Heating smokeable material

Abstract

An apparatus is provided to heat smokeable material ( 3 ) to volatilise at least one component of the smokeable material, wherein the apparatus comprises a chemical heat source ( 2 ); and an actuating mechanism ( 6 ), and wherein the actuating mechanism, upon actuation, activates the heat source which heats the smokeable material. A method of heating a smokeable material to volatilise components of the smokeable material for inhalation is also provided, and use of a chemical heat source to volatilise components of the smokeable material for inhalation.

1 . An apparatus to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of a smokeable material, the apparatus comprising:
 a chemical heat source; and   an actuator configured to, upon actuation, activate the chemical heat source to heat smokeable material.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of a smokeable material, the apparatus comprising a chemical heat source configured, upon activation, to trigger an exothermic chemical reaction. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the chemical heat source is configured to generate heat by one or more of:
 (i) a water-based exothermic chemical reaction;   (ii) an air-based exothermic chemical reaction; and   (iii) an exothermic phase change.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a smokeable material wherein, in use, the smokeable material is heated so that at least one component thereof is volatilized. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , the apparatus configured such that the chemical heat source and/or the smokeable material attain a target temperature of 80-125° C. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , the apparatus configured such that the chemical heat source and/or the smokeable material to a target temperature of 40-80° C. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , the apparatus configured to reach the target temperature within no more than 5 minutes from actuation of the actuator. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , the apparatus configured such that the target temperature is maintained for a period of at least 3 minutes. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the chemical heat source is disposed in a heat source chamber and the smokeable material is disposed in a heating chamber, the apparatus further comprising a housing and a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the heating chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising a filter. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the chemical heat source comprises:
 (i) two or more reagents that are separately held within the heat source chamber; or   (ii) two or more reagents, at least one of the reagents held within the heat source chamber and at least one other of the reagents held in a separate reagent storage chamber that is not within the heat source chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the actuator is configured upon actuation to cause the reagents to mix, thereby activating an exothermic reaction. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 ,
 wherein the two or more reagents comprise:   one or more reactants selected from the group consisting of: calcium oxide (CaO), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO 4 ); and   an activating reagent including water.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the one or more reactants is/are provided in solid form. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the beat source chamber comprises a phase change material configured to be activated by the actuator to generate heat. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium hydroxide monohydrate, barium hydroxide octahydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate and magnesium chloride hexahydrate. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein at least some of the phase change material is visible from the outside of the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially clear or translucent. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of a wall of the heat source chamber is substantially clear or translucent. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the heat source chamber at least partially surrounds the heating chamber. 
     
     
         21 . A method of heating smokeable material to volatilize components of a smokeable material for inhalation, the method comprising:
 generating thermal energy via a chemical heat source;   transferring thermal energy from the chemical heat source to the smokeable material to heat the smokeable material to a temperature sufficient to volatize components of the smokeable material.   
     
     
         22 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the one or more reactants is/are provided in the form of one or more of: a powder, granules, pellets and chunks.