Tobacco-containing smoking article

• US 9,814,268 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Robinson, John Howard, Griffith, Jr., David William, Conner, Billy Tyrone, Crooks, Evon Llewellyn, Brewer, Jr., Dempsey Bailey
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Michael H
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHU HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/525,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/02 Flakes or shreds of tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/12 of reconstituted tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/14 Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products delustering A24C1/40
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/002 with additives, e.g. for flavouring preparing tobacco, e.g. flavouring, A24B
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/20 Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 non-flexible

Abstract

A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.

Claims

1. A tobacco-containing, electrically-powered smoking article comprising:

(a) a tubular outer housing having a mouth-end and an end distal to the mouth-end, the housing comprising an opening adapted for intake of air into the smoking article;

(b) an electrical power source within the outer housing;

(c) at least one electrical resistance heater within the outer housing, the heater being configured to allow air flow therethrough and being powered by said electrical power source, and wherein the heater comprises at least one elongated portion extending downstream therefrom;

(d) a puff-actuated controller adapted for regulating current flow through the heater during draw, the controller comprising a sensor adapted for sensing draw by the user on the smoking article; and

(e) a rod-shaped carrier device removably engaged with the mouth-end of the outer housing and comprising a tubular mouth-end piece and a tubular cartridge with two open ends allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the cartridge includes a tobacco-containing absorbent material with an aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon, wherein the cartridge is operatively positioned within the outer housing and adjacent to the heater such that the heater is adapted for heating at least a portion of the tobacco and the aerosol-generating material and such that air drawn into the outer housing passes through at least a portion of the heater, through the cartridge, and through the mouth-end piece,

wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material is configured such that the aerosol-generating material is in contact with the electrical resistance heater.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

3. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material is a paper material.

4. The smoking article of claim 3, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material is a paper material with a tobacco extract absorbed thereon.

5. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material is a paper-type reconstituted tobacco.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material comprises polyethylene terephthalate fibers.

7. The smoking article of claim 6, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate fibers are blended with tobacco cut filler.

8. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material further comprises a flavoring agent absorbed thereon.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent material is a laminate of metallic foil and a tobacco-containing absorbent paper material.

10. The smoking article of claim 9, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent paper material is a paper-type reconstituted tobacco.

11. The smoking article of claim 9, wherein the tobacco-containing absorbent paper material is an absorbent paper with a tobacco extract and the aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon.

12. The smoking article of claim 11, wherein the absorbent paper further includes a flavoring agent absorbed thereon.

13. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one heater comprises an electrical resistance heater that is tubular in shape and positioned around the cartridge.

14. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cartridge is circumscribed by a wrapping material.

15. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is conductive and in electrical contact with an electrical circuitry within the smoking article such that electrical resistance heating can be provided by the cartridge.

16. A tobacco-containing, electrically-powered smoking article comprising:

(a) a tubular outer housing having a mouth-end and an end distal to the mouth-end, the housing comprising an opening adapted for intake of air into the smoking article;

(b) an electrical power source within the outer housing;

(c) a controller adapted for regulating current flow through the heater;

(d) a rod-shaped carrier device removably engaged with the mouth-end of the outer housing and comprising a tubular mouth-end piece and a tubular cartridge with two open ends allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the cartridge includes a tobacco material and an aerosol-generating material; and

(e) an electrical resistance heater in contact with the tobacco material and the aerosol-generating material and adapted for heating at least a portion of the tobacco material and the aerosol-generating material.

17. The smoking article of claim 16, wherein the electrical resistance heater is positioned between the electrical power source and the cartridge.