Radio Frequency to DC Converter for Aerosol Delivery Devices

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) to direct current (DC) converter for an aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device includes a power source and an antenna configured to receive radio frequency (RF) energy from an external RF transmitter. The aerosol delivery device also includes a power harvesting circuit configured to receive radio frequency (RF) energy from the external RF transmitter and harvest power from the RF energy to power or charge at least one electronic component of the aerosol delivery device.

Description

[0001] This divisional application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with the international application number PCT / IB2017 / 054021, the international filing date of July 3, 2017, the application number in the Chinese national phase of 201780054762.1, and the title of "Radio Frequency to DC Converter for Aerosol Delivery Devices". Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes) that can utilize electricity-generated heat to produce an aerosol. The smoking article can be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which can incorporate a material that can be made from tobacco or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco, and the precursor is capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption. Background Art

[0003] Over the years, many smoking devices have been proposed as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require the combustion of tobacco for use. Many of those devices are alleged to be designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but without delivering the substantial incomplete combustion products and pyrolysis products resulting from the combustion of tobacco. For this purpose, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to atomize or heat volatile materials or attempt to provide, to a large extent, the sensations of cigarettes, cigars, or pipes without burning the tobacco. For example, see the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat generating sources described in the background art set forth in U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and electric heat generating sources referenced by trademark names and commercial sources in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0216232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, various types of electric aerosol and vapor delivery devices have been proposed in the following patent documents: U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0283859 to Minskoff et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 282,768 filed on May 20, 2014, by Sears et al.; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 286,552 filed on May 23, 2014, by Brinkley et al.; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 327,776 filed on July 10, 2014, by Ampolini et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 465,167 filed on August 21, 2014, by Worm et al.; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] There is a desire to provide an aerosol delivery device having a function for converting radio frequency energy into direct current power. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. The present disclosure thus includes, but is not limited to, the following exemplary implementations.

[0006] Example implementation 1: A device implemented as an aerosol delivery device or a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device, the device comprising: a housing that defines a reservoir configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition; a heating element that can be controlled to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a power harvesting circuit configured to receive RF energy from an external radio frequency (RF) transmitter and harvest power from the RF energy to power or charge at least one electronic component.

[0007] Example implementation 2: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit being configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to power at least one electronic component including a display or a sensor, or the heating element.

[0008] Example implementation 3: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit being configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge at least one electronic component including a power source that powers a display or a sensor, or the heating element.

[0009] Example implementation 4: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes: an antenna configured to receive RF energy; and a converter configured to harvest power from the RF energy so received.

[0010] Example implementation 5: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes a battery, and the power harvesting circuit being configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge the battery configured to power or charge at least one electronic component.

[0011] Example implementation 6: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit further includes an inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, and the battery being configured to power or charge at least one electronic component includes being configured to discharge current through the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier configured to amplify and regulate the current.

[0012] Example implementation 7: The device of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit further includes a resistor, and the battery being configured to power at least one electronic component includes being configured to discharge current through the resistor having a variable resistance such that the current has a variable amperage that affects a variable wattage, and in at least one instance, the resistor is or includes a potentiometer.

[0013] Example implementation 8: The apparatus of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes: a converter configured to harvest power from RF energy; and a photovoltaic cell configured to harvest power from light energy, and at least one electronic component is powered or charged by the converter or the photovoltaic cell or is switchably powered or charged from both the converter and the photovoltaic cell.

[0014] Example implementation 9: A control body coupled to or capable of being coupled to a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device, the cartridge containing an aerosol precursor composition and equipped with a heating element that can be controlled to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body including a control component configured to control the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition; and a power harvesting circuit configured to receive RF energy from an external radio frequency (RF) transmitter and harvest power from the RF energy to power or charge at least one electronic component.

[0015] Example implementation 10: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to power at least one electronic component including a display or a sensor, or a heating element.

[0016] Example implementation 11: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge at least one electronic component including a power source that powers a display or a sensor, or a heating element.

[0017] Example implementation 12: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes: an antenna configured to receive RF energy; and a converter configured to harvest power from the RF energy so received.

[0018] Example implementation 13: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes a storage battery, and the power harvesting circuit configured to harvest power from RF energy includes being configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge the storage battery configured to power or charge at least one electronic component.

[0019] Example implementation 14: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit further includes an inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, and the storage battery configured to power or charge at least one electronic component includes being configured to discharge current through the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier being configured to amplify and regulate the current.

[0020] Example implementation 15: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit further includes a resistor, and the battery is configured to power at least one electronic component including being configured to discharge current through the resistor, the resistor having a variable resistance such that the current has a variable amperage, which affects a variable wattage, and in at least one instance, the resistor is or includes a potentiometer.

[0021] Example implementation 16: The control body of any of the foregoing or any subsequent example implementations, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvesting circuit includes: a converter configured to harvest power from RF energy; and a photovoltaic cell configured to harvest power from light energy, at least one electronic component being powered or charged by the converter or the photovoltaic cell or switchably powered or charged from both the converter and the photovoltaic cell.

[0022] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below. The present disclosure encompasses any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements set forth in the present disclosure, whether or not such features or elements are explicitly combined or otherwise referenced in the particular example implementations described herein. The present disclosure is intended to be read as a whole such that any separable feature or element thereof in any of its aspects and example implementations should be considered combinable unless the context of the present disclosure clearly dictates otherwise.

[0023] Accordingly, it will be understood that this brief summary of the invention is provided only for the purpose of outlining some example implementations in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the example implementations described above are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of the present disclosure in any way. By making the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings that illustrate the principles of some of the described example implementations by way of example, other example implementations, aspects, and advantages will become apparent. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] Accordingly, the present disclosure has been described in the foregoing general terms, and now reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, and in which:

[0025] Figure 1 A side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge coupled to a control body according to an example implementation of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery device according to various example implementations;

[0027] Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、Figure 5 and Figure 6 illustrates various elements of a control body implemented according to various examples; and

[0028] Figure 7 illustrates various operations in a method for controlling an aerosol delivery device implemented according to an example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to example implementations of the present disclosure. The described example implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and the appended claims, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an", "the", and the like include plural referents.

[0030] As described hereinafter, example implementations of the present disclosure relate to an aerosol delivery system. An aerosol delivery system according to the present disclosure uses electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to form an inhalable substance; and the components of such a system are in the form of an article, most preferably a sufficiently compact form considered a handheld device. That is, the use of the components of a preferred aerosol delivery system does not result in the generation of smoke in the sense of an aerosol produced mainly by the by-products of tobacco combustion or pyrolysis. Instead, the use of those preferred systems results in the generation of vapor due to the volatilization or evaporation of certain components incorporated therein. In some example implementations, the components of the aerosol delivery system may be characterized as an electronic cigarette, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0031] The aerosol generating member of certain preferred aerosol delivery systems can provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, taste or flavor types, sensory effects, body sensations, usage habits, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosol, etc.) of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe used by inhaling through the ignition and combustion of tobacco (and thus inhaling tobacco smoke), without any significant degree of combustion of any of its components. For example, a user of an aerosol generating member of the present disclosure can hold and use the member very similarly to a smoker using a traditional type of smoking article, inhaling the aerosol produced by the member by sucking at one end of the member, taking or puffing a spray at a selected time interval, and so on.

[0032] The aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure may also be characterized as a vapor generating article or a drug delivery article. Thus, such an article or device may be adapted to provide one or more substances in an inhalable form or state (e.g., flavorants and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients). For example, the inhalable substance may be substantially in the form of vapor (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable substance may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is intended to include forms or types of vapor, gas, and aerosol suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or not and whether in a form that may be considered smoky.

[0033] The aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure generally includes a plurality of components provided within an outer body or housing (which may be referred to as a shell). The overall design of the outer body or housing may vary, and the type or configuration of the outer body that defines the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device may vary. Generally, an elongate body similar in shape to a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single one-piece housing, or the elongate housing may be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include an elongate shell or body that may be generally tubular in shape and thus similar in shape to a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a single housing. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more joined and separable housings. For example, the aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end that includes a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a power source such as a rechargeable battery and / or capacitor and various electronics for controlling the operation of the article), and at the other end and removably coupled thereto may have an outer body or housing containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavored cartridge).

[0034] The aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure most preferably includes a certain combination of the following components: a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., a device for actuating, controlling, regulating, and stopping the power for heat generation by controlling, for example, the current flowing through the power source to other components of the article, such as a microprocessor, either alone or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heat generating member (e.g., a resistive heating element or other component, which alone or in combination with one or more further elements can generally be referred to as an "atomizer"), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., a liquid that is generally capable of producing an aerosol when sufficient heat is applied, such as the components commonly referred to as "smoke juice", "e-liquid", and "e-juice"), and a mouth end region or tip for allowing inhalation of the aerosol upon puffing on the aerosol delivery device (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article such that the generated aerosol can be drawn therefrom upon puffing).

[0035] In view of the further disclosure provided hereinafter, more specific types, configurations, and arrangements of the components within the aerosol delivery system of the present disclosure will become apparent. Additionally, the selection and arrangement of the various aerosol delivery system components can be understood after considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices such as those mentioned in the background art section of the present disclosure.

[0036] In various examples, the aerosol delivery device can include a reservoir configured to hold the aerosol precursor composition. The reservoir can in particular be formed of a porous material (e.g., a fibrous material) and can thus be referred to as a porous substrate (e.g., a fibrous substrate).

[0037] The fibrous substrate used as a reservoir in the aerosol delivery device can be a woven or non-woven material formed of a variety of fibers or filaments and can be formed of one or both of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. For example, the fibrous substrate can include a fiberglass material. In a particular example, a cellulose acetate material can be used. In other example implementations, a carbon material can be used. The reservoir can be substantially in the form of a container and can include the fibrous material included therein.

[0038] Figure 1 A side view of an aerosol delivery device 100 including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 in accordance with various example implementations of the present disclosure is shown. Specifically, Figure 1The figure shows a control body and a cartridge coupled to each other. The control body and the cartridge can be detachably aligned in an operative relationship. Various mechanisms can connect the cartridge to the control body to create a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference fit, a magnetic engagement, etc. In some example implementations, when the cartridge and the control body are in an assembled configuration, the aerosol delivery device can be generally rod-shaped, generally tubular-shaped, or generally cylindrical-shaped. The cross-section of the aerosol delivery device can also be substantially rectangular or diamond-shaped, which can make it better compatible with a substantially flat or thin-film type power source (such as a power source including a flat battery). The cartridge and the control body can include separate, respective housings or outer bodies that can be formed of any of a variety of different materials. The housing can be formed of any suitable structurally sound material. In some examples, the housing can be formed of a metal or alloy such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. Other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plating over plastic, or ceramics, etc.

[0039] In some example implementations, one or both of the control body 102 or the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 can be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body can have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery, and thus can be combined with any type of recharge technology, including connecting to a typical wall socket via a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector, connecting to a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), connecting to a computer, or connecting to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar cell) or a solar panel of a solar cell. Some examples of suitable recharge technologies are described below. Additionally, in some example implementations, the cartridge can include a single-use cartridge as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0040] Figure 2 More specifically, the figure shows an aerosol delivery device 100 according to some example implementations. As seen in the cross-sectional view shown therein, the aerosol delivery device can again include a control body 102 and a cartridge 104, each including a plurality of respective components. Figure 2The components illustrated in the figure represent components that may be present in the control body and the cartridge, and are not intended to limit the scope of components covered by the present disclosure. As shown, for example, the control body may be formed by a control body housing 206, which may include various electronic components, such as a control component 208 (e.g., a microprocessor alone or as part of a microcontroller), a flow sensor 210, a power source 212, and one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) 214, and such components may be variably aligned. In addition to the flow sensor 210, the various electronic components of the control body may also include a plurality of other suitable sensors, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, etc.

[0041] The power source 212 may be or include a suitable power source as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 918926 to Rajesh et al., such as a lithium ion battery, a solid state battery, or a supercapacitor, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples of suitable solid state batteries include EnFilm from STMicroelectronics TM Rechargeable solid state lithium thin film battery. Examples of suitable supercapacitors include electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), such as hybrid capacitors like lithium ion capacitors (LICs).

[0042] The LED 214 may be an example of a suitable visual indicator that the aerosol delivery device 100 may be equipped with. In addition to or as an alternative to visual indicators such as LEDs, other indicators may be included, such as audio indicators (e.g., speakers), tactile indicators (e.g., vibration motors).

[0043] In some implementations, the various electronic components of the control component 208 may include a display. The display may be configured to output various information, including information about the status of the aerosol delivery device 100, information unrelated to the status of the aerosol delivery device (e.g., the current time), and / or non-information graphics (e.g., graphics provided for user entertainment purposes). Thus, the display may be configured to output any or all of the above information in any form (such as graphical form and / or digital form) (e.g., the remaining or used portion of the capacity of the power source 212). Further, in some implementations, the operation or display may be controlled by an input mechanism or a separate input mechanism. For example, the display may be a touch screen and may thus be configured for user input. In some implementations, the display may provide icons, menus, etc., which are configured to allow the user to make control selections related to the functions of the aerosol delivery device, check specific statuses of the device, etc. Although the display is illustrated as covering only a relatively small portion of the aerosol delivery device, it should be understood that the display may cover a significantly larger portion of the aerosol delivery device.

[0044] The cartridge 104 can be formed by a cartridge housing 216 enclosing a reservoir 218 that is in fluid communication with a liquid delivery element 220, the liquid delivery element being adapted to wick or otherwise deliver an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to a heater 222 (sometimes referred to as a heating element). In various configurations, this structure can be referred to as a tank; and accordingly, the terms "tank", "cartridge", etc. can be used interchangeably to refer to a housing or other casing that encloses a reservoir for an aerosol gas composition and includes a heater. In some examples, a valve can be positioned between the reservoir and the heater and configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor composition transferred or delivered from the reservoir to the heater.

[0045] Various examples of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied can be employed to form the heater 222. The heaters in these examples can be resistive heating elements, such as coils, micro heaters, etc. Example materials that can form wire coils include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), titanium (Ti), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns), and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). Further examples of heaters or heating members that can be used in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure are described below and can be incorporated into a device as illustrated herein Figure 2 as illustrated.

[0046] An opening 224 (e.g., at the mouth end) can be present in the cartridge housing 216 to allow for the discharge of the formed aerosol from the cartridge 104.

[0047] In addition to the heater 222, the cartridge 104 can also include one or more other electronic components 226. These electronic components can include integrated circuits, memory components, sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, proximity sensors, etc.), etc. In some examples, the electronic components of the cartridge can include a display similar to the display described above with respect to the control body and can be a supplement or alternative to the control body having a display. The electronic components can be adapted to communicate with the control component 208 and / or with an external device via a wired or wireless means. The electronic components can be located at any position within the cartridge or its base 228.

[0048] Although the control component 208 and the flow sensor 210 are shown separately, it should be understood that the control component and the flow sensor can be combined into an electronic circuit board and the air flow sensor is directly connected to the electronic circuit board. Further, the electronic circuit board can be relative to Figure 1The illustration is positioned horizontally because the electronic circuit board can be parallel to the central axis of the control body in length. In some examples, the air flow sensor may include its own circuit board or other base elements to which it can be attached. In some examples, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. The flexible circuit board can be configured into various shapes, including a substantially tubular shape. In some examples, the flexible circuit board may be combined with, laminated onto, or form part or all of a heater substrate as further described below.

[0049] The control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may include components adapted to facilitate fluid engagement therebetween. As Figure 2 shown, the control body may include a coupler 230 having a cavity 232 therein. The base 228 of the cartridge may be adapted to engage the coupler and may include a protrusion 234 adapted to fit within the cavity. Such engagement may facilitate a stable connection between the control body and the cartridge and establish an electrical connection between the power source 212 and the control component 208 in the control body and the heater 222 in the cartridge. Further, the control body housing 206 may include an air inlet 236, which may be a notch in the housing that is connected to the coupler, and the notch allows ambient air around the coupler to pass through and enter the housing, then pass through the cavity 232 of the coupler within the housing and enter the cartridge through the protrusion 234.

[0050] In use, when the user inhales on the aerosol delivery device 100, the flow sensor 210 detects an air flow and the heater 222 is activated to atomize the components of the aerosol precursor composition. Inhaling on the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device causes ambient air to enter the air inlet 236 and pass through the central opening in the cavity 232 in the coupler 230 and the protrusion 234 of the base 228. In the cartridge 104, the inhaled air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. The aerosol is agitated, sucked, or otherwise drawn out from the heater and discharged through the opening 224 in the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0051] Useful couplers and bases according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, as Figure 2The coupler 230 as seen in [[ ]] can define an outer perimeter 238 configured to match the inner perimeter 240 of the base 228. In one example, the inner perimeter of the base can define a radius that is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the radius of the outer perimeter of the coupler. Further, the coupler can define one or more protrusions 242 at the outer perimeter, the protrusions configured to engage one or more grooves 244 defined at the inner perimeter of the base. However, various other examples of structures, shapes, and components can be employed to couple the base to the coupler. In some examples, the connection between the base of the cartridge 104 and the coupler of the control body 102 can be generally permanent, while in other examples, the connection therebetween can be releasable such that, for example, the control body can be reused with one or more additional cartridges that can be disposable and / or refillable.

[0052] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 can be generally rod-shaped or generally tubular-shaped or generally cylindrical-shaped. In other examples, further shapes and dimensions are encompassed, for example, rectangular or triangular cross-sections, polyhedral shapes, and the like.

[0053] As currently described, Figure 2 the reservoir 218 as illustrated in [[ ]] can be a container or can be a fibrous reservoir. For example, in this example, the reservoir can include one or more layers of non-woven fibers generally formed in the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of the cartridge shell 216. The aerosol precursor composition can be stored in the reservoir. Liquid components, for example, can be stored by the reservoir in an adsorbed manner. The reservoir can be in fluid communication with the liquid transfer element 220. In this example, the liquid transfer element 136 can transfer the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir to the heater 222 in the form of a metal coil via capillary action. Thus, the heater is located in a heating arrangement together with the liquid delivery element. Examples of reservoirs and delivery elements that can be used in the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure are further described below, and such reservoirs and / or delivery elements can be incorporated into the device as illustrated in [[ ]] as described herein. Specifically, a particular combination of heating members and delivery elements as further described below can be incorporated into the device as illustrated in [[ ]] as described herein. Figure 2 as illustrated in [[ ]] as described herein. Figure 2 as illustrated in [[ ]] as described herein.

[0054] In some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a variety of additional software-controlled functions. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a power source protection circuit configured to detect a power source input, a load on the power source terminals, and a charging input. The power source protection circuit may include short-circuit protection and under-voltage lock out. The aerosol delivery device may also include components for ambient temperature measurement, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to inhibit power source charging (especially any battery) if the ambient temperature is below a certain temperature (e.g., 0 °C) or above a certain temperature (e.g., 45 °C) before or during charging.

[0055] Power delivery from the power source 212 may vary according to a power control mechanism during each puff of the device 100. The device may include a "long puff" safety timer such that in the case where the user or a component malfunction (e.g., the flow sensor 210) causes the device to attempt to puff continuously, the control component 208 may control at least one functional element to automatically terminate the puff after a period of time (e.g., four seconds). Further, the time between multiple puffs on the device may be limited to less than a period of time (e.g., 100 seconds). If the control component of the aerosol delivery device or the software running on the aerosol delivery device becomes unstable and fails to service a watchdog safety timer within an appropriate time interval (e.g., eight seconds), the timer may automatically reset the aerosol delivery device. In the case where the flow sensor 210 malfunctions or is otherwise damaged, further safety protection may be provided, such as by permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device to prevent unintentional heating. In the case where a pressure sensor malfunction causes the device to continuously activate and not stop after a maximum puff time of four seconds, a puff limit switch may deactivate the device.

[0056] The aerosol delivery device 100 may include a puff tracking algorithm (based on the number of available puffs calculated according to the e-liquid feed in the cartridge) configured to lock the heater once the attached cartridge has reached a defined number of puffs. The aerosol delivery device may include a sleep, standby, or low-power mode function whereby power delivery may be automatically cut off after a defined period of non-use. Further safety protection may be provided where all charge / discharge cycles of the power source 212 may be monitored by the control component 208 during its lifetime. After the power source has reached an equivalent of a predetermined number (e.g., 200) of full discharge and full recharge cycles, it may be declared depleted, and the control component may control at least one functional element to prevent further charging of the power source.

[0057] The various components of the aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may be selected from components described in the art and commercially available. Examples of batteries that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0028766 to Peckerar et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0058] When aerosol generation is desired (e.g., during a puff while in use), the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a sensor 210 or another sensor or detector for controlling the supply of electrical power to the heater 222. Thus, for example, a manner or method is provided for disconnecting power to the heater when the aerosol delivery device is not being puffed during use and for turning on the power during a puff to actuate or trigger heat generation by the heater. Additional representative types of sensing or detecting mechanisms, their structures and configurations, their components, and the general methods of their operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO 2010 / 003480 to Flick, which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0059] The aerosol delivery device 100 most preferably includes a control component 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of electrical power to the heater 222 during a puff. Representative types of electronic components, their structures and configurations, their characteristics, and the general methods of their operation are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 to Pan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0230117 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0060554 to Collet et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270727 to Ampolini et al., and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 209,191 filed on March 13, 2014 by Henry et al., which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0060] Substrates, reservoirs, or other components for supporting representative types of aerosol precursors are described in Newton U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569, Chapman et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261487, Davis et al. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 011,992 filed on August 28, 2013, and Bless et al. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 170,838 filed on February 3, 2014, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. Additionally, various wicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes and the configurations and operations of those wicking materials are set forth in Sears et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0209105, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0061] Aerosol precursor compositions (also referred to as vapor precursor compositions) can include a variety of components, by way of example, the variety of components including polyols (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extracts, and / or flavorants. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations are also described and characterized in Robinson et al. U.S. Patent No. 7,217,320 and Zheng et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0008457; Chong et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013 / 0213417; Collett et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0060554; Lipowicz et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020823; and Koller U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015 / 0020830, and Bowen et al. WO 2014 / 182736, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that can be used include those that have been incorporated into the products of R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the BLU™ products of Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, the MISTIC MENTHOL products of Mistic Ecigs, and the VYPE products of CN Creative. So-called "e-juice" for electronic cigarettes is also available from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC.

[0062] Additional representative types of components that can produce visual cues or indications, such as visual indicators and associated components, auditory indicators, tactile indicators, etc., can be employed in the aerosol delivery device 100. Examples of suitable LED components and their configurations and uses are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,499,766 to Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 173,266 to Sears et al. filed on February 5, 2014, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0063] Other features, controls, or components that can be incorporated into the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,365,742 to Hon, U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0016550 to Katase, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0163063 to Fernando et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0192623 to Tucker et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0298905 to Leven et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0180553 to Kim et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261495 to Novak et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0261408 to DePiano et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0064] The control component 208 includes several electronic components and, in some examples, may be formed by a printed circuit board (PCB) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. The electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core and memory. In some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller having an integrated processor core and memory, and it may further include one or more integrated input / output peripherals. In some examples, the control component may be coupled to a communication interface to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices, or other suitably enabled devices. Examples of suitable communication interfaces are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 638,562, filed Mar. 4, 2015, by Marion et al., the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. And examples of suitable ways in which the aerosol delivery device may be configured to communicate wirelessly are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 327,776, filed Jul. 10, 2014, by Ampolini et al. and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 609,032, filed Jan. 29, 2015, by Henry, Jr. et al., each of the foregoing documents being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0065] In some examples, the control body 102 may include a power harvesting circuit 246 configured to receive radio frequency (RF) energy for powering or charging one or more electronic components of the control body 102 or the cartridge 104 or both. As described above, for example, the control body may include various electronic components such as sensors (e.g., flow sensor 210), a power source 212, a heater 222, a display, etc. The power harvesting circuit may be configured to harvest power from RF energy in a frequency range of 800 to 1000 megahertz (MHz).

[0066] Examples of suitable power harvesting circuits are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 0104553, filed Oct. 18, 2004, by Mickle et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0101789, filed Dec. 1, 2009, by Salter, Jr. et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further examples of suitable power harvesting circuits are disclosed in Energy Harvesting Technologies, Volume 21: 280 - 321, New York: Springer, 2009, edited by Priya, Shashank, and Daniel J. Inman. Other power harvesting circuits that may be employed include those already incorporated in the Powerharvester TM receiver products of Powercast TM

[0067] ​The power harvesting circuit 246 can be configured to receive RF energy from an external RF transmitter and harvest power from the RF energy to power or charge one or more electronic components. For example, the power harvested from the RF energy can be used to power a sensor of the aerosol delivery device 100, which can be or include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, etc. In another example, the power harvested from the RF energy can be used to power a display (e.g., an LED display) of the aerosol delivery device.

[0068] Figure 3 More specifically shown is the Figure 1 and Figure 2 control body 102 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure, which includes a power harvesting circuit 246 for powering or charging at least one electronic component 302. It should be noted that one or more electronic components can be included in either or both of the control body or the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100. As Figure 3 shown, the power harvesting circuit 246 can include: an antenna 304 configured to receive RF energy from an external RF transmitter; and a converter 306 configured to harvest power from the RF energy.

[0069] Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 More specifically shown is the Figure 3 control body 102 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. According to some example implementations, the power source 212 of the control body 102 can be a rechargeable power source, such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LiB), a thin-film solid-state battery (SSB), or a thin-film supercapacitor, and can thus be combined with any type of recharge technology, some of which can include using the power harvested from RF energy. Thus, as Figure 4 shown, in some example implementations, at least one electronic component can include a power source, and the power harvesting circuit 246 can be configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge the power source.

[0070] As Figure 4Also shown is that the power source 212 can be connected to an electrical load 402, which includes various components that control the body to form an electronic circuit, and when the control body is coupled to the cartridge 104, the electrical load 402 can also include a heater 222. More specifically, the electrical load can include a control component 208, which can also be coupled to the power source. In some implementations, at least one electronic component can include the electrical load. In some implementations, the power harvested from RF energy can be used to power various electronic components independently of the power source 212 (e.g., a lithium-ion battery, a solid-state battery, or a supercapacitor) or in conjunction with the power source 212. Thus, in some of these examples, the power harvesting circuit 246 can be configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge the power source, and the power source can be configured to power at least one other electronic component (such as a display, or a sensor, or a heater).

[0071] As Figure 5 shown, in some example implementations, the power harvesting circuit 246 includes a storage battery 502. In these example implementations, the power harvesting circuit can be configured to harvest power from RF energy to charge the storage battery, and the storage battery is configured to power or charge at least one electronic component 302. The storage battery can be or include a suitable energy storage component, such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a rechargeable thin-film solid-state battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, etc. In some examples, the converter 306 can be configured to convert RF energy to DC power and store the power in the storage battery until the charge threshold of the storage battery is reached. In instances where the charge threshold of the storage battery has been achieved, the storage battery can be configured to increase its output voltage level by using a direct current (DC) boost converter circuit. When the charge drops below the charge threshold, the voltage output can be disabled.

[0072] As Figure 5Also shown is that, in some examples, the power harvesting circuit 246 may include many other electronic components, such as amplifiers, analog-to-digital (ADC) converters, digital-to-analog (DAC) converters, resistors, indicators, etc. to form an electronic circuit. In some examples, the battery 502 may be configured to discharge through an operational amplifier 504 (e.g., an inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier), where the operational amplifier may be configured to amplify and regulate the discharge current from the battery to at least one electronic component 302. The power harvesting circuit may also include a variable resistor 506, where the battery may be configured to discharge current through the resistor to at least one electronic component. The resistor may have a variable resistance, and thus the current may have a variable amperage, which may affect the variable wattage. For example, the resistor may be or include a three-terminal resistor, such as a potentiometer. Thus, the resistor may be configured to regulate the voltage or current range of the power released from the battery to at least one electronic component. In some examples, the output voltage of the battery may be set to 3.3 volts, and the voltage may be adjusted from 1.8 volts to up to 5.25 volts by using a variable resistor.

[0073] The power harvesting circuit 246 may also include an indicator 508 (e.g., the LED 214 that may include an organic light-emitting diode (LED)), which is configured to visually indicate the voltage level of the battery 502. In some examples, the indicator may be coupled to the control component 208 and included in the control body 102. In these examples, the power harvesting circuit may generate a signal and send the signal to the control component for driving the indicator, where the signal may correspond to the voltage level of the battery.

[0074] As Figure 6 shown, in some examples, the power harvesting circuit 246 may include a photovoltaic cell PC configured to harvest power from light energy. In these examples, at least one electronic component 302 may be powered or charged from the converter 306 or the photovoltaic cell, or may be powered or charged switchably from both the converter and the photovoltaic cell. In some example implementations, at least one electronic component may be configured to receive power from the converter and switch to the photovoltaic cell only after the converter has discharged at least a threshold amount.

[0075] Referring again to Figure 2 , in addition to or instead of the control body 102, the cartridge 104 may include a power harvesting circuit 248, which may be configured to be similar to and perform a function similar to that of the power harvesting circuit 246 of the control body, as described above with reference to Figures 3 - 6As discussed. For example, the cartridge may include a power harvesting circuit configured to harvest power from RF energy for powering or charging various electronic components of the cartridge and, in some instances, the control body (such as, heater 222, sensors, displays, or other suitable electronic components). In these examples, in accordance with various examples implemented herein, the power harvesting circuit may be configured to receive RF energy from an external RF transmitter and harvest power from the RF energy to power or charge various electronic components.

[0076] Figure 7 Illustrates various operations of a method 700 for controlling an aerosol delivery device according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery device may include a control body that is coupled or may be coupled to a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device. The cartridge may be equipped with a heating element configured to activate and vaporize components of an aerosol precursor composition. The method may include receiving RF energy from an external RF transmitter via an antenna, as shown in block 702. The method may also include harvesting power from the RF energy using a converter for powering or charging at least one electronic component, as shown in block 704.

[0077] The foregoing usage descriptions of the (multiple) articles may be applied, with minor modifications, to the various example implementations described herein, which minor modifications may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the additional disclosure provided herein. However, the foregoing usage descriptions are not intended to limit the use of the articles, but rather to provide all necessary requirements in accordance with the disclosure of the present disclosure. Figures 1 - 7 Any of the elements shown in one or more of the articles illustrated or otherwise described above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure.

[0078] Benefiting from the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains will appreciate many modifications and other embodiments of this disclosure set forth herein. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, although the foregoing description and the associated drawings describe example implementations in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those explicitly described above are also contemplated, as set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising: a reservoir formed of a porous substrate for retaining an aerosol precursor composition; an atomizer configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition; and a control body, the control body comprising: a control component configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition; and a power collection circuit including an energy storage component, a receiver, an inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, and a resistor, the energy storage component being configured to deliver power to the atomizer, the receiver being configured to receive energy from an external source, the resistor being or including a potentiometer, the energy storage component being configured to discharge current through the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, wherein the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier is configured to amplify and regulate the current, and the power collection circuit is configured to collect power from the energy received from the external source and store the power in the energy storage component.

2. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, The resistor has a variable resistance, and thus the current has a variable amperage, affecting a variable wattage.

3. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external source is an external radio frequency transmitter.

4. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 3, wherein The receiver includes: an antenna configured to receive radio frequency energy; and a converter configured to collect the power from the radio frequency energy so received.

5. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, The external source is light energy.

6. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 5, wherein, The receiver includes a photovoltaic cell configured to collect power from the light energy so received.

7. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiver includes: an antenna, a converter, and a photovoltaic cell, the antenna being configured to receive radio frequency energy, the converter being configured to collect the power from the radio frequency energy, and the photovoltaic cell being configured to receive light energy.

8. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, The control body further includes a sensor and a control component configured to control at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device.

9. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, The atomizer includes a heating element.

10. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to hold at least one of the substrate, the atomizer, or the control body.

11. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 10, wherein The housing includes two separable bodies; the first body includes a cartridge including the substrate and the atomizer, and the second body includes the control body including the control component.

12. The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, The energy storage component includes a rechargeable battery.

13. A control body for an aerosol delivery device, the control body being couplable to a cartridge containing a reservoir formed of a porous substrate that retains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising: a control component configured to cause the aerosol delivery device to produce an aerosol from the aerosol precursor composition; and A power collection circuit, the power collection circuit including an energy storage component, a receiver, a resistor, and an inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, the energy storage component being configured to deliver power to the control component, the receiver being configured to receive energy from an external source, the resistor being or including a potentiometer, the energy storage component being configured to discharge current through the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier, wherein the inverting or non-inverting operational amplifier is configured to amplify and regulate the current, the power collection circuit being configured to collect power from the energy received from the external source and store the power in the energy storage component.

14. The control main body according to claim 13, characterized in that, The resistor has a variable resistance, and thus the current has a variable amperage, affecting a variable wattage.

15. The control main body according to claim 13, characterized in that The receiver includes: an antenna, a converter, and a photovoltaic cell, the antenna being configured to receive radio frequency energy, the converter being configured to collect the power from the radio frequency energy, and the photovoltaic cell being configured to receive light energy.

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