Aerosol provision system

Abstract

There is provided an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a liquid aerosol-generating material, the aerosol provision system including a reservoir of liquid aerosol generating material, an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir, a wicking element configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir to the aerosol generator, and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use.

1 . An aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a liquid aerosol-generating material, the aerosol provision system comprising:
 a reservoir of liquid aerosol generating material;   
       an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir;
 a wicking element configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir to the aerosol generator; and 
 an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use. 
 
     
     
         2 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the dimension of the wicking element between a maximum value and a minimum value, wherein the minimum value is at least 90% of the maximum value. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the wicking element comprises a bundle of fibres, and wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to modify the volume of free space between fibres of the bundle of fibres by up to 10%. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the wicking element is formed in an elongate shape, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust at least a dimension of the wicking element which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wicking element. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 4 , wherein the wicking element is formed in a cylindrical shape, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust at least a dimension of a circular cross-section through the wicking element. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element by compressing the wicking element. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element within or adjacent to an opening in a wall of the reservoir of liquid aerosol generating material through which the wicking element extends. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a user input mechanism, and wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element based on a user interaction with the user input mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 8 , wherein the user input mechanism comprises a manual actuation mechanism, and the user interaction comprises a user operating the manual actuation mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 8 , wherein the user input mechanism comprises an electronic input mechanism, and wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a controller configured to control the adjustment mechanism based on the user interaction with the electronic input mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be modified is the volume of aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during an activation. 
     
     
         12 . A cartomizer for use in an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a liquid aerosol-generating material, the cartomizer comprising:
 a reservoir of liquid aerosol generating material;   an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir;   a wicking element configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir to the aerosol generator; and   an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use.   
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling an aerosol provision system for generating an aerosol from a liquid aerosol-generating material; the method comprising:
 providing an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a dimension of a wicking element configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from a reservoir to an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir; and   adjusting the dimension of a wicking element during use to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use.   
     
     
         14 . A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . An aerosol provision device for use with an aerosol generating article comprising liquid aerosol generating material, which together form an aerosol provision system, wherein the aerosol provision system comprises: a reservoir of liquid aerosol generating material, an aerosol generator configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir, a wicking element configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir to the aerosol generator; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking element to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use, wherein the aerosol provision device comprises:
 circuitry configured to control the adjustment mechanism to adjust a dimension of the wicking element to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking element to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator during use.   
     
     
         16 . The aerosol provision device of  claim 15 , wherein the aerosol provision device comprises the adjustment mechanism or a part thereof. 
     
     
         17 . Aerosol provision means for generating an aerosol from a liquid aerosol-generating material, the aerosol provision means comprising:
 reservoir means containing liquid aerosol generating material;   
       aerosol generator means configured to aerosolize liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir means;
 wicking means configured to supply liquid aerosol generating material from the reservoir means to the aerosol generator means; and 
 adjustment means configured to adjust a dimension of the wicking means to modify a rate of supply of liquid aerosol generating material through the wicking means to modify a characteristic of an aerosol generated by the aerosol generator means during use.