Aerosol delivery system

Abstract

An aerosol delivery system has a fluid-transfer article with a first region for holding an aerosol precursor and a second region to which the aerosol precursor is transferred from the first region. The second region includes an activation surface which interacts thermally with a heater of the aerosol delivery system to form an aerosol from said aerosol precursor. When the user sucks or inhales through the aerosol delivery system, the diaphragm flexes to open an air-flow pathway between the activation surface and the heater, so that aerosol passes from the heater to the user in the airflow. When the user ceases to suck or inhale, the flexible diaphragm flexes to close the air-flow pathway and reduce escape of aerosol precursor from the second part of the fluid-transfer article.

1 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . An aerosol-generation apparatus comprising a heater and a fluid-transfer article, the fluid- transfer article comprising a reservoir for holding an aerosol precursor and a wick arranged and configured to receive said aerosol precursor from said reservoir, the wick making abutting unbonded contact with a heating region of said heater, wherein said heating region of said heater is flexible, thereby to be deformable due to said contact between said wick and said heating region, and wherein said fluid-transfer article and said heater are separable. 
     
     
         58 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said at least said heating region of said heater is resilient, whereby said abutting unbonded contact between the heating region and the wick is a resilient contact. 
     
     
         59 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said heating region of said heater is convoluted. 
     
     
         60 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said wick is U-shaped, with the base of the U-shape making said unbonded contact with said heating region. 
     
     
         61 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according claim  1 , wherein said fluid-transfer article includes a sealing member sealing said reservoir, said wick extending through said sealing member. 
     
     
         62 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein said fluid transfer article includes a sealing member sealing said reservoir, said wick extending through said sealing member, and wherein both arms of said U-shape extend through said sealing member. 
     
     
         63 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the wick is flexible. 
     
     
         64 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to  claim 63 , wherein said wick is made of a cord material. 
     
     
         65 . An aerosol-generation apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein said heating surface of said heater is located in an air-flow pathway. 
     
     
         66 . An aerosol-delivery system comprising an aerosol-generation apparatus according to claim  1 , a carrier having a first housing containing said reservoir and supporting said wick, and a second housing containing said heater, the first and second housings being separable. 
     
     
         67 . An aerosol-delivery system according to  claim 66  wherein said heating surface of said heater is located in an air-flow pathway, wherein said second housing has an inlet, said first housing has an outlet, and said air-flow pathway extends to said inlet and said outlet. 
     
     
         68 - 106 . (canceled)