AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEMS

Abstract

An aerosol provision system is provided, the aerosol provision system including a chamber for receiving at least part of a consumable through an aperture of the chamber. A visual indicator for providing user feedback is arranged around the aperture.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to aerosol provision systems.

BACKGROUND

Aerosol provision/delivery systems generally contain an aerosol generating material, such as a portion of a solid, liquid or gel, or a reservoir of a source liquid, and/or which may contain an active substance and/or a flavor, from which an aerosol or vapor is generated for inhalation by a user, for example through heat vaporization. Thus, an aerosol provision system/electrical smoking system will typically comprise a heating chamber or aerosol generation chamber containing an aerosol generator, e.g. a heating element, arranged to vaporize or aerosolize a portion of aerosolizable material (e.g. a solid material such as tobacco) to generate a vapor or aerosol in the aerosol generation chamber. As a user inhales on the device, and electrical power is supplied to the heating element, air is drawn into the device through an inlet hole and along an inlet air channel connecting to the aerosol generation chamber where the air mixes with vaporized precursor material to form a condensation aerosol. An outlet air channel connects from the aerosol generation chamber to an outlet in the mouthpiece, and the air drawn into the aerosol generation chamber as a user inhales on the mouthpiece continues along the outlet flow path to the mouthpiece outlet, carrying the aerosol with it, for inhalation by the user. Some aerosol provision systems may also include a flavor element in the air flow path through the device to impart additional flavors. Such devices may sometimes be referred to as hybrid devices, and the flavor element may, for example, include a portion of solid aerosol-generating and/or flavorant material such as tobacco arranged in the air flow path between the aerosol generation chamber and the mouthpiece such that aerosol/condensation aerosol drawn through the device passes through the portion of solid material before exiting the mouthpiece for user inhalation. In some aerosol provision systems, the aerosol generating material comprises a source liquid comprised in a cartridge or pod which also contains the heating element and aerosol generating chamber, and the cartridge is mechanically and electrically coupled to a control unit for use. The control unit comprises a battery and control circuitry which together supply power to the heating element via the cartridge.

Some aerosol provision/delivery systems comprise one or more visual indicators to provide visual feedback to a user about one or more aspects of the operation or status of the device. Such feedback may comprise information about, for example, whether the system is on or off, a selected operating mode, how much electrical energy/charge or aerosol generating material remains in the aerosol provision system, the temperature of the heating element, or the strength with which a user is inhaling on the device. Such information may be shown before, during and/or after the user takes a puff on the aerosol provision device. A visual indicator used to display such information may comprise a display panel comprising an array of pixels. Alternatively or in-addition, one or more illuminating elements such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be provided to provide visual feedback. The visual indicator (which may also be referred to herein as a visual feedback indicator) will typically be configured to provide visual feedback on an exterior portion of a housing of the aerosol provision system. Such a housing may comprise one or more openings and/or one or more transparent or translucent portions to permit visual feedback emitted by a disposed within the housing to be seen by a user.

SUMMARY

The inventors have recognized that it may be advantageous to provide visual feedback to a user whilst the user is taking a puff on the aerosol provision system, and/or immediately before or after a user takes a puff on the aerosol provision system. In such scenarios, the inventors have recognized that conventional arrangements for providing visual feedback on aerosol provision devices, in terms of placement on an aerosol provision system, may not provide an easily visible or intuitive means for displaying feedback to a user. Various approaches are described herein which seek to help address or mitigate at least some of the issues discussed above.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol provision system comprising a chamber for receiving at least part of a consumable through an aperture of the chamber, and a visual indicator for providing user feedback arranged around the aperture.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a consumable configured for insertion into an aperture of an aerosol provision system, wherein an outer portion of the consumable is configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback provided by a visual indicator arranged around the aperture.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of providing a visual indicator for an aerosol provision system, the method comprising providing an aerosol provision system with a chamber for receiving a consumable through an aperture of the chamber, and providing a visual indicator for providing user feedback, wherein the visual indicator is arranged around the aperture.

It will be appreciated that features and aspects of the disclosure described herein in relation to the first and other aspects of the disclosure are equally applicable to, and may be combined with, embodiments of the disclosure according to other aspects of the disclosure as appropriate, and not just in the specific combinations described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol provision device in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section through a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section through a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section through a mouthpiece-end portion of an aerosol provision device showing a visual indicator in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure and a consumable part comprising visual feedback modifying means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be implemented conventionally and these are not discussed/described in detail in the interests of brevity. It will thus be appreciated that aspects and features of apparatus and methods discussed herein which are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional techniques for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to aerosol provision/delivery systems (which may also be referred to as vapor delivery systems). Throughout the following description the terms “electrical smoking system”, “heat-not-burn” system, or “tobacco heating product” may sometimes be used, but it will be appreciated these terms may be used interchangeably with aerosol provision/delivery system/device and electronic aerosol provision/delivery system/device. Furthermore, and as is common in the technical field, the terms “aerosol” and “vapor”, and related terms such as “vaporize”, “volatilize” and “aerosolize”, may generally be used interchangeably.

Aerosol provision systems often, though not always, comprise a modular assembly including both a reusable ‘device’ part and a replaceable ‘consumable’ part. Typically the replaceable consumable part will comprise an aerosol generating material to be heated to generate aerosol, and the reusable part will comprise a power supply (e.g. rechargeable power source), control circuitry, and a heater configured to heat the aerosol generating material in the consumable part when it is coupled to the reusable part. In such embodiments, heat is generally transferred from a heater in the reusable device part into a portion of the consumable part to aerosolize/vaporize aerosol generating material in a heated portion of the consumable part, or electrical power or a magnetic field is transmitted into the consumable part to cause an aerosol generator in the consumable part to generate aerosol from the aerosol generating material. Accordingly, the consumable part in some cases comprises elements associated with heating of the aerosol generating material in the consumable part. For example, the consumable part may comprise a susceptor which may be inductively heated by a magnetic field generator/drive coil arrangement in the reusable device part in order to aerosolize the aerosol generating material in the consumable part, and/or the consumable part may comprise a heating element which receives electrical power from the reusable device part via an electrical interface between the reusable device part and the consumable part when the consumable part and reusable device part are coupled together for use. The consumable part may be configured to be partially or fully inserted into the reusable device part for use, for example, by inserting it into a chamber/receiving recess of the reusable device part which may comprise an aerosol generation chamber or heating chamber situated within the housing of the reusable device part. Such a chamber may be accessed via an aperture/opening disposed in the outer casing of the reusable device part. When the aerosol generating material in a given consumable part is exhausted, or the user wishes to switch to a different consumable part having a different aerosol generating material, the consumable part may be removed from the reusable device part by retracting it from the chamber via the aperture, and a replacement consumable part can be coupled to the reusable device part in its place. Devices conforming to this type of two-part modular configuration may generally be referred to as ‘two-part’ devices.

It is common for aerosol provision systems/devices (and reusable device parts and consumable parts comprising them) to have a generally elongate shape. For the sake of providing a concrete example, certain embodiments of the disclosure described herein will be taken to comprise this kind of generally elongate two-part device employing a reusable device part comprising a heater, and a consumable comprising aerosol generating material. However, it will be appreciated the underlying principles described herein may equally be adopted for different aerosol provision system configurations, for example single-part devices or modular devices comprising more than two parts, refillable devices and single-use disposable devices, as well as devices conforming to other overall shapes, for example based on so-called ‘box-mod’ high performance devices that typically have a more boxy shape, and so-called ‘pod-mod’ devices which generally comprise a cartridge containing a heater and a supply of aerosol generating material, often in the form of a liquid, which is partially inserted into a chamber in a reusable device part to establish an electrical connection between the cartridge and control circuitry of the reusable device part via abutment of electrical contacts on the cartridge and electrical contacts disposed within the chamber of the reusable device part, when the cartridge is received in the chamber. More generally, it will be appreciated certain embodiments of the present disclosure are based on aerosol provision systems which are operationally configured to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and the constructional aspects of the aerosol provision systems configured to provide the functionality in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is not of primary significance.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through an example aerosol provision system/heat-not-burn device 1 in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure. The aerosol provision system 1 comprises two main components, namely a reusable device part 2 and a replaceable consumable/cartridge/cartomizer part 4.

In normal use the reusable part 2 and the consumable part 4 are releasably coupled/attached together by partially or fully inserting the consumable part 4 into a chamber 50 of the reusable device part 2, comprising a heater chamber region/heating region 53. The chamber 50 may be considered a heating/heater chamber in the sense that the consumable part 4 is configured to be heated by the reusable device part 2 whilst at least partially received in the chamber, by, for example, a heater comprised in the reusable part 2 heating the consumable part 4, or the reusable part 2 supplying energy (i.e. electrical energy) to the consumable part 4 to cause heating of a heater comprised in the consumable part 4. FIG. 1 schematically shows the reusable device part 2 with a consumable part 4 partially received into a chamber 50. Chamber 50 comprises a cylindrical tube extending into the reusable device part 2 from an outer housing surface of the reusable device part. In this example, the chamber extends into the device from an outer surface of the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part 2, defined as the uppermost part of the reusable device part as a user holds it in their hand for use, the chamber 50 extending parallel to the long axis of the reusable device part 2. An aperture 51 communicates between the chamber 50 and the exterior of the device.

In broad outline, the reusable device part 2 is configured to generate an aerosol to be inhaled by a user, typically by heating one or more aerosol generating materials in the consumable part 4, either directly via one or more heating elements associated with the heating region 53 of the chamber 50, or by transmitting electrical energy or a magnetic field into the consumable part 4 to activate an aerosol generator such as a heating element in or on the consumable part 4. In use, a user inserts a consumable part 4 into the chamber 50 of the reusable device part via the aperture 51, and then activates the reusable device part 2, e.g. using a button 14, to cause the reusable device part 2 to supply power from a power supply/battery 26 to an aerosol generating element to aerosolize the aerosol generating material(s) comprised in the consumable part 4 for inhalation by a user. The user subsequently draws on a mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4 which extends out of the aperture 51 at the mouthpiece end of reusable device part 2 to inhale an aerosol generated by the reusable device part 2. As a user draws on the mouthpiece 41 of consumable part 4, air is drawn into an air inlet 24 disposed on an outer surface of reusable part 2, down an air inlet channel 25, and into a heating region 53 of the chamber 50, wherein it enters at least one air inlet 42 of the consumable part 4, entraining vapor/aerosol generated via aerosolization/heating of a portion of aerosol generating material 43 comprised in the consumable part 4. For the same of a concrete example, FIG. 1 shows schematically a heating element 48 arranged around the heating region 53 of the chamber 50 as described further herein, which transmits heat into a portion of the consumable part 4 containing aerosol generating material 43. The entrained vapor/aerosol travels through the consumable part 4 towards a mouthpiece end of the reusable device part 2 (from which a mouthpiece 41 of consumable part 4 extends), wherein aerosol droplets condense out or further condense out of the vapor/aerosol, forming a condensation aerosol which exits the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4 for inhalation by the user.

The reusable part 2 comprises an outer housing having with an opening that defines an air inlet 24, a power source 26 (for example a battery) for providing operating power for the aerosol provision system, control circuitry 22 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the electronic cigarette, an optional user input button 14, an optional display 16, and a visual display/visual indicator 28. The outer housing of the reusable device part 2 may be formed, for example, from a plastics or metallic material, or any other material known to the skilled person. For the sake of providing a concrete example, the reusable device part 2 may in some embodiments have a length of around 80 mm, and the consumable part 4 extends from the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part by approximately 10 to 30 mm when inserted into the chamber 50, so the overall length of the aerosol provision system 1 when the consumable part and reusable device part are coupled together is around 90 to 110 mm. The consumable part 4 may have a diameter of approximately 80 mm. However, and as already noted, it will be appreciated that the overall shape and scale of an aerosol provision system implementing an embodiment of the disclosure is not significant to the principles described herein.

The power source 26 in this example is rechargeable and may be of a conventional type, for example of the kind normally used in aerosol provision systems such as heat-not-burn devices, tobacco heating devices, electronic cigarettes and other applications requiring provision of relatively high currents over relatively short periods (for example, a lithium ion battery). The power source 26 may be recharged through a charging connector in the reusable part housing, comprising for example a micro-USB or USB-C connector, which may also provide an interface for data transfer between a controller 22 and an external processing device such as a smartphone or a personal computer.

A user input button 14 may optionally be provided, which in this example is a conventional mechanical button, for example comprising a spring mounted component which may be pressed by a user to establish an electrical contact. In this regard, the input button 14 may be considered an input devices for detecting user input and the specific manner in which the button is implemented is not significant (e.g. it may comprise a capacitive touch sensor and/or a touch-sensitive display element). A plurality of such buttons may be provided, with one or more buttons being assigned to functions such as switching the aerosol provision system 1 on and off, and adjusting user settings such as a power to be supplied from the power source 26 to an aerosol generator 48, and/or selecting one or more device modes. However, the inclusion of user input buttons is optional, and in some embodiments such buttons may not be included.

An optional display unit 16 may in some instanced be provided on an outer surface of the housing of reusable device part 2. The display unit 16, where included, may comprise a pixilated or non-pixilated display unit (for example, comprising a single LED, an array of LEDs, a liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode (LED) display, organic light emitting-diode (OLED) display, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, electroluminescent display (ELD), plasma display panel (PDP), e-ink display), connected to controller 22. The skilled person may implement such a display in accordance with any approaches known in the art. Such a display may be used for displaying to a user usage information about the use of the aerosol provision system 1. Exemplary forms of usage information which may be displayed to a user via an optional display unit 16 are described further herein.

At least one visual indicator/visual feedback indicator 28 is provided, with a display region visible on an outer surface of the housing of the reusable device part 2, the visual indicator 28 being configured to provide visual feedback to a user about one or more aspects of the operation or status of the device. Such visual feedback may comprise information about, for example, whether the system is on or off, a selected operating mode, how much charge or aerosol generating material remains in the system, the temperature of a heating element, or a strength with which a user is inhaling on the device (e.g. derived from an airflow sensor as described further herein). Such information may be shown before, during and/or after a puff or session on the aerosol provision device. The visual indicator used to display such information may comprise a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels, comprising for example an LCD, LED, OLED, AMOLED, ELD, PDP, e-ink display, or any other form of pixilated display panel known to the skilled person. Additionally or alternatively, the visual indicator 28 may comprise one or more non-pixilated display elements, such as one or more LEDs. Where the visual indicator 28 comprises one or more LEDs, the color of each LED may be selected from among a set of LED colors known to the skilled person, and/or LEDs may be used which are configured to show more than one color (e.g. one or more RGB LEDs may be used). As set out further herein, the at least one visual indicator 28 may further comprise one or more light guiding elements, such as one or more light pipe, fiber optic or otherwise transparent or translucent light-transmitting elements, configured to guide a visual feedback signal from one or more light-emitting visual feedback elements situated within the housing of the reusable device part 2 to one or more display regions visible on, in or through a housing surface of the reusable device part 2.

A controller 22 is suitably configured/programmed to control the operation of the aerosol provision system to provide functionality in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure as described further herein, as well as for providing conventional operating functions of the aerosol provision system in line with the established techniques for controlling such devices. The controller (processor circuitry) 22 may be considered to logically comprise various sub-units/circuitry elements associated with different aspects of the operation of the aerosol provision system 1. In this example the controller 22 comprises power supply control circuitry for controlling the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in response to user input, user programming circuitry for establishing configuration settings (e.g. user-defined power settings) in response to user input, as well as other functional units/circuitry associated functionality in accordance with the principles described herein and conventional operating aspects of aerosol provision systems, such as display driving circuitry and user input detection circuitry. It will be appreciated the functionality of the controller 22 can be provided in various different ways, for example using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and/or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuit(s)/circuitry/chip(s)/chipset(s) configured to provide the desired functionality. The controller 22 may comprise a wireless transceiver and associated control circuitry enabling transfer of data between the reusable device part 2 and an external computing device such as a smartphone or personal computer (not shown), via a wireless transfer protocol such as Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC) or Zigbee. The controller 22 also comprises one or more data storage elements (e.g. a memory element such as a ROM or RAM element) which can be used to store data associated with usage of the aerosol provision system, according to established techniques for data storage and transfer.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, reusable device part 2 may comprise an airflow sensor 30 such as a pressure sensor or flow-rate sensor (for example a hot-wire anemometer) which is electrically connected to the controller 22, and in fluid communication with a portion of the airflow path between air inlet 24 and mouthpiece 41. The airflow sensor 30 may, for example, be disposed in a wall of the air inlet channel 25 or the chamber 50, and/or extend at least partially into or across a portion of an air flow pathway defined by air inlet channel 25 or the chamber 50). In some embodiments, a combined airflow and temperature sensor is used which allows the temperature of airflow in a portion of the airflow path in the device to be determined. In some embodiments, the airflow sensor comprises a so-called “puff sensor”, in that a signal from the airflow sensor 30 is used by the controller 22 to detect when a user is puffing on the device. In some embodiments, detection of a user puff (for example, by the controller 22 detecting a signal from the airflow sensor 30 indicative of pressure and/or flow rate in the airflow path between air inlet 24 and the mouthpiece 41, and determining it is above or below a predefined threshold) is used by the controller 22 to control the supply of power to the aerosol generator/heater 48. Accordingly, the controller 22 may distribute electrical power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 in dependence on at least a signal received from the airflow sensor 30 by the controller 22. The specific manner in which the signal output from the airflow sensor 30 (which may comprise a measure of capacitance, resistance or other characteristic of the airflow sensor, made by the controller 22) is used by the controller 22 to control the supply of power from the power source 26 to the aerosol generator 48 can be implemented in accordance with any approach known to the skilled person (for example, by providing an amount of power to the aerosol generator 48 which is proportional to the characteristics of airflow (e.g. pressure, flow-rate and/or speed) through the aerosol provision system as determined on the basis of the signal output by the airflow sensor 30). In some instances, signal received from the pressure sensor (i.e. the aerosol generator 48 is ‘puff activated’) is used by the controller 22 to switch on and/or off the supply of power to the aerosol generator 48 (e.g. by supplying power when an airflow parameter value determined on the basis of a signal received from the airflow sensor 30 is one side of a predefined threshold, and not supplying power when the airflow parameter value is the other side of the predefined threshold). In other embodiments, the supply of power to the aerosol generator 48 is controlled via other means (e.g. by button 14), with the delivery of power being modified based on the signal received by the controller 22 from the airflow sensor (e.g. modulated in proportion to an airflow parameter determined based on a signal received from the airflow sensor 30). However, it will be appreciated that the inclusion of an airflow sensor is optional, and in some embodiments no airflow sensor is included. In such embodiments, the supply of power to the aerosol generator 48 may be switched on and off by a button 14, or may be switched on by a button 14, with the supply of power to the aerosol generator 48 being switched off by the controller 22 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. For example, when the controller 22 detects a predetermined input signal (for example, supplied via a button 14, or comprising detecting via a suitable sensor that a user has inserted a consumable part 4 into the chamber 50), the controller may begin to supply power from battery 26 to the aerosol generator 48 and begin a timer. When the elapsed time/activation duration on the timer reaches a predefined threshold (for example, 210 seconds), the controller 22 may stop supplying power to the aerosol generator 48. The activation duration of the aerosol generator 48 at a given power level may be set based on the time taken for the aerosol generator 48 to aerosolize/volatilize a predefined amount of the aerosol generating material 48 in the consumable part 4. A suitable activation duration (i.e. the time from aerosol generator 48 activation after which the controller 22 automatically turns off the supply of power to the aerosol generator 48) may be determined for a given consumable part 4 using experimentation or modelling.

In some embodiments, the aperture 51 of the reusable part 2 via which the consumable part 4 is inserted into the chamber 50 may be opened and closed by a door (not shown), which is movable between a closed position and an open position to allow for insertion of the consumable part 4 into the reusable device part 2 when in the open position. The door may be co-planar with a mouthpiece-end surface of the reusable device part, being configured slide along an axis between open and closed positions or rotate between open and closed positions. A spring or magnet may bias the door the open and closed positions to retain it in either of the open or closed position once the user has slid or rotated the door into either position.

The reusable part 2 typically comprises an aerosol generator 48 located in the vicinity of the heating region 53 of the consumable chamber 50. An aerosol generator is an element or apparatus configured to cause aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4, for example, by heating. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 comprises a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 to heat energy, so as to release one or more volatiles from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to cause an aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator 48 may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material in the consumable part 4 to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy to volatilize the aerosol generating material. It will be appreciated that in a two-part device such as shown in FIG. 1, portions of the aerosol generator 48 may be in either of the reusable device part 2 and/or the consumable part 4. It will further be appreciated that in some instances the consumable part 4 may comprise a cartridge containing an electrically operated aerosol generator (e.g. a heater), and that in addition to or in place of aerosol generator 48 in the reusable device part 2, the reusable device part 2 may comprise an electrical interface comprising electrical contacts disposed in chamber 50 which electrically connect the aerosol generator in the consumable part 4 with the power source 26 and controller 22 in the reusable device part 4 when the consumable part 4 is fully or partially received within the chamber 50.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, an aerosol generator 48 comprising at least one heating element is formed as a cylindrical tube, having a hollow interior heating chamber, configured in use to provide heat energy to a heating region 53 of the chamber/receiving recess 50, into which the consumable part 4 comprising aerosol generating material 43 is inserted for heating. As set out further herein, a heating element may directly form a portion of a tube comprising chamber 50, or may be disposed around or proximate a heating region 53 of a tube comprising chamber 50. Different arrangements for the aerosol generator/heater 48 are possible. In some embodiments, a heater 48 may comprise a single heating element (e.g. a resistive trace, track and/or winding) or may be formed of plural heating elements aligned longitudinally or transversely (e.g. radially) to the longitudinal axis of the chamber 50. Each of one or more heating elements comprised in the heater 48 may be annular or tubular, or at least part-annular or part-tubular around its circumference. The one or more heating elements may comprise one or more thin-film heaters comprising one or more resistive tracks on a heat-resistant substrate comprising, for example, polyimide film. The one or more heating elements may comprise a ceramics material, comprising for example aluminum nitride or silicon nitride ceramics, which may be laminated and sintered with one or more heat-generating layers to form a heater according to approaches known in the art. Other heater arrangements are possible, including for example inductive heating elements, infrared heater elements, which heat by emitting infrared radiation, or resistive heating elements formed by for example a resistive electrical winding. In the latter case, the resistive winding may be disposed around a ceramic, metallic or heat-resistant polymer tube, or embedded within such a tube, the tube either comprising heating region 53 of the chamber 50, or arranged around it, to emit heat into a cavity within heating region 53. The battery 26 is electrically coupled to the heating element to supply electrical power when required, and under control of the control circuitry 22 to heat the aerosolizable material in the consumable 4 (as discussed further herein, to volatilize the aerosolizable material without causing the aerosolizable material to burn).

The rate at which aerosol generating material in the consumable part is vaporized by the aerosol generator/heater 48 will depend on the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 48. Thus electrical power can be applied to the aerosol generator 48 to selectively generate aerosol from the aerosol generating material in the consumable 4, and furthermore, the rate of aerosol generation can be changed by changing the amount of power supplied to the aerosol generator 48, for example through pulse width and/or frequency modulation techniques, under the control of controller 22.

In some embodiments, at least one heating element comprised in aerosol generator 48 is supported by and surrounds a thermally conductive tube, formed for example of stainless steel, comprising part of the wall of the chamber 50 which receives at least part of the consumable part 4. At least the portion of the tube proximate to the heating element(s) may be considered to comprise the heating region 53 of the chamber 50. The internal diameter of the tube comprising the chamber 50 is sized relative to the diameter of the consumable part 4 to be inserted into the tube. The tube may taper slightly (not shown) from a wider diameter at the aperture 51 to a narrower diameter at the base of the chamber distal to the aperture 51, such that as the consumable part 4 is slid into the chamber 50, the end distal to the mouthpiece 41 is slightly radially compressed as the consumable part 4 reaches the end of its travel into the chamber 50, causing the consumable part 4 to be gently retained in the chamber 50. This arrangement can prevent the consumable 4 accidentally sliding out of the reusable device part 4 if, for example, the reusable device part 4 is inverted during use. The chamber 50 may also be slightly flared or chamfered at the aperture end to allow the consumable part to be easily guided into the chamber 50. Accordingly, the chamber 50 may act as an elongate support for supporting, in use, the consumable part 4 comprising aerosol generating material. The diameter of the chamber 50 in the heating region 53 will in general be selected to closely match that of the consumable part 4, ensuring contact between the exterior surface of the consumable part 4 and a substantial portion of the interior surface of the heating region 53 of the chamber 50, allowing for efficient heat transfer of heat from one or more heating elements comprised in the aerosol generator 48 into the consumable part 4.

In embodiments where the aerosol generator 48 comprises a heater, the tube comprising the heating region 53 of the chamber 50 comprises a material which transfers heat from the heater 48, to the consumable part 4, and generally comprises a metal or a metal alloy, such as one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, steel, plain-carbon steel, mild steel, ferritic stainless steel, molybdenum, copper, and bronze. In other embodiments, the section of tube comprising the heating region 53 of the chamber 50 may be made from a different material, as long as it is thermally conductive. Other heating elements 48 may be used in other embodiments. For example, the heating element 48 may comprise a susceptor (for instance a portion of a tube comprising chamber 50) that is heated via induction when exposed to a magnetic field generated by one or more magnetic field generators such as drive coils (not shown) disposed within the reusable part 2.

Typically, where the aerosol generator 48 comprises one or more heating elements, the aerosol generator 48 is dimensioned relative to the distribution of aerosol generating material in the consumable part 4 so that when the consumable 4 is inserted in the reusable device part 2, substantially all of aerosol generating material in the consumable part can be heated in use (for example, a longitudinal extent of the heating region 53 down the axis of the chamber 50 may match the longitudinal extent of the distribution of aerosol generating material 43 in the consumable part 4, when the consumable part 4 is received into the chamber 50 for use). In some embodiments, one or more heating elements comprised in the aerosol generator 48 may be arranged so that selected zones of the aerosol generating material in the consumable part 4 can be independently heated, for example in turn (over time) or together (simultaneously) as desired (for example by distributing independently controllable heating elements along a length of the chamber 50 comprising the heating region 53).

As mentioned further herein, in some embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical tube which comprises, is embedded in, or surrounds the heating region 53 of the chamber 50. The chamber formed by the internal portion of the tube comprising the heating region 53 is typically in fluid communication with the aperture 51 at the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part 2 via a non-heating region 52 of the chamber 50 (which may also be referred to as an expansions region/chamber. In such embodiments, the non-heating region 52 comprises a tubular body that has a first open end adjacent to or comprising the aperture 51 and a second open end adjacent the heating chamber region 53 of the chamber 50. In this manner, the non-heating region 52 and heating region 53 can be considered tubular portions of chamber 50 which are arranged end to end. In general, the diameter of the expansion region 52 and heating region 53 will be matched at the interface between them to ensure smooth passage of the non-mouthpiece end of the consumable part 4 through the non-heating region 52 and into the heating region 53. The non-heating/expansion region 52 and heating region 53 of a tube comprising chamber 50 may be separately formed and connected via mechanical joining processes, or integrally formed. In some embodiments, the non-heating region 52 comprises a flared section (not shown) which widens as it opens out onto the aperture 51, and a section of substantially constant internal diameter proximate to the interface with the heating region 53.

In some embodiments, the consumable part 4 is in the form of a cylindrical rod which has or contains aerosol generating material 43 at an end distal to the mouthpiece 41, in a section of the consumable part 4 that is within the heating region 53 of the chamber 50 when the consumable part 4 is inserted in the reusable device part 2. For the sake of providing a concrete example, in one embodiment the consumable part 4 has a diameter of around 8 mm and a length of around 84 mm. The depth of the chamber 50 of the reusable device portion is sized relative to the length of the consumable part 4 such that a mouthpiece end 41 of the consumable part 4 typically extends from the aperture (for example, by 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm or more than 30 mm) when the consumable part 4 is inserted into the chamber 50 for use. Accordingly, a mouthpiece end of the consumable part 4 typically extends from the reusable device part 2, out of aperture 51. The consumable part 4 may include a filter/cooling element 44 for filtering/cooling aerosol, disposed between the mouthpiece 41 and a region of aerosol generating material 43. The consumable part 4 is typically circumferentially wrapped in a wrapper/outer layer (not shown) which may comprise a paper material, and/or a metallic foil, and/or a polymer film such as Natureflex™. The outer layer of the consumable part 4 may be permeable to allow some heated volatilized components from the aerosol generating material 43 to escape the consumable part 2 prior to reaching the mouthpiece 41. In some embodiments, the wrapper may comprise a metallic material in the vicinity of the aerosol generating material 43, which is configured to act as a susceptor, which is heated by induction via one or more magnetic field generators/drive coils (not shown) in the reusable device part 2, so as to heat the aerosol generating material 43 via inductive heating. For example, in such embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 may comprise one or more magnetic field generators/drive coils configured to induce inductive heating of a metallic wrapper of consumable 4, and/or one or more susceptor elements embedded within the aerosol generating material 43 within the consumable part 4, to induce heating of aerosol generating material 43 in the consumable part 4. It will be appreciated the configuration of the consumable part 4 set out above is illustrative, and the skilled person may modify the overall structure of the consumable part according to approaches known in the art.

In some embodiments, the aerosol generator 48 comprises at least one heating element configured to transfer heat into the consumable part 4 (according to approaches for heating set out further herein), and at least one magnetic field generator/drive coil configured to inductively heat at least one susceptor element comprised in consumable part 4 (according to approaches set out further herein). In such embodiments, the aerosol generating material 43 may comprise a plurality of aerosol generating materials, at least a first of which is heated by heat transferred into the consumable part 4 from the aerosol generator 48, and at least a second of which is heated by one or more susceptors comprised in or on consumable 4.

Where the aerosol generator 48 is configured to heat the consumable part 4, the temperature of part of the aerosol generator 48, and/or the heating region 53 of the chamber 50, or the consumable part 4, or any part of the reusable device part 2, may be detected by the controller 22 using one or more temperature sensors. For example, a heating element comprised in aerosol generator 48 may comprise a material with a temperature coefficient of resistance property such that its resistance varies with temperature. The controller 22 may determine the resistance of the heating element via known approaches and compare this result with a look-up table derived via experimentation or modelling linking heating element resistance to temperature, in order to estimate a temperature of the aerosol generator 48 based on the measured resistance. Alternatively or in addition, one or more temperature sensing elements such as thermistors may be positioned in the vicinity of the heating region 53 (for example, attached to or embedded in a tube comprising the heating region 53 of the chamber 50), said thermistors being connected to the controller 22 to enable the controller to monitor the temperature of the consumable part 4 and/or the heating region 53. The temperature of air in the air inlet channel 25 may also be monitored by one or more temperature sensors (for example a combined temperature and pressure sensor or thermistor) in a similar manner.

Typically, the primary flow path for heated volatilized components produced by heating of the aerosol generating material 43 by the heater 48 is axially through the consumable part 4, through the filter/cooling element 44 (where included), and into a user's mouth through the open end of the mouthpiece 41. However, some of the volatilized components may escape from the consumable part 4 through its permeable outer wrapper and into a space surrounding the consumable part 4 in the non-heated chamber region 52 (e.g. a space formed by an optional gap (not shown) between the outer surface of the consumable 4 and the inner surface of the chamber 50 in the flared portion of the non-heating/expansion chamber region 53).

As used herein, the term “aerosol generating material” 43 typically includes materials that provide volatilized components upon heating, typically in the form of vapor or an aerosol. “Aerosol generating material” may be a non-tobacco-containing material or a tobacco-containing material. “Aerosol generating material” may, for example, include one or more of tobacco per se, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extract, homogenized tobacco or tobacco substitutes. The aerosol generating material can be in the form of ground tobacco, cut rag tobacco, extruded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, reconstituted aerosol generating material, liquid, gel, amorphous solid, gelled sheet, powder, or agglomerates, or the like. “Aerosol generating material” also may include other, non-tobacco, products, which, depending on the product, may or may not contain nicotine. “Aerosol generating material” may comprise one or more humectants, such as glycerol, propylene glycol, triacetin, or diethylene glycol.

As noted above, the aerosol generating material 43 may comprise an “amorphous solid”, which may alternatively be referred to as a “monolithic solid” (i.e. non-fibrous), or as a “dried gel”. The amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as liquid, within it. In some cases, the aerosol generating material comprises from about 50 wt %, 60 wt % or 70 wt % of amorphous solid, to about 90 wt %, 95 wt % or 100 wt % of amorphous solid. In some cases, the aerosol generating material consists of amorphous solid.

In some embodiments, the aerosol generating material is non-liquid aerosol generating material, and the reusable device part is for heating non-liquid aerosol generating material to volatilize at least one component of the aerosol generating material.

Once all, or substantially all, of the volatilizable component(s) of the aerosol generating material in the consumable part 4 have/have been exhausted, the user may remove the consumable part 4 from the reusable device part 1 and dispose of the consumable part 4. The user may subsequently re-use the reusable device part 2 with another consumable part 4. However, in other respective embodiments, the consumable part 4 and the reusable device part 2 may be disposed of together once the volatilizable component(s) of the aerosol generating material has/have been spent. The consumable part 4 may be configured with a quantity of aerosol generating material 43 which is configured to be heated and exhausted over a single heating cycle (for example, an activation duration of 210 seconds), or may be configured with quantity of aerosol generating material 43 which is configured to be exhausted over a plurality of heating cycles. In the latter case, the consumable part 4 may be considered to be a reusable consumable part 4.

In some embodiments, the consumable part 4 may be sold, supplied or otherwise provided separately from the reusable device part 2 with which the consumable part 4 is usable. However, in some embodiments, the reusable device part 2 and one or more of the consumable parts 4 may be provided together as a system such as a kit or an assembly, possibly with additional components, such as cleaning utensils.

As described further herein, there are a plurality of classes of information about the status or use of an aerosol generating system 1 which controller 22 may indicate to a user via one or more feedback mechanisms/indicators comprised in the reusable device 1. Such information may be termed ‘feedback’ or ‘usage information’, and may be indicated to a user using one or more of a visual indicator 28 (as described further herein), a display unit 16, an audible feedback mechanism (such as a microphone), or a haptic feedback mechanism (such as an eccentric-rotating-mass actuator). Feedback/usage information indicated to a user via visual, audible and/or haptic feedback mechanisms/indicators may comprise any of the non-exhaustive list of classes of information:

• • Information relating to the status of a such as battery 26, including but not limited to the remaining energy in the battery (expressed for example as a percentage of the energy contained in the battery when fully charged), the output voltage of the battery, a number of recharge cycles, a temperature of the battery, whether or not the battery 26 is below a threshold of charge, for example less than 75%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% or 5% of full charge, the maximum output power, the number of heating cycles remaining until the battery is depleted, or an indication of an error state in the battery. As the skilled person will readily appreciate, these parameters may be determined and/or estimated by a controller 22 connected to battery 26 in a variety of ways, according to techniques known in the art.
  • Information relating to airflow in the aerosol provision system, including but not limited to a puff or session length, or a puff strength or duration, for example, an indication of a pressure drop during user inhalation, an air flow rate or air flow speed during user inhalation, the air temperature in a portion of the airflow path between the air inlet 24 and the mouthpiece 41, or the elapsed time or total duration of a user puff. Such information may be established by controller 22 on the basis of signals received from an airflow sensor 30. As the skilled person will readily appreciate, these parameters may be determined and/or estimated by a controller 22 connected to an airflow sensor 30 in a variety of ways, according to techniques known in the art.
  • Information related to the operation and status of the aerosol generating element 48, including but not limited to an indication of actual power currently being delivered to the aerosol generating element 48, or which has been delivered during a previous heating cycle; a current power setting (e.g. a power level which is stored in the controller 22, either by default or by a user, or in any other way, and which is to be applied to the aerosol generating element 48 in an upcoming heating cycle); an indication of an error state in the aerosol generating element 48; a binary indication of whether or not the aerosol generating element 48 is activated; or an indication of a temperature of a heater comprising the aerosol generating element 48. As the skilled person will readily appreciate, these parameters may be determined and/or estimated by a controller 22 connected to an aerosol generating element 48 in a variety of ways, according to techniques known in the art.
  • Information related to usage statistics of the aerosol provision system, including but not limited to an indication of a number of puffs within a predefined time period, a number of sessions within a predefined time period, an average puff or session length, an average puff strength or duration.

In general, one or more parameter values comprising feedback/usage information will be converted by controller 22 to a representation for display to a user on a visual indicator 28. In this respect, it will be appreciated that a variety of representations can be used for visually representing feedback/usage information. For example, a parameter value comprising usage information may be expressed as an absolute value, or a position of a value with respect to a predefined range. For example, a temperature of a heating element comprised in aerosol generator 48, and measured by the controller 22 according to approaches set out further herein, may be expressed as an absolute value, such as 200° C., to take one non-limiting example. Such a value may also be expressed in terms of position within a predefined range of values, so that, for example, 200° C. may be expressed as halfway between a range from 150° C. to 250° C., or three quarters of the way between a range from 125° C. to 225° C. Accordingly a representation of the former example might comprise a representation of the form ‘½’ or ‘50%’ or (50/100), and a representation of the latter example might comprise a representation of the form ‘¾’ or ‘75%’ or (75/100). A plurality of ranges may also be used to map an absolute value of a parameter into one or more classes. For example, ‘low’ might be defined as a class of heating element temperatures (t) where 50<t≤150° C., ‘medium’ might be defined as a class of temperatures where 150<t≤250° C., and ‘high’ might be defined as a class of temperatures where 250<t≤350° C. Accordingly, in this scheme, a temperature of t=200° C., as detected by the controller 22, may be mapped to the class ‘medium’ by the controller 22. In some embodiments, a parameter value comprising usage information may be assigned to one of two classes, depending on whether it is above or below a predefined threshold, giving a binary classification for the value (e.g. ‘1’ or ‘0’, or ‘on’ or ‘off’, or ‘yes’ or ‘no’). Though these examples have been described in terms of usage information comprising a parameter value for a temperature associated with the aerosol provision system 1, it will be appreciated similar approaches may be used for representation of any other form of usage information, including but not limited to those described further herein.

It will be appreciated a parameter value comprising usage information may be displayed by a visual indicator 28 using one or more visual representations. For example, on a visual indicator comprising a pixilated display region (such as, for example, an LCD display panel), a parameter value may be expressed alphanumerically (for instance, by displaying a temperature as ‘200° C.’ on an array of pixels). A value or class of values may also be assigned to one or more display colors using a predefined mapping (e.g. using a colourmap which maps a range of colors to values/classes in a predefined range of values/classes). For example, each of a set of classes as described above may be assigned a distinct color (e.g. green for ‘low’, orange for ‘medium’ and red for ‘high’). Where there are only two classes, the class into which a displayed parameter value falls can be indicated by a simple binary indication. For example, where the visual indicator 28 comprises a display with one or more illuminating elements (for example a backlit LCD display, or one or more LEDs) the visual indicator 28 may be illuminated by the controller 22 if the parameter value is above a predefined threshold, and not illuminated by the controller 22 if the parameter value is below the predefined threshold, or the display may be controlled to show a first color if the parameter value is above a predefined threshold and a second color if the parameter value is below a predefined threshold.

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments a value and/or class of values may be represented by a particular pattern displayed on the visual indicator 28. For example, a value/range of values may be mapped to a particular frequency at which brightness and/or color of visual feedback displayed on the visual feedback device may be modulated. For example, the ‘low’ class described above may be mapped to a pattern of ‘on’ pulses at a frequency of 3 Hz, the ‘medium’ class described above may be mapped to a pattern of ‘on’ pulses of the same duration at a frequency of 6 Hz, and the ‘high’ class described above may be mapped to a pattern of ‘on’ pulses of the same duration at a frequency of 6 Hz. Each ‘on’ pulse may comprise the controller 22 controlling the visual indicator 28 to display a predetermined form of visual feedback on a display region 281 for a certain pulse duration (for example, showing a solid-color indication for 0.1 s) with the visual indicator 28 being controlled not to display said predetermined form of visual feedback between pulses (e.g. the display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 may be controlled to emit light during on pulses and not to emit light between ‘on’ pulses). Alternatively, in some embodiments a pattern associated with a value or class for a parameter value comprises modulating between a first color during each ‘on’ pulse and a second color between ‘on’ pulses, and/or may comprise modulating between a first brightness/luminosity during each ‘on’ pulse and a second, lower brightness/luminosity between ‘on’ pulses. Different pulse frequencies may be mapped to different ranges for a usage information/feedback parameter to be displayed (e.g. a different pulse frequency might be assigned to each of a plurality of classes described above), or the pulse frequency may be controlled by controller 22 to continuously vary as the parameter value varies, according to a function such as f=x*c, where f is the pulse frequency, x is the value of the parameter to be displayed, and c is a scaling constant. The pulse ‘on’ time may be set to any suitable predetermined value, or may also scale as a function of the parameter x.

It will be appreciated the use of colors and/or binary indications (such as illuminating or not-illuminating a display region of a visual indicator), and/or use of temporal illumination patterns to represent a parameter value can be particularly useful in allowing a parameter to be indicated via a visual indicator 28 which does not allow for alphanumeric display (such as, for example, a non-pixilated display such as a single LED, and/or a light pipe as set out further herein). However, it will be appreciated that on a pixilated display allowing for alphanumeric display of parameter values, display of a color representing a value, and/or a binary indication representing a value, and/or a temporal display pattern may be used, either in place of an alphanumeric representation, or in conjunction with it.

The inventors have recognized that certain configurations may be particularly advantageous for placement of a visual indicator 28 associated with an aerosol provision system 1. In particular, the inventors have recognized that providing a visual indicator/visual feedback indicator 28 with a display/display region 281 arranged around/extending about an aperture 51 into which a consumable part 4 is received, can provide certain advantages in terms of the visibility of usage information displayed by the visual indicator 28.

FIG. 2 shows schematically a portion of reusable device part 2, corresponding to the upper left hand part of the reusable device part 2 shown schematically in FIG. 1. Significantly, FIG. 2 shows schematically the portion of the outer housing of reusable device portion 2 in which the aperture 51 is disposed, into which the consumable part 4 is received. A portion of consumable part 4 which extends from the aperture 51 when the consumable part 4 is received into the chamber 50 is schematically indicated using hatched lines. A surface region 29 of the housing of the reusable device portion 2 which surrounds the aperture 51 is shown. It will be appreciated that in different embodiments, the aperture 51 may be disposed in any suitable location on the outer housing of the reusable device portion, and that the surface region 29 surrounding the aperture 51 may be flat or curved or any other shape. In many embodiments, a surface region 29 of the housing surrounding the aperture will be oriented substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the consumable chamber 50, forming what may be considered a mouthpiece ‘end’ of the reusable part, which is visible to a user as they hold the reusable device part 2 with the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part 4 uppermost in order to take a puff on the device. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the reusable part 2 comprises an elongated ‘box’ such that the surface region 29 surrounding the aperture 51 comprises a rectangular surface region oriented perpendicular to a long axis of the reusable device part 2, however it will be appreciated this configuration is exemplary, and the mouthpiece end surface of reusable device part comprising surface region 29 may be circular, oval, polyhedral, or any other suitable shape. Typically, the mouthpiece end surface will comprise a surface of the housing of the aerosol provision system oriented substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the chamber into which the consumable part 4 is configured to be received, and/or, the mouthpiece end surface will comprise a surface of the housing of the aerosol provision system oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the consumable part 4. Typically, the outer perimeter of the mouthpiece end surface 29 will correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the reusable device part 2 along a substantial proportion of its length.

FIG. 2 shows schematically a visual indicator 28 arranged around the aperture 51. The visual indicator 28 comprises a display region 281 which is visible to a user, and on or through which visual feedback/usage information (e.g. a representation of usage information as described further herein) can be displayed, under the control of controller 22. The display/display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 (some or all of which may be configured to display visual feedback such as an illuminated signal to a user) may be continuous with the surface profile of the surrounding surface region 29, or may be recessed into it, or may extend outwardly from it. In some embodiments, the housing of reusable device part 2 in the vicinity of the surrounding surface region 29 may be transparent or translucent allowing a display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 on which visual feedback is displayed to be seen by a user through the housing of the reusable device part, and in such embodiments a translucent or transparent portion of the housing of the reusable device part 2 may therefore be disposed between the visible/display portion 281 of the visual indicator 28 and the exterior surface of the reusable device part 2. In general, the ‘visible portion’ or ‘display region’ of the visual indicator comprises a region configured to display a representation of a parameter comprising usage information to a user, and may comprise a pixilated display region, and/or a surface region configured to emit light. In some instances, the visible portion/display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 (some or all of which may be configured to display usage information) comprises all or substantially all of a mouthpiece-end surface region 29 surrounding the aperture 51, said display region 281 being typically oriented substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the chamber 50 to enable a user to see visual feedback provided on the visual indicator 28 when looking at the mouthpiece-end of the reusable device part 2 down the axis of the chamber 50.

In the example shown schematically in FIG. 2, the aperture 51 is circular, and the display/display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 comprises an annular shape entirely surrounding the aperture 51 (i.e. is it extends continuously around the aperture). Though the display region 281 will typically be continuous about the aperture (in the sense of the visual indicator 28 having a display/display region forming an enclosed loop enclosing the aperture 51), this is not the case in all embodiments, as described further herein, and accordingly the display may partially or fully extend about/surround the aperture 51. In general the display region 281 will follow the contours of the surface region 29 surrounding the aperture 29. In some embodiments, the display region 281 of the visual indicator 28 may comprise all or substantially all of the mouthpiece-end surface of the reusable part. In FIG. 2, the aperture 51 is circular, but will be appreciated that in other instances the aperture 51 may comprise other shapes (e.g. oval, rectangular, or polyhedral) and at least the inner boundary of the display region 281, closest to the aperture 51, may closely follow the shape of the aperture 51, either being contiguous to it, or spaced from it by an annular housing portion). The inner and outer boundaries of the display region 281 may follow the same profile (e.g. in FIG. 2, inner and outer boundaries, defined with respect to the aperture 51 in the plane of the surface region 29, are both circular, forming an annular 2D display region with constant radial thickness in the plane of the surface region 29). In other embodiments, the inner and outer boundaries of display region 281 may have different shapes. For example, the inner boundary might be circular, shaped to be contiguous with the aperture 51, and the outer boundary might be rectangular, comprising all or substantially all of the areal extent of a mouthpiece-end surface 29 of reusable device 2 oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of chamber 50.

The visual indicator 28 may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, the visual indicator may comprise a pixilated display/display region 281, comprising for example a liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting diode display (LED), organic light emitting-diode display (OLED), active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), electroluminescent display (ELD), plasma display panel (PDP), e-ink display, or any other form of display known to the skilled person). In this respect, the visual indicator may comprise one or more illuminating elements (e.g. it may be a backlit display panel, such as a pixilated LED display panel) or may depend on external illumination for visual feedback displayed on the display region 281 to be seen by a user (as may be the case for some e-ink display panels). The former class of visual indicators may be considered ‘actively illuminated’ visual indicators, and the latter class of visual indicators may be considered ‘passive’ visual indicators.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a display of the feedback mechanism arranged about the aperture 51 may be subdivided into a plurality of display regions which may optionally be independently controlled by controller 22. FIG. 3 shows schematically a visible portion of an exemplary visual indicator 28 arranged around an aperture 51, as viewed parallel to the longitudinal axis of chamber 50. In this embodiment, the display of the visual indicator 28 takes an annular form, which is subdivided into four quadrants/display regions 281A, 281B, 281C and 281D, each of which covers approximately a 90 degree extent around the circumference of the display. The quadrants may be contiguous with each other around the aperture, or may be spaced apart. Each of the four quadrants may be separately activated by controller 22 to display usage information according to approaches set out further herein. Activation and/or illumination of successive quadrants/display regions from 281A to 281D (e.g. in the direction of the hatched arrow) may be used to indicate the value of a parameter comprising usage information, based on a mapping between each quadrant/display region, and a predefined range of a values for a particular parameter comprising usage information associated with the aerosol provision system 1. For instance, where the usage information to be displayed by the visual indicator comprises an elapsed time t in a heating cycle with a predefined duration of T seconds, the controller 22 may illuminate only quadrant 281A when t≤(T/4), illuminate quadrants 281A and 281B when (T/4)<t≤(T/2), illuminate quadrants 281A, 281B and 281C when (T/2)<t≤(2T/3), and illuminate quadrants 281A, 281B, 281C and 281D when (T2/3)<t. It will be appreciated that the same principle may be applied to display any other parameter associated with usage of the device (for example, a temperature, flow rate, or power level as set out further herein). It will be further appreciated that though four quadrants are shown in FIG. 3, in principle the visual indicator may be subdivided into any number of discrete display regions to provide finer granularity in the display of a parameter value respective to a predefined range of values. In some embodiments, a predefined range of values for a given parameter (for example, defined as the range between a minimum and maximum value) can be binned into a number of contiguous and non-overlapping classes, each comprising a sub-range of equal size, where the number of classes is equal to the number of discrete, individually controllable display regions 281 available on the visual indicator. Each display region can then be assigned to a given class, such that classes representing sequential sub-ranges are mapped to discrete display regions 281 at sequential positions around the aperture 51. For a given current value of a parameter value to be represented on the visual indicator 28, the controller 22 first determines into which class the parameter value falls, and then activates the discrete display region corresponding to said class, and may optionally activate all discrete display regions corresponding to all classes covering the range of values below the given current value. ‘Activation’ of a display region in this context may follow any of the approaches set out further herein for display of usage information, including a binary indication (such as illuminating or not illuminating the display region 281 depending on the parameter value), displaying a certain color based on a predefined mapping of different colors to different parameter values, and/or modulating a brightness and/or color of visual feedback provided on the display region 281 with a modulating frequency which is a function of the parameter value.

The embodiment schematically shown in FIG. 4 is similar to and will be understood from FIG. 2, and shows a similar embodiment to that shown schematically in FIG. 3, in which the visual indicator 28 comprises a display comprising a plurality of display regions 281 to 288, disposed around the aperture 51. In the embodiment schematically shown in FIG. 4, each display region is distributed along a circular path around aperture 51, such that the display comprising the plurality of display regions 281 is arranged around/extends around the aperture 51. Each of the display regions 281 to 288 may be contiguous to its neighboring display regions, such that the visual indicator 28 comprises a continuous display extending around aperture 51, or may be spaced apart around the path on which they lie providing a plurality of spatially separated display regions (spaced apart, for example, by 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm or more than 5 mm). The display regions 281 to 288 may be contiguous with the rim of the aperture 51, or may be radially spaced from the edge of the aperture 51 by a certain distance (for example, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm or more than 5 mm). In some embodiments, the visual indicator 28 may comprise a plurality of display regions 281 to 288 each of which comprises an LED embedded in the outer housing of reusable device part 2, or disposed internal to the housing, with light from the LEDs transmitted for display to a user via holes in the outer housing or light-transmitting elements such as light pipes or fiber-optic elements passing through the outer housing, with the portions of the light-transmitting elements which are visible on the outer surface 29 of reusable device part 2 being arranged around the aperture 51. Where the display of the visual indicator 28 comprises a plurality of independently controllable display regions 281 to 288, the controller 22 may configure display of usage information on the display following the approach set out for the embodiment set out schematically in FIG. 3.

In some embodiments, the display of the visual indicator is arranged around/extends around the aperture 51 in a non-continuous manner. FIG. 4 shows a visual indicator 28 comprising a plurality of display regions 281 to 288 which are arranged on a path which is continuous about the aperture, but whereby portions of the external housing of reusable device part 2 separate each display region from neighboring display regions such that the display of the visual indicator 28 comprises a plurality of distinct visible/display regions separated by regions of the outer surface 29 of the reusable device part 2 on which visual feedback is not displayed by the controller 22. FIG. 5, which will be recognized from FIGS. 2 and 4, also shows a visual indicator 28 which is non-continuous around the aperture 51. However, in this embodiment, the visual indicator 28 comprises a single, continuous display region, rather than the plurality of display regions as shown in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the visible display region of the visual indicator 28 comprises an annular display portion with a cutout 290 (e.g. a non-display portion of the external housing of the reusable device part) extending a certain angular extent around the circumference of the annular display portion. In general, the cutout will occupy <50% of the angular extent around the circumference of the annular display portion of the visual indicator 28, but it will be appreciated any suitable value can be selected. Typically, a display extending around an aperture 51 comprises one or more display regions 281 extending around a path around the aperture 51, such that display comprising the display regions extends continuously or non-continuously around ≥π radians of the angular extent around the aperture.

The visual indicators 28 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 comprise an annular display with circular internal and external boundaries. However, in other embodiments, the visual indicator/display arranged about the aperture 51 may comprise other geometries. For example, a display of a visual indicator 28 may be disposed in a continuous or partially continuous manner along a notional path around the aperture 51 which has an oval, triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, or other polyhedral profile. Alternatively the display may be disposed in a continuous or partially continuous manner along a notional path around the aperture 51 having a freeform profile.

In some embodiments, the visual indicator 28 comprises at least two concentrically arranged display regions which are independently controllable by controller 22, such that the controller 22 can independently control the display of visual feedback/usage information on each display region. Accordingly different instances of usage information (e.g. different representations of one or more parameter values comprising usage information) can be displayed simultaneously or in a staggered manner on each display region by the controller 22, though it will be appreciated the usage information displayed on each of two or more the concentric display regions may be the same.

FIG. 6, which will be recognized from FIG. 2, schematically shows an aperture 51 with a visual indicator comprising two concentric display regions 281, 282 arranged around/extending around the aperture. The two display regions 281 and 282 may be implemented in accordance with any of the approaches set out further herein (e.g. each may comprise a single, continuous display region, or a plurality of display regions as shown for example in FIGS. 3 and 4; and/or each display region 281 or 282 may be continuous about the aperture 51 as shown in FIG. 2, or non-continuous about the aperture 51 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). A first display region 281 is arranged around a first path around the aperture 51 (i.e. extending around aperture 51), and a second display region 282 is arranged around a second path around the aperture 51 (i.e. extending around aperture 51), with the second path lying outward from the first path. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the first and second paths are circular, and first and second display regions 281 and 282 both have an annular geometry. However, it will be appreciated that as described further herein, each of a plurality of concentric display regions of a visual indicator 28 may have different shapes, and the interior and exterior boundaries of the display portions 281 and 282 of the visual indicator 28 may therefore follow differently shaped paths. For example, in some embodiments, a first display region 281 of visual indicator 28 (i.e. the display region closest to the aperture 51) may comprise a circular annulus, and the second display region 282 may comprise part or substantially all of the remaining surface region 29 of the mouthpiece-end of reusable device part 2 (e.g. comprising, for instance, a rectangular exterior boundary and a circular inner boundary). It will be appreciated the inner boundary of the second display portion 282 may be contiguous with the exterior boundary of the first display portion 281, or that the first and second display regions may be spaced apart by a non-display region of the housing of reusable device part 2, disposed between the inner boundary of the second display portion 282 and the exterior boundary of first display portion 281.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a longitudinal cross section through a reusable device part 2 of an aerosol provision system 1 comprising a visual indicator 28 with two concentric display regions 281 and 282, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In this respect, FIG. 7 may be considered to show a cross section through the arrangement shown schematically in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the reusable device part 2, taken down the axis of chamber 50, showing a visual indicator 28 comprising display regions 281 and 282 extending around aperture 51. In this exemplary embodiment, both display regions 281 and 282 comprise pixilated display screens (e.g. LCD screens) with a pixilated display surface arranged facing outward from the exterior of reusable device part 2. Both display regions 281 and 282 are electrically connected to a controller 22, which independently controls each of them to display usage information according to principles set out further herein. However, it will be appreciated each of a plurality of display regions 281, 282 comprised in the visual indicator 28 may be implemented according to any pixilated or non-pixilated display technology set out herein. As shown in FIG. 6, both first and second display regions 281 and 282 of visual indicator 28 comprise annular display regions, though this configuration is exemplary and as set out further herein, and the display regions can have a wide range of shapes. The display regions of the visual indicator 28 are arranged to extend around the opening 51 of the chamber 50 in a manner set out further herein. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the visual indicator 28 is sized such that a diameter of an aperture through the first display region 281 closely matches (e.g. provides a sliding or clearance fit to) the outer diameter of a tube 54 comprising a portion of chamber 50 in the vicinity of the opening 51 (e.g. at the mouthpiece end of tube 54). A second display region 282 is arranged around both aperture 51 and first display region 281, being sized such that an inner diameter of the second display region 282 closely matches the outer diameter of the first display region 282. Accordingly during assembly of the reusable device part, the visual indicator 28 can be sleeved over the mouthpiece end of a tube 54 comprising a portion of chamber 50. The external housing of the reusable device part will typically be shaped with an channel recessed around the aperture 51, or a cutaway around the aperture 51, shaped to receive the visual indicator 28 such that the outer surfaces of one or more display regions are co-planar with the surface region 29 of the mouthpiece end of the reusable device part 2, when the visual indicator 28 is mounted in the reusable device part 2. Typically, the outer surfaces of a plurality of display regions comprised in a visual indicator 28 will also be co-planar with each other. However, in other embodiments, the outer surfaces of first and second display regions 281 and 282 may extend from the surrounding surface 29, or be recessed into it, provided they are visible to a user. Typically, the first and second display regions are nested display regions (in that one is disposed within the other). The concentric display regions 281 and 282 may not be contiguous with each other, or with the aperture 51, and in different embodiments, as set out herein, the display regions 281 and 282 can be spaced from the rim of the aperture 51, and from each other, by interposing non-display regions of the outer housing of reusable device part 2 between them. Though FIG. 7 has shown a visual indicator 28 comprising two concentric/nested display regions 281 and 282, it will be appreciated in other embodiments any number of display regions may be used.

In some embodiments, one or more display regions of a visual indicator/visual feedback indicator 28 are implemented using a light-guiding arrangement, wherein one or more light guiding elements are arranged to guide light from one or more light-emitting elements (e.g. one or more LEDs) disposed within reusable device part 2 to a display portion/region visible on the exterior of reusable device part 2 and arranged around the aperture 51. FIG. 8 will be recognized from FIG. 7, and schematically shows a longitudinal cross section through a reusable device part 2 of an aerosol provision system 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As in FIG. 7, a first display region 281 of a visual indicator 28 is arranged around aperture 51, as in FIG. 7. However in this embodiment, the visual indicator 28 comprises a first light-guide arranged in the form of an annular tube, configured to guide a light signal from an illuminating element 2811 within the housing of reusable device portion 2 to a the display region 281 visible on the outer surface of reusable device portion 2. An end-face of the light guide comprises the first display region 281, disposed at the mouthpiece end of reusable device part 2. In the example shown in FIG. 8, an illuminating element 2811 (e.g. one or more LEDs) is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) 221 comprising part of controller 22. The portion of visual indicator 28 disposed within the housing of the reusable device part 2 is shaped to mount onto the PCB 221, for example, by providing visual indicator 28 with a recess into which illuminating element 2811 is received, said recess comprising a light-receiving surface for receiving light from the illuminating element, and a mating surface around the recess which can be mechanically fixed or adhesively bonded to the surface of the PCB. A plurality of illuminating elements 2811 may be provided, such as for example different color LEDs (or one or more RGB LEDs), allowing the color of the visual feedback provided by the visual indicator 28 to be modulated by controller 22. Each of one or more light-transmitting portions/light guides of the visual indicator 28 comprises a transparent or translucent material such as a polymer or glass material, through which light can travel between the illuminating element 2811 and the display region of the visual indicator 28. As shown schematically in FIG. 8, portions of the outer wall of each light guide may be angled/chamfered to guide the light from the illuminating element(s) 2811 to the display region 281. Typically the surfaces of the light guide, except for the light receiving surface and the display surface, are configured to promote reflection of light within the light guide. This may be achieved, for example, by selecting the refractive index of the light guide relative to air and/or the surrounding materials of the reusable device part (e.g. the housing material) to promote total internal reflection of light along the path(s) within the visual indicator 28 between the illuminating element(s) 2811 and the display region around the aperture 51. This may be enhanced with surface treatment of the light guide, such as polishing and/or providing a reflective coating (e.g. a metallic coating) on all the outer surfaces apart from the light-receiving surface and the display region 281 disposed at the mouthpiece end of reusable device part 2. Part or all of the light guide of the visual indicator 28 may be translucent to diffuse/scatter light received from illuminating element 2811. A visual indicator 28 comprising a light pipe/light guide may be mechanically clamped or bonded to a PCB 221 comprised in controller 22, and/or may be mechanically attached to a portion of the housing of the reusable device part 2, and/or may be mechanically attached to a portion of tube 54 comprising part of the chamber 50. The skilled person will appreciate that a wide range of mechanical fixation, adhesive bonding, thermal welding and other fixation techniques may be applied to attach one or more visual indicators in position within reusable device part 2.

The visual indicator 28 shown in FIG. 8 is arranged around a tube 54 comprising a portion of chamber 50, such that at least a display region 281 of the visual indicator is arranged around aperture 51. FIG. 8 further shows an optional second light guide comprised in the visual indicator 28 which is broadly configured in the same way as the first light guide, but which is arranged concentrically with the first light guide, such that the two light guides comprise concentric display regions 281 and 282 arranged around the aperture 51. In the example shown schematically in FIG. 8, both light guides comprise light transmitting regions comprising tubes of circular cross-section, sized such that first light guide (indicated by hatching) sleeves over the tube 54 comprising a portion of chamber 50 proximate to the aperture 51, and the second light guide (indicated with dots) sleeves over the first visual light guide. In this manner, the first and second light guides comprise nested light guides, being configured such that one is at least partially housed within the other, providing nested display regions 281 and 282. As described further herein in relation to FIGS. 2 to 6, the display regions 281 and 282 may comprise any shape, the shape of each display region in general also comprising the cross-sectional shape of a light guide portion of the visual indicator extending into reusable device part 2 in the direction of the chamber 50.

As set out further herein, a display region 281 closest to the aperture 51 around which it is arranged may be spaced apart from the aperture 51, or the display region 281 may be contiguous with the aperture rim, such that an inner edge of the display region 281 in effect forms the perimeter of the aperture 51. A plurality of light guides/pipes used to form a plurality of display regions may be integrally formed with each other (e.g. via a thermoplastic or resin molding technique), typically with a layer of reflective material disposed between each of the two or more light guides to prevent leakage of light between them. Within a single light guide, layers of reflective and/or opaque material may be incorporated within the light path between a plurality of illuminating element(s) 2821 and a display disposed on an outer surface of the reusable device part 2. Providing such layers (e.g. by co-molding them into the light guide during manufacture) segments the light guide into discrete light transmitting regions, whereby a separate light path is defined between each of a plurality of subsets of illuminating element(s) 2821, and each of a plurality of display regions. So in one example, where the light guide comprises a tubular light-transmitting region of annular cross-section, with an end face comprising an annular display region, the light-transmitting region may be segmented into a plurality of segments by disposing reflective/opaque layers radially from the inner to the outer annular surfaces of the light-transmitting region, running parallel to the tube centerline. Accordingly, a transverse cross section of the tubular light-transmitting region of the light guide may resemble the arrangement shown schematically in FIG. 3, wherein a plurality of discrete quadrants/display regions are defined. By providing a separate illuminating element (or plurality of illuminating elements), such as one or more LEDs, in optical communication with each of the discrete light-transmitting regions (e.g. via mounting the illuminating elements and light guide to a PCB 221, or by embedding the illuminating element(s) in the light guide, or receiving the illuminating element(s) in recesses disposed on the surface of the light guide), controller 22 can independently illuminate each discrete light-transmitting region to provide different display patterns representing usage information on the display region of the visual feedback element 281 according to approaches described further herein.

In some embodiments, the consumable part 4 is configured with a region which modifies visual feedback emitted by a visual indicator 28 associated with the reusable device part 2. For example, the consumable part 4 may be provided with a reflective surface coating which reflects visual feedback emitted by a display of the visual indicator 28 arranged around the aperture 51 into which the consumable part 4 is received for use. FIG. 9 will be recognized from FIG. 8 and shows schematically an arrangement in which a single visual indicator 28 comprising a light guide is provided around an aperture 51 of a chamber 50 of a reusable device part 2 of an aerosol provision system 1. The inner-diameter of the light-transmitting tube portion 61 of visual indicator 28 in this example is sized to provide a close fit to the outer diameter of the tube 54 comprising a mouthpiece end of the chamber 50. A consumable part 4 is shown received within the aperture 51, comprising an outer, light-modifying region 44 arranged at the surface of the consumable part 4 on the mouthpiece end of consumable part 4 which extends from the aperture 51 when the consumable part 4 is inserted into the chamber 50 for use. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the consumable part 4 is inserted into the chamber 50 for use, the light-modifying region 44 may extend from partly within the chamber 50 to the mouthpiece 41 of the consumable part. In this example, light emitted by the light emitting element 2811, is reflected/transmitted/diffused along one or more paths within the visual feedback element 281. At least some of the light signal is emitted as visual feedback from the display surface/region of the visual feedback element along one or more paths 62 directed towards the outer surface of the consumable part 4. The incident light signal along paths 62 interacts with the light-modifying region 44 to be reflected/re-emitted as a modified visual feedback 63.

The light-modifying region 44 of the consumable part 4 may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments the light-modifying region comprises a reflective surface, such as a metallic surface (e.g. comprising a metallic foil such as a silver or gold foil). In some embodiments, the light modifying region 44 comprises a holographic wrap/film. In some embodiments, the light modifying region 44 comprises one or more light guiding elements configured to receive light from one or more visual feedback elements, transmit it through a portion of the consumable part 4, and re-emit it at a surface of the consumable part 4. For example, one or more fiber optic elements or light pipe elements may be disposed within the mouthpiece end of consumable part 4, with a light receiving region disposed at a position proximate to a display region of a visual indicator 28 when the consumable part 4 is received into the reusable device part 2. A light emitting region of the one or more fiber optic elements or light pipe elements may be disposed, for example, around a rim of mouthpiece 41 of consumable part 4, such that light emitted by visual indicator 28 is received by the one or more fiber optic elements or light pipe elements and re-emitted in a display region around the rim of the mouthpiece 41. In some embodiments, the display region of the visual indicator is disposed within the internal annular surface of a tube 54 comprising a portion of chamber 50, being configured to optically couple to a receiving region of one or more fiber optic elements or light guide elements disposed on a surface of consumable part 4. In such embodiments, the display region of the visual indicator 28 may be occluded from view when the consumable part 4 is received into aperture 51, such that a light signal/visual feedback emitted by the visual indicator 28 is only visible on surface regions of the consumable part 4 where one or more fiber optic elements or light pipe elements re-emit the signal/feedback as modified visual feedback.

The light-modifying region 44 of the consumable part 4 may be configured such that the modification of the visual feedback emitted by visual indicator 28 is related to one or more characteristics of the consumable part 4. For example, the light-modifying region 44 may be configured to modify the color of the incident light signal 62 emitted by the visual indicator 28, wherein the modification of the color is used to indicate a type of aerosol generating material 43 comprises in the consumable part 4.

The display region of the visual indicator 28 may be configured to optimize the transport of a light signal from the visual indicator(s) 281 to a light-modifying region 44 of the consumable part. For example, where the light-modifying region 44 comprises a reflective/holographic surface region of the consumable part 4, the display region of the visual indicator 28 may be angled such that a vector normal to the surface of the display region at a given point on the surface of the display region points towards a portion of the light-modifying region 44. For example, where the display region comprises an annular display region around the aperture 51, the display region may comprise a chamfered display region wherein the inner perimeter of the display region is recessed into the reusable device part 2 relative to the outer perimeter of the display region.

It will be appreciated that though FIG. 9 shows an embodiment wherein the visual indicator 28 comprises a light pipe, a visual indicator 28 used to supply a light signal to a light-modifying region 44 of a consumable part 4 may be implemented in any other manner set out further herein (e.g. using one ore more pixilated display elements or LEDs). More generally, where the present disclosure has referred to embodiments wherein a plurality of displays/display regions are provided (e.g. concentric display regions) it will be appreciated that each of a plurality of visual indicators may be implemented using a different display technology selected from those described herein, or otherwise known to the skilled person. Accordingly, though FIG. 8 has schematically shown an embodiment in which two concentric display regions 281 and 282 comprise light pipe elements, it will be appreciated one of the light pipe elements may be substituted for a pixilated display, or a plurality of LEDs disposed along a path around aperture 51 as set out schematically in FIG. 4 and the accompanying text, or any of the other exemplary approaches for providing a visual indicator around an aperture 51 set out further herein (for example, in relation to FIGS. 2 to 7).

Though the embodiments described herein have typically exemplified an aerosol provision system in which an aerosol generator comprised in reusable device part 2 aerosolizes aerosol generating material in a consumable part 4 (e.g. by heating), it will be appreciated these embodiments are not limiting, and the aerosol provision system described herein can be implemented as a combustible aerosol provision system, a non-combustible aerosol provision system or an aerosol-free delivery system. For example, the approaches described with respect to the provision of one or more visual indicators around an aperture 51 of a reusable device part 2 of an aerosol provision system may be applied to aerosol provision systems wherein the consumable device part 4 is a cartridge/cartomizer comprising heater and a supply of aerosol generating material (e.g. a reservoir of liquid), and the chamber 50 of the reusable device part comprises an electrical interface which forms an electrical path between the reusable device part 2 and the heater of the cartridge/cartomizer 4 when the cartridge/cartomizer 4 is received into the chamber 50. In such embodiments, the term ‘consumable’ may be used to refer to a cartridge/cartomizer and does not necessarily imply that the cartridge/cartomizer is not reusable or refillable. For example, use of the term ‘consumable’ in this context may be considered to refer to the fact that a supply of aerosol generating material in the consumable part 4 is aerosolized (e.g. ‘consumed’), regardless of whether or not the consumable part 4 may be later refilled with a fresh supply aerosol generating material and reused.

Though FIGS. 1 to 9 and the accompanying text of the description have set out configurations in which the visual indicator 28 is arranged on a mouthpiece-end surface of a reusable device part 2 of an aerosol provision system 1, being arranged about an aperture into which a consumable part 4 comprising a mouthpiece is configured to be received, it will be appreciated the approaches set out herein can be applied to aerosol provision systems with a modified configuration. For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a separate mouthpiece is attached to the portion of the consumable part 4 which extends from aperture 51 when the aerosol provision system is in use. For example, a mouthpiece comprising a food-grade metallic and/or plastics material may press-fit over the portion of the consumable part 4 which extends from aperture 51 when the aerosol provision system is in use. Alternatively or additionally, a separate mouthpiece as described above may connect to the reusable device part 4. For example, the consumable part 4 may be partially or entirely received within chamber 50, and a mouthpiece may attach to the reusable device part (e.g. by threading or press-fitting into the aperture 51 of chamber 50). In some embodiments a mouthpiece may be attached to the reusable device part via a sliding or hinging connection to allow the chamber 50 to be accessed for insertion and removal of consumable parts 4.

Furthermore, though FIGS. 1 to 9 schematically show embodiments in which a display region of a visual indicator 28 is arranged so as to be substantially perpendicular to the major axis of consumable part 4 (e.g. arranged on a mouthpiece-end surface of reusable device part 2), the visual indicator 28 may be arranged about aperture 51 in other ways where the geometry of the reusable device part 2 is configured differently. For example, in some embodiments, the reusable device part may not be arranged on an end face of the reusable device part 2, but may be arranged around/about a sidewall of the reusable device part 2. In some embodiments, the reusable device 2 may be shaped such that there is no significant mouthpiece-end surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the consumable part 4 into chamber 50. In such embodiments, substantially all of the end of the reusable device part 2 into which consumable part 4 is received may comprise the aperture 51 for receiving the consumable part 4. In some such embodiments, a mouthpiece part is configured to be connected to the reusable device part 2 (e.g. by press fitting or threading into the aperture 51, or by being received over the end of reusable device part 2 via a press fit). In such embodiments, the consumable part 4 may be concealed from the view of the user once the mouthpiece is attached (with the connected reusable part 4 and mouthpiece effectively forming an enclosure which contains consumable part 4). Where a mouthpiece is connected to the reusable device part 2, the reusable device part 2 and the mouthpiece may interface with each other such that there is no mouthpiece-end surface of the reusable device part 2 oriented perpendicular to the insertion direction of the consumable part 4 on which to arrange the visual indicator 28 (e.g. the interface between the mouthpiece and the reusable device part may form a smoothly contoured transition without any significant angular deviation in the surface of the aerosol provision system). For instance, the reusable device part 4 and mouthpiece may together form an elongate, tubular aerosol provision system 1, where the entire mouthpiece end is configured to be received into the user's mouth. Even where a separate mouthpiece is not used, the consumable part 4 and reusable part 2 may still be configured to connect together in such a way that there is no significant mouthpiece-end surface (e.g. the side walls of the reusable device part 2 may taper/chamfer towards the aperture 51 such that they terminate in a rim around aperture 51). In such embodiments, the visual indicator 28 may be arranged with a display facing radially outward from the long axis of the reusable device part 2. The visual indicator may be positioned such that it extends to the end of the reusable device part 2 in which the consumable part 4 is received (e.g. with a display portion forming a ring about aperture 51), or may be spaced apart from the end of the reusable device part 2 by a portion of housing material which is not configured to provide visual feedback. It will be appreciated that such an approach may also be taken where the consumable part 4 comprises a cartridge or pod containing a reservoir of aerosol generating material and a heater, and wherein the mouthpiece referenced above may form an integral part of said consumable part 4.

The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided as a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments of the disclosure may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

1. An aerosol provision system comprising: a chamber for receiving at least part of a consumable through an aperture of the chamber,wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to generate an aerosol from a consumable received in the chamber, and wherein the aerosol provision system further comprises a visual indicator for providing user feedback arranged around the aperture.

2. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator provides a display that extends partially about the aperture.

3. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator provides a display that extends continuously about the aperture.

4. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator provides a display arranged around a perimeter of the aperture.

5. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the aperture comprises a receiving recess for the consumable, the receiving recess having a central axis, and wherein a planar display region of the visual indicator is oriented substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the receiving recess.

6. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein a display region of the visual indicator is disposed on a mouthpiece end surface of the aerosol provision system.

7. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator provides a display comprising a plurality of display regions arranged on a path around the aperture.

8. (canceled)

9. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one illuminating element.

10. (canceled)

11. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a display comprising a plurality of pixels.

12. The aerosol provision system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator provides a display comprising two or more concentric display regions, each of the two or more concentric display regions being arranged on a separate path around the aperture.

13-17. (canceled)

18. The aerosol provision system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of display regions comprise independently controllable display regions.

19. The aerosol provision system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of display regions comprises one of an LED display region, a liquid crystal display region, an organic light emitting-diode display region, an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode display region, an electroluminescent display region, a plasma display panel region, or an e-ink display region.

20. A consumable configured for insertion into an aperture of an aerosol provision system, wherein an outer portion of the consumable is configured to modify an appearance of visual feedback provided by a visual indicator arranged around the aperture.

21. The consumable of claim 20, wherein the outer portion of the consumable configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback comprises a reflective coating arranged on an outer surface of the consumable.

22. The consumable of claim 20, wherein the outer portion of the consumable configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback comprises a hologram arranged on an outer surface of the consumable.

23. The consumable of claim 20, wherein the outer portion of the consumable configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback comprises a light guiding structure configured to receive light emitted by a visual indicator arranged around the aperture of the aerosol provision system, and guide the light to a display region disposed on an outer portion of the consumable.

24. The consumable of claim 20, wherein the outer portion of the consumable configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback is configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback in a manner selected based on a characteristic of the consumable.

25. The consumable of claim 24, wherein the outer portion of the consumable configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback is configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback in a manner selected in dependence on a type of aerosol generating material comprised in the consumable.

26-28. (canceled)

29. A system comprising the aerosol provision system of claim 1 and the consumable, wherein the consumable is configured for insertion into the aperture of the aerosol provision system, and wherein an outer portion of the consumable is configured to modify the appearance of visual feedback provided by the visual indicator arranged around the aperture.

30. A method of providing a visual indicator for an aerosol provision system, the method comprising: providing an aerosol provision system with a chamber for receiving at least part of a consumable through an aperture of the chamber, wherein the aerosol provision system is configured to generate an aerosol from the consumable received in the chamber; andproviding a visual indicator for providing user feedback, wherein the visual indicator is arranged around the aperture.