Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating aerosolizble material.

Background

Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like bum tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles, which articles bum tobacco, by creating products that release compounds without burning. Examples of such products are so-called heat-not-bum products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices, which release compounds by heating, but not burning, the material. The material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products or a combination, such as a blended mix, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Summary

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a aerosol provision device for heating aerosolizable material to volatilise at least one component of said aerosolizable material, the aerosol provision device comprising: a housing for being held, in use, by a user of the aerosol provision device, the housing comprising a first part and a second part, wherein the first part comprises a surface and an heating channel extending on the surface, wherein the heating channel is for receiving aerosolizable material so that, in use, the aerosolizable material can be heated in the heating channel to volatilise at least one component of said aerosolizable material to generate a flow of aerosol for inhalation by the user; and wherein the first part and the second part are mounted for relative pivotable movement about a pivot axis that is arranged substantially lengthwise with respect to the aerosol provision device, the pivotable movement being between a housing closed position in which the second part covers the heating channel and a housing open position in which the user can place aerosolizable material into the heating channel. The aerosol provision device may comprise a heating arrangement for heating aerosolizable material received in the heating channel when the housing is in the housing closed position.

The heating arrangement may comprise an protrusion which extends from the surface of the heating channel, and substantially extends along the length of the heating channel.

The cross sectional shape of the protrusion may substantially be an inverted v- shape.

The heating arrangement may comprise a plurality of heating segments arranged in a line substantially parallel to the length of the elongate heating channel, which generate heat independently.

The aerosol provision device may comprise a securing mechanism for securing the first part and the second part in the housing closed position.

The aerosolizable material received in the heating channel may be pressed into the heating channel when the first part and the second part are in the housing closed position.

The second part may comprise a pressing member which presses the aerosolizable material received in the heating channel into the heating channel when the first part and the second part are in the housing closed position.

The aerosol provision device may comprise a safety mechanism to reduce the likelihood of a user contacting the heating arrangement when the heating arrangement is at a high temperature.

The aerosol provision device may comprise a release mechanism which is continuously engaged by the user in order to maintain the first and second parts in the open position.

The first part may comprise a body comprising a cavity for containing components of the aerosol provision device and the heating channel may be on an outer surface of the body.

The heating channel may be an elongate heating channel extending on the surface of the first part. The heating channel on the surface of the first part may be an elongate heating groove formed on the surface of the first part.

One or more boundaries of the heating channel may be defined by raised portions of the surface of the first part.

The aerosolizable material may be loose aerosolizable material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using the aerosol provision device according to the first aspect, the method comprising: pivotably moving the first part and the second part to the housing open position; placing aerosolisable material into the heating channel; pivotably moving the first part and the second part to the housing closed position; and activating the aerosol provision device to generate aerosol from the aerosolizable material in the heating channel.

In a method according to the second aspect, the heating channel may be an elongate heating channel extending on the surface of the first part; the aerosol provision device may comprise a heating arrangement which is an elongate protrusion from the surface of the elongate heating channel and extends substantially along the length of the elongate heating channel, the elongate protrusion having an inverted v-shape cross sectional shape and comprising a plurality of segments arranged in a line substantially parallel to the length of the elongate heating channel, wherein the segments can generate heat independently; and the method may comprise activating the aerosol provision device to generate aerosol may comprise causing the plurality of segments of the elongate protrusion to generate heat in a given sequence.

The method according to the second aspect may comprise engaging a safety mechanism to reduce the likelihood of a user contacting the heating arrangement when the heating arrangement is at a high temperature.

In the method according to the second aspect, the aerosolizable material may be loose aerosolizable material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la schematically illustrates a first example of a aerosol provision device in a first position;

Figure lb schematically illustrates the aerosol provision device of Figure lb in a second position;

Figure 2 schematically illustrates examples of aerosolizable material;

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a second example of a aerosol provision device; and

Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of generating aerosol.

Detailed Description

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows, by way of illustration and example, various examples in which the claimed invention may be practised and which provide for a superior system arranged to generate an inhalable medium. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of examples only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed and otherwise disclosed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various examples may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist in essence of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. The disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

As used herein, the term“aerosolizable material” includes materials that provide volatilised components upon heating, typically in the form of an aerosol. “Aerosolizable material” includes any tobacco-containing material and may, for example, include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes.“Aerosolizable material” also may include other, non-tobacco, products, which, depending on the product, may or may not contain nicotine. “Aerosolizable material” may for example be in the form of a solid, a gel, a powder or the like. “Aerosolizable material” may for example also be a combination or a blend of materials. In some examples, the aerosolizable material is a gel. In some examples, the aerosolizable material is loose tobacco.

Apparatus is known that heats aerosolizable material to volatilise at least one component of the aerosolizable material, typically to form an aerosol which can be inhaled, without burning or combusting the aerosolizable material. Such apparatus is sometimes described as a“heat-not-burn” apparatus or a“tobacco heating product” or “tobacco heating device” or similar. The aerosolizable material for known apparatus and/or devices may be in the form of or be provided as part of a rod, cartridge or cassette or the like which can be inserted into the apparatus. In some known examples, a heater for heating and volatilising the aerosolizable material may be provided as a “permanent” part of the apparatus and/or devices or may be provided as part of an article comprising aerosolizable material or consumable which is discarded and replaced after use. An“article comprising aerosolizable material” or“consumable article” in this context is a device or article or other component that includes or contains in use the aerosolizable material, which is heated to volatilise the aerosolizable material to generate a flow of aerosol for inhalation by a user, and optionally other components in use.

Figures la and lb schematically shows a aerosol provision device 100 for heating aerosolizable material to volatilise at least one component of said aerosolizable material. The aerosol provision device 100 will hereinafter be referred to as the device 100. The device 100 comprises a housing 102 which comprises a first part 104 and a second part 106. In this particular example, the first part 104 is a body 104. In some examples, the body 104 comprises a cavity for containing various internal components of the device 100. For example, the cavity of the body 104 may, among other components, contain a power source 107 for powering components of the device 100 and control unit 109 for providing the various functions described herein and controlling the operation of the device 100. The power source 107 may, for example, be a battery such as a lithium ion battery, or another rechargeable or replaceable power source suitable for a portable hand held device. The control unit 109 may comprise a microprocessor and a data storage unit in communication with the microprocessor. The microprocessor may be configured to implement instruction stored on the data storage unit. In other examples, at least some internal components of the device 100 may be contained in a part of the device 100 other than the body 104. For example, the second part 106 may comprise a body with a cavity for containing various internal components of the device 100. In this example, the second part 106 functions as a lid 106.

The control unit 109 may control the operation of the device 100 according to instructions pre- stored in the data storage unit that is part of the control unit 109. In some examples, the device 100 additionally comprises a communication unit which wirelessly receives information according to which the control unit 109 controls the operation of the device 100. For example, the communication unit may receive information via Bluetooth, WiFi, a 3G/4G data connection, and the like. In some examples, the communication unit also transmits information relating to the use of the device 100 which may be stored in the data storage unit of the control unit 109.

In some examples, the device 100 also comprises a user interface (not shown) through which the user can input instructions to be implemented by the control unit

109. The user interface, may for example comprise a control button, pad, switch, touch screen or the like. For example, the user may indicate via the user interface that a session of use is to be started in order to cause the control unit 109 to control the various component of the device 100 to heat aerosolizable material.

The body 104 comprises a surface 110 and a heating channel 108 on the surface

110. The heating channel 108 may be an elongate heating channel 108 extending on the surface 110 of the body 104. In some examples, the heating channel 108 may not be elongate. For example, the heating channel 108 may be bowl shaped. In the examples described hereafter, the heating channel 108 is an elongate heating channel 108 as shown in Figure la.

The heating channel 108 is for receiving aerosolizable material so that, in use, the aerosolizable material can be heated in the elongate heating channel 108 to volatilise at least one component of said aerosolizable material to generate a flow of aerosol for inhalation by a user, as explained in further detail below. In some examples, the heating channel 108 is on an outer surface of the body 104. In this example, the surface 110 on which the elongate heating channel 108 extends is an outer surface 110 of the body 104. The elongate heating channel may, for example, be an elongate heating groove formed on the surface 110 of the body 104. In this example, the elongate heating channel 108 is an elongate heating groove 108. More specifically, in this example, the elongate heating channel 108 is an indentation forming a straight trench or track on the outer surface 110 of the body 104. In this example, the heating channel 108 extends along the length of the body 104 from a first end 112 of the body 104 to a second end 114 of the body 104. In the particular example of Figure la, the elongate heating channel 108 extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device 100.

In some examples, one or more boundaries of the elongate heating channel 108 are defined by raised portions of the surface 110 of the body 104. In some examples, the boundaries of the elongate heating channel 108 parallel to the length of the elongate heating channel 108 bare defined by raised portions of the surface 110 of the body 104. The elongate heating channel 108 may comprise boundaries defined by raised portions of the surface 110 and/or an indentation on the outer surface 110. In some examples, the heating channel 108 may not be a straight trench or track, and/or may not extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device 100. For example, the heating channel 108 may be curved such that the heating channel 108 meanders as it extends from the first end 112 to the second end 114 of the body 104. In some examples, the elongate heating channel 108 may extend at a given angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device 100 from the first end 112 to the second end 114 of the device 100.

The body 104 and the lid 106 are mounted for relative pivotable movement about a pivot axis that is arranged substantially lengthwise with respect to the device 100, the pivotable movement being between a housing closed position in which the lid 106 covers the elongate heating channel 108 and a housing open position in which the user can place aerosolizable material in the elongate heating channel 108. In the example of Figure la and lb, the body 104 and lid 106 pivot relative to each other between the housing closed position and the housing open position about a pivot axis 116. In this example, the pivot axis 116 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device 100. The body 104 and the lid 106 may, for example, be mounted for relative pivotable movement to each other via a hinge mechanism.

In this example, the housing open position is as shown in Figure 1, i.e. the relative position of the body 104 and the lid 106 is such that the surface 110 of the body 104 is positioned away from the surface 118 of the lid 106. In the housing open position, the user is able to place aerosolizable material into the heating channel 108 because the heating channel 108 is not obstructed by the lid 106, for example.

Figure lb illustrates an example of the device 100 in which the housing 102 is in the housing closed position. It will be understood that in the example of Figure lb, the body 104 and the lid 106 have been pivotably moved relative to each other to bring the surface 110 of the body 104 seen in Figure la towards the surface 118 of the lid 106 also seen in Figure la. The heating channel 108 is substantially not accessible to the user in the housing closed position.

When the housing 102 is in the housing closed position, the top of the heating channel 108 is covered by a part of the lid 106 such that the elongate heating channel 108 forms a heating chamber in which areosolizable material received into the elongate heating channel 108 can be heated.

In the example of Figure la and lb, the device 100 also comprises a mouthpiece 122 on which the user can draw to inhale aerosol generated by heating, when the housing 102 is in the closed position, aerosolizable material received in the elongate heating channel 108.

As described above, the elongate heating channel 108 is for receiving aerosolizable material. The aerosolizable material may be loose aerosolizable material. For example, the device 100 may be for heating loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 as shown in Figure 2. The term“loose aerosolizable material” is herein used to refer to aerosolizable material that is not covered or contained in a wrapper, cartridge, casing, or the like. For example, the loose aerosolizable material may be aerosolizable material not formed into a shape such as loose leaf tobacco, or another form of formless aerosolizable material 202 as shown in Figure 2. In some examples, the loose aerosolizable material may be in the form of a rod or a stick of aerosolizable material 204. The rod or stick 204 may, for example, be a rod or stick of reconstituted tobacco. In other examples, other aerosolizable materials may form the rod or stick 204. In some examples, the loose aerosolizable material may be provided in the form of a rod comprising cut outs or channels to fit the physical features within the elongate heating channel 108, such as surface protrusions, for example. In some examples, the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 consists of cut rag tobacco, tobacco sheets, etc. In some examples, the loose aerosolozable material 202, 204 comprises components other than tobacco in addition to a form of tobacco. In some examples, the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 does not contain a form of tobacco, but contains other material from which at least one component can be volatilised in order to generate an inhalable aerosol.

Referring again to Figure la, in this example, the device 100 comprises a heating arrangement 120 to heat the loose aeroslizable material 202, 204 received in the heating channel 108 when the housing 102 is in the housing closed position. In this example, the heating arrangement 120 comprises an elongate protrusion which extends from the surface of the elongate heating channel 108, and substantially extends along the length of the elongate heating channel 108 as shown in Figure 1. In this example, the cross sectional shape of the elongate protrusion 120 is substantially an inverted v- shape as can be seen in Figure la. The elongate protrusion 120 of this example generates heat to function as a heating blade, for example. In other examples, the device 100 may comprise other heating arrangements. For examples, the heating arrangement 120 may comprise a protrusion of a shape different to that shown in Figure la such as, for example, a rectangular column protruding from the surface of the elongate heating channel 108 and extended the length of the heating channel 108. In other examples, the heating arrangement 120 may comprise a surface of the heating channel 108 that generates heat and which does not comprise a protrusion. In some examples, the heating arrangement 120 may comprise a protrusion that generates heat as well as a surface of the heating channel 108 without a protrusion that generates heat. In yet other examples, the heating arrangement 120 may comprise one or more inductive heating elements such as inductor coils which cause one or more susceptor elements to generate heat. In such examples, the one or more susceptor elements may be comprised in the device 100 positioned so as to provide heat to the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 received in the elongate heating channel 108, or one or more susceptor elements may be provided as part of the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204.

In some examples, the heating arrangement 120 may comprise a plurality of heating segments arranged in a line substantially parallel to the length of the elongate heating channel 108, which generate heat independently. The heating segments may be independently controlled to generate heat. In the example of Figure la, the elongate protrusion 120 comprises n heating segments labelled as l20a, l20b... 120h. For example, the heating segments 120a- 120h of this example are independently heated segments such that different parts of the elongate protrusion 120 along its length generate heat independently. This may allow the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 received in the elongate heating channel 108 to be heated in a particular way. For example, the aerosolizable material 202, 204 may be heated to varying temperatures along the length of the elongate heating channel 108, and/or different parts of the aerosolizable material 202, 204 may be heated in a given sequence by virtue of different segments 120a- 120h of the elongate protrusion 120 generating heat according to the given sequence.

In this example, the control unit 109 controls the operation of the elongate protrusion 120. For example, the control unit 109 controls the operation of the elongate protrusion 120 by controlling the supply of power from the power source 107 for the generation of heat by each of the heating segments 120a- 120h of the elongate protrusion 120. In one example, the control unit 109 controls the elongate protrusion 120 such that the heating segment l20a closest to the first end 112 of the body 104 is caused to generate heat at the beginning of a session of use of the device 100, and as the use session progresses, heating segments progressively closer to the second end 114 of the body 104 are caused to generate heat. For example, subsequent to the heating segment l20a being caused to generate heat, the heating segment l20b is caused to generate heat, and so on until finally the heating segment 120h closest to the second end 114 (i.e. closest to the mouthpiece) is caused to generate heat. The result of such control is that, at the beginning of a session of use, loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 farthest from the mouthpiece 122 is heated to generate aerosol, and as the use session progresses, aerosolizable material 202, 204 progressively closer to the mouthpiece 122 is heated to generate aerosol. Such control may advantageously maintain the characteristics of the aerosol throughout a session of use of the device 100. In other examples, other sequences according to which the heating segments 120a- 120h are caused to generate heat may be used. In some examples, the control unit 109 may additionally or alternatively control the elongate protrusion 120 according to a pattern of temperature variation and/or a pattern of temperature variation as a function of time, the pattern of temperature variation indicating temperature as a function of the length of the elongate protrusion 120. The control unit 109 may control the elongate protrusion 120 as described above based on instructions pre-stored in a data storage unit, for example. Alternatively, the user may also, among other things, use the user interface to input information indicating the desired heating sequence of the heating segments l20a-l20n, a pattern of temperature variation and/or a pattern of temperature variation as a function of time, and the control unit 109 may then control the operation of the device 100 accordingly.

To monitor the progress of a session of use of the device 100, in some examples, the device 100 comprises a timer, and the progress of the session of use in monitored based on the passing of time as indicated by the timer. In some examples, the device 100 comprises a monitor which is a pressure sensitive device such as a puff detector, or a microphone. In such examples, the monitor detects the number of puffs taken by the user from the device 100 and the progress of the use session is determined based on the number of puffs taken.

In examples where the heating arrangement 120 is a protrusion from the surface of the elongate heating channel 108, advantageously, the aerosolizable material 202, 204 in contact with the protrusion is provided a large heated surface area. In some examples, the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 received in the elongate heating channel 108 is pressed into the elongate heating channel 108 when the body 104 and the lid 106 are in the housing closed position. Pressing the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 into the heating channel 108 as the housing 102 is put into the housing closed position may ensure that the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 comes into close contact with a large proportion of the surface of the elongate protrusion 120.

The loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 being pressed into the elongate heating channel 108 will now be described with respect to the example shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of an example of the device 100. Figure 3 shows an example of the device 100 in which loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 has been pressed into the elongate heating channel 108. Figure 3 illustrates loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 in close contact with the elongate protrusion 120 after being pressed into the elongate heating channel 108.

In this example, the device 100 comprises a pressing member 302 which presses the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 received in the elongate heating channel 108 into the elongate heating channel 108 when the body 104 and the lid 106 are in the housing closed position. In the example of Figure 3, the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 has been pressed into the elongate heating channel 108 by the pressing member 302 due to the body 104 and the lid 106 being put into the housing closed position by relative pivoting movement as indicated by arrow 304.

In examples comprising a pressing member 302, the pressing member 302 may have a pressing surface 302a (the surface which is pressed against the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204) of a shape suitable for pressing the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 into the elongate heating channel 108. The shape of the pressing surface 302a may, for example, depending on the shape of the elongate protrusion 120 within the elongate heating channel 108. For example, the pressing member 302 may have a concave pressing surface 302a as shown in Figure 3. A concave pressing member 302 may, advantageously, scrape loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 at or close to the edges of the elongate heating channel 108 into the elongate heating channel 108 as the housing 102 is pivotably moved into the housing closed position.

In the above described examples, the device 100 also comprises a securing mechanism 124 for securing the body 104 and the lid 106 in the closed position shown in Figure lb. The securing mechanism 124, in this example, comprises a hooking member l24a provided on the lid 106 which engages with a catching member l24b provided on the body 104 in order to secure the housing 102 in the housing closed position (the catching member l24b catches the hooking member and prevents the hooking member from moving away from the catching member l24b when engaged). The hooking member l24a or the catching member l24b may be provided with a release mechanism for allowing the hooking member l24a to disengage from the catching member l24b so that the housing 102 can be pivotably moved to the open position. Alternatively, the hooking member l24a may be provided on the body 104 and the catching member l24b may be provided on the lid 106. In some examples, a plurality of pairs of hooking and catching members may be provided which allow the housing 102 to be secured in the closed position. In other examples, the securing mechanism 124 may be a magnetic securing mechanism which secures the housing 102 in the closed position using magnetic force. Any suitable mechanism or components may be provided which allow housing 102 to be secured in the housing closed position and released from the closed position such as clips, latches, bolts etc. The device 100 may also comprise a safety mechanism to prevent the user from contacting the elongate protrusion 120 when the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature. A“high temperature” may, for example, be a temperature at which it is deemed that contacting the elongate protrusion 120 would be uncomfortable to the user and/or unsafe for the user. In one example, the safety mechanism prevents the user from contacting the elongate protrusion 120 if the elongate protrusion 120 is at a temperature greater than 45°C.

In one example, the safety mechansim prevents the housing 102 from being released from the housing closed position (prevents the housing 102 from pivotably moving to the housing open position) if the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature. For this purpose, the control unit 109 may control the operation of the securing mechanism 124 to prevent the housing 102 from being released from the housing closed position. In some examples, the device 100 comprises an indicator which indicates to the user that the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature and the housing 102 cannot be moved to the open position. In some examples, the control unit 109 controls the operation of the safety mechanism and/or indicator based in the determined temperature of the elongate protrusion 120. The temperature of the elongate protrusion 120 may be determined based on reading from a temperature sensitive element placed in device 100 so as to indicate the temperature of the elongate protrusion 120. In other examples, that the elongate protrusion is not at too high a temperature may be determined based on the amount of time elapsed since power was last supplied to the elongate protrusion 120 in order to generate heat.

In some examples, the safety mechanism comprises a release mechanism which is continuously engaged by the user in order to maintain the body 104 and the lid 106 in the housing open position. In a specific example of a release mechanism, the device 100 comprises a pair of buttons (not shown) which are simultaneously held in order to release the housing 102 from the housing closed position and maintain the housing 102 in the open position. The pair of buttons may be arranged, for example, at the underside of the body 104 such that the user uses one hand to hold down the pair of buttons in order to release the housing 102 from the housing closed position and to maintain the housing 102 in the housing open position. In that example, the pair of buttons is arranged so as to prevent the user’s hand, which hand is being used to press and hold the pair of buttons, from contacting the elongate protrusion 120. It will be understood that various other components, elements and/or modes of operation may be included in the device 100 which function as safety mechanisms and prevent the user from contacting the elongate protrusion 120 when the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature.

A method 400 for generating aerosol using the device 100 will now be described with reference to Figure 4. At 402 of method 400, the body 104 and the lid 106 are pivotably moved relative to each other to the housing open position. For example, before starting a session of use, the user pivotably moves the housing 102 into the housing open position shown in Figure la from the closed position shown in Figure lb. In this example, if the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature, the control unit 109 prevents the securing mechanism from being released to release the housing 102 from the housing closed position. In this example, the device 100 comprises the indicator described above which indicates to the user that the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature and the housing 102 cannot be moved to the housing open position.

When the housing 102 is in the open position, at 404 of method 400, the user places loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 into the elongate heating channel 108. In the example of the loose aerosolizable material being formless aerosolizable material 202, the user may ensure that the formless aerosolizable material 202 fills substantially the entire elongate heating channel 108. For example, the user essentially packs the elongate heating channel 108 with formless aerosolizable material 202. In examples where the loose aerosolizable material being used is a stick/rod 204, the user may push the stick/rod 204 onto the elongate protrusion 120 such that the elongate protrusion 120 cuts into, in other words penetrates, the stick/rod 204. The user pushing the stick 204 onto the elongate protrusion 120, for example, results in the loose aerosolizable material of the stick 204 moulding around the elongate protrusion 120 such that there is a large contact surface area between the aerosolizable material of the stick 204 and the elongate protrusion 120.

At 406 of method 400 the body 104 and the lid 106 are pivotably moved relative to each other to the housing closed position. In this example, the user pivotably moves the housing 102 from the housing open position to the housing closed position after placing loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 into the elongate heating channel 1008 as described above. In this example, the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 is pressed into the elongate heating channel 108 by the pressing member 302 as the housing 102 is moved to the housing closed position. As the housing 102 reaches the closed position, the securing mechanism 124 secures the housing 102 in the closed position.

At 408 of method 400, the device 100 is activated to generate aerosol from the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 in the elongate heating channel 108. For example, the user indicates via the user interface that a session of use of the device 100 is to be started. In response to such an indications, the control unit 109 causes the elongate protrusion 120 to generate heat in order to volatilise at least one component of the aerosolizable material 202, 204 to generate an aerosol. In one example, at 408, the plurality of segments l20a-l20n of the elongate protrusion 120 are caused to generate heat in a given sequence to generate aerosol from the loose aerosolizable material 202, 204. As discussed above, the control unit 109 may cause the heating segments l20a- 120h to generate heat in a particular sequence, according to a particular temperature variation pattern along the length of the elongate protrusion 120 and/or a temperature variation as a function of time, for example, as indicated by the user via the user interface or according to instructions otherwise received by the control unit 109.

In some examples, the safety mechanism may be engaged to reduce the likelihood of the user contacting the elongate protrusion 120 when the elongate protrusion 120 is at a high temperature. For example, the safety mechanism may be engaged once the device 100 is activated to generate aerosol such that the housing 102 cannot be returned to the housing open position by the user until such a time that it is determined that the elongate protrusion 120 is not at a high temperature. In other examples, the safety mechanism may comprise the features discussed above.

The example devices and methods describe above provide a“roll your own tobacco” like experience to the user of the device 100. For example, placing loose aerosolizable material 202, 204 into the elongate heating channel 108 may be likened to place loose tobacco onto rolling paper, and subsequently pivotably moving the housing 102 into the housing closed position may be likened to rolling up the rolling paper with loose tobacco inside. The device 100, for example, additionally provides an advantage in that aerosolizable material is not combusted as it would be by smoking a roll your own cigarette while providing a similar experience in preparing for a session of use.

The various examples described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These examples are provided as a representative sample only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein are not to be considered limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, appropriate combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.