A consumable for use with an aerosol provision device

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system, in which the consumable includes a support and aerosol generating material, is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a support; (b) surface treating at least a portion of a first surface of the support; and (c) applying aerosol generating material to at least a portion of the first surface of the support. The surface treatment of step (b) includes changing one or more chemical or physical characteristics of the surface where the physical characteristic changes to the surface are achieved by one or more processes that do not include perforating or embossing the support.

1 . A method of manufacturing a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system, in which the consumable comprises a support and aerosol generating material, and the method comprises the steps of
 (a) providing a support,   (b) surface treating at least a portion of a first surface of the support, and   (c) applying aerosol generating material to at least a portion of the first surface of the support,   in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises changing one or more chemical or physical characteristics of the surface where the physical characteristic changes to the surface are achieved by one or more processes that do not include perforating or embossing the support.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) provides an increased strength of the bond created between the aerosol generating material and a treated portion of the first surface of the support relative to the adhesive strength of the bond created between the aerosol generating material and an untreated portion of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) provides a treated surface, and the treated surface has a reduced reactivity relative to an untreated surface. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to claim  4  in which the reactivity results in chemical corrosion of the surface. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the physical characteristic changes to the treated surface resulting from step (b) comprise changes at a microscopic scale. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the support is a laminate, the laminate comprises at least two layers, and a first layer of the laminate forms the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the first surface of the support comprises a metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  in which the first surface of the support comprises a foil or film of a metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7  in which the metal or metal alloy is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method further comprises a step of
 (d) separating the support into two or more smaller units of a desired shape and size. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises electrostatic coating of at least a portion of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  in which the electrostatic coating comprises electrostatic coating of at least a portion of the first surface of the support with a primer and the surface treatment of step (b) further comprises a step of
 (e) curing at least a portion of the primer, 
 in which step (e) is performed subsequent to step (b) and before step (c). 
 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  in which step (e) comprises baking of the support to cure the primer. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises chemical treatment of at least a portion of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  in which the chemical treatment of step (b) comprises chemically etching at least a portion of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises exposure of at least a portion of the first surface of the support or at least a portion of a coated first surface to a source of ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  in which the exposure of at least a portion of the first surface or at least a portion of the coated first surface to a source of ultraviolet radiation of step (b) causes a modification to the structure or surface chemistry of the exposed first surface of the support. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises a plasma surface treatment of at least a portion of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  in which the plasma surface treatment of step (b) comprises one or more of surface cleaning of the support, surface activation of the support, coating of the support, and etching of the support. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material is a slurry comprising a binder and an aerosol former. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises surface treating one or more discrete portions of the first surface of the support, and the application of aerosol generating material of step (c) comprises application of aerosol generating material to one or more discrete portions of the first surface of the support that have been surface treated. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the surface treatment of step (b) comprises surface treating substantially all of the first surface of the support, and the application of aerosol generating material of step (c) comprises application of aerosol generating material to one or more discrete portions of the first surface of the support. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21  in which the application of aerosol generating material of step (c) comprises application of aerosol generating material to three or more discrete portions on the first surface of the support, and the discrete portions are disposed on the first surface of the support in a grid pattern. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 21  in which one or more of the discrete portions of the aerosol generating material applied in step (c) 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. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 21  in which at least two discrete portions of the aerosol generating material applied in step (c) have different compositions from each other. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 21  in which at least one discrete portion of the aerosol generating material applied in step (c) is of a shape and/or colour that is indicative of the composition of the aerosol generating material forming the discrete portion. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the method comprises a further method step of
 (f) treating the support with a further treatment, 
 in which the further treatment comprises perforating or embossing at least part of the support. 
 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the application of aerosol generating material to at least a portion of the first surface of the support in step (c) is application of an aerosol generating material slurry. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  in which the method comprises a further method step of
 (g) allowing or causing the aerosol generating material slurry to set, 
 in which the aerosol generating slurry sets to form an aerosol generating material. 
 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generating material is an aerosol generating film. 
     
     
         31 . A consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision system, in which the consumable comprises a support and aerosol generating material and the consumable is manufactured according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         32 . An aerosol provision device for use with a consumable according to  claim 31 , in which the device comprises a aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol generating material supported on the consumable. 
     
     
         33 . An aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol provision device and a consumable according to  claim 31  in which the device comprises a aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol generating material supported on the consumable. 
     
     
         34 . A method of generating aerosol from a consumable manufactured according to  claim 1  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.