Aerosol Generation Device and Consumable

Abstract

An aerosol generation system comprises a consumable and an aerosol generation device. The consumable comprises a housing configured to contain an aerosol generating material, the housing having a first surface configured to engage with the aerosol generation device. The first surface comprises a breakable material configured to be broken upon interaction with piercing elements of the aerosol generation device, and a protective barrier configured to be resistant to the piercing elements. The breakable material and the protective barrier are arranged such that the protective barrier defines breakable regions in the first surface. The aerosol generation device comprises piercing elements arranged to pierce cooperating breakable regions in the first surface of the consumable, and to be inhibited from piercing a protective barrier in the first surface of the consumable.

1 . An aerosol generation system comprising a consumable for an aerosol generation device and an aerosol generation device configured to receive the consumable;
 wherein the consumable comprises a housing configured to contain an aerosol generating material, the housing having a first surface configured to engage with the aerosol generation device, the first surface comprising:
 a breakable material configured to be broken upon interaction with one or more piercing elements of the aerosol generation device; and 
 a protective barrier configured to be resistant to the one or more piercing elements; 
 wherein the breakable material and the protective barrier are arranged such that the protective barrier defines one or more breakable regions in the first surface; and 
 wherein the aerosol generation device comprises:
 a chamber having an opening for receiving the consumable, and a base portion in the chamber, wherein the base portion divides the chamber to define a first chamber portion positioned closer to the opening, and a second chamber portion positioned farther away from the opening; and 
 one or more piercing elements arranged on the base portion in the chamber, the one or more piercing elements configured to pierce one or more cooperating ones of the breakable regions in the first surface of the consumable, and the one or more piercing elements configured to be inhibited from piercing the protective barrier in the first surface of the consumable, such that: 
 when the consumable is brought into connection with the aerosol generation device, and each of the one or more piercing elements align with one or more of the cooperating breakable regions in the first surface of the consumable, the aerosol generation device engages the consumable and the one or more piercing elements pierce the one or more cooperating breakable regions; and 
 when the consumable is brought into connection with the aerosol generation device, and at least one piercing element aligns with the protective barrier of the first surface of the consumable, the aerosol generation device is inhibited from engaging the consumable. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more breakable regions of the consumable are arranged to be aligned with cooperating piercing elements of the one or more piercing elements of the aerosol generation device such that the first surface is pierceable by the piercing elements when the arrangement of the breakable regions coincides with an arrangement of the piercing elements. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more breakable regions of the consumable provide an airflow path into the housing when pierced by the one or more cooperating piercing elements. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more breakable regions of the consumable are defined by one or more openings in the protective barrier. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 4 , wherein the first surface of the consumable comprises a layer of barrier material over a layer of breakable material, the barrier material forming the protective barrier and arranged such that the one or more openings in the protective barrier expose the breakable material to form the one or more breakable regions. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the consumable comprises a cavity configured to receive a heating element of the aerosol generation device. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more piercing elements of the aerosol generation device have airflow channels therethrough arranged to provide an airflow into the consumable when the one or more piercing elements have pierced the cooperating breakable regions of the consumable. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber portion of the aerosol generation device is configured to heat the consumable to generate an aerosol product, and the second chamber portion of the aerosol generation device is configured to pre-heat an airflow to the consumable. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 8 , wherein the aerosol generation device further comprises a heating element, wherein the heating element passes through an opening in the base portion such that a first heating element portion of the heating element is arranged in the first chamber portion to heat the consumable, and a second heating element portion of the heating element is arranged in the second chamber portion to pre-heat the airflow to the consumable. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the aerosol generation device is a moveable base configured to move along a length of the chamber.