A consumable for use with an aerosol provision device

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an article in which the article includes aerosol generating material and a support. The method includes the steps of (a1) modifying at least a part of a surface of the support to provide at least one modification area, or (a2) providing a support in which at least a part of a surface of the support has been modified to form at least one modification area; and (b) applying aerosol generating material to at least one application area on the surface of the support, in which at least one application area is associated with at least one modification area.

1 . A method of manufacturing an article in which the article comprises aerosol generating material and a support, in which the method comprises the steps of:
 (a1) modifying at least a part of a surface of the support to provide at least one modification area, or   (a2) providing a support in which at least a part of a surface of the support has been modified to form at least one modification area; and   (b) applying aerosol generating material to at least one application area on the surface of the support,   in which at least one application area is associated with at least one modification area.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the article is shaped and dimensioned for use as a consumable for use with an a non-combustible aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the article is larger than is compatible for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system, in which the method further comprises a step of
 (c) separating the article into two or more article portions, 
 in which each article portion is shaped and dimensioned for use as a consumable for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol generating material. 
 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the application of aerosol generating material of step (b) comprises application of a slurry of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  in which the method further comprises a step (d) allowing or causing the aerosol generating material slurry to set,
 in which the aerosol generating material sets as aerosol generating material. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material is an aerosol generating film. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the modification of at least one modification area in step (a1) or (a2) comprises application of a modification material to the surface of the support in at least one modification area. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  in which the application of a modification material to the surface of the support in step (a1) or (a2) comprises the application of a liquid, paste or gel of a material that will cause a desired modification to the surface of the support in at least one modification area. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  in which the method comprises a further step of (e) allowing or causing the liquid, paste or gel to set or increase in viscosity. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8  in which the application of a modification material to the surface of the support in step (a1) or (a2) comprises the application of a layer of a modification material. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  in which the layer of modification material is a sheet or film of modification material. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  in which the layer of modification material is adhered to the surface of the support. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  in which the layer of modification material comprises a substrate of adhesive on one surface of the layer and the layer of adhesive is placed against a surface of the support to form an attachment between the support and the layer of modification material. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11  in which the layer of modification material is discontinuous. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  in which the discontinuities in the layer of modification material correspond to the application areas. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the modification of at least one modification area in step (a1) or (a2) comprises a process which results in modification of the surface of the support in at least one modification area. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  in which the process comprises plasma treatment of the surface of the support. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the modification of at least one modification area in step (a1) or (a2) causes the modified surface of the support to become hydrophilic. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the modification of at least one modification area in step (a1) or (a2) causes the modified surface of the support to become hydrophobic. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the hydrophobicity of the modification area after modification is greater than the hydrophobicity of the application area. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20  in which the application of aerosol generating material of step (b) comprises application of a slurry of aerosol generating material in which at least one modification area with a hydrophobic surface is so positioned relative to an application area that it deters slurry applied to the application area from spreading away from that application area. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21  in which at least one modification area with a hydrophobic surface is positioned on at least one part of the surface of the support where it is desired that there is no aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 1  in which at least one modification area of step (a1) or (a2) at least partially surrounds at least one application area. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 1  in which at least one modification area of step (a1) or (a2) forms a band around an application. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method further comprises a step of
 (f) embossing or debossing at least part of the support in at least one modification area, in which step (f) is performed after step (a1) or (a2) and before step (b). 
 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 1  in which at least a part of at least one modification area of step (a1) or (a2) overlaps at least part of at least one application area. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 1  in which step (b) comprises applying aerosol generating material to at least two application areas. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to claim  29  in which the application of aerosol generating material of step (b) comprises application of aerosol generating material to three or more application areas, and those application areas are in a grid pattern on the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 1  in which one or more of the application areas of step (b) are, in the plane of the first surface of the support, substantially circular, longitudinally extending stripes, stripes including at least one curve or angle, or of a shape that will tessellate. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material applied to at least two application areas of step (b) have different compositions from each other. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material applied to at least one application area of step (b) is of a shape and/or color colour that is indicative of the composition of the aerosol generating material in that application area. 
     
     
         33 . An article, in which the article comprises a support and aerosol generating material, a first surface of the support comprises at least one application area and at least one modification area,
 the surface of the support in at least one modification area is modified, and aerosol generating material is applied to at least one application area.   
     
     
         34 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the article is shaped and dimensioned for use as a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         35 . An article according to  claim 34  in which the article is larger than is compatible for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system, the article is separable into two or more article portions,
 in which each article portion is shaped and dimensioned for use as a consumable for use with an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol generating material. 
 
     
     
         36 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the support has a first surface and a second surface, and both of the first and second surfaces comprise at least one application area and at least one modification area, in which
 the surfaces of the support in at least one modification area on each of the first and second surfaces of the support are modified, and 
 aerosol generating material is applied to at least one application area on each of the first and second surfaces of the support. 
 
     
     
         37 . An article according to  claim 33  in which at least part of at least one modification area at least partially overlaps at least part of at least one application area. 
     
     
         38 . An article according to  claim 33  in which at least one modification area has a modification material applied to the surface of the support in that at least one modification area. 
     
     
         39 . An article according to  claim 38  in which the modification material applied to the surface of the support is a liquid, paste or gel of a material that has set or increased in viscosity. 
     
     
         40 . An article according to  claim 38  in which the modification material applied to the surface of the support is a layer of modification material. 
     
     
         41 . An article according to  claim 40  in which the layer of modification material applied to the surface of the support is a sheet or film of modification material. 
     
     
         42 . An article according to  claim 40  in which the layer of modification material is adhered to the surface of the support. 
     
     
         43 . An article according to  claim 40  in which the layer of modification material is discontinuous. 
     
     
         44 . An article according to  claim 43  in which the discontinuities in the layer of modification material correspond to the application areas. 
     
     
         45 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the surface of at least one modification area is plasma coated. 
     
     
         46 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the surface of at least one modification area is physically altered relative to the surface of the support on which that modification area is located and which is not in a modification area. 
     
     
         47 . An article according to  claim 46  in which the surface of at least one modification area is one or more of plasma cleaned, plasma surface activated, or plasma etched. 
     
     
         48 . An article according to  claim 33  in which at least one modification area has a surface that is hydrophilic. 
     
     
         49 . An article according to  claim 48  in which at least one modification area with a hydrophilic surface at least partially overlaps with at least one application area and the hydrophilic surface allows water within the aerosol generating material applied to the application area to wick out of the aerosol generating material and onto the hydrophilic surface. 
     
     
         50 . An article according to  claim 49  in which the part of each modification area that does not overlap with an application area allows water wicked from the aerosol generating material onto the hydrophilic surface to evaporate. 
     
     
         51 . An article according to  claim 33  in which at least one modification area has a surface that is hydrophobic. 
     
     
         52 . An article according to  claim 51  in which at least one modification area with a hydrophobic surface at least partially surrounds an application area. 
     
     
         53 . An article according to  claim 51  in which at least one modification area has a surface that is hydrophilic and in which at least one application area has an outer perimeter, one or more modification areas with a hydrophobic surface collectively partially surround the application area perimeter, and the rest of the application area perimeter is surrounded by at least one modification area with a hydrophilic surface. 
     
     
         54 . An article according to  claim 51  which at least one modification area has a hydrophobic surface and is located at a position on the support surface which is to be kept free of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         55 . An article according to  claim 33  in which at least one application area is at least partially surrounded by at least one modification area. 
     
     
         56 . An article according to  claim 33  in which one or more application areas are surrounded by a modification area. 
     
     
         57 . An article according to  claim 33  in which one or more application areas are each surrounded by a modification area. 
     
     
         58 . An article according to  claim 57  in which each modification area forms a band around the application area it surrounds. 
     
     
         59 . An article according to  claim 33  in which in at least one modification area of the support is embossed or debossed. 
     
     
         60 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the article comprises at least two application areas and aerosol generating material is applied to at least two application areas. 
     
     
         61 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the article comprises at least three application areas and aerosol generating material is applied to at least three application areas, and those application areas are in a grid pattern on the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         62 . An article according to  claim 33  in which one or more of the application areas are, in the plane of the first surface of the support, substantially circular, longitudinally extending stripes, stripes including at least one curve or angle, or of a shape that will tessellate. 
     
     
         63 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the aerosol generating material applied to at least two application areas have different compositions from each other. 
     
     
         64 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the aerosol generating material applied to at least one application area is of a shape and/or color colour that is indicative of the composition of the aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         65 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the aerosol generating material is an aerosol generating film or an aerosolizable aerosolisable gel. 
     
     
         66 . An article according to  claim 33  in which the support comprises a susceptor. 
     
     
         67 . An article according to  claim 66  in which the susceptor forms the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         68 . An article according to  claim 66  in which the susceptor is one of a metal, a metal alloy, a metal or metal alloy film, or a metal or metal alloy foil. 
     
     
         69 . An aerosol provision device for use with a consumable formed from an article according to  claim 33 , in which the device comprises an aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol generating material supported on the consumable. 
     
     
         70 . An aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol provision device according to  claim 69  and a consumable formed from an article in which the article comprises a support and aerosol generating material, a first surface of the support comprises at least one application area and at least one modification area,
 the surface of the support in at least one modification area is modified, and 
 aerosol generating material is applied to at least one application area. 
 
     
     
         71 . A method of generating aerosol from a consumable formed from an article according to  claim 33  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.