A consumable for use with an aerosol provision device

Abstract

A method of manufacture of a consumable for use with non-combustible aerosol provision device is provided, in which each consumable includes a portion of a media to which is applied an aerosol generating material. The method includes the following steps (a) a media is provided, (b) aerosol generating material is applied to a surface of the media, (c) the media and aerosol generating material is configured for storage, (d) the media and aerosol generating material is stored, and (e) the media and aerosol generating material is separated into portions of a desired dimension.

1 . A method of manufacture of a consumable for use with non-combustible aerosol provision device, in which each consumable comprises a portion of a media to which is applied an aerosol generating material, in which the method comprises the following steps
 (a) a media is provided,   (b) aerosol generating material is applied to a surface of the media,   (c) the media and aerosol generating material is configured for storage,   (d) the media and aerosol generating material is stored, and   (e) the media and aerosol generating material is separated into portions of a desired dimension.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method includes a further step of (f) at least one portion of the media and aerosol generating material is associated with a support. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the media provided in step (a) is a longitudinally extending material, step (b) is performed before step (c), and the storage configuration of step (c) is forming the media and aerosol generating material into a roll or a concertina. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which step (b) comprises applying the aerosol generating material to the media as two or more discrete portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  in which at least two of the discrete portions of aerosol generating material are formed from aerosol generating material with compositions different to each other. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  in which step (b) is performed two or more times. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method further comprises a method step of
 (g) laying a protection sheet over the media and aerosol generating material, 
 in which step (g) is performed after step (b) and before step (c). 
 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  in which the protection sheet comprises one or more apertures which extend through the protection sheet. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 4  in which the protection sheet comprises one or more apertures which extend through the protection sheet, and in which the number of apertures is the same as the number of discrete portions of aerosol generating material, and the configuration and location of the apertures coincides with at least part of each discrete portion of aerosol generating material once the protection sheet has been laid over the media and aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  in which step (a) comprises selecting or creating a media that has first and second opposing surfaces, in which the first surface and the aerosol generating material adhere to each other with a first adhesive strength,
 the second surface and the aerosol generating material adhere to each other with a second adhesive strength, 
 the first adhesive strength is greater than the second adhesive strength, and 
 in step (b) the aerosol generating material is applied to the first surface of the media. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  in which step (d) has a duration of at least 1 hour, at least 12 hours, at least 1 day, at least one week, or at least one month. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the step (d) comprises transportation of the media and aerosol generating material between different locations. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the separation of step (e) is performed by cutting the media. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 2  in which the association of step (f) comprises attachment of at least one portion of the media and aerosol generating material to the support using one or more of an adhesive, at least one element that clamps a part of the portion of the media to the support, or insertion of a part of the portion of the media into a slot. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  in which
 step (a) comprises providing at least two separate media, 
 step (b) comprises application of a differently comprised aerosol generating material to a surface of each of the separate media, 
 step (c) comprises configuring each media and aerosol generating material for storage, 
 step (d) comprises storing each media and aerosol generating material, 
 step (e) comprises separating each media and aerosol generating material into portions of desired dimensions, and 
 step (f) comprises associating at least one portion of at least two different media and aerosol generating materials with one support. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  in which the different portions of media and aerosol generating material of step (e) are arranged on the support in a pattern where the position of each portion of media and aerosol generating material within the pattern is indicative of the composition of the aerosol generating materials on each portion of media and aerosol generating material 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material has the form of an aerosol generating film or an aerosolizable gel. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the media comprises a susceptor. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  in which the media is a laminate, and at least one layer of the laminate is a susceptor. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 2  in which the media comprises a susceptor, and in which the support is a material that does not function as a susceptor. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 2  in which the support comprises a susceptor. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21  in which the support is a laminate, and at least one layer of the laminate is a susceptor. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 18  in which the susceptor is a metal foil. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 2  in which the support is a reusable support and step (f) is performed by a consumer prior to use of the consumable. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method comprises a further step of
 (h) drying the aerosol generating material using a heat source, 
 in which step (b) comprises applying the aerosol generating material to the media in a solvated form, and step (h) is performed after step (b) and before step (c). 
 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the heat source is a dielectric heat source. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26  in which the heat source is a source of microwave radiation, and the microwave radiation has a frequency of around 915 MHz or 2.45 GHz. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26  in which the heat source is a radio frequency heating source. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26  in which step (h) comprises passing the media and aerosol generating material through a longitudinally extending zone within which the media and aerosol generating material is heated by the dielectric heat source. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the heat source is at least one magnetic field generator and a susceptor. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  in which the media comprises a susceptor and step (h) comprises passing the media and aerosol generating material through a longitudinally extending alternating magnetic field causing the susceptor to heat sufficiently to cause drying of the aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 30  in which the media comprises a susceptor and step (h) comprises passing the media and aerosol generating material sequentially through a plurality of alternating magnetic fields causing the susceptor to repeatedly heat sufficiently to cause drying of the aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the heat source is at least one magnetic field generator and at least one susceptor that is unconnected to the media and aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33  in which the susceptor is longitudinally extending and the media and aerosol generating material pass along the length of the susceptor through a zone heated by the susceptor. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the heat source is a source of thermal radiation. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35  in which the source of thermal radiation is longitudinally extending and step (h) comprises passing the media and aerosol generating material along a path which causes the media and aerosol generating material to be exposed to the source of thermal radiation. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 25  in which the heat source is a heated material. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37  in which the heated material is longitudinally extending and step (h) comprises passing the media and aerosol generating material along the heated material in contact with or close to the heated material. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 25  in which step (h) further comprises monitoring the temperature of the aerosol generating material and preventing the heating of the aerosol generating material above a predetermined maximum temperature. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 2  in which the steps of the method are performed in the order (a), (b), (e), (f), (c), (d) or in the order (a), (b), (f), (e), (c), (d). 
     
     
         41 . A product for use in the manufacture of a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol-provision device, in which the product comprises a media and aerosol generating material, in which
 aerosol generating material is supported on a surface of the media,   the media and aerosol generating material is configured for storage, and   the media is separable into portions of desired dimensions.   
     
     
         42 . A product according to  claim 41  in which the media is a longitudinally extending material, and the storage configuration of the media and aerosol generating material is a roll or a concertina. 
     
     
         43 . A product according to  claim 41  in which two or more discrete portions of aerosol generating material are supported on the surface of the media. 
     
     
         44 . A product according to  claim 43  in which at least two of the discrete portions of aerosol generating material are formed from aerosol generating material with compositions different to each other. 
     
     
         45 . A product according to  claim 41  in which the aerosol generating material is comprised of two or more layers of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         46 . A product according to  claim 41  in which the product further comprises a protection sheet, in which the protection sheet is laid over the media and aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         47 . A product according to  claim 46  in which the protection sheet comprises one or more apertures which extend through the protection sheet. 
     
     
         48 . A product according to  claim 43  in which the protection sheet comprises one or more apertures which extend through the protection sheet, and in which the number of apertures is the same as the number of discrete portions of aerosol generating material, and the configuration and location of the apertures coincides with at least part of each discrete portion of aerosol generating material once the protection sheet has been laid over the media and aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         49 . A product according to  claim 41  in which the media has first and second opposing surfaces,
 the first surface and the aerosol generating material adhere to each other with a first adhesive strength, 
 the second surface and the aerosol generating material adhere to each other with a second adhesive strength, 
 the first adhesive strength is greater than the second adhesive strength, and 
 the aerosol generating material is applied to the first surface of the media. 
 
     
     
         50 . A product according to  claim 41  in which the support comprises a susceptor. 
     
     
         51 . A product according to  claim 50  in which the support is a laminate, and at least one layer of the laminate is a susceptor. 
     
     
         52 . A product according to  claim 50  in which the susceptor is one of a metal, a metal foil or a metal film. 
     
     
         53 . A consumable for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol generating material, in which the consumable comprises at least one portion of the product according to  claim 41 . 
     
     
         54 . A consumable according to  claim 53  in which the consumable further comprises a support, and at least one portion of the product is supported on the support. 
     
     
         55 . A consumable according to  claim 54  in which at least one portion of the product is attached to the support using one or more of an adhesive, at least one element that clamps a part of a portion of the product to the support, or insertion of a part of the portion of the product into a slot in the support. 
     
     
         56 . A consumable according to any of  claims 53 to 55  in which the consumable comprises at least one portion from each of at least two products according to any of  claims 39 to 48 , and each product supports an aerosol generating material of a different composition relative to the composition of aerosol generating material supported on the other products. 
     
     
         57 . A consumable according to  claim 56  in which the different portions of product are arranged on the support in a pattern, in which the position of each portion of product within the pattern is indicative of the composition of the aerosol generating material supported on each portion of product. 
     
     
         58 . A consumable according to  claim 53  in which the support comprises a susceptor. 
     
     
         59 . A consumable according to  claim 58  in which the support is a laminate, and at least one layer of the laminate is a susceptor. 
     
     
         60 . A consumable according to  claim 58  in which the susceptor is one of a metal, a metal foil or a metal film. 
     
     
         61 . A product or consumable according to  claim 41  in which the aerosol generating material has the form of an aerosol generating film or an aerosolizable gel. 
     
     
         62 . A kit for making a consumable comprising one or more portions of product according to  claim 41  and a support. 
     
     
         63 . A kit according to  claim 62  in which the support is reusable. 
     
     
         64 . An aerosol provision device for use with a consumable according to  claim 53 , in which the device comprises a heater assembly configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol generating material supported on the consumable. 
     
     
         65 . An aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol provision device and a consumable according to  claim 53  in which the device comprises a heater assembly configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol generating material supported on the consumable. 
     
     
         66 . A method of generating aerosol from a consumable according to  claim 53 , using an aerosol-generating device with at least one aerosol generator disposed to heat, but not burn, the consumable in use; wherein at least one aerosol generator is a resistive heater element or a magnetic field generator and a susceptor.