Nebulizers and aerosol delivery devices

Abstract

A nebulizer and aerosol delivery device are described, wherein the nebulizer has a fluid delivery element formed of a rigid monomer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The nebulizer also has a heater. The heater provides a substantially flat heating surface. The heating surface is positioned to face the first side of the rigid monomer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that can generate aerosols using electrically generated heat by conduction or induction (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). The smoking article can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which can include a material that can be made or derived from tobacco or can otherwise include tobacco, which precursor can form an inhalable substance for human ingestion. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, many smoking devices have been proposed as improvements or substitutes for smoking products that need to burn tobacco. It is said that many of the above-mentioned devices have been designed to provide the sensation associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes, but do not deliver a large amount of incomplete combustion products and pyrolysis products produced due to the burning of tobacco. For this reason, it has been proposed to adopt electric energy to evaporate or heat volatile materials or to attempt to provide the sensation of smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes without burning tobacco to a significant degree of many cigarette products, flavor generators and medicated inhalers. For example, referring to the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heating sources described in the background technology described in the U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 of Robinson et al., the U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 of Griffith Jr. et al. and the U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 of Sears et al., the above-mentioned document is incorporated herein by reference. For example, see also U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 170,838, filed by Bless et al. on Feb. 3, 2014, for various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat sources by reference to trade names and commercial sources, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] It may be desirable to provide a vapor-generating unit of an aerosol delivery device that is configured for improved formation of vapor. It may also be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device that is prepared to employ such vapor. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device and elements of such a device.The aerosol delivery device may in particular be integrated with a core to form a vapor-generating unit, which vapor-generating unit may be combined with a power unit to form an aerosol delivery device.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure may be directed to a nebulizer particularly useful in an aerosol delivery device. The nebulizer may specifically include at least a fluid delivery element and a heater. The fluid delivery element may be formed of a rigid material, such as a porous or non-porous monomer. In view of certain configurations of individual components and materials, the combined heater and fluid delivery element may exhibit improved vapor formation.

[0006] In some embodiments, an exemplary atomizer may include a fluid delivery element and a heater, the fluid delivery element comprising a rigid monomer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the heater comprises a substantially flat heating surface, and wherein the heating surface is positioned to face the first side of the rigid monomer.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rigid monomer is formed of a porous material capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition into proximity with the heated surface by capillary action.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rigid monomer is formed of a substantially non-porous material, and wherein the rigid monomer comprises at least one hole passing from the first side to the second side to provide a conduit for the vaporized aerosol precursor.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the fluid transport element further comprises an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monomer.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the rigid monomer further includes at least one channel adjacent to its periphery to provide a conduit for the liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side of the rigid monomer.

[0011] In some embodiments, the rigid monomer has a recess formed in a first side, and the heating surface is positioned to face the base surface of the recess. According to some embodiments, the rigid monomer includes at least one hole extending from the base surface to the second side. The at least one hole may include a centrally positioned hole. The at least one hole may include a plurality of holes, and the centrally positioned hole may have a larger diameter than the remaining holes of the plurality of holes. In some cases, the base surface includes a boss through which the centrally positioned hole passes. In some embodiments, the depth of the recess of the rigid monomer is greater than about 30% of the thickness of the disc. In the case of providing an absorbent pad and a recess, the pad may reside in the recess. In some embodiments, the absorbent pad may include a centrally positioned hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group consisting of a heating wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on a surface of the substrate or heater covered with a thermally conductive material.

[0013] In some embodiments, the atomizer further includes a thermal insulator separate from the heater, wherein the thermal insulator may be a mica disk or other material with low thermal conductivity.

[0014] In certain aspects of the present disclosure, a nebulizer as described herein may be included for use in an aerosol delivery device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from the air inlet opening to the mouthpiece, the air flow path passing along the second side of the rigid body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the rigid monomer includes at least one hole extending from a first side to a second side, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured such that vaporized aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one hole by gravity or by a pressure differential created by suction of air moving along an air flow path along the second side of the rigid monomer.

[0017] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device includes a reservoir (e.g., a tank) containing an aerosol precursor composition. The reservoir can be tubular or another shape such as a rectangle, and the aerosol delivery device can form an air flow path from the air inlet opening to the mouthpiece that passes through the reservoir.

[0018] In some embodiments, the rigid cell further comprises circumferential grooves formed in the second side thereof, the grooves being configured to assist in sealing the rigid cell to the reservoir.

[0019] The fluid delivery element can be wicked or otherwise delivered to a heater thermally connected to the fluid delivery element from a reservoir by an aerosol precursor composition. The heater is positioned outside the reservoir to evaporate at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition delivered from the reservoir via the fluid delivery element. The vapor formed can be combined with the air drawn into the aerosol delivery device to form an aerosol, and the aerosol flows to the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device and leaves the aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device including an atomizer can be a single integral structure, which accommodates all elements (for example, power element, control element and evaporation element) that can be used to form an aerosol as described herein. The aerosol delivery device can be a cartridge or a storage tank attached to a separate control body, and the control body can include a power element (for example, a battery) and / or a control element.

[0020] The present invention includes without limitation the following embodiments:

[0021] Embodiment 1: An atomizer comprises: a fluid delivery element, the fluid delivery element comprising a rigid monomer, the rigid monomer having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and a heater, wherein the heater comprises a substantially flat heating surface, and wherein the heating surface is positioned to face the first side of the rigid monomer.

[0022] Embodiment 2: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monomer is formed of a porous material capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition into proximity with the heated surface by capillary action.

[0023] Embodiment 3: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monomer is formed of a substantially non-porous material, and wherein the rigid monomer comprises at least one hole passing from the first side to the second side to provide a conduit for the vaporized aerosol precursor.

[0024] Embodiment 4: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the fluid transfer element further comprises an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monomer.

[0025] Embodiment 5: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid body further comprises at least one channel adjacent to its periphery to provide a conduit for the liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side of the rigid body.

[0026] Embodiment 6: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith has a recess formed in the first side, and the heating surface is positioned facing a base surface of the recess.

[0027] Embodiment 7: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid monolith comprises at least one hole extending from the base surface to the second side.

[0028] Embodiment 8: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one hole comprises a centrally located hole.

[0029] Embodiment 9: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes, and the centrally located hole has a larger diameter than the remaining holes of the plurality of holes.

[0030] Embodiment 10 The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the base surface includes a boss through which the centrally located hole passes.

[0031] Embodiment 11: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the depth of the recess is greater than about 30% of the thickness of the rigid monomer.

[0032] Embodiment 12: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an absorbent pad positioned in the recess between the heating surface and the base surface.

[0033] Embodiment 13: The atomizer of any preceding embodiment, wherein the heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group consisting of a heating wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on a surface of the substrate.

[0034] Embodiment 14: The atomizer as described in any preceding embodiment further includes an insulator separate from the heater.

[0035] Embodiment 15: An atomizer as described in any preceding embodiment, wherein the insulator comprises mica.

[0036] Embodiment 16: An aerosol delivery device comprising the nebulizer as described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0037] Embodiment 17: An aerosol delivery device as described in any preceding embodiment, wherein the aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from the air inlet opening to the mouthpiece, the air flow path passing along the second side of the rigid body.

[0038] Embodiment 18: An aerosol delivery device as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rigid monomer includes at least one hole extending from a first side to a second side, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured such that the evaporated aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one hole by a pressure differential generated by suction of air moving along an air flow path, the air flow path being along the second side of the rigid monomer.

[0039] Embodiment 19: An aerosol delivery device as described in any preceding embodiment, comprising a reservoir, the reservoir comprising an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the aerosol delivery device generates an air flow path from the air inlet opening to the mouthpiece, the air flow path passing through the reservoir.

[0040] Embodiment 20: The aerosol delivery device of any preceding embodiment, wherein the rigid body further comprises circumferential grooves formed in the second side thereof, the grooves configured to help seal the rigid body to the reservoir.

[0041] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear by reading the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four or more of the above-mentioned embodiments set forth in the present disclosure and any combination of two, three, four or more features or elements, whether or not these features or elements are explicitly combined in the specific embodiment description herein. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the context, the present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole, so that any separable features or elements of the present invention should be considered to be able to be combined in any of its various aspects and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Having generally described the present disclosure in the foregoing, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

[0043] Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol delivery device comprising a cartridge and a power unit, the power unit comprising various elements that may be employed in the aerosol delivery device;

[0044] Figure 2 is a diagram of a fluid delivery element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 3 is a diagram of a heater and an insulator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 4 is an exploded view of an atomizer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 5 is an end perspective view of a storage tank functioning as a reservoir according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 6 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 5 Storage tanks and Figure 4 A schematic partial cutaway view of an aerosol delivery device of a nebulizer of FIG. 1 , the aerosol delivery device comprising a reservoir and a nebulizer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view from a first side of a heater according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 8 is from Figure 7 An exploded perspective view of the heater viewed from the second side.

[0051] Fig. 9 Yes Figure 5 Storage tanks and Figure 7 and 8Schematic partial cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device of a nebulizer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The present disclosure will now be described more fully below with reference to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. These exemplary embodiments are described so that the present disclosure will be detailed and complete, and the scope of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present disclosure can be implemented in many forms and should not be understood as being limited to the embodiments described herein; on the contrary, these embodiments are presented so that the disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Unless otherwise clearly stated herein, the singular forms "a", "one / kind", and "the" used in this specification and the appended claims include indications of the plural.

[0053] As described below, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat materials (e.g., without burning the materials to any significant extent and / or without significant chemical changes in the materials) to form inhalable substances; and components of such systems have the form of articles that can be compact enough to be considered as handheld devices. That is, the use of the components of the aerosol delivery system does not result in the generation of smoke, i.e., the generation of smoke from byproducts of the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, while the use of those systems results in the generation of vapor, which is caused by the volatilization or evaporation of certain components therein. In some embodiments, the components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes may contain tobacco and / or components derived from tobacco, and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in the form of an aerosol.

[0054] The aerosol-generating member of certain aerosol delivery systems can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the habit of inhaling and exhaling, the variety of flavors or aromas, the sensory effects, the physical sensations, the habit of use, the visual cues provided by the visible aerosol, etc.) without burning any of the components therein to a significant degree. For example, a user of the aerosol-generating member of the present disclosure can hold and use the article as a smoker would use a conventional type of smoking article, inhale on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and take puffs or inhales at selected time intervals, etc.

[0055] Aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can also be characterized as steam generation article or medicament delivery article.Therefore, this article or device can be modified, thereby one or more substances (for example, fragrance and / or active pharmaceutical ingredient) are provided in a form or state that can be inhaled.For example, inhalable substance can be in the form of steam (that is, the material in gas phase at a temperature below the critical point).Alternately, inhalable substance can be in the form of aerosol (that is, there is a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in the gas).For the purpose of simplification, the term "aerosol" used herein is intended to include steam, gas or aerosol in a form or type suitable for human body inhalation, whether visible or not, and whether it can be considered as a smoke-like form.

[0056] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure generally includes a plurality of components disposed within an outer body or shell, which may be referred to as a shell. The overall design of the outer body or shell may vary, and the form or construction of the outer body that is capable of defining the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device may vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling a cigarette or cigar shape may be formed by a single integral shell, or the elongated shell may be formed by two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include an elongated shell or body that may be generally tubular in shape and thereby resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In another embodiment, the shell may have a rectangular, triangular, elliptical or other cross-sectional shape. In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more shells that are connected and separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body (or power unit) at one end, which includes a housing that houses one or more components (e.g., a battery and various electronic components for controlling the operation of the object), and an outer body or housing removably attached thereto at the other end of the aerosol delivery device, which outer body or housing houses aerosol-forming components (e.g., one or more aerosol precursor components such as flavors and aerosol formers, one or more heaters, and / or one or more wicks).

[0057] The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may be formed of an outer shell or housing that is not substantially tubular in shape but may be formed to a substantially larger size. The shell or housing may be configured to include a mouthpiece and / or may be configured to receive a separate housing (e.g., a cartridge or reservoir) that may include consumable elements such as a liquid aerosol former and may include a vaporizer or atomizer.

[0058] The aerosol delivery device of the present invention typically includes some combination of the following components: a power source (i.e., a power supply); at least one control component (e.g., a device for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power for generating heat, such as by controlling the current flowing from the power source to other components of the article, i.e., a microcontroller or microprocessor); a heater or heat-generating component (e.g., a resistive heating element or material configured to generate heat by induction-generated eddy currents, which element or material alone or in combination with one or more additional elements may generally be referred to as an "atomizer"); an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid such as ingredients commonly referred to as "smoke juice", "electronic liquid", and "electronic juice") that is typically capable of generating an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied); and a mouthpiece or mouth end area that allows inhalation on the aerosol delivery device to inhale the aerosol (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article so that the generated aerosol can be drawn out of the airflow path during inhalation).

[0059] The more specific forms, configurations and arrangements of the components within the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure will be apparent from the further disclosure provided below. In addition, the selection and arrangement of the components of different aerosol delivery devices can be understood in view of the commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as those representative products cited in the background section of the present disclosure.

[0060] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 according to the present disclosure is provided in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate components that may be employed in the aerosol delivery device. As seen in the cutaway view shown therein, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a power unit 102 and a cartridge 104, which may be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. The fit between the power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 may be a press fit (as shown), a threaded fit, an interference fit, a magnetic fit, or the like. Specifically, connecting components such as those further described herein may be used. For example, the power unit may include a coupling adapted to fit a connector on the cartridge. As another example, in some exemplary embodiments, the housing of the power unit 102 may define a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge 104. In such embodiments in which at least a portion of the cartridge 104 is received into the cavity of the power pack 102, the cartridge 104 may be retained in the cavity of the power pack 102 by an interference fit (e.g., by using detents and / or other features to form an interference fit between an outer surface of the cartridge 104 and an inner surface of a wall of the cavity), a magnetic fit, or other suitable technique.

[0061] In particular embodiments, one or both of the power unit 102 and the cartridge 104 may be disposable or reusable. For example, the power unit may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery and thus be combined with any type of charging technology, including: connection to a wall charger, connection to a car charger (e.g., a cigarette lighter socket), and any of a connection to a computer including a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), a solar panel connected to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar cell) or a solar cell, or a wireless charger such as a charger using inductive wireless charging (e.g., including wireless charging according to the Qi wireless charging standard of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or a wireless radio frequency (RF) based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112196 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, in some embodiments, the cartridge may include a disposable cartridge, such as the cartridges disclosed in US Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the power pack 102 can be formed by a power pack housing 101, which can include a control component 106 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), an integrated circuit, a memory component, a microcontroller, etc., and a resistance temperature detector for temperature control), a flow sensor 108, a battery 110, and an LED 112, and such components can be variably aligned. In addition to or as an alternative to the LED, additional indicators (e.g., tactile feedback components, audio feedback components, etc.) can be included. Additional representative types of components or indicators that produce visual cues such as light emitting diode (LED) components and their construction and use are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton and U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020825 to Galloway et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0216233 to Sears et al.; the above documents are incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood that not all of the elements shown are required. For example, the LED may not exist, or may be replaced by other indicators such as a vibration indicator. Similarly, the flow sensor may also be replaced by a manual actuator such as a button.

[0063] The cartridge 104 can be formed by a cartridge housing 103 enclosing a reservoir 144, and the cartridge housing 103 is in fluid communication with a fluid delivery element 136, which is suitable for wicking the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to or otherwise delivering it to the heater 134. The fluid delivery element can be composed of one or more materials, which are configured to deliver liquids, for example, by capillary action. The liquid delivery element can be formed by the following materials: for example, fibrous materials (such as organic cotton, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabrics, glass fibers), porous ceramics (alumina, silicon dioxide, zirconium oxide, SiC, SiN, AlN, etc.), porous carbon, graphite, porous glass, sintered glass beads, sintered ceramic beads, capillaries, porous polymers, etc. Therefore, the fluid delivery element can be any material containing an open pore network (that is, a plurality of interconnected holes so that the fluid can flow from one hole to another hole in multiple directions through the element). The pores can be nanopores, micropores, macropores, or a combination thereof. As further discussed herein, some embodiments of the present disclosure may specifically relate to the use of non-fibrous transport elements. Thus, in some embodiments, fiber transport elements may be explicitly excluded. Alternatively, a combination of fiber transport elements and non-fibrous transport elements may be employed. In some embodiments, the fluid transport element may be a substantially solid non-porous material, such as a polymer or a dense ceramic or metal, configured to guide liquid through holes or slots without having to rely on wicking by capillary action. Such a solid body may be used in conjunction with a porous absorbent pad. The absorbent pad may be formed of silica-based fibers, organic cotton, rayon fibers, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabrics, highly porous ceramics or metal meshes, and the like.

[0064] Various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied therethrough may be used to form the heater 134. Exemplary materials from which the coil may be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), nickel-chromium alloys, nickel, stainless steel, indium tin oxide, tungsten, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), titanium, platinum, silver, palladium, alloys of silver and palladium, graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), conductive inks, boron-doped silicon dioxide, and ceramics (e.g., positive temperature coefficient ceramics or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). The heater 134 may be a resistive heating element or a heating element configured to generate heat by induction. The heater 134 may be coated with a thermally conductive ceramic, such as aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, or a composite thereof.

[0065] An opening 128 may be present in the cartridge housing 103 (eg, at the mouth end) to allow the formed aerosol to exit the cartridge 104. Such features are representative of features that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge features encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0066] The cartridge 104 may also include one or more electronic components 150, which may include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors, etc. The electronic components 150 may be adapted to communicate with the control component 106 and / or with an external device by wired or wireless means. The electronic components 150 may be positioned anywhere within the cartridge 104 or its base 140.

[0067] Although the control component 106 and the flow sensor 108 are shown separately, it should be understood that the control component and the flow sensor can be combined into an electronic circuit board, and the air flow sensor is directly attached to the electronic circuit board. The control component 106 can be considered to include a resistance temperature detector, or the resistance temperature detector can be combined with the electronic component 150. Further, the electronic circuit board can be relatively Figure 1 The illustration is horizontally positioned because the electronic circuit board can be parallel to the central axis of the power unit in the length direction. In some embodiments, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached. In some embodiments, a flexible circuit board may be used. The flexible circuit board can be configured into a variety of shapes, including a substantially tubular shape. For example, the construction of a printed circuit board and a pressure sensor is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 to Worm et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] The power pack 102 and the cartridge 104 may include components adapted to facilitate fluid engagement therebetween. Figure 1 As shown, the power pack 102 may include a coupling 124 having a cavity 125 therein. The cartridge 104 may include a base 140 adapted to fit the coupling 124, and may include a protrusion 141 adapted to fit within the cavity 125. Such fit may facilitate a stable connection between the power pack 102 and the cartridge 104, and an electrical connection between the battery 110 and the control component 106 in the power pack and the heater 134 in the cartridge. Further, the power pack housing 101 may include an air inlet 118, which may be a slot in the housing where it is connected to the coupling 124, allowing ambient air around the coupling to pass through and enter the housing, and then the air passes through the cavity 125 of the coupling and enters the cartridge through the protrusion 141. The air inlet 118 is not limited to being on or adjacent to the power pack housing 101, but may be formed by the exterior of the cartridge or some other part of the aerosol delivery device, such as a detachable mouthpiece.

[0069] Useful couplings and bases according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, Figure 1 The coupling member shown may be defined with an outer periphery 126, which is configured to match the inner periphery 142 of the base 140. In one embodiment, the inner periphery of the base may be defined with a radius substantially equal to or slightly larger than the outer periphery radius of the coupling member. Further, the coupling member 124 may be defined with one or more protrusions 129 at the outer periphery 126, which are configured to fit one or more recesses 178 defined at the inner periphery of the base. However, various other structures, shapes and embodiments of parts may be adopted to couple the base to the coupling member. In some examples, the connection between the base 140 of the cartridge 104 and the coupling member 124 of the power unit 102 may be substantially permanent, and in other embodiments, the connection between them may be releasable, so that, for example, the power unit may be reused in one or more additional cartridges, which may be disposable and / or refillable.

[0070] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 100 can be substantially rod-shaped or substantially tubular or substantially cylindrical. In other embodiments, other shapes and sizes are contemplated, e.g., rectangular, elliptical, hexagonal or triangular cross-sections, multi-faceted shapes, etc. Specifically, the power unit 102 can be non-rod-shaped, and can be generally rectangular, circular, or have some other shape. Likewise, the power unit 102 can be substantially larger than a power unit that would be expected to be the size of a substantially conventional cigarette.

[0071] Figure 1 The reservoir 144 shown can be a container (e.g., formed by a wall that is substantially impermeable to the aerosol precursor composition) or can be a fiber reservoir. The container wall can be flexible and can be collapsible. Alternatively, the container wall can be substantially rigid. The container can be substantially sealed to prevent the aerosol precursor composition from passing therethrough, unless any specific opening for the aerosol precursor composition to pass through is explicitly provided, such as through a conveying element as otherwise described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservoir 144 can include one or more layers of nonwoven fibers, which are substantially formed into the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of the cartridge housing 103. The fiber can be composed of polycarbonate, silicone, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene or ceramic. The aerosol precursor composition can be maintained in the reservoir 144. For example, the liquid component can be retained by the reservoir 144 absorptively (i.e., when the reservoir 144 includes a fibrous material). The reservoir 144 can be in fluid communication with the fluid delivery element 136. The fluid delivery element 136 can deliver the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir 144 via capillary action to the heating element 134, which is in the form of a metal coil in this embodiment. Thus, the heating element 134 and the fluid delivery element 136 are in a heating arrangement.

[0072] In use, when a user inhales on the article 100, the sensor 108 detects the airflow, the heating element 134 is activated, and the components for the aerosol precursor composition are vaporized by the heating element 134. Inhaling on the mouth end of the article 100 causes ambient air to enter the air inlet 118 and pass through the cavity 125 in the coupling 124 and the central opening in the protrusion 141 of the base 140. In the cartridge 104, the inhaled air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is stirred, inhaled or otherwise drawn away from the heating element 134 and drawn out of the mouth opening 128 in the mouth end of the article 100. Alternatively, in the absence of an airflow sensor, the heating element 134 can be manually activated, such as by a button.

[0073] An input element may be included in the aerosol delivery device (and may replace or supplement an airflow sensor or pressure sensor). An input portion may be included to allow a user to control various functions of the device and / or output information to the user. Any component or combination of components may be used as an input for controlling the functions of the device. For example, as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0245658 to Worm et al., one or more buttons may be used, which is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 643,626 filed on March 10, 2015 by Sears et al., a touch screen may be used, which is incorporated herein by reference. As a further example, a component suitable for gesture recognition based on a specified movement of the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input portion. See U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016 / 0158782 to Henry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. As another example, a capacitive sensor may be implemented on the aerosol delivery device to enable a user to provide input, for example, by touching the surface of the device on which the capacitive sensor is implemented.

[0074] In some embodiments, the input portion may include a computer or computing device such as a smart phone or tablet computer. Specifically, the aerosol delivery device may be connected to a computer or other device, such as by using a USB cable or similar protocol wiring. The aerosol delivery device may also communicate with a computer or other device used as an input via wireless communication. For example, see the system and method for controlling the device via a read request as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016 / 0007561 to Ampolini et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In such an embodiment, an application or other computer program can be used in conjunction with a computer or other computing device to input control instructions to the aerosol delivery device, such control instructions including, for example, the ability to form an aerosol of a specific composition by selecting a nicotine content and / or the content of additionally included flavorings.

[0075] The various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may be selected from components described in the prior art and commercially available components. Examples of batteries that may be used according to the present disclosure are described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0076] The aerosol delivery device may be combined with a sensor or detector for controlling the power supplied to the heating element when it is desired to generate an aerosol (e.g., when inhaling during use). Thus, for example, a manner or method is provided for turning off the power to the heating element when inhalation is not being performed on the aerosol delivery device during use, and for turning on the power during inhalation to actuate or trigger the heat generated by the heating element. Additional representative types of sensing or detecting mechanisms, their structure and construction, their components, and general descriptions of their methods of operation are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.; and PCT WO2010 / 003480 to Flick, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0077] The aerosol delivery device may include a control mechanism for controlling the amount of electrical power to the heating element during inhalation. Representative electronic components, their structures and constructions, their features, and general descriptions of their methods of operation are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622 to Pan; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al.; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al. and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0257445 to Henry et al.; the foregoing documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0078] Representative types of substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting aerosol precursors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,569 to Newton; U.S. Pat. No. 2014 / 0261487 to Chapman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2014 / 00597800 to Davis et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, various wicking materials, as well as the construction and operation of those wicking materials within a particular type of electronic cigarette, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0079] For the aerosol delivery system characterized as an electronic cigarette, the aerosol precursor composition may include tobacco or a component derived from tobacco. In one aspect, tobacco can be provided as several parts or several pieces of tobacco, such as finely ground, ground or powdered tobacco flakes. It can include tobacco beads, pellets or other solid forms such as described in the U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0335070 of Sears et al., and its disclosure is generally incorporated herein by reference. On the other hand, tobacco can be provided in the form of an extract, such as a spray-dried extract, and the extract includes many water-soluble components of tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco extract can have the form of an extract with a relatively high nicotine content, and the extract also includes a small amount of components from other extracts of tobacco. On the other hand, the component derived from tobacco can be provided in a relatively pure form, such as some flavorings derived from tobacco. On the one hand, the component derived from tobacco and can be used in a highly purified or substantially pure form is nicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical grade nicotine). In other embodiments, non-tobacco materials can form an aerosol precursor composition alone.

[0080] Aerosol precursor compositions, also referred to as vapor precursor compositions or "e-liquids," may include a variety of components, including, for example, polyols (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or flavorants. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and compositions are also described and characterized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2013 / 0008457 to Zheng et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2013 / 0213417 to Chong et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collett et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2015 / 0030823 to Lipowicz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2015 / 0020830 to Koller, and WO 2014 / 182736 to Bowen et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used include those contained in the following products: products; BLUTM products from Lorillard Technologies; MISTIC MENTHOL products from Mistic Ecigs; MARK TEN products from Nu Mark LLC; JUUL products from Juul Labs; and VYPE products from CNCreative Ltd. Also contemplated are so-called "tobacco juices" for electronic cigarettes that have been available from Johnson Creek Ltd. Additional exemplary aerosol precursor compositions are sold under the following trade names: BLACK NOTE, COSMIC FOG, MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, VAPOR CHEF, VAPE WILD, BOOSTED, THE STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINE RESERVE, DR. CRIMMY' SV-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWN VAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOODLIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUP VAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN. The amount of aerosol precursor incorporated into the aerosol delivery system is such that the aerosol generating member provides acceptable sensory and desired performance characteristics. For example, it is desirable to use a sufficient amount of aerosol-forming materials such as glycerol and / or propylene glycol to ensure that a visible mainstream aerosol is generated that is similar in many respects to the appearance of tobacco smoke. The amount of aerosol precursor in the aerosol generating system may depend on factors such as the number of puffs desired for each aerosol generating member. In one or more embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition of about 0.5 ml or more, about 1 ml or more, about 2 ml or more, about 5 ml or more, or about 10 ml or more may be included.

[0081] Nos. 5,967,148 to Harris et al.; 5,934,289 to Watkins et al.; 5,954,979 to Counts et al.; 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al.; 8,365,742 to Hon; 8,402,976 to Fernando et al.; 2010 / 0163063 to Fernando et al.; and 2011 / 0163064 to Tucker et al. No. 13 / 0192623; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 to Leven et al.; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano et al. describe other features, controllers or components that may be incorporated into the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure, and the above documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0082] Based on the further disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description of the use of the article can be applied to the various embodiments described herein with some modifications. However, the above description of the use is not intended to limit the use of the article, but to provide all necessary requirements of the disclosure consistent with the present disclosure. Figure 1 Any elements shown in the article shown in or as otherwise described above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0083] In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure may specifically relate to an aerosol delivery device configured to provide an increased amount of generated vapor. This increase may be caused by a variety of factors. In some embodiments, the fluid delivery element may be formed in part or in whole by a porous monomer such as a porous ceramic, porous glass, a porous polymer, etc. For example, exemplary monomer materials suitable for embodiments according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 988,109 filed on January 5, 2016 and U.S. Patent No. 2014 / 0123989 of LaMothe, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the porous monomer may form a substantially rigid wicking portion. Specifically, the delivery element may be substantially a single monomer material, rather than a bundled single fiber as known in the art.

[0084] The use of a rigid porous monomer as a fluid transport element can be beneficial to improve the uniformity of heating and reduce the possible charring of the fluid transport element when uneven heating occurs. It may also be desirable to eliminate the presence of fiber materials in an aerosol delivery device. Despite these benefits, porous monomers also present some challenges to successful implementation as fluid transport elements. These challenges are partly due to the fact that porous monomers (e.g., porous ceramics) have different material properties compared to fiber cores. For example, alumina has a higher thermal conductivity and a higher heat capacity than silica. These thermal properties result in heat being drawn away from the aerosol precursor composition at the interface between the wicking portion and the heater, and this may require a higher initial energy output to achieve comparable fluid evaporation. The present disclosure achieves a way to overcome such difficulties.

[0085] In some embodiments using porous monomers, the energy required for evaporation can be reduced and the heat flux density (in watts per square meter - W / m2) on the surface of the porous monomer fluid transport element can be increased. 2 The present disclosure specifically describes embodiments suitable for providing such an increase in heat flux density.

[0086] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an atomizer configuration in which the fluid delivery element provides a flat heat receiving surface to receive heat from a flat heating surface of a heater. Figure 2 A first embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in which the fluid transport element 236 is in the form of a substantially rigid porous monomer. The fluid transport element 236 has a body 240 in the shape of a disk having a first side 244 and a second side 248. The periphery of the body 240 may be shaped other than circular to correspond to the overall cross-section of an aerosol delivery device utilizing the fluid transport element 236. In the illustrated embodiment, the first side 244 and the second side 248 generally correspond to opposite faces of the disk. The first side 244 and the second side 248 may be surfaces that are substantially parallel to each other. The disk may have an outer diameter D between about 6 mm and about 14 mm. M , however, the size of the body 240 may vary depending on the size of the components of the associated aerosol delivery device. For example, in the case where the aerosol delivery device is similar to a cigarette, such as Figure 1 As shown, the outer diameter D M The body is selected so that when the disc is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol delivery device, the body fits within the housing 103 ( Figure 1 )Inner diameter. Outer diameter D M It may be constant as shown, or may vary, for example to form a stepped portion or tapered outer surface, to facilitate assembly of an aerosol delivery device, including but not limited to facilitating operable fluid contact between a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor composition and a radially outer portion of the body 240.

[0087] exist Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present invention, the first side 244 can be a heat receiving side intended to be adjacent to and optionally in contact with a heater. The second side 248 can be an aerosol release side, with vapor being carried away from the fluid transfer element 236 by the air flow generated by the user when the user inhales on the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device. In other embodiments not shown, heat can be applied to the second side 248, the aerosol can be carried away from the first side 244, or both heating and carrying away can be performed primarily with respect to a single side of the body 240. In some embodiments, particularly embodiments in which airflow will pass adjacent to each side of the body, heating and agitation at each side of the body 240 are contemplated.

[0088] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the first side 244 may include a recess 252 formed or otherwise disposed within the body 240. The recess 252 may have a shape that matches the shape of the periphery of the body 240. In the illustrated circular case, the diameter D of the recess 252 is R The diameter D of the body 240 may be between about 5 mm and about 12 mm, and is generally larger than the diameter D of the body 240. M Half of the diameter D R The radius of the conduit passing through the reservoir at a location adjacent to the fluid delivery element 236 may be selected based in part on the radius of the conduit passing through the reservoir.

[0089] The portion of the body 240 between the periphery and the recess 252 may be referred to as an absorbent region 254, which may be placed in contact with the reservoir in whole or in part, such as Figure 6 shown.

[0090] The recess 252 may have a depth Z, where Z is between about 1 mm and about 4 mm, and may be between about 1.75 mm and about 2 mm, which may be the thickness T of the body 240. M 252. Similarly, the absolute depth and relative depth of the recess 252 can vary. In one embodiment, the depth Z can be large enough so that the heater and the insulator (e.g., insulation) can be substantially completely received within the recess 252. In another embodiment, the recess 252 receives the heater, and the insulator can be placed on the top surface 255 of the body 240.

[0091] The recess 252 defines a base surface 256, which may be referred to as a heat receiving surface. In some embodiments, the recess may be omitted and the top surface 255 may be the heat receiving surface. The body 240 has a vapor forming region 260 defined between the base surface 256 of the recess 252 and the second side 248. The vapor forming region 260 may have a thickness T of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. V In one embodiment, T V The diameter D of the recess 252 can be selected to be approximately 1 mm. R The area of ​​the base surface 256 and the thickness T of the vapor forming region 260 are determined V , to optimize the heat flux density and to optimize the ratio of the surface area from which the aerosol precursor can be released relative to the volume of the vapor formation zone from which the aerosol precursor can be formed.

[0092] like Figure 2 As shown, one or more holes 270 may be provided in the vapor forming region 260, the holes extending from the base surface 256 to the second side 248 of the body 240. The diameter D of the hole A The apertures 270 may be in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 0.9 mm, and may be about 0.35 mm, although other sizes may also be considered. The apertures 270 are disposed in the porous body 240 to increase the exposed surface area, from which the aerosol precursor may be released as vapor. In addition to selecting the size of each aperture 270, the number and arrangement of the apertures may be varied to optimize the effective release of the aerosol. The efficiency of the aerosol release may be determined based on factors such as the power required to heat the fluid delivery element 236 and the volume of the aerosol precursor evaporated. The apertures 270 may all be substantially equal in size, or their sizes may vary. For example, smaller apertures may be positioned near the center of the vapor forming region 260, while larger apertures may be positioned near the periphery of the vapor forming region, and vice versa. The apertures 270 may be randomly arranged or arranged in various ordered arrays, such as a square grid, concentric circles, or aligning the apertures along radial lines of the circular base surface 256.

[0093] The spacing of the holes 270 can also vary. The closely spaced holes 270 can be 0.5*D A or less, while the wider holes can be about D A270 . The cumulative surface area of ​​the ends of the holes 270 relative to the total area of ​​the base surface 256 may also vary from about 90% open area to about 10% open area or less, ignoring the porosity of the body 240 itself. For example, in some embodiments, there may be no holes 270 at all, in which case the percentage of open area would be defined as zero. The use of holes 270 may facilitate heat transfer from the heater by convection and conduction to provide more uniform heating of the fluid transport element 236, or alternatively help avoid overheating of the heater or the fluid transport element. Where holes 270 are used to increase surface area, alternative surface defects such as recesses, cavities, grooves, ribs, protrusions, projections, etc. may be provided at the vapor forming region 260 of the second side 248 to similarly increase the surface area exposed to the second side 248 of the body 240.

[0094] exist Figure 3 The heater 234 is shown in FIG. 1 and is configured to present a substantially planar heating surface 280 that is configured to face and be in close proximity to a heat receiving surface of the fluid transfer element 236 (e.g., the base surface 256, or an absorbent pad if present). In one embodiment, a heating wire 282 is arranged substantially along a plane to provide a substantially planar heating element. In one embodiment, the heating element may be sandwiched between highly thermally conductive materials such as ceramics (alumina, zirconium oxide, beryllium oxide, etc.). In one embodiment, the heating wire 282 is formed as a conductive trace printed or otherwise deposited on the surface of a planar disk 283 made of ceramic or other heat resistant material. The periphery of the heater 234 may be configured to be in contact with the base surface 256 ( Figure 2 ) is similar in shape and diameter so that the heater 234 can be substantially closely located within the recess 252 or even in contact with the base surface to transfer heat from the heating surface 280 of the heater 234 to the vapor forming region 260 of the fluid transport element 236. In some embodiments, the radius R of the heater 234 is no greater than the diameter D of the recess 252. R In one embodiment, the heater 234 may be a stamped heater according to USP 9,491,974, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0095] The internal layout of the heating wire 282 within the planar arrangement has no particular limitations with respect to its trajectory, the number of coils thereof, or the resulting spacing between adjacent portions of the heating wire. Likewise, the heating wire 282 may be inserted on or from the heating surface 282.

[0096] The heater 234 may also include electrical leads 284 to provide positive and negative electrical connections for the heater. The electrical leads 284 may be integrally formed with the heating wire 282, or may be a separate element that can be attached to (e.g., by welding or using a connector) the heating wire. The position of the leads 284 is not specifically limited. The leads 284 may be arranged adjacent to each other or separated from each other.

[0097] exist Figure 4 An exploded view of the fluid delivery element 236 and the heater 234 is shown in FIG. An electrical insulator 288 and a thermal insulator 288 may also be provided, such as in the form of sheets of mica or similar insulating material. Figure 4 It is understood that the insulator 288 can be disposed on the first side 244 of the body 240 and can be configured to substantially enclose the heater 234 within the recess 252. The electrical leads 284 can be understood to pass through or around the insulator 288 to make an electrical connection with a power source. The size and dimensions of the insulator 288 can be designed to fit the heater 234 within the recess 252, or the insulator 288 can have a larger diameter and be positioned along the top surface 255 of the body 240.

[0098] The combination of the delivery element 226, the heater 234 and the optional insulator 288 provides an atomizer 290. Figure 4 It is understood that the heater 234 can be configured to be within the recess 252 of the fluid transport element 236. In this configuration, the energy from the heater 234 is focused into a smaller surface area of ​​the vapor forming region 260 of the body 240.

[0099] In one or more alternative embodiments, the heating wire 282 of the heater 234 can be provided in the form of a mesh or screen heater, which can effectively increase the surface area coverage of the heater on the porous monolithic fluid transport element 236. Similarly, the heater 234 can be configured to contact at least a portion of the first side 244 of the fluid transport element, such as the base surface 256, and the heater is in the form of a conductive mesh. As used herein, the terms mesh and screen are interchangeable and specifically refer to a network of crossed conductive filaments. Thus, the conductive mesh can be considered to be a network and / or interlaced structure of conductive filaments. The conductive filaments can be formed of any suitable conductive material, such as conductive materials for forming heaters listed in other ways herein. In one or more embodiments, the conductive filaments can be at least partially interwoven with non-conductive filaments or similar materials.

[0100] If the heater 234 is formed by a conductive mesh, the heater 234 can be limited to a regular pattern of conductive filaments, which form a parallelogram or other shapes consistent with the mesh structure. The conductive filaments can specifically surround the insulating space. The insulating space can be open (e.g., insulated by air) or can be at least partially filled with an insulator. The insulating space can be configured to have a limited area so that the heating capacity of the conductive mesh heater 334 is increased to reduce the amount of power delivered to the heater. In some embodiments, the insulating space can have an average single area of ​​about 0.01 square microns to about 2 square millimeters. In other embodiments, the insulating space can have an average single area of ​​about 0.05 square microns to about 1.5 square millimeters, about 0.1 square microns to about 1 square millimeter, about 0.25 square microns to about 0.5 square millimeters or about 0.5 square microns to about 0.1 square millimeters. In some embodiments, the insulating space can have an average single area in a larger range, such as about 0.005 square millimeters to about 2 square millimeters, about 0.01 square millimeters to about 1.5 square millimeters or about 0.02 square millimeters to about 1 square millimeter. In some embodiments, the insulating spaces may have an average individual area in a lower range, such as about 0.01 square microns to about 10 square microns, about 0.02 square microns to about 5 square microns, or about 0.05 square microns to about 1 square micron.

[0101] The heating wire 282 or alternatively the conductive mesh is not limited to generating heat by resistance to an electric current directly applied thereto. The heating wire 282 or conductive mesh may be similarly configured to generate heat by induction current and eddy current in the presence of an alternating magnetic field without being directly electrically connected to a power source. For induction heating, other types of materials may be used as heating elements, such as ferritic steel, ferromagnetic ceramics, aluminum, etc.

[0102] In other embodiments, such as Figure 4 The nebulizer 290 shown may be included in the aerosol delivery device 300 ( Figure 6 ) in which the aerosol delivery device may include a storage tank 304. Figure 5 290 is an end perspective view of a tank 304 suitable for use with the nebulizer 290. The tank 304 may include an outer body or housing 303 defining a housing configured to store a liquid aerosol precursor 345 ( Figure 6) of the reservoir 344. The reservoir 304 may include at least one inlet opening 308. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet openings 308 are circumferentially spaced and extend radially from the periphery of the reservoir 304. The inlet openings 308 lead to a chamber 310 that is along the bracket 318 or embedded below the top of the bracket 318. In both cases, the end of the reservoir 304 will be designed to avoid mixing between the air path and the liquid in the reservoir 344. The inner cavity 314 may extend from the chamber 310 through the reservoir 304 to the mouthpiece 327 ( Figure 6 ) to allow the aspirated air to exit the aerosol delivery device 300. One or more holes 316 allow access to the reservoir 344. The holes 316 can be formed in a bracket 318 positioned around the cavity 310. The bracket 318 can include one or more annular rings 320 protruding axially therefrom. The annular rings 320 can be configured to mate with matching grooves ( Figure 8 516) to help seal the liquid delivery element to the tank 304.

[0103] like Figure 6 As shown, the nebulizer 290 can be mounted on a bracket 318. The aerosol precursor 345 can be passed through one or more holes 316 ( Figure 5 ) leaves the reservoir and is absorbed by the porous fluid transport element 236. Alternatively, as described below, the fluid transport element may be coupled to an absorbent pad between the heater and the fluid transport element for absorbing the aerosol precursor. When the heater 234 is activated, the aerosol precursor composition is vaporized and introduced into the chamber 310 through the holes 270 or wicked from the second side 248 of the porous fluid transport element 236.

[0104] In the illustrated embodiment, air drawn in through the air inlet opening 308 carries the formed vapor from the chamber 310 through the interior cavity 314 to the mouthpiece 327 (e.g., in the form of an aerosol, where the formed vapor mixes with the air). Figure 6The air flow path P from the air inlet opening 308 to the mouthpiece 327, shown by a dashed line in FIG, passes along the second side 248 of the fluid delivery element 236. In the illustrated embodiment, the air flow path P does not pass through or around the fluid delivery element 236 and does not pass through the hole 270. Alternatively, a pressure differential is created in the chamber 310 by the air flowing out of the air inlet opening 308 being drawn through the outlet of the hole 270 and out of the mouthpiece 327, which draws the generated aerosol out of the hole 270 and into the chamber 310, where the aerosol is entrained by the air flow. The pressure differential can also assist in further wicking the aerosol precursor 345 from the reservoir 344 into the fluid delivery element 236. As shown, the reservoir 344 can be substantially tubular, and the aerosol passes through the reservoir along the air flow path P. The outer shape of the reservoir 344 may match the shape of the housing 303, which is not limited to a cylindrical tube but may include other outer shapes having a center or other internal cavity therethrough. Other configurations of the elements are also contemplated. The reservoir 304 may include a connector for connecting the reservoir to a control body or power unit (e.g., Figure 1 The connector 340 may have a Figure 1 The base 140 shown may have a similar structure to that shown, or may have any other structure suitable for connecting the tank 304 to the control body / power unit. Although not shown, it should be understood that an electrical connection is included to provide electrical connection between the heater 234 and the battery (e.g., Figure 1 Electrical connection between the element 110 in the embodiment of the present invention) or other power delivery device. Figure 1 Any related elements of aerosol delivery device 100 may also be included in aerosol delivery device 300.

[0105] The use of at least two separate heaters can be beneficial in improving the generation of vapor. Specifically, a first heater can be used to preheat the liquid for evaporation within the fluid transport element, and a second heater can be used to actually evaporate the liquid. Preheating can reduce the total power and / or absolute temperature and / or heating time required to provide a desired volume of vapor. For example, the outer heater can be a preheater and the inner heater can be a evaporation heater. Additionally or alternatively, at least two separate heaters can be positioned on the outer surface of the fluid transport element. One of the heaters can function as a preheater and another of the heaters can function as an evaporation heater. For example, Figure 6As shown, a preheater (not shown) may be positioned between the heater 234 (which may function as a vaporizing heater) and the reservoir 344. As described above, the preheater may preheat the liquid aerosol precursor composition flowing from the reservoir 344 to the vaporizing heater 234 so that the vaporizing heater may more easily achieve vaporization, and / or the preheater may reduce the viscosity of the liquid aerosol precursor composition to improve the flow of the liquid from the reservoir to the vaporizing heater. Figure 6 In the embodiment of the present invention, the second heater positioned between the heater 234 and the reservoir 344 can be a mesh heater as described herein, can be a simple coil, or can be any other type of heater for providing preheating to the liquid in the fluid transport element.

[0106] Go to Figure 7 and 8 , shows an exploded view of an atomizer 490 according to a second embodiment. The atomizer 490 may include an insulator 488, which may be substantially similar to the insulator 288 of the first embodiment. The atomizer 490 may include a heater 434, which may be substantially similar to the heater 234 of the first embodiment. The atomizer 490 may include a high absorbency pad 504, which may include a fibrous material suitable for absorbing and wicking a liquid aerosol precursor composition. Suitable materials for pad 504 include silica, ceramic or cotton. Pad 504 may include an optional central opening 508.

[0107] Further, atomizer 490 includes a fluid delivery element 436 according to a second embodiment, wherein the fluid delivery element is a non-porous monomer formed by ceramic, metal or polymer. Fluid delivery element 436 can be configured to deliver fluid without relying on its porosity. Fluid delivery element 436 has a main body 440, which has a first side 444 and a second side 448. The thickness between the first side 444 and the second side 448 can be substantially less than the other dimensions of the main body 440, so that the main body can be considered to be substantially flat. In the embodiment shown, the main body 440 has a circular shape, so it can be described as a dish. Other peripheral shapes can also be considered, such as rectangles, hexagons, triangles, other regular and irregular polygons, ellipses and other shapes.

[0108] exist Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the first side 444 includes a recess 452 formed or otherwise disposed within the body 440. If present, the recess 452 may define a base surface 456. In other embodiments, the recess may not be present.

[0109] One or more channels 458 may be provided near the periphery of the body 440, extending between the second side 448 and the first side 444. The channels 458 are configured to provide for the aerosol precursor composition 345 ( Figure 6 and 9 ) from storage 344 ( Figure 6 and 9 ) flows to the conduit of the first top side 444 of the fluid delivery element 436, for example, from its periphery into the recess 452. Fig. 9 ) when the channel 458 is arranged to cooperate with the hole 316 ( Figure 5 ) corresponding. The number of holes 316 and the number of channels 458 can be selected according to the desired flow rate of the liquid aerosol precursor composition. The edge of the channel 458 on the first side 444 can be tangential to the perimeter of the base surface 456, or can protrude into the base surface.

[0110] The aerosol precursor composition 345 can then travel into the space between the base surface 456 and the heater 434, for example being wicked by the absorbent pad 504, or if the absorbent pad is omitted, flowing freely into the space so that the aerosol precursor composition can come into direct contact with the heater. When the heater 434 is powered on, the collected aerosol precursor composition is aerosolized and can exit through the fluid transport element 436 through the aperture 470 into the chamber 410 ( Fig. 9 ) to be entrained in the air flow along the air flow path P ( Fig. 9 ).

[0111] In one embodiment, the holes 470 can be substantially similar to the holes 270 described above. In the presence of the porous pad 504, the size range of the holes 470 can be increased, such as between about 0.1 mm and about 1 mm.

[0112] In some embodiments, the hole 470 includes a central hole 472. The central hole 472 can be larger than the remaining holes of the hole 470. The size of the central hole can be between about 0.5 mm and about 4 mm. Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the central hole 472 passes through a raised boss 474 extending from the base surface 456 of the body 440. The boss 474 can function to inhibit leakage of the liquid aerosol precursor composition from the pad 504 into the central hole 472. In the illustrated embodiment, the boss 474 includes at least one recess 476 formed on the exterior thereof. The recess 476 can allow the aerosol to be released from the absorbent pad 504 toward the central hole 472. In other embodiments, the raised boss 474 may not be present. The raised boss 474 is understood to pass through the central opening 508 of the absorbent pad 504. If the boss 474 is omitted, the central opening 508 can be similarly omitted or retained without any boss.

[0113] In one embodiment, the base surface 456 is further formed with a support 512 formed around the perimeter of the base surface. The support 512 can support the heater 434 and maintain a desired gap between the heater and the base surface 456. The above gap accommodates the aerosol precursor composition. The size of the gap can range from about 0.1*Z to about 0.75*Z, where Z( Figure 2 ) is the depth of the recess 452. The height of the gap may also correspond to the height reached by the channel 458 above the base surface 456.

[0114] In one embodiment, the second side 448 ( Figure 8 ) is provided with a groove 516. The groove 516 can facilitate the main body 440 and the storage tank 404 ( Fig. 9 ) to help form a mechanical seal to prevent the liquid aerosol precursor from leaking into the chamber 410. For example, the assembly may include the above-mentioned groove 516 and the annular ring 320 ( Figure 5 ) between them.

[0115] In one or more instances, the values ​​described herein may be characterized by the word "about." It should be understood that a value of "about" the amount indicates that the amount may be exactly the indicated value, or may differ from the indicated value by up to 5%, up to 2%, or up to 1%.

[0116] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs, having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and various modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a general and descriptive sense, not for the purpose of limitation.

Claims

1. An atomizer, comprising: A fluid transport element, the fluid transport element comprising a rigid monomer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and the rigid monomer comprising: at least one hole from said first side to said second side to provide a conduit for an aerosol precursor to be vaporized, and at least one channel adjacent a periphery of the rigid monomer to provide a conduit for liquid aerosol precursor to travel from the second side to the first side; and Heater, wherein the heater comprises a flat heating surface, and Wherein, the heating surface is positioned to face the first side of the rigid monomer.

2. The atomizer according to claim 1, characterized in that The rigid monomer is formed of a porous material capable of wicking the aerosol precursor composition into proximity with the heated surface by capillary action.

3. The atomizer according to claim 1, characterized in that The rigid monomer is formed of a non-porous material.

4. The atomizer according to claim 3, characterized in that The fluid transport element also includes an absorbent pad along the first side of the rigid monomer.

5. The atomizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid monomer having a recess formed in the first side, Wherein, the heating surface is positioned facing the base surface of the recess.

6. The atomizer according to claim 5, characterized in that The rigid monomer includes at least one hole extending from the base surface to the second side.

7. The atomizer according to claim 6, characterized in that The at least one aperture comprises a centrally located aperture.

8. The atomizer according to claim 7, characterized in that The at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes, and the centrally located hole has a larger diameter than the remaining holes of the plurality of holes.

9. The atomizer according to claim 7, characterized in that The base surface includes a boss through which the centrally located hole passes.

10. The atomizer according to claim 5, characterized in that The depth of the recess is greater than 30% of the thickness of the rigid monomer.

11. The atomizer according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that Also included is an absorbent pad positioned in the recess between the heating surface and the base surface.

12. The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The heater comprises at least one heating element selected from the group consisting of a heating wire, a conductive mesh, and a conductive trace printed on a surface of a substrate.

13. The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that Also included is an insulator separate from the heater.

14. The atomizer according to claim 13, characterized in that The insulator includes mica.

15. An aerosol delivery device comprising the nebulizer according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 15, wherein: The aerosol delivery device defines an air flow path from an air inlet opening to a mouthpiece, the air flow path passing along the second side of the rigid monolith.

17. The aerosol delivery device of claim 16, wherein: The rigid monomer includes at least one hole extending from the first side to the second side, wherein the aerosol delivery device is configured so that the vaporized aerosol precursor is drawn through the at least one hole by a pressure differential generated by suction of air moving along the air flow path, and the air flow path is along the second side of the rigid monomer.

18. The aerosol delivery device of claim 16, wherein: A reservoir is included, the reservoir comprising an aerosol precursor composition, wherein the aerosol delivery device generates an air flow path from an air inlet opening to a mouthpiece, the air flow path passing through the reservoir.

19. The aerosol delivery device of claim 18, wherein: The rigid cell also includes a circumferential groove formed in the second side of the rigid cell, the circumferential groove configured to help seal the rigid cell to the reservoir.

Images