A MOUTHPIECE AND HEATER ASSEMBLY FOR AN INHALATION DEVICE
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inhalation device includes a mouthpiece and a heater having a rigid planar substrate which supports at least one resistive element portion applied over a first region of at least one surface of the substrate, and a pair of contacts each connected to the at least one resistive element portion at one end of the contacts and applied over a second region of the at least one surface of the substrate. The substrate supports an aerosolizable composition deposited on the substrate above the resistive element portion of the heater. The mouthpiece has at least a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet proximate rear and front ends thereof respectively. The heater is disposed within the mouthpiece with at least portions of the contacts being both exposed and accessible so that an electrical connection can be readily achieved when the rear end of the mouthpiece is connected to the inhalation device.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. An assembly for an inhalation device comprising:
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a mouthpiece; and a heater including a substrate which supports; at least one resistive element portion applied over a first region of at least one surface of the substrate; at least a pair of contacts each connected to the at least one resistive element portion at one end of the contacts and applied over a second region of the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the first region is proximate a forward or leading edge of the substrate, and the second region is proximate a rearward or trailing edge of the substrate; and an amount of an aerosolizable composition deposited on the substrate above the first region on the at least one surface of the substrate or deposited on a surface opposite the at least one surface of the substrate, such that heat generated by the at least one resistive element portion is directly or indirectly conducted to the aerosolizable composition to cause at least some aerosolization of the aerosolizable composition; wherein the mouthpiece has; a fluid inlet at an upstream rear end thereof; a fluid outlet at a downstream front end thereof; and fluid communication means internal to the mouthpiece between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; wherein the heater is disposed substantially within the mouthpiece in or adjacent the fluid communication means and arranged such that the substrate leading edge is proximate the mouthpiece fluid outlet and the substrate trailing edge is substantially adjacent the rear end of the mouthpiece such that at least portions of the contacts are both exposed and accessible towards the rear end of the mouthpiece, and such that when fluid is flowing through the fluid communication means and aerosolization is simultaneously occurring, aerosol is generated which is entrained in the fluid flowing within the mouthpiece through the fluid communication means; wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second parts, the first mouthpiece part having a slot which receives the heater which is held in place within the mouthpiece when the second mouthpiece part is attached to the first mouthpiece part, the entire assembly being releasably attachable to a main body part of the inhalation device at the rear end of the mouthpiece; and wherein an electrical connection with the exposed accessible contacts is achieved when the mouthpiece rear end is attached to the main body part. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An inhalation device comprising:
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a mouthpiece; and a heater including a substrate which supports; at least one resistive element portion applied over a first region of at least one surface of the substrate; at least a pair of contacts each connected to the at least one resistive element portion at one end of the contacts and applied over a second region of the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the first region is proximate a forward or leading edge of the substrate, and the second region is proximate a rearward or trailing edge of the substrate; and an amount of an aerosolizable composition deposited on the substrate above the first region on the at least one surface of the substrate or deposited on a surface opposite the at least one surface of the substrate, such that heat generated by the at least one resistive element portion is directly or indirectly conducted to the aerosolizable composition to cause at least some aerosolization of the aerosolizable composition; wherein the mouthpiece has; a fluid inlet at an upstream rear end thereof; a fluid outlet at a downstream front end thereof; and fluid communication means internal to the mouthpiece between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; wherein the heater is disposed substantially within the mouthpiece in or adjacent the fluid communication means and arranged such that the substrate leading edge is proximate the mouthpiece fluid outlet and the substrate trailing edge is substantially adjacent the rear end of the mouthpiece such that at least portions of the contacts are both exposed and accessible towards the rear end of the mouthpiece, and such that when fluid is flowing through the fluid communication means and aerosolization is simultaneously occurring, aerosol is generated which is entrained in the fluid flowing within the mouthpiece through the fluid communication means; wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second parts, the first mouthpiece part having a slot which receives the heater which is held in place within the mouthpiece when the second mouthpiece part is attached to the first mouthpiece part, the entire assembly being releasably attachable to a main body part of the inhalation device at the rear end of the mouthpiece; and wherein an electrical connection with the exposed accessible contacts is achieved when the mouthpiece rear end is attached to the main body part. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. The inhalation device comprising:
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a main body part; a mouthpiece; and a heater including; a substrate; at least one resistive element portion applied over a first region of at least one surface of the substrate; at least a pair of contacts each connected to the at least one resistive element portion at one end of the contacts and applied over a second region of the at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the first region is proximate a forward or leading edge of the substrate, and the second region is proximate a rearward or trailing edge of the substrate; and an amount of an aerosolizable composition deposited on the substrate above the first region on the at least one surface of the substrate or deposited on a surface opposite the at least one surface of the substrate, such that heat generated by the at least one resistive element portion is directly or indirectly conducted to the aerosolizable composition to cause at least some aerosolization of the aerosolizable composition; wherein the mouthpiece has; a fluid inlet at an upstream rear end thereof; a fluid outlet at a downstream front end thereof; and fluid communication means internal to the mouthpiece between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; wherein the heater is disposed substantially within the mouthpiece in or adjacent the fluid communication means and arranged such that the substrate leading edge is proximate the mouthpiece fluid outlet and the substrate trailing edge is substantially adjacent the rear end of the mouthpiece such that at least portions of the contacts are both exposed and accessible towards the rear end of the mouthpiece, and such that when fluid is flowing through the fluid communication means and aerosolization is simultaneously occurring, aerosol is generated which is entrained in the fluid flowing within the mouthpiece through the fluid communication means; wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second parts, the first mouthpiece part having a slot which receives the heater which is held in place within the mouthpiece when the second mouthpiece part is attached to the first mouthpiece part, the entire assembly being releasably attachable to the main body part at the rear end of the mouthpiece; and wherein an electrical connection with the exposed accessible contacts is achieved when the mouthpiece rear end is attached to the main body part. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification