Carbon conductive substrate for electronic smoking article

• US 10,172,387 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Davis, Michael F., Ademe, Balager, Banerjee, Chandra Kumar, Pike, Susan K., Griffith, Jr., David William, Sears, Stephen Benson, Crooks, Evon L., Williams, Karen V., Nestor, Timothy Brian, Bovender, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed Ali, Mohamed K
• Application Number:
  US14/011,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 131329, 392386
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means

Abstract

The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.

Claims

1. An atomizer of an electronic smoking article, the atomizer comprising an electrically resistive heater formed of a porous carbon, wherein a majority of pores in the porous carbon are closed pores, wherein the porous carbon heater is adapted to heat to a temperature of about 150°

C. to about 550°

C. when subjected to an electrical current of about 0.2 amps to about 12 amps for a time of about 1 second to about 3 seconds.

2. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein the porous carbon comprises about 90% or greater of the dry mass of the electrically resistive heater.

3. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein about 80% or greater by volume of the pores are closed pores.

4. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein the porous carbon heater has a density of about 0.1 g/cm³ to about 0.75 g/cm³.

5. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein the porous carbon heater has an aqueous liquid retention capacity that less than or equal to about 100% of the dry mass of the porous carbon heater.

6. The atomizer of claim 1, further comprising an aerosol precursor material coated on, absorbed by, or adsorbed on the porous carbon heater.

7. The atomizer of claim 1, further comprising an aerosol precursor transport element arranged so as to be in fluid connection with the porous carbon heater.

8. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element surrounds the porous carbon heater.

9. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element is a fibrous material.

10. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element comprises a capillary.

11. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element is at least partially embedded within the porous carbon heater.

12. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element is formed of carbon fibers.

13. The atomizer of claim 12, wherein about 85% or greater of the dry mass of the carbon fiber aerosol precursor transport element is carbon.

14. The atomizer of claim 12, wherein the carbon fiber aerosol precursor transport element comprises a carbonized fabric.

15. The atomizer of claim 7, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element further comprises an aerosol precursor material.

16. The atomizer of claim 15, wherein the porous carbon heater is elongated having a first end and having a second, opposing end adapted for electrical connection with an electrical power source.

17. The atomizer of claim 16, wherein the aerosol precursor transport element is positioned proximate the first end of the porous carbon heater.

18. The atomizer of claim 16, further comprising an electrical connector having a first end in electrical connection with the second end of the porous carbon heater and having a second, opposing end adapted for electrical connection with the electrical power source.

19. The atomizer of claim 18, wherein the electrical connector is non-metallic.