Granted Patent B2

US 12,329,201 · App. 17/481,889 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventors: Kate Ferrie (Liverpool, GB); Ross Shenton (Liverpool, GB); Pete Lomas (Liverpool, GB); Nikhil Aggarwal (Liverpool, GB); Chris Lord (Liverpool, GB); Samantha Murray (Liverpool, GB); Tom Sudlow (Liverpool, GB)

Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited

A24F40/46A24F40/20A24F40/70A46B15/0055B25B27/14H05B3/06A46B2200/3073A61M11/042A61M2209/10

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A smoking substitute device comprising:

a heater connected to a main body of the smoking substitute device, the main body including a transverse cavity that opens through a first side wall of the main body and extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the main body; and

the smoking substitute device further including a cap covering the transverse cavity and at least a portion of the heater, wherein the cap is releasably engaged with the main body of the smoking substitute device, and wherein the cap is configured to be released from engagement with the main body of the smoking substitute device;

wherein the cap includes a cavity having an opening for receiving at least a portion of a smoking substitute consumable into the cavity of the cap; and

wherein, when the cap is engaged with the main body of the smoking substitute device, the heater extends from an internal base of the cavity of the cap towards the opening of the cavity of the cap.

2. The smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the cap is releasably secured to the main body of the smoking substitute device by a retaining means.

3. The smoking substitute device according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining means comprises:

at least one flexible locking arm extending from the main body; and

a locking protrusion disposed on each of the at least one flexible locking arm, the locking protrusion configured to extend into a corresponding slot located in the cap.

4. The smoking substitute device according to claim 3 , wherein each locking protrusion includes a hooked end of a corresponding flexible locking arm.

5. The smoking substitute device according to claim 3 , wherein the locking protrusion abuts a first end of the corresponding slot to limit an extent of movement of the cap relative to the main body, and to thereby prevent removal of the cap from the main body.

6. The smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the cap is capable of receiving at least a portion of a removal key to release the cap from the main body.

7. The smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein a slot is formed through a wall of the cavity of the cap.

8. A smoking substitute kit comprising:

the smoking substitute device according to claim 1 ; and

a removal key, wherein the cap is configured to be released from engagement with the main body of the smoking substitute device using the removal key.

9. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 8 , wherein the cap is releasably secured to the main body of the smoking substitute device by a retaining means, the retaining means comprising: at least one flexible locking arm extending from the main body; and a locking protrusion disposed on each of the at least one flexible locking arm, the locking protrusion configured to extend into a corresponding slot located in the cap, and wherein the removal key includes at least one projection, wherein each of the at least one projection intrudes into the corresponding slot to disengage the locking protrusion from the corresponding slot.

10. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 9 , wherein the projection is located on an unlocking arm of the removal key.

11. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 9 , wherein the removal key includes two or more locking arms.

12. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 11 , wherein the removal key includes a separator to hold the locking arms in a mutually separated position, to thereby disengage each corresponding locking protrusion from the corresponding slot.

13. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 12 , wherein the separator is moveable relative to the locking arms.

14. The smoking substitute kit according to claim 8 , wherein the removal key comprises:

at least one unlocking arm; and

an unlocking protrusion disposed on the unlocking arm, the unlocking protrusion is configured to displace a corresponding locking protrusion disposed on a locking arm extending from said main body to disengage the locking protrusion from a slot in said cap.

15. The smoking substitute kit of claim 14 , wherein the removal key further comprises a cleaning means for cleaning the heater.

16. The smoking substitute kit of claim 15 , wherein the cleaning means comprises at least one cleaning bristle.

17. The smoking substitute kit of claim 15 , wherein the removal key further comprises a central rod, wherein the at least one unlocking arm extending along a longitudinal axis of the central rod in a first direction and the cleaning means extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

18. The smoking substitute kit of claim 17 , wherein the removal key further comprises a collar around the central rod having the unlocking arm extended in the first direction, the collar being movable between an insertion position and an unlocking position, wherein in the insertion position the at least one unlocking arm is allowed to flex and in the unlocking position the central rod prevents the flexing of the unlocking arm.

19. The smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a rigid base region at a base of the cavity of the cap, the rigid base region being configured to seat around a portion of the heater.

20. The smoking substitute device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a tapered portion to facilitate insertion of the heater into the smoking substitute consumable.

21. A system comprising the smoking substitute device of claim 1 and the smoking substitute consumable.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the smoking substitute consumable and cavity of the cap are configured such that, when the smoking substitute consumable is received in the cavity of the cap, a downstream end of the smoking substitute consumable protrudes from the opening and from the smoking substitute device.

23. A smoking substitute kit comprising:

a smoking substitute device; and

a removal key;

wherein the smoking substitute device comprises:

a heater connected to a main body of the smoking substitute device; and

a cap covering at least a portion of the heater;

wherein the cap is releasably engageable with a main body of the smoking substitute device; and

wherein the cap is configured to be released from engagement with the main body of the smoking substitute device by engaging the removal key with the cap.

24. The smoking substitute kit of claim 23 , wherein the heater comprises a heating element.

25. The smoking substitute kit of claim 24 , wherein the heating element comprises a rod that extends from the main body of the device.

26. The smoking substitute kit of claim 23 , wherein the removal key is adapted for performing a cleaning operation of the smoking substitute device.

27. The smoking substitute kit of claim 26 , wherein the removal key has unlocking means at one end and a cleaning means at another end.

Assignments (7)

Priority Claims (30)

Continuity (22)

References Cited (225)