Non-combustible smoking device and fuel element

• US 6,598,607 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• 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: Adiga, Kayyani C., Tucker, Brian E., Abhulimen, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Steven P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lopez, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US10/012,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20030075188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 131/330, 131/335, 131/361, 131/194, 131/195, 131/198.1, 431/298, 431/300, 431/326-329, 431/320, 431/321, 431/325, 432/120, 432/159, 436/175
• US Class Current: 131/194
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/10 Devices with chemical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/60 Constructional details

Abstract

A non-combustible smoking article is provided in which a flavor generating medium, such as a commercially available cigarette, is heated with a fuel element including a liquid fuel therein to generate flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form. A reusable fuel element is inserted in one end of a tubular member and a flavor generating medium, such as a cigarette, is positioned in the opposite end of the tubular member. Spacing between the fuel element and the cigarette is sufficient so that the cigarette is not lit but hot gases come into contact with tobacco or the like in the cigarette to vaporize the flavor components therein.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising:

a hollow tube;

a flavor generating material disposed within a mouth end of said tube;

a fuel element disposed within a distal end of said hollow tube and spaced from said flavor generating material, said fuel element including a fuel tank having an opening in one end;

a fuel cartridge disposed within said fuel tank, said fuel cartridge including liquid fuel;

a wick in flow communication with said cartridge, and,

a glow filament adjacent to said wick and operative in response to burning of fuel from said wick.

2. The smoking article of claim 1 wherein said flavor generating material is a cigarette.

3. The smoking article of claim 1 including puffing air inlets in said hollow tube upstream of said fuel element.

4. The smoking article of claim 1 wherein said flavor generating material is tobacco.

5. The smoking article of claim 1 including a heat diffuser between said fuel element and said flavor generating material.

6. The smoking article of claim 5 wherein said heat diffuser is a wire mesh screen.

7. The smoking article of claim 1 wherein said hollow tube is ceramic.

8. The smoking article of claim 1 wherein said liquid fuel is ethanol or a low molecular weight hydrocarbon oil.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, said liquid fuel being selected from the group consisting of ethanol and low molecular weight hydrocarbon oils.

10. The smoking article of claim 1, said glow filament being copper, brass, platinum or a metallic alloy.

11. The smoking article of claim 1, said fuel cartridge includes a porous media.

12. The smoking article of claim 11, said porous media being cellulose acetate, low density polyethylene, ethyl vinyl acetate, carbon filters, cotton, or other fabric materials.

13. The smoking article of claim 1, said wick being non-burning fibers or glass capillary tubes.

14. The smoking article of claim 1, including air inlet holes upstream of said glow filament.

15. The smoking article of claim 1, said glow filament comprising a chamber with catalyst material formed of beads or fibrous particles.

16. The smoking article of claim 15, said catalyst being copper, brass, platinum coated ceramic or a coated ceramic based material.

17. The smoking article of claim 12, said wick and said porous media being the same material.

18. The smoking article of claim 1, including a tube surrounding said wick.

19. The smoking article of claim 18, said tube surrounding said wick being a ceramic.