EP-3603336-B1 - INDUCTION COIL ARRANGEMENT

EP3603336B1EP 3603336 B1EP3603336 B1EP 3603336B1EP-3603336-B1

Inventors

ABI AOUN, WALID
FALLON, GARY
WHITE, JULIAN DARRYN
HORROD, Martin Daniel

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20180327

Claims (8)

Apparatus (100) for heating smokable material (72) to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, the apparatus comprising an induction coil arrangement (10) comprising a first flat spiral coil (21) of electrically-conductive material, wherein the apparatus (100) is a tobacco heating product; the apparatus being characterised in that : the induction coil arrangement comprises a plate (10) having opposite first and second sides (11, 12); the first flat spiral coil (21) of electrically-conductive material is mounted on the first side of the plate (11); the induction coil arrangement comprises a second flat spiral coil (22) of electrically-conductive material mounted on the second side of the plate (12); the induction coil arrangement comprises an aperture (13) that extends fully through the plate from the first side of the plate to the second side of the plate; the first flat spiral coil is wound around a first hole; the second flat spiral coil is wound around a second hole; the first hole and the second hole are aligned with the aperture forming a through-hole; and the through-hole comprises a portion of a heating zone (110) in which an article (70) comprising smokable material is locatable in use.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the induction coil arrangement comprises an electrically-conductive connector (30) electrically-connecting the first flat spiral coil to the second flat spiral coil.
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electrically-conductive connector extends from a radially-inner end of the first flat spiral coil to a radially-inner end of the second flat spiral coil.
The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein, when observed from one side of the induction coil arrangement, the first flat spiral coil follows a clockwise path from a radially-inner end of the first flat spiral coil, and the second flat spiral coil follows an anti-clockwise path from a radially-inner end of the second flat spiral coil.
The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the induction coil arrangement comprises a laminate, wherein the laminate has a first layer comprising the first flat spiral coil and a second layer comprising the second flat spiral coil.
The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plate comprises a printed circuit board.
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first flat spiral coil of electrically-conductive material is printed on the first side of the plate, and the second flat spiral coil of electrically-conductive material is printed on the second side of the plate.
A system (1000) for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material (72), the system comprising: the apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and an article (70) comprising smokable material (72), the article (70) for locating in a heating zone (110) of the apparatus (100).

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, to induction coil arrangements for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, and to systems comprising articles comprising smokable material and apparatus for heating the smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material. Background Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles by creating products that release compounds without combusting. Examples of such products are so-called "heat not burn" products or tobacco heating devices or products, which release compounds by heating, but not burning, material. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. US 2017/079330 A1 discloses an apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1. Summary A first aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilise at least one component of the smokable material, as defined in claim 1. In an exemplary embodiment, the induction coil arrangement of the apparatus comprises an electrically-conductive connector electrically-connecting the first flat spiral coil to the second flat spiral coil. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrically-conductive connector extends from a radially-inner end of the first flat spiral coil to a radially-inner end of the second flat spiral coil. In an exemplary embodiment, when observed from one side of the induction coil arrangement, the first flat spiral coil follows a clockwise path from a radially-inner end of the first flat spiral coil, and the second flat spiral coil follows an anti-clockwise path from a radially-inner end of the second flat spiral coil. In an exemplary embodiment, the induction coil arrangement of the apparatus comprises a laminate, wherein the laminate has a first layer comprising the first flat spiral coil and a second layer comprising the second flat spiral coil. The first and second layers may be spaced apart, such as by an intermediate layer of the laminate. When provided, the intermediate layer should be electrically-insulating. In an exemplary embodiment, the laminate is or comprises a printed circuit board. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the first and second flat spiral coils is a rectangular, such as square, coil. In another exemplary embodiment, each of the first and second flat spiral coils is a circular coil. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second flat spiral coils are axially aligned with each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the plate is planar or substantially planar. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus comprises a structure comprising plural such induction coil arrangements and a retainer to which the respective plates of the induction coil arrangements are connected to fix the induction coil arrangements in position relative to one another. In an exemplary embodiment, the retainer comprises or houses a controller for controlling operation of the flat spiral coils. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller is for controlling operation of at least one of the flat spiral coils independently of at least one other of the flat spiral coils. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating zone extends through a hole in each of the plurality of flat spiral coils. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus has a support, such as an elongate support, for supporting an article comprising smokable material in the holes in the flat spiral coils. In an exemplary embodiment, the support is tubular and encircles the heating zone. In other embodiments, the support is non-tubular. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus has a heating element that comprises heating material that is heatable by penetration with one or more of the varying magnetic fields to heat the heating zone. In an exemplary embodiment, the support is or comprises the heating element. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: an electrically-conductive material, a magnetic material, and a magnetic electrically-conductive material. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises a metal or a metal alloy. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: aluminium, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, graphite, plain-carbon steel, stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, steel, copper, and bronze. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus comprises a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the flat spiral coils independently of at least one other of the flat spiral coils. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus is for heating smokab