APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HEATING SMOKABLE MATERIAL

1 . An apparatus arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising:

at least one thin-film heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in use within the apparatus, the thin-film heater having a plurality of heating regions for heating different portions of smokable material contained in use within the apparatus, wherein at least a first heating region of the thin-film heater has a different watt density from at least a second heating region of the thin-film heater.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the watt density of the first heating region is less than the watt density of the second heating region, the first heating region being arranged towards a first end of the thin-film heater and the second heating region being arranged away from the first end of the thin-film heater.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first heating region has at least a first electrically conductive heating portion and the second heating region has at least a second electrically conductive heating portion, an electrical resistance of the first electrically conductive heating portion being different from an electrical resistance of the second electrically conductive heating portion.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first electrically conductive heating portion is different from a cross-sectional area of the second electrically conductive heating portion.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first heating region has plural electrically conductive heating portions and the second heating region has plural electrically conductive heating portions, an electrical resistance of at least one of the electrically conductive heating portions of the first heating region being different from an electrical resistance of at least one of the electrically conductive heating portion of the second heating region.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive heating portions of the first heating region are electrically connected in series with each other and the electrically conductive heating portions of the second heating region are electrically connected in series with each other.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thin-film heater has a non-heating region arranged generally centrally of the thin-film heater.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply which is arranged to provide the same voltage to the first heating region and the second heating region.

9 . A method of heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material using an apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one heater constructed and arranged to heat smokable material contained in use within the apparatus, the heater having a plurality of heating regions for heating different portions of smokable material contained in use within the apparatus, wherein at least a first heating region of the heater has a different watt density from at least a second heating region of the heater, the method comprising:

inserting smokable material into the apparatus; and

operating the heater to provide different heat fluxes from the first heating region and the second heating region to different respective portions of the smokable material so that the different respective portions of the smokable material are heated to different temperatures.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the apparatus comprises a power supply which provides the same voltage to the first heating region and the second heating region.