Aerosol delivery device including a bubble jet head and related method

• US 10,548,351 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Brammer, David Allan, Jackson, David, Flynn, Nigel John, Hunt, Eric T., Sears, Stephen Benson, Potter, Dennis Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jamel M
• Application Number:
  US14/524,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20150114409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• 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 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/0018 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/02 Details

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a vaporization heating element to produce a vapor. For example, a bubble jet head may be configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may be fixedly coupled to the atomizer. The bubble jet head may include a precursor inlet, an ejection heating element, and a precursor nozzle. The atomizer may include a vaporization heating element.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising:

a reservoir at least partially filled with an aerosol precursor composition;

a bubble jet head in fluid communication with the reservoir, the bubble jet head being configured to dispense the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir; and

an atomizer configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition dispensed by the bubble jet head to produce an aerosol, the bubble jet head and the atomizer being fixedly coupled to one another,

wherein the reservoir comprises a proximal end and an opposing distal end, and a reservoir substrate defining a porous medium with wicking channels configured to direct the aerosol precursor composition to the bubble jet head coupled to the distal end of the reservoir, and

wherein the porous medium is exposed at the distal end of the reservoir to direct the aerosol precursor composition directly to the bubble jet head.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising an outer body and a housing received within the outer body,

wherein the bubble jet head and the atomizer are fixedly coupled to one another via the housing.

3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the bubble jet head is coupled to the atomizer via one or more spacers.

4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the bubble jet head and the atomizer are electrically coupled via a flexible circuit.

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the atomizer comprises a housing, a vaporization heating element coupled to the housing, and a reinforcement member coupled to and configured to support the housing.

6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein the reinforcement member defines a cutout.

7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising an outer body, wherein a heating surface of the atomizer is oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the outer body.

8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising an outer body, wherein a heating surface of the atomizer is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer body.

9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the bubble jet head is configured to eject the aerosol precursor composition substantially perpendicularly to a heating surface of the atomizer.

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein a heating surface of the atomizer is non-planar.

11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 10, wherein the heating surface of the atomizer is substantially conical.

12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein a heating surface of the atomizer is textured.

13. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the bubble jet head is coupled to a lateral side of the reservoir.

14. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the bubble jet head and the atomizer are positioned between the reservoir and a mouthpiece.

15. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is positioned between a mouthpiece and the atomizer and the bubble jet head.

16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a cartridge comprising a base and a control body comprising a coupler, the base being configured to engage the coupler to provide a mechanical and electrical connection between the cartridge and the control body.

29. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing of the bubble jet head defining a plurality of walls cooperating to form a first chamber; and

a housing of the atomizer defining a plurality of walls cooperating to form a second chamber, the housing of the bubble jet head and the housing of the atomizer being fixedly coupled to one another.

17. A combined dispenser and atomizer assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a bubble jet head comprising an ejection heating element configured to dispense an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir, wherein the reservoir comprises a proximal end and an opposing distal end, and a reservoir substrate defining a porous medium with wicking channels configured to direct the aerosol precursor composition to the bubble jet head coupled to the distal end of the reservoir, wherein the porous medium is exposed at the distal end of the reservoir to direct the aerosol precursor composition directly to the bubble jet head; and

an atomizer comprising a vaporization heating element configured to heat the aerosol precursor composition dispensed by the bubble jet head to produce an aerosol, the bubble jet head and the atomizer being fixedly coupled to one another via the housing, and

wherein the housing is configured for receipt within an outer body of an aerosol delivery device.

18. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 17, wherein a thermal mass of the ejection heating element is less than a thermal mass of the vaporization heating element.

19. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 17, wherein the bubble jet head further comprises a precursor inlet and a precursor nozzle, and

wherein the atomizer further comprises an aerosol outlet.

20. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 19, wherein an area of the aerosol outlet is greater than an area of the precursor nozzle.

21. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 19, wherein the ejection heating element, the precursor nozzle, and the vaporization heating element are axially aligned.

22. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 19, wherein the housing defines at least one of the precursor inlet, the precursor nozzle, and the aerosol outlet.

30. The combined dispenser and atomizer assembly of claim 17, wherein the housing defines a housing of the bubble jet head defining a plurality of walls cooperating to form a first chamber, and the housing defines a housing of the atomizer defining a plurality of walls cooperating to form a second chamber, the bubble jet head and the atomizer being fixedly coupled to one another via the housing of the bubble jet head and the housing of the atomizer.

23. A method for aerosolization in an aerosol delivery device, comprising:

directing an airflow from a control body comprising a power source through a cartridge comprising a reservoir having a proximal end and an opposing distal end;

dispensing an aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir via a bubble jet head, wherein the reservoir comprises a reservoir substrate defining a porous medium with wicking channels configured to direct the aerosol precursor composition to the bubble jet head coupled to the distal end of the reservoir, wherein the porous medium is exposed at the distal end of the reservoir to direct the aerosol precursor composition directly to the bubble jet head; and

heating the aerosol precursor composition dispensed from the reservoir by the bubble jet head with an atomizer, the bubble jet head and the atomizer being fixedly coupled to one another.

24. The method of aerosolization of claim 23, wherein dispensing the aerosol precursor composition and heating the aerosol precursor composition comprise independently applying power from the power source to the bubble jet head and the atomizer.

25. The method of aerosolization of claim 24, wherein dispensing the aerosol precursor composition and heating the aerosol precursor composition comprise directing power to the atomizer after applying power to the bubble jet head.

26. The method of aerosolization of claim 24, further comprising preheating the aerosol precursor composition with the bubble jet head prior to dispensing the aerosol precursor composition.

27. The method of aerosolization of claim 26, further comprising detecting a temperature of the aerosol precursor composition, wherein preheating the aerosol precursor composition comprises preheating the aerosol precursor composition to a desired temperature.

28. The method of aerosolization of claim 26, wherein preheating the aerosol precursor composition comprises applying a relatively smaller pulse width or pulse amplitude of power to the bubble jet head as compared to dispensing the aerosol precursor composition.