US20170112194A1 - Rechargeable lithium-ion capacitor for an aerosol delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element, and a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element. The power source includes a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) configured to provide power to the electrical load, and a DC-to-DC converter connected to the LIC, between the LIC and electrical load. The aerosol delivery device also includes a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
• The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/918,926, entitled: Power Supply for an Aerosol Delivery Device, filed on Oct. 21, 2015, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
• The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that may utilize electrically generated heat for the production of aerosol (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). The smoking articles may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which may incorporate materials that may be made or derived from, or otherwise incorporate tobacco, the precursor being capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption.
BACKGROUND
• Many devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have been designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from the burning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numerous alternative smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat generating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0096782 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/222,615 to Watson et al., filed Jul. 28, 2016, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various implementations of products and heating configurations described in the background sections of U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594 to Counts et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,371 to Robinson et al., which are incorporated by reference.
• However, it may be desirable to provide aerosol delivery devices with improved electronics such as may extend usability of the devices.
BRIEF SUMMARY
• The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. The present disclosure thus includes, without limitation, the following example implementations.
• Some example implementations provide an aerosol delivery device comprising at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition; a heating element; a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heater when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) configured to provide power to the electrical load, and comprising a DC-to-DC converter connected to the LIC, between the LIC and electrical load; and a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of the preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the LIC has a capacity in the range of 200 to 400 farads.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the DC-to-DC converter is a switching regulator.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises a snubber circuit connected in parallel with the LIC.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises a diode connected to, and between, the DC-to-DC converter and electrical load.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the DC-to-DC converter has an input and output, and the diode has an anode and a cathode, and wherein the input and output of the DC-to-DC converter are connected to respectively the LIC and the anode of the diode, and the cathode of the diode is connected to the electrical load.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a source of energy from which the LIC is chargeable.
• In some example implementations of the aerosol delivery device of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the aerosol precursor composition comprises at least glycerin and nicotine.
• Some example implementations provide a control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heater when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) configured to provide power to the electrical load, and comprising a DC-to-DC converter connected to the LIC, between the LIC and electrical load; and a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the microprocessor in the active mode being configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the LIC has a capacity in the range of 200 to 400 farads.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the DC-to-DC converter is a switching regulator.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises a snubber circuit connected in parallel with the LIC.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises a diode connected to, and between, the DC-to-DC converter and electrical load.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the DC-to-DC converter has an input and output, and the diode has an anode and a cathode, and wherein the input and output of the DC-to-DC converter are connected to respectively the LIC and the anode of the diode, and the cathode of the diode is connected to the electrical load.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a source of energy from which the LIC is chargeable.
• In some example implementations of the control body of any preceding or any subsequent example implementation, or any combination thereof, the aerosol precursor composition comprises at least glycerin and nicotine.
• These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are expressly combined or otherwise recited in a specific example implementation described herein. This disclosure is intended to be read holistically such that any separable features or elements of the disclosure, in any of its aspects and example implementations, should be viewed as intended, namely to be combinable, unless the context of the disclosure clearly dictates otherwise.
• It will therefore be appreciated that this Brief Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example implementations so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above described example implementations are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the disclosure in any way. Other example implementations, aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of some described example implementations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
• Having thus described the disclosure in the foregoing general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
• FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge coupled to a control body, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away view of the aerosol delivery device according to various example implementations;
• FIG. 3 illustrates various elements of a control body and cartridge of the aerosol delivery device, according to various example implementations; and
• FIG. 4 illustrates a power source for the aerosol delivery device that includes a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC), according to example implementations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to example implementations thereof. These example implementations are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the” and the like include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, while reference may be made herein to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships or the like, unless otherwise stated, any one or more if not all of these may be absolute or approximate to account for acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to engineering tolerances or the like.
• As described hereinafter, example implementations of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery devices. Aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without combusting the material to any significant degree) to form an inhalable substance; and components of such systems have the form of articles most preferably are sufficiently compact to be considered hand-held devices. That is, use of components of preferred aerosol delivery devices does not result in the production of smoke in the sense that aerosol results principally from by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, use of those preferred systems results in the production of vapors resulting from volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In some example implementations, components of aerosol delivery devices may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco, and hence deliver tobacco derived components in aerosol form.
• Aerosol generating pieces of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices may provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physical feel, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is employed by lighting and burning tobacco (and hence inhaling tobacco smoke), without any substantial degree of combustion of any component thereof. For example, the user of an aerosol generating piece of the present disclosure can hold and use that piece much like a smoker employs a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of that piece for inhalation of aerosol produced by that piece, take or draw puffs at selected intervals of time, and the like.
• While the systems are generally described herein in terms of implementations associated with aerosol delivery devices such as so-called “e-cigarettes,” it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and associated with a variety of articles. For example, the description provided herein may be employed in conjunction with implementations of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), heat-not-burn cigarettes, and related packaging for any of the products disclosed herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that the description of the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed in terms of implementations relating to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only, and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.
• Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure also can be characterized as being vapor-producing articles or medicament delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, inhalable substances can be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term “aerosol” as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.
• In use, aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may be subjected to many of the physical actions employed by an individual in using a traditional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is employed by lighting and inhaling tobacco). For example, the user of an aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can hold that article much like a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of that article for inhalation of aerosol produced by that article, take puffs at selected intervals of time, etc.
• Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include a number of components provided within an outer body or shell, which may be referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the format or configuration of the outer body that can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device can vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be a formed from a single, unitary housing or the elongated housing can be formed of two or more separable bodies. For example, an aerosol delivery device can comprise an elongated shell or body that can be substantially tubular in shape and, as such, resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within one housing. Alternatively, an aerosol delivery device can comprise two or more housings that are joined and are separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device can possess at one end a control body comprising a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., an accumulator such as a rechargeable battery and/or rechargeable supercapacitor, and various electronics for controlling the operation of that article), and at the other end and removably coupleable thereto, an outer body or shell containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge). More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the single housing type of unit or within a multi-piece separable housing type of unit will be evident in light of the further disclosure provided herein. Additionally, various aerosol delivery device designs and component arrangements can be appreciated upon consideration of the commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.
• Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure most preferably comprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such as by controlling electrical current flow the power source to other components of the article—e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heat generation member (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element or other component, which alone or in combination with one or more further elements may be commonly referred to as an “atomizer”), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., commonly a liquid capable of yielding an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredients commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and “e-juice”), and a mouthend region or tip for allowing draw upon the aerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article such that aerosol generated can be withdrawn therefrom upon draw).
• Alignment of the components within the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can vary. In specific implementations, the aerosol precursor composition can be located near an end of the aerosol delivery device which may be configured to be positioned proximal to the mouth of a user so as to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. Other configurations, however, are not excluded. Generally, the heating element can be positioned sufficiently near the aerosol precursor composition so that heat from the heating element can volatilize the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorants, medicaments, or the like that may likewise be provided for delivery to a user) and form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are meant to be interchangeable such that reference to release, releasing, releases, or released includes form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, an inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or aerosol or mixture thereof, wherein such terms are also interchangeably used herein except where otherwise specified.
• As noted above, the aerosol delivery device may incorporate a battery or other electrical power source to provide current flow sufficient to provide various functionalities to the aerosol delivery device, such as powering of a heater, powering of control systems, powering of indicators, and the like. The power source can take on various implementations. Preferably, the power source is able to deliver sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating element to provide for aerosol formation and power the aerosol delivery device through use for a desired duration of time. The power source preferably is sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. Additionally, a preferred power source is of a sufficiently light weight to not detract from a desirable smoking experience.
• More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure will be evident in light of the further disclosure provided hereinafter. Additionally, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol delivery device components can be appreciated upon consideration of commercially-available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Further information regarding formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure, as well as commercially-available electronic aerosol delivery devices, may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/291,771 to Sur et al., filed Oct. 12, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of anaerosol delivery device100 including acontrol body102 and acartridge104, according to various example implementations of the present disclosure. In particular,FIG. 1 illustrates the control body and the cartridge coupled to one another. The control body and the cartridge may be detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. Various mechanisms may connect the cartridge to the control body to result in a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference fit, a magnetic engagement or the like. The aerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-like, substantially tubular shaped, or substantially cylindrically shaped in some example implementations when the cartridge and the control body are in an assembled configuration. The aerosol delivery device may also be substantially rectangular, rhomboidal or triangular in cross-section, multifaceted shapes, or the like, some of which may lend itself to greater compatibility with a substantially flat or thin-film power source, such as a power source including a flat battery.
• The cartridge and control body may include separate, respective housings or outer bodies, which may be formed of any of a number of different materials. The housing may be formed of any suitable, structurally-sound material. In some examples, the housing may be formed of a metal or alloy, such as stainless steel, aluminum or the like. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plating over plastic, ceramics and the like.
• In some example implementations, one or both of thecontrol body102 or thecartridge104 of theaerosol delivery device100 may be referred to as being disposable or as being reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery and thus may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including connection to a typical wall outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter receptacle), connection to a computer, such as through a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector, connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar cell) or solar panel of solar cells, or connection to a RF-to-DC converter. Further, in some example implementations, the cartridge may comprise a single-use cartridge, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• FIG. 2 more particularly illustrates theaerosol delivery device100, in accordance with some example implementations. As seen in the cut-away view illustrated therein, again, the aerosol delivery device can comprise acontrol body102 and acartridge104 each of which include a number of respective components. The components illustrated in
• FIG. 2 are representative of the components that may be present in a control body and cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of components that are encompassed by the present disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body can be formed of acontrol body shell206 that can include a control component208 (e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), aflow sensor210, apower source212 and one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs)214, and such components can be variably aligned. The power source may include, for example, a battery (single-use or rechargeable), rechargeable supercapacitor, rechargeable solid-state battery (SSB), rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB) or the like, or some combination thereof. Some examples of a suitable power source are provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/918,926 to Sur et al., filed Oct. 21, 2015, which again is incorporated herein by reference. Other examples of a suitable power source are provided in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0283855 to Hawes et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0014125 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0243410 to Nichols et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0313901 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009/0230117 to Fernando et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• TheLED214 may be one example of a suitable visual indicator with which theaerosol delivery device100 may be equipped. Other indicators such as audio indicators (e.g., speakers), haptic indicators (e.g., vibration motors) or the like can be included in addition to or as an alternative to visual indicators such as the LED, quantum dot enabled LEDs.
• Thecartridge104 can be formed of acartridge shell216 enclosing areservoir218 configured to retain the aerosol precursor composition, and including a heater222 (sometimes referred to as a heating element). In various configurations, this structure may be referred to as a tank; and accordingly, the terms “cartridge,” “tank” and the like may be used interchangeably to refer to a shell or other housing enclosing a reservoir for aerosol precursor composition, and including a heater.
• As shown, in some examples, thereservoir218 may be in fluid communication with aliquid transport element220 adapted to wick or otherwise transport an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to theheater222. In some examples, a valve may be positioned between the reservoir and heater, and configured to control an amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the heater.
• Various examples of materials configured to produce heat when electrical current is applied therethrough may be employed to form theheater222. The heater in these examples may be a resistive heating element such as a wire coil, micro heater or the like. Example materials from which the heating element may be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, stainless steel, Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi₂), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), Molybdenum disilicide doped with Aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)₂), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns) and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). Example implementations of heaters or heating members useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below, and can be incorporated into devices such as those described herein.
• Anopening224 may be present in the cartridge shell216 (e.g., at the mouthend) to allow for egress of formed aerosol from thecartridge104.
• Thecartridge104 also may include one or moreelectronic components226, which may include an integrated circuit, a memory component (e.g., EEPROM, flash memory), a sensor, or the like. The electronic components may be adapted to communicate with thecontrol component208 and/or with an external device by wired or wireless means. The electronic components may be positioned anywhere within the cartridge or abase228 thereof.
• Although thecontrol component208 and theflow sensor210 are illustrated separately, it is understood that various electronic components including the control component and the flow sensor may be combined on an electronic printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. Further, the PCB may be positioned horizontally relative the illustration ofFIG. 1 in that the PCB can be lengthwise parallel to the central axis of the control body. In some examples, the air flow sensor may comprise its own PCB or other base element to which it can be attached. In some examples, a flexible PCB may be utilized. A flexible PCB may be configured into a variety of shapes, include substantially tubular shapes. In some examples, a flexible PCB may be combined with, layered onto, or form part or all of a heater substrate.
• Thecontrol body102 and thecartridge104 may include components adapted to facilitate a fluid engagement therebetween. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the control body can include acoupler230 having acavity232 therein. Thebase228 of the cartridge can be adapted to engage the coupler and can include aprojection234 adapted to fit within the cavity. Such engagement can facilitate a stable connection between the control body and the cartridge as well as establish an electrical connection between thepower source212 andcontrol component208 in the control body and theheater222 in the cartridge. Further, thecontrol body shell206 can include anair intake236, which may be a notch in the shell where it connects to the coupler that allows for passage of ambient air around the coupler and into the shell where it then passes through thecavity232 of the coupler and into the cartridge through theprojection234.
• A coupler and a base useful according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, thecoupler230 as seen inFIG. 2 may define anouter periphery238 configured to mate with aninner periphery240 of thebase228. In one example the inner periphery of the base may define a radius that is substantially equal to, or slightly greater than, a radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Further, the coupler may define one ormore protrusions242 at the outer periphery configured to engage one ormore recesses244 defined at the inner periphery of the base. However, various other examples of structures, shapes and components may be employed to couple the base to the coupler. In some examples the connection between the base of thecartridge104 and the coupler of thecontrol body102 may be substantially permanent, whereas in other examples the connection therebetween may be releasable such that, for example, the control body may be reused with one or more additional cartridges that may be disposable and/or refillable.
• Thereservoir218 illustrated inFIG. 2 can be a container or can be a fibrous reservoir, as presently described. For example, the reservoir can comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers substantially formed into the shape of a tube encircling the interior of thecartridge shell216, in this example. An aerosol precursor composition can be retained in the reservoir. Liquid components, for example, can be sorptively retained by the reservoir. The reservoir can be in fluid connection with theliquid transport element220. The liquid transport element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir via capillary action to theheater222 that is in the form of a metal wire coil in this example. As such, the heater is in a heating arrangement with the liquid transport element. Example implementations of reservoirs and transport elements useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below, and such reservoirs and/or transport elements can be incorporated into devices such as those described herein. In particular, specific combinations of heating members and transport elements as further described below may be incorporated into devices such as those described herein.
• In use, when a user draws on theaerosol delivery device100, airflow is detected by theflow sensor210, and theheater222 is activated to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. Drawing upon the mouthend of the aerosol delivery device causes ambient air to enter theair intake236 and pass through thecavity232 in thecoupler230 and the central opening in theprojection234 of thebase228. In thecartridge104, the drawn air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is whisked, aspirated or otherwise drawn away from the heater and out theopening224 in the mouthend of the aerosol delivery device.
• In some examples, theaerosol delivery device100 may include a number of additional software-controlled functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a power-source protection circuit configured to detect power-source input, loads on the power-source terminals, and charging input. The power-source protection circuit may include short-circuit protection, under-voltage lock out and/or over-voltage charge protection, battery temperature compensation. The aerosol delivery device may also include components for ambient temperature measurement, and itscontrol component208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to inhibit power-source charging—particularly of any battery—if the ambient temperature is below a certain temperature (e.g., 0° C.) or above a certain temperature (e.g., 45° C.) prior to start of charging or during charging.
• Power delivery from thepower source212 may vary over the course of each puff on thedevice100 according to a power control mechanism. The device may include a “long puff” safety timer such that in the event that a user or component failure (e.g., flow sensor210) causes the device to attempt to puff continuously, thecontrol component208 may control at least one functional element to terminate the puff automatically after some period of time (e.g., four seconds). Further, the time between puffs on the device may be restricted to less than a period of time (e.g., 100 seconds). A watchdog safety timer may automatically reset the aerosol delivery device if its control component or software running on it becomes unstable and does not service the timer within an appropriate time interval (e.g., eight seconds). Further safety protection may be provided in the event of a defective or otherwise failedflow sensor210, such as by permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device in order to prevent inadvertent heating. A puffing limit switch may deactivate the device in the event of a pressure sensor fail causing the device to continuously activate without stopping after the four second maximum puff time.
• Theaerosol delivery device100 may include a puff tracking algorithm configured for heater lockout once a defined number of puffs has been achieved for an attached cartridge (based on the number of available puffs calculated in light of the e-liquid charge in the cartridge). The aerosol delivery device may include a sleep, standby or low-power mode function whereby power delivery may be automatically cut off after a defined period of non-use. Further safety protection may be provided in that all charge/discharge cycles of thepower source212 may be monitored by thecontrol component208 over its lifetime. After the power source has attained the equivalent of a predetermined number (e.g., 200) of full discharge and full recharge cycles, it may be declared depleted, and the control component may control at least one functional element to prevent further charging of the power source.
• The various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be chosen from components described in the art and commercially available. Examples of batteries that can be used according to the disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• Theaerosol delivery device100 can incorporate thesensor210 or another sensor or detector for control of supply of electric power to theheater222 when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., upon draw during use). As such, for example, there is provided a manner or method of turning off power to the heater when the aerosol delivery device is not be drawn upon during use, and for turning on power to actuate or trigger the generation of heat by the heater during draw. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, structure and configuration thereof, components thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2010/003480 to Flick, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Theaerosol delivery device100 most preferably incorporates thecontrol component208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of electric power to theheater222 during draw. Representative types of electronic components, structure and configuration thereof, features thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 8,881,737 to Collet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0257445 to Henry et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Representative types of substrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting the aerosol precursor are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,569 to Newton, U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0059780 to Davis et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, various wicking materials, and the configuration and operation of those wicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• The aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition, may comprise a variety of components including, by way of example, a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol or a mixture thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract and/or flavorants. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations also are set forth and characterized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0020830 to Koller, as well as PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2014/182736 to Bowen et al., and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/222,615 to Watson et al., filed Jul. 28, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be employed include the aerosol precursors that have been incorporated in the VUSE® product by R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the BLU™ product by Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, the MISTIC MENTHOL product by Mistic Ecigs, and the VYPE product by CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are the so-called “smoke juices” for electronic cigarettes that have been available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.
• Implementations of effervescent materials can be used with the aerosol precursor, and are described, by way of example, in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2012/0055494 to Hunt et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, the use of effervescent materials is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,264 to Wehling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,590 to Pather et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,541 to Crawford et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al., as well as U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0018539 to Brinkley et al., and PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 97/06786 to Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated by reference herein. Additional description with respect to implementations of aerosol precursor compositions, including description of tobacco or components derived from tobacco included therein, is provided in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/216,582 and 15/216,590, each filed Jul. 21, 2016 and each to Davis et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Additional representative types of components that yield visual cues or indicators may be employed in theaerosol delivery device100, such as visual indicators and related components, audio indicators, haptic indicators and the like. Examples of suitable LED components, and the configurations and uses thereof, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,451,791 to Sears et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Yet other features, controls or components that can be incorporated into aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0016550 to Katase, U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,427,022 to Leven et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• As indicated above, thecontrol component208 includes a number of electronic components, and in some examples may be formed of a PCB. The electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core, and a memory. In some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller with integrated processor core and memory, and may further include one or more integrated input/output peripherals. In some examples, the control component may be coupled to acommunication interface246 to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices or other appropriately-enabled devices. Examples of suitable communication interfaces are disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2016/0261020 to Marion et al., the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Another example of a suitable communication interface is the CC3200 single chip wireless microcontroller unit (MCU) from Texas Instruments. And examples of suitable manners according to which the aerosol delivery device may be configured to wirelessly communicate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2016/0007651 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2016/0219933 to Henry, Jr. et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
• In accordance with some example implementations, thecontrol component208 may include or be coupled to amotion sensor248 configured to detect a defined motion of theaerosol delivery device100 that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device. The motion sensor may be any of a number of sensors that may be configured to detect the defined motion, convert the defined motion to an electrical signal and output the electrical signal. Examples of suitable motion sensors include single or combinations of tilt sensors, single or multi-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes and the like, any one or more of which may be constructed using microelectromechanical systems-based (MEMS) techniques.
• Themotion sensor248 may be configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal. Thecontrol component208 or motion sensor may be configured to recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal. In some examples, the defined motion detectable by the motion sensor may include vibration, shock or freefall. Consider in particular examples in which the motion sensor is an accelerometer. In these examples, vibration may be detectable by a periodic acceleration of at least a threshold amount. Additionally or alternatively, shock may be detectable by at least a threshold amount of acceleration for less than a threshold period of time, or freefall may be detectable by less than a threshold amount of acceleration for at least a threshold period of time.
• The control component may then be configured to control at least one functional element of theaerosol delivery device100 to perform the operation, which may be thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability. For example, the control component may be configured to shut off thepower source212, which may be thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device. For more information regarding this aspect, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/961,421 to Sur et al., filed Dec. 7, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• In accordance with some example implementations, thecontrol component208 may be configured to control one or more functional elements of theaerosol delivery device100 in different states of the device.FIG. 3 illustrates thecontrol body102 coupled with thecartridge104 in an active mode. As shown, the control body may include positive andnegative terminals302,304 connectable with corresponding terminals of the heater222 (heating element). Thecontrol component208 may include amicroprocessor306 and a number of other electrical components, such as resistors, capacitors, switches and the like, which may be coupled with thepower source212 and heater to form an electrical circuit. In some examples, the heater may include a communication terminal for communicating data such as the puff count.
• In accordance with example implementations of the present disclosure, themicroprocessor306 may be configured to measure the voltage at thepositive terminal302 and control power to theheater222 based thereon. In some examples, the microprocessor may also control operation of at least one functional element of theaerosol delivery device100 based on the voltage at the positive terminal. One example of a suitable functional element may be anindicator308 such as a visual, audio or haptic indicator.
• Themicroprocessor306 may operate on the actual voltage at thepositive terminal302, or an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may be included to convert the actual voltage to a digital equivalent. In some examples, the ADC may be rated for a maximum voltage less than the maximum that may be present at the positive terminal. In these examples, thecontrol component208 may include avoltage divider310 configured to reduce the voltage to the microprocessor. As shown, for example, the voltage divider may include resistors R1 and R2, and may be connected to, and positioned between, the positive terminal and microprocessor, referenced to ground. The microprocessor may be configured to measure the voltage at the positive terminal from the voltage divider. In this regard, the voltage divider may include an output connected to the microprocessor and from which the microprocessor may be configured to measure the voltage at the positive terminal.
• In examples in which theaerosol delivery device100 has a housing formed of separable bodies, the aerosol delivery device, and more particularly thecontrol component102, may be in the standby mode when the control component is uncoupled with thecartridge104. In examples of either a unitary or separable housing, the aerosol delivery device may be in the standby mode between puffs when the control component is coupled with the cartridge. Similarly, in examples of either a unitary or separable housing, when the user draws on the device and theflow sensor210 detects airflow, the aerosol delivery device may be placed in the active mode during which power from thepower source212 may be directed through the sensor to power theheater222 to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. In another example, power from the power source may more directly power the heater without going through the sensor (without the sensor being in-line), although the flow sensor may still detect airflow when the user draws on the device. As indicated above, power delivery from the power source may vary according to a power control mechanism; and in some examples, this power control mechanism may depend on a measured voltage at thepositive terminal302.
• In the active mode in which thecontrol body102 is coupled with the cartridge104 (with a unitary or separable housing), themicroprocessor306 may be configured to direct power to theheater222 to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The voltage at thepositive terminal302 may correspond to a positive heater voltage. The microprocessor may be configured to measure the positive heater voltage, such as from thevoltage divider310, and control the power directed to the heater based thereon.
• In some more particular examples, themicroprocessor306 may be configured to direct power from the power source212 (e.g., directly or through the flow sensor210) to turn theheater222 on and commensurately initiate a heating time period. This may include, for example, a switch Q1 between the power source (or in-line flow sensor) and the heater, which the microprocessor may operate in a closed state, as shown inFIG. 3. The microprocessor may then adjust the power directed to the heater based on the voltage at thepositive terminal302, at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period.
• In some examples, this adjustment of power directed to theheater222 may include themicroprocessor306 being configured to determine a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heater, with each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heater voltage and a current through the heater. This current may be measured in a number of different manners, such as from a current-sense resistor R3. In some examples, the microprocessor may operate on the actual current through the heater, or thecontrol component208 or microprocessor may include an ADC configured to convert the actual current to a digital equivalent.
• Themicroprocessor306 may calculate a simple moving average power directed to theheater222 based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power, and compare the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with thepower source212. The microprocessor may then adjust the power directed to the heater so as to turn the heater off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. More information regarding aspects of the control component according to example implementations of the present disclosure may be found in the above-cited and incorporated U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0270727 to Ampolini et al.
• As indicated above, in some examples, thepower source212 includes a rechargeable supercapacitor. The supercapacitor may be any of a number of different types of supercapacitors, such as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), a hybrid capacitor such as a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC), or the like.FIG. 4 more particularly illustrates thepower source212 including an LIC according to various example implementations of the present disclosure. As shown, the power source may be connected to anelectrical load402 that includes theheater222 when thecontrol body102 is coupled with thecartridge104. More particularly, the electrical load may include the control component208 (and its electrical components including the voltage divider310) and heater, which explained above, may be coupled with the power source to form an electrical circuit. This may additionally include, for example, theflow sensor210,indicator308 and the like.
• As shown, thepower source212 includes an LIC configured to provide power to theelectrical load402. Hybrid capacitors such as the LIC generally have features of a battery such as high voltage and high energy density, while maintaining the traditional characteristics of a capacitor such as rapid charge (e.g., three seconds), high durability, safety and environmental friendliness. In some examples, the LIC has a capacity in the range of 200 to 400 farads, which gives it an energy density approximately33% greater than that of a nominal LiB with the same or a similar form factor. A hybrid capacitor is also rechargeable, and has the ability to operate on its own for a longer period without the need of another source of energy from which the hybrid capacitor may be chargeable. The hybrid capacitor may also have a longer lifetime (e.g., 10 years) and cycle life as compared to other options, and is more environmentally friendly.
• In some examples, asnubber circuit404 may be connected in parallel with the LIC. In one example implementation, a LIC rated at 3.8 volts may include a parallel-connected snubber circuit to help maintain the LIC at least at 2.2 volts.
• In some examples, thepower source212 may further includeterminals406,408 connectable with a source of energy from which the LIC may be chargeable. The source of energy may be any of a number of different types, such as various rechargers configured to operate in a manner similar to a battery charger. In other examples, the source of energy may be or include a battery.
• As also shown, in some examples, thepower source212 may further include other components such as a DC-to-DC converter410 and/or a diode D.FIG. 4 illustrates the power source including both a DC-to-DC converter and diode, but it should be understood that the power source may include either without the other. In some examples, the DC-to-DC converter is a switching regulator, which may avoid too fast discharge of the LIC, and facilitate a uniform dissipation of current so that the LIC provides constant power to theelectrical load402. The diode may facilitate current flow into the electrical load, and prevent current flow back, when the capacitor is discharged.
• The DC-to-DC converter410 may be connected to the LIC, between the LIC andelectrical load402. As shown, in some more particular examples, the diode D may be connected to, and between, the DC-to-DC converter and electrical load. And in at least some of these examples, an input and output of the DC-to-DC converter may be connected to respectively the LIC and anode of the diode, and the cathode of the diode may be connected to the electrical load.
• The foregoing description of use of the article(s) can be applied to the various example implementations described herein through minor modifications, which can be apparent to the person of skill in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. The above description of use, however, is not intended to limit the use of the article but is provided to comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the present disclosure. Any of the elements shown in the article(s) illustrated inFIGS. 1-4 or as otherwise described above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.
• Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed, and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example implementations in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims (16)

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising:

at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;

a heating element;

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heater when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) configured to provide power to the electrical load, and comprising a DC-to-DC converter connected to the LIC, between the LIC and electrical load; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

2. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the LIC has a capacity in the range of 200 to 400 farads.

3. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is a switching regulator.

4. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the power source further comprises a snubber circuit connected in parallel with the LIC.

5. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the power source further comprises a diode connected to, and between, the DC-to-DC converter and electrical load.

6. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 5, wherein the DC-to-DC converter has an input and output, and the diode has an anode and a cathode, and

wherein the input and output of the DC-to-DC converter are connected to respectively the LIC and the anode of the diode, and the cathode of the diode is connected to the electrical load.

7. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a source of energy from which the LIC is chargeable.

8. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises at least glycerin and nicotine.

9. A control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising:

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heater when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) configured to provide power to the electrical load, and comprising a DC-to-DC converter connected to the LIC, between the LIC and electrical load; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the microprocessor in the active mode being configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

10. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the LIC has a capacity in the range of 200 to 400 farads.

11. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is a switching regulator.

12. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the power source further comprises a snubber circuit connected in parallel with the LIC.

13. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the power source further comprises a diode connected to, and between, the DC-to-DC converter and electrical load.

14. The control body ofclaim 13, wherein the DC-to-DC converter has an input and output, and the diode has an anode and a cathode, and

wherein the input and output of the DC-to-DC converter are connected to respectively the LIC and the anode of the diode, and the cathode of the diode is connected to the electrical load.

15. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a source of energy from which the LIC is chargeable.

16. The control body ofclaim 9, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises at least glycerin and nicotine.

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