Igniter apparatus for a smoking article, and associated method

Abstract

An igniter apparatus is provided, comprising a heat precursor source having a heat precursor; a heating arrangement configured to, on demand, receive the heat precursor from the heat precursor source and to emit heat associated with the heat precursor and capable of igniting an ignitable article; and a sensory precursor source having a sensory precursor substance, wherein the sensory precursor substance is configured to provide a perceptible sensory effect, and wherein the sensory precursor source is in communication with the heating arrangement and is configured to release the sensory precursor substance in association with the heat emitted by the heating arrangement. An associated method is also provided.

1 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . An igniter apparatus, comprising:
 a heat precursor source having a heat precursor;   a heat emitting element arranged to receive the heat precursor, on demand, from the heat precursor source, the heat emitting element emitting therefrom heat associated with actuation of the heat precursor, the emitted heat being capable of igniting a lighting portion of an ignitable article; and   an ignition receptacle having the heat emitting element therein and extending therefrom to define an ignition port aligned with the heat emitting element, the ignition port being arranged to receive the lighting portion of the ignitable article therethrough so as to guide the lighting portion of the ignitable article into operable engagement with the heat emitting element for ignition of the lighting portion of the ignitable article.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , comprising:
 a sensory precursor source having a sensory precursor substance capable of providing a perceptible sensory effect upon actuation thereof; and   a sensory precursor emitting element in communication with the heat emitting element and arranged to release the sensory precursor substance in the ignition receptacle into association with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element.   
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the sensory precursor emitting element is disposed within the ignition receptacle. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the sensory precursor substance is actuated via interaction with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element to produce the perceptible sensory effect. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the ignition port and the heating element define an axis extending therethrough, with the heating element being arranged to extend perpendicularly to the axis, such that a laterally-extending surface of the lighting portion of the ignitable article inserted through the ignition port is directed along the axis into operable engagement with the heating element. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the heat precursor comprises an ignitable fuel and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the heat emitting element is arranged to ignite the fuel to produce a flame having the heat associated therewith for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a resistive heating element, the heat precursor source comprises an electrical energy source, the heat precursor comprises electrical current, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the resistive heating element, upon receipt of the electrical current, produces the heat for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a heating membrane, the heat precursor source comprises a catalyst source, the heat precursor comprises a catalyst, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the heating membrane, upon receipt of and engagement with the catalyst, reacts with the catalyst to produce the heat for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the ignitable article comprises a combustible heat generation segment forming the lighting portion and an aerosol generation segment serially disposed with respect to the combustible heat generation segment. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the combustible heat generation segment comprises a carbonaceous material. 
     
     
         55 . An ignition method, comprising:
 providing, on demand, a heat precursor from a heat precursor source;   emitting heat associated with the heat precursor and capable of igniting an ignitable article about a lighting portion thereof from a heat emitting element, the heat emitting element emitting the heat in response to receipt of the heat precursor from the heat precursor source;   receiving the lighting portion of the ignitable article within an ignition receptacle, the ignition receptacle having the heat emitting element therein and extending therefrom to define an ignition port aligned with the heat emitting element, through the ignition port such that the lighting portion of the ignitable article is guided into operable engagement with the heat emitting element; and   igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article with the heat associated with the heat precursor emitted by the heat emitting element.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 releasing, from a sensory precursor source, a sensory precursor substance in the ignition receptacle into association with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element using a sensory precursor emitting element in communication with the heat emitting element; and   providing a perceptible sensory effect from the sensory precursor substance upon actuation thereof with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein providing the perceptible sensory effect comprises directing the sensory precursor substance into interaction with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element, such that the sensory precursor substance is actuated via interaction with the heat to produce the perceptible sensory effect. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the heat precursor comprises an ignitable fuel and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article comprises igniting the fuel with the heat emitting element to produce a flame having the heat associated therewith for igniting the combustible element. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a resistive heating element, the heat precursor source comprises an electrical energy source, the heat precursor comprises electrical current, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article comprises receiving the electric current at the resistive heating element, the electric current interacting with the resistive heating element to produce the heat for igniting the combustible element. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the ignition port and the heating element define an axis extending therethrough, with the heating element being arranged to extend perpendicularly to the axis, wherein igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article comprises inserting a laterally-extending surface of the lighting portion of the ignitable article through the ignition port and directing the laterally-extending surface of the lighting portion of the ignitable article along the axis into operable engagement with the heating element. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a heating membrane, the heat precursor source comprises a catalyst source, the heat precursor comprises a catalyst, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article comprises engaging the catalyst with the heating membrane, the catalyst reacting with the heating membrane to produce the heat for igniting the combustible element. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the ignitable article comprises a combustible heat generation segment forming the lighting portion and an aerosol generation segment serially disposed with respect to the heat generation segment, and wherein receiving the lighting portion of the ignitable article within the ignition receptacle comprises receiving the lighting portion of the ignitable article through the ignition port such that the combustible heat generation segment is guided into operable engagement with the heat emitting element. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the combustible heat generation segment comprises a carbonaceous material, and wherein igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article comprises igniting the carbonaceous material with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element. 
     
     
         64 . An ignition system, comprising:
 an ignitable article comprising a heat generation segment and an aerosol generating segment serially disposed with respect thereto, the heat generation segment forming a lighting portion of the ignitable article; and   an igniter apparatus arranged to interact with the ignitable article, the igniter apparatus, comprising:
 a heat precursor source having a heat precursor; 
 a heat emitting element arranged to receive the heat precursor, on demand, from the heat precursor source, the heat emitting element emitting therefrom heat associated with actuation of the heat precursor, the emitted heat being capable of igniting the lighting portion of the ignitable article; and 
 an ignition receptacle having the heat emitting element therein and extending therefrom to define an ignition port aligned with the heat emitting element, the ignition port being arranged to receive the lighting portion of the ignitable article therethrough so as to guide the lighting portion of the ignitable article into operable engagement with the heat emitting element for ignition of the lighting portion of the ignitable article. 
   
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , comprising:
 a sensory precursor source having a sensory precursor substance capable of providing a perceptible sensory effect upon actuation thereof; and   a sensory precursor emitting element in communication with the heat emitting element and arranged to release the sensory precursor substance in the ignition receptacle into association with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element.   
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the sensory precursor emitting element is disposed within the ignition receptacle. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the sensory precursor substance is actuated via interaction with the heat emitted by the heat emitting element to produce the perceptible sensory effect. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the ignition port and the heating element define an axis extending therethrough, with the heating element being arranged to extend perpendicularly to the axis, such that a laterally-extending surface of the lighting portion of the ignitable article inserted through the ignition port is directed along the axis into operable engagement with the heating element. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the heat precursor comprises an ignitable fuel and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the heat emitting element is arranged to ignite the fuel to produce a flame having the heat associated therewith for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a resistive heating element, the heat precursor source comprises an electrical energy source, the heat precursor comprises electrical current, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the resistive heating element, upon receipt of the electrical current, produces the heat for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the heat emitting element comprises a heating membrane, the heat precursor source comprises a catalyst source, the heat precursor comprises a catalyst, and the lighting portion comprises a combustible element, and wherein the heating membrane, upon receipt of and engagement with the catalyst, reacts with the catalyst to produce the heat for igniting the combustible element of the ignitable article. 
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the heat generation segment comprises a carbonaceous material.