Patent Application
20230157357
The present specification relates to a delivery system, such as a non-combustible aerosol provision system, or an aerosol-free delivery system.
Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternative delivery systems to these articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such delivery systems are so-called “heat not burn” products or tobacco heating devices or products, which release compounds by heating, but not burning, a substrate. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol generating substrate, which may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products which may or may not contain nicotine, to form an aerosol by heating the substrate without burning it.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a delivery device comprising a housing, a vibration motor for generating haptic feedback to a user, and an elastomeric support member received in the housing, wherein the vibration motor is mounted within the support member.
The elastomeric support member may comprise first and second opposing major faces. The vibration motor may then be received in a recess in said first major face.
The vibration motor can be a press fit in the recess in the first major face.
The delivery device may also include a buzzer for generating audible signals to a user.
The buzzer may be received in another recess in the elastomeric support member.
The recess to receive the buzzer can be in said second major face of the elastomeric support member.
The vibration motor and the buzzer may be positioned side-by-side within the support member.
The vibration motor and the buzzer can be separated by an integral dividing wall within the support member.
The delivery device may comprise a charge circuit board, and the buzzer may be mounted to said charge circuit board.
The elastomeric support member may be made of rubber. The elastomeric support member is preferably made of silicone rubber.
The housing may include an end cap closing an open end of the housing. A battery may be received in the housing. The elastomeric support member can be received in the housing between the battery and the end cap.
The support member may be an interference fit in the housing.
The first major end face of the elastomeric support member can face the battery, and the second major end face of the elastomeric support member can face the end cap.
The elastomeric support member may be at least partially received in the end cap.
The elastomeric support member may be an interference fit in the end cap.
The charge board may be received within, and is preferably attached to, the end cap. The delivery device may comprise a vibration transmission member made from a more rigid material than the support member. The vibration transmission member can be in contact with the vibration motor and an inner wall of the housing.
A portion of the vibration transmission member may overlie an end face of the support member and can be in contact with the vibration motor or a surface of the vibration motor that remains accessible when the vibration motor is received in the support member.
The delivery device may comprise a substrate aerosolising module including a heater and an aerosolisable substrate. The substrate aerosolising module may be configured to aerosolise the substrate in response to a control signal from the control module.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly for insertion into a housing of a delivery device, The assembly comprises a elastomeric support member having first and second opposing faces, with a recess formed in each face, wherein a vibration motor is received in one recess, and a buzzer is received in the other recess, such that the vibration motor and the buzzer are positioned in side-by-side relationship within the support member.
The vibration motor and the buzzer may be separated from each other by a dividing wall formed by an integral part of the support member.
Example embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following schematic drawings, in which:
As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass systems that deliver at least one substance to a user, and includes: non-combustible aerosol provision systems that release compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems to generate aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials.
Embodiments according to the invention provide a delivery system that includes a vibration motor to provide haptic feedback to a user in the form of vibrations, similar to that provided in a mobile phone. In certain embodiments, the delivery device also includes a buzzer to generate an audible signal to the user. Each of the vibration motor and the buzzer can be used to provide information to the user of the delivery device such as, for example, whether it is switched on, or its state of charge.
The first component 2 of the device 1 includes a control module 3, which includes a battery 4 and a circuit board 5. The control module 3 is received within a housing 6 which encloses the control module 3 and forms the external appearance of the device 1. The housing 6 may be a tubular sleeve, in which case the control module 3 is inserted into the housing 6 from one open end during assembly of the device and the open end of the housing 6 is then closed by an end cap 7 so that the housing is closed. However, the housing 6 may, alternatively, be formed from multiple parts or shells that are attached together to form an enclosure around the control module 3. The housing 6 is preferably formed from a metal, such as aluminium, although other materials for the housing 6 are also possible.
The first component 2 includes a connector, such as a USB connector, which may enable connection to be made to a power source for charging the battery 4 of the control module 3. The connector may be accessible through the end cap 7.
The second component 8 of the device 1 includes a heater 9 and a liquid reservoir 10 that may collectively form an aerosol generating module. The first and second components 2, 8 may be modular, i.e. the second component 8 may have its own housing 12 and be separable from the first component 2 (at a join marked X in
When the device of
As shown in
The control module 3 includes a frame or carrier 13 in which the battery 4 is received and held. A circuit board 5 is mounted to the outside of the carrier 13 and is supported by both the carrier 13 and by the outside of one major face 4a of the battery 4. An insulated spacer or adhesive support pad 15 may be located between the major face 4a of the battery 4 and the circuit board 5 where they overlie each other. Various electrical circuit and control elements 16 are mounted to the circuit board 5, which also has connectors 17 for electrical connection of the circuit board 5 to the aerosol generating module of the second component 8. These connectors 17 are positioned on a section of the circuit board 5 that overhangs one end of the carrier 13.
A metal or conductive plate 18 is mounted to the carrier 13 and to the other major face 4b of the battery 4 on the opposite side of the battery 4 to the circuit board 5. An insulated pad or spacer 19 may be located between the other major face 4b of the battery 4 and the metal plate 18 and may be adhesive so that the metal plate 18 is held in place on the other major face 4b of the battery 4. The metal plate 18 forms an electrical connection between the battery 4 and the circuit and control elements 16 on the circuit board 5.
The control module 3 includes a press button on/off switch 20, which is mounted to the metal plate 18 and is accessible through an aperture in the housing 6. Pressing the on/off switch 20 connects, or disconnects, the battery 4 from the circuitry 16 on the circuit board 5, thereby switching the device on or off, or performing other control functions as required.
With further reference to
In certain embodiments, a relatively rigid panel may lie in contact with the vibration motor 22 or a part of the vibration motor 22 that remains visible after it is received in its recess 25 in the support member 24. This panel may also be in contact with the inside wall of the housing 6. Vibrations of the vibration motor 22 are then transmitted to the housing 6 via the relatively rigid panel in addition to, of instead of, via the support member 24.
If the delivery device 1 is provided with a buzzer 23, it is mounted to a charge board 27, which controls the charging of the device via a USB cable or suchlike. The charge board 27 is also received in one end of the housing 6 between the carrier 13 and the end cap 7, and is preferably received in the end cap 7 itself. When the buzzer 23 is received in the support member 24, the charge board 27 lies substantially against the major face 15b of the support member 24.
The buzzer 23 is preferably also received within the support member 24, and the support member 24 is provided with an additional recess or opening (not shown) to receive the buzzer 23. Similarly to the vibration motor 22, the buzzer 23 may be a press fit into its recess in the support member 24. Preferably, the support member 15 has two opposing major faces 15a, 15b with the recess 25 for the vibration motor 22 being formed in one face 15a, and the recess for the buzzer 23 being formed in the opposing face 15b, so that the vibration motor 22 and the buzzer 23 are both protected and remain separated from each other by an internal wall of the support member 24. It will be understood, particularly from
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 invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention 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.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008130.3 | May 2020 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2021/051126 | 5/11/2021 | WO |
