refill reservoir containing aerosol-generating material for refilling an article by a refilling device using a transfer mechanism, wherein the refill reservoir comprises an indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir, and wherein the indication of the aerosol-generating material contained within the refill reservoir is such that the refilling device may determine operational parameters of the transfer mechanism at least on the basis of the obtained indication and cause the transfer mechanism to operate in accordance with the determined operational parameters. 
     
     
         49 . A system for refilling an article of an aerosol provision device with aerosol-generating material, the system comprising the refilling device of  claim 30  and the refill reservoir of  claim 48 . 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49  further comprising an article for use with an aerosol provision device and configured to store aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         51 . A method for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from a refill reservoir using a transfer mechanism of a refilling device, the method comprising:
 obtaining an indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir;   determining operational parameters of the transfer mechanism at least on the basis of the obtained indication; and   causing the transfer mechanism to operate in accordance with the determined operational parameters to transfer aerosol-generating material from the refill reservoir to the article.   
     
     
         52 . Refilling means for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material from refill reservoir means using transfer means, wherein the refilling means comprises controller means configured to:
 obtain an indication of the aerosol-generating material within the refill reservoir means;   determine operational parameters of the transfer means at least on the basis of the obtained indication; and   cause the transfer means to operate in accordance with the determined operational parameters.