Granted Patent B2

US 12,357,029 · App. 15/540,704 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Inventors: Neil Litten (London, GB); Joe Robinson (London, GB); Harpal Singh (London, GB)

Assignee: NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED

A24F40/485A24F40/20

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A system for heating a smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the system comprising:

a cartridge comprising:

a housing defining a chamber; and

a heating device located in the chamber, the heating device being arranged to heat the smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the heating device comprising a heating element, wherein the smokable material is bonded to the heating element by an adhesive; and

an apparatus comprising a casing defining a recess within the casing for receiving the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is configured to be selectively inserted within the recess of the apparatus to allow a user to remove and replace the cartridge when the smokable material has been spent.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating element is heatable by passing an electric current through the heating element.

3. The system according to claim 2 , comprising two electrically-conductive terminals that are accessible from an exterior of the cartridge, wherein the heating element is electrically connected across the electrically-conductive terminals.

4. A system for heating a smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the system comprising:

a cartridge comprising:

a housing defining a chamber; and

a heating device located in the chamber, the heating device being arranged to heat the smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the heating device comprising a heating element, wherein the smokable material is bonded to the heating element by an adhesive;

wherein the housing has a volatilized material flow path extending therethrough for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing,

wherein the housing comprises a first housing part attached to a second housing part that is non-unitary with the first housing part, and

wherein the housing has a hole extending therethrough for admitting air into the chamber from an exterior of the housing, the first housing part and the second housing part defining the hole between the first housing part and the second housing part; and

an apparatus comprising a casing defining a recess within the casing for receiving the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is configured to be selectively inserted within the recess of the apparatus to allow a user to remove and replace the cartridge when the smokable material has been spent.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the housing has one or more apertures extending therethrough for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein all of the housing is made of non-porous material.

7. The system according to claim 4 , wherein all of the housing is made of porous material for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing.

8. The system according to claim 4 , wherein a first portion of the housing is made of porous material for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing, and a second portion of the housing is made of non-porous material.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the housing has one or more apertures extending therethrough for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the housing has one or more apertures extending therethrough for permitting volatilized material to pass from the chamber out of the housing.

11. A system for heating a smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the system comprising:

a cartridge comprising:

a housing defining a chamber; and

a heating device located in the chamber, the heating device being arranged to heat the smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the heating device comprising a heating element, wherein the smokable material is bonded to the heating element by an adhesive;

wherein the housing has an air flow path extending therethrough for admitting air into the chamber from an exterior of the housing,

wherein the housing comprises a first housing part attached to a second housing part that is non-unitary with the first housing part, and

wherein the housing has a hole extending therethrough for admitting air into the chamber from an exterior of the housing, the first housing part and the second housing part defining the hole between the first housing part and the second housing part; and

an apparatus comprising a casing defining a recess within the casing for receiving the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is configured to be selectively inserted within the recess of the apparatus to allow a user to remove and replace the cartridge when the smokable material has been spent.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the first housing part and the second housing part cooperate so as to define the chamber.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein all of the housing is made of porous material for admitting air into the chamber from the exterior of the housing.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein a first portion of the housing is made of porous material for admitting air into the chamber from the exterior of the housing, and a second portion of the housing is made of non-porous material.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the first portion of the housing has a hole extending therethrough for admitting air into the chamber from the exterior of the housing.

16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the second portion of the housing has a hole extending therethrough for admitting air into the chamber from the exterior of the housing.

17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the smokable material comprises tobacco.

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge cooperates with the interface of the apparatus.

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (327)