Aerosol delivery device sensory system including an infrared sensor and related method

• US 11,013,266 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 05/25/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Bless, Alfred, Sears, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laflame, Jr., Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/374,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20180160730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/51 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/57 Temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/80 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0014 for sensing the radiation from gases, flames
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device sensory system is provided. The system may include an outer body, an atomizer, and an infrared sensor. The atomizer, which may be received in the outer body, may include a heating element. The infrared sensor may be configured to measure infrared radiation produced by the atomizer. The infrared sensor may be located inside or outside of the outer body. In this regard, by way of example, the infrared sensor may be configured to provide feedback for control purposes, or the infrared sensor may be employed for testing purposes. A fiber optic cable may extend from the infrared sensor to a component to sense the radiation being emitted therefrom.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device sensory system, comprising:

an outer body;

an atomizer comprising a heating element and received in the outer body;

an infrared sensor positioned outside of the outer body, and configured to measure infrared radiation produced by the atomizer; and

a fiber optic cable having a first end positioned proximate the infrared sensor and a second end positioned proximate the atomizer,

the infrared sensor being configured to measure infrared radiation received from the atomizer through the fiber optic cable.

2. The aerosol delivery device sensory system of claim 1, further comprising a shielding device coupled to the infrared sensor and extending about a sensor aperture defined by the infrared sensor,

wherein the first end of the fiber optic cable is coupled to the shielding device.

3. The aerosol delivery device sensory system of claim 2, wherein the shielding device is substantially entirely enclosed when engaged with the first end of the fiber optic cable and the infrared sensor to substantially prevent infrared radiation that has not traversed the fiber optic cable from entering the sensor aperture.

4. The aerosol delivery device sensory system of claim 3, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a shield layer configured to substantially prevent infrared radiation from entering the fiber optic cable at locations other than the second end.

5. The aerosol delivery device sensory system of claim 1, further comprising a controller programmed with a heating profile configured to cause the atomizer to produce an amount of heat based on the infrared radiation measured by the infrared sensor.

6. The aerosol delivery device sensory system of claim 1, comprising a temperature testing unit including the infrared sensor and the fiber optic cable, and an aerosol delivery device including the outer body and the atomizer.

7. An aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring method, comprising:

providing an outer body and an atomizer comprising a heating element, the atomizer being received in the outer body;

providing an infrared sensor positioned outside of the outer body; and

positioning a first end of a fiber optic cable proximate the infrared sensor;

positioning a second end of the fiber optic cable proximate the atomizer; and

measuring infrared radiation produced by the atomizer with the infrared sensor, the infrared radiation received from the atomizer through the fiber optic cable.

8. The aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring claim 7, further comprising:

coupling a shielding device to the sensor assembly such that the shielding device extends about a sensor aperture defined by the infrared sensor; and

coupling the shielding device to the first end of the fiber optic cable.

9. The aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring method of claim 8, wherein coupling the shielding device to the sensor assembly and the first end of the fiber optic cable comprises substantially entirely enclosing the shielding device to substantially prevent infrared radiation from entering the sensor aperture that has not traversed the fiber optic cable.

10. The aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring method of claim 9, further comprising substantially preventing infrared radiation from entering the fiber optic cable at locations other than the second end with a shield layer.

11. The aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring method of claim 7, further comprising programming a controller with a heating profile configured to cause the atomizer to produce an amount of heat based on the infrared radiation measured by the infrared sensor.

12. The aerosol delivery device temperature monitoring claim 7, wherein positioning a second end of the fiber optic cable proximate the atomizer comprises inserting the fiber optic cable into the outer body.