AEROSOL DELIVERY DEVICE WITH A LIQUID TRANSPORT ELEMENT COMPRISING A POROUS MONOLITH AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20180020722A1
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Davis, Michael F., Phillips, Percy D., Rogers, James W., Ampolini, Frederic P., Clemens, David A., Carpenter, William K., Joyce, Owen L., King, Michael L., Ahr, Sean M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,617,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• 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 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/284 with water in reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0297 Heating of fluids for non specified applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/44 heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of producing such devices, and elements of such devices. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides devices configured for vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition that is contained in a reservoir and transported to a heating element by a liquid transport element. The liquid transport element may include a porous monolith.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising:

an outer body;

a heating element received in the outer body;

a reservoir received in the outer body; and

a liquid transport element at least partially received within the reservoir and engaged with the heating element,

the liquid transport element comprising a porous monolith.

2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the heating element is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer body.

3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the porous monolith comprises at least one of a porous ceramic and a porous glass.

4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a first heating terminal and a second heating terminal coupled to the heating element,

wherein the first heating terminal and the second heating terminal are positioned between the liquid transport element and the reservoir.

5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the liquid transport element defines one or more channels extending at least partially therethrough.

6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein the heating element is at least partially received in the one or more channels.

7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, further comprising a first heating terminal and a second heating terminal coupled to the heating element and at least partially received in the one or more channels.

8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7, further comprising an electronic component at least partially received in the one or more channels.

9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein the electronic component is positioned between the first heating terminal and the second heating terminal.

10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electronic component extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer body.

11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the liquid transport element extends at least partially about the liquid transport element.

12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a flow director,

the flow director defining a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the liquid transport element.

13. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a base engaged with the outer body and an electronic component positioned between the reservoir and the base.

14. The aerosol delivery device of claim 13, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electronic component extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the outer body.

15. The aerosol delivery device of claim 13, further comprising a first heating terminal and a second heating terminal coupled to the heating element,

wherein the first heating terminal and the second heating terminal extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electronic component.

16. A method for producing an aerosol delivery device, the method comprising:

positioning a heating element, a reservoir and a liquid transport element in an outer body such that the liquid transport element is in contact with the reservoir and the heating element,

wherein positioning the heating element, the reservoir and the liquid transport element in the outer body comprises aligning a respective longitudinal axis of the heating element, the reservoir and the liquid transport element.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising positioning the liquid transport element at least partially within the reservoir.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein positioning the liquid transport element at least partially within the reservoir comprises wrapping the liquid transport element with the reservoir.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising inserting the heating element into a channel extending at least partially though the liquid transport element.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling the heating element an outer surface of the liquid transport element.