SMOKING ARTICLES AND USE THEREOF FOR YIELDING INHALATION MATERIALS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article that yields an inhalable substance, the article comprising:
- a substantially tubular shaped cartridge body having an engaging end, an opposing mouth end configured to allow passage of the inhalable substance to a consumer, and a wall with an inner surface that defines an interior cartridge body space;
a substantially tubular shaped inhalable substance medium positioned within the cartridge body and having a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface so as to define an annular space of a specified volume between the outer surface of the inhalable substance medium wall and the inner surface of the cartridge body wall, the inhalable substance medium having a first end in proximity to the mouth end of the cartridge and having a second end in proximity to the engaging end of the cartridge;
an electrical heating member that is operatively positioned to provide heat to at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium sufficiently to form a vapor comprising the inhalable substance, the vapor being released from the inhalable substance medium within the annular space; and
a control housing having an end for receiving the engaging end of the cartridge and including an electrical energy source that provides power to the electrical heating member such that when the cartridge and the control housing are operatively connected, the inhalable substance medium and the electrical heating member align so as to allow for heating of at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention describes articles, such as smoking articles, that can provide an inhalable substance in a form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. The article comprises a cartridge with an inhalable substance medium therein, control housing that includes an electrical energy source and an electrical power source, and a heating member that may be located in either the cartridge or the control housing. The control housing further may include puff-actuated current actuation components and current regulation components.
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Citations
94 Claims
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1. An article that yields an inhalable substance, the article comprising:
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a substantially tubular shaped cartridge body having an engaging end, an opposing mouth end configured to allow passage of the inhalable substance to a consumer, and a wall with an inner surface that defines an interior cartridge body space; a substantially tubular shaped inhalable substance medium positioned within the cartridge body and having a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface so as to define an annular space of a specified volume between the outer surface of the inhalable substance medium wall and the inner surface of the cartridge body wall, the inhalable substance medium having a first end in proximity to the mouth end of the cartridge and having a second end in proximity to the engaging end of the cartridge; an electrical heating member that is operatively positioned to provide heat to at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium sufficiently to form a vapor comprising the inhalable substance, the vapor being released from the inhalable substance medium within the annular space; and a control housing having an end for receiving the engaging end of the cartridge and including an electrical energy source that provides power to the electrical heating member such that when the cartridge and the control housing are operatively connected, the inhalable substance medium and the electrical heating member align so as to allow for heating of at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. An article that yields an inhalable substance, the article comprising:
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a substantially tubular shaped cartridge body; a substantially tubular shaped inhalable substance medium with an interior space, the inhalable substance medium being positioned within the cartridge body so as to define an annular space between the inhalable substance medium and the cartridge body; an electrical heating member that is operatively positioned within the interior space of the inhalable substance medium so as to heat at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium sufficiently to form a vapor comprising the inhalable substance within the annular space; and a control housing having an end for receiving the cartridge and including an electrical energy source that provides power to the electrical heating member such that when the cartridge and the control housing are operatively connected, the inhalable substance medium and the electrical heating member align so as to allow for heating of at least a segment of the inhalable substance medium. - View Dependent Claims (73)
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74. A disposable unit for use with a reusable smoking article, the disposable unit comprising:
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a substantially tubular shaped cartridge body having an engaging end configured to engage the reusable smoking article and an opposing mouth end configured to allow passage of an inhalable substance to a consumer; a substantially tubular shaped inhalable substance medium positioned within an interior space of the cartridge body so as to define an annular space between the inhalable substance medium and the cartridge body, the inhalable substance medium having a first end in proximity to the mouth end of the cartridge and having a second end in proximity to the engaging end of the cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A reusable control unit for use with a disposable smoking article, the reusable control unit comprising a control housing including:
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a receiving end for receiving an engaging end of the disposable smoking article and including an electrical energy source that delivers power to an electrical heating member, the electrical energy source including a projection extending outwardly therefrom and including a component that forms an electrical connection with electrical contacts on the electrical heating member; and a control unit section that houses a power source, a switching component that actuates flow of electrical current from the electrical energy source to the electrical heating member, and a flow regulating component that regulates a previously initiated current flow from the electrical energy source to the electrical heating member. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. A kit comprising:
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a case that accommodates one or more further kit components; one or more disposable units for use with a reusable smoking article, the disposable unit comprising; a substantially tubular shaped cartridge body having an engaging end configured to engage the reusable smoking article and an opposing mouth end configured to allow passage of an inhalable substance to a consumer; and a substantially tubular shaped inhalable substance medium positioned within an interior space of the cartridge body so as to define an annular space between the inhalable substance medium and the cartridge body, the inhalable substance medium having a first end in proximity to the mouth end of the cartridge and having a second end in proximity to the engaging end of the cartridge; and optionally one or more components selected from the group consisting of a reusable control unit, a battery, and a charging component. - View Dependent Claims (94)
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Specification