Power source for an aerosol delivery device

• US 10,653,183 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Sur, Rajesh, Hunt, Eric T., Sears, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Kuangyue
• Application Number:
  US15/355,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20180140011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 392404
• 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 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/26 characterised by their structure, e.g. multi-layered, porosity or surface features
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/36 Nanostructures, e.g. nanofibres, nanotubes or fullerenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/56 Solid electrolytes, e.g. gels; Additives therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device comprises at least one housing that defines a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, and contains a heating element and power source within the at least one housing. The heating element is controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source is configured to power to heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The power source comprises a supercapacitor having a corrugated graphene-based structure.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising at least one housing defining a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition, and contained within the at least one housing:

an atomizer controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and

a power source configured to power the atomizer to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the power source comprising a rechargeable supercapacitor having a corrugated graphene-based structure, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor is integrated with a photovoltaic cell or piezoelectric energy source; and

wherein the power source further comprises a rechargeable thin-film solid state battery connectable with and chargeable from the rechargeable supercapacitor, and the power source being configured to provide power to the atomizer includes being configured to provide power from the rechargeable thin-film solid state battery to the atomizer.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a plurality of rechargeable supercapacitors including the rechargeable supercapacitor connected in parallel.

3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the corrugated graphene-based structure includes two one-atom thick layers of graphene and an electrolyte interposed therebetween, each of the two one-atom thick layers of graphene having an exterior surface adhered to a flexible substrate.

4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor has a thickness of less than or equal to ten (10) micrometers (μ

m).

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein each of the two one-atom thick layers of graphene includes a honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms.

6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the electrolyte is a solid-state electrolyte separator between the two one-atom thick layers of graphene.

7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the electrolyte is an iongel or hydrogel electrolyte.

8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein an interspace distance between the two one-atom thick layers of graphene is less than or equal to one hundred and fifty (150) micrometers (μ

m), and the electrolyte has a thickness of less than or equal to 150 μ

m.

9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor has a power density greater than or equal to one hundred and fifty (150) watts per centimeters cubed (W/cm³), and a time constant less than or equal to twenty (20) microseconds (μ

s).

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the atomizer comprises a heating element.

11. A control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge containing an aerosol precursor composition and being equipped with an atomizer configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising:

a housing; and

a power source contained within the housing and configured to power the atomizer to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the power source comprising a rechargeable supercapacitor having a corrugated graphene-based structure, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor is integrated with a photovoltaic cell or piezoelectric energy source; and

wherein the power source further comprises a rechargeable thin-film solid state battery connectable with and chargeable from the rechargeable supercapacitor, and the power source being configured to provide power to the atomizer includes being configured to provide power from the rechargeable thin-film solid state battery to the atomizer.

12. The control body of claim 11, wherein the atomizer comprises a heating element.

13. The control body of claim 11, wherein the power source comprises a plurality of rechargeable supercapacitors including the rechargeable supercapacitor connected in parallel.

14. The control body of claim 11, wherein the corrugated graphene-based structure includes two one-atom thick layers of graphene and an electrolyte interposed therebetween, each of the two one-atom thick layers of graphene having an exterior surface adhered to a flexible substrate.

15. The control body of claim 14, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor has a thickness of less than or equal to ten (10) micrometers (μ

m).

16. The control body of claim 14, wherein each of the two one-atom thick layers of graphene includes a honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms.

17. The control body of claim 14, wherein the electrolyte is a solid-state electrolyte separator between the two one-atom thick layers of graphene.

18. The control body of claim 14, wherein the electrolyte is an iongel or hydrogel electrolyte.

19. The control body of claim 14, wherein an interspace distance between the two one-atom thick layers of graphene is less than or equal to one hundred and fifty (150) micrometers (μ

m), and the electrolyte has a thickness of less than or equal to 150 μ

m.

20. The control body of claim 11, wherein the rechargeable supercapacitor has a power density greater than or equal to one hundred and fifty (150) watts per centimeters cubed (W/cm³), and a time constant less than or equal to twenty (20) microseconds (μ

s).