Simulated smoking device

• US 4,945,931 A
• Filed: 07/14/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Gori, Gio B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doyle, J. L.
• Application Number:
  US07/379,831
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 131/331, 131/271, 131/273, 131/194, 131/335, 131/333
• US Class Current: 131/335
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures

Abstract

A simulated smoking device includes a hollow tube with a capsule of pressurized aerosol generating material located inside the tube. An air flow passage is defined between the capsule and tube wall. The capsule includes an aerosol outlet port having a valve for selectively opening and closing the outlet port. An air operated valve activator is located inside the tube downstream of the air flow passage and is operatively connected to the valve. An aerosol passage communicates with the aerosol outlet port of the capsule and has a discharge end downstream of the air passage. Air is drawn into the tube, passes through the air passages, and impacts the air operated valve activator causing the valve to move opening the aerosol outlet port of the capsule releasing aerosol into the air flow downstream of the air operated valve activator.

Claims

1. A simulated smoking device comprising:

a cylindrical tube having a sidewall, an air inlet end and an aerosol air outlet end;

a capsule having a sidewall and containing pressurized aerosol generating material located in the tube;

means defining an air flow passage between and defined by the sidewall of the capsule and sidewall of the tube, the air flow passage being in flow communication with the air inlet end of the tube and the aerosol air outlet end of the tube;

an aerosol outlet port formed in the capsule;

valve means disposed at the aerosol outlet port for selectively opening the port allowing pressurized aerosol generating material to flow from the capsule through the open port and closing the port preventing pressurized aerosol generating material from flowing from the capsule;

air operated valve activation means located within the tube downstream of the air flow passage and operatively associated with the valve means, so that the air flowing from the air flow passage operates the valve activation means to open the valve means; and

,

an aerosol passage communicating at an inlet end with the aerosol outlet port of the capsule and having a discharge end downstream of the valve activation means.

2. The simulated smoking device of claim 1, further comprising a nozzle at the discharge end of the aerosol passage to increase the exiting velocity of the aerosol generating material and to aerosolize the aerosol generating material.

3. The simulated smoking device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first cylindrical tube section;

a second cylindrical tube section coaxially disposed with the first cylindrical tube section; and

,

means for removably attaching the first and second tube section together in coaxial relationship.

4. The simulated smoking device of claim 3, wherein the first tube is coaxially located at the inlet end of the second tube.

5. The simulated smoking device of claim 3, wherein the first tube is coaxially located at the outlet end of the second tube.

6. The simulated smoking device of claim 1, a fuel source disposed downstream of the air flow passage to preheat the air before the air enters the air flow passage.

7. The simulated smoking device of claim 1, further comprising means for heating the aerosol passage.

8. The simulated smoking device of claim 7, wherein the heating means comprises an electrical resistance heater.

9. The simulated smoking device of claim 8, further comprising a battery disposed in the cylindrical tube.

10. The simulated smoking device of claim 1, wherein the capsule includes a collapsible bladder for containing the aerosol generating material, and a fluid between the capsule walls and bladder walls for pressurizing the aerosol generating material within the bladder.