Electrical smoking article using liquid tobacco flavor medium delivery system

• US 5,666,977 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Higgins, Charles T., Sprinkel, Francis M., Raymond, Wynn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAHR, JENNIFER DOYLE
• Application Number:
  US08/378,881
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 131/270-273, 131/194, 239/135, 239/102.2, 261/DIG. 65, 128/202.21, 128/200.14, 128/203.27
• US Class Current: 131/194
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product

Abstract

A smoking article and method is provided in which a liquid tobacco flavor generating system is used to deliver a liquid tobacco flavor medium to a heater to generate a predetermined quantity of tobacco flavor substance for delivery to a smoker. The article includes an electrical heating means, a tobacco flavor medium delivery system, a source of electrical energy and a control means to generate the tobacco flavor substance for delivery to a smoker.

Claims

1. An electrical smoking article for delivering to a smoker a tobacco flavor substance, said article comprising:

an electrical heater;

a tobacco flavor medium delivery system in a liquid transfer relationship with said heater, said delivery system comprising;

(a) inlet means for coupling to a supply of liquid tobacco flavor medium;

(b) outlet means having one or more openings for dispensing liquid tobacco flavor medium in droplet form onto said heater;

(c) means coupled between said inlet means and said outlet means, said coupled means for transferring a predetermined amount of liquid tobacco flavor medium from said supply of liquid tobacco flavor medium to said outlet;

a source of electrical energy;

control means for applying said electrical energy to said heater to generate heat and for activating said tobacco flavor medium delivery system such that upon activation of said delivery system, said delivery system dispenses said predetermined amount of liquid tobacco flavor medium in droplet form onto said heater, said dispensed tobacco flavor medium being heated sufficiently to release an aerosol therefrom which includes a predetermined quantity of tobacco flavor substance; and

means for drawing air together with said released aerosol from the electrical smoking article upon puffing action by a smoker;

wherein said control means applies sufficient energy to said heater to achieve a temperature in said heater in the range of about 300°

C. to about 450°

C. during a puff and

wherein said means for drawing air together with said released aerosol includes a disposable filter insert and air channels arranged to admit air into said electrical smoking article.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the transferring means comprises a valve.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein the valve includes a solenoid for actuating transfer of the liquid tobacco flavor medium.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein the heater comprises a coil of wire forming a center region and wherein the outlet means dispenses liquid tobacco flavor medium onto said center region.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein each of the one or more openings has an opening diameter of less than about 1 mm.

6. The article of claim 3 wherein transfer is actuated by applying a voltage waveform to said solenoid for a predetermined period of time.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein said voltage waveform is substantially a DC voltage signal.

8. The article of claim 7 wherein said DC voltage signal is less than about 20 volts DC.

9. The article of claim 6 wherein said predetermined period of time is in a range from about 1 ms to about 20 ms.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein the outlet means comprises a capillary tip and the transferring means comprises:

an electrostatic potential delivery system adapted to have a high-voltage potential applied between said heater and said capillary tip for transferring the liquid tobacco flavor medium therebetween.

11. The article of claim 10 wherein the high-voltage potential is in the range from about 2000 volts to about 6000 volts.

12. The article of claim 10 wherein said high-voltage potential is substantially a DC voltage.

13. The article of claim 10 wherein said high-voltage potential is substantially an AC voltage.

14. The article of claim 10 wherein said capillary tip has a diameter in the range from about 20 micrometers to about 250 micrometers.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein aerosol is released from the same heater during each activation of said delivery system.

16. The electrical smoking article as claimed in claim 1 wherein air together with aerosol is drawn in a first direction through said filter insert, said outlet means dispensing liquid flavor medium in a second direction transverse to said first direction.

17. The electrical smoking article of claim 1 further comprising a puff sensor in communication with said control means.

18. The electrical smoking article of claim 1, wherein said supply of liquid flavor medium comprises a cartridge.

19. The electrical smoking article of claim 1, wherein said electrical heater consists of a single heater element.

20. The electrical smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco flavor medium delivery system delivers liquid tobacco flavor medium at a rate per puff in the range of from about 1 milligram to about 10 milligram.

21. The electrical smoking article of claim 20, wherein the heater element is adapted to achieve a temperature in the range of about 300°

C. to about 450°

C. during a puff.

22. An electrical smoking article for delivering to a smoker a tobacco flavor substance, said article comprising:

an electrical heater;

a tobacco flavor medium delivery system in a liquid transfer relationship with said heater, said delivery system comprising;

(a) inlet means for coupling to a supply of liquid tobacco flavor medium;

(b) outlet means having one or more openings for dispensing liquid tobacco flavor medium in droplet form onto said heater;

(c) means coupled between said inlet means and said outlet means, said coupled means for transferring a predetermined amount of liquid tobacco flavor medium from said supply of liquid tobacco flavor medium to said outlet;

a source of electrical energy;

control means for applying said electrical energy to said heater to generate heat and for activating said tobacco flavor medium delivery system such that upon activation of said delivery system, said delivery system dispenses said predetermined amount of liquid tobacco flavor medium in droplet form onto said heater, said dispensed tobacco flavor medium being heated sufficiently to release an aerosol therefrom which includes a predetermined quantity of tobacco flavor substance; and

means for drawing air together with said released aerosol from the electrical smoking article upon puffing action by a smoker;

wherein the transferring means comprises a bubble jet delivery system.

23. The article of claim 22 wherein the bubble jet delivery system includes one or more chambers and one or more integral heaters each positioned respectively at a bottom of a chamber for transferring the liquid tobacco flavor medium.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein said heater has a substantially flat surface and wherein said outlet means dispenses liquid tobacco flavor medium onto said flat surface.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein each of the one or more integral heaters comprises a resistor.

26. The article of claim 25 wherein transfer is actuated by applying a potential to said one or more resistors for a predetermined period of time.

27. The article of claim 26 wherein said potential is substantially a DC voltage signal.