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EP-4740771-A2 - SMOKING SUBSTITUTE SYSTEM

EP4740771A2EP 4740771 A2EP4740771 A2EP 4740771A2EP-4740771-A2

Abstract

A smoking substitute device is described along with a smoking substitute system comprising the device. The device includes a controller configured to determine, based on the type of consumable, the remaining usable lifetime of a consumable in a smoking session, and display said remaining usable lifetime at a display. Methods of determining the amount of remaining consumable for a session and displaying the result to the user are also described.

Inventors

  • FERRIE, Kate
  • SHENTON, ROSS
  • LORD, CHRIS
  • BENYEZZAR, Med

Assignees

  • Imperial Tobacco Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20200313

Claims (15)

  1. A smoking substitute device for consuming a consumable in a session, comprising: a display; and a controller configured to determine, based on the type of consumable, the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable in said session, and display said remaining usable lifetime at the display.
  2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine and display the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable at the display in predetermined intervals.
  3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a user input and determine the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable in response to receiving the user input.
  4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to detect and display the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable on the display during an active smoking session.
  5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to determine the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable in proportion to total duration of the smoking session.
  6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to measure ambient temperature, and incorporate the ambient temperature into the determination of the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable.
  7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to generate an alert to the user to indicate that the user is entering a final time period of usable lifetime of the consumable based on the determination of the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable, optionally wherein the alert is provided in the form of audio or haptic feedback.
  8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to determine a number and/or magnitude of puff inhalations made by the user during an active smoking session, and incorporate this number into the determination of the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable.
  9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display comprises a discrete number of display regions corresponding to the predetermined intervals, and wherein the controller is configured to activate a number of the display regions to indicate the remaining usable lifetime, optionally wherein the display comprises four display regions to indicate the remaining usable lifetime in predetermined intervals of 25%.
  10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a remaining battery life of the device and display said battery life on the display when the device is in a standby mode.
  11. The device according to claims 9 and 10, wherein the display is configured to indicate the remaining battery life in predetermined intervals using the display regions.
  12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a length of the smoking session based on the type of the consumable.
  13. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the consumable is a heat-not-burn consumable.
  14. A smoking substitute system comprising the device according to any preceding claim and the consumable.
  15. A method of consuming a consumable in a session with a smoking substitute device comprising a display and a controller, the method comprising: determining the remaining usable lifetime of the consumable to be consumed in said session, in response to determining type of consumable; and displaying said remaining usable lifetime of the consumable on the display.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a smoking substitute system and particularly, although not exclusively, to a smoking substitute system comprising a smoking substitute device and method of indicating remaining usable lifetime of a consumable in a smoking session. BACKGROUND The smoking of tobacco is generally considered to expose a smoker to potentially harmful substances. It is generally thought that a significant amount of the potentially harmful substances are generated through the heat caused by the burning and/or combustion of the tobacco and the constituents of the burnt tobacco in the tobacco smoke itself. Conventional combustible smoking articles, such as cigarettes, typically comprise a cylindrical rod of tobacco comprising shreds of tobacco which is surrounded by a wrapper, and usually also a cylindrical filter axially aligned in an abutting relationship with the wrapped tobacco rod. The filter typically comprises a filtration material which is circumscribed by a plug wrap. The wrapped tobacco rod and the filter are joined together by a wrapped band of tipping paper that circumscribes the entire length of the filter and an adjacent portion of the wrapped tobacco rod. A conventional cigarette of this type is used by lighting the end opposite to the filter, and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker receives mainstream smoke into their mouth by drawing on the mouth end or filter end of the cigarette. Combustion of organic material such as tobacco is known to produce tar and other potentially harmful by-products. There have been proposed various smoking substitute systems (or "substitute smoking systems") in order to avoid the smoking of tobacco. Such smoking substitute systems can form part of nicotine replacement therapies aimed at people who wish to stop smoking and overcome a dependence on nicotine. Smoking substitute systems include electronic systems that permit a user to simulate the act of smoking by producing an aerosol (also referred to as a "vapour") that is drawn into the lungs through the mouth (inhaled) and then exhaled. The inhaled aerosol typically bears nicotine and/or flavourings without, or with fewer of, the odour and health risks associated with traditional smoking. In general, smoking substitute systems are intended to provide a substitute for the rituals of smoking, whilst providing the user with a similar experience and satisfaction to those experienced with traditional smoking and with combustible tobacco products. Some smoking substitute systems use smoking substitute articles (also referred to as "consumables") that are designed to resemble a traditional cigarette and are cylindrical in form with a mouthpiece at one end. The popularity and use of smoking substitute systems has grown rapidly in the past few years. Although originally marketed as an aid to assist habitual smokers wishing to quit tobacco smoking, consumers are increasingly viewing smoking substitute systems as desirable lifestyle accessories. There are a number of different categories of smoking substitute systems, each utilising a different smoking substitute approach. One approach for a smoking substitute system is the so-called Heated Tobacco ("HT") approach in which tobacco (rather than an "e-liquid") is heated or warmed to release vapour. HT is also known as "heat not burn" ("HNB"). The tobacco may be leaf tobacco or reconstituted tobacco. The vapour may contain nicotine and/or flavourings. In the HT approach the intention is that the tobacco is heated but not burned, i.e. the tobacco does not undergo combustion. A typical HT smoking substitute system may include a device and a consumable. The consumable may include the tobacco material. The device and consumable may be configured to be physically coupled together. In use, heat may be imparted to the tobacco material by a heating element of the device, wherein airflow through the tobacco material causes components in the tobacco material to be released as vapour. A vapour may also be formed from a carrier in the tobacco material (this carrier may for example include propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine) and additionally volatile compounds released from the tobacco. The released vapour may be entrained in the airflow drawn through the tobacco. As the vapour passes through the consumable (entrained in the airflow) from the location of vaporisation to an outlet of the consumable (e.g. a mouthpiece), the vapour cools and condenses to form an aerosol for inhalation by the user. The aerosol will normally contain the volatile compounds. In HT smoking substitute systems, heating as opposed to burning the tobacco material is believed to cause fewer, or smaller quantities, of the more harmful compounds ordinarily produced during smoking. Consequently, the HT approach may reduce the odour and/or health risks that can arise through the burning, combustion and pyrolytic degradation of tobacco. It may be difficult for a user to determine when a cons