Aerosol provision system

Abstract

An aerosol provision system comprising a reservoir for aerosolisable material; a wick configured to receive the aerosolizable material from the reservoir, a vaporizer configured to vaporize the aerosolizable material received in the wick, wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to measure at least one parameter of the wick to determine a status of the wick The parameter may be the moisture content of the wick, at least one physical dimension of the wick, and/or an optical parameter, such as the color of an external surface of the wick, or the reflectivity of an external surface of the wick.

1 . An aerosol provision system comprising a reservoir for aerosolizable material; a wick configured to receive the aerosolizable material from the reservoir, a vaporizer configured to vaporize the aerosolizable material received in the wick, wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to measure at least one parameter of the wick to determine a status of the wick. 
     
     
         2 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the status is the wick containing less than a predetermined amount of aerosolizable material. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the status is the wick exceeding a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises control circuitry and at least one sensor for detecting the at least one parameter;
 wherein each sensor is configured to output a sensor signal containing data related to the at least one parameter; and   wherein the control circuitry is configured to process the data from the sensor signal of each sensor to determine the status of the wick.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises the moisture content of the wick; wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one load cell on which the wick is supported, wherein each load cell is configured to output a sensor signal containing mass data related to the mass of the wick; and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 process the mass data from the sensor signal of each load cell to determine a mass value for the wick;   compare the mass value for the wick against a predetermined mass value; and   output a control signal in the event the mass value is less than the predetermined mass value.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one load cell comprises a first load cell which supports a first end of the wick, and a second load cell which supports a second end of the wick. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one physical dimension of the wick, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a dimension sensor for detecting the at least one physical dimension of the wick, wherein the dimension sensor is configured to output a sensor signal containing dimension data related to the at least one physical dimension of the wick; and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 process the dimension data from the sensor signal of the dimension sensor to determine a dimension value for the wick;   compare the dimension value for the wick against a predetermined dimension value; and   output a control signal in the event the dimension value is less than predetermined dimension value.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one physical dimension comprises a length of the wick, wherein the length extends from a first end to a second end of the wick, and wherein the dimension data is related to the length of the wick. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one physical dimension comprises a width of the wick, and wherein the dimension data is related to the width of the wick. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 9 , wherein the width corresponds to a width of the wick which is located between a first end and a second end of the wick, wherein the wick is configured to receive the aerosolizable material at the first end and the second end of the wick. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 10 , wherein the width is located at the midpoint along a length of the wick, wherein the length extends from the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor, wherein the at least one parameter comprises an optical parameter, and wherein the optical sensor is configured to output a sensor signal containing data related to the optical parameter. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 process the data from the sensor signal of each optical sensor to determine an optical value for the wick;   compare the optical value for the wick against a predetermined optical value; and   output a control signal in the event the optical value is greater than, and/or less than, a predetermined optical value.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 12 , wherein the optical parameter is the color, or reflectivity, of an external surface of the wick. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 14 , wherein the wick is configured to receive the aerosolizable material from the reservoir at a first end and a second end of the wick, wherein the external surface of the wick is located between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         17 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 16 , wherein the external surface is located at the midpoint along a length of the wick, wherein the length extends from the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 5 , wherein the control signal comprises a command to disable the operation of the aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 5  wherein the control signal comprises a command to; i) disable the operation of the vaporizer, and/or ii) provide a notification to a user. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The aerosol provision system rep of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises at least one doping agent which is configured to color the wick a first color at a first predetermined condition, and which is configured to color the wick a second color, which is different from the first color, at a second predetermined condition which is different from the first predetermined condition. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , wherein the wick comprises the doping agent. 
     
     
         24 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , further comprising the aerosolizable material in the reservoir, wherein the aerosolizable material comprises the doping agent. 
     
     
         25 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , wherein the doping agent comprises a hydrochromic material. 
     
     
         26 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , wherein the first predetermined condition comprises a first moisture content of the wick, and the second predetermined condition comprises a second moisture content of the wick which is less than the first moisture content. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , wherein the doping agent comprises a thermochromic material. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 22 , wherein the first predetermined condition comprises a first predetermined temperature of the wick, and the second predetermined condition comprises a second predetermined temperature which is higher than the first predetermined temperature of the wick. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The aerosol provision system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge and a control unit,
 wherein the reservoir is 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, wherein the control unit further comprises a power supply for delivering power to the vaporizer.   
     
     
         31 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A cartridge for an aerosol provision system comprising the cartridge and a control unit, wherein the cartridge comprises:
 a reservoir for aerosolizable material;   a wick configured to receive the aerosolizable material from the reservoir; and   a vaporizer configured to vaporize the aerosolizable material received in the wick, wherein the cartridge is configured to measure at least one parameter of the wick to determine a status of the wick.   
     
     
         36 - 90 . (canceled)