Heating smokeable material

Abstract

An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokable material for inhalation, including a smokable material heating chamber and a heating material which is configured to be heated by the presence of a varying magnetic field, wherein the heating material is arranged to transfer heat energy to smokable material in the heating chamber to volatilize the components.

1 . An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokable material for inhalation, comprising:
 a smokable material heating chamber; and   a heating material which is configured to be heated by a presence of a varying magnetic field, wherein the heating material is arranged to transfer heat energy to smokable material in the smokable material heating chamber to volatilize the components;   wherein the heating material is comprised in a heating member, the heating member comprises an elongate member, and the smokable material heating chamber is located co-axially around the heating member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating material is susceptible to eddy currents induced by the varying magnetic field in the heating material, the eddy currents causing the heating material to be resistively heated, and wherein the heating member comprises a base material, wherein the base material is not susceptible to the induction of eddy currents when in the presence of the varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the base material is in thermal contact with the heating material, the base material being configured to retain heat energy received from the heating material and to transfer the heat energy to the smokable material in the smokable material heating chamber to volatilize the components. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the base material is configured to transfer the heat energy to the smokable material over an extended period so as to raise and maintain a temperature of the smokable material at a volatilizing temperature for the extended period without simultaneous heating of a housing material by the varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating material comprises a plurality of separate pieces of heating material. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the smokable material is provided in the form of a smokable material consumable which can be inserted into, and removed from, the smokable material heating chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the smokable material consumable can be slid onto and off the heating member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic field generator that generates the varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokable material for inhalation, comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a smokable material heating chamber containing smokable material; and 
 a heating member comprising a heating material which is configured to be heated by a presence of a varying magnetic field, wherein the heating material is arranged to transfer heat energy to smokable material in the smokable material heating chamber to volatilize the components; 
   wherein the heating member comprises an elongate member, and wherein the smokable material heating chamber is located co-axially around the heating member;   wherein the housing and internal components of the housing together form a disposable item; and   wherein the apparatus further comprises a varying magnetic field generator arranged to receive the housing during heating of the heating material.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating material is susceptible to eddy currents induced by the varying magnetic field in the smokable material, the eddy currents causing the heating material to be resistively heated, and wherein the heating member comprises a base material, wherein the base material is not susceptible to induction of eddy currents when in a presence of the varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the base material is in thermal contact with the heating material, the base material being configured to retain heat energy received from the heating material and to transfer the heat energy to the smokable material in the heating chamber to volatilize the components. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the base material is configured to transfer the heat energy to the smokable material over an extended period so as to raise and maintain a temperature of the smokable material at a volatilizing temperature for the extended period without simultaneous heating of a material of the housing by the varying magnetic field. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating material comprises a plurality of separate pieces of heating material. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the magnetic field generator is configured to automatically cease to generate the magnetic field when a predetermined volatilizing temperature has been reached or a predetermined heating period has elapsed. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the smokable material includes tobacco. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the heating material is heated by effects of magnetic induction to a temperature which is sufficient to volatilize the components of the smokable material in the heating chamber without burning the smokable material. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating member is located adjacent the smokable material heating chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the components are at least one of nicotine or aromatic compounds. 
     
     
         19 . A method of heating smokable material to volatilize components of the smokable material for inhalation using the apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising:
 generating a varying magnetic field;   using the varying magnetic field to induce an electrical current in the heating material and thereby heating the heating material; and   transferring thermal energy from the heating material to the smokable material to heat the smokable material to a volatilizing temperature and thereby volatilize components of the smokable material.