SMOKING SYSTEM HAVING A LIQUID STORAGE PORTION

• US 20110094523A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cochand, Olivier Yves, Thorens, Michel, Dubief, Flavien, Flick, Jean-Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,420,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/194
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/16 Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0202 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances

Abstract

A smoking system includes a capillary wick for holding liquid, at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a chamber between the air inlet and air outlet. The air inlet, the air outlet and the chamber are arranged so as to define an air flow route from the air inlet to the air outlet via the capillary wick so as to convey aerosol formed from the liquid to the air outlet. The smoking system further includes at least one guide for channeling the air flow in the air flow route, so as to control particle size in the aerosol. The smoking system optionally includes at least one heater for heating the liquid in at least a portion of the capillary wick to form the aerosol.

Claims

1. A smoking system comprising:

a capillary wick for holding liquid;

at least one heater for heating the liquid in at least a portion of the capillary wick to form an aerosol;

at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a chamber between the air inlet and air outlet;

the air inlet, the air outlet and the chamber being arranged so as to define an air flow route from the air inlet to the air outlet via the capillary wick so as to convey the aerosol to the air outlet; and

at least one guide for channeling air flow in the air flow route, so as to control particle size in the aerosol.

2. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide is arranged so that air flow speed over the wick is greater than air flow speed upstream of the wick.

3. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide is arranged to control the particle size of the aerosol to have a diameter substantially less than about 1.5 micro meters.

4. The smoking system of claim 1, further including a housing having an internal shape, and wherein the at least one guide for channelling the air flow is provided by the internal shape of the housing.

5. The smoking system of claim 1, further including a housing having an internal shape, and wherein the internal shape of the housing at least partially defines the shape of the chamber.

6. The smoking system of claim 1, further including a housing, and wherein the housing is internally shaped downstream of the capillary wick to form an impactor for trapping larger aerosol particles.

7. The smoking system of claim 1, further including a housing, and wherein the at least one guide for channelling the air flow is provided by one or more removable inserts contained in the housing.

8. The smoking system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the removable inserts is downstream of the capillary wick and includes an impactor for trapping larger aerosol particles.

9. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow upstream of the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

10. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow downstream of the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

11. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow around the capillary wick in a spiral.

12. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow onto the capillary wick in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

13. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow off the capillary wick in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

14. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow off the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

15. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one heater includes a coil of wire at least partially surrounding the capillary wick.

16. A smoking system comprising:

a capillary wick for holding liquid;

at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a chamber between the air inlet and air outlet;

the air inlet, the air outlet and the chamber being arranged so as to define an air flow route from the air inlet to the air outlet via the capillary wick so as to convey aerosol formed from the liquid to the air outlet; and

at least one guide for channeling the air flow in the air flow route, so as to control particle size in the aerosol.

17. An aerosol delivery system comprising:

a capillary wick for holding liquid;

at least one heater for heating the liquid in at least a portion of the capillary wick to form an aerosol;

at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a chamber between the air inlet and air outlet;

the air inlet, the air outlet and the chamber being arranged so as to define an air flow route from the air inlet to the air outlet via the capillary wick so as to convey the aerosol to the air outlet; and

at least one guide for channeling air flow in the air flow route, so as to control particle size in the aerosol.

18. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the at least one guide is arranged so that air flow speed over the wick is greater than air flow speed upstream of the wick.

19. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the at least one guide is arranged to control the particle size of the aerosol to have a diameter substantially less than about 1.5 micro meters.

20. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, further including a housing having an internal shape, and wherein the at least one guide for channelling the air flow is provided by the internal shape of the housing.

21. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, further including a housing having an internal shape, and wherein the internal shape of the housing at least partially defines the shape of the chamber.

22. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, further including a housing, and wherein the housing is internally shaped downstream of the capillary wick to form an impactor for trapping larger aerosol particles.

23. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, further including a housing, and wherein the at least one guide for channelling the air flow is provided by one or more removable inserts contained in the housing.

24. The aerosol delivery system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the removable inserts is downstream of the capillary wick and includes an impactor for trapping larger aerosol particles.

25. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow upstream of the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

26. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow downstream of the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

27. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow around the capillary wick in a spiral.

28. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow onto the capillary wick in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

29. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow off the capillary wick in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

30. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick is elongate and wherein the guides are configured to channel the air flow off the capillary wick in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

31. The aerosol delivery system of claim 17, wherein the at least one heater includes a coil of wire at least partially surrounding the capillary wick.