Vapour generating system

Abstract

Provided is a vapour generating system for use in a smoking substitute apparatus, the system comprising: a reservoir ( 152 a ) configured to retain a vaporisable liquid ( 160 a ); a wick ( 162 a ) in contact with the reservoir ( 152 a ), the wick ( 162 a ) configured to absorb vaporisable liquid ( 160 a ) from the reservoir ( 152 a ); a heater, connected to the wick ( 162 a ) and configured to vaporise the vaporisable liquid ( 160 a ) absorbed by the wick ( 162 a ); and an expandable absorbent body ( 500 ) which, in its unexpanded form, is separated from the wick ( 162 a ) via an air gap ( 503 ) and wherein the expandable absorbent body ( 500 ), in its expanded form, is configured to contact the wick ( 162 a ).

1 . A vapour generating system for use in a smoking substitute apparatus, the system comprising:
 a reservoir configured to retain a vaporisable liquid;   a wick in contact with the reservoir, the wick configured to absorb vaporisable liquid from the reservoir;   a heater, connected to the wick and configured to vaporise the vaporisable liquid absorbed by the wick; and   an expandable absorbent body which, in its unexpanded form, is separated from the wick via an air gap and wherein the expandable absorbent body, in its expanded form, is configured to contact the wick.   
     
     
         2 . The vapour generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expanded form of the absorbent body corresponds to a form in which it has expanded by at least 60% of its maximum expansion. 
     
     
         3 . The vapour generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expanded form of the absorbent body corresponds to a form in which it has expanded by at most 40% of its maximum expansion. 
     
     
         4 . The vapour generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a cavity, which is sealed from the reservoir by at least the wick, containing the absorbent body. 
     
     
         5 . The vapour generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent body is provided as an annular cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . A smoking substitute apparatus comprising: an air inlet; an outlet; a flow passage formed between the air inlet and the outlet; a vapour generating system comprising:
 a reservoir configured to retain a vaporisable liquid;   a wick in contact with the reservoir, the wick configured to absorb vaporisable liquid from the reservoir;   a heater, connected to the wick and configured to vaporise the vaporisable liquid absorbed by the wick; and   an expandable absorbent body which, in its unexpanded form, is separated from the wick via an air gap and wherein the expandable absorbent body, in its expanded form, is configured to contact the wick; and a vaporisation chamber in communication with the flow passage, wherein at least part of the wick and the heater of the vapour generating system are positioned within the vaporization chamber.   
     
     
         7 . Use of a vapour generating system in the generation of a vapour, the vapour generating system comprising:
 a reservoir configured to retain a vaporisable liquid; a wick in contact with the reservoir, the wick configured to absorb vaporisable liquid from the reservoir; a heater, connected to the wick and configured to vaporise the vaporisable liquid absorbed by the wick; and an expandable absorbent body which, in its unexpanded form, is separated from the wick via an air gap and wherein the expandable absorbent body, in its expanded form, is configured to contact the wick wherein:   in an initial operation of the system, the reservoir retains the vaporisable liquid and the wick absorbs vaporisable liquid from the reservoir, and the heater vaporises the vaporisable liquid absorbed by the wick, the expandable absorbent body being separated from the wick via said air gap; and during use, the expandable absorbent body gradually captures liquid lost from the reservoir and/or wick and expands so that, in a subsequent operation of the system, the expandable absorbent body contacts the wick to allow liquid in the expandable absorbent body to move into the wick for vaporisation.