Non-combustible aerosol provision device

Abstract

Non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material comprised in a consumable for being received by the device. The device comprises a chamber 102 for receiving the consumable, wherein the device is configured to generate the aerosol from the aerosol-generating material when the consumable is received in the chamber 102. The device 100 further comprises a consumable holder 500 for holding the consumable in the chamber 102, wherein the consumable holder 500 comprises at least two selectively engageable gripping members which are spaced from one another in an axial direction of the chamber 102 to grip different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding, by use of the selectively engageable gripping members, one at a time, each of a plurality of differently-dimensioned consumables at a desired position in the chamber 102.

1 . A non-combustible aerosol provision device for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material comprised in a consumable for being received by the device, the non-combustible aerosol provision device comprising:
 a chamber for receiving the consumable, wherein the non-combustible aerosol provision device is configured to generate the aerosol from the aerosol-generating material when the consumable is received in the chamber; and   a consumable holder for holding the consumable in the chamber, wherein the consumable holder comprises at least two selectively engageable gripping members which are spaced from one another in an axial direction of the chamber to grip different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding, by use of the selectively engageable gripping members, one at a time, each of a plurality of differently-dimensioned consumables at a desired position in the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  wherein the selectively engageable gripping members are selectively engageable to grip different consumables having different respective diameters. 
     
     
         3 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  wherein the gripping members are configured to be engaged to grip the consumable in response to a user operating an actuator on the device. 
     
     
         4 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 3  wherein the actuator is configured to be moved relative to the chamber of the device to cause the first and second gripping members to grip the consumable. 
     
     
         5 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the selectively engageable gripping members comprises an annular gripping member having a central aperture for receiving a portion of the consumable, and wherein a diameter of each central aperture is adjustable by a user to cause the annular gripping member to engage a portion of the consumable received in the central aperture to hold the consumable. 
     
     
         6 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the annular gripping members comprises a ring and a plurality of gripping arms projecting from the ring, the plurality of gripping arms being moveable in a radial direction of the ring to adjust the diameter of the central aperture to thereby engage and grip the portion of the consumable received in the central aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of gripping arms is biased in the radial direction of the ring away from the central aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 6 , wherein each gripping arm of the plurality of gripping arms comprises an inwardly turned portion at a free end of the arm, the inwardly turned portion being configured to engage and grip the consumable. 
     
     
         9 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumable holder comprises a frame which is moveable, relative to the selectively engageable gripping members, by a user to cause the selectively engageable gripping members to engage the consumable. 
     
     
         10 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the consumable holder comprises a frame which is moveable, relative to the selectively engageable gripping members, by a user to cause the selectively engageable gripping members to engage the consumable; and   the frame is moveable, relative to the annular gripping members, to cause constriction of the annular gripping members to adjust the respective diameters of the respective central apertures of the annular gripping members and cause gripping of the consumable.   
     
     
         11 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 10 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of annular constriction members, each annular constriction member of the plurality of annular constriction members being mounted to move, when the frame is moved by a user, to constrict an annular gripping member of the plurality of annular gripping members and cause gripping of the consumable. 
     
     
         12 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1 , wherein the consumable holder is configured to hold each of a plurality of elongate consumables each having different respective lengths and/or diameters. 
     
     
         13 . The non-combustible aerosol provision device according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a tobacco heating product configured to receive and generate aerosol from each of a plurality of differently-dimensioned consumables comprising tobacco without combusting the tobacco. 
     
     
         14 . A non-combustible aerosol provision system comprising a non-combustible aerosol provision device according to claim and at least one consumable comprising aerosol-generating material, the consumable being configured to be received by the non-combustible aerosol provision device and held by the consumable holder to allow the device to generate aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         15 . A consumable holder for holding a consumable comprising aerosol-generating material in a chamber of a non-combustible aerosol provision device for the non-combustible aerosol provision device to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material;
 wherein the consumable holder comprises at least two selectively engageable gripping members which are spaced from one another in an axial direction of the chamber to grip different respective points on the consumable, such that the consumable holder is capable of holding, by use of the selectively engageable gripping members, one at a time, each of a plurality of differently-dimensioned consumables comprising aerosol-generating material at a desired position in the chamber.