Devices Comprising a Heat Source Material and Activation Chambers for the Same

• US 20160146506A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British American Tobacco Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: British American Tobacco Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: BRERETON, Simon, LITTEN, Neil, PLEWS, Graham, FORSTER, MARK
• Granted Patent: US 10,036,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/10 Devices with chemical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0276 with separate compartments connectable by rupturing a wall or membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0292 using latent heat produced or absorbed during phase change of materials, e.g. of super-cooled solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/034 Flameless
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/047 by exothermic chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F24V 30/00 Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/028 Control arrangements therefor

Abstract

A device is provided comprising a heat source material which is a phase change material and which undergoes an exothermic phase change upon activation by an activating agent to generate heat, a heat source chamber holding the heat source and an activation chamber providing the activating agent, and a barrier separating the interior of the heat source chamber from the interior of the activation chamber, wherein the activation chamber is deformable and wherein deformation of the activation chamber causes rupture of the barrier to allow contact between the activating agent and the heat source material. Embodiments also provide an activation chamber for use in the device and comprising an activating agent to trigger activation of a heat source material.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a heat source material which is a phase change material and which undergoes an exothermic phase change upon activation by an activating agent to generate heat;

a heat source chamber within which the heat source material is held, an activation chamber providing the activating agent; and

a barrier separating the interior of the heat source chamber from the interior of the activation chamber, wherein the activation chamber is deformable and wherein deformation of the activation chamber causes rupture of the barrier to allow contact between the activating agent and the heat source material the contact activating the exothermic phase change of the phase change material.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a housing within which the heat source and activation chambers are located;

and wherein the activation chamber is deformable by a user applying manual pressure to a deformable portion of the housing.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat source chamber is deformable by a user applying manual pressure to said heat source chamber and is arranged so that any deformation of the heat source chamber caused by a user applying manual pressure to said chamber will not cause rupture of the barrier.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation chamber comprises a deformable body forming a chamber having an opening which is sealed by the barrier.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation chamber is shaped to facilitate rupture of the barrier upon deformation.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation chamber comprises an internal protrusion which facilitates rupture of the barrier when the activation chamber is deformed.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat source chamber has an opening which is aligned with an opening of the activation chamber and both openings are sealed by a barrier.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase change material is a formulation comprising sodium acetate trihydrate.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activating agent is a solid material.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the activating agent comprises solid sodium acetate or solid sodium acetate trihydrate.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activating agent is a solid and comprises one or more of a salt, chalk and a cellulose derivative.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activating agent comprises a solid non-hygroscopic material.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the activating agent comprises metal filings.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a layer of resilient material the resilience of which causes the layer to re-seal after rupturing.

15. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device further includes a nicotine source which is arranged to release nicotine upon being heated by the heat source.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nicotine source comprises tobacco.

17. An activation chamber for use in a device as claimed in claim 1 and comprising an activating agent to trigger activation of a heat source material which is a phase change material and which undergoes an exothermic phase change upon activation by the activating agent to generate heat.

18. An activation chamber as claimed in claim 17, wherein the activation chamber is a blister.

19. An activation chamber as claimed in claim 17, wherein the activating agent is provided in the form of a powder, tablet or in a monolithic form.

20. An activation chamber as claimed in claim 17, wherein the activating agent is provided as a layer or coating on or in the activation chamber.