Smoking system having a liquid storage portion

• US 11,013,265 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Issued: 05/25/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thorens, Michel, Flick, Jean-Marc, Cochand, Olivier Yves, Dubief, Flavien
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Michael H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayes, Dionne W.
• Application Number:
  US15/220,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20160331039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/16 Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0202 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances

Abstract

A smoking system includes a capillary wick for holding liquid, at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet and a chamber between the air inlet and air outlet. The air inlet, the air outlet and the chamber are arranged so as to define an air flow route from the air inlet to the air outlet via the capillary wick so as to convey aerosol formed from the liquid to the air outlet. The smoking system further includes at least one guide for channeling the air flow in the air flow route, so as to control particle size in the aerosol. The smoking system optionally includes at least one heater for heating the liquid in at least a portion of the capillary wick to form the aerosol.

Claims

1. A smoking system comprising:

a housing;

a capillary wick configured to hold liquid, the capillary wick in the housing;

a heater configured to heat the liquid in at least a portion of the capillary wick to form an aerosol, the heater including a heating blade, the heating blade formed of an electrically resistive material;

an inlet, an outlet and a chamber between the inlet and the outlet, wherein,

the chamber includes first and second portions, and the capillary wick is between the first and second portions,

the inlet and at least the first portion of the chamber are configured to at least partially define a first fluid flow route between the inlet and the capillary wick, and

the outlet and at least the second portion of the chamber are configured to at least partially define a second fluid flow route between the outlet and the capillary wick; and

a guide configured to induce turbulent fluid flow in at least one fluid flow route of the first fluid flow route and the second fluid flow route, the guide including,

a first portion including a removable insert, and

a second portion that is part of the housing.

2. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to induce a fluid flow over the capillary wick that is associated with a flow speed greater than a flow speed of a fluid flow through the first fluid flow route.

3. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to control a particle size associated with the aerosol to have a diameter less than about 1.5 micrometers.

4. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the removable insert is located in the second fluid flow route.

5. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to channel a fluid flow through the first fluid flow route in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

6. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to channel a fluid flow through the second fluid flow route in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

7. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a plurality of heating elements.

8. The smoking system of claim 1, wherein electrically resistive material is embedded in an insulating material, encapsulated in an insulating material, or coated with an insulating material.

9. A smoking system comprising:

a housing;

a capillary wick configured to hold liquid, the capillary wick in the housing;

a plurality of heaters, each heater including at least one heating blade, the at least one heating blade formed of an electrically resistive material;

an inlet, an outlet and a chamber between the inlet and the outlet, wherein,

the chamber includes first and second portions, and the capillary wick is between the first and second portions,

the inlet and at least the first portion of the chamber are configured to at least partially define a first fluid flow route between the inlet and the capillary wick, and

the outlet and at least the second portion of the chamber are configured to at least partially define a second fluid flow route between the outlet and the capillary wick; and

a guide configured to induce turbulent fluid flow in at least one fluid flow route of the first fluid flow route and the second fluid flow route, the guide including,

a first portion including a removable insert, and

a second portion that is part of the housing.

10. The smoking system of claim 9, wherein the guide is configured to induce a fluid flow over the capillary wick that is associated with a flow speed greater than a flow speed of a fluid flow through the first fluid flow route.

11. The smoking system of claim 9, wherein the guide is configured to control a particle size associated with an aerosol to have a diameter less than about 1.5 micrometers.

12. The smoking system of claim 9, wherein the removable insert is located in the second fluid flow route.

13. The smoking system of claim 9, wherein the guide is configured to channel a fluid flow through the first fluid flow route in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.

14. The smoking system of claim 9, wherein the guide is configured to channel a fluid flow through the second fluid flow route in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the capillary wick.