SPENT CARTRIDGE DETECTION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRONIC SMOKING ARTICLE

• US 20140253144A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Novak, Charles Jacob III, Ampolini, Frederic Philippe, East, Allen Michael, Collett, William Robert, Henry, Raymond C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,031,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/550
• 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 power source;

a control component adapted to control power delivery from the power source; and

a heating connection comprising a heating element and a fusible link.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein a control body houses the power source and the control component, wherein a cartridge body houses the heating connection, and wherein the cartridge body is configured to removably engage the control body.

3. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

4. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is a resistance heating element.

5. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the fusible link is an electrical fusible link.

6. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the fusible link is a mechanical fusible link.

7. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the fusible link is adapted to fail under electrical conditions sufficient to initiate heating by the heating element.

8. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the fusible link and the heating element are electrically aligned in parallel arrangement.

9. A smoking article according to claim 2, wherein the heating connection, the power source, and the control component define a closed electrical circuit when the control body and the cartridge body are engaged.

10. A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the control component is configured to selectively actuate a first electrical current flow of a first set of conditions from the power source to the heating connection, said first electrical current flow being insufficient to initiate heating by the heating element.

11. A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the first set of conditions comprises a voltage that is substantially the same as a voltage that defines a working voltage for the heating element and a current flow duration of about 45 milliseconds or less.

12. A smoking article according to claim 11, wherein the current flow duration is about 5 milliseconds to about 25 milliseconds.

13. A smoking article according to claim 11, wherein the working voltage is about 2 volts to about 6 volts.

14. A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a current sense resistor.

15. A smoking article according to claim 14, wherein the current sense resistor is adapted to measure a value that is indicative of the fusible link status.

16. A smoking article according to claim 15, wherein the control component is adapted to initiate a logic sequence based upon a value received from the current sense resistor.

17. A smoking article according to claim 16, wherein, based upon the logic sequence, the control component either allows normal use of the cartridge engaging the control body or temporarily disables the control body until engaging with a different cartridge.

18. A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the control component is configured to selectively actuate a second electrical current flow of a second set of conditions from the power source to the heating connection, said second electrical current flow being sufficient to initiate heating by the heating element.

19. A smoking article according to claim 18, wherein the second electrical current flow is applied for a time duration that exceeds a current flow time at which the fusible link is adapted to fail.

20. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the control component comprises a microcontroller.

21. A smoking article according to claim 2, wherein the cartridge body further comprises a consumable arrangement in communication with the heating element.

22. A smoking article according to claim 21, wherein the consumable arrangement comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

23. A smoking article according to claim 22, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is selected from the group consisting of a polyhydric alcohol, a medicament, a tobacco component, a tobacco-derived material, a flavorant, and combinations thereof.

24. A smoking article according to claim 23, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

25. A smoking article according to claim 21, wherein the consumable arrangement comprises a substrate and an aerosol precursor composition, and wherein the aerosol precursor composition is one of coated on, adsorbed by, and absorbed in at least a portion of the substrate.

26. A method of detecting a status of a cartridge in a smoking article, comprising:

providing a control body comprising a control component and a power source;

providing a cartridge body comprising a heating connection comprising a heating element and a fusible link; and

removably engaging the cartridge body with the control body so as to establish a closed electrical circuit comprising the heating connection, the power source, and the control component, and so as to cause the control component to initiate a first electrical current flow of a first set of conditions from the power source to the heating connection, wherein the control component identifies a cartridge status based upon a characteristic of the first electrical current flowing through the electrical circuit.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the closed electrical circuit further comprises a current sense resistor positioned in one of the control body and the cartridge.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the current sense resistor measures the characteristic of the first electrical current and relays the measurement to the control component.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein a first value for the characteristic is processed by the control component as being indicative of an intact fusible link and an unused cartridge.

31. A method according to claim 29, wherein a second value for the characteristic is processed by the control component as being indicative of a failed fusible link and a used cartridge.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein the conditions of the first electrical current flow are insufficient to initiate heating of the heating element.

33. A method according to claim 26, wherein the control component comprises a microcontroller.

34. A method according to claim 26, wherein the cartridge body comprises a consumable arrangement in communication with the heating element.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the consumable arrangement comprises an aerosol precursor composition.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is selected from the group consisting of a polyhydric alcohol, a medicament, a tobacco component, a tobacco-derived material, a flavorant, and combinations thereof.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the consumable arrangement comprises a substrate and an aerosol precursor composition, and wherein the aerosol precursor composition is one of coated on, adsorbed by, and absorbed in at least a portion of the substrate.