US20230000153A1 - Aerosol delivery device multiple contact connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector in an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device, including aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles that produce aerosol, may include multiple concentric pins, which each have multiple contact points for providing a more reliable connection and for preventing disruptions that may be caused from improper contacts. The connection may be between a cartridge and a battery portion of the aerosol delivery device or with a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument that can be attached to an aerosol delivery device.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
• The present disclosure relates to a connector with multiple contact points using concentric pins in an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device, including aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles that produce aerosol. The connection with the concentric pins may be between a cartridge and a battery portion of the ENDS device or with a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument that can be attached to the ENDS device.
BACKGROUND
• Many devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. Some example alternatives have included devices wherein a solid or liquid fuel is combusted to transfer heat to tobacco or wherein a chemical reaction is used to provide such heat source. Additional example alternatives use electrical energy to heat tobacco and/or other aerosol generating substrate materials, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Generally, a device using electrical energy to heat tobacco or other substances may be referred to as an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device.
• 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.
• The smoking articles described above may include different components, such as a cartridge that is connected to a battery portion. The cartridge may include a vaporizer/atomizer, such as a heater, and a substance to be vaporized. The vaporizer is powered by the battery from the battery portion. The connection between the vaporizer and the battery should be consistent to ensure operation of the device is not interrupted by improper or unstable connections between the vaporizer and the battery portion.
BRIEF SUMMARY
• The present disclosure relates to a connector between a cartridge and a battery of a device or product. The device may include an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device, which may include aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles that produce aerosol. The connector may include multiple concentric pins. Each pin can have multiple contact points to ensure continuous usage and prevent disruptions that may be caused from improper contacts. In one implementation, the connector may be used for connection with a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument that can be attached to the ENDS device, such as the one described in WO2019/060305, entitled “PRODUCT USE AND BEHAVIOR MONITORING INSTRUMENT,” the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
• In one implementation, an aerosol delivery device comprises a cartridge providing a substance to be vaporized and a control body configured to be coupled with the cartridge using a connector. The connector comprises a plurality of pins each with multiple contact points and separated by one or more insulators to prevent contact between the pins. In another implementation, the plurality of pins comprise three pins. In another implementation, two of the three pins establish an electric current and a third pin establishes a data connection. In another implementation, the pins comprise concentric shapes. In another implementation, the cartridge and the control body are circular and each of the concentric pins comprises a circular shape. In another implementation, the multiple contact points are established by coupling with another connector that includes corresponding pins with multiple contact points. In another implementation, the connector is disposed on one end of the cartridge and the another connector is disposed on one end of the control body. In another implementation, the one or more insulators align the plurality of pins for connection with the another connector.
• In another implementation, a system comprises an aerosol delivery device, and a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument configured to be coupled with the aerosol delivery device by a connector. The connector comprises a plurality of concentric pins and one or more insulator layers between each of the concentric pins. In another implementation, the concentric pins provide multiple contact points for connection with corresponding pins to form the coupling with the connector. In another implementation, the corresponding pins comprise concentric pins to establish the multiple contact points with the concentric pins. In another implementation, the plurality of concentric pins comprises three concentric pins with at least one insulator between each of the concentric pins. In another implementation, two of the concentric pins establish an electric current and one of the concentric pins establishes a data connection. In another implementation, the aerosol delivery device comprises another connector configured to be connected with the connector. In another implementation, the connector is disposed on one end of the PUB instrument and the another connector is disposed on one portion of the aerosol delivery device. In another implementation, the connector comprises a male end and the another connector comprises a female end.
• In another implementation, a connector for an aerosol delivery device comprises a plurality of concentric pins configured to connect with corresponding contact pins with multiple points of contact and a plurality of insulators configured to separate each of the plurality of concentric pins. Each of the concentric pins corresponds with at least one of the contact pins. In another implementation, the corresponding contact pins also comprise concentric pins for the multiple points of contact with corresponding ones of the plurality of concentric pins. In another implementation, the aerosol deliver device comprises a cartridge and control body, wherein the connector is disposed on the cartridge and the corresponding contact pins are disposed on the control body. In another implementation, the plurality of concentric pins comprises at least three concentric pins, wherein two of the concentric pins establish an electric connection and one of the concentric pins establishes a data connection.
• It will 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 FIGURES
• Having thus described aspects of the disclosure in the foregoing general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
• FIG.1 illustrates a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a control body that are coupled to one another, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.2 is a partially cut-away view of the aerosol delivery device ofFIG.1 in which the cartridge and control body are decoupled from one another, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIGS.3 and4 illustrate a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device comprising a control body and an aerosol source member that are respectively coupled to one another and decoupled from one another, according to another example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIGS.5 and6 illustrate respectively a front view of and a sectional view through the aerosol delivery device ofFIGS.3 and4, according to another example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIGS.7 and8 illustrate respectively a side view and a partially cut-away view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge coupled to a control body, according to another example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.9 illustrates a circuit diagram of an aerosol delivery device according to various example implementations of the present disclosure;
• FIG.10 illustrates a connection, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.11 illustrates a perspective view of an unassembled product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument, according an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.12 is a first view of a connector, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.13 is a second view of the connector, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;
• FIG.14 is an exploded view of the connector, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure; and
• FIG.15 is a second exploded view of the connector, according to an example implementation of the present disclosure.
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, the present disclosure relates to a connector for an aerosol delivery device, such as an electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”) device. ENDS is one example of such a device or product that may utilize the multiple point connector embodiments described below. Other examples include delivery devices for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), botanicals, medicinals, and/or other active ingredients. Thus, it will be appreciated that while an ENDS device, such as an aerosol delivery device, is used as an example application of various embodiments throughout, this example is intended to be non-limiting such that inventive concepts disclosed herein can be used with a variety of products or devices other than ENDS devices, including aerosol delivery devices that may be used to deliver other medicinal and/or active ingredients to a user or may include smokeless tobacco or other tobacco products.FIGS.1-11 illustrate examples of some devices that may include connectors of various embodiments.
• In some embodiments, either end of the connector may include continuous conductive components for multiple points of contact between the cartridge (male end) and battery (female end). These continuous contact points can replace a pin that would be a single point of contact and be subject to potential connection disruptions. In one embodiment, the continuous conductive components are a metal belt or plate. In some embodiments, the continuous conductive components are disposed in the male end of the connection (e.g. the cartridge in one embodiment) as shown inFIGS.12-15. In other embodiments, the continuous conductive components may be part of different connections (e.g. PUB inFIG.11) or in different ends.
• Aerosol delivery devices are one example of a product or device that utilizes the connector described herein. Other devices or products may use the connector. As one example, various aerosol delivery devices are further described with respect toFIGS.1-11. They may be configured to produce an aerosol (an inhalable substance) from an aerosol precursor composition (sometimes referred to as an inhalable substance medium). The aerosol precursor composition may comprise one or more of a solid tobacco material, a semi-solid tobacco material, a liquid aerosol precursor composition, or a gel aerosol precursor composition. In some implementations, the aerosol delivery devices may be configured to heat and produce an aerosol from a fluid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid aerosol precursor composition). Additionally or alternatively, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise one or more substances mentioned above, including but not limited to botanical substances, medicinal substances, alcohol, glycerin, and may include nicotine, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), or other active ingredients. Such aerosol delivery devices may include so-called electronic cigarettes. In other implementations, the aerosol delivery devices may comprise heat-not-burn devices. In yet other implementations, the aerosol delivery devices may comprise no-heat-no-burn devices.
• Liquid aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition or “e-liquid,” is particularly useful for electronic cigarettes and no-heat-no-burn devices. Liquid aerosol 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. In some examples, the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine. In other examples, the composition may additionally or alternatively include alcohol, other botanical substances, other medicinal substances, or may include Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), or other active ingredients, or some combination thereof.
• Some liquid aerosol precursor compositions that may be used in conjunction with various implementations may include one or more acids such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, benzoic acid, fumaric acid, combinations thereof, and the like. Inclusion of an acid(s) in liquid aerosol precursor compositions including nicotine may provide a protonated liquid aerosol precursor composition, including nicotine in salt form. Representative types of liquid aerosol precursor components and formulations are set forth and characterized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al., 2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al., and 2015/0020830 to Koller; as well as PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2014/182736 to Bowen et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., 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 any of a number of the representative products identified above. Also desirable are the so-called “smoke juices” for electronic cigarettes that have been available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC. Still further example aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the brand names BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, THE MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, THE VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, THE STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR. CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN. 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.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al.; as well as U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 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.
• In some implementations, the liquid aerosol precursor composition may not be a liquid and can take other forms and be referred to as an aerosol precursor composition or just an aerosol precursor. In some implementations, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporate nicotine, which may be present in various concentrations. The source of nicotine may vary, and the nicotine incorporated in the aerosol precursor composition may derive from a single source or a combination of two or more sources. For example, in some implementations the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived from tobacco. In other implementations, the aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived from other organic plant sources, such as, for example, non-tobacco plant sources including plants in the Solanaceae family. In other implementations, the aerosol precursor composition may include synthetic nicotine. In some implementations, nicotine incorporated in the aerosol precursor composition may be derived from non-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceae family. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally, or alternatively, include other active ingredients including, but not limited to, botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint, chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme,eucalyptus, ginger,cannabis, ginseng, maca, and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and medicinal ingredients (e.g., vitamins, such as B6, B12, and C and cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)). It should be noted that the aerosol precursor composition may comprise any constituents, derivatives, or combinations of any of the above.
• As noted herein, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise or be derived from one or more botanicals or constituents, derivatives, or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term “botanical” includes any material derived from plants including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husk, shells or the like. Alternatively, the material may comprise an active compound naturally existing in a botanical, obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, or the like. Example botanicals are tobacco,eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa,cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger,Ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice (liquorice), matcha, mate, orange skin,papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant,curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive,carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry,ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be chosen from the following mint varieties:MenthaArventis,Menthac.v.,Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citratac.v.,Mentha piperitac.v,Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicatac.v. andMentha suaveolens.
• A wide variety of types of flavoring agents, or materials that alter the sensory or organoleptic character or nature of the mainstream aerosol of the smoking article may be suitable to be employed. In some implementations, such flavoring agents may be provided from sources other than tobacco and may be natural or artificial in nature. For example, some flavoring agents may be applied to, or incorporated within, the substrate material and/or those regions of the smoking article where an aerosol is generated. In some implementations, such agents may be supplied directly to a heating cavity or region proximate to the heat source or are provided with the substrate material. Example flavoring agents may include, for example, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach and citrus flavors, including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, and flavorings and flavor packages of the type and character traditionally used for the flavoring of cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobaccos. Syrups, such as high fructose corn syrup, may also be suitable to be employed.
• As used herein, the terms “flavor,” “flavorant,” “flavoring agents,” etc. refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensorial sensation in a product for adult consumers. They may include naturally occurring flavor materials, botanicals, extracts of botanicals, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco,cannabis, licorice (liquorice),hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white barkmagnolialeaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anise), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit,papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar,betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom,cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, a mint oil from any species of the genusMentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax,Ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant,curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive,carvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, 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 blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, liquid such as an oil, solid such as a powder, or gas.
• In some implementations, the flavor comprises menthol, spearmint and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruits and/or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components extracted fromcannabis.
• In some implementations, the flavor may comprise a sensate, which is intended to achieve a somatosensorial sensation, which are usually chemically induced and perceived by the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or in place of aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents providing heating, cooling, tingling, numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to, eucolyptol or WS-3.
• Flavoring agents may also include acidic or basic characteristics (e.g., organic acids, such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid). In some implementations, flavoring agents may be combinable with the elements of the substrate material if desired. Example plant-derived compositions that may be suitable are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2012/0152265 both to Dube et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Any of the materials, such as flavorings, casings, and the like that may be useful in combination with a tobacco material to affect sensory properties thereof, including organoleptic properties, such as described herein, may be combined with the substrate material. Organic acids particularly may be able to be incorporated into the substrate material to affect the flavor, sensation, or organoleptic properties of medicaments, such as nicotine, that may be able to be combined with the substrate material. For example, organic acids, such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and benzoic acid may be included in the substrate material with nicotine in amounts up to being equimolar (based on total organic acid content) with the nicotine. Any combination of organic acids may be suitable. For example, in some implementations, the substrate material may include approximately 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per one mole of nicotine, approximately 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per one mole of nicotine, approximately 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per one mole of nicotine, or combinations thereof, up to a concentration wherein the total amount of organic acid present is equimolar to the total amount of nicotine present in the substrate material. Various additional examples of organic acids employed to produce a substrate material are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0344456 to Dull et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
• The selection of such further components may be variable based upon factors such as the sensory characteristics that are desired for the smoking article, and the present disclosure is intended to encompass any such further components that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See, Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
• 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.
• In other implementations, the aerosol delivery devices may comprise heat-not-burn devices, configured to heat a solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., an extruded tobacco rod) or a semi-solid aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a glycerin-loaded tobacco paste). The aerosol precursor composition may comprise tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco strips, reconstituted tobacco material, or combinations thereof, and/or a mix of finely ground tobacco, tobacco extract, spray dried tobacco extract, or other tobacco form mixed with optional inorganic materials (such as calcium carbonate), optional flavors, and aerosol forming materials to form a substantially solid or moldable (e.g., extrudable) substrate. Representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and formulations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,538 to Thomas et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,464,726 to Sebastian et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0083150 to Conner et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0157052 to Ademe et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0000188 to Nordskog et al., all of which are incorporated by reference herein. Further representative types of solid and semi-solid aerosol precursor compositions and arrangements include those found in the NEOSTIKS™ consumable aerosol source members for the GLO™ product by British American Tobacco and in the HEETS™ consumable aerosol source members for the IQOS™ product by Philip Morris International, Inc.
• As used herein, the heating of an inhalable substance includes electronic smoking articles that vaporize a liquid, electronic smoking articles that use a heating element that heats a porous substrate tobacco, electronic smoking articles that utilize precursor constituents in tobacco substrates, electronic smoking articles that make use of a precursor that is heated to form an aerosol that then passes through a porous tobacco substrate, medical devices that may heat a medicament—the medicament may be heated through use of any of the device arrangements described herein—in liquid and/or solid form so as to form an aerosol, and any combination thereof. In arrangements that utilize a porous substrate tobacco, the porous tobacco substrate may include packed beds of particles of wide variety of geometries, such as may be formed from ground, milled, or powdered tobacco lamina; tobacco monoliths containing air passageways; stacked (or bunched) layers of tobacco sheets; and/or other forms of tobacco and/or reconstituted tobacco. Example arrangements using tobacco substrate heated by aerosolized liquid to which various embodiments may be applied include the background art cited in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0335070 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0065000, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In some arrangements that utilize a precursor, the porous tobacco substrate is heated by the passing aerosol, but is not directly heated by a heating element. The precursor may or may not include nicotine and/or other tobacco derivatives. Additionally, any of the described electronic smoking articles may be configured in a “dual heating” arrangement. In those arrangements, the electronic smoking article includes a vapor precursor (e.g., liquid) that is heated by a first heating element and a porous tobacco substrate downstream of the precursor that is heated by a second heating element. As will be appreciated, the heated vapor passes through/over the heated porous tobacco substrate. Consequently, the porous tobacco substrate (e.g., shreds, spheres, granules, etc.) is heated by the second heating element and by the vapor passing through/over it. Additionally, aerosol precursor may be implemented in either or both of the packed bed of tobacco chamber and the atomizing chamber. Further, the above described electronic smoking articles may be configured to have dual- and/or multi-heating elements.
• In various implementations, the inhalable substance specifically may be a tobacco component or a tobacco-derived material (i.e., a material that is found naturally in tobacco that may be isolated directly from the tobacco or synthetically prepared). For example, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise tobacco extracts or fractions thereof combined with an inert substrate. The aerosol precursor composition may further comprise unburned tobacco or a composition containing unburned tobacco that, when heated to a temperature below its combustion temperature, releases an inhalable substance. In some implementations, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise tobacco condensates or fractions thereof (i.e., condensed components of the smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco, leaving flavors and, possibly, nicotine).
• Tobacco materials useful in the present disclosure can vary and may include, for example, flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco andRusticatobaccos, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Tobacco materials also can include so-called “blended” forms and processed forms, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut-rolled or cut-puffed stems), volume expanded tobacco (e.g., puffed tobacco, such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), preferably in cut filler form), reconstituted tobaccos (e.g., reconstituted tobaccos manufactured using paper-making type or cast sheet type processes). Various representative tobacco types, processed types of tobaccos, and types of tobacco blends are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 to Gentry, U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,096 to Li et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,585 to Li et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2004/0255965 to Perfetti et al.; PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 02/37990 to Bereman; and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, p. 11-17 (1997), which are incorporated herein by reference. Further example tobacco compositions that may be useful in a smoking device, including according to the present disclosure, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• Still further, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise an inert substrate having the inhalable substance, or a precursor thereof, integrated therein or otherwise deposited thereon. For example, a liquid comprising the inhalable substance may be coated on or absorbed or adsorbed into the inert substrate such that, upon application of heat, the inhalable substance is released in a form that can be withdrawn from the inventive article through application of positive or negative pressure. In some aspects, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise a blend of flavorful and aromatic tobaccos in cut filler form. In another aspect, the aerosol precursor composition may comprise a reconstituted tobacco material, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,809 to Pryor et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,143 to Pryor et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 to Raker, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. For further information regarding suitable aerosol precursor composition, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/916,834 to Sur et al., filed Mar. 9, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• Regardless of the type of aerosol precursor composition, aerosol delivery devices may include an aerosol production component configured to produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. In the case of an electronic cigarette or a heat-not-burn device, for example, the aerosol production component may be or include a heating element. In other cases, devices may use aerosol production components that generate an aerosol through primarily mechanical components, such as a vibratable piezoelectric component, piezomagnetic mesh, and/or other mechanical aerosol production components.
• One example of a suitable heating element is an induction heater. Such heaters often comprise an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. The induction transmitter may include a coil configured to create an oscillating magnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field that varies periodically with time) when alternating current is directed through it. The induction receiver may be at least partially located or received within the induction transmitter and may include a conductive material (e.g., ferromagnetic material or an aluminum coated material). By directing alternating current through the induction transmitter, eddy currents may be generated in the induction receiver via induction. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material defining the induction receiver may heat it by Joule heating (i.e., through the Joule effect). The induction receiver, which may define an atomizer, may be wirelessly heated to form an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition positioned in proximity to the induction receiver. Various implementations of an aerosol delivery device with an induction heater are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0127722 to Davis et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0202266 to Sur et al.; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/352,153 to Sur et al., filed Nov. 15, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/799,365 to Sebastian et al., filed Oct. 31, 2017; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/836,086 to Sur, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
• In other implementations including those described more particularly herein, the heating element is a conductive heater such as in the case of electrical resistance heater. These heaters may be configured to produce heat when an electrical current is directed through it. In various implementations, a conductive heater may be provided in a variety forms, such as in the form of a foil, a foam, discs, spirals, fibers, wires, films, yarns, strips, ribbons or cylinders. Such heaters often include a metal material and are configured to produce heat as a result of the electrical resistance associated with passing an electrical current through it. Such resistive heaters may be positioned in proximity to and heat an aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol. A variety of conductive substrates that may be usable with the present disclosure are described in the above-cited U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith et al.
• In some implementations aerosol delivery devices may include a control body and a cartridge in the case of so-called electronic cigarettes or no-heat-no-burn devices, or a control body and an aerosol source member in the case of heat-not-burn devices. In the case of either electronic cigarettes or heat-not-burn devices, the control body may be reusable, whereas the cartridge/aerosol source member may be configured for a limited number of uses and/or configured to be disposable. Various mechanisms may connect the cartridge/aerosol source member to the control body to result in a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference fit, a sliding fit, a magnetic engagement, or the like.
• The control body and cartridge/aerosol source member 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.
• The cartridge/aerosol source member may include the aerosol precursor composition. In order to produce aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol production component (e.g., heating element, piezoelectric/piezomagnetic mesh) may be positioned in contact with or proximate the aerosol precursor composition, such as across the control body and cartridge through the connector described herein, or in the control body in which the aerosol source member may be positioned. The control body may include a power source, which may be rechargeable or replaceable, and thereby the control body may be reused with multiple cartridges/aerosol source members. The control body may also include means to activate the aerosol delivery device such as a pushbutton, touch-sensitive surface or the like for manual control of the device. Additionally or alternatively, the control body may include a flow sensor to detect when a user draws on the cartridge/aerosol source member to thereby activate the aerosol delivery device.
• In various implementations, the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may have a variety of overall shapes, including, but not limited to an overall shape that may be defined as being substantially rod-like or substantially tubular shaped or substantially cylindrically shaped. In the implementations shown in and described with reference to the accompanying figures, the aerosol delivery device has a substantially round cross-section; however, other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., oval, square, rectangle, triangle, etc.) also are encompassed by the present disclosure. The connector described herein may be subject to those different cross-sectional shapes. Such language that is descriptive of the physical shape of the article may also be applied to the individual components thereof, including the control body and the cartridge/aerosol source member. In other implementations, the control body may take another handheld shape, such as a small box shape.
• In more specific implementations, one or both of the control body and the cartridge/aerosol source member may be referred to as being disposable or as being reusable. For example, the control body may have a power source such as a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, SSB, thin-film SSB, rechargeable supercapacitor, lithium-ion or hybrid lithium-ion supercapacitor, or the like, any of which may be coupled with the connector described herein. One example of a power source is a TKI-1550 rechargeable lithium-ion battery produced by Tadiran Batteries GmbH of Germany. In another implementation, a useful power source may be a N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium cell produced by Sanyo Electric Company, Ltd., of Japan. In other implementations, a plurality of such batteries, for example providing 1.2-volts each, may be connected in series. The connections may be through the connector described herein. In some implementations, the power source is configured to provide an output voltage. The power source can power the aerosol production component that is powerable to produce an aerosol from an aerosol precursor composition. The power source may be connected with any type of recharging technology, such as a charging accessory.
• Examples of power sources are described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0112191 to Sur et al., filed Oct. 21, 2015, the disclosures of which are 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. No. 9,439,454 to Fernando et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. With respect to the flow sensor, representative current regulating components and other current controlling components including various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches for aerosol delivery devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all 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. 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.
• Further examples of components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosing materials or components that may be used in the present article include U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,287 to White; U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,218 to Voges; U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,461 to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,410 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,756 to Shayan; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,156,944 and 8,375,957 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,231 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,083 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2006/0196518 and 2009/0188490 to Hon; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2010/091593 to Hon; and PCT Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2013/089551 to Foo, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0099877 to Worm et al., discloses capsules that may be included in aerosol delivery devices and fob-shape configurations for aerosol delivery devices, and is incorporated herein by reference. A variety of the materials disclosed by the foregoing documents may be incorporated into the present devices in various implementations, and all of the foregoing disclosures 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.
• FIGS.1 and2 illustrate implementations of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and a cartridge coupled in the case of an electronic cigarette. The connector described herein may be used for connecting the control body and the cartridge.FIGS.1 and2 illustrate anaerosol delivery device100 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. As indicated, the aerosol delivery device may include acontrol body102 and acartridge104. The control body and the cartridge can be permanently or detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. In this regard,FIG.1 illustrates a perspective view of the aerosol delivery device in a coupled configuration, whereasFIG.2 illustrates a partially cut-away side view of the aerosol delivery device in a decoupled configuration. The aerosol delivery device may, for example, be substantially rod-like, substantially tubular shaped, or substantially cylindrically shaped in some implementations when the control body and the cartridge are in an assembled configuration.
• Thecontrol body102 and thecartridge104 can be configured to engage one another by a variety of connections, such as a press fit (or interference fit) connection, a threaded connection, a magnetic connection, or the like. The control body may include multiple connections that can engage with the cartridge. The connections may be through the connector described with respect toFIGS.12-15. For example, the control body may include a first engaging element (e.g., a coupler) that is adapted to engage a second engaging element (e.g., a connector) on the cartridge. The first engaging element and the second engaging element may be reversible. As an example, either of the first engaging element or the second engaging element may be a male thread, and the other may be a female thread. As a further example, either the first engaging element or the second engaging element may be a magnet, and the other may be a metal or a matching magnet. In particular implementations, engaging elements may be defined directly by existing components of the control body and the cartridge. For example, the housing of the control body may define a cavity at an end thereof that is configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge (e.g., a storage tank or other shell-forming element of the cartridge). In particular, a storage tank of the cartridge may be at least partially received within the cavity of the control body while a mouthpiece of the cartridge remains exposed outside of the cavity of the control body. In some implementations, however, the entire cartridge may be received within the cavity of the control body. The cartridge may be retained within the cavity formed by the control body housing, such as by an interference fit (e.g., through use of detents and/or other features creating an interference engagement between an outer surface of the cartridge and an interior surface of a wall forming the control body cavity), by a magnetic engagement (e.g., though use of magnets and/or magnetic metals positioned within the cavity of the control body and positioned on the cartridge), or by other suitable techniques.
• As seen in the cut-away view illustrated inFIG.2, thecontrol body102 andcartridge104 each include a number of respective components. The components illustrated inFIG.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 a housing206 (sometimes referred to as a control body shell) that can include a control component208 (e.g., processing circuitry, etc.), aflow sensor210, a power source212 (e.g., battery, supercapacitor), and an indicator214 (e.g., LED, quantum dot-based LED), and such components can be variably aligned. The power source may be rechargeable, and the control component may include a switch and processing circuitry coupled to the flow sensor and the switch.
• Thecartridge104 can be formed of a housing216 (sometimes referred to as the cartridge shell) enclosing areservoir218 configured to retain the aerosol precursor composition, and including a heating element220 (aerosol production component). 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 heating element.
• As shown, in some examples, thereservoir218 may be in fluid communication with aliquid transport element222 adapted to wick or otherwise transport an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to theheating element220. In some examples, a valve may be positioned between the reservoir and heating element, and configured to control an amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the heating element.
• Various examples of materials configured to produce heat when electrical current is applied therethrough may be employed to form theheating element220. Although described as aheating element220, theheating element220 may include other structures or components for generating an aerosol in addition to heating an aerosol precursor composition. For example, aerosol delivery devices may include an aerosol production component configured to produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition. In the case of an electronic cigarette or a heat-not-burn device, for example, the aerosol production component may be or include theheating element220. In other cases, devices may use aerosol production components that generate an aerosol through primarily mechanical components, such as a vibratable piezoelectric component, piezomagnetic mesh, and/or other mechanical aerosol production components. In some arrangements that utilize a precursor, the porous tobacco substrate is heated by the passing aerosol, but is not directly heated by theheating element220. Theheating element220 may be configured in a “dual heating” arrangement. In those arrangements, the electronic smoking article includes a vapor precursor (e.g., liquid) that is heated by a first heating element and a porous tobacco substrate downstream of the precursor that is heated by a second heating element. As will be appreciated, the heated vapor passes through/over the heated porous tobacco substrate.
• Theheating element220 in the heating example 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, nickel, stainless steel, indium tin oxide, tungsten, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), titanium, platinum, silver, palladium, alloys of silver and palladium, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), conductive inks, boron doped silica, and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). The heating element may be resistive heating element or a heating element configured to generate heat through induction. The heating element may be coated by heat conductive ceramics such as aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, alumina, silicon nitride, or their composites. Example implementations of heating elements 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 housing216 (e.g., at the mouth end) 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 a circuit board (e.g., PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. Further, the circuit board may be positioned horizontally relative the illustration ofFIG.1 in that the circuit board can be lengthwise parallel to the central axis of the control body. In some examples, the air flow sensor may comprise its own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached. In some examples, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. A flexible circuit board may be configured into a variety of shapes, include substantially tubular shapes. In some examples, a flexible circuit board 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 theheating element220 in the cartridge. Further, thehousing206 can include anair intake236, which may be a notch in the housing where it connects to the coupler that allows for passage of ambient air around the coupler and into the housing where it then passes through thecavity232 of the coupler and into the cartridge through theprojection234.
• In one embodiment, the connection between the coupler and the base may be with the connector described with respect toFIGS.12-15 that includes pins with multiple contact points. In some embodiments, the coupler and the 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 thehousing216, 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 element222. The liquid transport element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir via capillary action—or via a micro pump—to theheating element220 that is in the form of a metal wire coil in this example. As such, the heating element is in a heating arrangement with the liquid transport element.
• In some examples, a microfluidic chip may be embedded in thereservoir218, and the amount and/or mass of aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir may be controlled by a micro pump, such as one based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Other example implementations of reservoirs and transport elements useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described herein, 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 herein 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 theheating element220 is activated to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. Drawing upon the mouth end 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 heating element and out theopening224 in the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.
• For further detail regarding implementations of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and a cartridge in the case of an electronic cigarette, see the above-cited U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/836,086 to Sur; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/916,834 to Sur et al.; as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/916,696 to Sur, filed Mar. 9, 2018, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
• FIGS.3-6 illustrate implementations of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and an aerosol source member in the case of a heat-not-burn device. More specifically,FIG.3 illustrates anaerosol delivery device300 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery device may include acontrol body302 and anaerosol source member304. In various implementations, the aerosol source member and the control body can be permanently or detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. In this regard,FIG.3 illustrates the aerosol delivery device in a coupled configuration, whereasFIG.4 illustrates the aerosol delivery device in a decoupled configuration.
• As shown inFIG.4, in various implementations of the present disclosure, theaerosol source member304 may comprise aheated end406, which is configured to be inserted into thecontrol body302, and amouth end408, upon which a user draws to create the aerosol. In various implementations, at least a portion of the heated end may include anaerosol precursor composition410.
• In various implementations, theaerosol source member304, or a portion thereof, may be wrapped in anexterior overwrap material412, which may be formed of any material useful for providing additional structure and/or support for the aerosol source member. In various implementations, the exterior overwrap material may comprise a material that resists transfer of heat, which may include a paper or other fibrous material, such as a cellulose material. The exterior overwrap material may also include at least one filler material imbedded or dispersed within the fibrous material. In various implementations, the filler material may have the form of water insoluble particles. Additionally, the filler material may incorporate inorganic components. In various implementations, the exterior overwrap may be formed of multiple layers, such as an underlying, bulk layer and an overlying layer, such as a typical wrapping paper in a cigarette. Such materials may include, for example, lightweight “rag fibers” such as flax, hemp, sisal, rice straw, and/or esparto. The exterior overwrap may also include a material typically used in a filter element of a conventional cigarette, such as cellulose acetate.
• Further, an excess length of the overwrap at themouth end408 of the aerosol source member may function to simply separate theaerosol precursor composition410 from the mouth of a consumer or to provide space for positioning of a filter material, as described below, or to affect draw on the article or to affect flow characteristics of the vapor or aerosol leaving the device during draw. Further discussion relating to the configurations for overwrap materials that may be used with the present disclosure may be found in the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al.
• In various implementations other components may exist between theaerosol precursor composition410 and themouth end408 of theaerosol source member304, wherein the mouth end may include afilter414, which may, for example, be made of a cellulose acetate or polypropylene material. The filter may additionally or alternatively contain strands of tobacco containing material, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,814 to Raker et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In various implementations, the filter may increase the structural integrity of the mouth end of the aerosol source member, and/or provide filtering capacity, if desired, and/or provide resistance to draw. In some implementations one or any combination of the following may be positioned between the aerosol precursor composition and the mouth end: an air gap; phase change materials for cooling air; flavor releasing media; ion exchange fibers capable of selective chemical adsorption; aerogel particles as filter medium; and other suitable materials.
• Various implementations of the present disclosure employ one or more conductive heating elements to heat theaerosol precursor composition410 of theaerosol source member304. In various implementations, the heating element may be provided in a variety forms, such as in the form of a foil, a foam, a mesh, a hollow ball, a half ball, discs, spirals, fibers, wires, films, yarns, strips, ribbons, or cylinders. Such heating elements often comprise a metal material and are configured to produce heat as a result of the electrical resistance associated with passing an electrical current therethrough. Such resistive heating elements may be positioned in direct contact with, or in proximity to, the aerosol source member and particularly, the aerosol precursor composition of the aerosol source member. The heating element may be located in the control body and/or the aerosol source member. In various implementations, the aerosol precursor composition may include components (i.e., heat conducting constituents) that are imbedded in, or otherwise part of, the substrate portion that may serve as, or facilitate the function of, the heating assembly. Some examples of various heating members and elements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al.
• Some non-limiting examples of various heating element configurations include configurations in which a heating element is placed in proximity with theaerosol source member304. For instance, in some examples, at least a portion of a heating element may surround at least a portion of an aerosol source member. In other examples, one or more heating elements may be positioned adjacent an exterior of an aerosol source member when inserted in thecontrol body302. In other examples, at least a portion of a heating element may penetrate at least a portion of an aerosol source member (such as, for example, one or more prongs and/or spikes that penetrate an aerosol source member), when the aerosol source member is inserted into the control body. In some instances, the aerosol precursor composition may include a structure in contact with, or a plurality of beads or particles imbedded in, or otherwise part of, the aerosol precursor composition that may serve as, or facilitate the function of the heating element.
• FIG.5 illustrates a front view of anaerosol delivery device300 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure, andFIG.6 illustrates a sectional view through the aerosol delivery device ofFIG.5. In particular, thecontrol body302 of the depicted implementation may comprise ahousing516 that includes anopening518 defined in an engaging end thereof, a flow sensor520 (e.g., a puff sensor or pressure switch), a control component522 (e.g., processing circuitry, etc.), a power source524 (e.g., battery, supercapacitor), and an end cap that includes an indicator526 (e.g., a LED). The power source may be rechargeable, and the control component may include a switch and processing circuitry coupled to the flow sensor and the switch.
• In one implementation, theindicator526 may comprise one or more LEDs, quantum dot-based LEDs or the like. The indicator can be in communication with thecontrol component522 and be illuminated, for example, when a user draws on theaerosol source member304, when coupled to thecontrol body302, as detected by theflow sensor520.
• Thecontrol body302 of the depicted implementation includes one or more heating assemblies528 (individually or collectively referred to a heating assembly) configured to heat theaerosol precursor composition410 of theaerosol source member304. Although the heating assembly of various implementations of the present disclosure may take a variety of forms, in the particular implementation depicted inFIGS.5 and6, the heating assembly comprises anouter cylinder530 and a heating element532 (aerosol production component), which in this implementation comprises a plurality of heater prongs that extend from a receiving base534 (in various configurations, the heating assembly or more specifically the heater prongs may be referred to as a heater). In the depicted implementation, the outer cylinder comprises a double-walled vacuum tube constructed of stainless steel to maintain heat generated by the heater prongs within the outer cylinder, and more particularly, maintain heat generated by heater prongs within the aerosol precursor composition. In various implementations, the heater prongs may be constructed of one or more conductive materials, including, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, silver, iron, steel, brass, bronze, graphite, or any combination thereof.
• As illustrated, theheating assembly528 may extend proximate an engagement end of thehousing516, and may be configured to substantially surround a portion of theheated end406 of theaerosol source member304 that includes theaerosol precursor composition410. In such a manner, the heating assembly may define a generally tubular configuration. As illustrated inFIGS.5 and6, the heating element532 (e.g., plurality of heater prongs) is surrounded by theouter cylinder530 to create a receivingchamber536. In such a manner, in various implementations the outer cylinder may comprise a nonconductive insulating material and/or construction including, but not limited to, an insulating polymer (e.g., plastic or cellulose), glass, rubber, ceramic, porcelain, a double-walled vacuum structure, or any combinations thereof.
• In some implementations, one or more portions or components of theheating assembly528 may be combined with, packaged with, and/or integral with (e.g., embedded within) theaerosol precursor composition410. For example, in some implementations the aerosol precursor composition may be formed of a material as described above and may include one or more conductive materials mixed therein. In some of these implementations, contacts may be connected directly to the aerosol precursor composition such that, when the aerosol source member is inserted into the receiving chamber of the control body, the contacts make electrical connection with the electrical energy source. Alternatively, the contacts may be integral with the electrical energy source and may extend into the receiving chamber such that, when the aerosol source member is inserted into the receiving chamber of the control body, the contacts make electrical connection with the aerosol precursor composition. Because of the presence of the conductive material in the aerosol precursor composition, the application of power from the electrical energy source to the aerosol precursor composition allows electrical current to flow and thus produce heat from the conductive material. Thus, in some implementations the heating element may be described as being integral with the aerosol precursor composition. As a non-limiting example, graphite or other suitable, conductive material may be mixed with, embedded in, or otherwise present directly on or within the material forming the aerosol precursor composition to make the heating element integral with the medium.
• As noted above, in the illustrated implementation, theouter cylinder530 may also serve to facilitate proper positioning of theaerosol source member304 when the aerosol source member is inserted into thehousing516. In various implementations, the outer cylinder of theheating assembly528 may engage an internal surface of the housing to provide for alignment of the heating assembly with respect to the housing. Thereby, as a result of the fixed coupling between the heating assembly, a longitudinal axis of the heating assembly may extend substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing. In particular, the support cylinder may extend from theopening518 of the housing to the receivingbase534 to create the receivingchamber536.
• Theheated end406 of theaerosol source member304 is sized and shaped for insertion into thecontrol body302. In various implementations, the receivingchamber536 of the control body may be characterized as being defined by a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining the interior volume of the receiving chamber. For example, in the depicted implementations, theouter cylinder530 defines an inner surface defining the interior volume of the receiving chamber. In the illustrated implementation, an inner diameter of the outer cylinder may be slightly larger than or approximately equal to an outer diameter of a corresponding aerosol source member (e.g., to create a sliding fit) such that the outer cylinder is configured to guide the aerosol source member into the proper position (e.g., lateral position) with respect to the control body. Thus, the largest outer diameter (or other dimension depending upon the specific cross-sectional shape of the implementations) of the aerosol source member may be sized to be less than the inner diameter (or other dimension) at the inner surface of the wall of the open end of the receiving chamber in the control body. In some implementations, the difference in the respective diameters may be sufficiently small so that the aerosol source member fits snugly into the receiving chamber, and frictional forces prevent the aerosol source member from being moved without an applied force. On the other hand, the difference may be sufficient to allow the aerosol source member to slide into or out of the receiving chamber without requiring undue force.
• In the illustrated implementation, thecontrol body302 is configured such that when theaerosol source member304 is inserted into the control body, the heating element532 (e.g., heater prongs) is located in the approximate radial center of at least a portion of theaerosol precursor composition410 of theheated end406 of the aerosol source member. In such a manner, when used in conjunction with a solid or semi-solid aerosol precursor composition, the heater prongs may be in direct contact with the aerosol precursor composition. In other implementations, such as when used in conjunction with an extruded aerosol precursor composition that defines a tube structure, the heater prongs may be located inside of a cavity defined by an inner surface of the extruded tube structure, and would not contact the inner surface of the extruded tube structure.
• During use, the consumer initiates heating of theheating assembly528, and in particular, theheating element532 that is adjacent the aerosol precursor composition410 (or a specific layer thereof). Heating of the aerosol precursor composition releases the inhalable substance within theaerosol source member304 so as to yield the inhalable substance. When the consumer inhales on themouth end408 of the aerosol source member, air is drawn into the aerosol source member through anair intake538 such as openings or apertures in thecontrol body302. The combination of the drawn air and the released inhalable substance is inhaled by the consumer as the drawn materials exit the mouth end of the aerosol source member. In some implementations, to initiate heating, the consumer may manually actuate a pushbutton or similar component that causes the heating element of the heating assembly to receive electrical energy from the battery or other energy source. The electrical energy may be supplied for a pre-determined length of time or may be manually controlled.
• In some implementations, flow of electrical energy does not substantially proceed in between puffs on the device300 (although energy flow may proceed to maintain a baseline temperature greater than ambient temperature—e.g., a temperature that facilitates rapid heating to the active heating temperature). In the depicted implementation, however, heating is initiated by the puffing action of the consumer through use of one or more sensors, such asflow sensor520. Once the puff is discontinued, heating will stop or be reduced. When the consumer has taken a sufficient number of puffs so as to have released a sufficient amount of the inhalable substance (e.g., an amount sufficient to equate to a typical smoking experience), theaerosol source member304 may be removed from thecontrol body302 and discarded. In some implementations, further sensing elements, such as capacitive sensing elements and other sensors, may be used as discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/707,461 to Phillips et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• In various implementations, theaerosol source member304 may be formed of any material suitable for forming and maintaining an appropriate conformation, such as a tubular shape, and for retaining therein theaerosol precursor composition410. In some implementations, the aerosol source member may be formed of a single wall or, in other implementations, multiple walls, and may be formed of a material (natural or synthetic) that is heat resistant so as to retain its structural integrity—e.g., does not degrade—at least at a temperature that is the heating temperature provided by the electrical heating element, as further discussed herein. While in some implementations, a heat resistant polymer may be used, in other implementations, the aerosol source member may be formed from paper, such as a paper that is substantially straw-shaped. As further discussed herein, the aerosol source member may have one or more layers associated therewith that function to substantially prevent movement of vapor therethrough. In one example implementation, an aluminum foil layer may be laminated to one surface of the aerosol source member. Ceramic materials also may be used. In further implementations, an insulating material may be used so as not to unnecessarily move heat away from the aerosol precursor composition. Further example types of components and materials that may be used to provide the functions described above or be used as alternatives to the materials and components noted above can be those of the types set forth in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2010/00186757 to Crooks et al., 2010/00186757 to Crooks et al., and 2011/0041861 to Sebastian et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• In the depicted implementation, thecontrol body302 includes acontrol component522 that controls the various functions of theaerosol delivery device300, including providing power to theelectrical heating element532. For example, the control component may include processing circuitry (which may be connected to further components, as further described herein) that is connected by electrically conductive wires (not shown) to thepower source524. In various implementations, the processing circuitry may control when and how theheating assembly528, and particularly the heater prongs, receives electrical energy to heat theaerosol precursor composition410 for release of the inhalable substance for inhalation by a consumer. In some implementations, such control may be activated by aflow sensor520 as described in greater detail above.
• As seen inFIGS.5 and6, theheating assembly528 of the depicted implementation comprises anouter cylinder530 and a heating element532 (e.g., plurality of heater prongs) that extend from a receivingbase534. In some implementations, such as those wherein theaerosol precursor composition410 comprises a tube structure, the heater prongs may be configured to extend into a cavity defined by the inner surface of the aerosol precursor composition. In other implementations, such as the depicted implementation wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises a solid or semi-solid, the plurality of heater prongs are configured to penetrate into the aerosol precursor composition contained in theheated end406 of theaerosol source member304 when the aerosol source member is inserted into thecontrol body302. In such implementations, one or more of the components of the heating assembly, including the heater prongs and/or the receiving base, may be constructed of a non-stick or stick-resistant material, for example, certain aluminum, copper, stainless steel, carbon steel, and ceramic materials. In other implementations, one or more of the components of the heating assembly, including the heater prongs and/or the receiving base, may include a non-stick coating, including, for example, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating, such as Teflon®, or other coatings, such as a stick-resistant enamel coating, or a ceramic coating, such as Greblon®, or Thermolon™, or a ceramic coating, such as Greblon®, or Thermolon™.
• In addition, although in the depicted implementation there aremultiple heater prongs532 that are substantially equally distributed about the receivingbase534, it should be noted that in other implementations, any number of heater prongs may be used, including as few as one, with any other suitable spatial configuration. Furthermore, in various implementations the length of the heater prongs may vary. For example, in some implementations the heater prongs may comprise small projections, while in other implementations the heater prongs may extend any portion of the length of the receivingchamber536, including up to about 25%, up to about 50%, up to about 75%, and up to about the full length of the receiving chamber. In still other implementations, theheating assembly528 may take on other configurations. Examples of other heater configurations that may be adapted for use in the present disclosure per the discussion provided above can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,894 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,075 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,936 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,850 to Das, U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,656 to Das, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855 to Deevi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol, U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.
• In various implementations, thecontrol body302 may include an air intake538 (e.g., one or more openings or apertures) therein for allowing entrance of ambient air into the interior of the receivingchamber536. In such a manner, in some implementations the receivingbase534 may also include an air intake. Thus, in some implementations when a consumer draws on the mouth end of theaerosol source member304, air can be drawn through the air intake of the control body and the receiving base into the receiving chamber, pass into the aerosol source member, and be drawn through theaerosol precursor composition410 of the aerosol source member for inhalation by the consumer. In some implementations, the drawn air carries the inhalable substance through theoptional filter414 and out of an opening at themouth end408 of the aerosol source member. With theheating element532 positioned inside the aerosol precursor composition, the heater prongs may be activated to heat the aerosol precursor composition and cause release of the inhalable substance through the aerosol source member.
• As described above with reference toFIGS.5 and6 in particular, various implementations of the present disclosure employ a conductive heater to heat theaerosol precursor composition410. As also indicated above, various other implementations employ an induction heater to heat the aerosol precursor composition. In some of these implementations, theheating assembly528 may be configured as an induction heater that comprises a transformer with an induction transmitter and an induction receiver. In implementations in which the heating assembly is configured as the induction heater, theouter cylinder530 may be configured as the induction transmitter, and the heating element532 (e.g., plurality of heater prongs) that extend from the receivingbase534 may be configured as the induction receiver. In various implementations, one or both of the induction transmitter and induction receiver may be located in thecontrol body302 and/or theaerosol source member304.
• In various implementations, theouter cylinder530 andheating element532 as the induction transmitter and induction receiver may be constructed of one or more conductive materials, and in further implementations the induction receiver may be constructed of a ferromagnetic material including, but not limited to, cobalt, iron, nickel, and combinations thereof. In one example implementation, the foil material is constructed of a conductive material and the heater prongs are constructed of a ferromagnetic material. In various implementations, the receiving base may be constructed of a non-conductive and/or insulating material.
• Theouter cylinder530 as the induction transmitter may include a laminate with a foil material that surrounds a support cylinder. In some implementations, the foil material may include an electrical trace printed thereon, such as, for example, one or more electrical traces that may, in some implementations, form a helical coil pattern when the foil material is positioned around theheating element532 as the induction receiver. The foil material and support cylinder may each define a tubular configuration. The support cylinder may be configured to support the foil material such that the foil material does not move into contact with, and thereby short-circuit with, the heater prongs. In such a manner, the support cylinder may comprise a nonconductive material, which may be substantially transparent to an oscillating magnetic field produced by the foil material. In various implementations, the foil material may be imbedded in, or otherwise coupled to, the support cylinder. In the illustrated implementation, the foil material is engaged with an outer surface of the support cylinder; however, in other implementations, the foil material may be positioned at an inner surface of the support cylinder or be fully imbedded in the support cylinder.
• The foil material of theouter cylinder530 may be configured to create an oscillating magnetic field (e.g., a magnetic field that varies periodically with time) when alternating current is directed through it. The heater prongs of theheating element532 may be at least partially located or received within the outer cylinder and include a conductive material. By directing alternating current through the foil material, eddy currents may be generated in the heater prongs via induction. The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material defining the heater prongs may heat it by Joule heating (i.e., through the Joule effect). The heater prongs may be wirelessly heated to form an aerosol from theaerosol precursor composition410 positioned in proximity to the heater prongs.
• Other implementations of the aerosol delivery device, control body and aerosol source member are described in the above-cited U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/916,834 to Sur et al.; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/916,696 to Sur; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/836,086 to Sur.
• FIGS.7 and8 illustrate implementations of an aerosol delivery device including a control body and a cartridge in the case of a no-heat-no-burn device. In this regard,FIG.7 illustrates a side view of anaerosol delivery device700 including acontrol body702 and acartridge704, according to various example implementations of the present disclosure. In particular,FIG.7 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.
• FIG.8 more particularly illustrates theaerosol delivery device700, in accordance with some example implementations. As seen in the cut-away view illustrated therein, again, the aerosol delivery device can comprise acontrol body702 and acartridge704 each of which include a number of respective components. The components illustrated inFIG.8 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 a control body housing or shell806 that can include a control component808 (e.g., processing circuitry, etc.), aninput device810, apower source812 and an indicator814 (e.g., LED, quantum dot-based LED), and such components can be variably aligned. Here, a particular example of a suitable control component includes the PIC16(L)F1713/6 microcontrollers from Microchip Technology Inc., which is described in Microchip Technology, Inc., AN2265, Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Reference Design (2016), which is incorporated by reference.
• Thecartridge704 can be formed of a housing—referred to at times as acartridge shell816—enclosing areservoir818 configured to retain the aerosol precursor composition, and including anozzle820 having a piezoelectric/piezomagnetic mesh (aerosol production component). Similar to above, in various configurations, this structure may be referred to as a tank.
• Thereservoir818 illustrated inFIG.8 can be a container or can be a fibrous reservoir, as presently described. The reservoir may be in fluid communication with thenozzle820 for transport of an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to the nozzle. Anopening822 may be present in the cartridge shell816 (e.g., at the mouthend) to allow for egress of formed aerosol from thecartridge704.
• In some examples, a transport element may be positioned between thereservoir818 andnozzle820, and configured to control an amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the nozzle. In some examples, a microfluidic chip may be embedded in thecartridge704, and the amount and/or mass of aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir may be controlled by one or more microfluidic components. One example of a microfluidic component is amicro pump824, such as one based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Examples of suitable micro pumps include the model MDP2205 micro pump and others from thinXXS Microtechnology AG, the mp5 and mp6 model micro pumps and others from Bartels Mikrotechnik GmbH, and piezoelectric micro pumps from Takasago Fluidic Systems.
• As also shown, in some examples, amicro filter826 may be positioned between themicro pump824 andnozzle820 to filter aerosol precursor composition delivered to the nozzle. Like the micro pump, the micro filter is a microfluidic component. Examples of suitable micro filters include flow-through micro filters those manufactured using lab-on-a-chip (LOC) techniques.
• In use, when theinput device810 detects user input to activate the aerosol delivery device, the piezoelectric/piezomagnetic mesh is activated to vibrate and thereby draw aerosol precursor composition through the mesh. This forms droplets of aerosol precursor composition that combine with air to form an aerosol. The aerosol is whisked, aspirated or otherwise drawn away from the mesh and out theopening822 in the mouthend of the aerosol delivery device.
• Theaerosol delivery device700 can incorporate theinput device810 such as a switch, sensor or detector for control of supply of electric power to the piezoelectric/piezomagnetic mesh of thenozzle820 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 mesh when the aerosol delivery device is not being drawn upon during use, and for turning on power to actuate or trigger the production and dispensing of aerosol from the nozzle during draw. Additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, structure and configuration thereof, components thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, are described above and 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.
• For more information regarding the above and other implementations of an aerosol delivery device in the case of a no-heat-no-burn device, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/651,548 to Sur., filed Jul. 17, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• As described above, the aerosol delivery device of example implementations may include various electronic components in the context of an electronic cigarette, heat-not-burn device or no-heat-no-burn device, or even in the case of a device that includes the functionality of one or more of an electronic cigarette, heat-not-burn device or no-heat-no-burn device.FIG.9 illustrates a circuit diagram of anaerosol delivery device900 that may be or incorporate functionality of any one or more ofaerosol delivery devices100,300,700 according to various example implementations of the present disclosure.
• As shown inFIG.9, theaerosol delivery device900 includes acontrol body902 with apower source904 and acontrol component906 that may correspond to or include functionality of respective ones of thecontrol body102,302,702,power source212,524,812, andcontrol component208,522,808. The aerosol delivery device also includes anaerosol production component916 that may correspond to or include functionality ofheating element220,532, or piezoelectric/piezomagnetic mesh ofnozzle820. Thecontrol body902 may include theaerosol production component916 orterminals918 configured to connect the aerosol production component to the control body.
• In some implementations, thecontrol body902 includes asensor908 configured to produce measurements of air flow. Thesensor908 may correspond to or include functionality of theflow sensor210,520 orinput device810. In these implementations, thecontrol component906 includes aswitch910 coupled to and between thepower source904 and theaerosol production component916. The control component also includesprocessing circuitry912 coupled to the sensor and the switch. The switch can be a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) switch. The sensor may be connected to inter-integrated circuit (I2C), Vcc and/or ground of the processing circuitry. Theprocessing circuitry912 is configured to verify the age of a user, and to output a signal (as indicated by arrow922) to cause theswitch910 to switchably connect and disconnect an output voltage from thepower source904 to theaerosol production component916 to power the aerosol production component for an aerosol-production time period. In some implementations, the processing circuitry is configured to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. A duty cycle of the PWM signal is adjustable to cause the switch to switchably connect and disconnect the output voltage to the aerosol production component. In some implementations, thecontrol component906 further includessignal conditioning circuitry914 coupled to thesensor908 and theprocessing circuitry912. The signal conditioning circuitry of such implementations may be configured to manipulate the operation of theswitch910.
• In some embodiments, either end of the aerosol delivery device may include a connector with continuous conductive components for multiple points of contact between a male end (e.g. cartridge) and a female end (e.g. battery). In one embodiment, the continuous conductive components are concentric rings.FIG.10 is merely one embodiment of an arrangement showing a connection. In other embodiments, the connector may include multiple contact points to prevent disruptions that may be caused from improper contacts with a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument (e.g.FIG.11) that can be attached to the ENDS device, such as the one described in WO2019/060305, entitled “PRODUCT USE AND BEHAVIOR MONITORING INSTRUMENT,” the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
• FIG.10 illustrates one embodiment of a connection. Specifically,FIG.10 illustrates the connection between thecontrol body102 and thecartridge104. As illustrated, the connector may include protrusions orthreads224 that are configured to engage theouter tube214 of the control body such that a mechanical connection is formed. The connection may define anouter periphery226 configured to mate with an inner periphery of the base. In some embodiments, the connection may be with a coupler and base useful according to U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
• The connection may include a plurality ofelectrical contacts1002,1004,1006 for forming an electrical connection and/or a data connection.FIG.10 illustrates an example female end of the connection in thecontrol body102 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, there are three connection points or contacts, two contacts for the electrical current flow from battery to cartridge and one contact is for a data transfer. As shown inFIG.10, the threecontacts1002,1004,1006 are positioned at differing radial distances from a central opening and positioned at differing depths. The depth and radius of each of thecontacts1002,1004,1006 may be configured to contact with corresponding components or terminals (not shown inFIG.10) in thecartridge104.
• In the embodiment shown, a firstelectrical contact1002 defines the smallest diameter, a thirdelectrical contact1006 defines the greatest diameter, and a secondelectrical contact1004 defines a diameter therebetween. Further, theelectrical contacts1002,1004,1006 are located at differing depths within the connector. In the embodiment shown, the firstelectrical contact1002 is located at a greatest depth, the thirdelectrical contract1006 is located at the smallest depth, and the secondelectrical contact1004 is located at a depth therebetween.
• In the embodiment shown inFIG.10, theelectrical contacts1002,1004,1006 comprise circular metal bands of varying radii positioned at differing depths as described above. In one embodiment the bands may comprise continuous round rings. In another embodiment, the bands may comprise a sheet of metal material that is wound into the circular configuration and defines a joint where the ends thereof meet. In some embodiments the joint between the ends of each band of metal material may be configured at opposing non-perpendicular angles relative to a longitudinal length of the metal material defining the bands. Thereby, the ends of the band may meet at a joint that does not extend parallel to a central axis. This configuration may be preferable in that it avoids creating a joint extending parallel to the central axis, which could form a poor connection with an end of one of the heater terminals or the control component terminal when in contact therewith. Each of the bands defines a major contact surface facing radially inwardly toward the central axis. The bands defining theelectrical contacts1002,1004,1006 are separated from one another by stepped surfaces, which may be oriented perpendicularly to the radially facing major surfaces of the electrical contacts.
• FIG.11 illustrates a perspective view of an unassembled product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument1100. The PUB instrument1100 includes afirst end connector1102 structured for interlocking interface with thebattery end102 of the electronic smoking article. The PUB instrument further includes asecond end connector1104 structured for interlocking interface with the cartridge orreservoir end104 of the electronic smoking article.
• While only onePUB instrument1101 is shown inFIG.11, in some embodiments, one or more PUB instruments1101 (e.g., modules) may be used in the electronic smoking article. In those embodiments, thefirst end connector1102, thesecond end connector1104, or both may be structured to couple with anotherPUB instrument1101. In some embodiments, the housing of thePUB instrument1101 is altered to better fit the form of the electronic smoking article. The size and type of coupling element of thefirst end connector1104 is dependent upon the components that comprise the interior of the electronic smoking article. Thefirst end connector1102 and thesecond end connector1104 may include the contacts further described below with multiple contact points.
• As described in WO2019/060305 and incorporated by reference, a PUB instrument may be structured to record various aspects of electronic smoking article use including usage by a user of the electronic smoking article and how the electronic smoking article responds to that use. The PUB instrument may also be tailored to monitor a tobacco heating system (“THS”) electronic smoking article that utilizes a “heat-not-burn” configuration that heats tobacco to a lower temperature than when a conventional smoking article is burned or in a manner different than heating a liquid as in conventional electronic smoking articles. As will be appreciated, the PUB instrument and the PUB for tobacco heating system (PUB-THS) instrument are similar in the data collected and general configuration, such that the features described in relation to the PUB instrument may be implemented with the PUBTHS instrument and vice versa. Thus, embodiments and disclosures referenced in relation to the PUB instrument may be applied to the PUB-THS instrument and embodiments and disclosures.
• FIG.2 illustrates an example connection between thecontrol body102 and acartridge104. As described above, the engagement of thecontrol body102 and thecartridge104 establishes an electrical connection between thepower source212 andcontrol component208 in the control body and theheating element220 in the cartridge. This connection or engagement may be accomplished using the multiple contact point connections (e.g. concentric pin connectors) further described below with respect toFIGS.12-15. In another embodiment, those multiple contact connections described below with respect toFIGS.12-15 may also be utilized for thefirst end connector1102 and/or thesecond end connector1104 of thePUB instrument1101 shown inFIG.11.
• FIG.12 is a first view of aconnector1201. As described above, this connector may be for a cartridge in an ENDS device for connecting with the battery portion. In one embodiment,connector1201 couples with the battery portion illustrated inFIG.10. Specifically, the concentric pins of theconnector1201 couple with thecontacts1002,10004,1006 of the battery portion shown inFIG.10. The connection of theconnector1201 may be a friction fit or snap fit. The contacts of theconnector1201 are concentric pins that couple to corresponding contact points (e.g. contacts1002,10004,1006 of the battery portion shown inFIG.10). In other embodiments, theconnector1201 may couple a PUB with an electronic smoking article or may be used for different types of components.
• The embodiment shown inFIG.12 includes aconnector1201 with three concentric pins. In this embodiment, there are three pins for the connection. In other embodiments, there may be more or fewer pins and contacts. Two pins may be used for the electric current and the third pin may be used for data transfer. In other embodiments, there may be fewer pins or there may be additional pins for further current or communications. Although illustrated as rings or circular, the pins may be other geometric shapes. For example, if the device is oval or rectangular, the concentric pin could be oval or rectangular, respectively. Other geometries are possible for the pins and for the insulators. The shape of the pins and insulators may be determined by the shape of the device to ensure that the pins are accessible and the insulators can maintain separation of the pins. The pins have multiple contact points for the connection and concentric rings is one embodiment to achieve the multiple contact points in the embodiment, where the device is also circular.
• The pins may be referred to as rings and are concentric around the axis in some embodiments, such as those shown inFIGS.12-15. An inner orcenter pin1202 is on the inside. Amiddle pin1206 is between the other two pins. Anouter pin1210 is larger than the other two pins. Because the pins are concentric rings, there are multiple contact points along the ring which improves the connection over reliance on a pin with a single contact point.
• Between each of the concentric pins is an insulator that separates the concentric pins. The insulators may provide movement or flexibility for a more secure friction fit or snap fit.Insulator1208,1218 separate different pins. Specifically,insulator1208 separates theouter pin1210 and themiddle pin1206. Theinsulator1218 separates themiddle pin1206 from the inner orcenter pin1202. Since each of the pins may be live with current, they must be separated by the insulators and to ensure the proper connection with the corresponding contact points (e.g. contacts1002,1004,1006 of the battery portion shown inFIG.10).
• Additional insulators1204,1214 may provide further insulation.Insulator1204 is located between theinner pin1202 and themiddle pin1206.Insulator1214 is adjacent theouter pin1210. In particular,insulators1204,1214 may provide flexibility for a more secure friction fit or snap fit by allowing for movement by acting as a cushion for the friction fit.
• Each of the pins includes a connection point from which the electric current is further transmitted. For example, theouter pin1210 includes atab1212 by which the current can be transmitted to the remainder of the cartridge (not shown), such as the atomizer/vaporizer/heater. Themiddle ring1206 also includes atab1216 from which the current can be transmitted to the remainder of the cartridge (not shown). In one embodiment, the pins are designed to contact with the battery portion (e.g.FIG.10) and the electric flow is passed to each of the pins. The tabs on each of those pins are for the flow within the cartridge.
• FIG.13 is a second view of the connector. The second view ofFIG.13 shows a different angle of theconnector1201. For this back side view, the twoconcentric insulators1208 and1218 are more clearly visible as separating respective sets of pins. Specifically,insulator1208 separates theouter pin1210 and themiddle pin1206. Theinsulator1218 separates themiddle pin1206 and theinner pin1202.Middle pin1206 is shown betweeninsulators1208 and1218.
• FIG.13 also illustrates that theinner pin1202 extends through the center axis in the interior. Theother insulators1204,1214 are also shown inFIG.13 for providing cushioning and flexibility when the connection with theconnector1201 is performed.FIG.13 more clearly shows the tabs from the pins. Theouter pin1210 includestab1212 and themiddle pin1206 includestab1216. Theinner pin1202 does not have a separate tab because theinner pin1202 extends along the axis, so a tab is unnecessary.
• FIG.14 is an exploded view of theconnector1201.FIG.14 illustrates each component of theconnector1201 separately. Theinner pin1202 is surrounded byinsulator1218. Anadditional insulator1204 provides for flexibility upon the friction fit. Themiddle pin1206 is separated from theinner pin1202 by theinsulator1218. Likewise, themiddle pin1206 is separate from theouter pin1210 byinsulator1208. Anadditional insulator1214 adjacent theouter pin1210 provides for flexibility upon the friction fit.
• FIG.15 is a second exploded view of theconnector1201.FIG.15 illustrates a different viewpoint angle of the exploded view as compared withFIG.14. Theinner pin1202 is surrounded byinsulator1218. Anadditional insulator1204 provides for flexibility upon the friction fit. Themiddle pin1206 is separated from theinner pin1202 by theinsulator1218. Likewise, themiddle pin1206 is separate from theouter pin1210 byinsulator1208. Anadditional insulator1214 adjacent theouter pin1210 provides for flexibility upon the friction fit. Themiddle pin1206 includes atab1216 for connecting with interior components of the cartridge. Theouter pin1210 includes atab1212 for connecting with interior components of the cartridge.
• 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.1-15 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 (19)

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising:

a cartridge providing a substance to be vaporized;

a control body configured to be coupled with the cartridge using a connector; and

wherein the connector comprises three pins each with multiple contact points and separated by one or more insulators to prevent contact between the pins.

2. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein two of the three pins establish an electric current and a third pin establishes a data connection.

3. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the pins comprise concentric shapes.

4. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 3, wherein the cartridge and the control body are circular and each of the concentric pins comprises a circular shape.

5. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 1, wherein the multiple contact points are established by coupling with another connector that includes corresponding pins with multiple contact points.

6. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 5, wherein the connector is disposed on one end of the cartridge and the another connector is disposed on one end of the control body.

7. The aerosol delivery device ofclaim 5, wherein the one or more insulators align the plurality of pins for connection with the another connector.

8. A system comprising:

an aerosol delivery device; and

a product use and behavior (“PUB”) instrument configured to be coupled with the aerosol delivery device by a connector;

wherein the connector comprises a plurality of concentric pins and one or more insulator layers between each of the concentric pins.

9. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the concentric pins provide multiple contact points for connection with corresponding pins to form the coupling with the connector.

10. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the corresponding pins comprise concentric pins to establish the multiple contact points with the concentric pins.

11. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the plurality of concentric pins comprises three concentric pins with at least one insulator between each of the concentric pins.

12. The system ofclaim 11, wherein two of the concentric pins establish an electric current and one of the concentric pins establishes a data connection.

13. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the aerosol delivery device comprises another connector configured to be connected with the connector.

14. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the connector is disposed on one end of the PUB instrument and the another connector is disposed on one portion of the aerosol delivery device.

15. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the connector comprises a male end and the another connector comprises a female end.

16. A connector for an aerosol delivery device comprising:

a plurality of concentric pins configured to connect with corresponding contact pins with multiple points of contact; and

a plurality of insulators configured to separate each of the plurality of concentric pins;

wherein each of the concentric pins corresponds with at least one of the contact pins.

17. The system ofclaim 16, wherein the corresponding contact pins also comprise concentric pins for the multiple points of contact with corresponding ones of the plurality of concentric pins.

18. The system ofclaim 16, wherein the aerosol deliver device comprises a cartridge and control body, wherein the connector is disposed on the cartridge and the corresponding contact pins are disposed on the control body.

19. The system ofclaim 16, wherein the plurality of concentric pins comprises at least three concentric pins, wherein two of the concentric pins establish an electric connection and one of the concentric pins establishes a data connection.

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