Apparatus for heating areosol generating material

Abstract

There is described an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas. The apparatus comprises a housing; a receptacle within the housing, the receptacle comprising one or more cavities, each cavity for containing an aerosol generating material; and a heating arrangement comprising one or more heater elements for heating aerosol generating material contained in the one or more cavities to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas. The one or more heater elements are located externally of the one or more cavities.

1 . An apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas, the apparatus comprising:
 a heating arrangement comprising a plurality of heater elements for heating aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas; and   power circuitry for powering the plurality of heater elements, wherein the power circuitry is configured so that the heater elements can be selectively powered independently of each other.   
     
     
         2 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing configured to receive a receptacle comprising one or more portions of aerosol generating material and a heating arrangement comprising a plurality of heater elements for heating the one or more portions of aerosol generating material; and   power circuitry for powering, when the receptacle is received by the housing, the plurality of heater elements of the receptacle, wherein the power circuitry is configured so that the heater elements can be selectively powered independently of each other.   
     
     
         33 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A receptacle comprising:
 one or more portions of aerosol generating material; and   a heating arrangement comprising a plurality of heater elements for heating the one or more portions of aerosol generating material, wherein the heater elements are configured to be selectively powered independently of each other.   wherein the receptacle is for inserting in the housing of an apparatus for heating the aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas.   
     
     
         54 - 65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a housing configured to receive a receptacle comprising one or more portions of aerosol generating material, and wherein the plurality of heater elements are for heating the one or more portions of aerosol generating material of the receptacle. 
     
     
         67 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 66 , wherein the housing is configured to receive a receptacle comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol generating material, and wherein the plurality of heater elements are for heating the plurality of portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         68 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heater elements comprises a plurality of resistive heater elements. 
     
     
         69 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heater elements comprises a plurality of induction coils. 
     
     
         70 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the power circuitry is configured such that plural of the heater elements of the plurality of heater elements are caused to heat aerosol simultaneously. 
     
     
         71 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select how one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements are selectively powered by the power circuitry. 
     
     
         72 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 71 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements to be selectively powered by the power circuitry. 
     
     
         73 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 71 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select a temperature of heating provided by one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements. 
     
     
         74 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the housing is configured to receive a receptacle comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol generating material and a heating arrangement comprising a plurality of heater elements are for heating the plurality of portions of aerosol generating material. 
     
     
         75 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the apparatus comprises power connections which are configured to connect with the receptacle, such that electrical power can be provided by the apparatus to one or more of the heater elements of the receptacle via the power connections to cause heating by one or more of the heater elements. 
     
     
         76 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of heater elements of the receptacle comprises a plurality of susceptor elements configured to be heated by an alternating magnetic field. 
     
     
         77 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the power circuitry is configured such that plural of the heater elements of the plurality of heater elements are caused to heat aerosol simultaneously. 
     
     
         78 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select how one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements are selectively powered by the power circuitry. 
     
     
         79 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 78 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements to be selectively powered by the power circuitry. 
     
     
         80 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 78 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a user to select a temperature of heating provided by one or more heater elements of the plurality of heater elements. 
     
     
         81 . A receptacle as claimed in  claim 53 , wherein the receptacle is configured to connect with power connections of an apparatus for heating the aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas, such that electrical power can be provided by the apparatus to one or more of the heater elements via the power connections to cause heating by one or more of the heater elements. 
     
     
         82 . A receptacle as claimed in  claim 53 , wherein the plurality of heater elements comprises a plurality of susceptor elements configured to be heated by an alternating magnetic field, such that, when the receptacle is inserted in the housing of an apparatus for heating the aerosol generating material to generate an inhalable aerosol and/or gas, one or more varying magnetic fields can be generated by the apparatus to cause heating by one or more of the plurality of susceptor elements.