Aerosol delivery device

• US 10,274,539 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Novak, III, Charles Jacob, Ampolini, Frederic Philippe, East, Allen Michael, Henry, Raymond C., Collett, William Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US16/019,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20180306863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/327 Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to articles (and the manufacture thereof) that use electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance, the articles being sufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices. In certain embodiments, the articles can particularly be characterized as smoking articles. The smoking article can be adapted to detect the status of a cartridge portion of the smoking article. The smoking article includes a control body portion having a control body engagement end, wherein the control body portion houses a control component and a power source therein. The article further includes a cartridge body portion that has a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion houses a consumable arrangement and a heating connection operably engaged therewith comprising at least one heating element and a fusible link.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising:

a control body comprising an outer shell having a distal end and a proximal end and housing a power source, a control component, and at least one indicator is configured to output a status of the power source, the at least one indicator being provided between the distal end and the proximal end; and

a cartridge body configured to removeably engage the control body at the proximal end of the outer shell, the cartridge body comprising;

a reservoir configured to store an aerosol precursor composition,

a heating connection comprising a heating element defining an aerosolization zone, the heating element being configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition in the aerosolization zone and form an aerosol in response to power received from the power source,

a transport element configured to transport the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the aerosolization zone, and

an air passage tube extending from the aerosolization zone to an opening defined in a mouth end of the cartridge body, the air passage tube being configured to pass ambient air combined with the aerosol to the opening in the mouth end upon suction applied to the mouth end,

wherein the control component is configured to control the power transmitted by the power source to the heating element; and

wherein the control component is further configured to;

output a first electrical current flow comprising a first set of conditions in response to detecting engagement of the control body with the cartridge body, the first electrical current flow configured to enable a command for authorization of the cartridge body; and

output a second electrical current flow comprising a second set of conditions in response to detecting the suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article, the second electrical current flow configured to result in heating the heating element to a temperature sufficient to heat the aerosol precursor composition to form the aerosol.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicator comprises an indicator light, such that the at least one indicator is configured to output the status of the power source by illumination of the indicator light.

3. The smoking article of claim 2, wherein illumination of the indicator light comprises illumination of the indicator light in one of a plurality of available colors selected based on the status of the power source.

4. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to permit uninterrupted power transmission to the heating element for up to a defined period during application of suction to the mouth end of the smoking article.

5. The smoking article of claim 4, wherein the control component is configured to cut off transmission of power from the power source in response to a predefined condition of the power source.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating element.

7. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the air passage tube extending from the aerosolization zone includes an opening adjacent to the aerosolization zone adapted for exit of the ambient air combined with the aerosol from the aerosolization zone.

8. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the power source is rechargeable via a USB connection.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the cartridge body includes an air intake.

10. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to determine that a defined time lapse has occurred since cessation of the suction applied to the mouth end of the smoking article and, in response, to deactivate a function of the smoking article.

11. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to:

determine suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article;

provide power from the power source to the heating element in response to the suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article;

determine cessation of the suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article and, in response to the cessation of the suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article, discontinue provision of power to the heating element; and

determine that a defined time lapse has occurred since cessation of the suction applied to the opening in the mouth end of the smoking article and deactivate a function of the smoking article.

12. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to:

determine engagement of the control body with the cartridge body; and

perform a function in response to engagement of the control body with the cartridge body.

13. The smoking article of claim 12, wherein the control component is configured to determine a property of the cartridge body in response to engagement of the control body with the cartridge body.

14. The smoking article of claim 12, wherein the control component is configured to cause illumination of the at least one indicator to output the status of the power source in response to engagement of the control body with the cartridge body.

15. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises a polyhydric alcohol, nicotine, a flavorant, and an acid.

16. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control body has a substantially quadrilateral-shaped cross-section.

17. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control body is configured to removeably engage the cartridge body by press-fit engagement or magnetic engagement.

18. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

19. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the control component is further configured to perform the command in response to detecting the engagement of the control body with the cartridge body, the command comprising detection of a resistance associated with the cartridge body, wherein the control component is configured to determine whether the cartridge body is authorized for use with the control body based on at least in part the resistance associated with the cartridge body.

20. The smoking article of claim 19, wherein the control component is configured to determine that the cartridge body is authorized for use with the control body only in an instance in which the resistance associated with the cartridge body is determined to be within a defined range of resistances.

21. The smoking article of claim 20, wherein the control component is configured to permit power transmission to the heating element during application of suction to the mouth end of the smoking article only in an instance in which it is determined that the cartridge body is authorized for use with the control body.

22. A kit comprising packaging containing at least:

a control body according to claim 1;

at least one cartridge body according to claim 1; and

a charging component configured to engage the control body.