Consumable Container, Aerosol Generation Device and Refillable System Thereof, and Method Using the System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a A consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device, a refillable aerosol generation system thereof and a method for using the refillable aerosol generation system are provided. More specifically, a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device; comprises includes a shell and the e-liquid, wherein the shell has a flexible wall.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed to electronic cigarettes; more specifically, the present invention is directed to a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device, a refillable aerosol generation system thereof and a method for using the refillable aerosol generation system.

BACKGROUND

An aerosol generation device, or e-cigarette, is now a mainstream product to simulate a traditional tobacco cigarette. There are many types of aerosol generation devices. The operation method of the aerosol generation device is to contain an aerosol generation carrier inside and to heat it. One type of the e-cigarette evaporates an e-liquid to form vapor which the user can inhale, so using such an e-cigarette is usually called “vaping”. E-liquid is well-known as a type of mixture solution used in vapor systems. E-liquid usually contains nicotine, and may also contain propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings, additives, and/or other kinds of vaping containments. There are different subtypes of this kind of e-cigarette, such as a closed tank system and an open tank system. While the closed tank system pairs pre-filled e-liquid capsules to specific devices, the open tank system comprises a fixed heating chamber in the device, which allows users to refill the device with any e-liquid without the need of attaching another element thereon, giving them maximum scope for personalization and individual control.

The refilling of the open tank system can be achieved by using specific containers. For example, WO 2013/060827 A1 relates to kits for supplying a cartridge of an open-tank inhaler article with liquid tobacco extract. More specifically, spray or bottle types of kits are disclosed to deliver the liquid tobacco extract to the cartridge. In the spray type kit, a mixture of cut tobacco and propylene glycol is provided in the bottle through a spray nozzle. In the bottle type kits, the user squeezes the deformable bottle, and drops of tobacco extract are absorbed onto the cartridge. The kits are, however, complex in structure and have the problem of leakage while refilling.

WO 2017/093452 A1 provides a reservoir assembly and a refill bottle cooperated with the reservoir assembly to refill liquid thereinto. The refill bottle has a neck or a nozzle. During refilling, insertion of the neck or nozzle of the refill bottle into the housing is adapted to an adapter or directly to the reservoir assembly. This opens the flow path to enable refill liquid to flow from the neck or nozzle of the bottle into the reservoir. However, this system needs to have a nozzle or mouthpiece with a size and shape costumed to fit the adapter, the reservoir assembly or refillable cartridge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve some or all of the above problems, the present invention provides a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device, the aerosol generation device, a refillable aerosol generation system thereof and a method for using the refillable aerosol generation system.

A 1st embodiment of the invention is directed to a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device, comprising a shell and the e-liquid, wherein the shell has a flexible wall.

With this arrangement of the consumable container, the consumable container is easy to carry and does not need to be customized into a shape or structure that fits specific types of vaping devices. It ensures that there is no leakage during refilling the e-liquid since the flexible container can always at least partially fit in the container.

According to a ₂nd embodiment, in the 1st embodiment, the shell is made of pierceable film.

According to a 3rd embodiment, in the 1st or 2nd embodiments, the shell has an average thickness of at most 500 µm, preferably 250 µm, more preferably 100 µm, even more preferably 50 µm, and most preferably 30 µm, and/or of at least 5 µm, preferably at least 10 µm, more preferably at least 20 µm, most preferably at least 30 µm.

According to a 4th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the shell comprises or is made of natural organic material.

According to a 5th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the shell comprises or is made of alginate.

The shell made of alginate is flexible, low cost, easy to produce, water insoluble, easy to obtain, stable, thin while not easy to break, capable of preventing e-liquid from permeating through, has no reaction with e-liquid so as to prevent changing flavor, and is eco-friendly.

According to a 6th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the shell comprises alginate hydrogels.

With this arrangement, the advantageous properties including mechanical stiffness, swelling, degradation brought by alginate hydrogels can make the container maintain a high load and easy to be formed.

According to a 7th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the shell comprises or is made of alginate cross-linked membranes, more preferably, calcium alginate polymer networks (membranes), which is crosslinked by applying a calcium rich ion solution.

According to an 8th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the consumable container has a pillow, ball, or droplet shape.

According to a 9th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the consumable container has a stick-like protrusion extended from the consumable container.

With this arrangement, the consumable container can be compact, solid and contain a relatively large volume of e-liquid.

According to a 10th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the container has a volume of at most 18 ml, preferably 16 ml, more preferably 12 ml, even more preferably 10 ml and most preferably 8 ml, and/or at least 1 ml, preferably 2 ml, more preferably 4 ml, even more preferably 6 ml, and most preferably 8 ml.

According to an 11th embodiment, in any one of the preceding embodiments, the e-liquid comprises vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine and/or other tobacco products.

A 12th embodiment of the invention is directed to an aerosol generation device for the use of a consumable container of any one of the preceding embodiments, comprising a cavity for heating the e-liquid comprised by the consumable container and a needle for penetrating the shell of the consumable container.

With this arrangement, the aerosol generation device is capable of breaking or piercing the shell of the consumable container easily.

According to a 13th embodiment, in the 12th embodiment, the needle is arranged inside the cavity.

With this arrangement, the aerosol generation device is more compact.

According to a 14th embodiment, in the 13th embodiment, the needle is configured with a guiding tube for guiding the e-liquid flow into the cavity.

With this arrangement of the aerosol generation device, the consumable can flow more easily into the heating cavity, without leakage.

According to a 15th embodiment, in the 12th embodiment, the needle is arranged at a cover of the aerosol generation device or outside the cavity of the aerosol generation device.

A 16th embodiment of the invention is directed to a refillable aerosol generation system, comprising an aerosol generation device according to any one of the above embodiments, and a consumable container according to any one of the above embodiments.

According to a 17th embodiment, in the 16th embodiment, the consumable container has a size such that it can be at least partially set into the heating cavity of the consumable substance.

An 18th embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for using the refillable system according to any one of the 15th to 17th aspects, the method comprising the following steps:

• penetrating a shell of the consumable container by a needle of the aerosol generation device,
• filling e-liquid from the consumable container into a heating cavity of the aerosol generation device, and
• taking the shell of the consumable container out of the aerosol generation device.

According to an 19th embodiment, in any one of the 1st to 10th embodiments, the shell is an alginate cross-linked membrane, preferably, the shell is formed by crosslinking alginate with calcium rich ion solution, more preferably, the shell is formed into a membrane by crosslinking calcium rich ion solution with a mixture of alginate and a thickener.

With this method, the consumer can fill e-liquid with personalized flavors into the heating cavity in a more clean and easy way, and the shell of the consumable container does not affect the taste of the vaping.

Preferred embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: shows a schematic drawing of one embodiment of a consumable container according to the invention;

FIGS. 2a to 2c: show schematic drawings of other embodiments of the consumable container according to the invention;

FIG. 3: shows a schematic drawing of a consumable container, a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device and a needle (filter/adapter) unit in position before refilling according to the invention;

FIG. 4: shows a flow chart of a method for using a refillable aerosol generation system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

As used herein, the term “vaporizer system”, “inhaler” or “electronic cigarette” may include an electronic cigarette configured to deliver an aerosol to a user, including an aerosol for smoking. The illustrated embodiments of the vaporizer system in this invention are schematic and it is also possible to combine some of the parts to single units which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, such as the power supply unit, and electrical circuitry.

The present invention provides a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device. The consumable, namely e-liquid, may be a tobacco product in the form of a liquid or semi-liquid. As a typical consumable for the e-cigarettes, and in particular a vaporizer device, e-liquid is a well-known mixture solution which usually comprises nicotine, and it may also comprise containments such as propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, flavorings, additives, cut tobacco particles and/or the like.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the consumable container ₁. The consumable container 1 comprises a shell and the e-liquid. The consumable can be a capsule having a pillow shape with flexible walls, which are made of pierceable films. For the pierceability, the films are substantially thin, e.g. have an average thickness of at most 500 µm, preferably at most 250 µm, more preferably at most 100 µm, even more preferably at most 50 µm, and most preferably at most 30 µm, and/or of at least 5 µm, preferably at least 10 µm, more preferably at least 20 µm, and most preferably at least 30 µm. The film can be made of any material that is stable and able to secure the consumable container 1 sot that it does not to break easily when being carried, while at the same time, it can be pierced via a sharp object such as a needle. The shell of the e-liquid is capable of preventing substantially all of the e-liquid from permeating through the substantially liquid-tight sealed shell.

Preferably, the material of the shell is a natural organic material, and more preferably, alginate/seaweed. More specifically, the shall is formed by a membrane which is made of alginate hydrogels. The strength of the alginate hydrogels can advantageously be sufficiently high to maintain the physical integrity under pressure so as to not break. Except for the above benefits, the membrane made of alginate (hydrogels) is flexible, low cost, water insoluble, easy to source and eco-friendly. It is also easy to produce, without a demand of a specific manufacturing environment— normal conditions like room temperature and atmospheric pressure are sufficient. In preferred embodiment, the shell comprises or is made of alginate cross-linked membranes, more preferably, calcium alginate polymer networks (membranes), which is crosslinked by applying a calcium rich ion solution so as to create a water insoluble membrane (shell). During manufacturing, a solution of alginate and a thickener are blended and extruded through an appropriately shaped die to form a membrane; the membrane is applied with by spraying or submerging in a bath of a calcium rich ion solution to crosslink the membrane and create a water insoluble membrane; the water insoluble membrane is filled with the e-liquid product; and the membrane is sealed around the e-liquid product, so as to encapsulate the e-liquid product therein. The alginate cross-linked membrane, i.e. the shell which forms the consumable container ₁, has a better water insoluble performance and an increased mechanical strength.

Specifically, the calcium ion solution has a concentration of, preferably, 1-10 wt%, more preferably, 1-5 wt%, most preferably 1-2.5 wt%, which substantially avoids affecting the taste of the e-liquid. The thickener is preferably xanthan or cellulose gum. More specifically, in some embodiments, the consumable container 1 is formed into a membrane form by blending the alginate (preferably the concentration thereof in the solution is 1-10 wt%) and the thickener. The membrane 1 is then crosslinked with the calcium rich ion solution. Preferably, the concentration of calcium in the mixture, which is the blended comprising the alginate and thickener which is extruded to form the membrane, is 0.02% or less. By pinching and cutting the membrane and forming the consumable substance into a shape, such as a droplet form, the consumable container 1 is eventually formed by covering the consumable substance with the membrane, and then encapsulating the consumable substance with the membrane by a pinching machine or a glue. In order to further improve the mechanical strength, the encapsulated consumable container 1 is heated at 40° C. or higher, which may result in a denser matrix, appearance and reduced permeability once the consumable container 1 is formed, and this step does affect the e-liquid encapsulated within.

In preferred embodiments, the e-liquid comprises vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and nicotine. It may comprise other tobacco products in other embodiments. The e-liquid is preferably not fully filled into the capsule, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1, during the production of the consumable container 1. This can make the refilling of the consumable easier to control since the e-liquid therein is not likely to burst out once the film is penetrated by a needle. The gas in the capsule can be air, and preferably a chemically inactive gas, such as nitrogen. Alternatively, the consumable container 1 can be completely filled with the e-liquid.

The consumable container 1 may have any other shape than the pillow shape, as long as the consumable container 1 has a shape and size that can be at least partially set into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device. The volume of the container should be at most 18 cm³. For example, the consumable container 1 can have a shape of a ball (not shown), droplet (FIG. 2a), a tetrahedron (FIG. 2b), or any shape, preferably a pillow shape, with a stick-like protrusion extended from the consumable container 1 (FIG. 2c).

The container may have a volume that can partially fill or fully fill the heating cavity of the aerosol generation device. For example, it may have a volume of at most 18 ml as mentioned above, preferably at most 16 ml, more preferably at most 12 ml, even more preferably at most 10 ml and most preferably at most 8 ml, and/or of at least 1 ml, preferably at least 2 ml, more preferably at least 4 ml, even more preferably at least 6 ml, and most preferably at most 8 ml.

One embodiment of the manufacturing of the consumable container 1 is described in EP 3 601 061 A1 to NOTPLA.

The aerosol generation device for use of the consumable container 1 may be similar to or based on any known vapor device, preferably open-tank system e-cigarettes, such as the ones in WO 2013/060827 A1 or WO 2017/093452 A1. It may have a disassemble heating cavity or a fixed heating cavity with an opening covered by a cover. While a closed-system vaping device has a closed vaping chamber, and the entire unit comprising the closed vaping chamber is to be replaced after the consumable therein runs out, an open-tank vaping device has an open tank/vaping chamber/heating chamber/cavity which is refillable from a consumable container 1.

The aerosol generation device further comprises a needle unit packed with the consumable container ₁, or preferably the aerosol generation device. More preferably, the needle unit is attached with the aerosol generation device through a connector such as a magnetic, sliding member or the like. Even more preferably, the needle unit is fixedly comprised in the aerosol generation device. Most preferably, the needle unit is arranged inside the cavity. In some embodiments, the needle unit is configured with a guiding tube for guiding the e-liquid flow into the cavity; more specifically, the needle unit is a tube- or funnel-shape member with a sharp needle-like point. In some embodiments, the cavity has an opening and a cover covering the opening, and the needle is arranged on the cover. In other embodiments, the needle unit is attached to the outside of the vaping device through a connector by a sliding mechanism, magnetic, joining socket or any other type of connecting methods.

FIG. 3 shows a consumable container ₁, a heating cavity/vaping chamber part 3 of an aerosol generation device (not shown), based on the vaping device disclosed in WO 2017/093452, and a needle unit 2, which are about to connect before the process of refilling e-liquid into the heating cavity 3. The needle unit 2 in this embodiment is an adapter with a funnel having a needle shape at one end and a filter at another end. The filter can filter out the substance or the impurities inside the e-liquid if the e-liquid is a semi-liquid. The adapter can be attached between the main body and the heating chamber while vaping or is to be taken out after the refilling and before the vaping of the aerosol generation device. Alternatively, the needle unit 2 may be without a filter, if the e-liquid is a pure liquid. In some embodiments, the needle is fixed inside the heating cavity 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates parts of the refilling system before use. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, for refilling the consumable container 1, the heating cavity 3 is dissembled from the main body (not shown) of the aerosol generation device. The needle adapter needs to be attached on the heating cavity 3 along an insertion direction I. The consumable container 1 is placed on the needle adapter, and a shell of the consumable container 1 is penetrated by the needle end of the needle unit 2 along the insertion direction I (while placing the system horizontally or vertically) (S101). The consumable container 1 can be squeezed by hand so as to increase the pressure on the consumable container 1 (the consumable may also flow into the cavity 3 through other force such as gravity). Trough the funnel of the needle unit 2, the e-liquid from the consumable container 1 is filled into a heating cavity 3 of the aerosol generation device (S102). After finishing the refilling, the shell of the consumable container 1 or the empty consumable container 1 needs to be taken out of the aerosol generation device (S103). For consuming the e-liquid, the needle adapter is detached from the heating cavity 3, and the heating cavity 3 is re-assembled onto the main body of the aerosol generation device. With the refilled heating cavity, the aerosol generation device is switched on for consuming and vaping the consumable (S104).

Claims

1. A consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of an aerosol generation device, comprising a shell and an e-liquid, wherein the shell has a flexible wall.

2. The consumable container according to claim 1, wherein the shell is made of pierceable film.

3. The consumable container according to claims 1, wherein the shell has an average thickness of at most 500 µm and of at least 5 µm.

4. The consumable container according to claim 1, wherein the shell comprises or is made of alginate.

5. The consumable container according to claim 1, having a pillow, ball, or droplet shape.

6. The consumable container according to claim 1, wherein the container has a volume of at most 18 ml, and at least 1 ml.

7. The consumable container according to claim 1, wherein the e-liquid comprises vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine and/or other tobacco products.

8. An aerosol generation device for use with a consumable container, comprising a cavity for heating an e-liquid in the consumable container and a needle for penetrating a shell of the consumable container.

9. The aerosol generation device according to claim 8, wherein the needle is arranged inside the cavity.

10. The aerosol generation device according to claim 9, wherein the needle includes a guiding tube for guiding flow of the e-liquid into the cavity.

11. The aerosol generation device according to claim 8, wherein the needle is arranged at a cover of the aerosol generation device or outside the cavity of the aerosol generation device.

12. A refillable aerosol generation system, comprising the aerosol generation device according to claim 8, and a consumable container for filling e-liquid into a heating cavity of the aerosol generation device, the consumable container comprising a shell and an e-liquid, wherein the shell has a flexible wall.

13. The refillable aerosol generation system according to claim 12, wherein the consumable container has a size such that the consumable container is configured to be at least partially set into the heating cavity of the aerosol generation device.

14. A method for using a refillable aerosol generation system, wherein the method comprises steps of:

penetrating a shell of a consumable container by a needle of an aerosol generation device,

filling e-liquid from the consumable container into a heating cavity of the aerosol generation device, and

taking the shell of the consumable container out of the aerosol generation device.

15. The method for using a refillable aerosol generation system according to claim 14, wherein in the shell-taking step, the shell is taken out of the aerosol generation device after finishing the refilling step and before a step of consuming of the e-liquid.