ES2983509T3 - Device for generating an inhalable medium, its use in providing a sustained supply of nicotine, cartridge and pod of tobacco composition suitable for use therein - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device (1) for generating an inhalable medium, the device comprising: a container (9) for holding a liquid (10); a heater (11) for volatilizing liquid held in the container; a chamber (13) containing a tobacco composition (14); and an outlet (4); the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium passes out of the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition; wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for generating an inhalable medium, its use in providing a sustained supply of nicotine, cartridge and pod of tobacco composition suitable for use therein

Technical field

The present invention relates, without limitation, to a device for generating an inhalable medium, a cartridge for use in a device for generating an inhalable medium, a method for generating an inhalable medium, a kit and a tobacco composition pod.

Background

Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to generate tobacco smoke. Alternatives to such articles include articles for generating an inhalable medium, as described, for example, in WO 2016/062777, oral products, as described, for example, in WO 2012/134380, and articles that release unburned compounds to form an inhalable medium. Anonymous: "iFUSE - the Heat not Burn hybrid - Heat Not Bum", (2017-01-04), XP055493889, Retrieved from Internet: URL:https://heatnot-burn.co.uk/ifuse-heat-not-burn-hybrid discloses a description of the iFUSE, a hybrid device with two visible components: a battery and a USB charging port and a single large button. At the top end of the battery is a proprietary connector for the cartridges it uses. The cartridge is not visible when the iFUSE is assembled. The device is powered by disposable cartridges called Neopods; these are branded after Kent cigarettes, and come in three different flavours.

Examples of such products are heating devices including hybrid e-cigarette/heat-not-burn devices, also known as hybrid e-tobacco devices. These hybrid devices contain a liquid that is vaporized by heating to produce an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The liquid may contain flavorings and/or aerosol-generating substances, such as glycerol and, in some cases, nicotine. The vapor or aerosol passes through the material in the device and entrains one or more constituents of a substrate material to produce the inhaled medium. The substrate material may be, for example, tobacco, other non-tobacco products, or a combination, such as a mixed blend, which may or may not contain nicotine.

Summary

The claimed invention is defined in the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the subclaims.

The disclosure relates to a device for generating an inhalable medium, the device comprising:

a container for holding a liquid;

a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container;

a chamber containing a tobacco composition; and

an exit;

the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition;

wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base.

The device described here may be referred to as a hybrid e-tobacco device.

The disclosure also provides a cartridge for use in a device for generating an inhalable medium, the cartridge comprising a volatilizable liquid in a first chamber and a tobacco composition in a second chamber, wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base.

Suitably, the cartridge may be adapted for use in the device for generating an inhalable medium described herein.

The disclosure also provides a method of generating an inhalable medium using a device comprising a container containing a liquid, a heater for volatilizing the liquid, a chamber containing a tobacco composition, and an outlet, the method comprising:

volatilize the liquid contained in the container;

forming an inhalable medium, the inhalable medium comprising (i) the volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition; and

to expel the inhalable medium through the outlet;

wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base.

The disclosure also provides the use of an encapsulated base in a tobacco composition to provide sustained delivery of nicotine in use, wherein the tobacco composition is provided in a device, the device comprising;

a container for holding a liquid;

a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container;

a chamber containing the tobacco composition; and

an exit;

the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition.

The disclosure also provides a method for providing a sustained release of nicotine from a device for generating an inhalable medium, the device comprising;

a container for holding a liquid;

a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container;

a chamber containing a tobacco composition; and

an exit;

the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition;

wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base; the method comprising releasing the base from its encapsulation in use to release nicotine from the tobacco material.

The disclosure also provides a kit comprising:

(i) a liquid sheath containing a volatilizable liquid; and

(ii) a tobacco composition pod, containing a tobacco composition comprised of a tobacco material and an encapsulated base;

wherein the liquid and the tobacco composition sheath are configured for use in a device for use in generating an inhalable medium, the device being such that in use, an inhalable medium is generated, the medium comprising (i) liquid volatilized from the liquid sheath in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition.

The disclosure also provides a tobacco composition pod, containing a tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material and an encapsulated base; wherein the tobacco composition pod is configured for use in a device for use in generating an inhalable medium, the device being such that in use, an inhalable medium is generated, the medium comprising (i) liquid volatilized as a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition. In some cases, the device, cartridge or tobacco composition pod is configured such that, in use, the liquid volatilized by the heater passes, as at least one of a vapor and an aerosol, through the tobacco composition to thereby entrain one or more constituents of the tobacco composition to produce the inhalable medium exiting the outlet.

In some cases, the base comprises one or more hydroxides or carbonates of sodium, potassium or calcium or other soluble bases.

In some cases, the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material that melts, decomposes, reacts, degrades, swells, dissolves or deforms to release the base at a temperature above ambient temperature but equal to or below the temperature reached during use.

In some cases, the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material selected from a polysaccharide or cellulosic barrier material, a gelatin, a gum, a gel, a wax, or a mixture thereof. In some cases, the encapsulating material is selected from one or more of alginates, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, pectin, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose ethers, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, gum acacia, guar, quince seed, xanthan gums, agar gel, agarose gel, carrageenans, furoidan, furcellaran, and carnauba wax.

In some cases, only the base is encapsulated. In some cases, the tobacco material is encapsulated with the base. In some cases, the base may be the only tobacco material included in the tobacco composition. In other cases, the encapsulated tobacco material may be included together with non-encapsulated tobacco material in the tobacco composition.

In some cases, disclosure methods include:

volatilize the liquid contained in the container;

entraining one or more constituents of the tobacco composition into at least one of a vapor and an aerosol formed by the volatilized liquid by passing the at least one of a vapor and an aerosol through the tobacco composition to generate the inhalable medium; and

to expel the inhalable medium through the outlet.

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Examples of devices for generating an inhalable medium according to the disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example of a device for generating an inhalable medium;

Figure 2 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of a device for generating an inhalable medium;

Figure 3 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of a device for generating an inhalable medium;

Figure 4 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example of a cartridge having a liquid container and an integral solid material container.

Figure 5 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an example of a cartridge having a liquid container and a removable solid material container.

Detailed description

Tobacco can be treated with base and water to release the nicotine from the tobacco. The nicotine in the tobacco reacts with the base; this reaction deprotonates the nicotine, increasing its volatility and releasing it from its bound state within the tobacco.

The inventors have determined that if treated tobacco based on known hybrid e-tobacco devices is used, the nicotine delivery per puff decreases significantly during use. The reaction between the base and the nicotine occurs rapidly; the deprotonated nicotine is then released rapidly once heating begins and is therefore quickly consumed.

The present disclosure provides improved consistency of nicotine delivery per puff by encapsulating the base. The inventors have determined that by encapsulating the base, the rate of base release can be controlled; this, in turn, provides control of the pH treatment rate of the tobacco and therefore controls the rate of nicotine release by pH treatment.

In addition, pH treatment of tobacco results in the release of ammonia. Controlling the pH treatment rate controls the rate of ammonia release, and this can improve the organoleptic properties of tobacco (as the ammonia smell is less strong).

The release of the encapsulation base may be triggered by pressure, temperature, or contact with the vapor or aerosol formed from the volatilized liquid. For example, when the release is triggered by temperature, the base may be encapsulated by an encapsulating material that melts, decomposes, reacts, degrades, swells, dissolves, or deforms to release the base at a temperature above room temperature but at or below the temperature reached during use.

In some cases, the disclosure provides a device for generating an inhalable medium or a cartridge for use in a device for generating an inhalable medium, wherein the device or cartridge includes a tobacco composition. The tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base.

In some cases, the tobacco composition may be porous, such that an aerosol or vapor can pass through the tobacco composition. In this way, the components of the tobacco composition are efficiently entrained in the aerosol/vapor as it passes through the tobacco composition.

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material comprising tobacco or derivatives thereof. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may comprise one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, reconstituted tobacco, agglomerated tobacco, spheronized tobacco, and/or tobacco extract.

The tobacco used to produce the tobacco material may be any suitable tobacco, such as single grades or blends, cut rolled or whole leaf, including Virginia and/or Burley and/or Oriental. It may also be "fine" particle or powder tobacco, expanded tobacco, stems, expanded stems and other processed stem materials such as cut rolled stems. The tobacco material may be a ground tobacco or a reconstituted tobacco material. The reconstituted tobacco material may comprise tobacco fibers, and may be formed by casting, a Fourdrinier-based papermaking type methodology with subsequent addition of tobacco extract, or by extrusion.

The tobacco composition may further comprise flavorings and/or aerosol-generating agents.

The tobacco composition may further comprise one or more fillers, such as invert sugar, molasses, cane sugar, honey, cocoa, licorice, polyols such as glycerol and propylene glycol and acids such as malic acid.

The tobacco composition comprises an encapsulated base. Any suitable base may be used. Suitable bases may be non-toxic and preferably tasteless or palatable. GRAS water-soluble bases are especially suitable. Other suitable bases may be oil-soluble. Examples of suitable base substances that may be incorporated into the tobacco compositions according to the disclosure are ammonia, carbonates or hydroxides of sodium, potassium or calcium, conveniently sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide.

As already indicated, the release of the encapsulation base may be triggered by pressure, temperature or contact with the vapour or aerosol formed from the volatilised liquid. For example, when the release is pressure triggered, it may be effected by the user applying pressure directed at the capsule or activating an actuator. When the release is temperature triggered, the base may be encapsulated by an encapsulating material which melts, decomposes, reacts, degrades, swells, disintegrates or deforms to release the base at a temperature above ambient temperature but at or below the temperature reached during use. When the release is triggered through contact with the vapour or aerosol formed from the volatilised liquid, the release may be effected by a chemical reaction between the vapour/aerosol and the encapsulating material.

In some cases, the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material selected from a polysaccharide or cellulosic barrier material, a gelatin, a gum, a gel, a wax, or a mixture thereof. In some cases, the encapsulating material is selected from one or more of alginates, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, pectin, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose ethers, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, gum acacia, guar, quince seed, xanthan gums, agar gel, agarose gel, carrageenans, furoidan, furcellaran, and carnauba wax.

In some embodiments, the encapsulating material comprises a polysaccharide. An alginate is especially suitable for its encapsulating properties. The alginate may be, for example, a salt of alginic acid, an esterified alginate, or glyceryl alginate. Salts of alginic acid include ammonium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, and group I or II metal ion alginates such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium alginate. Esterified alginates include propylene glycol alginate and glyceryl alginate. In some cases, the barrier material is sodium alginate and/or calcium alginate.

The release temperature of the encapsulated base may be, for example, above 50°C, conveniently above 60°C, 70°C, 80°C or 90°C. The release temperature of the encapsulated base may conveniently be above room temperature or ambient temperature.

The release of the base may be staggered in use by, for example, dispersing the encapsulated base throughout the tobacco composition such that different portions of the encapsulated base reach their release temperatures at different times. Alternatively or additionally, the release of the base may be staggered by encapsulating different portions of the encapsulated base differently; for example, the thickness of the encapsulated material may differ between different portions of the encapsulated base, and/or the encapsulated material itself may differ between different portions of the encapsulated base.

The staggered release of the base also improves the consistency of nicotine delivery, as the rate of treatment of the nicotine pH is controlled. This also controls the rate of ammonia release, improving the organoleptic properties of the tobacco.

In some cases, the encapsulated base may be encapsulated using two or more encapsulating materials, for example in separate layers.

The encapsulated base may be incorporated into the tobacco composition in a variety of ways. In some cases, the encapsulated base may be applied to the tobacco material, which may be achieved, for example, by spray drying. In some cases, the encapsulated base may be provided as a film that is applied to a wrapper disposed around other components of the tobacco composition. In some cases, the encapsulated base may be provided in the form of granular capsules, which may be dispersed throughout other components of the tobacco composition. In some cases, the encapsulated base may be provided as part of a tobacco processing method; for example, included in a method of producing extruded tobacco material or in a method of producing a reconstituted tobacco material. In some cases, the encapsulated base may be provided in a combination of these forms.

The tobacco composition may further comprise non-encapsulated base.

In some cases, other components of the tobacco composition may be encapsulated along with the base. For example, some or all of the tobacco material may be encapsulated. When present, some or all of the flavoring and/or aerosol-generating agent may be encapsulated.

In some examples, the tobacco material and the base are co-encapsulated. Suitably, the tobacco composition may comprise further tobacco material that is not encapsulated. Alternatively, all of the tobacco material in the tobacco composition may be co-encapsulated with the base.

In other examples, there is no encapsulated tobacco material adjacent to the base. In some cases, there is no encapsulated tobacco material in the tobacco composition. Suitably, the encapsulation only encapsulates base (and optionally, solvent).

The device comprises a container containing a volatilizable liquid. In some cases, the device comprises a container containing a volatilizable liquid. Suitable liquids include those conventionally used in electronic cigarette devices. In some cases, the volatilizable liquid may contain nicotine and/or a tobacco extract and/or flavorings and/or aerosol-generating agents, such as propylene glycol and/or glycerol. The liquid typically volatilizes at around 150-250°C.

The device according to some examples of the disclosure may be configured such that, in use, the liquid volatilized by the heater passes, in the form of at least one of a vapor and an aerosol, through the tobacco composition to thereby entrain one or more constituents of the tobacco composition to produce the inhalable medium exiting the outlet.

In other examples, the flow path from the liquid container may be combined with a separate flow path from the tobacco composition to form the inhalable medium. In other words, in some example devices, the volatilized liquid does not pass through the chamber holding the tobacco composition.

In some cases, the device comprises means for heating the tobacco composition to volatilize the tobacco components and form a first aerosol and/or vapor. The liquid may volatilize to form a second vapor and/or aerosol, which may combine with the first vapor and/or aerosol to form the inhalable medium. In some cases, a heater may heat both the liquid and the tobacco composition. In some cases, the device may be configured such that the heater only directly heats the liquid composition and the tobacco composition is heated by heat carried in the vapor/aerosol formed from the volatilized liquid (thus volatilizing components of the tobacco composition which are then entrained in the vapor/aerosol flow).

In one embodiment, the device comprises a cooler or cooling zone downstream of the heater and upstream of the chamber, the cooler or cooling zone being arranged to cool the vaporized liquid to form an aerosol of liquid droplets which in use passes through the tobacco composition in the chamber. The cooler may in effect be arranged to act as a heat exchanger, allowing recovery of heat from the vapor. The recovered heat may be used, for example, to preheat the tobacco composition and/or to assist in heating the liquid.

In one embodiment, the device comprises a second heater for heating the tobacco composition in the chamber. This allows the tobacco composition to be heated by the heater, which promotes the release of compounds from the tobacco composition, and optionally allows a lower temperature to be used for the heated liquid.

In one embodiment, the device is battery operated.

In one embodiment, the or each heater is an electrically resistive heater.

In one embodiment, the liquid container is removable. The liquid container may be in the form of a pot or the like (which in some embodiments may be annular, for example), and/or an absorbent wadding or the like. Indeed, the container holding the liquid may be a disposable article that is replaced in its entirety after use. Alternatively, the arrangement may be such that the user removes the liquid container from the device, replaces the used liquid or refills the liquid in the container, and then replaces the container in the device.

In some cases, the liquid container may not be removable from the device. In such an embodiment, the user may be limited to replacing the used liquid or refilling the liquid in the container after use, as needed.

In some cases, the liquid container and chamber are an integral unit. In some cases, the integral unit is a cartridge that can be removed from the device.

In some cases, the chamber is removable from the device. The chamber may, for example, be in the form of a cartridge or the like containing the tobacco composition prior to use. The entire chamber containing the tobacco composition may, in effect, be a disposable article which is replaced in its entirety after use. Alternatively, the arrangement may be such that the user removes the chamber from the device, replaces the used material in the chamber, and then replaces the chamber in the device.

In some embodiments described herein, the disclosure provides a cartridge for use in a device for generating an inhalable medium, the cartridge comprising a volatilizable liquid in a first chamber and a tobacco composition in a second chamber, wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base. Suitably, the cartridge may be adapted for use in the device for generating an inhalable medium described herein.

To the extent compatible, features described in connection with the device are explicitly disclosed in combination with the cartridge and vice versa. Specifically, features of the tobacco composition or volatilizable liquid described herein are explicitly disclosed in combination with the device and cartridge embodiments of the disclosure.

Examples of devices for generating an inhalable medium in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to Figure 1, an example of a device 1 for generating an inhalable medium is shown. Broadly speaking, the device 1 volatilizes a liquid to form a vapor or aerosol that passes through a material to produce an inhalable medium containing one or more constituents derived from the material.

In this regard, it should first be noted that, in general, a vapour is a substance in the gaseous phase at a temperature below its critical temperature, which means that, for example, vapour can be condensed into a liquid by increasing its pressure without reducing the temperature. On the other hand, in general, an aerosol is a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets, in air or another gas. A "colloid" is a substance in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended in another substance.

Returning to Figure 1, the device 1 in this example has a generally hollow cylindrical outer housing 2. The housing 2 has an open end 3. In this example, a tubular mouthpiece 4 is provided at the open end 3. In this example, the mouthpiece 4 is removable by a user from the housing 2. An O-ring or other seal 5 helps to seal the mouthpiece 4 to the housing 2. At or toward the other end 6 of the housing 2 is a battery 7 for powering various components of the device 1, as will be discussed later. The battery 7 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. Also located in the housing 2 is a controller 8 for controlling the operation of various components of the device 1, as will be discussed later.

The housing 2 has a container 9 for holding or containing a liquid 10. A number of different shapes may be used for the container 9. In the example of Figure 1, the container 9 is in the form of an annular chamber 9 disposed in the housing 2 between the open end 3 and the other end 6. In this particular example, the housing 2 is formed from two parts, a first part 2a towards the open end 3 and a second part 2b towards the other end 6. The first and second parts 2a,2b of the housing 2 may be connected to each other by a thread, bayonet fastening or the like. In use, a user may separate the first and second parts 2a,2b of the housing 2 to allow the liquid 10 to be replenished or replaced as required. Alternatively, the nozzle 4 may be removed to allow access to the container 9. However, it will be understood that other arrangements are possible. For example, the liquid 10 may be supplied in a discrete annular pot-shaped container which is wholly removable from the housing 2. Such a discrete container may be disposable such that the user replaces the liquid 10 by placing a new container with liquid 10 into the housing 2. Alternatively, such a container may be reusable. In such a case, the user may replenish or replace the liquid 10 in the container while it is removed from the housing 2 and then replace the refilled container into the housing 2. It will be understood that the housing 2 need not consist of two parts and that other arrangements may be provided to allow user access, for example to allow on-site refilling.

A heater 11 is provided generally in the centre of the housing 2, i.e. in the centre along the length and width of the housing 2 in this example. In this example, the heater 11 is powered by the battery 7 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 7. The heater 11 may be an electrical resistive heater, including for example a nichrome resistive heater, a ceramic heater, etc. The heater 11 may be, for example, a wire, which may be, for example, in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of two or more different materials, one or more of which may be electrically conductive and one or more of which may be electrically non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or non-woven, for example, and which, again, may also be multi-layer), a film heater, etc. Other heating arrangements, including non-electrical arrangements, may be used.

This heater 11 is provided to volatilize the liquid 10. In the example shown, an annular wick 12 surrounds the heater 11 and is in (thermal) contact with the heater 11. The outermost surface of the annular wick 12 is in contact with the liquid 10 contained in the liquid container 9. The wick 12 is generally absorbent and acts to draw the liquid 10 from the liquid container 9 by capillary action. The wick 12 is preferably non-woven and may be, for example, a cotton or wool material or the like, or a synthetic material, including, for example, polyester, nylon, viscose, polypropylene or the like. Although this will be described in more detail below, it should be noted here that, in use, the liquid 10 drawn into the wick 12 is heated by the heater 11. The liquid 10 may be volatilized to produce an aerosol of liquid droplets or heated sufficiently to produce a vapor. The aerosol or vapour thus produced leaves the wick 12 and passes towards the nozzle 4 as shown by arrows A under the action of the user pulling the nozzle 4. The heater 11 and wick 12 may be supplied as a single effectively integral element, sometimes referred to as an "atomiser", so that heating and absorption are effectively carried out by a single unit.

The housing 2 further contains a chamber 13 which holds or contains a tobacco composition 14 in the device 1. The tobacco composition 14 comprises tobacco material and an encapsulated base. In use, a user may access the chamber 13 to replace or replenish the tobacco composition 14 through the open end 3 of the housing 2 by removing the mouthpiece 4 and/or separating the two parts 2a,2b of the housing 2. Various shapes may be used for the chamber 13. For example, the chamber 13 may be a tube completely open at both ends containing the tobacco composition 14. As another example, the chamber 13 may be a tube having one or more end walls having through holes through which a vapor or aerosol may pass. The chamber 13 may remain in situ within the housing 2 while the user removes and replaces the tobacco composition 14. Alternatively, the chamber 13 containing the tobacco composition 14 may be a discrete element which in use is inserted into the housing 2 and removed from it as a whole. Such a removable chamber 13 may be disposable, such that the user replaces the tobacco composition 14 by placing a new chamber 13 containing fresh tobacco composition 14 into the housing 2. Alternatively, the chamber 13 may be reusable. In such a case, the user may replace the tobacco composition 14 in the chamber 13 while the chamber 13 has been removed from the housing 2 and then replace the refilled chamber 13 into the housing 2. In another example, the chamber 13 may comprise clips or the like provided internally of the housing 2 and which retain the tobacco composition 14 in position. In some examples, the tobacco composition 14 could simply fit snugly within the chamber 13. Alternatively, the container 9 itself for holding the liquid 10 may be arranged to support or carry the tobacco composition 14. For example, the container 9 may have one or more clips or a tube or the like for receiving and holding the tobacco composition 14 in position. Such a dual-function container 9/chamber or receptacle 13 for holding the liquid 10 and receiving the tobacco composition 14 may be in the form of a cartridge or the like and may be disposable or reusable, with the liquid 10 and tobacco composition 14 being replaced or refilled according to the user's needs. In some cases, it may be that the user only needs to refill or replace the tobacco composition 14 from time to time, leaving enough liquid 10 for several uses. Once the liquid 10 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 9/container 13 and uses a new one. Similarly, it may be the case that the user only needs to refill or replace the liquid 10 occasionally, providing enough tobacco composition 14 for several uses. Once the tobacco composition 14 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 9/container 13 and uses a new one. Specific examples of dual-function containers/receptacles are set forth below.

The tobacco composition 14 is located in the housing 2 downstream of where the aerosol or vapor is produced from the liquid 10 and upstream of the open end 3 of the housing 2 and the mouthpiece 4. In this particular example, the tobacco composition 14 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 2 as the wick 12. The aerosol or vapor produced from the liquid 10 exits the wick 12 and passes as shown by arrows A into the tobacco composition 14 under the action of the user squeezing the mouthpiece 4. In certain embodiments, the tobacco composition 14 is porous such that the aerosol or vapor passes through the tobacco composition 14 and then through the open end 3 of the housing 2 and the mouthpiece 4. The heat carried by the aerosol or vapor releases the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 14, conveniently by melting or by any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine, which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol.

In some embodiments, the tobacco composition 14 and/or its chamber 13 are arranged such that there is no air space between the tobacco composition 14/chamber 13 and the interior of the housing 2, such that the aerosol or vapor flows completely through the tobacco composition 14.

The liquid 10 is conveniently a liquid which is volatilizable at reasonable temperatures, preferably in the range of 100-300°C or more particularly around 150-250°C, as this helps to reduce the power consumption of the device 1. Suitable materials include those conventionally used in electronic cigarette devices, such as propylene glycol and glycerol (also known as glycerine).

The tobacco composition 14 imparts a flavor to the aerosol or vapor produced from the liquid 10 as the aerosol or vapor passes through the tobacco composition 14. As the aerosol or vapor passes through and over the tobacco composition 14, the heated aerosol or vapor entrains organic compounds and other compounds or constituents of the tobacco material 14 that give the tobacco its organoleptic properties, thereby imparting the flavor to the aerosol or vapor as it passes into the mouthpiece 4.

The device 1 provides nicotine to the user. The nicotine may be provided in the liquid 10, may be obtained from the tobacco composition 14, may be provided as a coating or the like on the tobacco composition 14, or any combination of these. Flavorings may also be added to the tobacco composition 14 and/or the liquid 10.

In the example of Figure 1, the only heat source for heating the tobacco composition 14 in the device 1, necessary to generate the organic and other compounds or constituents of the tobacco composition 14, is the hot aerosol or vapor produced by heating the liquid 10.

Referring now to Figure 2, another example of a device for generating an inhalable medium is shown. In the following description and in Figure 2, components and features that are the same as or similar to the corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to Figure 1 have the same reference numeral but increased by 200. For the sake of brevity, the description of such components and features will not be repeated here in full. It will be understood that the arrangements and alternatives, etc. described above in relation to the example of Figure 1 are also applicable to the example of Figure 2. Again, broadly speaking, the device 201 of Figure 2 heats a liquid to form a vapor or aerosol which passes through a tobacco composition 214 in order to produce an inhalable medium containing one or more constituents derived from the tobacco composition 214.

The device 201 of this example has a generally hollow cylindrical outer housing 202 with an open end 203 and a tubular mouthpiece 204. The mouthpiece 204 of this example is removable by a user from the housing 202 and an O-ring or other seal 205 helps to seal the mouthpiece 204 to the housing 202. A battery 207 for powering various components of the device 201 and a controller 208 are provided at or toward the other end 206 of the housing 202. The housing 202 of this example is formed of two parts, a first part 202a toward the open end 203 and a second part 202b toward the other end 206.

The housing 202 has a container 209 for holding or containing a liquid 210. The container 209 may be any of the types described above in connection with the example of Figure 1. A heater 211 is provided generally in the center (lengthwise and widthwise) of the housing 202 to volatilize the liquid 210. In this example, the heater 211 is powered by the battery 207 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 207. The heater 211 may be an electrically resistive heater, a ceramic heater, etc. The heater 211 may be, for example, a wire, which may be, for example, in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of two or more different materials, one or more of which may be electrically conductive and one or more of which may be electrically non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or non-woven, for example, and which, again, may also be multi-layer), a film heater, etc. Other heating arrangements may be used, including inductive heating or non-electrical heating. An annular wick 212 surrounds the heater 211 and is in (thermal) contact with the heater 211. The outermost surface of the annular wick 212 is in contact with the liquid 210 contained in the liquid container 209. The liquid 210 may be heated to produce an aerosol of liquid droplets or heated sufficiently to produce a vapor. The aerosol or vapour thus produced exits the wick 212 and passes towards the nozzle 204 as shown by arrows A under the action of the user pulling the nozzle 204. The heater 211 and wick 212 may be supplied as a single effectively integral element, so that heating and absorption are effectively performed by a single unit.

The housing 202 further contains a chamber 213 that houses or contains a tobacco composition 214 in the device 201. The tobacco composition 214 comprises tobacco material and an encapsulated base. The chamber 213 may be of any of the types described above in connection with the example of Figure 1. The tobacco composition 214 is located in the housing 202 downstream of where the aerosol or vapor is produced from the liquid 210 and upstream of the open end 203 of the housing 202 and the mouthpiece 204. In this particular example, the tobacco composition 214 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 202 as the wick 212. The aerosol or vapor produced from the liquid 210 exits the wick 212 and passes as shown by arrows A into the tobacco composition 214 under the action of the user squeezing the mouthpiece 204. In certain embodiments, the tobacco composition 214 is porous such that the aerosol or vapor passes through the tobacco composition 214 and then through the open end 203 of the housing 202 and the mouthpiece 204. 204. The heat carried by the aerosol or vapor releases the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 14, conveniently by melting or any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine, which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol.

In some embodiments, the tobacco composition 214 and/or its chamber 213 are arranged such that there is no air space between the tobacco composition 214/chamber 213 and the interior of the housing 202, such that the aerosol or vapor flows completely through the tobacco composition 214. As the aerosol or vapor passes through and over the tobacco composition 214, the heated aerosol or vapor entrains organic compounds and other compounds or constituents of the tobacco composition 214 that give the tobacco its organoleptic properties, thereby imparting flavor to the aerosol or vapor as it passes into the mouthpiece 204.

The container 209 for holding the liquid 210 may itself be arranged to support or carry the tobacco composition 214. For example, the container 209 may have one or more clips or a tube or the like for receiving and holding the tobacco composition 214 in position. Such a dual-function container 209/chamber or receptacle 213 for holding the liquid 210 and receiving the tobacco composition 214 may be in the form of a cartridge or the like and may be disposable or reusable, with the liquid 210 and tobacco composition 214 being replaced or refilled according to the user's needs. In some cases, it may be that the user only needs to refill or replace the tobacco composition 214 from time to time, leaving enough liquid 210 for several uses. Once the liquid 210 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 209/receptacle 213 and uses a new one. Similarly, it may be the case that the user only needs to refill or replace the liquid 210 occasionally, providing enough tobacco composition 214 for several uses. Once the tobacco composition 214 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 209/receptacle 213 and uses a new one.

In the example device 201 of Figure 2, a second heater 215, such as an oven heater, is provided in thermal contact with the tobacco composition 214 to preheat the tobacco composition 214 and/or provide additional heat to the tobacco composition 214 throughout use of the device 201. This promotes the release of constituents of the tobacco composition 214 as the vapor or aerosol passes through the tobacco composition 214 in use. The amount of heated liquid 210 may be reduced to achieve desirable heating of the tobacco composition 214. The second heater 215 may be an electrically resistive heater, a ceramic heater, etc., powered, for example, by the battery 207. The second heater 215 may be, for example, a wire, which may be, for example, in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multilayer plate of two or more different materials, one or more of which may be electrically conductive and one or more of which may be electrically non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or nonwoven, for example, and which, again, may also be multilayer), a film heater, etc. The second heater 215 may be an inductive heater powered, for example, by the battery 207. The tobacco composition 214 may include materials susceptible to inductive heating. Other heating arrangements for the second heater 215 may be used, including non-electrical heating arrangements.

The heater 215 may also effect release of the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 214, conveniently by melting or any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol.

In the example device 201 of Figure 2, the heater 215 for heating the tobacco composition 214 is provided externally of the tobacco composition 214 and heats the tobacco composition 214 by heat conduction from the outside of the tobacco composition 214. The heater 215 in this example is generally cylindrical. Indeed, the heater 215 may be integral with the device 201 and provided as part of the housing 202. Alternatively, the heater 215 may be provided integrally with the chamber 213 holding or containing the tobacco composition 214. In this alternative, in the case where the chamber 213 is disposable, the heater 215 will be replaced when the user loads a new chamber 213 with fresh tobacco into the device 201.

Referring now to Figure 3, another example of a device for generating an inhalable medium is shown. In the following description and in Figure 3, components and features that are the same as or similar to corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to Figure 1 have the same reference numeral but increased by 300. For the sake of brevity, the description of such components and features will not be repeated here in full. It will be understood that the arrangements and alternatives, etc. described above in connection with the examples of Figure 1 and Figure 2 are also applicable to the example of Figure 3. Again, broadly speaking, the device 301 of Figure 3 heats a liquid to form a vapor or aerosol which passes through a tobacco composition 314 in order to produce an inhalable medium containing one or more constituents derived from the tobacco composition 314.

The device 301 of this example again has a generally hollow cylindrical outer housing 302 with an open end 303 and a tubular mouthpiece 304, which is removable by a user of the housing 302. An O-ring or other seal 305 helps to seal the mouthpiece 304 to the housing 302. A battery 307 for powering various components of the device 301 and a controller 308 are provided at or toward the other end 306 of the housing 302. The housing 302 of this example is again in two parts, a first part 302a toward the open end 303 and a second part 302b toward the other end 306.

The housing 302 has a container 309 for holding or containing a liquid 310. The container 309 may be any of the types described above in connection with the examples of Figures 1 and 2. A heater 311 is provided generally in the center of the housing 302 for heating the liquid 310. The heater 311 may be any of the types described above. In this example, the heater 311 is powered by the battery 307 and is therefore electrically connected to the battery 307. An annular wick 312 surrounds the heater 311 and is in (thermal) contact with the heater 311. The outermost surface of the annular wick 312 is in contact with the liquid 310 contained in the liquid container 309. The liquid 310 may be heated to produce an aerosol of liquid droplets or heated sufficiently to produce a vapor. The aerosol or vapour thus produced exits the wick 312 and passes towards the nozzle 304 as shown by arrows A under the action of the user pulling the nozzle 304. The heater 311 and wick 312 may be supplied as a single effectively integral element, so that heating and absorption are effectively performed by a single unit.

The housing 302 further contains a chamber 313 which holds or contains a tobacco composition 314 in the device 301. The tobacco composition 314 comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base. The chamber 313 may be of any of the types described above in connection with the examples of Figures 1 and 2. (In the example shown in Figure 3, the chamber 313 is in the form of a tube whose end walls 316 have through holes 317 through which a vapor or aerosol may pass, which was mentioned above as an option.) The tobacco composition 314 is located in the housing 302 downstream of where the aerosol or vapor is produced from the liquid 310 and upstream of the open end 303 of the housing 302 and the mouthpiece 304. In this particular example, again, the tobacco composition 314 is effectively provided in the same portion or chamber of the housing 302 as the wick 312. The aerosol or vapor produced from the liquid 310 exits the wick 312 and passes as shown by arrows A into the tobacco composition 314 under the action of the user pulling on the mouthpiece 304. In certain embodiments, the tobacco composition 314 is porous such that the aerosol or vapor passes through the tobacco composition 314 and then through the open end 303 of the housing 302 and the mouthpiece 304. The heat carried by the aerosol or vapor releases the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 314. 314, conveniently by melting or any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol.

In some embodiments, the tobacco composition 314 and/or its chamber 313 are arranged such that there is no air space between the tobacco composition 314/chamber 313 and the interior of the housing 302, such that the aerosol or vapor flows completely through the tobacco composition 314. As the aerosol or vapor passes through and over the tobacco composition 314, the heated aerosol or vapor entrains organic compounds and other compounds or constituents of the tobacco composition 314, thereby imparting tobacco flavor to the aerosol or vapor as it passes into the mouthpiece 304. The container 309 itself for holding the liquid 310 may be arranged to support or transport the tobacco composition 314. For example, the container 309 may have one or more clips or a tube or the like for receiving and holding the tobacco composition 314 in position. Such a dual-function container 309/chamber or receptacle 313 for holding the liquid 310 and receiving the tobacco composition 314 may be in the form of a cartridge or the like and may be disposable or reusable, with the liquid 310 and the tobacco composition 314 being replaced or refilled according to the user's needs. In some cases, the user may only need to refill or replace the tobacco composition 314 from time to time, providing enough liquid 310 for several uses. Once the liquid 310 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 309/receptacle 313 and uses a new one. Likewise, the user may only need to refill or replace the liquid 310 from time to time, providing enough tobacco composition 314 for several uses. Once the tobacco composition 314 is consumed, the user discards the dual-function container 309/receptacle 313 and uses a new one.

In the example device 301 of Figure 3, a second heater 318 is again provided in thermal contact with the tobacco composition 314 to heat the tobacco composition 314 to promote the release of constituents of the tobacco composition 314 as the vapor or aerosol passes through the tobacco composition 314 in use. The second heater 318 may be an electrically resistive heater, a ceramic heater, etc., powered, for example, by the battery 307. Other heating arrangements for the second heater 318 may be used, including non-electrical heating arrangements.

In the example device 301 of Figure 3, the heater 318 for heating the tobacco composition 314 is provided within the tobacco composition 314 and heats the tobacco composition 314 by heat conduction from within the tobacco composition 314. In this example, the heater 318 is generally in the form of a cylindrical rod positioned along the central longitudinal axis of the tobacco composition 314. In other arrangements, the heater 318 may be a wire, which may, for example, be in the form of a coil, a plate (which may be a multi-layer plate of two or more different materials, one or more of which may be electrically conductive and one or more of which may be electrically non-conductive), a mesh (which may be woven or non-woven, for example, and which again may be similarly multi-layered), a film heater, etc. The tobacco composition 314 in this case is generally tubular or otherwise has an internal opening for receiving the heater 318. The heater 318 may, in fact, be integral with the device 301 and be provided as part of the housing 302. In this case, as the tobacco composition 314 is loaded into the device 301 (e.g., as the chamber 313 containing the tobacco composition 314 is loaded into the device 301), the tobacco composition 314 surrounds the second heater 318. Alternatively, the heater 318 may be integrally provided with the chamber 313 holding or containing the tobacco composition 314. In this alternative, in the case where the chamber 313 is disposable, the heater 318 will be replaced when the user loads a new chamber 313 with fresh tobacco into the device 301.

In another example, plural internal heaters 318 may be provided, in order to provide more efficient heating of the tobacco composition 314. In another example, the tobacco composition 314 may be heated by both one or more external heaters (such as the second heater 215 in the example of Figure 2) and one or more internal heaters (such as the second heater 318 in the example of Figure 3).

The one or more heaters 318 configured to heat the tobacco composition may effect release of the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 314, conveniently by melting or any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an exemplary cartridge 600 having a liquid container 601 for holding liquid 602 and a receptacle or container 603 for tobacco composition 604. In this example, liquid container 601 and tobacco composition container 603 are provided as an integral component, either initially being formed integrally or initially being formed in two pieces which are then substantially permanently assembled. Cartridge 600 is arranged such that as liquid 602 volatilizes to produce an aerosol of liquid droplets or is heated sufficiently to produce a vapor, at least a portion and preferably all or substantially all of the aerosol or vapor passes through tobacco composition 604 to pick up the flavor of tobacco composition 604.

In the example of Figure 4, the liquid container 601 is generally provided in the center of the cartridge 600. The liquid container 601 in the example shown is frustoconical in shape, but may have a different shape, such as conical, cylindrical, etc. The liquid container 601 is surrounded by an outer shell 605 defining an annular channel 606 around the outside of the length of the liquid container 601 and extending from one end of the liquid container 601 to the other. The outer shell 605 extends beyond a first end wall 607 of the liquid container 601 to define a chamber 608 beyond the first end wall 607 of the liquid container 601. In the example shown, both the chamber 608 and the annular channel 606 contain the tobacco composition 604, so they can be considered as together providing the container 603 for the tobacco composition 604. In other examples, the tobacco composition 604 may be provided solely in the chamber 608, which therefore defines the container 603 for the tobacco composition 604, and the annular channel 606 is empty. The chamber 608 is closed by an end wall 609 that is spaced apart from the end wall 607 of the liquid container 601. The end wall 609 may be part of the outer shell 605 or may be a separate lid of plastic or rubber or the like. In other examples, the annular channel 606 contains the tobacco composition 604 and there is no material in the chamber 608, and in fact the chamber 608 may be omitted and the channel 606 effectively terminates at the end wall 609. The channel 606 and/or the chamber 608 may be completely filled with tobacco composition 604 or contain only a portion or plug of tobacco composition 604. The end wall 609 is porous and/or has one or more through holes 610 to allow aerosol or vapor to exit the cartridge 600 to be inhaled by a user. The liquid container 601 and the solid container 603 may each be formed of rigid, airtight and liquid-tight materials, such as metal, suitable plastics, etc.

The example cartridge 600 shown in Figure 4 is provided with a heater 611 and a wick 612 in (thermal) contact with the heater 611. In this example, the heater 611 and wick 612 are provided as a single unit, often referred to as an "atomizer." In this case, when the cartridge 600 includes an atomizer, said cartridge is often referred to as a "cartomizer." The orientation of the heater 611 is shown schematically and, for example, the heater 611 may be a coil having its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge 600 rather than parallel, as shown in Figure 4.

The wick 612 is in contact with the liquid 602. This may be achieved, for example, by inserting the wick 612 through a through hole (not shown) in the second end wall 613 of the liquid container 601. Alternatively or additionally, the second end wall 613 may be a porous member (shown schematically in Figure 4 by dashed lines) that allows passage of liquid from the liquid container 601, and the wick 612 may be in contact with the porous second end wall 613. The second end wall 613 may be, for example, in the form of a porous ceramic disk. Such a porous second end wall 613 helps regulate the flow of liquid over the wick 612. The wick 612 is generally absorbent and acts to draw liquid 602 from the liquid container 601 by capillary action. The wick 612 is preferably nonwoven and may be, for example, a cotton or wool material or the like, or a synthetic material, including, for example, polyester, nylon, viscose, polypropylene or the like.

In use, the cartridge 600 is connected by the user to a battery section of a device (not shown) to enable the heater 611 to be powered. When the atomizer heater 611 is powered (which may be actuated, for example, by the user actuating a button on the overall device or by a puff detector on the overall device, as is known per se), the liquid 602 drawn from the liquid container 601 by the wick 612 is heated by the heater 611 to volatilize or vaporize the liquid. As the user draws on the mouthpiece of the overall device, the vapor or aerosol passes into annular channel 606 around the outside of the length of liquid container 601 and into chamber 608 as shown by arrows A. The vapor or aerosol picks up the flavor of the tobacco composition 604. The heat carried by the aerosol or vapor releases the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 604, conveniently by fusion or any other temperature dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol. The vapor or aerosol may then exit the cartridge 600 through the end wall 609 as shown by arrow B. Optionally, a one-way valve 614 may be provided within the end wall 609 so that the vapor or aerosol may only exit the cartridge 600 and cannot reflux into the heater 611 or the electronics of the device as a whole.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of another example of a cartridge 700 having a liquid container 701 for holding liquid 702 and a container 703 defining a chamber 708 for holding tobacco composition 704. In the following description and in Figure 5, components and features that are the same as or similar to corresponding components and features of the example described with reference to Figure 4 have the same reference numeral but increased by 100. For the sake of brevity, the description of such components and features will not be repeated here in full.

In this example, the liquid container 701 and the tobacco composition container 703 of the cartridge 700 are provided as separate components, which are removably connected to each other during use. The liquid container 701 and the tobacco composition container 703 may, for example, be snapped or otherwise removably attached to each other, or for example, the tobacco composition container 703 may simply rest on the liquid container 701 or be a friction fit. The cartridge 700 is arranged such that, as the liquid 702 volatilizes to produce an aerosol of liquid droplets or is heated sufficiently to produce a vapor, at least a portion and preferably all or nearly all of the aerosol or vapor passes through the tobacco composition 704 to pick up the aroma of the tobacco composition 704.

In this example, the liquid container 701 is surrounded by an outer shell 705 that defines an annular channel 706 around the outside of the length of the liquid container 701 and extending from one end of the liquid container 701 to the other. The outer shell 705 extends beyond a first end wall 707 of the liquid container 601 and terminates in an end wall 709. The end wall 709 may be a separate lid of plastic or rubber or the like. The end wall 709 is porous and/or has one or more through holes 710 to allow aerosol or vapor to exit the annular channel 706. A one-way valve 714 may be provided within the end wall 709 so that vapor or aerosol can only exit the annular channel 706 at the end remote from the heater 711 and wick 712 and cannot backflow into the heater 711 or the electronics of the device as a whole. The tobacco composition container 703 is positioned in use on the end wall 709 such that vapor or aerosol exiting through the end wall 709 passes into the tobacco composition container 703. The tobacco composition container 703 has an outlet opening and/or a porous end wall 715 to allow aerosol or vapor to exit the cartridge 700 to be inhaled by a user.

In use, the cartridge 700 is connected by the user to a battery section of a device (not shown) to enable the heater 711 to be powered. When the heater 711 of the atomizer is turned on (which may be triggered, for example, by the user actuating a button on the overall device or by a puff detector of the overall device, as is known per se), the liquid 702 drawn from the liquid container 701 through the end wall 713 by the wick 712 is heated by the heater 711 to volatilize or vaporize the liquid. As the user draws on the mouthpiece of the overall device, the vapor or aerosol passes into annular channel 706 around the outside of the length of the liquid container 701 towards the end wall 709 of the outer housing 705 as shown by arrows A. The vapor or aerosol then passes through the end wall 709 (via the one-way valve 714 if present) and into the tobacco composition container 703 where it picks up the flavor of the tobacco composition 704 contained in the container 703. The heat carried by the aerosol or vapor releases the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition 704, conveniently by fusion or any other temperature dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapor/aerosol. The vapor or aerosol may then exit the cartridge 700 through the end wall 715 of the tobacco composition container 703, as shown by arrow B.

The examples shown in Figures 4 and 5 are particularly suitable for use with so-called modular or "e-go" products, where the cartomizer is attached to a section of the battery (not shown), typically by means of a screw thread, bayonet lock or similar. The cartomizer as a whole is usually discarded after use and a new cartomizer is used as a replacement. Alternatively, the user may reuse the cartridge by refilling the liquid and/or replacing the solid material from time to time as required.

The examples shown in Figures 4 and 5 can be easily adapted for use with other types of hybrid e-tobacco devices known per se. There are, for example, so-called "cig-alike" devices, which are typically small and have a shape and appearance similar to a conventional cigarette. In these devices, the liquid container often includes some wadding material, such as cotton or the like, to retain the liquid. The cartridge or cartomizer of such known devices is typically disposable as a whole, but it may be possible to refill the liquid and/or replace the material sold in examples using an embodiment of the present disclosure. As another example, there are so-called reservoir devices or personal vaporizers, which typically feature large liquid containers to hold relatively large volumes of liquid, and also offer advanced features that allow users to control a number of aspects of the device.

As an alternative to any of the cartomizer arrangements discussed above, the atomizer (i.e. heater and wick) for the liquid may be provided separately from the liquid and material containers. The atomizer may, for example, form part of the battery section of the overall device into which the cartridge is removably placed by the user during use.

In any of the examples described above in relation to Figures 4 and 5, a heater may also be provided for the tobacco composition in order to "preheat" it. This heater may be provided as part of the cartridge or as part of the battery section of the device to which the cartridge is attached in use. This heater for the tobacco composition effects the release of the base from its encapsulation in the tobacco composition, conveniently by fusion or any other temperature-dependent release mechanism discussed above. The base increases the pH of the tobacco, releasing nicotine which is then more easily carried away by the passing vapour/aerosol.

As used herein, "aerosol-generating agent" refers to a compound or mixture that promotes the generation of an aerosol. An aerosol-generating agent may promote the generation of an aerosol by promoting an initial vaporization and/or condensation of a gas to an inhalable solid and/or liquid aerosol.

In general, any suitable aerosol-generating agent or agents may be included in the aerosol-generating material of the disclosure. Suitable aerosol-generating agents include, but are not limited to: a polyol such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; a non-polyol, such as monohydric alcohols, high boiling hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, or myristates including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate, and esters of aliphatic carboxylic acids such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.

As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that, where permitted by local regulations, may be used to create a desired flavor or aroma in a product for adult consumers. They may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, anise, cinnamon, grass, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, paprika, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or mixtures of these. They may be in any suitable form, for example, oil, liquid or powder.

For the avoidance of doubt, where the term "comprises" is used in this specification to define the disclosure or features of the disclosure, embodiments are also disclosed in which the disclosure or feature may be defined using the terms "consists essentially of" or "consists of" instead of "comprises."

The above embodiments should be understood as illustrative examples of the disclosure.

Claims (15)

1. A device for generating an inhalable medium, the device comprising: a container for holding a liquid; a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container; a chamber containing a tobacco composition; and an exit; the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition; wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured such that in use, the liquid volatilized by the heater passes, in the form of at least one of a vapor and an aerosol, through the tobacco composition to thereby entrain one or more constituents of the tobacco composition to produce the inhalable medium exiting the outlet. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base comprises one or more hydroxides or carbonates of sodium, potassium or calcium or other soluble bases. 4. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material which melts, decomposes, reacts, degrades, swells, dissolves or deforms to release the base at a temperature above ambient temperature but equal to or below the temperature reached during use. 5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material selected from a polysaccharide or cellulosic barrier material, a gelatin, a gum, a gel, a wax or a mixture thereof, optionally wherein the encapsulating material is selected from one or more of alginates, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, pectin, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose ethers, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, gum acacia, guar, quince seed, xanthan gums, agar gel, agarose gel, carrageenans, furoidan, furcellaran and carnauba wax. 6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the tobacco material is encapsulated with the base. 7. A cartridge for use in a device for generating an inhalable medium, the cartridge comprising a volatilizable liquid in a first chamber and a tobacco composition in a second chamber, wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base, optionally wherein the base comprises one or more sodium, potassium or calcium hydroxides or carbonates or other soluble bases. 8. A cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material that melts, decomposes, reacts, degrades, swells, dissolves or deforms to release the base at a temperature above room temperature but equal to or lower than the temperature reached during use. 9. A cartridge according to any of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the base is encapsulated by an encapsulating material selected from a polysaccharide or cellulosic barrier material, a gelatin, a gum, a gel, a wax or a mixture thereof, optionally wherein the encapsulating material is selected from one or more of alginates, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, pectin, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose ethers, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, gum acacia, guar, quince seed, xanthan gums, agar gel, agarose gel, carrageenans, furoidan, furcellaran and carnauba wax. 10. A cartridge according to any of claims 7-9, wherein the tobacco material is encapsulated with the base. 11. A method of generating an inhalable medium using a device comprising a container containing a liquid, a heater for volatilizing the liquid, a chamber containing a tobacco composition, and an outlet, the method comprising: volatilize the liquid contained in the container; forming an inhalable medium, the inhalable medium comprising (i) the volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition; and to expel the inhalable medium through the outlet; wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base, optionally, wherein the method comprises entraining one or more constituents of the tobacco composition in at least one of a vapor and an aerosol formed by the volatilized liquid by passing the at least one of a vapor and an aerosol through the tobacco composition to generate the inhalable medium. 12. Use of a base encapsulated in a tobacco composition to provide a sustained delivery of nicotine during use, wherein the tobacco composition is provided in a device, the device comprising; a container for holding a liquid; a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container; a chamber containing the tobacco composition; and an exit; the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition. 13. A method for providing a sustained release of nicotine from a device for generating an inhalable medium, the device comprising; a container for holding a liquid; a heater to volatilize the liquid contained in the container; a chamber containing a tobacco composition; and an exit; the arrangement being such that in use, an inhalable medium exits the outlet, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition; wherein the tobacco composition comprises a tobacco material and an encapsulated base; the method comprising releasing the base from its encapsulation in use so as to release nicotine from the tobacco material. 14. A kit that includes (i) a liquid sheath containing a volatilizable liquid; and (ii) a tobacco composition pod, containing a tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material and an encapsulated base; wherein the liquid and the tobacco composition sheath are configured for use in a device for use in generating an inhalable medium, the device being such that in use, an inhalable medium is generated, the medium comprising (i) liquid volatilized from the liquid sheath in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition. 15. A tobacco composition pod, containing a tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material and an encapsulated base; wherein the tobacco composition pod is configured for use in a device for use in generating an inhalable medium, the device being such that in use, an inhalable medium is generated, the medium comprising (i) volatilized liquid in the form of a vapor and/or an aerosol and (ii) one or more constituents of the tobacco composition.