Article for refilling and refilling apparatus
An article for storing aerosol-generating material and configured to be refilled with aerosol-generating material from a refilling device, the article including a storage area for storing the aerosol-generating material; a valve arrangement in communication with the storage area, the valve arrangement including a septum arranged to cover an opening of the article in communication with the storage area, the septum including a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a material that is relatively harder than a material forming the second layer. Also described is a refill reservoir having a valve arrangement including a septum, as well as a system and a method.
1 . An article for storing aerosol-generating material and configured to be refilled with aerosol-generating material from a refilling device, the article comprising:
an engagement element, wherein the article is configured to be mechanically connected to an aerosol provision device through the engagement element cooperating with an engagement element of the aerosol provision device, and wherein the article and aerosol provision device are separate connectable parts that are detachable from one another by separation;
a storage area for storing the aerosol-generating material;
a valve arrangement in communication with the storage area, the valve arrangement comprising:
a septum arranged to cover an opening of the article in communication with the storage area, the septum comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a material that is relatively harder than a material forming the second layer.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is arranged further from the storage area than the second layer.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer both extend across the whole of the opening of the article in communication with the storage area.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed from different materials.
5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed from the same material, wherein the material is silicone, and wherein the first layer comprises silicone which is relatively harder than the silicone of the second layer.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein at least the second layer of the septum comprises a material capable of resealing when a piercing element of the refilling device is withdrawn from the septum.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the septum comprises a weakened region in at least the first layer of the septum, wherein the weakened region comprises a piercing in the septum pierced in advance prior to engaging the refilling device with the article to refill the article.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the septum is sized so as to be pierced at two different locations of the septum by a first piercing element of the refilling device and a second piercing element of the refilling device, wherein the septum comprises a second weakened region in at least the first layer of the septum, wherein the second weakened region provides less resistance to the second piercing element arranged to pierce the septum than the region of the septum not comprising a weakened region.
9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the septum is a first septum and the article further comprises a second septum, wherein the first and second septa are provided at spatially separate and distinct locations of the article.
10 . The article of claim 9 , wherein the second septum is arranged to cover a second opening of the article in communication with the storage area.
11 . The article of claim 9 , wherein the second septum comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a material that is relatively harder than a material forming the second layer.
12 . The article of claim 9 , wherein the first septum is arranged at a location such that, when the article is engaged with the refilling device, a first piercing element of the refilling device is able to pierce the first septum and wherein the second septum is arranged at a location such that, when the article is engaged with the refilling device, a second piercing element of the refilling device is able to pierce the second septum.
13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises an aerosol-generating material transport element configured to transport aerosol-generating material from the storage area to an aerosol generator which, when activated, causes aerosol to be generated from the aerosol-generating material provided to the aerosol generator.
14 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises an aerosol generator, the aerosol generator configured to, when activated, generate aerosol from the aerosol-generating material.
15 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the storage area is configured to store a liquid aerosol-generating material, wherein the septum is configured such that at least one layer of the septum is liquid impermeable.
16 . A system for refilling an article with aerosol-generating material, the system comprising:
an article according to claim 1 ; and
a refilling device, the refilling device comprising at least one piercing element arranged to pierce the septum of the article, the piercing element further configured for transferring aerosol-generating material to the storage area of the article via the septum.
17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising a refill reservoir for storing aerosol-generating material and for use with a refilling device configured to refill an article with aerosol-generating material using the refilling device, the refill reservoir comprising:
a storage area for storing the aerosol-generating material; and
a valve arrangement in communication with the storage area, the valve arrangement comprising:
a septum arranged to cover an opening of the refill reservoir in communication with the storage area, the septum comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a material that is relatively harder than a material forming the second layer
wherein the refill reservoir is adapted to engage with the refilling device, and wherein the refilling device comprises at least one piercing element arranged to pierce the septum of the refill reservoir, the piercing element further configured for transferring aerosol-generating material from the storage area of the refill reservoir via the septum.
18 . An article for storing aerosol-generating material and configured to be refilled with aerosol-generating material from a refilling means, the article comprising:
engagement means, wherein the article is configured to be mechanically connected to an aerosol provision device through the engagement means cooperating with an engagement means of the aerosol provision device, and wherein the article and aerosol provision device are separate connectable parts that are detachable from one another by separation;
storage means for storing the aerosol-generating material;
valve means in communication with the storage means, the valve means comprising:
septum means arranged to cover an opening of the article in communication with the storage means, the septum means comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a material that is relatively harder than a material forming the second layer.