Aerosol provision system

Abstract

An aerosol provision system including a vaporizer for generating a vapor from an aerosolizable material, and an electrode 10 for receiving electrical power. The aerosol provision system also includes a resilient element, such as a helical spring, electrically connected to the vaporizer and the electrode, for transferring the electrical power between the electrode and the vaporizer. The aerosol provision system may include a cartridge and a control unit, wherein the electrode, the vaporizer, and the resilient element are located in the cartridge. The control unit may include a power supply for delivering electrical power to the electrode for powering the vaporizer.

1 . An aerosol provision system comprising:
 a vaporizer for generating a vapor from an aerosolizable material;   an electrode for receiving electrical power; and   a resilient element, electrically connected to the vaporizer and the electrode, for transferring the electrical power between the electrode and the vaporizer,   wherein the resilient element extends around the electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises a first portion proximal the vaporizer and a second portion proximal the electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 2 , wherein the first portion is in contact with the vaporizer. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 2 , wherein the second portion is in contact with the electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 2 , wherein the electrode comprises a shoulder portion on which the second portion of the resilient element is configured to engage against. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 4 , wherein the shoulder portion extends around a circumference of the electrode. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 6 , wherein the shoulder portion extends around an entirety of the circumference of the electrode. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrode extends between a first end of the electrode and a second end of the electrode, wherein the first end of the electrode is located more proximal to the vaporizer than the second end of the electrode is located to the vaporizer. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 8 , wherein the resilient element comprises a first portion proximal the vaporizer and a second portion proximal the electrode, and wherein the first end of the electrode is located between the first portion and the second portion of the resilient element. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrode comprises a shoulder portion on which the second portion of the resilient element is configured to engage against, and wherein the shoulder portion is located between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 8 , wherein a cross sectional area of the electrode decreases in a direction from the second end of the electrode to the first end of the electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrode comprises a chamfered or filleted edge extending around the first end. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is configured to provide at least one of a biasing force or a compression force on the vaporizer. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the biasing force or the compression force extends in a direction away from the electrode. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is biased into engagement with the vaporizer. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises a helical spring. 
     
     
         17 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 16 , wherein the resilient element comprises a first portion proximal the vaporizer and a second portion proximal the electrode, and wherein the first portion comprises a portion of the helical spring which comprises a flat surface. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 17 , wherein the flat surface is in contact with the vaporizer. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element extends concentrically around the electrode. 
     
     
         20 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is held in compression by at least one of the electrode or the vaporizer. 
     
     
         21 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises an electrically conductive material for transferring the electrical power received by the electrode to the vaporizer. 
     
     
         22 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 21 , wherein the electrically conductive material is deposited onto the resilient element. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 21 , wherein the resilient element is made of the electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         24 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 21 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises gold. 
     
     
         25 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises an alloy containing cobalt, chromium, and nickel. 
     
     
         26 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 25 , wherein the alloy is at least one of Elgiloy, or an alloy containing cobalt, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and manganese. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a porous member for use in holding the aerosolizable material to be vaporized using the vaporizer. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol provision system according to claim  27 ,
 wherein the is located on a surface of the porous member.   
     
     
         29 . The aerosol provision system according to claim  27 , wherein the resilient element comprises a first portion proximal the vaporizer and a second portion proximal the electrode, and wherein the first portion of the resilient element is embedded or recessed inside the porous member. 
     
     
         30 . The aerosol provision system according to claim  27 , wherein the porous member comprises a cavity for accommodating the first portion of the resilient element. 
     
     
         31 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 30 , wherein the vaporizer is located on a surface of the porous member, wherein the cavity comprises a flat surface, and wherein the vaporizer is located on the flat surface. 
     
     
         32 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 31 , wherein the resilient element comprises a first portion proximal the vaporizer and a second portion proximal the electrode, wherein the first portion comprises a portion of the helical spring which comprises a flat surface, and wherein the flat surface of the helical spring is parallel to the flat surface of the cavity. 
     
     
         33 . The aerosol provision system according to claim  27 , wherein the resilient element at least partly supports the porous member, such that the resilient element is configured to be held in compression between the porous member and the electrode. 
     
     
         34 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element at least partly supports the vaporizer, such that the resilient element is configured to be held in compression between the vaporizer and the electrode. 
     
     
         35 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer comprises a heating element. 
     
     
         36 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir for aerosolizable material, wherein the vaporizer is configured to receive the aerosolizable material from the reservoir. 
     
     
         37 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge and a control unit,
 wherein the electrode, the vaporizer, and the resilient element are located in the cartridge,   wherein the control unit comprises a cartridge receiving section that includes an interface arranged to cooperatively engage with the cartridge so as to releasably couple the cartridge to the control unit, and   wherein the control unit further comprises a power supply for delivering electrical power to the electrode for powering the vaporizer.   
     
     
         38 . A cartridge for an aerosol provision system comprising the cartridge and a control unit, wherein the cartridge comprises:
 a vaporizer for generating a vapor from an aerosolizable material;   an electrode for receiving electrical power from the control unit; and   a resilient element, electrically connected to the vaporizer and the electrode, for transferring the electrical power between the electrode and the vaporizer,   wherein the resilient element extends around the electrode.