Article for Use with Apparatus for Heating Smokable Material

Abstract

Disclosed is an article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The article comprises smokable material, and a film defining a closed circuit of heating material. The heating material is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field to heat the smokable material. Also disclosed is apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The apparatus comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field for use in heating the smokable material. The magnetic field generator comprises a film defining a coil of electrically conductive material, and a device for passing a varying electrical current through the coil.

1 . A method of manufacturing a heater for use in heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate; and   forming a closed circuit of heating material on the substrate, wherein the heating material is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field, and wherein the forming comprises depositing the heating material on the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises depositing the closed circuit of heating material on the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing comprises printing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising depositing a plurality of closed circuits of heating material on the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the depositing comprises depositing the plurality of closed circuits of heating material on the substrate so that the plurality of closed circuits of heating material are out of contact with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the depositing comprises depositing the plurality of closed circuits of heating material one the substrate so that the plurality of closed circuits are arranged concentrically in relation to each other. 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a magnetic field generator for use in apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the method comprising:
 providing a support; and   forming an electrically conductive coil on the support, wherein the forming comprises depositing electrically conductive material on the support.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the forming comprises depositing the electrically conductive coil on the support. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the depositing comprises printing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the forming comprises forming the electrically conductive coil on the support so that the electrically conductive material bonds to the support. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising electrically connecting the electrically conductive coil to a device for passing a varying electrical current through the electrically conductive coil. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 forming a plurality of electrically conductive coils; and   connecting each of the plurality of electrically conductive coils to a device for passing a varying electrical current through the electrically conductive coils.   
     
     
         13 . An article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the article comprising:
 smokable material; and   a film defining a closed circuit of heating material, wherein the heating material is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field to heat the smokable material.   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , comprising one or more films comprising a plurality of closed circuits of heating material arranged concentrically in relation to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the heating material is in contact with the smokable material. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 13 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the closed circuit of heating material is on the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate comprises the smokable material. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: an electrically-conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetic electrically-conductive material. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the heating material comprises a metal or a metal alloy. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, copper, and bronze. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising:
 a magnetic field generator for generating a varying magnetic field for use in heating the smokable material,   wherein the magnetic field generator comprises a film defining a coil of electrically conductive material, and a device for passing a varying electrical current through the coil.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the magnetic field generator comprises a support, and
 wherein the coil is bonded to the support.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the coil is a two-dimensional spiral. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the magnetic field generator comprises one or more films defining a plurality of coils of electrically conducive material. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of coils are adjacent to each other on the support. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein a first coil of the plurality of coils occupies a first area on a support, and a second coil of the plurality of coils occupies a second area on a support, wherein the second area is smaller than the first area. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein each of the plurality of coils is connected to a respective device for passing a varying electrical current through the coil connected to that device. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , comprising a controller,
 wherein each of the respective devices is connected to the controller, and   wherein the controller is configured to control each of the respective devices independently to cause the generation of a plurality of respective varying magnetic fields.