Aerosol Generating System

Abstract

An aerosol generating system includes an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating device includes a heating chamber and a heater. The aerosol generating article is positioned in the heating chamber. The aerosol generating article includes a porous liquid storage material for storing an aerosol generating liquid. The heater is arranged for heating and vaporising the stored aerosol generating liquid. The aerosol generating device further includes a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode so that at least a portion of the porous liquid storage material is received between the first electrode and the second electrode. The aerosol generating device further includes a controller configured to measure an electrical load between the first electrode and the second electrode and to determine the quantity of aerosol generating liquid remaining in the porous liquid storage material based on the measured electrical load.

1 . An aerosol generating system comprising:
 an aerosol generating device comprising a heating chamber and a heater; and   an aerosol generating article positioned in the heating chamber, the aerosol generating article comprising:
 a porous liquid storage material for storing an aerosol generating liquid, wherein 
 the heater is arranged for heating and vaporising the stored aerosol generating liquid; 
   wherein the aerosol generating device, further comprises:   a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode so that at least a portion of the porous liquid storage material is received between the first electrode and the second electrode; and   a controller configured to measure an electrical load between the first electrode and the second electrode and to determine the a quantity of aerosol generating liquid remaining in the porous liquid storage material based on the measured electrical load.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating device includes a power source and the controller is configured to control a supply of power from the power source to the heater based on the measured electrical load. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to terminate the supply of power from the power source to the heater when the measured electrical load exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is arranged to contact an in use upper face of the aerosol generating article and the second electrode is arranged to contact an in use lower face of the aerosol generating article. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 4 , wherein the aerosol generating device comprises a mouthpiece portion moveably connected to a device body, wherein the mouthpiece portion is moveable to open and close the heating chamber, wherein the first electrode is provided on an underside of the mouthpiece portion and the second electrode is provided on, or towards, a base of the heating chamber, wherein in a closed condition of the heating chamber the aerosol generating article positioned in the heating chamber is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 4 , wherein the first electrode is configured to correspond in shape and size with the in use upper face of the aerosol generating article and the second electrode is configured to correspond in shape and size with the in use lower face of the aerosol generating article. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises an elongate heating element which projects into the heating chamber and the aerosol generating article comprises an opening in which the elongate heating element is positioned, wherein the elongate heating element is in thermal contact with an inner surface of the porous liquid storage material defined by the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating chamber includes a chamber wall defining a cavity in which the aerosol generating article is positioned, wherein the first electrode is positioned on the elongate heating element and the second electrode is positioned on the chamber wall. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on the elongate heating element. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating device includes a plurality of pairs of the first and second electrodes and each pair of first and second electrodes is positioned in the heating chamber so that a different portion of the porous liquid storage material is received between each pair of first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to measure the electrical load between the first electrode and the second electrode between successive user inhalations to determine a quantity of aerosol generating liquid remaining in the porous liquid storage material based on the measured electrical load. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a remaining number of user inhalations based on the measured electrical load. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the measured electrical load with a reference electrical load determined from a measurement of the electrical load between the first and second electrodes when the porous liquid storage material does not contain an aerosol generating liquid, and to determine the remaining number of user inhalations based on the comparison of the measured electrical load with the reference electrical load. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating device is configured so that, during a user inhalation, air flows through the porous liquid storage material. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generating article comprises one or more electrodes arranged to correspond with positions of the first electrode and/or the second electrode.