Smoking article with a removable cartridge

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a smoking article including a retainer and a removable cartridge. The cartridge is configured to be received at a receiving end of the retainer and includes a heat source configured to generate heat, and a base portion comprising a base material having an associated aerosol precursor composition. The retainer also includes an ejection mechanism configured to move the cartridge relative to the retainer between a receiving position and an ejection position. In one embodiment, the ejection mechanism includes a pusher, a guide ring, a support sleeve, and a spring, wherein the cartridge is configured to be received in the support sleeve, and wherein the pusher is configured to move relative to the guide ring, thereby alternately actuating the support sleeve between the receiving position and the ejection position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices and systems such as smoking articles; and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that utilize combustible carbon-based ignition sources or electric heat to generate aerosols (e.g., smoking articles for producing inhalable forms of tobacco, tobacco extracts, nicotine, synthetic nicotine, non-nicotine flavorings, and other material components, commonly referred to as non-burning heat systems or electronic cigarettes). The components of such products are made of or derived from tobacco, or those products can be characterized as otherwise combined with tobacco for human consumption, and are capable of evaporating components of tobacco and / or other tobacco-related materials to form an inhalable aerosol for human consumption. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, many smoking articles have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products based on burning tobacco. Exemplary alternatives have included devices in which solid or liquid fuels are burned to transfer heat to the tobacco, or in which chemical reactions are used to provide such heat sources. Examples include the smoking articles described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The purpose of the improvement or alternative of smoking articles is usually to provide the feeling related to cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking, without transmitting a large amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. For this reason, it has been proposed to adopt electric energy to evaporate or heat volatile materials or to attempt to provide the feeling 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 and the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 of Griffith Jr. et al. and the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 of Sears et al., the above-mentioned document is incorporated herein by reference. For example, it can also be referred to the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and electric heating sources in the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0220232 of Bless et al., which refer to the reference trademark name and commercial source, and the full text is incorporated herein by reference. Additional types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered heat sources are listed by reference to trade names and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0245659 to DePiano et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference.Other representative cigarettes or smoking articles that have been described and in some cases are commercially available include those described in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al.; 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; 5,336,677 to Counts et al.; 5,413,691 to Counts et al.; 5,614,693 to Counts et al.; 5,615,694 to Counts et al.; 5,616,695 to Counts et al. No. 5,388,594 to Hodgkins et al.; No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; No. 6,164,287 to White; No. 6,196,218 to Voges; No. 6,810,883 to Fleter et al.; No. 6,854,461 to Nichols; No. 6,196,218 to Hon. No. 7,832,410 to Kobayashi; No. 7,513,253 to Hamano; No. 7,896,006 to Shayan; No. 6,772,756 to Shayan; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0095311 to Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006 / 0196518, 2009 / 0126745, and 2009 / 0188490 to Hon; Thorens et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0272379; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009 / 0260641 and 2009 / 0260642 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008 / 0149118 and 2010 / 0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0307518 to Wang; and WO2010 / 091593 to Hon, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Various ways and methods for assembling a smoking article having a plurality of sequentially arranged segmented components have been proposed. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,469,871 to Barnes et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 to Crooks et al.; and various types of assembly techniques and methods described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0186757 to Crooks et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0042885 to Stone et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 00673620 to Conner et al.; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0005] Representative products that have many attributes similar to conventional types of cigarettes, cigars or pipes are marketed under the following brand names: ALPHA sold by InnoVapor LLC TM 、JOYE 510 TM and M4 TM ; CIRRUS sold by White Cloud Cigarettes TM and FLING TM ; BLU sold by Fontem Ventures TM ;Depend on International Co., Ltd. COHITA sold by International Inc. TM 、COLIBRI TM ELITECLASSIC TM 、MAGNUM TM PHANTOM TM and SENSE TM ; DUOPRO sold by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc. TM 、STORM TM and EGAR sold by Egar Australia TM ; eGo-C sold by Joyetech TM and eGo-T TM ; ELUSION sold by Elusion UK Ltd TM ; Sold by Eonsmoke LLC FINTM sold by FIN Branding Group, LLC; FINTM sold by Green Smoke Inc. USA GREENARETTE sold by Greenarette LLC TM ; by SMOKE )Sold by HALLIGAN TM 、HENDU TM 、JET TM, MAXXQ TM PINK TM and PITBULL TM ; HEATBAR sold by Philip Morris International, Inc. TM ; HYDRO IMPERIAL sold by Crown7 TM LOGIC sold by LOGIC Technology TM and THE CUBAN TM ; sold by Luciano Smokes Inc. Sold by Nicotek, LLC Sold by Sottera, Inc. and ONEJOY TM ; NO.7 sold by SS Choice LLC TM ;PREMIUM ELECTRONICCIGARETTE sold by PremiumEstore LLC TM ; RAPP E-MYSTICK sold by Ruyan America, Inc. TM ; RED DRAGON sold by Red Dragon Products, LLC TM ; Sold by Ruyan Group (Holdings) Ltd. Sold by Smoker Friendly International, LLC GREEN SMART sold by The Smart Smoking Electronic Cigarette Company Ltd. SMOKE sold by Coastline Products LLC SMOKING sold by Smoking Everywhere, Inc. V2CIGS sold by VMR Products LLC TM ; VAPOR NINE sold by VaporNine LLC TM ; Sold by Vapor4Life, Inc. VEPPO sold by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC TM ; Provided by RJReynolds Vapor Mistic Menthol, sold by Mistic Ecigs; Vype, sold by CN Creative Ltd.; IQOS, sold by Philip Morris International TM ; and GLO sold by British American Tobacco TM Other powered aerosol delivery devices, particularly those that have become known as so-called electronic cigarettes, have been marketed under the following trade names: COOLERVISIONS TM ;DIRECT E-CIG TM ;DRAGONFLY TM ;EMIST TM ;EVERSMOKE TM ; HYBRIDFLAME TM ;KNIGHT STICKS TM ; ROYAL BLUES TM ; and South Beach Smokey TM .

[0006] In some cases, the smoking articles of traditional types, such as those mentioned above, are difficult to assemble, due to the multiple parts that must be disassembled and reassembled when consuming the aerosol delivery components provided therein. In some other cases, some smoking articles, specifically those smoking articles using traditional paper wrapping materials, due to the high temperature reached by the fuel source close to the paper wrapping material, also easily cause the paper wrapping material on the combustible fuel source to be burnt. This can reduce the enjoyment of some consumers to the smoking experience, and can cover up or undesirably change the flavor delivered to consumers by the aerosol delivery components of the smoking articles. In other cases, the smoking articles of traditional types can produce a relatively large amount of gas during use, such as carbon monoxide and / or carbon dioxide (for example, as the product of carbon combustion). In further cases, the smoking articles of traditional types may suffer from bad performance in terms of atomization (one or more) aerosol formation components.

[0007] Thus, it is desirable to provide a smoking article that solves one or more technical problems sometimes associated with conventional types of smoking articles. In particular, it is desirable to provide a smoking article that is easy to use and provides reusable components. Summary of the invention

[0008] In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a smoking article and a removable cartridge for use with the smoking article.The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary embodiments.

[0009] Exemplary embodiment 1: A smoking article, comprising: a holder, the holder including a receiving end and a mouth end; a removable cartridge, the removable cartridge being configured to be received in the receiving end of the holder, the removable cartridge including a heat source, the heat source being configured to generate heat when it is ignited; and a base portion, the base portion having a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the heat source being disposed proximate to the first end of the base portion, and the base portion including a base material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith and an ejection mechanism configured to move the cartridge relative to the holder between a receiving position and an ejection position.

[0010] Exemplary embodiment 2: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the cartridge further comprises an outer shell configured to surround at least a portion of the base portion.

[0011] Exemplary embodiment 3: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the outer shell comprises one or more end holes configured to allow aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

[0012] Exemplary embodiment 4: A smoking article as described in any of the preceding exemplary embodiments or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the ejection mechanism includes a push pin, a guide ring, a carrying sleeve and a spring, wherein the cartridge is configured to be received in the carrying sleeve, and wherein the push pin is configured to move the carrying sleeve relative to the guide ring, thereby actuating the carrying sleeve alternately between a receiving position and a ejection position.

[0013] Exemplary embodiment 5: A smoking article as described in any of the preceding exemplary embodiments or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the carrier sleeve includes a vapor channel and the push pin includes an inner hole, and wherein the vapor channel and the inner hole are configured to provide a path for aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

[0014] Exemplary embodiment 6: A smoking article as described in any of the preceding exemplary embodiments or any combination of any of the preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, fragments of reconstituted tobacco material, tobacco rods and non-tobacco materials.

[0015] Exemplary embodiment 7: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises a non-tobacco material.

[0016] Exemplary Embodiment 8: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source comprises an extruded monomeric carbonaceous material.

[0017] Exemplary embodiment 9: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source defines one or more channels extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

[0018] Exemplary embodiment 10: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source defines one or more circumferential grooves extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

[0019] Exemplary embodiment 11: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder comprises a body portion and a mouthpiece at the mouth end of the holder, and the mouthpiece is configured to move relative to the body portion.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment 12: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the retaining member comprises a plurality of openings located proximate the receiving end.

[0021] Exemplary Embodiment 13: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the retainer is constructed of at least one of a ceramic material, a plastic material, and a metal material.

[0022] Exemplary Embodiment 14: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the holder comprises a thermal indicator configured to indicate a state of the cartridge.

[0023] Exemplary embodiment 15: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises a first substrate material section and a second substrate material section, and the second substrate material section is disposed adjacent the second end of the first substrate material section.

[0024] Exemplary embodiment 16: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second substrate material section comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, shreds of reconstituted tobacco material, or tobacco rods.

[0025] Exemplary Embodiment 17: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second substrate material section comprises a non-tobacco material.

[0026] Exemplary Embodiment 18: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a filter.

[0027] Exemplary Embodiment 19: The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the cartridge comprises one or more retention features configured to retain the cartridge once inserted into the holder.

[0028] Exemplary Embodiment 20 The smoking article of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the retaining element comprises one or more complementary retaining features.

[0029] Exemplary embodiment 21: A removable cartridge for a smoking article, comprising: a heat source configured to generate heat when ignited; a base portion having a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the heat source being disposed proximate the first end of the base portion, and the base portion comprising a base material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith; and an outer shell configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source and the base portion, wherein the outer shell comprises an open end and a closed end, and the closed end comprises one or more end holes configured to allow an aerosol from the base material to pass therethrough.

[0030] Exemplary embodiment 22: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, shreds of reconstituted tobacco material, tobacco rods, and non-tobacco material.

[0031] Exemplary Embodiment 23: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the substrate material comprises a non-tobacco material.

[0032] Exemplary Embodiment 24: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source comprises an extruded monomeric carbonaceous material.

[0033] Exemplary Embodiment 25: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source defines one or more channels extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

[0034] Exemplary Embodiment 26: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the heat source defines one or more circumferential grooves extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

[0035] Exemplary Embodiment 27: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the base material comprises a first base material section and a second base material section, and the second base material section is disposed proximate the second end of the first base material.

[0036] Exemplary Embodiment 28: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second substrate material section comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, shreds of reconstituted tobacco material, or tobacco rods.

[0037] Exemplary Embodiment 29: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the second substrate material section comprises a non-tobacco material.

[0038] Exemplary Embodiment 30: The cartridge of any preceding exemplary embodiment or any combination of any preceding exemplary embodiments, wherein the aperture comprises a pair of elongated rounded slots.

[0039] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings that are briefly described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] 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:

[0041] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a smoking article including a holder and a removable cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 3 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a cartridge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a retainer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a holder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure showing various internal components;

[0046] Figure 6 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a retainer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 7 A perspective view showing various components of an ejection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with a removable cartridge received into a holder in a receiving position;

[0049] Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a smoking article according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with the cartridge received in the holder in a receiving position; and

[0050] Fig.10A perspective view of a smoking article according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, illustrating a cartridge receiving position and a cartridge ejecting position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] 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 is implemented in many forms and should not be understood as being limited to the embodiments set forth 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.

[0052] The present disclosure provides a description of an article (and its assembly and / or manufacture) in which a material is heated (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to form an aerosol and / or an inhalable substance; such an article is compact enough to be considered a "handheld" device. In a preferred aspect, the article is characterized as a smoking article. As used herein, the term "smoking article" is intended to mean an article and / or device that can provide many sensations in smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, types of tastes or fragrances, sensory effects, physical sensations, usage habits, visual cues provided by visible aerosols, etc.) without burning any component in the above-mentioned article or device to a significant extent. As used herein, the term "smoking article" does not necessarily mean that in operation, the article or device produces smoke in the sense of an aerosol produced by the combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco. On the contrary, the above-mentioned article or device produces vapor (including vapor in an aerosol that can be considered as a visible aerosol, and a visible aerosol can be considered as smoke-like) due to the volatilization or evaporation of certain components, elements, etc. of the article and / or device. In preferred aspects, articles or devices characterized as smoking articles incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived ingredients.

[0053] As described above, the aerosol generating components of certain preferred aerosol delivery devices can provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the habit of inhaling and exhaling, the type of taste or aroma, the sensory effects, the physical sensation, the habit of use, the visual cues provided by the visible aerosol, etc.), without burning any of the components to a significant degree, while these cigarettes, cigars, or pipes are used by lighting and burning tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke). For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention can hold and use the component like a smoker uses a traditional 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.

[0054] The article or device of the present disclosure is also characterized as steam generation article, aerosol delivery article or medicament delivery article.Therefore, such article or device are suitable for providing one or more materials of inhalable form or state.For example, inhalable material is in the form of steam (for example, being in the gas phase material at a temperature below its critical point) substantially.Alternatively, inhalable material is in the form of aerosol (for example, fine solid particles or droplet suspension in gas).For the purpose of simplification, the term "aerosol" used herein is intended to include steam, gas or aerosol in the form or type suitable for human body inhalation, whether visible or not, whether or not it can be considered as a smoky form.In some embodiments, the terms "steam" and "aerosol" can be interchanged.Therefore, for simplicity, unless otherwise stated, the terms "steam" and "aerosol" used to describe the present disclosure should be understood to be interchangeable.

[0055] When in use, the smoking articles of the present disclosure can be subjected to many of the body movements that individuals use when using traditional types of smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, or pipes that are used by igniting with a flame and then inhaling the subsequently burned and / or lit tobacco). For example, a user of the smoking articles of the present disclosure holds the article much like a traditional type of smoking article, inhales on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol generated by the article, and inhales at selected time intervals.

[0056] Although the system is generally described herein from the aspects of embodiments related to smoking articles such as so-called "electronic cigarettes" or "tobacco heating products", it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods can be implemented in many different forms and associated with a variety of different products. For example, the description provided herein can be used in conjunction with embodiments of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), heat-not-burn cigarettes, and related packaging for any product disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are discussed only by way of example from the aspects of embodiments related to aerosol delivery devices, and can be implemented and used for various other products and methods.

[0057] The smoking article of the present disclosure generally comprises a plurality of elements arranged on or contained in a certain type of shell, such as a housing, an outer wrapping or wrapping, a shell, a part, a module, a member, etc. The overall design of the capsule is variable, and the form or the structure of the capsule that limits the overall size and shape of the smoking article are also variable. In some respects, it is desirable that the overall design, size and / or shape of the capsule are similar to the overall design, size and / or shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. Typically, the capsule similar to the shape of a cigarette or cigar comprises separable parts, a member, etc., which cooperate to form the capsule. For example, in some respects, this smoking article may comprise three separable parts, which comprise a mouthpiece part, an aerosol delivery part (such as, for example, a base material) and a heat source part. In various aspects, heat source can generate heat to aerosolize substrate material, and this substrate material comprises for example extruded structure and / or substrate, substrate material associated with aerosol precursor composition, material (for example, beads, thin slices, shredded, wrapping paper) tobacco and / or tobacco derived materials etc. in solid or liquid form found naturally in tobacco, and these tobacco and / or tobacco derived materials are directly separated or synthesized from tobacco.In some embodiments, extruded structure can comprise the composite of tobacco product or tobacco and other materials such as for example ceramic powder.In other embodiments, tobacco extract / slurry can be loaded in porous ceramic beads.Other embodiments can use non-tobacco products.In some embodiments, porous beads / powder (ceramic) loaded with electronic liquid can be used.In other embodiments, the rod / column made of the extruded slurry of ceramic powder and electronic liquid can be used.

[0058] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, it would be advantageous to provide a smoking article that is easy to use and provides reusable components. Figure 1 A perspective view of such a smoking article according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Specifically, Figure 1A perspective view of a smoking article 100 is shown, which includes a removable cartridge 102 and a holder 104. The holder 104 includes a body portion 120 and a mouthpiece 122 located at the mouth end of the holder 104. As will be discussed in more detail below, in the depicted embodiment, the removable cartridge 102 is configured to be received into a cavity 106 defined on the receiving end of the body portion 120 of the holder 104. Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 1. A perspective view of a removable cartridge 102. In the depicted embodiment, the removable cartridge 102 includes a heat source 108, a base portion 110, and an outer housing 112 configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 108 and the base portion 110.

[0059] It should be noted that, although in the depicted embodiment, the cartridge 102 and the holder 104 have a substantially cylindrical shape that mimics the shape of a traditional cigarette, in various other embodiments, any one or both of these components (and / or any of their subcomponents, such as, for example, the main body 120 of the holder 104, the mouthpiece 122 or the ejection mechanism 126 and / or the heat source 108 of the cartridge 102, the outer shell 112 or the base material 116) may have different shapes. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the holder 104 or the cartridge 102 (and / or any of their subcomponents) may have a substantially rectangular shape, such as a substantially cuboid shape (e.g., similar to a USB flash drive). In other embodiments, one or both of the holder 104 or the cartridge 102 (and / or any of their subcomponents) may have other handheld shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the holder 104 may have a small box shape, various small cigarette (pod) and large cigarette (mod) shapes, or a keychain shape.

[0060] In various embodiments, the heat source 108 may be configured to generate heat when it is ignited. In the depicted embodiment, the heat source 108 includes a combustible fuel element having a generally cylindrical shape and incorporating a combustible carbonaceous material. In other embodiments, the heat source 108 may have a different shape, such as a prism having a cubic or hexagonal cross-section. Carbonaceous materials typically have a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials are primarily composed of carbon, and / or their carbon content is typically greater than about 60%, typically greater than about 70%, often greater than about 80%, and often greater than about 90% on a dry weight basis.

[0061] In some cases, heat source 108 may incorporate other elements in addition to combustible carbonaceous materials (e.g., tobacco ingredients, such as powdered tobacco or tobacco extracts; flavorings; salts, such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium carbonate; thermally stable graphite hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; aluminum oxide particles; ammonia sources, such as ammonia salts; and / or binders, such as guar gum, ammonium alginate, and sodium alginate). Although the specific dimensions of suitable heat sources may vary, in the depicted embodiment, heat source 108 has a length ranging from about 5 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments can be about 17 mm, and an overall diameter ranging from about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments can be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments about 7 mm). Although in other embodiments, the heat source can be configured in a variety of ways, in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 108 is extruded or composited using a ground or powdered carbonaceous material and has a density greater than about 0.5 g / cm3, often greater than about 0.7 g / cm3, and often greater than about 1 g / cm3 on a dry weight basis. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,551,451 to Riggs et al. and 7,836,897 to Borschke et al. for the types, formulations, and designs of fuel source components, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0062] Although in various embodiments, the heat source may have a variety of forms, including, for example, a generally solid cylindrical shape or a hollow cylindrical (e.g., tube) shape, the heat source 108 of the depicted embodiment includes an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material having a generally cylindrical shape including a plurality of internal channels 114 extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source 108 to an opposite second end of the heat source 108. In the depicted embodiment, there are approximately thirteen internal channels 114, including a single central internal channel 114a, six surrounding internal channels 114b, and six peripheral internal channels 114c, the internal channel 114b being spaced apart from the central internal channel 114a and having a similar size (e.g., diameter) as the central internal channel 114a, and the peripheral internal channels 114c being spaced apart from the outer surface of the heat source 108 and having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the central internal channel 114a. It should be noted that in other embodiments, a plurality of internal channels is not required, and / or the plurality of internal channels may take other forms and / or sizes. For example, in some embodiments, there may be as few as two internal passages, while other embodiments may include as few as one internal passage. Other embodiments may not include an internal passage at all. Additional embodiments may include multiple internal passages that may be unequal in diameter and / or shape and may be unevenly spaced and / or located within the heat source.

[0063] Although not shown in the accompanying drawings, some embodiments may alternatively or additionally include one or more circumferential grooves extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposite second end. In some embodiments, such grooves may be substantially equal in width and depth and may be distributed approximately equidistantly on the periphery of the heat source. In such embodiments, there may be as few as two grooves, while other embodiments may include as few as one groove. Other embodiments may not include grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include multiple grooves, the widths and / or depths of which may not be equal and may be unevenly spaced around the periphery of the heat source. In other embodiments, the heat source may include grooves and / or slits extending longitudinally from a first end of an extruded monomeric carbonaceous material to an opposite second end thereof. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a foamed carbon monomer formed by a foaming process disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184 to Lobovsky, the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference. Thus, some embodiments may provide advantages regarding reducing the time it takes to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source can be coextruded with an insulating layer (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fibers of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901 to Brooks et al., or other heat source embodiments disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818 to Takeuchi et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other examples of heat sources including recessed heat source systems, methods, and smoking articles including such heat sources are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 15 / 902,665, filed on February 22, 2018, entitled "System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, a Smoking Article Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member (System for Debossing a Heat Generation Member, Smoking Articles Including the Debossed Heat Generation Member, and Related Methods)," are disclosed, and the entirety of the disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

[0064] Typically, the heat source is positioned close enough to the aerosol delivery component (e.g., substrate portion) with one or more aerosolizable components, so that the aerosol formed / volatilized by applying heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable component (and one or more flavoring agents, medicines, etc. provided for delivery to the user) can be delivered to the user by means of a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the substrate component, the aerosol is formed, released or generated in a physical form suitable for the consumer to inhale. It should be noted that the aforementioned terms are intended to be interchangeable, so that the release mentioned, will release, will release or release include formation or generation, will form or will generate, will form or will generate and after formation or generation. Specifically, inhalable material is released in the form of vapor or aerosol or a mixture thereof. In addition, considering commercially available smoking articles, the selection and arrangement of different smoking article elements can be understood, such as those representative products listed in the background technology part of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 1. A longitudinal cross-sectional view of a barrel 102. As shown, the base portion 110 has a first end and a second end that are opposite, and the heat source 108 is disposed proximate to the first end of the base portion 110. Although the dimensions of the various components of the barrel 102 may vary as desired for a particular application, in the depicted embodiment, the overall length of the barrel 102 may be in the range of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, and the diameter may be in the range of about 3 mm to about 10 mm. In addition, in the depicted embodiment, the housing 112 may have a thickness in the range of about 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. In addition, in the depicted embodiment, the length of the base portion 110 may be in the range of about 5 mm to 30 mm, and its diameter may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the entire barrel, so as to accommodate the thickness of the housing 112, such as, for example, a diameter in the range of about 2.9 mm to about 9.9 mm.

[0066] In the depicted embodiment, substrate portion 110 comprises substrate material 116 with single section, but in other embodiments, substrate portion 110 may comprise one or more additional substrate material sections.For example, in some embodiments, smoking article 100 may also comprise second substrate material section (not shown) with relative first end and second end.In various embodiments, one or more in substrate material may comprise tobacco or tobacco-related material, and aerosol precursor composition associated therewith.In other embodiments, non-tobacco material, such as cellulose pulp material, may be used.In other embodiments, non-tobacco substrate material may not be plant-derived material.Other possible compositions, components and / or additives for substrate material (and / or substrate material) are described in more detail below.It should be noted that subsequent discussion should be applicable to any substrate material (for example, substrate material 116 of depicted embodiment) available in smoking article as described herein.

[0067] Also refer to Figure 1 In various embodiments, the ignition of the heat source 108 causes aerosolization of the aerosol precursor composition associated with the substrate material 116. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece 122 is configured to receive the generated aerosol passing therethrough in response to the inhalation applied to the mouthpiece 122 by the user. As will be discussed in more detail below, in some embodiments, the mouthpiece 122 may include a filter portion configured to receive the aerosol passing therethrough in response to the inhalation applied to the mouthpiece 122. In various embodiments, the filter portion is configured as a disc in some aspects, which is radially and / or longitudinally disposed near the end of the retainer 104 opposite to the receiving end. In this way, when inhaling on the mouthpiece 122, the filter portion receives the aerosol flowing through the retainer 104 of the smoking article 100. Preferably, the elements of the substrate material 116 do not experience any significant degree of thermal decomposition (e.g., charring, scorching or burning), and the aerosol components are entrained in the air sucked through the smoking article 100 including the filter (if present) and enter the user's mouth. In the smoking article 100 of the depicted embodiment, the substrate material 116 includes a plurality of tobacco beads formed as a generally cylindrical portion. In some embodiments, the filter may include discrete sections. For example, some embodiments may include a section providing filtration, a section providing inhalation resistance, a hollow section providing a space for aerosol cooling, other filter sections, or any one and any combination thereof.

[0068] In one embodiment, the base material may include a flavorful and aromatic tobacco mixture in the form of shredded filler. In another embodiment, the base material may include a reconstructed tobacco material, such as in the U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 granted to Pryor et al.; No. 4,889,143 granted to Pryor et al. and No. 5,025,814 granted to Raker, which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. In addition, the reconstructed tobacco material may include the reconstructed tobacco paper for cigarette types described in the RJReynolds Tobacco Company monograph (1988) "Chemical and Biological Research on Heating New Cigarette Prototypes of Substitute Burning Tobacco", which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. For example, the reconstructed tobacco material may include a sheet material containing tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials. Thus, in some embodiments, the base material may be formed by the roll of reconstructed tobacco material. In another embodiment, the base material may be formed by shredded, strips and / or the like of reconstructed tobacco material. In another embodiment, the tobacco sheet may include overlapping layers (e.g., gathered nets), which may or may not include heat-conducting components. Examples of substrate portions comprising a series of overlapping layers (e.g., a gathered web) of an initial substrate sheet formed from a fibrous filler material, an aerosol-forming material, and a plurality of thermally conductive components are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 15 / 905,320, filed on February 26, 2018, and entitled “Heat Conducting Substrate For Electrically Heated Aerosol Delivery Device,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0069] In some embodiments, the substrate material can include a plurality of microcapsules, beads, particles and / or the like with tobacco-related materials. For example, representative microcapsules can be spherical generally, and can have outer coverings or shells in the liquid center area containing tobacco-derived extract and / or the like. In some embodiments, one or more in the substrate material can include a plurality of microcapsules, and each microcapsule is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, one or more in the substrate material can include a binder material, and this binder material is configured to maintain structural shape and / or the integrity of a plurality of microcapsules formed into a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0070] The tobacco used in one or more of the substrate materials may include or be derived from tobaccos such as Flue-cured, Burley, Oriental, Maryland, Dark, Dark-cured, and Rustica, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or mixtures thereof. No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al.; No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al.; No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al.; No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al.; No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al.; No. 6,730,832 to Dominguez et al.; No. 7,011,096 to Li et al.; No. 7,017,585 to Li et al.; No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0255965 to Perfetti et al.; PCT Publication WO 2004 / 0255965 to Bereman Various representative tobacco types, processed tobacco types, and tobacco blend types are described in Grant Application No. 02 / 37990 and Bombick et al., Journal of Toxicology, 39, 11-17 (1997); the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0071] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate material may include an extruded structure including tobacco, tobacco-related materials, glycerol, water and / or a binder material or consisting essentially of these materials, although some formulations do not include a binder material. In various embodiments, suitable binder materials may include alginates, such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate and sodium alginate. Alginates, specifically high viscosity alginate, can be used in conjunction with a controlled level of free calcium ions. Other suitable binder materials include hydroxypropyl cellulose, such as Klucel H from Aquaron; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, such as Methocel K4MS from Dow Chemical; hydroxyethyl cellulose, such as Natrosol 250 MRCS from Aquaron; microcrystalline cellulose, such as Avicel from FMC; methylcellulose, such as Methocel A4M from Dow Chemical; sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, such as CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F from Hercules Inc. Also having other possible binder materials comprises starch (for example corn starch), guar gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, pectin and xanthan gum.In some embodiments, can adopt the combination or mixture of two or more binder materials.For example, in the U.S. Patent No. 5101839 authorizing Jakob et al. and the U.S. Patent No. 4924887 authorizing Raker et al., other examples of binder materials are described, and each document is included in this paper in full by referring to.In some embodiments, aerosol formation material can be provided as a part of binder material (for example, propylene glycol alginate).In addition, in some embodiments, binder material can comprise the nano cellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

[0072] In some embodiments, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0042885 of Stone et al., the substrate material may include an extruded material, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. In yet another embodiment, the substrate material may include an extruded structure and / or substrate formed by pill-shaped (marumarized) tobacco and / or non-pill-shaped tobacco. Pill-shaped tobacco is known from, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,105,831 granted to Banerjee et al., which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Pill-shaped tobacco includes a tobacco mixture of about 20% to about 50% (weight) in powder form, glycerol (about 20% to about 30% weight), calcium carbonate (generally about 10% to about 60% weight, typically about 40% to about 60% weight) and a binder and / or flavoring as described herein. In various embodiments, the extruded material may have one or more longitudinal openings.

[0073] In various embodiments, the substrate material can have a variety of configurations based on the various materials used therein. For example, the sample substrate material can include tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials at most about 98% by weight, at most about 95% by weight, or at most about 90% by weight. The sample substrate material may also include water at most about 25% by weight, at most about 20% by weight, or at most about 15% by weight, specifically about 2% to about 25%, about 5% to about 20%, or about 7% to about 15% by weight of water. Flavoring agents, etc. (including, for example, drugs such as nicotine) may include at most about 10%, at most about 8%, or at most about 5% of the weight of the aerosol delivery component.

[0074] Additionally or alternatively, the substrate material may include an extruded structure and / or substrate, and is also configured to substantially maintain its structure throughout the aerosol generation process, and the extruded structure and / or substrate include tobacco, glycerol, water and / or adhesive materials or are substantially composed of these materials. That is, throughout the aerosol generation process, the substrate material may be configured to substantially maintain its shape (i.e., the tobacco substrate is discontinuously deformed under the applied shear stress). Although such exemplary substrate materials may include liquids and / or certain moisture contents, the tobacco substrate may remain substantially solid throughout the aerosol generation process, and structural integrity may be substantially maintained throughout the aerosol generation process. In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0157052 of Ademe et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0335070 of Sears et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,204,287 granted to White; and U.S. Patent No. 5,060,676 granted to Hearn et al., exemplary tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials suitable for substantially solid substrate materials are described, and these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0075] In some embodiments, the amount of substrate material used in the smoking article can be such that the article exhibits acceptable sensory and organoleptic properties and desired performance characteristics. For example, in some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition (such as, for example, glycerol and / or propylene glycol) can be used in the substrate material to ensure that a visible mainstream aerosol is produced that is similar in many respects to the appearance of tobacco smoke. For example, the amount of the aerosol precursor composition incorporated into the substrate material of the smoking article can be in the range of about 3.5 grams or less, 3 grams or less, about 2.5 grams or less, about 2 grams or less, about 1.5 grams or less, about 1 gram or less, or about 0.5 grams.

[0076] According to another embodiment, the smoking article according to the present disclosure includes a substrate material, and the substrate material includes a porous inert material, such as a ceramic material. For example, in some embodiments, ceramics (for example, beads, rods, tubes, etc.) of various shapes and geometric shapes can be used, and they have various pore forms. In addition, in some embodiments, non-tobacco materials such as e-liquids can be loaded into ceramics. In another embodiment, the substrate material may include a porous inert material, which is substantially free from chemical and / or physical reactions with materials related to tobacco, such as extracts derived from tobacco. In addition, extruded tobacco such as above can be porous. For example, in some embodiments, the extruded tobacco material may have an inert gas, such as nitrogen, which acts as a foaming agent during the extrusion process.

[0077] As described above, in various embodiments, one or more of the substrate materials may include tobacco, tobacco components and / or tobacco-derived materials that have been treated, manufactured, produced and / or processed to combine with an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a humectant, such as propylene glycol, glycerin, etc.) and / or at least one flavoring agent, and a flame retardant / flame retardant (e.g., diammonium phosphate and / or another salt) that is configured to help prevent a heat source from igniting, pyrolyzing, burning and / or charring the substrate material. Various ways and methods of incorporating tobacco into smoking articles, particularly smoking articles designed not to intentionally burn substantially all of the tobacco in those smoking articles, are proposed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.; 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al.; 8,079,371 to Robinson et al.; 7,290,549 to Banerjee et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0215167 to Crooks et al.; the entire disclosures of the foregoing documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0078] As described above, in some embodiments, flame retardant / flame retardant materials and other additives may be included in one or more of the base materials, and may include organic phosphorus compounds, borax, hydrated alumina, graphite, potassium tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol and polyols. Others such as phosphonites, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ammonium ethanol borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea and antimony oxide are suitable, but not preferred agents. In various aspects of flame retardant, combustion and / or anti-scorch materials used in base materials and / or other components (whether used alone or in combination with each other and / or in combination with other materials), it is most preferred to provide the desired performance without undesirable degassing or melting-type behavior.

[0079] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the base material may also be combined with tobacco additive types traditionally used to make tobacco products. These additives may include the material type for enhancing the flavor and aroma of tobacco used to produce cigars, cigarettes, pipes, etc. For example, these additives may include various cigarette shells and / or dressing components. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 3419015 granted to Wochnowski; U.S. Patent No. 4054145 granted to Berndt et al.; U.S. Patent No. 4887619 granted to Burcham et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5022416 granted to Watson; U.S. Patent No. 5103842 granted to Strang et al. and U.S. Patent No. 5711320 granted to Martin; Its disclosure is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Preferred shell materials may include water, sugar and syrup (e.g., sucrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g., glycerol or propylene glycol) and flavorings (e.g., cocoa and licorice). Those added components may also include face covering materials (e.g., flavorings, such as menthol). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional materials that may be added include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,028 to Lawson et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,186,360 to Marshall et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0080] As described above, in various embodiments, one or more substrate materials may have an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith. For example, in some embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition may include one or more different components, such as a polyol (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Representative types of other aerosol precursor compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jacob et al.; PCT WO 98 / 57556 to Biggs et al.; and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco (1988), a monograph by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company; the above disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. In some aspects, the substrate material may produce a visible aerosol when sufficient heat is applied to it (and, if necessary, cooled with air), and the substrate material may produce a "smoke-like" aerosol. In other aspects, the substrate material may produce an aerosol that is essentially invisible but is identifiable as present by other characteristics such as flavor or mouthfeel. Thus, the properties of the aerosol produced may vary depending on the specific components of the aerosol delivery component. The substrate material may be chemically simple relative to the chemical characteristics of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

[0081] Various types of flavorings or the material that changes the sensation or organoleptic properties of the mainstream aerosol of smoking articles or properties are suitable for use. In some embodiments, such flavorings can be provided from sources other than tobacco, and can be natural or artificial. For example, some flavorings can be applied to or incorporated into those regions of the generation aerosol of substrate material and / or smoking articles. In some embodiments, such preparations can be directly supplied to a heating chamber or region near a heat source, or provided with a substrate material. Exemplary flavorings can include, for example, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cheese, tea, coffee, fruit (for example, apple, cherry, strawberry, peach and citrus flavor, including lime and lemon), maple, menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, cloves, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, fennel, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, West Indian bittersweet tree, cocoa beans, liquorice; and traditionally used as the spice type and characteristic spice and spice bag of cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco. Syrups such as high fructose corn syrup may also be suitable for use.

[0082] Flavoring agent can also comprise acidity or alkaline characteristics (for example organic acid, such as levulinic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid and benzoic acid).In some embodiments, if desired, flavoring agent can be combined with the element of base material.In the U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0152265 of Dube et al., disclose suitable exemplary plant-derived composition, its disclosure is included in this paper in full by referring to.Can be combined with tobacco material to affect its sensory characteristics including organoleptic characteristics such as flavoring agent, shell etc. any material can be combined with base material.Specifically, organic acid can be incorporated into base material to affect the local flavor, sensation or the organoleptic characteristics of the medicine such as nicotine that can be combined with base material.For example, organic acid such as levulinic acid, lactic acid and pyruvic acid can be included in tobacco substrate together with nicotine, and the amount of these organic acids and any combination of nicotine equimolar (based on total organic acid content) organic acid are all suitable. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate material may include about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acid per mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acid per mole of nicotine, or a combination thereof, until a concentration is reached where the total amount of organic acid present therein is equimolar to the total amount of nicotine present in the substrate material. Various other examples of organic acids for producing substrate materials are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0344456 to Dull et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0083] The selection of these additional components may be variable based on factors such as the desired organoleptic properties of the smoking article, and the disclosure is intended to encompass any such additional components apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See "Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods" (1972) by Gutcho of Noyes Data Corp. and "Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products" (1972) by Leffingwell et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0084] In other embodiments, the substrate material may include other materials having various inherent characteristics or properties. For example, the substrate material may include a plasticized material in the form of rayon or regenerated cellulose. As another example, viscose fibers (such as commercially available ) is suitable, the viscose fiber being a regenerated cellulose product incorporating silica. Some carbon fibers may include at least 95% or more carbon. Similarly, natural cellulose fibers such as cotton are suitable and may be impregnated with or otherwise treated with silica, carbon or metal particles to enhance flame retardancy and minimize off-gassing, especially any undesirable off-gas components that adversely affect flavor (especially minimizing the possibility of any toxic off-gas products). Cotton may be treated with, for example, boric acid or various organophosphate compounds to provide the desired flame retardant properties by dipping, spraying or other techniques known in the art. These fibers may also be treated with organic or metal nanoparticles (by coating, impregnation or both, such as by dipping, spraying or vapor deposition) to impart the desired flame retardancy without undesirable off-gassing or melt-type performance.

[0085] In the depicted embodiment, the base material 116 may include a longitudinally extending axis defined at the center between the opposing first and second ends, and in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 116 may be symmetrical about the axis. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the base material 116 may be generally circular, such that the base material 116 defines a substantially cylindrical shape extending between its opposing first and second ends. However, in other embodiments, the base material 116 may define a substantially non-circular cross-section, such that the base material 116 may define a substantially non-cylindrical shape between its opposing first and second ends. In addition, in other examples, the base material 116 may include a cross-section that is asymmetrical about the axis. In various embodiments, each end of the base material 116 may be axially aligned with an adjacent element. For example, in some embodiments, there may be a barrier between the second end of the heat source 108 and the first end of the base material 116. In some embodiments, such a barrier may include a disk that may include one or more holes therethrough. In some embodiments, the barrier may be made of a metal material (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, a heat transfer component may be present between the heat source 108 and / or the substrate material 116. An example of a heat transfer component is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 15 / 923,735, entitled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component" filed on March 16, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0086] like Figure 2 and 3As shown, the cartridge 102 of the depicted embodiment also includes an outer shell 112, which is configured to surround at least a portion of the base portion 110 including the base material 116. In the depicted embodiment, the outer shell 112 is also configured to surround at least a portion of the heat source 108. The outer shell 112 of the depicted embodiment is made of an aluminum material; however, in other embodiments, the outer shell 112 can be composed of other materials, including other metal materials (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold and bronze), graphite materials or ceramic materials, plastic materials, or any combination thereof. In the depicted embodiment, the outer shell 112 is configured as a tube structure enclosing the base material 116; however, as described above, in other embodiments, the outer shell 112 can have other shapes. Although the shape of the outer shell 112 can vary, in the depicted embodiment, the outer shell 112 includes a tube structure having an open end and a closed end. The depicted embodiment of the outer shell 112 also includes one or more port holes 118 located on the closed end of the outer shell 112, which are configured to allow aerosolized vapor (referred to herein alternatively as "vapor" or "aerosol") to pass therethrough. The port holes of the depicted embodiment are in the form of a pair of elongated rounded slots; however, in other embodiments, the port holes 118 may have any form that allows an aerosol to pass therethrough.

[0087] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1104. As described above, although in other embodiments, the holder 104 may have other shapes, the holder 104 of the depicted embodiment includes a main body portion 120 and a mouthpiece 122, which are configured together to be similar to the size, shape and general appearance of a traditional cigarette, at least in the depicted embodiment. Specifically, the main body portion 120 of the depicted embodiment includes a generally cylindrical hollow tube. Similarly, the mouthpiece 122 of the depicted embodiment includes a substantially cylindrical hollow tube, the overall diameter of which is greater than the overall diameter of the main body portion 120. As will be discussed in more detail below, the mouthpiece 122 of the depicted embodiment is configured to move (e.g., press down) relative to the main body portion 120 so that the cartridge 102 moves between the receiving position and the ejection position relative to the holder 104. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the inner diameter of the mouthpiece 122 can be slightly larger or substantially the same as the outer diameter of the main body portion 120 to allow sliding between these components. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the body portion 120 and / or the mouthpiece 122 may have any other configuration. In the depicted embodiment, the mouthpiece 122 has an overall length in the range of about 10 mm to 42 mm, the overall length of the retainer is in the range of about 83 mm to about 120 mm, and the circumference is in the range of about 20 mm to about 40 mm (e.g., a diameter in the range of about 6 mm to about 13 mm).

[0088] In various embodiments, the body portion 120 and / or the mouthpiece 122 may be made of a metal material (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), or a graphite material, or a ceramic material, or a plastic material, or any combination thereof. Other materials are also possible. As depicted in the figure, the holder 104 of the depicted embodiment also includes a plurality of end openings 124 that extend through the holder and are configured to align with at least a portion of the heat source 108 when the cartridge 102 is in the receiving position. In this way, the end openings 124 are configured to provide sufficient airflow to the heat source 108 to keep the heat source 108 ignited when the heat source 108 is in the receiving position. Although in various embodiments, such an opening may have many different configurations (including, for example, slots and / or rings as an alternative or addition to holes), in the depicted embodiment, the end openings include an alternating pattern of substantially circular holes extending around the periphery of the receiving end of the holder 104. In particular, the alternating pattern of the depicted embodiment includes a first pattern 124a of four longitudinally spaced holes that are repeated at approximately 90° intervals around the circumference of the receiving end of the main body portion 120 of the retaining member 104; and a second pattern 124b of three longitudinally spaced holes that are also repeated at approximately 90° intervals, but are offset from the first pattern by approximately 45° around the circumference of the end of the main body portion 120.

[0089] Figure 5 and Figure 6 Shows Figure 1Various internal components of the holder 104. Specifically, the holder 104 of the depicted embodiment includes various internal components, which together provide an ejection mechanism 126, which is configured to move between an ejection position and a receiving position, for example, to receive and eject the cartridge 102. Although other embodiments may be different (for example, embodiments in which at least a portion of the cartridge in the receiving position extends from the holder), in the receiving position of the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge 102 is substantially received in the main body 120 of the holder 104. When in the ejection position of the depicted embodiment, at least a portion of the cartridge 102 extends beyond the receiving end of the holder 104. The ejection mechanism of various embodiments may take a variety of forms, for example, an ejection mechanism that ejects the cartridge using a rotating / tightening mechanism and / or a ratchet mechanism. Other possible ejection mechanisms include mechanisms similar to those used in a retractable click-pen, such as a spring-loaded locking mechanism and / or various spring-loaded cam mechanisms. The ejection mechanism 126 of the depicted embodiment is configured to eject the cartridge using a press-in / press-out type cam mechanism. Specifically, the ejection mechanism 126 of the depicted embodiment includes a push pin 128, a retaining ring 129, a guide ring 130, a bearing sleeve 132, a spring 134, and a spring seat 136. Although the components of the ejection mechanism can be made of a variety of different materials in various embodiments, in the depicted embodiment, the push pin 128, the bearing sleeve 132, the guide ring 130, and the retaining ring 129 are constructed of molded plastic, such as, for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyamide (nylon), high impact polystyrene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

[0090] The spring seat 136 of the depicted embodiment is located within the body portion 120 of the retainer 104 and along its length, and is configured to remain fixed relative to the body portion 120. In the depicted embodiment, the spring seat 136 includes a separate ring structure that is configured to be press-fit into the interior of the body portion 120 of the retainer 104; however, in other embodiments, the spring seat 134 can be integral with the body portion 120 and / or can include the same portion. In the depicted embodiment, the spring seat 134 is made of an aluminum material, while in other embodiments, the spring seat can be constructed of another material, including other metallic materials (such as, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze), graphite materials, or ceramic materials, plastic materials, or any combination thereof. Other materials are also possible.

[0091] Reference Figure 6, the carrier sleeve 132 of the depicted embodiment includes a receiving cavity 138 and a vapor channel 140. In the depicted embodiment, the receiving cavity 138 is configured to receive the end of the cartridge 102 opposite the heat source 108 and to hold the cartridge 102 therein during use. The vapor channel 140 of the carrier sleeve 132 is configured to allow the aerosol generated by the base material 116 to pass through the carrier sleeve 132. As shown, a portion of the carrier sleeve 132 is configured to be located within the inner hole 142 of the push pin 128. In this way, the vapor channel 140 of the carrier sleeve 132 and the inner hole 142 of the push pin 128 are substantially collinear, thereby providing a path for the aerosol to travel after being aerosolized. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the inner hole 142 of the push pin 128 may include a filter (not shown), such as, for example, near the user end of the mouthpiece 122. In various embodiments, a filter may be included to filter the aerosol generated by the base material 116 before being inhaled by the user. In various embodiments, such a filter may include a filler rod or cylindrical disk made of a breathable material such as, for example, cellulose acetate or polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), or polypropylene fibers such as paper or rayon, or polyester fibers, or various combinations thereof. The filter may additionally or alternatively include a bundle of tobacco-containing material, such as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 to Raker et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In various embodiments, the size and shape of the filter may vary.

[0092] In some embodiments, the smoking article may also include an intermediate component between the substrate portion 110 and the filter 112. It should be noted that in various embodiments, the intermediate component or the filter may be considered as the filter of the smoking article individually or together. In various embodiments, neither the intermediate component nor the filter is included. In some embodiments, the intermediate component may include a substantially rigid member that is substantially non-flexible along its longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the intermediate component may include a hollow tube structure and may be included for cooling the aerosol produced. In some embodiments, the intermediate component may be used as a container for collecting aerosols. In various embodiments, this tube may be made of any of a variety of materials and may include one or more adhesives. Exemplary materials include, but are not limited to, paper, paper layers, paperboard, plastics, cardboard and / or composite materials. In some embodiments, the intermediate component may include a hollow cylindrical element made of paper or a plastic material (such as, for example, ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) or other polymeric materials such as polyethylene, polyester, silicone, or ceramic (e.g., silicon carbide, alumina, etc.) or other acetate fibers), and the filter portion includes a breathable material (such as, for example, cellulose acetate or fibers such as paper or rayon, or polyester fibers).

[0093] In the depicted embodiment, one end of the spring 134 of the ejection mechanism 126 is configured to contact the spring seat 136, and the other end of the spring 134 is configured to contact one end of the bearing sleeve 132. As will be discussed in more detail below, the bearing sleeve 132 is configured to move between a receiving position (as shown) and an ejection position relative to the main body 120 of the retainer 104. Because the spring seat 136 is fixed inside the main body 120, in operation, the bearing sleeve 132 is configured to further compress the spring 134 in a direction toward the receiving end of the retainer 104 in order to reach the ejection position. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring 134 is installed in a semi-compressed state, so the spring 134 is configured to bias the bearing sleeve 132 in a direction away from the spring seat 136. In particular, in the receiving position, the spring 134 is configured to bias the bearing sleeve 132 against the guide ring 130, which is fixed relative to the main body 120 of the retainer 104 like the spring seat 136.

[0094] As described above, the mouthpiece 122 of the depicted embodiment is configured to move relative to the main body portion 120 when actuated by a user. In addition, the push pin 128 of the depicted embodiment is configured to be fixed to the mouthpiece 122 in a manner that the push pin 128 does not move relative to the mouthpiece 122. Thus, the mouthpiece 122 and the push pin 128 of the depicted embodiment are configured to move together relative to the main body portion 120 of the retainer 104. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the mouthpiece 122 is press-fit onto the end of the push pin 128; however, in other embodiments, these components can be fixed in other ways, including by adhesives and / or ultrasonic welding. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece 122 and the push pin 128 can be integral and / or can include the same parts. As will be discussed in more detail below, the mouthpiece 122 and the push pin 128 are configured to move the carrier sleeve 132 so that the carrier sleeve 132 (and the inserted cartridge 102) alternates between the receiving position and the ejection position.

[0095] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 1 is a perspective view of the various components of the ejection mechanism 126. Specifically, Figure 7The spring seat 136, spring 134, bearing sleeve 132, guide ring 130, push pin 128 and retaining ring 129 are shown. The bearing sleeve 132 of the depicted embodiment includes a first tube portion 144 and a second tube portion 146 extending from the first tube portion 144. In the depicted embodiment, the outer diameter of the second tube portion 146 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first tube portion 144. In addition, the bearing sleeve 132 includes four longitudinal fins 148 that are substantially equally spaced along the circumference of the second tube portion 146. Each fin 148 of the depicted embodiment includes an angled end 150. The guide ring 130 of the depicted embodiment includes eight internal grooves 152 extending from a first end thereof, and four angled stops 154 on opposite ends of the guide ring 130. The push pin 128 includes a main portion 156 that includes a generally cylindrical tube shape. A stop flange 158 having an annular shape is defined along the length of the main portion 156. The main portion 156 also includes eight protruding guide features 160 that are substantially equally spaced around the periphery of the main portion 156 and are configured to slide within the internal groove 152 of the guide ring 130. One end of the main portion 156 includes a series of angled teeth 162. The stop flange 158 of the push pin 128 is positioned on the spring side of the retaining ring 129, which is fixed relative to the mouthpiece 122 as described above. The inner diameter of the retaining ring 129 and the outer diameter of the main portion 156 of the push pin 128 are configured so that the main portion 156 of the push pin 128 can slide within the retaining ring 129. In some embodiments, the retaining ring can serve as a stop for the stop flange 158 of the push pin 128.

[0096] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In operation, the angled teeth 162 of the push pin 128 are configured to engage the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 of the carrier sleeve 132 to move the carrier sleeve 132 to the ejected position. Figure 5 and Figure 6130 ), in which the first tube portion 144 of the carrier sleeve 132 abuts the guide ring 130 and the longitudinal fins 148 of the carrier sleeve 132, and the guide feature 160 of the push pin 128 is located in the internal groove 152 of the guide ring 130, and the user can achieve the ejected position by pressing the mouthpiece 122 toward the receiving end of the retainer 104. Because the push pin 128 is fixed to the mouthpiece 122 and the guide ring 130 is fixed to the main body 120 of the retainer 104, this action causes the guide feature 160 of the push pin 128 to move in the internal groove 152 of the guide ring, while the teeth 162 of the push pin 128 push the longitudinal fins 148 of the carrier sleeve 132 in the internal groove 152 of the guide ring 130 in the longitudinal direction of the receiving end of the retainer 104. Because the spring 134 is trapped between the end of the carrier sleeve 132 and a spring seat 136 (fixed to the main body 120 of the retainer 104), this movement is resisted by the spring force generated by the spring 134.

[0097] Due to the geometry and spacing of the components, the guide feature 160 of the push pin 128 remains within the interior groove 152 of the guide ring 130 when moving between the receiving position and the ejected position; however, the longitudinal fins 148 of the carrier sleeve 132 are configured to temporarily disengage from the interior groove 152 of the guide ring 130 so that the carrier sleeve 132 rotates a portion of the way when moving between the receiving position and the ejected position (or vice versa). Specifically, when the carrier sleeve 132 is moved from the receiving position by the push pin 128, the longitudinal fins 148 slide within the interior groove 152 of the guide ring 130 until the angled end 150 of the longitudinal fin 148 moves past the end of the interior groove 152, at which point the angled end 150 slides along the surface of the angled stop 154, and the carrier sleeve 132 begins to rotate and moves a short distance in the opposite longitudinal direction (e.g., away from the receiving end of the retainer 104). Due to the force exerted by the spring 134 on the end of the carrier sleeve 132, the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 continue to slide along the surfaces of the angled stops 154 (and the carrier sleeve 132 continues to rotate) until the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 are fully within the corresponding angled stops 154 of the guide ring 130, wherein the carrier sleeve 132 stops rotating. This position represents the ejected position, wherein the spring 134 is further compressed from its initial compression at the receiving position, and wherein (when the cartridge 102 is received into the first tube portion 144 of the carrier sleeve 132) the end of the cartridge 102 having the heat source 108 extends beyond the receiving end of the retainer 104. Due to the geometry of the angled stops 154 of the guide ring 130, the ejection mechanism 126 is configured so that it will remain in the ejected position until the user pushes the mouthpiece 122 again to move to the receiving position. Likewise, once in the receiving position, the ejection mechanism 126 is configured to remain in the receiving position until a user pushes the mouthpiece 122 to move to the ejection position.

[0098] Starting from the ejected position, in which the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 are fully within the angled stops 154 of the guide ring 130, the user can move the ejection mechanism 126 from the ejected position to the received position by pressing the mouthpiece 122 toward the receiving end of the holder 104. This causes the push pin 128 to move the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 a short distance toward the receiving end of the holder 104 and completely out of engagement with the angled stops 152 of the guide ring 130. In particular, when the carrier sleeve 132 is moved from the ejected position, the longitudinal fins 148 first slide toward the receiving end of the holder 104 until the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 move beyond the ends of the angled stops 154, at which point the longitudinal fins 148 temporarily disengage from the internal grooves 152 of the guide ring 130 and the carrier sleeve 132 begins to rotate. As the bearing sleeve 132 rotates, the bearing sleeve 132 begins to move in the opposite longitudinal direction (e.g., away from the receiving end of the retainer 104), and the angled ends 150 of the longitudinal fins 148 slide into an adjacent set of internal grooves 152 of the guide ring 130. The longitudinal fins 148 then continue to slide in the internal grooves 152 in a direction away from the receiving end of the retainer 104 until the first tube portion 144 of the bearing sleeve 132 abuts the guide ring 130. At this point, the ejection mechanism returns to the receiving position. It should be noted that in the receiving position of some embodiments, the stop flange 158 may alternatively or additionally abut the retaining ring 129. In yet other embodiments, other features may be used as stop features for the receiving position and / or the ejection position.

[0099] Figure 8 A perspective view of the smoking article 100 is shown with the removable cartridge 102 received in the holder 104 in a receiving position, and Fig. 9 Shows Figure 8100. In various embodiments, the carrier sleeve 132 and / or the cartridge 102 may include one or more retention features that are configured to keep the cartridge 102 in the carrier sleeve 132 once inserted. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the cartridge 102 includes one or more protrusions 164 that are configured to engage with a portion of the receiving cavity 138 of the carrier sleeve 132, thereby forming an interference fit or some other type of "retention" fit. In various embodiments, such a fit may allow the cartridge 102 to be retained in the carrier sleeve 132 once inserted, while also allowing the cartridge 102 to be removed when sufficient removal force is applied, such as, for example, a removal force applied by a user attempting to pull the cartridge 102 out of the carrier sleeve 132. In some embodiments, the carrier sleeve 132 or a portion thereof may include complementary features, such as one or more notches or recesses, in which the protrusions 164 may be located. It should be noted that in other embodiments, other types of retention methods may be used, including, for example, one or more magnets located in the cartridge 102 and / or the carrier sleeve 132 (or one or more other components of the holder 104). Other embodiments may include a retention feature that extends from the receiving end of the holder 104 or is otherwise activated to cover the receiving end of the holder 104. For example, once inserted into the receiving end in the cartridge 102, the retention feature can be used to retain the cartridge 102 in the holder 104. In some embodiments, such a retention feature may include a mesh or screen structure constructed of a metal material. For example, in some embodiments, when the retention feature moves from the ejection position to the receiving position, the retention feature can be activated by the user to retain the cartridge 102 inserted into the holder 104.

[0100] Fig.10A perspective view of a smoking article 100 is shown, showing a cartridge 102 in a receiving position and an ejected position. In various embodiments, the ejected position may be used, for example, to ignite a heat source 108 of a fuel cartridge 102, and the received position may be used, for example, to protect the ignited heat source 108 from contact. In addition, in various embodiments, the ejected position may help remove the cartridge 102 from the carrier sleeve 132 of the holder 104 and / or be used to receive the cartridge 102 into the carrier sleeve 132 of the holder 104. It should be noted that although in the ejected position of the depicted embodiment, the cartridge 102 is positioned at or slightly beyond the point at which the entire heat source 108 extends beyond the receiving end of the holder 104, in the ejected position of other embodiments, the cartridge 102 may extend to a different position relative to the holder 104, such as, for example, a position in which most of the heat source 108 extends beyond the receiving end of the holder 104, or a position in which only a portion of the heat source 108 extends beyond the receiving end of the holder 104. It should be noted that in other embodiments, there may be more than one ejection position. For example, some embodiments may include a first ejection position as described above and a second ejection position in which the cartridge may extend further beyond the receiving end of the holder 104. In this manner, the second ejection position may provide an additional means for removing and / or inserting the cartridge 102 within the holder 104. Additional embodiments may include an unlimited number of other ejection positions, which may include any position between the receiving position and the position in which the cartridge 102 is completely outside the holder 104.

[0101] Some embodiments may include a heat source extinguishing mechanism that may be activated by a user or may be automatic. In one example, the ejection mechanism of the smoking article may include a third position that retracts the cartridge 102 into the holder 104. In this way, the heat source 108 may move away from the receiving end and opening 124 of the holder 104 so that the receiving end and opening 124 no longer provide enough airflow to keep the heat source 108 ignited, thereby effectively extinguishing the heat source 108. In other embodiments, the holder 104 may include an outer (or inner) sleeve that is configured to slide on the end opening 124 (and in some embodiments, the receiving end) of the holder 104, thereby limiting or preventing air from flowing to the heat source 108. It should be noted that other extinguishing mechanisms are also possible, such as other embodiments in which the heat source 108 lacks oxygen to effectively extinguish the heat source 108. While in some embodiments, activation of the extinguishing mechanism may be via mouthpiece 122 or another component and / or may be integrated with the ejection mechanism, in other embodiments, other activation methods including a separate extinguishing mechanism are possible.

[0102] Some embodiments may include an ignition mechanism that may be activated by a user or may be automatic. In one example, the ignition mechanism may include an integrated flint lighter that may be independently activated by a user or may be automatically activated when the ejection mechanism is activated. Other embodiments may include a fuel source such as a fuel tank that, in conjunction with an igniter, may produce a flame that ignites the heat source 108. In various embodiments, activation of the ignition mechanism may be performed by the mouthpiece 122 or another component and / or may be integrated with the ejection mechanism.

[0103] In some embodiments, smoking article 100 may also include an indicator, which is configured to indicate the state of cartridge 102. For example, in some embodiments, an indicator may provide a "fuel gauge", which is similar to how much substrate material in the cartridge can be used for aerosolization and / or how much substrate material has been aerosolized. Another example of this indicator may include a thermochromatic visual indication to substrate portion by its consumption cycle. Other examples may include a timer, a clock or a progressive visual indicator, which provides a visual representation of substrate material state. For example, some embodiments may provide a visual representation in the form of a digital indicator, one or more components that change color, one or more lights (for example, green, yellow and red) or other progressive indicators. In some embodiments, an indicator may provide a substrate portion to the user that has been fully heated for the user to start smoking.

[0104] Although smoking articles according to the present disclosure may adopt various embodiments as discussed in detail herein, the use of smoking articles by consumers will be similar in scope. According to the further disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-mentioned description of the use of smoking articles can be applied to each embodiment described herein with some modifications. However, the description of use is not intended to limit the use of the articles of the present invention, but to provide all necessary requirements that meet the disclosure herein.

[0105] 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. A smoking article, comprising: a retainer, the retainer comprising a receiving end and a mouth end; a removable cartridge configured to be received into the receiving end of the holder, the removable cartridge comprising a heat source configured to generate heat when activated, and a base portion having opposing first and second ends, the heat source disposed proximate the first end of the base portion, and the base portion comprising a base material having an aerosol precursor composition associated therewith; as well as an ejection mechanism configured to move the cartridge relative to the holder between a receiving position and an ejection position, wherein the retaining member comprises a main body portion and a mouthpiece at the mouth end of the retaining member, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to move relative to the main body portion, and wherein in the ejected position the mouthpiece is pressed down on the main body portion toward its receiving end.

2. The smoking article according to claim 1, characterized in that The cartridge also includes an outer housing configured to surround at least a portion of the base portion.

3. The smoking article according to claim 2, characterized in that The outer shell includes one or more end holes configured to allow aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

4. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The ejection mechanism includes a push pin, a guide ring, a carrier sleeve and a spring, wherein the cartridge is configured to be received in the carrier sleeve, and wherein the push pin is configured to move the carrier sleeve relative to the guide ring, thereby actuating the carrier sleeve alternately between the receiving position and the ejection position.

5. The smoking article according to claim 4, characterized in that The carrier sleeve includes a vapor passage and the push pin includes an inner bore, and wherein the vapor passage and the inner bore are configured to provide a path for aerosol from the substrate material to pass therethrough.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The substrate material comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, shreds of reconstituted tobacco material, tobacco rods, and non-tobacco materials.

7. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The substrate material comprises a non-tobacco material.

8. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The heat source includes an extruded unitary carbonaceous material.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The heat source defines one or more channels extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

10. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The heat source defines one or more circumferential grooves extending longitudinally from a first end of the heat source to an opposing second end of the heat source.

11. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The holder is constructed of at least one of a ceramic material, a plastic material, and a metal material.

12. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The holder includes a thermal indicator configured to indicate a status of the cartridge.

13. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The base material includes a first base material section and a second base material section, and wherein the second base material section is disposed adjacent to a second end of the first base material section.

14. The smoking article of claim 13, wherein: The second substrate material section comprises at least one of tobacco-containing beads, tobacco shreds, tobacco rods, shreds of reconstituted tobacco material, or tobacco rods.

15. The smoking article of claim 13, wherein: The second substrate material section comprises non-tobacco material.

16. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The mouthpiece includes a filter portion.

17. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The cartridge includes one or more retaining features configured to retain the cartridge once inserted into the holder.

18. The smoking article of claim 17, wherein The retaining member includes one or more complementary retaining features.

19. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: The retainer includes a plurality of openings located adjacent the receiving end.

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