An Aerosol Generating Device and an Aerosol Generating System

Abstract

An aerosol generating device for heating an aerosol generating substrate, e.g., an aerosol generating liquid or a non-liquid aerosol generating substrate, to generate an aerosol for inhalation includes a heat pipe and a heater. The heat pipe is partially filled with a liquid which is vaporisable to form a vapour and has a first end arranged to be positioned away from the aerosol generating substrate and an opposite second end. The heater is positioned at the first end of the heat pipe for heating and vaporising the liquid. The heat pipe includes at least one heat transfer surface positioned away from the first end for transferring heat from the vapour inside the heat pipe to the aerosol generating substrate to thereby heat the aerosol generating substrate.

1 . An aerosol generating device for heating an aerosol generating substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation, the aerosol generating device comprising:
 a heat pipe comprising:
 a liquid which is vaporisable to form a vapour; 
 a first end arranged to be positioned away from the aerosol generating substrate; 
 a second end; 
   a heater positioned at the first end of the heat pipe for heating and vaporising the liquid; and   at least one heat transfer surface positioned away from the first end of the heat pipe for transferring heat from the vapour to the aerosol generating substrate to thereby heat the aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the second end is arranged to be positioned adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate to position the at least one heat transfer surface adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the heat pipe extending from a position between the first end and the second end of the heat pipe to a position at the second end of the heat pipe is arranged to be positioned adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate to position the at least one heat transfer surface adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe comprises a heat transfer element positioned at the second end and the at least one heat transfer surface is at least partly defined by the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein the heat transfer element includes a plurality of openings. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a resistive heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 6 , wherein the heater is attached to an outer surface of the heat pipe at the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 6 , wherein the heater is embedded in a side wall of the heat pipe at the first end. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises an inductively heatable susceptor and the aerosol generating device comprises an induction coil arranged to generate an alternating electromagnetic field for inductively heating the inductively heatable susceptor. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the inductively heatable susceptor is positioned inside the heat pipe at the first end. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the inductively heatable susceptor comprises an elongate susceptor element. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe includes a wick positioned inside the heat pipe to convey condensed liquid, held in the heat pipe, from the second end to the first end, and the wick comprises an inductively heatable susceptor material. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid has a boiling point up to approximately 350° C. 
     
     
         14 . An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device and a cartridge containing an aerosol generating liquid releasably connectable to the aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising:
 a heat pipe comprising:
 a liquid which is vaporisable to form a vapour; 
 a first end arranged to be positioned away from the aerosol generating liquid; 
 a second end arranged to be positioned adjacent to the aerosol generating liquid; 
   a heater positioned at the first end of the heat pipe for heating and vaporising the liquid; and   a heat transfer surface at the second end of the heat pipe, the heat transfer surface being positioned adjacent to the aerosol generating liquid for transferring heat from the vapour to the aerosol generating liquid to thereby heat the aerosol generating liquid.   
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the cartridge comprises a liquid store and a liquid transfer element configured to convey aerosol generating liquid from the liquid store to the heat transfer surface. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 15 , wherein the heat pipe comprises a heat transfer element positioned at the second end in contact with the liquid transfer element, and the heat transfer surface is at least partly defined by the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         17 . An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article comprising a non-liquid aerosol generating substrate, the aerosol generating device comprising:
 a heat pipe comprising:
 a liquid which is vaporisable to form a vapour; 
 a first end arranged to be positioned away from the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate; 
 a second end; 
   a heater positioned at the first end of the heat pipe for heating and vaporising the liquid; and   at least one heat transfer surface positioned away from the first end of the heat pipe for transferring heat from the vapour to the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate to thereby heat the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate.   
     
     
         18 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 17 , wherein a portion of the heat pipe extending from a position between the first end and the second end of the heat pipe to a position at the second end of the heat pipe is positioned in the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate to position the at least one heat transfer surface in the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 17 , wherein the aerosol generating device includes a heating chamber for receiving the non-liquid aerosol generating substrate, and the heat pipe extends into the heating chamber so that the at least one heat transfer surface is positioned in the heating chamber.