US-20260125172-A1 - APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING REFILLABLE ARTICLES FOR AEROSOL PROVISION SYSTEMS

US20260125172A1US 20260125172 A1US20260125172 A1US 20260125172A1US-20260125172-A1

Abstract

A refilling device for filling an article from a reservoir comprises an article interface for receiving an article of an aerosol provision system, the article having a storage area for fluid and an atomiser having porosity for absorbing fluid from the storage area and comprising an electrically conductive heating member for vaporising the absorbed fluid; and a controller configured to supply electrical power to produce electrical current flow in the heating member of an article received in the article interface during a heating period to cause heating of the heating member; and execute a filling action to deliver fluid to the storage area of the article after the heating period.

Inventors

Howard ROTHWELL

Assignees

Howard ROTHWELL

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251211
Priority Date: 20220307

Claims (9)

1 . A refilling device for filling an article from a reservoir, comprising: an article interface for receiving an article of an aerosol provision system, the article having a storage area for fluid and an atomiser having porosity for absorbing fluid from the storage area and comprising an electrically conductive heating member for vaporising the absorbed fluid; an air pump for removing air from inside an article received in the article interface; and a controller configured to: execute a filling action to deliver fluid to the storage area of the article; and during the filling action and/or on completion of the filling action, operate the air pump to reduce air pressure inside the article for a wetting period to promote flow of fluid from the storage area into the atomiser.
2 . A refilling device according to claim 1 , wherein the air pump is configured to engage with a mouthpiece of the article received in the article interface for removing air from inside the article.
3 . A refilling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wetting period has a duration in the range of 2 to 5 seconds.
4 . A refilling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wetting period occurs on completion of the filling action.
5 . A refilling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wetting period occurs wholly or partly during the filling action.
6 . A refilling device according to claim 1 , wherein the atomiser comprises an electrical resistance heating element having a porous structure for absorbing fluid from the storage area.
7 . A refilling device according to claim 6 , wherein the atomiser comprises metallic fibres.
8 . A refilling device according to claim 6 , wherein the atomiser comprises a ceramic material.
9 . A refilling device according to any one of claim 1 , wherein the atomiser comprises an electrical resistance heating element and a porous wicking member for absorbing fluid from the storage area and delivering it to the electrical resistance heating element.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/GB2023/050520 filed Mar. 6, 2023, which claims priority to GB Application No. 2203110.8 filed Mar. 7, 2022, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to devices configured to condition refillable articles for electronic aerosol provision systems. BACKGROUND Electronic aerosol provision systems, which are often configured as so-called electronic cigarettes, can have a unitary format with all elements of the system in a common housing, or a multi-component format in which elements are distributed between two or more housings which can be coupled together to form the system. A common example of the latter format is a two-component system comprising a device and an article. The device typically contains an electrical power source for the system, such as a battery, and control electronics for operating elements in order to generate aerosol. The article, also referred to by terms including cartridge, cartomizer, consumable and clearomizer, typically contains a storage volume or area for holding a supply of aerosolizable material from which the aerosol is generated, plus an aerosol generator or atomizer such as a heater operable to vaporize the aerosolizable material. A similar three-component system may include a separate mouthpiece that attaches to the article. In many designs, the article is designed to be disposable, in that it is intended to be detached from the device and thrown away when the aerosolizable material has been consumed. The user obtains a Previously Presented article which has been prefilled with aerosolizable material by a manufacturer and attaches it to the device for use. The device, in contrast, is intended to be used with multiple consecutive articles, with a capability to recharge the battery to allow prolonged operation. While disposable articles, which may be called consumables, are convenient for the user, they may be considered wasteful of natural resources and hence detrimental to the environment. An alternative design of article is therefore known, which is configured to be refilled with aerosolizable material by the user. This reduces waste, and can reduce the cost of electronic cigarette usage for the user. The aerosolizable material may be provided in a bottle, for example, from which the user squeezes or drips a quantity of material into the article via a refilling orifice on the article. However, the act of refilling can be awkward and inconvenient, since the items are small and the volume of material involved is typically low. Alignment of the juncture between bottle and article can be difficult, with inaccuracies leading to spillage of the material. This is not only wasteful, but may also be dangerous. Aerosolizable material frequently contains liquid nicotine, which can be poisonous if it makes contact with the skin. Therefore, refilling units or devices have been proposed, which are configured to receive a bottle or other reservoir of aerosolizable material plus a refillable article, and to automate the transfer of the material from the former to the latter. Alternative, improved or enhanced features and designs for such refilling devices are therefore of interest. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a refilling device for filling an article from a reservoir, comprising: an article interface for receiving an article of an aerosol provision system, the article having a storage area for fluid and an atomizer having porosity for absorbing fluid from the storage area and comprising an electrically conductive heating member for vaporizing the absorbed fluid; and a controller configured to: supply electrical power to produce electrical current flow in the heating member of an article received in the article interface during a heating period to cause heating of the heating member; and execute a filling action to deliver fluid to the storage area of the article after the heating period. According to a second aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a refilling device for filling an article from a reservoir, comprising: an article interface for receiving an article of an aerosol provision system, the article having a storage area for fluid and an atomizer having porosity for absorbing fluid from the storage area and comprising an electrically conductive heating member for vaporizing the absorbed fluid; an air pump for removing air from inside an article received in the article interface; and a controller configured to: execute a filling action to deliver fluid to the storage area of the article; and during the filling action and/or on completion of the filling action, operate the air pump to reduce air pressure inside the article for a wetting period to promote flow of fluid from the storage area into the atomizer. According to a third a