Technical Field
[0001] The invention refers to a device for inhaling dry particles of nicotine-based substance.
Background Art
[0002] A current practice for consuming a tobacco product, consists in inhaling or sniffing
a dry snuff tobacco product after having prepared a dose of the product on a surface,
e.g. the back surface of a hand. The tobacco product is not burned nor heated, so
that this practice is smokeless. The inhaled dry snuff tobacco product - or snuff
- is a tobacco made from finely ground or pulverized tobacco leaves. It is generally
inhaled into the nasal cavity, delivering a swift hit of nicotine and a lasting flavored
scent (especially if flavoring has been blended with the tobacco). Traditionally,
snuff is inhaled lightly after a pinch of snuff is either placed onto the back surface
of the hand, held pinched between thumb and index finger, or held by a specially made
"snuffing" device.
[0003] Snuff comes in a range of texture and moistness, from very fine to coarse, and from
toast (very dry) to very moist. Often drier snuffs are ground more finely.
[0004] This practice has several issues for the consumer.
[0005] First nicotine may not be delivered efficiently as the powder is not completely delivered
to the lungs.
[0006] Then, dosing of the tobacco product is critical, and under/overdosing of the tobacco
product often occurs.
[0007] Sniffing tobacco product may also be uncomfortable or even unpleasant. For example,
sniffing tobacco may trigger sneezing.
[0008] Also, people around may think the consumer is consuming cocaine or other drugs which
can be inhaled rather than snuff.
[0009] Finally, the tobacco product may drop while preparing the dose leading to wasting
some product.
[0010] There is thus a need to facilitate dry snuff tobacco powder consumption while increasing
product delivery efficiency and sensorial experience.
[0011] Moreover,
CN-A-113491824 discloses an inhalation device that delivers aerosol formed of a powdered substance
to the nasal passages of a user. The inhalation device comprises a power supply unit,
a strength adjuster, an air fan, an inner container, and a discharge port. The container
contains powdered substance. The air fan delivers air to the container which entrain
the substance and deliver it to the user via the discharge port. The power supply
supplies power to the air fan and the strength adjuster. The strength adjuster controls
the rotation of the air fan.
[0012] It is also known from
WO-A-2011/013003 an inhalation device that delivers powdered therapeutic formulation into the nostril
of a user. The inhalation device is constructed to receive nozzle that includes a
capsule which contains powdered substance. The inhalation device comprises an electrical
air pump, a valve assembly, and a nozzle hole. The air pump delivers air to the capsule
which carry the substance and deliver it to the user via the nozzle hole. The valve
assembly controls the airflow from the pump to the nozzle. The pump comprises a slidable
piston which can be actuated by electric means.
[0013] Finally,
WO-A-2013128447 seems to disclose an inhalation device that delivers nicotine-based substance to
the nasal passages of a user. The inhalation device comprises a capsule, an air flow
pump, a valve, and a nosepiece. The nosepiece and the capsule form a single unit which
is attached to the inhalation device. The capsule contains nicotine-based substance.
The airflow pump delivers air to the capsule which carry the substance and deliver
it to the user via the nosepiece. The valve is used to control the airflow to the
capsule for the pump.
[0014] However, only a small amount of product can be inhaled per use.
Summary
[0015] In the present application, an inhalation device for inhaling dry particles of nicotine-based
substance is described, the inhalation device comprising:
a reservoir for receiving the dry particles of nicotine-based substance,
a pressurized air device,
an air flow feeding element configured to supply pressurized air from the pressurized
air device into the reservoir via multiple air flow inputs,
an outlet pipe fluidly communicating with the reservoir for delivering a mixture of
dry particles of nicotine-based substance and pressurized air outside the reservoir.
[0016] Thus, thanks to the multiple air flow inputs into the reservoir, it is possible to
deliver a mixture comprising more dry particles of nicotine-based substance outside
the reservoir, without to increase the pressure of the pressurized air, which could
lead to an uncomfortable experience for a user of the inhalation device.
[0017] The following features can be optionally implemented, separately or in combination
one with the others:
- the inhalation device further comprises a filter downstream of the reservoir and upstream
from an outlet of the outlet pipe, the filter preferably being in the outlet pipe
or upstream of the outlet pipe (e.g. in the reservoir);
- the inhalation device further comprises an air diluting channel fluidly communicating
with the outlet pipe, the air diluting channel comprising one opening outside the
inhalation device and one opening into the outlet pipe, especially between an input
opening of the outlet pipe inside the reservoir and an output opening of the outlet
pipe outside the reservoir;
- the air diluting channel has a cross-section surface comprised between 0.5 mm2 and 1.5 mm2;
- the air diluting channel has a length comprised between 4 mm and 20 mm;
- the cross-section surface of the air diluting channel is adjustable;
- the cross-section surface of the air diluting channel is manually adjustable;
- the cross-section surface of the air diluting channel is automatically adjustable,
preferably to mimic the ratio of nicotine by puff delivered in a cigarette;
- the reservoir is comprised of, preferably consists in, an exchangeable cartridge received
in a housing in a casing of the inhalation device;
- the air flow feeding element comprises multiple needles adapted to form multiple air
inlets in the reservoir, said needles preferably being adapted to pierce the cartridge;
- the outlet pipe is adapted to perforate the cartridge, preferably on an outlet face
of the cartridge opposite to the inlet face of cartridge pierced by the needles;
- the inlet face of the cartridge is formed by a foil sealed on a flange of cup-shaped
body or bowl of the cartridge;
- the body or bowl and the foil of the cartridge form a moisture and preferably air-impermeable
container for the nicotine-based substance; e.g., made of aluminium;
- the air pressure device is an air pump;
- the inhalation device further comprises a control unit for controlling the pressurized
air device, preferably so that the pressurized air supplied into the reservoir is
adapted to form a fluidized bed of dry particles of nicotine-based substance in the
reservoir;
- the reservoir, preferably an exchangeable cartridge, comprises dry particles of nicotine-based
substance, the dry particles of nicotine-based substance preferably comprising ground
tobacco powder;
- the dry particles of nicotine-based substance have a particle size below 100 micrometer.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0018] Other features, details and advantages will be shown in the following detailed description
and on the figures, on which:
Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an example of an inhalation device;
Fig. 2 illustrates an example of an air flow feeding element used in the inhalation
device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 shows an example of a cartridge of nicotine-based substance which can be used
in the inhalation device of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 illustrates a cross section of the cartridge of nicotine-based substance as
shown in Fig. 3.
Description of Embodiments
[0019] Fig. 1 shows an example of an inhalation device 10 for inhaling dry particles of
nicotine-based substance by a user. In the present case, the inhalation device 10
is a handheld device. Indeed, the dimensions and weight of the inhalation device
10 are such that the inhalation device
10 can easily be carried by a user, e.g. with only one hand.
[0020] As shown, the handheld inhalation device
10 comprises a casing
12 and an endpiece
14 mounted on the casing
12. The casing
12 can be made of a single part. However, the casing
12 is preferably made of several parts, for example at least two parts which can be
separated from each other, to facilitate access to one or several pieces of the inhalation
device
10 received in the casing
12.
[0021] The endpiece
14 may be a nosepiece. However, in the present case, the endpiece
14 is a mouthpiece. In both cases indeed, particles inhaled through the nose or through
the mouth can be carried to the lungs of a consumer. Moreover, inhaling particles
through the mouth is deemed less likely to cause sneezing to the consumer.
[0022] The casing
12 here receives a battery
16. The battery
16 can for example be received at a first end of the casing
12 opposite to a second end of the casing
12 on which the endpiece
14 is mounted.
[0023] The casing
12 further receives an electronic command unit
18 (or ECU). The ECU
18 can comprise or even consist in a printed circuit board (or PCB). As illustrated,
the ECU
18 can be close to the battery
16 to avoid long and bulky wirings inside the casing
12.
[0024] The casing
12 also receives an air pump
20 of the inhalation device
10 as illustrated on Fig. 1. The air pump
20 is in fluid communication with outside the casing
12 through an air input
22 provided on the casing
12. Preferably, an air filter
24 is provided in the air input
22 or between the air input
22 on the casing
12 and the air input of the air pump
20, so that only filtered air goes through the air pump
20.
[0025] The air pump
20 is here adapted to suck air from outside the casing
12, to pressurized said air, and to feed said air into an air flow inlet of an air flow
feeding element
26.
[0026] The air flow feeding elements
26 here comprises a manifold
26. The manifold
26 can comprise at least one air flow inlet
28 in fluid communication with an outlet of the air pump
20. The manifold
26 preferably comprises only one air flow inlet
28 in fluid communication with the single outlet of the air pump
20. The manifold
26 can further comprise a plurality of air flow outlets
30, each air flow outlet
30 being in airtight fluid communication with the at least one air flow inlet
28 or with the single air flow inlet
28. The manifold
26 thus allows to divide the air flow provided by the air pump
20 into several air flows at the air flow outlets
30 of the manifold
26.
[0027] As illustrated on Fig. 2, each of the air flow outlets
30 can be formed at a free end of a needle
32. The needles
32 can form an array
34 or matrix of needles
32. In the illustrated example, the array
34 of needles
32 has a base portion
36, e.g. formed as a circular disc.
[0028] Thus, according to the illustrated example, the manifold
26 comprises:
- a input pipe, one end of which forming the air flow inlet 28 of the manifold 26;
- the base portion 36 comprising one air inlet corresponding to the air outlet of the input pipe and a
plurality of air outlets, each air outlet being in airtight fluid communication with
the air inlet;
- a plurality of needles 32 each extending from the base portion 36 and forming an air flow outlet 30 of the manifold 26, each air flow outlet 30 being in airtight fluid communication with a respective air outlet of the base portion
36. The manifold 26 can for example comprise between 10 and 100 needles 32. A density of needles is advantageously of 9 to 100 needles per square centimeter.
[0029] The outlets
30 at the free end of the needles
32 are received within a reservoir
38 of dry particles of nicotine-based substance. As illustrated, the reservoir
38 can consist in a cartridge
40 received in a corresponding housing
42 formed in the casing
12 of the inhalation device
10. Preferably, the housing
42 is open when the two parts of the casing
12 are separated from each other. Alternatively, the casing
12 or at least one part of the casing comprises a flap which can selectively be opened
and closed to allow a user to reach the housing
42 inside the casing
12.
[0030] An example of a cartridge
40 is illustrated on Figs. 3 and 4. The cartridge
40 as illustrated is comprised of a bowl
44, which is substantially hemispheric in the illustrated example, and a lid
46 closing the space
48 inside the bowl
44. For example, the bowl
44 and the lid
46 are sealed together along a rim
50.
[0031] The bowl
44 can be made in any suitable material, e.g. in aluminum. Preferably the bowl
44 is made in an airtight material.
[0032] The lid
46 can also be made in any suitable material, e.g. of aluminum. Preferably the lid
46 is made of an airtight material.
[0033] The bowl
44 and the lid
46 can be made of a one same material or of different materials.
[0034] The space
48 inside the bowl
44 closed by the lid
46 comprises dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance, e.g. as a powder. Said dry particles may comprise,
inter allia:
- finely ground or pulverized tobacco leaves, e.g. a ground tobacco powder;
- at least one flavoring or scent.
[0035] The dry particles
52 can have a particle size (D90) below 100 µm.
[0036] Preferably, the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance do not totally fill the space
48 inside the bowl
44. On the contrary, a part
54 of the space
48 is preferably kept empty,
id est void or filled with air or another gas, for example nitrogen, at a pressure substantially
equal to or above 1 bar, at a temperature of 25 °C. A density of air bath being lower
than the compressed particles, such that preferably 10% to 100% empty volumes should
be added to the volume of the compressed particles 52.
[0037] The inhalation device
10 further comprises an outlet pipe
56 in airtight fluid communication with the space
48 inside the bowl
44 of the cartridge
40. For example, the outlet pipe
56 can be adapted to pierce the bowl
44 when the cartridge
40 is installed in the housing
42 formed in the casing
12 and/or when the casing
12 is closed after the cartridge has been installed in the housing
42 formed in the casing
12. According to another embodiment, a consumer may have to remove a lid or foil on
the cartridge
40 (for instance, the top of the bowl could have an opening sealed by a foil (like a
sticker). The foil could be peeled or perforated), especially on the bowl
44 to allow the outlet pipe
56 to be in fluid communication with the space
48 inside the bowl
44 of the cartridge
40 once the cartridge
40 has been installed in the housing
42 formed in the casing
12.
[0038] The inhalation device
10 further comprises a diluting air channel
58. The diluting air channel
58 extends between a diluting air inlet on the casing
12 of the inhalation device
10 and a diluting air outlet in fluid communication of with the outlet pipe
56. Thus, the diluting air channel
58 allows air to be sucked from outside the casing
12 into the outlet pipe
56. Air sucked through the diluting channel
58 is then mixed up with the mixture of particles of nicotine-based substance and pressurized
air from the cartridge
40, before this mixture exits the casing
12.
[0039] According to an embodiment, the cross section of the diluting air channel
58 may be modified. For example, the cross section of the diluting air channel can be
adjustable manually. Thus, a user may modify the quantity of dry particles of nicotine-based
substance in the inhaled mixture. For example, a flapper or diaphragm may be provided
so as to modify the cross section of the diluting air channel
58, e.g. of an orifice of the diluting air channel
58.
[0040] According to another example, the cross section of the diluting air channel
58 is automatically adjustable. The ECU
18 can for example control any means adapted to modify the cross section of the diluting
air channel
58, e.g. a flapper or diaphragm. The cross section of the diluting air channel
58 can be modified to mimic the ratio of nicotine by puff delivered by a cigarette.
[0041] The cross section of the diluting air channel
58 can be comprised between 0.5 and 1.5 mm
2. The diluting air channel
58 can have a length between 4 and 20 mm.
[0042] The outlet pipe
56 extends into the endpiece
14. A filter
60 can be provided in the outlet pipe
56 or between the outlet pipe
56 and the endpiece
14, preferably downstream from the diluting air channel
58. The filter
60 can be static or moving, e.g. spinning, to remain clean and/or to increase the velocity
of the particles going through the filter
60 and/or to mix the particles and the air going through the filter
60. In a possible embodiment, the filter 60 is provided in the cartridge such as by
a piece of gauze or fibrous sheet attached to the inner surface of the bowl in the
air inlet region.
[0043] An example of use of the inhalation device
10 is described below in more detail.
[0044] The inhalation device
10 is adapted to deliver dry snuff tobacco powder when used like a vaping device. For
example, the inhalation device
10 is used to be sucked by mouth (
id est the endpiece is a mouthpiece). However, according to another embodiment the inhalation
device
10 comprise an endpiece which is a nosepiece, adapted to be received in a nose of a
user.
[0045] As explained above, cartridges
40 can be used as reservoir
38 of dry particles of nicotine-based substance in the inhalation device
10. Using cartridges
40 is particularly advantageous. First, this limits the risks that the tobacco product
to be inhaled, drops and is wasted. Moreover, using cartridge
40 can allow a particularly precise dosing of the particles of nicotine-based substance
to be inhaled. For example, the cartridge
40 can comprise a quantity of dry particles of nicotine-based substance for eight puffs
rather than only one single sniff.
[0046] Preferably, by placing a cartridge
40 inside the housing
42 and then closing the casing
12, if necessary, the cartridge
40 is pierced by both the needles
32 of the manifold
36 as well as by the outlet pipe
56.
[0047] Then, the user switches on the inhaling device
10. Doing so, the pump
20 is started, the pump
20 being controlled by the ECU
18. Here, the ECU
18 can control the pump
20 so that the pressure and the rate of flow of the air flow provided by the pump
20 inside the cartridge
40 forms a fluidized bed with the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance.
[0048] A fluidized bed is a well-known physical phenomenon that occurs when a solid particulate
substance is under the right conditions so that it behaves like a fluid. The usual
way to achieve a fluidize bed is to pump pressurized fluid into the particles. The
resulting medium then has many properties and characteristics of normal fluids, such
as the ability to free flow under gravity. In other words, a fluidized bed consists
of fluid-solid mixture that exhibits fluid-like properties. A fluidized bed can be
considered as a heterogeneous mixture of fluid and solid that can be represented by
a single bulk density.
[0049] Here, a fluidized bed of particles of nicotine-based substance in air lead to a particularly
comfortable inhalation of the mixture by a user, through his/her mouth. This also
maximize the quantity of particles of nicotine-based substance by puff.
[0050] Here, the pressure and the rate of flow of the air flow provided by the pump
20 inside the cartridge 40 can be such that the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance are boiling inside the cartridge
40 without flying away nor depositing on a surface of the cartridge
40, especially on the lowest surface of the cartridge
40. The dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance also boil in the cartridge
40 because of the number of air flow outlets
30 of the manifold
26 opening inside the cartridge
40. More specifically since several air flow outlets
30 of the manifold
26 are inside the cartridge
40 then the air flow inside the cartridge
40 is more homogeneously divided. This helps to form a fluidized bed compared to the
case where only one air flow outlet
30 would be inside the cartridge
40. In this latter case, the distribution of the air flow inside the cartridge
40 would be heterogenous to form a fluidized bed inside the whole space
48 in the cartridge
40. In other words, with only one air flow outlet
30, a fluidized bed could be formed including some of the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance present in the cartridge
40. But not all the dry particles
52 would be in such a fluidized bed, so that some product would be wasted.
[0051] With the inhaling device
10 of Fig. 1, the powder of the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance is "boiling" without flying away or depositing. This
can be achieved by injecting diffused air into the powder at a rate that is just not
enough to make the powder fly away but just "boils". In this way, the powder of dry
particles
52 is like weightless because the injected air is balancing out the gravity. If the
injected air is too much, the force created by the airflow would be greater than the
gravity, and the powder of dry particles 52 would fly away if not constrained by a
cover. Contrary, if the injected air is not enough, the powder would sediment and
behave like a solid. When lift force and weight are equal, the powder bath appears
"boiling" and acts like a liquid, e.g., not being compressed when inserting/moving
an object in the bath.
[0052] A fluidized bed of particles of nicotine-based substance can easily and comfortably
be inhaled by a user, through the outlet pipe
56.
[0053] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction
set forth above. On the contrary, it is apparent to those skilled in the art having
the benefit of the present disclosure that the invention is capable of other embodiments
and of being practiced or carried out in various way.
[0054] For example, according to the example of Fig. 1, the reservoir
38 consists in an exchangeablecartridge
40. Alternatively, the reservoir
38 can be open tank, where the dry particles
52 of nicotine-based substance is charged by the user.
[0055] Moreover, in the exampled described here above, a fluidized bed of particles of nicotine-based
substance is formed in the cartridge. However, it is also possible for a user to inhale
a mixture of air and particles of nicotine-based substance even if no fluidized bed
is created in the cartridge. However, it is believed that the creation of fluidized
bed inside the cartridge proves an increased comfort to a user and ensures more cleanliness
to the system.
[0056] Also, according to the described embodiment, an air pump
20 is used to create a flow of air inside the reservoir
38. However, one with ordinary skills in the art could imagine using other air pressure
device to create this flow of air inside the cartridge
40, such as a compressed air cartridge for example.
1. An inhalation device (10) for inhaling dry particles (52) of nicotine-based substance
comprising:
a reservoir (38) for receiving the dry particles (52) of nicotine-based substance,
a pressurized air device (20),
an air flow feeding element (26) configured to supply pressurized air from the pressurized
air device (20) into the reservoir (38) via multiple air flow inputs (30),
an outlet pipe (56) fluidly communicating with the reservoir (38) for delivering a
mixture of dry particles (52) of nicotine based substance and pressurized air outside
the reservoir (38).
2. The inhalation device of claim 1, further comprising a filter (60) downstream of the
reservoir (38) and upstream from an outlet of the outlet pipe (56), the filter (60)
preferably being in or upstream of the outlet pipe (56).
3. The inhalation device of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an air diluting channel
(58) fluidly communicating with the outlet pipe (56), the air diluting channel (58)
comprising one opening outside the inhalation device and one opening into the outlet
pipe (56), especially between an input opening of the outlet pipe (56) inside the
reservoir (38) and an output opening of the outlet pipe (56) outside the reservoir
(38).
4. The inhalation device of claim 3, wherein the air diluting channel (58) has a cross-section
surface comprised between 0.5 mm2 and 1.5 mm2.
5. The inhalation device of claim 3 or 4, wherein the air diluting channel (58) has a
length comprised between 4 mm and 20 mm.
6. The inhalation device of one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the cross-section surface of
the air diluting channel (58) is adjustable.
7. The inhalation device of claim 6, wherein the cross-section surface of the air diluting
channel (58) is manually adjustable.
8. The inhalation device of claim 6, wherein the cross-section surface of the air diluting
channel (58) is automatically adjustable, for example to mimic the ratio of nicotine
by puff delivered by a cigarette.
9. The inhalation device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (38)
is comprised of, preferably consists in, an exchangeable cartridge (40) received in
a housing (42) in a casing (12) of the inhalation device (10).
10. The inhalation device of claim 9, wherein the air flow feeding element (26) comprises
multiple needles (32) adapted to form multiple air inlets in the cartridge (40), said
needles (32) preferably being adapted to pierce the cartridge (40).
11. The inhalation device of claim 9 or 10, wherein the outlet pipe (56) is adapted to
perforate the cartridge (40), preferably on a face of the cartridge (40) opposite
to the face of cartridge (40) pierced by the needles (32).
12. The inhalation device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air pressure
device is an air pump (20).
13. The inhalation device of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control
unit (18) for controlling the pressurized air device (20), preferably so that the
pressurized air supplied into the reservoir (38) is adapted to form a fluidized bed
of dry particles (52) of nicotine-based substance in the reservoir (38).
14. The inhalation device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (38)
comprises dry particles (52) of nicotine-based substance, the dry particles (52) of
nicotine-based substance preferably comprising ground tobacco powder.
15. The inhalation device of claim 14, wherein the dry particles (52) of nicotine-based
substance have a particle size below 100 micrometers.