Aerosol provision device and system

Abstract

An aerosol provision device includes an aerosol generator which includes two or more aerosol generating zones, a controller and an aerosol outlet position AO. Each aerosol generating zone has a geometric center and the geometric center of an aerosol generating zone is spaced a distance CD from position AO. Each of the aerosol generating zones is a member of one of a plurality of aerosol generating groups. Each aerosol generating group includes at least one aerosol generating zone. The mean of the distance CD for all the aerosol generating zones contained in an aerosol generating group is the group distance GCD, and the mean of the group distance GCD for all the aerosol generating groups is a distance MGCD. The difference between each group distance GCD and distance MGCD is less than 15.0% of the distance MGCD, and the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones of one or more aerosol generating groups on receipt of a signal to do so.

1 . An aerosol provision device, in which the device comprises an aerosol generator which comprises two or more aerosol generating zones, a controller and an aerosol outlet position AO, in which,
 each aerosol generating zone has a geometric center and the geometric center of an aerosol generating zone is spaced a distance CD from position AO,   each of the aerosol generating zones is a member of one of a plurality of aerosol generating groups,   each aerosol generating group comprises at least one aerosol generating zone,   the mean of the distance CD for all the aerosol generating zones contained in an aerosol generating group is the group distance GCD,   the mean of the group distance GCD for all the aerosol generating groups is a distance MGCD,   the difference between each group distance GCD and distance MGCD is less than 15.0% of the distance MGCD, and   the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones of one or more aerosol generating groups on receipt of a signal to do so.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1  in which,
 each aerosol generating zone has a surface area CA, 
 the sum of the surface area CA for all the aerosol generating zones contained in an aerosol generating group is area TCA, 
 the mean of the areas TCA for all of the aerosol generating groups is MTCA, and 
 the difference between each area TCA and area MTCA is less than 15.0% of the area MTCA. 
 
     
     
         3 . An aerosol provision device, in which the device comprises an aerosol generator which comprises two or more aerosol generating zones, a controller and an aerosol outlet position AO, in which,
 each aerosol generating zone has a surface area CA,   each of the aerosol generating zones is a member of one of a plurality of aerosol generating groups,   each aerosol generating group comprises at least one aerosol generating zone,   the sum of the surface area CA for all the aerosol generating zones contained in an aerosol generating group is area TCA,   the mean of the areas TCA for all of the aerosol generating groups is MTCA, and   the difference between each area TCA and area MTCA is less than 15.0% of the area MTCA, and   the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones of one or more aerosol generating groups on receipt of a signal to do so.   
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the device further comprises an aerosol outlet, and the aerosol outlet position AO is the geometric center of the aerosol outlet. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 1  in which at least one aerosol generating group contains a different non-zero number of aerosol generating zones to the non-zero number of aerosol generating zones contained in at least one other aerosol generating group. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating groups in a specific order. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones in an aerosol generating group in a predetermined order. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 19  in which the predetermined order of activation of the aerosol generating zones in an aerosol generating group that contains more than one aerosol generating zone is activation of the aerosol generating zones starting with the aerosol generating zone with the smallest distance CD and sequentially activating the aerosol generating zones in order of increasing distance CD. 
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 19 , in which the period of time between the activation of the first aerosol generating zone to be activated and the activation of the second or a subsequent aerosol generating zone in an aerosol generating group that contains more than one aerosol generating zone is at least partially a function of one or more of the distance CD for the second or a subsequent aerosol generating zone, and the surface area CA of the second or a subsequent aerosol generating zone. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones in an aerosol generating group, and the activation causes the aerosol generating zones to heat to one or more predetermined temperatures. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the controller is configured to activate the aerosol generating zones in an aerosol generating group, and the activation causes the aerosol generating zones to heat following a predetermined temperature profile. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A device according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol generator comprises a line of symmetry and the line of symmetry passes through the aerosol outlet. 
     
     
         39 . A device according to  claim 38  in which the aerosol generator further comprises a second line of symmetry. 
     
     
         40 . A device according to  claim 38  in which the first line of symmetry is perpendicular to the second line of symmetry. 
     
     
         41 . A device according to  claim 38  in which the positions of the aerosol generating zones within the device are symmetrical around one or both lines of symmetry. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A consumable suitable for use with an aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  in which the aerosol provision device comprises a position AO, in which,
 the consumable comprises a plurality of discrete portions of aerosol generating material, 
 each of the discrete portions has a geometric center and when the consumable is located in a predetermined position and orientation relative to the position AO the geometric center centre of a discrete portion is spaced a distance PD from position AO, 
 each of the discrete portions is a member of one of a plurality of portion groups, 
 the mean of the distance PD for all the discrete portions contained in a portion group is the group distance GPD, 
 the mean of the group distance GPD for all the portion groups is a distance MGPD, and 
 the difference between each group distance GPD and distance MGPD is less than 15.0% of the distance MGPD. 
 
     
     
         45 . A consumable according to  claim 44  in which,
 each discrete portion has a surface area PA, 
 the sum of the surface area PA for all the discrete portions contained in a portion group is area TPA, 
 the mean of the areas TPA for all the portion groups is MTPA, and 
 the difference between each area TPA and area MTPA is less than 15.0% of the area MTPA. 
 
     
     
         46 . A consumable suitable for use with an aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  in which,
 the device comprises an aerosol outlet position AO, in which, 
 the consumable comprises a plurality of discrete portions of aerosol generating material, 
 each portion of aerosol generating material has a surface area PA, 
 each portion of aerosol generating material is a member of one of a plurality of portion groups, 
 each portion group comprises at least one portion of aerosol generating material, 
 the sum of the surface area PA for all the portions of aerosol generating material contained in a portion group is area TPA, 
 the mean of the areas TPA for all of the portion groups is MTPA, and 
 the difference between each area TPA and area MTPA is less than 15.0% of the area MTPA. 
 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . (canceled) 
     
     
         75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . A consumable according to  claim 1  in which the consumable comprises a line of symmetry and the line of symmetry passes through the aerosol outlet when the consumable is located in the predetermined position and orientation relative to the position AO. 
     
     
         80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . A consumable according to  claim 79  in which the position of the discreet portions relative to each other is symmetrical around one or both lines of symmetry. 
     
     
         83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . (canceled) 
     
     
         86 . (canceled) 
     
     
         87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . (canceled) 
     
     
         89 . (canceled) 
     
     
         90 . (canceled) 
     
     
         91 . (canceled) 
     
     
         92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . (canceled) 
     
     
         94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 . (canceled) 
     
     
         96 . (canceled) 
     
     
         97 . (canceled) 
     
     
         98 . (canceled) 
     
     
         99 . (canceled) 
     
     
         100 . (canceled)