Aerosol provision device and consumable therefor

Abstract

A consumable configured to be fully inserted into an aerosol provision device. The consumable includes an aerosol generating material for use in generating aerosol by an aerosol provision device; an insertion portion configured for insertion into an aerosol generation zone a the aerosol provision device; and a removal facilitator that extends away from or is located on a surface of the insertion portion and is configured to enhance gripping by a user of the consumable to assist in the removal of the insertion portion from the aerosol generation zone. Also provided is an aerosol provision device for use with such a consumable, and a method of removing such a consumable from an aerosol provision device.

1 . A consumable configured to be fully inserted into an aerosol provision device, wherein the consumable comprises:
 an aerosol generating material for use in generating aerosol by the aerosol provision device;   an insertion portion configured for insertion into an aerosol generation zone of the aerosol provision device; and   a removal facilitator that extends away from or is located on a surface of the insertion portion and is configured to enhance gripping by a user of the consumable to assist in the removal of the insertion portion from the aerosol generation zone.   
     
     
         2 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumable is elongate and comprises a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The consumable according to  claim 2 , wherein the removal facilitator is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The consumable according to  claim 2 , wherein the removal facilitator is asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The consumable according to  claim 2 , wherein the removal facilitator is configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the consumable, wherein the longitudinal direction is parallel to a direction of the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The consumable according to  claim 4 , wherein the removal facilitator is configured to extend in a radial direction of the consumable, wherein the radial direction is perpendicular to a direction of the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal facilitator is moveable relative to the insertion portion. 
     
     
         8 . The consumable according to  claim 5 , wherein the removal facilitator is moveable between a longitudinal position that is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the consumable, and a radial position that is aligned with a radial direction of the consumable. 
     
     
         9 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion portion comprises an external surface having a relatively low coefficient of friction, and the removal facilitator comprises an external surface of a relatively high coefficient of friction that is higher than the relatively low coefficient of friction. 
     
     
         10 . The consumable according to  claim 9 , wherein the relatively high coefficient of friction of the external surface is consistent along the removal facilitator. 
     
     
         11 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal facilitator is freely moveable relative to the insertion portion. 
     
     
         12 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein a structure of the removal facilitator is self-supporting. 
     
     
         13 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the insertion portion is flat. 
     
     
         14 . The consumable according to  claim 13 , wherein at least the insertion portion is planar. 
     
     
         15 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the insertion portion is in the form of a disc. 
     
     
         16 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , comprising a blocking portion configured to prevent the removal facilitator being inserted into the aerosol generation zone. 
     
     
         17 . The consumable according to  claim 16 , wherein the blocking portion is provided by an overall dimension of the consumable. 
     
     
         18 . The consumable according to  claim 17 , wherein the overall dimension is a length of the consumable. 
     
     
         19 . The consumable according to  claim 17 , wherein the overall dimension is a width of the consumable. 
     
     
         20 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , comprising a blocking portion configured to prevent the removal facilitator being inserted into the aerosol generation zone, wherein the blocking portion is provided by an overall dimension of the consumable, and wherein the overall dimension is a diameter of the consumable. 
     
     
         21 . The consumable according to  claim 19 , wherein the overall dimension is provided by a step change in the width of the consumable. 
     
     
         22 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal facilitator comprises an open cavity. 
     
     
         23 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal facilitator comprises an adhesive region. 
     
     
         24 . The consumable according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal facilitator comprises a substantially flat portion of the consumable. 
     
     
         25 . An aerosol provision device comprising:
 an aerosol generation zone for receiving an insertion portion of a consumable comprising an aerosol generating material;   an aerosol generator for generating aerosol from the aerosol generating material when the insertion portion of the consumable is in the aerosol generation zone; and   a casing housing the aerosol generator and the aerosol generation zone;   wherein the casing comprises a first part and a second part that are moveable relative to each other between an open state and a closed state; and   wherein the aerosol provision device is configured such that, when a consumable is fully inserted within the casing of the aerosol provision device and the insertion portion of the consumable is in the aerosol generation zone, a removal facilitator of the consumable remains outside of the aerosol generation zone, such that the removal facilitator is exposed to a user for gripping when the casing of the aerosol provision device is in the open state and concealed from a user when the casing of the aerosol provision device is in the closed state.   
     
     
         26 . The aerosol provision device according to  claim 25 , comprising a chamber formed by the first part and second part to enclose the consumable when the casing is in the closed state. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol provision device according to  claim 26 , wherein the chamber comprises a sub-chamber extending only part of a length of the chamber and a recess, wherein the sub-chamber comprises the aerosol generation zone and the recess is exposed when the casing of the aerosol provision device is arranged in the open state. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol provision device according to  claim 27 , wherein an end of the sub-chamber is defined by a blocking portion. 
     
     
         29 . The aerosol provision device according to  claim 27  wherein the sub-chamber is a blind hole. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of removing a consumable from an aerosol provision device, the method comprising:
 providing the aerosol provision device and the consumable fully inserted into the aerosol provision device such that an insertion portion of the consumable is in an aerosol generation zone of the aerosol provision device;   gripping a removal facilitator of the consumable that extends away from or is located on a surface of the insertion portion to enhance gripping; and   removing the insertion portion from the aerosol generation zone with assistance by the removal facilitator.