Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for an aerosol delivery device

• US 10,537,137 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Sur, Rajesh, Hunt, Eric T., Sears, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S
• Application Number:
  US15/359,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20180140013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0568 characterised by the solutes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0569 characterised by the solvents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4292 Aspects relating to capacity ratio of electrodes/electrolyte or anode/cathode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device is provided that includes a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition, a heating element, and a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element. The power source includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, with the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture. The aerosol delivery device also includes a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device comprising:

at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;

an atomizer;

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the atomizer, the power source comprising;

a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB) having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture;

a supercapacitor chargeable from the rechargeable LiB, and configured to provide power to the electrical load;

a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and the electrical load;

a resistor connected to, and between, the LiB and the DC-to-DC converter; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the atomizer and thereby control the atomizer to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, wherein the microprocessor being configured to direct power from the power source to the atomizer includes being configured to direct power from the supercapacitor to the atomizer.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a charger from which the rechargeable LiB is rechargeable.

3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 further comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal,

wherein the microprocessor or motion sensor is configured to recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal, and the microprocessor is configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability.

4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control at least one functional element includes being configured to shut off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device.

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine.

6. An aerosol delivery device comprising:

at least one housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;

a heating element;

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element, the power source comprising;

a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB) having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture, wherein the carbon-based anode is configured to reversibly incorporate lithium ions therein and lithium metal on a surface thereof, the electrochemically-active cathode is configured to reversibly incorporate therein lithium ions, and the lithium salt of the non-aqueous electrolyte is lithium hexafluorophosphate, and wherein the ratio of a capacity to reversibly incorporate lithium ions of the electrochemically-active cathode to a capacity to reversibly incorporate lithium ions in the form of lithium hexafluorophosphate of the carbon-based anode is equal to or larger than 2;

1; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the microprocessor is configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein the power source further comprises a supercapacitor chargeable from the rechargeable LiB, and configured to provide power to the electrical load, and

wherein the microprocessor being configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element includes being configured to direct power from the supercapacitor to the heating element.

8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7, wherein the power source further comprises a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and electrical load.

9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7, wherein the power source further comprises a resistor connected to the LiB, between the LiB and the supercapacitor.

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7, wherein the power source further comprises:

a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and electrical load; and

a resistor connected to, and between, the LiB and DC-to-DC converter.

11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6 further comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal,

wherein the microprocessor or motion sensor is configured to recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal, and the microprocessor is configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability.

12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control at least one functional element includes being configured to shut off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device.

13. A control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with an atomizer and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the atomizer is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising:

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the atomizer when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising;

a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB) having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture;

a supercapacitor chargeable from the rechargeable LiB, and configured to provide power to the electrical load;

a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and the electrical load;

a resistor connected to, and between, the LiB and the DC-to-DC converter; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the microprocessor in the active mode being configured to direct power from the power source to the atomizer and thereby control the atomizer to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, wherein the microprocessor being configured to direct power from the power source to the atomizer includes being configured to direct power from the supercapacitor to the atomizer.

14. The control body of claim 13, wherein the power source further comprises terminals connectable with a charger from which the rechargeable LiB is rechargeable.

15. The control body of claim 13 further comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal,

wherein the microprocessor or motion sensor is configured to recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal, and the microprocessor is configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability.

16. The control body of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control at least one functional element includes being configured to shut off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device.

17. The control body of claim 13, wherein the aerosol precursor composition comprises glycerin and nicotine.

18. A control body coupled or coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupled or coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising:

a power source connected to an electrical load that includes the heating element when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the power source comprising;

a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB) having a carbon-based anode, an electrochemically-active cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, the non-aqueous electrolyte including a lithium salt in a carbonate solvent or solvent mixture, wherein the carbon-based anode is configured to reversibly incorporate lithium ions therein and lithium metal on a surface thereof, the electrochemically-active cathode is configured to reversibly incorporate therein lithium ions, and the lithium salt of the non-aqueous electrolyte is lithium hexafluorophosphate, and wherein the ratio of a capacity to reversibly incorporate lithium ions of the electrochemically-active cathode to a capacity to reversibly incorporate lithium ions in the form of lithium hexafluorophosphate of the carbon-based anode is equal to or larger than 2;

1; and

a microprocessor configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the microprocessor in the active mode being configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element and thereby control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

19. The control body of claim 18, wherein the power source further comprises a supercapacitor chargeable from the rechargeable LiB, and configured to provide power to the electrical load, and

wherein the microprocessor being configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element includes being configured to direct power from the supercapacitor to the heating element.

20. The control body of claim 19, wherein the power source further comprises a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and electrical load.

21. The control body of claim 19, wherein the power source further comprises a resistor connected to the LiB, between the LiB and the supercapacitor.

22. The control body of claim 19, wherein the power source further comprises:

a DC-to-DC converter connected to the supercapacitor, between the supercapacitor and electrical load; and

a resistor connected to, and between, the LiB and DC-to-DC converter.

23. The control body of claim 18 further comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect a defined motion of the aerosol delivery device that indicates a vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device, the motion sensor being configured to convert the defined motion to an electrical signal,

wherein the microprocessor or motion sensor is configured to recognize the vulnerability and an operation associated with the vulnerability based on the electrical signal, and the microprocessor is configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device to perform the operation, which is thereby performed in response to detection of the vulnerability.

24. The control body of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control at least one functional element includes being configured to shut off the power source, which is thereby shut off in response to detection of the vulnerability of the aerosol delivery device.