Flavor-delivery article
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
- a positive temperature coefficient thermistor in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium; and
means for selectively applying an electrical current to said thermistor to raise the temperature of the thermistor and thereby heat said flavor-generating medium and cause said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for releasing flavor components from a flavor-generating medium using an electric heating element are provided. A non-combustion flavor-generating article uses electrical energy to power a heating element which heats tobacco or other flavorants. The flavor-generating medium is formed into a packed bed. Energy delivered to the heating element is regulated to maintain the flavor-generating medium at a relatively constant operating temperature to ensure a relatively constant release of flavor.
901 Citations
146 Claims
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1. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a positive temperature coefficient thermistor in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium; and means for selectively applying an electrical current to said thermistor to raise the temperature of the thermistor and thereby heat said flavor-generating medium and cause said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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- 6. The apparatus defined in claim I further comprising means for pre-heating air to be drawn over the heated flavor-generating medium.
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11. A non-combustion smoking article comprising:
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a hollow tube; a flavor-generating medium disposed within said tube; and a positive temperature coefficient thermistor disposed in said tube and adjacent to said flavor-generating medium for heating said flavor-generating medium and causing said flavor-generating medium to release tobacco flavor components. - View Dependent Claims (12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a first heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium for heating said flavor-generating medium; a second heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium for heating said flavor-generating medium; and means for applying electrical energy to said first and second heating elements and thereby heating said flavor-generating medium and causing said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 53, 54, 55)
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35. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium; and means for applying electrical energy to said heating element and thereby heating said flavor-generating medium and causing said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components; means for regulating the amount of electrical energy delivered to said heating element while said electrical energy is being applied to said heating element, said means for regulating comprising means for controlling the temperature of said flavor-generating medium, including means for applying a predetermined temperature controlling cycle to said flavor-generating medium. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 56)
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57. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium for heating said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components; and means for storing electrical energy and applying said energy to said heating element such that more energy is applied to said heating element when said heating element has a relatively low temperature, and less energy is applied to said heating element when said heating element has a relatively high temperature, thereby heating said flavor-generating medium and maintaining said flavor-generating medium at a relatively consistent temperature to release flavor components substantially consistently. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. Apparatus for supplying electrical energy to electrical contacts of an electrically-powered flavor-generating article having an internal means for storing electrical energy, comprising:
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means for storing electrical energy; means for containing said means for storing electrical energy; and means for making electrical contact between said means for storing and electrical energy and said electrical contacts of said article, to charge said internal means for storing energy of said flavor-generating article. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 84, 85)
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75. An electrically-heated flavor-generating article for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium for heating said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components; a battery for delivering electrical energy to said heating element; and control means comprising an electronic circuit electrically connected to said battery and said heating element for controlling the temperature of said heating element, including means for applying a predetermined voltage cycle to said heating element, said electronic circuit comprising; switching means for initiating said predetermined voltage cycle, meansf or applying a relatively high voltage to said heating element during a first predetermined time interval, and means for preventing said means for applying a relatively high voltage from operating during a second predetermined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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86. In combination:
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(1) A smoking article comprising; (a) a hollow tube, (b) a flavor-generating medium which releases tobacco flavor components when heated to a predetermined temperature, and (c) means for capturing said flavor-generating medium while allowing air to pass in contact therewith, said means for capturing being thermally conductive and connected to said tube such that at least a portion thereof is exposed; and (2) Apparatus for heating said flavor-generating medium of said smoking article comprising; (a) a housing having a recess for receiving said portion of said smoking article which captures said flavor-generating medium, (b) a heating element disposed adjacent said recess such that said heating element is in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium when said portion is received in said recess, and (c) means for selectively applying electrical power to said heating element to raise the temperature of said heating element and thereby heat said flavor-generating medium and cause said flavor-generating medium to release tobacco flavor components. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. The method of deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising the steps of:
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positioning a positive temperature coefficient thermistor adjacent said flavor-generating medium; and applying electrical current to said thermistor to raise the temperature of said thermistor and thereby heat said flavor-generating medium and cause said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. A method for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising the steps of:
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positioning a heating element adjacent said flavor-generating medium; and applying electrical current to said heating element to raise the temperature of said heating element according to a predetermined temperature cycle and thereby controlling the temperature of said flavor-generating medium and the amount of flavor components released therefrom, said step of applying electrical current comprising regulating the amount of electrical current delivered to said heating element while said electrical current is being applied to said heating element, said regulating step comprising controlling the temperature of said flavor-generating medium by applying a predetermined temperature controlling current cycle to said flavor-generating medium. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A method for deriving flavor components from a flavor-generating medium, comprising:
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positioning a heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium; and applying electrical energy to said heating element according to a predetermined voltage cycle to raise the temperature of said heating element and thereby heat said flavor-generating medium and cause said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components, said step of applying electrical energy comprising the steps of; applying a first predetermined voltage to said heating element for a first time interval to heat said flavor-generating medium to a temperature above ambient temperature but below the temperature at which said flavor-generating medium produces flavor components; and applying a second predetermined voltage to said heating element for a second predetermined time interval to heat said flavor-generating medium to a temperature above the temperature at which said flavor-generating medium produces flavor components but below the combustion temperature. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109)
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110. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a heating element in thermal contact with said flavor-generating medium for heating said medium to release flavor components; means for sensing the temperature of said flavor-generating medium; and means responsive to said means for sensing for controlling power to said heating element and thereby controlling the heating of said flavor-generating medium. - View Dependent Claims (111, 112)
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113. Apparatus for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising:
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a heating element, said heating element having an external surface in thermal contact with an external surface of said flavor-generating medium; and means for applying electrical energy to said heating element and thereby heating said flavor-generating medium and causing said flavor-generating medium to release flavor components; and means for regulating the amount of electrical energy delivered to said heating element while said electrical energy is being applied to said heating element. - View Dependent Claims (114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134)
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135. A method for deriving flavor from a flavor-generating medium comprising the steps of:
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positioning an external surface of a heating element adjacent an external surface of said flavor-generating medium; and applying electrical current to said heating element to raise the temperature of said heating element according to a predetermined temperature cycle and thereby controlling the temperature of said flavor-generating medium and the amount of flavor components released therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146)
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Specification