Aerosol delivery device with a reservoir housing and a vaporizer assembly

• US 10,798,974 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2018
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Hunt, Eric Taylor, Nestor, Timothy Brian, Brinkley, Paul Andrew, Sears, Stephen Benson, DePiano, John, Ebbs, Matthew C., Weight, Kristen Dodds, Davis, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Phuong K
• Application Number:
  US16/129,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20190037927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 131328, 131329
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/38 Devices for discharging contents containers formed by folding or erecting paper blanks B65D5/72 ; incorporated in removable or non-permanently secured closure members B65D47/00; for discharging thin flat articles B65D83/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/021 with elastic packing F16J15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/03 Electrodes

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device that includes a reservoir housing that defines a mouthpiece channel. The aerosol delivery device includes a sealing member configured to be received within the reservoir housing to define a reservoir chamber configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition therein. The aerosol delivery device also includes a substrate member that is configured to be received within the reservoir housing and to be directly engaged with a vaporizing assembly for forming an aerosol. The reservoir housing, sealing member, substrate member, and/or vaporizing assembly can be used for forming aerosols with precise and reproducible compositions.

Claims

1. A liquid storage tank for an aerosol delivery device, the liquid storage tank comprising:

an outer housing formed of a wall, the outer housing having a mouthend and an opposing end;

a mouthpiece channel interior to the outer housing and formed of an outer wall, the mouthpiece channel having a first end extending to the mouthend of the outer housing and having a second, opposing end; and

a sealing member sealingly engaging the wall of the outer housing and the mouthpiece channel proximate the second, opposing end of the mouthpiece channel;

wherein the wall of the outer housing, the wall of the mouthpiece channel, and the sealing member define a reservoir chamber configured for storage of an aerosol precursor composition, and

wherein the mouthpiece channel includes a first portion, a second portion, and a transition therebetween, the transition being configured to substantially prevent formation of a meniscus within the mouthpiece channel.

2. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the transition includes an elliptical orifice.

3. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the transition includes a shoulder portion.

4. The liquid storage tank of claim 3, wherein the shoulder portion is configured as a fluid trap.

5. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the transition includes fluted elements.

6. The liquid storage tank of claim 5, wherein the fluted elements extend radially inward from the outer wall of the mouthpiece channel.

7. The liquid storage tank of claim 6, wherein the fluted elements define a star-shaped radial cross-section of the mouthpiece channel.

8. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the mouthend of the outer housing is closed.

9. The liquid storage tank of claim 8, wherein the first end of the mouthpiece channel opens through the mouthend of the outer housing.

10. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, comprising a mouthpiece disposed proximate the mouthend of the outer housing.

11. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the sealing member includes a central orifice aligned with the second, opposing end of the mouthpiece channel, the central orifice being in a sealing arrangement with the outer wall of the mouthpiece channel.

12. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, wherein the sealing member includes at least one orifice configured for passage of the aerosol precursor composition therethrough.

13. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, comprising a substrate member adjacent the sealing member.

14. The liquid storage tank of claim 1, comprising at least one sealing member support extending along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reservoir housing and having a terminal end.

15. The liquid storage tank of claim 14, wherein the second, opposing end of the mouthpiece channel extends beyond the terminal end of the sealing member support from the mouthend of the reservoir housing.

16. An aerosol delivery device comprising liquid storage tank according to claim 1.

17. The aerosol delivery device of claim 16, comprising a vaporizing assembly including a liquid transport element configured to receive the aerosol precursor composition from the liquid storage tank and a heating element in a heating arrangement with the liquid transport element.

18. The aerosol delivery device of claim 17, comprising a connector housing configured to operably engage a power source.

19. The aerosol delivery device of claim 18, wherein the vaporizing assembly is arranged at least partially within the connector housing.

20. The aerosol delivery device of claim 18, comprising an atomizer housing, wherein the atomizer housing comprises a vaporizing chamber in which the liquid transfer element and the heating element are disposed, the vaporizing chamber being in fluid communication with the liquid storage tank, and the atomizer housing is operably engaged with the connector housing.