Article for generating an inhalable medium and method of heating a smokable material

Abstract

An article for generating an inhalable medium using an irradiative light source. The article includes smokable material including at least two regions having a different composition from each other. The article is arranged such that the at least two regions of smokable material can be heated by light emitted by an irradiative light source of an apparatus with which the article can be engaged in use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for volatilising at least one component of a smokable material of an article for generating an inhalable medium using an irradiative light source, the smokable material comprising at least two regions having a different composition from each other and the article being arranged such that the at least two regions of smokable material can be heated by light emitted by an irradiative light source of an apparatus with which the article can be engaged in use, the apparatus comprising:
 an irradiative light source located in the apparatus;   a substantially transparent window arranged between the irradiative light source and the smokable material; and   wherein light emitted by the irradiative light source in use is directed so as to impinge upon the smokable material of the article to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material when the article is engaged with the apparatus; and   the article is engageable with the apparatus and disengageable from the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially transparent window is arranged so as to prevent air and volatilised material flowing over the irradiative light source. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially transparent window is rigidly joined to the irradiative light source such that a movement of the irradiative light source relative to the smokable material results in a movement of the transparent window relative to the smokable material. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially transparent window is sufficiently transparent to wavelength of the light irradiated by the irradiative light source. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a beam director for selectively directing light emitted by the irradiative light source in use to different regions of the smokable material. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two regions of smokable material generate respective inhalable mediums that have different flavours. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the smokable material comprises tobacco. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two regions of smokable material are at or near an exterior surface of the article or wherein the at least two regions of smokable material are at or near an interior surface of the article. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a transparent cover over at least one region of the smokable material; and/or
 wherein the article comprises a cover comprising a transparent window over at least one region of the smokable material.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such the article cannot be disengaged from the apparatus when the irradiative light source is in use. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the irradiative light source is turned off when the article is at least partially disengaged from the apparatus when the apparatus is in use. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising plural irradiative light sources located in the apparatus, wherein at least some of the plural irradiative light sources are respectively directed at different regions of the smokable material. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising plural irradiative light sources located in the apparatus, wherein at least some of the plural irradiative light sources are respectively directed at the same region of the smokable material. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising control circuitry configured so that light emitted by the irradiative light source or sources in use is directed to a plurality of different regions of the smokable material simultaneously. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising control circuitry configured so that light emitted by the irradiative light source or sources in use is directed to the different regions of the smokable material according to a predetermined sequence such that a user experiences a flavour profile, optionally wherein the control circuitry is configured so that light emitted by the irradiative light source or sources in use is directed to a different region of the smokable material for each puff by the user according to the predetermined sequence. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured so that light emitted by the irradiative light source or sources in use is directed to a plurality of different regions of the smokable material in a single puff by the user according to the predetermined sequence. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured so that the predetermined sequence may be determined by the user, optionally wherein the control circuitry is configured so that the predetermined sequence may be determined by the user making a selection from a list of predetermined sequences provided by the control circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the irradiative light source comprises a laser diode. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the irradiative light source comprises a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising plural irradiative light sources each of which comprises a light emitting diode, optionally wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are at different orientations to each other such that they are each directed to a different region of the smokable material. 
     
     
         21 . A method of heating a smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, the method comprising:
 heating a first region of smokable material with light emitted by an irradiative light source, and   heating a second region of smokable material with light emitted by an irradiative light source;   wherein a substantially transparent window is arranged between the irradiative light source and the smokable material;   wherein the composition of the smokable material of the first region is different from the composition of the smokable material of the second region and wherein the method further comprises selectively directing light emitted by the irradiative light source in use to different regions of the smokable material.   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising using a beam director to selectively directing light emitted by the irradiative light source in use to different regions of the smokable material. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the irradiative light source that heats the first region is the same irradiative light source that heats the second region or wherein the irradiative light source that heats the first region is a different irradiative light source from the irradiative light source that heats the second region. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein initiation of heating of the second region of smokable material takes place after initiation of heating of the first region of smokable material. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising:
 heating the first region of smokable material for a first puff by a user, and   heating the second region of smokable material for a second puff by a user.   
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising:
 heating the first region of smokable material and subsequently heating the second region of smokable material during a single puff by a user.   
     
     
         27 . A system comprising the apparatus according to  claim 1  and an article for generating an inhalable medium using the irradiative light source,
 wherein the article comprises smokable material comprising at least two regions having a different composition from each other and the article being arranged such that the at least two regions of smokable material can be heated by light emitted by the irradiative light source of the apparatus with which the article can be engaged in use.