INSULATING
Thermal insulation comprising a boundary comprising a first boundary section, a second boundary section and a third boundary section which connects the first and second boundary sections together; and an internal insulating region inside the boundary and configured to thermally insulate the first boundary section from the second boundary section; wherein the third boundary section follows an indirect path between the first and second boundary sections. An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokable material, comprising the insulation, is also described.
1 . Thermal insulation comprising:
a boundary comprising a first boundary section, a second boundary section and a third boundary section which connects the first and second boundary sections together; and
an internal insulating region inside the boundary and configured to thermally insulate the first boundary section from the second boundary section;
wherein the third boundary section follows an indirect path between the first and second boundary sections.
2 . Insulation according to claim 1 , wherein the internal insulating region has a lower pressure than a pressure at the exterior of the boundary.
3 . Insulation according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the first boundary section is substantially opposite the second boundary section.
4 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the third boundary section extends between the first boundary section and the second boundary section at an edge of the insulation.
5 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the third boundary section extends between an edge of the first boundary section and an edge of the second boundary section.
6 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein a thermal conductivity of the third boundary section is higher than a thermal conductivity of the internal insulating region.
7 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the indirect path comprises a non-straight path.
8 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the indirect path comprises a winding path comprising a plurality of bends.
9 . Insulation according to claim 8 , wherein sequential ones of the bends alternate in direction.
10 . Insulation according to any preceding claim, wherein the boundary comprises a wall and the boundary sections comprise sections of the wall.
11 . Insulation according to claim 10 , wherein the wall comprises a metallic wall.
12 . Insulation according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein the wall has a thickness of at least approximately 100 microns.
13 . Insulation according to any of claims 1 to 12 , where the internal insulating region comprises a deep vacuum.
14 . Insulation according to claim 13 , wherein the vacuum is a hyper deep vacuum.
15 . An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a pressure in the internal insulating region is of the order 10 −7 Torr.
16 . Insulation according to any of claims 1 to 12 , wherein a pressure in the internal insulating region is between approximately 0.1 and approximately 0.001 mbar.
17 . An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a thickness of the insulation is less than approximately 1 mm.
18 . An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a thickness of the insulation is less than approximately 0.1 mm.
19 . An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 16 , wherein a thickness of the insulation is between approximately 1 mm and 0.001 mm.
20 . An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, and insulation according to any of claims 1 to 18 configured to thermally insulate the apparatus.
21 . An apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the first boundary section is closer to the heater than the second boundary section, the second boundary section being separated from the heater by the internal insulating region.
22 . An apparatus according to claim 20 or 21 , comprising a smokable material heating chamber located between the heater and the insulation.
23 . An apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 22 , wherein the heater is elongate and extends along a longitudinal axis of a housing of the apparatus.
24 . An apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 23 , wherein the insulation is located co-axially around the heater.
25 . An apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 24 , wherein the apparatus is configured to heat the smokable material without combusting the smokable material.
26 . An apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 25 , wherein the third boundary section extends beyond an end of the heater.