Aerosol Provision Device

The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2023/061994 filed May 5, 2023, which claims priority to GB Application No. 2206649.2 filed May 6, 2022, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The present invention relates to an aerosol provision device. The present invention also relates to an aerosol provision system.

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 that burn tobacco by creating products that release compounds without burning. Examples of such products are heating devices which release compounds by heating, but not burning, the material. The material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

In accordance with some embodiments described herein, there is provided an aerosol provision device for generating aerosol from aerosol-generating material, the device comprising a body; a receptacle configured to receive at least part of an article comprising aerosol-generating material; the body having an opening communicating with the receptacle; and a cover mechanism comprising: a cover member arranged to selectively at least partially cover the opening, wherein the cover member is arranged to move relative to the body between a relatively open position in which at least part of an article is able to be inserted through the opening and a relatively closed position in which at least part of an article is prevented from being inserted through the opening; an actuating member arranged to move relative to the body; and a gear mechanism arranged to move the cover member upon movement of the actuating member.

The actuating member may be arranged to rotate relative to the body.

The cover member may be arranged to pivot relative to the body.

The cover member and the actuating member may be arranged to rotate about parallel axes.

The axis of rotation of the cover member may be offset from the axis of rotation of the actuating member.

The cover member may be arranged to translate relative to the body.

The translation of the cover member may be a linear translation.

The translation of the cover member may be an arcuate translation.

The gear mechanism may comprise an actuating toothed portion on the actuating member.

The gear mechanism may comprise a cover toothed portion on the cover member.

The movement of the actuating member relative to the body may cause the cover member to move as motion is transmitted between the actuating toothed portion and the cover toothed portion.

The aerosol provision device may comprise a gear arranged to intermesh with the actuating toothed portion and the cover toothed portion. Motion may be transmitted from the actuating toothed portion to the toothed portion via the gear.

Wherein the gear may rotate about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the actuating member.

The gear may comprise a first gear segment and a second gear segment.

The gear may comprise a first gear segment arranged to intermesh with the actuating toothed portion and a second gear segment arranged to intermesh with the cover toothed portion.

The first gear segment may drive the second gear segment.

The first gear segment and the second gear segment may be fixed relative to each other.

The first gear segment and the second gear segment may be coaxial.

The first gear segment and the second gear segment may be axially offset.

The actuating toothed portion and the cover toothed portion may be axially offset.

The first gear segment and the second gear segment may differ in at least one aspect to provide a gear ratio. The first gear segment and the second gear segment may differ in at least one of pitch, pitch diameter and number of teeth.

The gear mechanism may comprise a rack and pinion arrangement.

The actuating toothed portion may directly intermesh with the cover toothed portion of the cover member.

The actuating member may comprise a peripheral wall. The actuating toothed portion may be on an inner side of the peripheral wall.

The cover mechanism may comprise a guide arranged to guide the movement of the at least one cover member.

The guide may comprise a track. The guide may comprise a channel. The guide may be formed in the body.

The guide may comprise at least two parallel channels.

The actuating member may comprise a housing portion covering at least part of the body.

The at least part of the body may extend in the housing portion.

The gear mechanism may extend in the housing portion.

The housing portion may comprise a gap through which at least a part of the cover member is arranged to be received.

The gap may be in the peripheral wall.

The peripheral wall may be a peripheral skirt.

The gap may be a slot. The gap may overlap the actuating toothed portion in a peripheral direction. The gap and the actuating toothed portion may be axially offset in a longitudinal direction.

The gap may be provided in the peripheral wall such that the gap and the actuating toothed portion are arranged adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction.

The gap may be elongate. The gap may extend in a circumferential direction.

The cover member may be arranged to be retracted from the gap in the relatively closed position. The cover member may be arranged to extend in the gap in the relatively open position.

The body may have a pocket for receiving the at least part of the cover member.

The pocket may be defined within a portion of the body adjacent to the actuating member.

The gap may be hidden by the body of the device throughout the range of movement of the actuating member.

The actuating member may comprise an aperture arranged to receive at least a portion of an article comprising aerosol.

The aperture is aligned with the opening.

The cover member may be arranged to fully cover the opening in the relatively closed position.

The cover member may be arranged to be fully retracted from the opening in the relatively open position.

The cover member may comprise a first cover member and a second cover member. The actuating toothed portion may be arranged to transmit motion to the cover toothed portion of the first cover member and to the cover toothed portion of the second cover member.

The actuating toothed portion may comprise a first actuating toothed portion arranged to transmit motion to the cover toothed portion of the first cover member and a second actuated toothed portion arranged to transmit motion to the cover toothed portion of the second cover member.

The first cover member and the second cover member may be configured to interface in the relatively closed position.